Well, I had a bit of a vacation...with school and psycho weather, I realized I had forgotten to keep reviewing until I had a stack of four books!

I thought Northern VA had lucked out this year in terms of weather, but...it wasn't to be. We finally got 5 inches (I know, not much, compared to the amounts falling in the Northeast, but it's enough to make everything a mess).

That was around 5, after it had been snowing about an hour.

And that was what the bushes looked like at 8, when it had finally stopped.

And I had to climb over that to get out of my house...fun stuff.

But, yeah, reviews are forthcoming...

REVIEW: Frostbite by David Wellington

Source: Bought

Having read a couple of paranormal romance series in which werewolves are dangerous, but still lovable, I decided to try something a little grittier. A werewolf story where a woman is attacked, not seduced, seemed like a refreshing break.

Chey Clarke is on her own in the far north when a flash flood disorients her and destroys her supplies. As she grows increasingly desperate to get to the town that should be due north, she realizes that she's being hunted…by something a large pack of wolves runs from. Sure enough, it's a werewolf, which says hello by trying to yank her out of the tree she climbed and tear her to shreds. Unfortunately, he gets close enough to scratch her, and Chey is just like him, and he lets her into his world (after a bumpy start…involving him chasing her with an ax). However, it seems the predator-prey divide is not as clear as it seems, as Chey's backstory is revealed and people from her old life make an appearance.

I mainly wanted a story that took a different look at werewolves, and this did just that. Powell, the werewolf, lives isolated from all humans because, once changed, his one goal is to kill and destroy anything human. That's part of the curse, that the wolf side hates all things human, which battles his human side. Being a wolf isn't cool, it really sucks-you live longer and are stronger, but there are two sides of you that hate each other, and one would eat the other given the opportunity. Although the cause of the curse was never really explained, the story drew in the myth of the werewolf that was prominent in medieval Europe, which I thought was pretty cool. According to Mr. Wellington's website, this is part of a new series (cool!), so maybe there will be further explanations as they further find out about the curse.

My favorite part of the book was Chey-she was a really strong lead character, and I loved how the way her character changed facilitated the twists and turns of the plot. Powell was also interesting, and I liked how their relationship developed, especially when Chey's previous experience with wolves comes to light. Plus, there's (sort of) romance that doesn't involve sex-which is totally fine, but, seriously, it's not a requirement when a werewolf and a woman meet.

Another strength of the book was Mr. Wellington's description; although the book was not particularly scary, there were a few rather chilling moments, especially given the way it was described-

            "She took in its shape in all in an instant, but after she saw them she had trouble looking at anything but its eyes. Those eyes-they were not yellow, like those of the timber wolves, but an icy green, narrow and cold. Intelligence resided in those eyes as well as something else, a deadly anger. She could read it plainly, as well as she could have read the eyes of a human being. This animal didn't want to eat her. It didn't consider her prey. It wanted to kill her."

So even though I was expecting something a little scarier, I did begin to enjoy the story once I realized that this was more gritty adventure than horror. In some cases, the writing style bugged me slightly, but I think it had more to do with the fact that it was just different than I was used to. I plan on trying more of David Wellington's books, particularly his vampire series. I particularly want to see his spin on the traditional vampire lore. I'm also planning to read on with the next book in this series, Overwinter.

Grade: 3.5/5-not my favorite, but definitely something I'll keep up with

REVIEW: The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

Source: Bought

I absolutely loved The Maze Runner, the first book in the series, since it was an action-packed story of survival in a post-apocalyptic world. Thomas and the Gladers are now out of the Maze, but it turns out that WICKED isn't finished with them yet. Only one night's relief, and they are thrust into an even more threatening environment. I don't want to give too much away-one of the reasons I like the series so much is that you aren't quite sure, especially at the beginning, what dangers there are-but let's just say that the Grievers were only the beginning.

The main appeal of this series is all the action, and The Scorch Trials delivered admirably. From giant lightning storms to fleeing in city sewers from Cranks, Thomas and the Gladers don't have time to breathe. The only section that dragged a little was towards the end, when Teresa went through some rapid changes quickly (I know that sounds lame, but I'm trying hard to keep out spoilers); it was very confusing, and I'm assuming that it is something that will be explained in a later book. Which is the main thing that stinks-another cliffhanger! Just as we're about to get some answers! But that's OK, I guess, as long as the next one comes out soon.

Against the backdrop of all the changes going on around him, Thomas himself stays pretty much the same. The main difference is that his dreams about his past are increasing, but the truth remains elusive. Also, a love triangle develops as another girl enters the story (which is so refreshing in the midst of the boy-girl-boy triangle). The only character who really goes through some major changes is Teresa, but it is unclear why these changes happened, and if they are real-mainly, Thomas sees her differently…again, trying not to spoil everything! Part of the reason that it seems that all the changes are superficial is because, well, they don't really have the time for lots of self-reflection. They're trying to cross the Scorch and not get eaten by Cranks, so the story is driven by action more than anything. Plus, Thomas is still clueless about many things (how he was involved in WICKED and why, what they are doing, etc.), so I have a feeling much of that character development will happen in the next book, when Thomas hopefully gets answers.

If you want a book with non-stop action, then this is definitely the book for you! I couldn't put it down. Although many aspects of Thomas's world are still confusing, there is still enough revealed that you don't feel lost.

Grade: 4.5/5

2011 Challenges

So I have entered into two challenges for next year, and I'm really excited!

First, The Women of Fantasy Challenge. A couple of the books were already on my TBR list, and the rest look really interesting. I've been trying to get back into fantasy, as I didn't really read as much of it this year, so this is the perfect opportunity.

Here's the list:
January: The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N. K. Jemisin
February: Elfland by Freda Warrington
March: Prospero Lost by L. Jagi Lamplighter
April: Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Cherie Priest
May: War for the Oaks by Emma Bull
June: The Dark Mirror by Juliet Marillier
July: All the Windwracked Stars by Elizabeth Bear
August: Indigo Springs by A. M. Dellamonica
September: Firebird by Mercedes Lackey
October: Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton
November: The Gaslight Dogs by Karin Lowachee
December: Readers' Choice

The other one is the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die Challenge. I only picked out 6 books so far (which is the bachelor's degree level), since most of the books I picked are classics, and I'll have lots of those to read already for school, so I'll have two months to finish each one.

Here's what I'm planning on reading:
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemmingway
The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

REVIEW: The Tomorrow Code by Brian Falkner

Source: Bought-and then couldn't resist reading it

Tane and Rebecca are having a completely ordinary day until Tane comes up with a crazy idea: if it's possible that people in the future have built a transmitter to send messages back to the past, why not build a receiver and see what comes up? Turns out, there are actually messages coming back to them, from themselves. At first it seems like a lucky break, but then it all goes wrong when the messages turn dire. Now, I'm not a science person at all and had never heard of quantum foam, but I liked the whole end-of-the-world spin, so I grabbed a copy, thinking it wouldn't be bad to read a book with more science in it. Boy, I'm glad I did-this book was so much fun to read. I was able to follow along through the science explanations fairly well (it was spelled out simply enough), and then, once the action picked up, I couldn't put the book down.

I mainly liked the plot-it was fast-paced and super interesting. To me, it read like a Michael Crichton novel, like Andromeda Strain, a book I absolutely loved. Figuring out the clues from the future along with the characters was very cool. But I liked the characters, too. Rebecca, Tane, and Fatboy made up a really great team-they all had flaws, but they each also had their strengths, and they each had an opportunity to shine. Another aspect I thought very cool was the way Falkner weaved aspects of Maori culture into the story, especially how it helped Tane and Fatboy develop as characters. This book was very well-written and action-packed. If the science behind the story is absurd (which it might be to someone well-versed in physics, I'm not 100% sure), I thought it was really interesting. Add strong characters and a fantastic plot, and it was a great read.

Grade: 4.7/5

REVIEW: Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

Source: Borrowed

It's finally finished. OK, I went into this thinking the book would be so awful it would be unbearable to finish. It wasn't that bad. The writing was mediocre, and I really didn't like the main characters too much, but, overall, it was just meh, mildly annoying, but bearable. I didn't have a problem with the pacing; it's nearly 500 pages, but everything that happens seems like it adds to the story. What I didn't like so much were the emotional parts, the gushy Bella/Edward moments. I like romance, but…I never saw exactly why they were so into each other. Bella just tells us she likes him, and, ooh, he sparkles, and that's basically it. But when we were able to get past that, into the sections about Edward's family, that's the part of the book I like. Esme and Carlisle are really, really interesting characters, and their back story is the most interesting part of the book. Too bad it's not their story. Because I really don't like Bella. She's stupid and completely obsessed with a guy that doesn't treat her that well- he even admits that he's putting her at danger, and she comes back. Why? What does she see in this guy? All the other relationships in the book make sense: Carlisle and Esme, Rosalie and Emmett, and Alice and Jasper. And apparently Bella is Edward's one-and-only, and he's been alone for almost 100 years, fine. But, seriously, I don't understand Bella's attraction to this guy apart from the fact that he's OMG super hot. Which isn't really the greatest basis for a relationship. Basically, listening to Bella talk was just frustrating. And I got really sick of hearing about how clumsy she is. Was that supposed to make her endearing? Ugh.

Here's my favorite part, though: Bella's getting ready for some alone-time with Edward, so she's nervous and can't sleep and take some cough medicine-"I normally wouldn't condone that type of behavior in myself, but tomorrow would be complicated enough without me being loopy from sleep deprivation on top of everything else." An abstinence message-lovely. Really? When I pick up a vampire romance, that's not what I'm looking for. Jeez.

Still, the world Meyer created was pretty cool. Vampires sparkle and play baseball and run super fast. That's fun. Esme and Carlisle and their family were also very interesting. Unfortunately, a whiny, awkward, clumsy teenager who is completely clueless is narrating the story, and that's what killed it. Edward's a jerk, and he's angry a lot (seriously, the guy switches emotions so fast I can't keep up), but he's just mildly irritating. Bella's just awful. Not sure if I'll finish the series, although I've heard a lot of fun things about Breaking Dawn, so I might have to, just to see what the fuss is about. But I'm content with the movies, they seem to get the gist of the story.

 Grade: 2.8/5

REVIEW: Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas

Whew! Well, turns out this semester is going to finish with the biggest last minute catch-up, turn in paper madness ever. And my resolve to finish Twilight is sagging-but I haven't completely lost the ability to actually finish books, so I have a review of the latest Lisa Kleypas novel I've read, Mine Till Midnight, which was the perfect was to spend a Friday afternoon after an insane week of school work. Twilight is not quite ready to become a didn't-finish, but it's certainly proving to take forever to finish (since I have to beat my brain into a whole different level to read the damn thing). So, in the meantime...

REVIEW: Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas

Source: Bought my own copy

I am a HUGE fan of this author. I especially enjoyed the Wallflower series, so needless to say, I was super excited to start the Hathaways series. One of the main reasons I am completely hooked on these books is the characters: almost all of them are well-drawn, interesting people I connect with on some level. Mine Till Midnight was no exception. Amelia Hathaway is responsible for taking care of her three younger sisters and her older brother, who has set himself on a path to self-destruction following the loss of his fiancé. Strong and serious, Amelia's completely centered on her family and making sure they are all happy, and she worries about things she can't afford to give her sisters, like new dresses or time at a proper finishing school for the youngest. Basically, by the time they move to Ramsay House, Amelia's getting fed up with her brother's irresponsible behavior (especially since it adversely affects the other sisters). Enter Cam Rohan: a gypsy who works as a manager for London's premier gambling club. The main thing I like about Cam is that he always seems to pop out of the woodwork to help Amelia with whatever she needs and that he doesn't shy away from her family (instead, he grows very fond of her younger sisters). Although both Amelia and Cam were fantastic characters, the secondary characters were just as interesting. I was particularly fond of Beatrix, who is an unashamed animal-lover. Then, some characters from the Wallflower series return (which I was very excited about), particularly Lord Westcliff and St. Vincent, who are two of my favorite characters, and their wives, Lillian and Evie. It was great to see what was happening in these characters' lives, although the details didn't slow down the story at all and were well integrated. Another reason I love Lisa Kleypas' books is the rich settings she provides. Here, she incorporates elements of gypsy folklore into the story (especially concerning Leo). It was wonderfully done and made for a very cool read.

One of my favorite moments is when Beatrix lets loose her new pet lizard, Spot, to save her brother Leo from getting a severe lecture from Lord Westcliff (which I was almost disappointed was prevented <g>):

                "You brought Spot to supper?" Amelia asked her youngest sister in disbelief. "Bea, I told you to get rid of him yesterday!"

                "I tried to," came Beatrix's contrite reply, "but after I left him in the woods, he followed me home."

                "Bea," Amelia said sternly, "reptiles do not follow people home."
                "Spot is no ordinary lizard."

I love this family in all its eccentricities, and cannot wait to finish the series.

Grade: 4.5 out of 5