Audio Book Review: My True Love Gave to Me

My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories 
Edited by Stephanie Perkins
****

Stories Include:
· “Midnights,” by Rainbow Rowell.  Read by Rebecca Lowman. 
·  “The Lady and the Fox,” by Kelly Link.  Read by Fiona Hardingham.
·  “Angels in the Snow,” by Matt de la Peña.  Read by Henry Leyva.
· “Polaris Is Where You’ll Find Me,” by Jenny Han.  Read by Kim Mai Guest.
· “It’s a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown,” by Stephanie Perkins.  Read by Samantha Quan.
· “Your Temporary Santa,” by David Levithan.  Read by Dustin Rubin.
· “Krampuslauf,” by Holly Black.  Read by Julia Whelan.
· “What the Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth?” by Gayle Foreman.  Read by Abby Craden.
· “Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus,” by Myra McEntire.  Read by Lincoln Hoppe.
· “Welcome to Christmas, CA,” by Kiersten White.  Read by Michelle Jubilee Gonzalez.
· “Star of Bethlehem,” by Ally Carter.  Read by Shannon McManus. 
· “The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer,” by Laini Taylor.  Read by Ann Marie Lee.

“He says presents aren't important, but I think they are - not because of how much they cost, but for the opportunity they provide to say I understand you.” 
― David Levithan, My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories

Such a great collection of YA holiday romance stories from some of the best YA authors! Even the grumpiest Scrooge should find at least *one* title to tickle their fancy. There were a few hit and miss stories for me, but on the whole, it was a great way to get in the holiday mood.

A few thoughts on the stories:

Best title: Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus, by Myra McEntire
Most Swoon-worthy: It's a Yule-tide Miracle, Charlie Brown, by Stephanie Perkins
Most Real: Angels in the Snow, by Matt De La Pena
Most Magical: The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer, by Laini Taylor
Most Abrupt Ending: Polaris is Where You'll Find Me, by Jenny Han
Best Narration: The Lady and the Fox, by Kelly Link, read by Fiona Hardingham
Easiest Story to Match to the Author (aka I could have named the author without knowing who wrote it ahead of time): Midnights, by Rainbow Rowell
Best Chemistry: Welcome to Christmas, CA, by Kiersten White

Of all the stories, I think my favorites would have to be Laini Taylor's and Kiersten White's. But I loved something about all of them and may have to make this compilation a yearly read.

Book Review: Give and Take

Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success 
By Adam M. Grant
***

“This is what I find most magnetic about successful givers: they get to the top without cutting others down, finding ways of expanding the pie that benefit themselves and the people around them. Whereas success is zero-sum in a group of takers, in groups of givers, it may be true that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.” 
― Adam Grant, Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success

From Goodreads: 
For generations, we have focused on the individual drivers of success: passion, hard work, talent, and luck. But today, success is increasingly dependent on how we interact with others. It turns out that at work, most people operate as either takers, matchers, or givers. Whereas takers strive to get as much as possible from others and matchers aim to trade evenly, givers are the rare breed of people who contribute to others without expecting anything in return.

Using his own pioneering research as Wharton's youngest tenured professor, Grant shows that these styles have a surprising impact on success. Although some givers get exploited and burn out, the rest achieve extraordinary results across a wide range of industries. Combining cutting-edge evidence with captivating stories, this landmark book shows how one of America's best networkers developed his connections, why the creative genius behind one of the most popular shows in television history toiled for years in anonymity, how a basketball executive responsible for multiple draft busts transformed his franchise into a winner, and how we could have anticipated Enron's demise four years before the company collapsed-without ever looking at a single number.

Praised by bestselling authors such as Dan Pink, Tony Hsieh, Dan Ariely, Susan Cain, Dan Gilbert, Gretchen Rubin, Bob Sutton, David Allen, Robert Cialdini, and Seth Godin-as well as senior leaders from Google, McKinsey, Merck, Estee Lauder, Nike, and NASA-Give and Take highlights what effective networking, collaboration, influence, negotiation, and leadership skills have in common. This landmark book opens up an approach to success that has the power to transform not just individuals and groups, but entire organizations and communities.


From Me: 
This is our Florida One Book-One State pick for the upcoming year. It's an in depth look at personalities from the angle of givers, takers, and matchers, and how they succeed and/or fail in the workplace. It's highly readable with interesting anecdotes. 

That being said, this is not the kind of book I choose to read; give me fiction or give me boredom. I wouldn't label Give and Take as boring; it's much better than that. But still -- there were no dragons.

HELLHOLE Trailer Reveal!

I picked up Croak at my library a couple of years ago and fell in love with Gina Damico's Grim world (read my review of Croak here and Scorch here). I'm super excited that she's written brand new book in a brand new series. Welcome to Hellhole:

Holy crap on a cracker, that trailer is amazing.

You want more? Well, here's a bit about the book:

Geeky, squeaky-clean Max Kilgore only has one dirty habit: digging for fossils. One day, to his horror, his shovel strikes not upon a dinosaur bone, but a pit to hell—and out of it comes a devil. Specifically, the kind of devil who eats a lot of junk food, watches a lot of reality television, plays a lot of video games, and refuses to leave Max’s basement. But evil is still evil, no matter what form it takes. And Max has to find a way to comply with the demands of the big red menace, lest he lay waste to everyone and everything Max cares about.

With the help of Lore, a former goth girl who knows a thing or two about the dark side, Max goes in search of a new abode for his unwanted guest. Finding a place where he can reside in luciferian luxury isn’t easy, but Max has strong motivation: his mother, whose terminal illness the devil promises to cure if Max gives him what he wants. Lore has her doubts about making a deal with the devil, but Max will stop at nothing to save his mom. And pretty soon, he’s doing things the good kid he once was would never dream of doing. Clearly, hanging around with a devil is a bad influence. But how can Max get rid of the guy without incurring the wrath of hell?

What the hell are the deets, you ask? Hellhole will be published on January 6th, 2015 (I have my copy ordered already - happy birthday to me!) and can be found at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and IndieBound. Or go straight to the source for all the info at www.ginadami.co! 

Now I'm craving Doritos.

Book Review: Anna Dressed in Blood

Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna #1) 
By Kendare Blake
****

“Move, hunt, kill. Like lather, rinse, and repeat.” 
― Kendare Blake, Anna Dressed in Blood

From Goodreads: 

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. They follow legends and local lore, destroy the murderous dead, and keep pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

Searching for a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas expects the usual: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

Yet she spares Cas's life.


From Me:

I read this book for this month's FYA Book Club selection. It was described to me as a cross between Supernatural and Scooby Doo, which I can totally see. Cas (come on, Cas?!) is very Dean-like, if Dean's mom lived instead of his dad, and he had no Sammy to hunt with him. Cas is cool. I like Cas. Anna's pretty cool, too, for a BAMF dead girl from the fifties. I love how she changed from ghost-girl to ghost-hulk depending on the situation - it made her a really fascinating character.

Blake pulls no punches when it comes to violence, like for reals. If you have a weak stomach and are easily squicked out, you may want to skim some of these sections. Things get pretty darn gruesome from time to time, and they're hard to stomach. But, as always with me, it's the horrible things that people do that cause me more trouble than the things the monsters do.

Great Halloween option for weenies like me who don't like straight-up horror. Spooky, creepy, eerie: yes; gross, violent: sometimes; scare me into putting the book in the freezer: no.

Book Review: Jackaby

Jackaby (Jackaby #1) 

By William Ritter
****

“Hell of a sight. She let out a scream and just fell to pieces. Can't say I blame her. Like I said, this sort of thing is not for the female temperament." He directed that last sentiment at me, making eye contact for the first time.

"I dare say you're right, sir," I conceded, meeting his gaze. "Out of curiosity, though, is there someone whose temperament you do find suited to this sort of thing? I think I would be most unnerved to meet a man who found it pleasant.” 
― William Ritter, Jackaby

Jackaby is a detective mystery set in the 1890s in the New England area. Jackaby is a detective with some very Sherlockian attributes: he's more focused on *what* he's seeing than *who* he's seeing; he has no real idea of the correct way to interact with others, which often makes him come across as rude; and he wears a funny hat. Ways in which Jackaby is different from Sherlock? Well first off, he doesn't see all the minute details of a situation - the ordinary things others would overlook despite their significance - and leaves that to our narrator, Abigail Rook. Also, he's a seer. He sees the impossible like kobolds and banshees and the like, which the people of Ritter's world do not know about nor believe in. 

Abigail Rook is like Sherlock's Watson; she acts as our narrator and she assists Jackaby in his investigation. She finds a job with Jackaby after newly arriving in the States. She's originally from England, the daughter of a scholar and archaeologist, who wanted nothing more than to join her father in his adventures, but was told that wasn't a place for women. She ran away from school to join a dig for dinosaurs, but the experience wasn't what she was hoping for. Rather than giving up on her own adventures, though, she stuck out her time on the dig, then got on a boat to America. 

The action of the story only takes place over the course of a couple days. There's a murder, one that Jackaby concludes was committed by a supernatural villain. Jackaby and Abigail follow the clues to the big reveal at the end. And I must admit, I actually guessed the culprit pretty early, but since that never happens to me, I assumed I was wrong. Does it count if I figure out the whodunit if I don't believe I figured it out?

Jackaby was a fun story, and lighter than the gorgeous yet dark cover art would lead you to believe. It had it's dark moments, of course; it is a murder investigation after all, but overall the tone was light and often humorous. There were multiple interesting supporting characters, with a decent mix of males and females. All in all, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to more stories in this world. 

Recommended.

**I received Jackaby as an Advanced eGalley from Net Galley**

Audio Book Review: Grasshopper Jungle

Grasshopper Jungle   

By Andrew Smith

Narrated by Philip Church

Story: *****

Narration: *****

“History provides a compelling argument that every scientist who tinkers around with unstoppable shit needs a reliable flamethrower.” 
― Andrew Smith, Grasshopper Jungle

From Goodreads: 

Sixteen-year-old Austin Szerba interweaves the story of his Polish legacy with the story of how he and his best friend , Robby, brought about the end of humanity and the rise of an army of unstoppable, six-foot tall praying mantises in small-town Iowa.

To make matters worse, Austin's hormones are totally oblivious; they don't care that the world is in utter chaos: Austin is in love with his girlfriend, Shann, but remains confused about his sexual orientation. He's stewing in a self-professed constant state of maximum horniness, directed at both Robby and Shann. Ultimately, it's up to Austin to save the world and propagate the species in this sci-fright journey of survival, sex, and the complex realities of the human condition.

From Me: 

Umm...sooo this book. It's, well...how do I?... Huh.

Let's try this again. Grasshopper Jungle is unlike any book I've read...EVER. The story is completely bonkers. BUT IN A GOOD WAY. 

I'm not going to go into what the story's about - it's impossible for me to describe and you can read the official synopsis above. That being said, this world is both familiar and bizarre and the boys go through normal teenage stuff as well as events that are wackadoo. The story was at times hilarious, touching, and gross. Austin's "history" was fascinating, especially the way Andrew Smith had everything circle back to itself. I found myself completely enthralled. You know what I mean.

If you're easily offended by mature-immature content (and by that I mean the thoughts, words, and actions common to pubescent teenagers - and if you think they aren't, then you're probably deluding yourself) then this book probably isn't for you. But if you like the strange and bizarre, if you like stories about growing up and trying to understand yourself, if you like books about friendship and love and family, then this book is for you. And if you know a teen who thinks reading is boring or dumb or a waste of time, give them this book - I'm pretty sure they'll have a difficult time putting it down...or getting their eyes to pop back into their heads. BUT IN A GOOD WAY.

Book Review - In Your Dreams

In Your Dreams (Blue Heron #4)  
By Kristan Higgins
*** 1/2

"Nothing kicked off Emmaline Neal's weekend like using a Taser." --In Your Dreams, Kristan Higgins

Emmaline is a small town cop who needs a date to her ex's wedding. Jack, scion of a wine dynasty, is known for being happy to help women who have need of dates for various life events - just a good guy doing a nice thing, no strings, no romance. In the process, they find they like each other more than a little, but complications back home make getting together difficult, if not impossible.

One of the interesting things about this story is the long looks at what went on in Jack and Emmaline's pasts prior to the current action. We get to see both of their past relationships in great detail. This added a lot of depth to the story and fleshed out what made Jack and Emmaline the people they are today, but I couldn't help wanting to get back to their presents rather than spending so much time in their pasts. This is the main reason I didn't rate this book higher; I was much more engaged in their *now* than I was in their *then.*

There's a lot of great humor (though I could do with out all many the embarrassing moments - I don't know, I may have too much empathy or something, but I *hate* reading/watching/seeing/doing humiliating things), and while you have to suspend reality to believe in the adorable small town atmosphere, the situations were believable. Mixed in with the flirting and cute relationship stuff were some fairly intense situations, including the aftermath of a horrible car accident and subsequent PTSD, family drama, and bullying. This book may look like a light-hearted romp at first glance, but there are parts that give the story weight, as well.

In Your Dreams is the 4th book in the Blue Heron series. I wasn't aware of that prior to reading (I hate coming into a series late), but it didn't affect the story - it can very much be read as a standalone. I never felt like I was missing any important details; rather, knowing that the supporting characters likely get more page-time in other books made me more interested in reading the rest.

Kristan Higgins is incredibly popular at my library, and I have no doubt that this book will please those fans, as well as lovers of contemporary romance and stories of relationships and character growth.

*FYI - the cover art is wintery, but this is not a holiday title.

**I received In Your Dreams as an Advanced eGalley from Net Galley**

Book Review: Magic Breaks

Magic Breaks (Kate Daniels #7)   

By Ilona Andrews

*****

“Fortune favors the brave," I told her. It also kills the stupid, but I decided to keep that fact to myself.” 
― Ilona Andrews, Magic Breaks

Another great entry in the Kate Daniels series! I'd heard rumors that this was the final book, which made me incredibly sad, but that's not quite the case. According the the author's note, while this entry does sort of complete the 7 book arc, the books aren't over yet (there will be 3 more!). Roland turned out to be too big to wrap up in one book. I'm glad - I'm not ready to be done with Kate and Curran's world (even though I'm also enjoying Andrea's spin-off series, I want them BOTH).

A note on the cover art - I'm super pleased that this series finally got a hardcover edition! Up until recently, the print books were only released as mass market paperbacks. I don't care what format the book's in, as long as it's good, but some people are picky (or snooty) and won't try a mass market for whatever reason. Also, there's a bit of "a book has made it if it's hardcover" and it's about bloody time this series was given that particular "honor." That being said, as much as I think this is a great looking cover, and the cover model is gorgeous, I don't think she has the mature look that the last model had. I'm sure this lady could kick some ass, but I'd believe it more on a YA novel - she just looks too young for Kate. The woman on the old covers looked like she could not only kick your ass, but she'd enjoy it, too.

So, back to the story. I'm going to try to be spoiler free here... Kate and the crew are back in Atlanta after an exciting trip overseas and are now waiting for the inevitable attack. Which comes, but not how they were expecting it. Hugh does a thing and Kate has to scurry to keep everything from blowing up on her own since Curran is out of town. Bad stuff happens, people are hurt, Pack politics make things even harder, and eventually Kate gets a face-to-face with Roland. 

The face-to-face was not at all what I was expecting, but in a good way. Kate has to make some hard choices, but they make complete sense and suit how the character has grown over the course of the series. And Roland was more than the baddest-baddy-to-ever-bad. He was interesting, even a little quirky, for all that we know he's an evil bastard. He's actually fairly charming, and that last little bit in the epilogue? That was kinda priceless. I'm really excited to see what happens next!

A final note: at the end of the book is a short story written from Julie's perspective that takes place before the action in this book. Kate takes her to a new school, one for kids with magic, and Julie doesn't want to go - she wants to stay with Kate. But to Julie's surprise, the school is hiring her to help find a missing girl and Julie's intrigued enough to take the job. And so Julie get's her own baby-mystery and I LOVED IT. I would read the hell out of a Julie-centric YA series. It would be AMAZING. According to Ilona Andrews's Goodreads page, someone asked if they'd be writing more, and it sounds like we could maybe possibly hopefully get more Julie short stories. Finger's crossed!

Book List: YA Horror for Halloween

Book List: YA Horror for Halloween 

Current and upcoming YA titles that put the OoooOOooo in spooky!

I don't know what it is about autumn that makes readers reach for eerie novels, probably something to do with the colder days and longer nights, plus that weirdest of holidays: Halloween, but that time is right around the corner. In preparation, I've created a book list of teen novels and series starters that are either straight-up horror or just moderately creepy and are currently available or coming soon:

Ghost House, by Alexandra Adornetto (published 8/26/14)

Famous Last Words, by Katie Alender (9/30/14)

Bad Girls Don't Die, by Katie Alender (available now)

Anna Dressed in Blood, by Kendare Blake (available now)

“Move, hunt, kill. Like lather, rinse, and repeat.” ― Kendare Blake, Anna Dressed in Blood

The Diviners, by Libba Bray (available now)

Through the Woods, by Emily Carroll (7/15/14)

Servants of the Storm, by Delilah Dawson (8/5/14)

Of Metal and Wishes, by Sarah Fine (8/5/14)

Into the Grey, By Celine Kiernan (8/26/14)

I Hunt Killers, By Barry Lyga (available now)

“A river of images and thoughts and feelings, dirtied and polluted so that no one could drink from it without gagging.” 
― Barry Lyga, I Hunt Killers

Ten, by Gretchen McNeil (available now)

Mary: The Summoning, by Hillary Monahan (9/2/14)

Amity, by Micol Ostow (8/26/14)

Asylum, by Madeleine Roux (available now)

“It was a house for those who could not take care of themselves, for those who heard voices, who had strange thoughts and did strange things. The house was meant to keep them in. Once they came, they never left.” 
― Madeleine Roux, Asylum

Feral, by Holly Schindler (8/26/14)

Party Games: A Fear Street Novel, by R. L. Stine (9/30/14)

Welcome to the Dark House, by Laurie Faria Stolarz (7/22/14)

Of Monsters and Madness, by Jessica Verday (9/9/14)

Fiendish, by Brenna Yovanoff (8/14/14)

The Replacement, by Brenna Yovanoff (available now)

“You presume to name those who have no name. We are pandemonium and disaster. We are the dancing, gibbering horror of the world.” 
― Brenna Yovanoff, The Replacement

Movie Review: If I Stay

If I Stay
Starring Chloë Grace Moretz and Jamie Blackley
Based on the novel by Gayle Forman

My Forever Young Adult book club had the opportunity to see the pre-screening of If I Stay on Monday. I don’t do sad movies, as a life rule, but I broke it *justthisonce*. So I had to prepare myself: waterproof eyeliner and mascara were required. A bottle of water for when I needed to swallow the pain. And a box of Puffs Plus with Lotion (shown below).

All my preparations did little to disguise my red nose and bloodshot eyes when the movie was over. Nor did it keep my co-book club members from laughing at my expense (I’m looking at you, Noelle!). Seriously, I’m a sympathetic cryer - if someone’s crying, I am, too. Doesn't matter if it’s a real life situation, a book or movie, or that one time I binge watched Long Island Medium (don’t judge).

So about the movie: there will be tears. Unless you’re a robot. The rest of the review will hopefully be spoiler free, but read at your own risk.

Noelle, Rachel (me), and Jamie...and my Puffs

There were the usual complaints about things in the movie not matching the book (which I haven’t read, but the others told me about). Like Mia and Adam’s relationship issues were more pronounced in the movie. And the wreck scene wasn't as gory as it was in the book. But the biggest complaint had to do with a thing that Adam says at the end of the book that he doesn't say at the end of the movie.

CGM is of course a delight (though her perfect salon-styled hair made me a little crazy - I miss 90s teen movie hair, it was much more realistic), and I adored each of the minor characters: Mia’s parents were amazing, her lil bro was completely adorbs, and Kim is a damn fine friend even though we didn't see much of her. The actor playing Adam was appropriately dreamy (I thought) and if that was actually Mr. Blackley singing, then the kid’s got skills. He also had the cheesiest lines in the movie. I asked if it was that bad in the book, and apparently it just comes off better in print. Oh, and Gramps didn’t just make me cry, he made me ugly cry.

Like I said before, I hadn't read the book, but I was familiar with the story and knew where it was headed. However, some of the poor folk in the audience clearly didn't - the screen went black and there was an audible gasp from the audience, the kind that states, “this can’t be the end!” Then the credits started rolling and there was a lot of betrayed groaning noises. Hopefully it’ll prompt them to read the book! #TeamBooks #YAForever

Oh, and they were giving away a few swag bags, and because Jamie knew that CGM starred with Jim Carrey in Kickass 2, she won one!

Thanks to the lovely FYA crew for providing us with the tickets for the screening (and PenguinTeen who provided FYA with the tickets!); we had a great night!

The review was originally posted to our FYA book club tumblr page and can be found at: http://fyaorlandonorth.tumblr.com/ 

Book Review: Murder of Crows

Murder of Crows (The Others #2)  
By Anne Bishop
****

“Are there weapons in a bookstore?'
'It's a store full of books, which are objects that can be thrown as well as read,' Monty replied blandly.
The Crows cocked his head. 'I had no idea you humans lived with so much danger.”
― Anne Bishop, Murder of Crows

I am finding myself completely involved in this series. In this sequel (to Written in Red), Meg is a little more settled in the Courtyard, and the terra indigene (the Others) welcome her as their own, but where the conflict began in the first book, we now take the next step.

In most stories, I find myself rooting for the underdog; I think most people do. In this series, the terra indigene, though they can die, are far stronger than the humans (and elementals are off-the-charts BAMFs - do not tick off an elemental or their ponies!). The terra indigene had the "Americas" first - they just let humans rent space. And the humans are expected to follow certain rules (like don't pollute the water) or else they won't receive the natural resources they need OR they'll be evicted off the land OR they'll be eaten. 

In this world, even though the terra indigene are clearly NOT the underdogs, I'm still totally rooting for them. While not all humans are bad, and in fact, many are doing good things to pave the way for a more balanced relationship with the Others, there are some nasty pieces of work among the human element. These particular humans do some truly heinous things that were a little difficult to read - the text didn't get particularly graphic, but it only takes a few words to get a horrible mental image of what they're doing. So I was definitely cheering on the Wolves and Others as they tried to figure out who and where these problem people were. I love me some comeuppance, and the Others can certainly dish it out.

In addition to this main story arc, we are introduced to a new people group, the Intuits, and we get a little more detail into the Humans First and Last movement. We also see a relationship developing between Meg and Simon, though neither of them have any idea about how relationships work in general, so that was fun to read - it added a little lightness to some of the darker elements of the story.

Highly recommended.

Book Review: Grave Mercy

Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1)  

By Robin LaFevers

****

“Why be the sheep when you can be the wolf?” 
― R.L. LaFevers, Grave Mercy

I enjoy learning about history, particularly British and European history, but the time period of Grave Mercy is one that I'm not terribly familiar with. The story takes place in the late 1400s in Brittany. The country is struggling to maintain its independence against the French, while dealing with turmoil and infighting within its ranks. Ismae is a young woman who was raised by an abusive father and finds a better life when she's spirited away from her new husband and brought to a convent. At the convent, she discovers what it means to be the daughter of Mortain - one of the old gods given the title Saint to allow them to continue worshipping him in the Christian world. Mortain is Death, and Ismae is one of Death's Handmaidens, and she learns to be an assassin at the convent.

Grave Mercy was different in tone and voice from other YA novels I've read. The story is very politically minded; the major plot line is the struggle to make Anne a duchess of Brittany and keep her from the hands of scheming suitors, as well as the French. Poor Anne is only 12 or 13, and it's difficult reading about her situation when you remember her age. 

There is a romance subplot, but the romance feeds the overall story and Ismae's journey, rather than being the focal point. And it's not full of teenage angst; these characters have more important things to think about. So while these feelings are disconcerting to our heroine, they don't pull focus when it's time to deal with the fate of the country, and overall, they're dealt with maturely. 

I really enjoyed this book, particularly the historical elements, and the paranormal element was new and intriguing. I'd recommend this series to anyone looking to dig in to a YA book.

Book Review: Written in Red

Written in Red (The Others #1) 

By Anne Bishop
****

“There would be a spike in the number of girls who went out for a walk in the woods and were never heard from again. There always were when stories came out portraying the terra indigene as furry humans who just wanted to be loved.

Most of the terra indigene didn't want to love humans; they wanted to eat them. Why did humans have such a hard time understanding that?” 
― Anne Bishop, Written in Red

This book is a little hard to categorize. I was expecting a typical urban fantasy, but this was anything but typical. It was more like a fantasy world built on top of ours. TVs and cars were still a thing, but the names of the week, countries, and cities were all different. The background to the story is that when the humans were created, the Others were created, too. The humans were kept separate so they could thrive, but when they started venturing out, they discovered that they weren't alone. While it's not explicitly said that it was early American colonists who met with the Others, Bishop describes colonists coming to the New World and getting eaten by the natives/Others before a smart leader decided to trade shiny baubles and ask for permission to use the land. 


In the present day, the Others (which are a people group that are able to change shape and can choose to take human form) are basically running things - they control all the natural resources (considering that elementals are included among their numbers, this makes sense - that having Water around means they control the water supply, and so forth), and they're far more powerful than the humans and could easily wipe out humanity, but they like human inventions, so there's a sort of truce in place among the Others and the humans. Enter Meg, a human on the run from some shadowy group, who finds shelter among the Others. And considering the fact that the Others look at humans as Meat, finding herself feeling safer among them than the humans she's running from makes for an interesting story.

I love what Bishop did with the characterizations. Many of the others have an animal form - one they took on for themselves a very long time ago - and because they've had this form for so long, they've taken on many of the attributes of that animal. So the crows like shiny things, wolves occasionally sniff crotches, and the horses like sugar lumps. 

The mystery of Meg, what she was, who she was running from, and what she could do, was intriguing. And like Kaylin Neya of the Chronicles of Elantra series, she finds herself being liked by and under the care of some very powerful creatures, creatures who normally have little patience and even less respect for humans.


I found myself fascinated with Bishop's world and her characters, and I can't wait to read the next book in the series, Murder of Crows.

Book Review: Cast in Flame

Cast in Flame (Chronicles of Elantra #10)

By Michelle Sagara
*****
eGalley provided by NetGalley

"On the second day after her return to Elantra, the city she policed as a groundhawk, Private Kaylin Neya fell out of bed, daggers in hands, knees bent. After one confused moment, she sheathed her daggers, took a brief look around the otherwise empty royal guest chambers that served as her temporary home, and let loose a volley of Leontine curses." --Cast in Flame, Michelle Sagara

I really, truly love this series. Every time I pick up a new book in The Chronicles of Elantra, I think that I should re-read the previous titles to refresh the story (these books are dense and a refresher would be helpful), but I can never put off reading the newest book! And after a chapter or so I'm so deep in the world that it doesn't matter anymore.

In every fantasy world there are rules for how the world works, and generally those rules center around some kind of magic. In Sagara's world, there's plenty of magic, but the power in the magic is in "true words." I love that there's a whole fictional world built on the power of words. I also love that Kaylin (our heroine), though armed, generally saves the day by compassion and hope, rather than epic sword-fighting or laser-beam eyes.

In Cast in Flame, Kaylin has just arrived back in Elantra after her eventful trip to the West March. She's still homeless and living (uncomfortably) in the Palace. Her dragon roommate is having issues with the Dragon Court, and the Barrani that returned from the Green are causing trouble, too. Kaylin has to sort out a new threat AND find lodging that will accept a dragon and the Dragon Court's intrusion, and she's not sure which job will be more difficult.

A great addition to a great series!

Book Review: Fangirl

Fangirl 

By Rainbow Rowell

*****

“To really be a nerd, she'd decided, you had to prefer fictional worlds to the real one.” ― Rainbow Rowell, Fangirl

I'm not sure I know how to put into words the love I have for this book and the joy I took in reading it. I devoured it the way that Magicath's fans devoured her entries of Carry On, Simon. I felt connected to Cath in a way that I haven't felt connected to a character in...well, maybe ever. 

I don't want to go into too many details, since so many of the situations that affected Cath and who she was and how she related to the reader felt more powerful for me not knowing about them in advance. But a quick rundown: Cath, full name Cather Avery, is an identical twin (her sister is Wren), a freshman in college, and a majorly popular fan-fiction author of Carry On, Simon (fic for Rowell's fictional story-within-a-story creation similar in feel and popularity to the world of Harry Potter).

Fangirl follows Cath as she struggles through her freshman year. The story sucked me back into my college years (which aren't terribly far removed, but still pre-YouTube) and the excitement and anxieties (especially those) related to that time in my life. And if I had known that fan-fiction was a thing, I totally would have been involved in it; maybe not as a writer, but definitely as a reader. So while my experiences weren't like Cath's, I feel like we're almost a little kindred. 

I don't feel like I'm doing this review justice; it may be too close still for me to coherently express my feelings, other than grunt "unngg, LOVE." But I will add this: Levi is my new book boyfriend. He rates right up there with Gilbert Blythe and Forney. No, actually, he wins. 

This book completes me.

P.S. I love the fact that this is a stand-alone novel, that the story is complete and I don't have to wait for the next installment, but I do wish it could go on (I guess that's what fan-fiction is for).

P.P.S. Isn't that the best cover ever? I think it's the best cover ever.

Book Review: Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet

Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet (Charley Davidson #4) 
By Darynda Jones
*****

“I lowered the gun but didn’t holster it. Not just yet. She could turn out to be psychotic. Or a door-to-door salesperson.” 
― Darynda Jones, Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet

A little background on the series: Charley Davidson is a PI and helps out the cops as a consultant, namely her dad as she was growing up and now her uncle. It turns out it's a lot easier solving homicides when you can talk to the murdered folks. Charley not only sees dead people, but she's the grim reaper -- she helps the dead with their unfinished business and they can pass through her to the other side. She's also incredibly sassy, which I love. Oh, and she's kinda dating the son of Satan (literally, not figuratively).

Back to Book #4. In most urban fantasies, the main character goes through a lot -- much of it violent and bloody -- but generally they bounce back from horrible events pretty quick. In Third, Charley was tortured. In Fourth, there are actual ramifications for that torture. One thing I really liked about this book is that Charley suffers from PTSD; she's afraid of leaving her apartment and feels fear with the slightest provocation. It brought more reality to the fantasy.

Now, it's a rare event for me to guess the mystery before it's revealed, so it's not strange that the mystery and twist with the PI investigation came as a surprise to me, but I still like it when that happens. And the danger-level (as well as what Charley is able to do with her as yet undiscovered powers) was also raised this time around, so I'm looking forward to where the story goes in book five.

Highly recommended.

Book Review: Half-Off Ragnarok

Half-Off Ragnarok (InCryptid #3) 
By Seanan McGuire
*****

“Let's go commit senseless acts of science.” 
― Seanan McGuire, Half-Off Ragnarok

I've been reading (and loving) Seanan McGuire's InCryptid series. The first two books follow Verity Price as she works to keep the Cryptid population of NYC safe from the Covenant (Cryptids are creatures that aren't scientifically recognized as existing - think Big Foot and chupacabras. The Covenant is an organization that hunts and eliminates monsters, aka cryptids.) while trying to maintain a professional ballroom dance career. In these books, most of the cryptids are vaguely humanoid in appearance, or, at least, can hold a conversation (Aeslin mice are the BEST).

Half-Off Ragnarok took me by surprise. I assumed after reading the first two books that the series was focused on Verity and her adventures. Turns out it's more of a Price Family series. This time around we meet Verity's brother, Alex. He lives in Columbus, Ohio with his cuckoo grandmother, revenant grandfather (Alex's mother, their daughter, was adopted), and his unwell cuckoo cousin. Alex works at the zoo in the reptile house, where he's supposedly doing normal zoo-type research, but he's secretly breeding basilisks in the back room. Suddenly people are being petrified, his girlfriend may know more than she's letting on, and the local gorgons may be involved.

The switch from talking cryptids in the big city, to more animalistic monsters in the Midwest was kinda cool. I wasn't expecting the change, but it made this new book really fresh. But we also got to stick with the family, so the characters were familiar and comfortable. Another great addition to a fantastic series!

And now I really can't wait for Antimony's story.

Audio Book Review: The Mysterious Affair at Styles

The Mysterious Affair at Styles (Hercule Poirot, #1)  

By The Great Agatha Christie
Narration by: Hugh Fraser
Book: ****
Narration: ****

“Sometimes I feel sure he is as mad as a hatter and then, just as he is at his maddest, I find there is a method in his madness.” 
― Agatha Christie, The Mysterious Affair at Styles

From Goodreads: 
In World War I England, Styles mansion residents awake to find Emily Inglethorpe fatally poisoned. Guest Captain Hastings enlists his old friend, Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, of the magnificent mustaches. Although evidence mounts against one family member, Poirot uses the unique deductive technique of his "little grey cells" to find the truth in his first appearance.

From Me: 
This is my first Agatha (who is just as fascinating, if not more so, as her stories) and I really enjoyed it. Her writing is very accessible, even 100 years later, and despite the very particular nature of the mystery and the solution. I completely love Poirot - I found him adorable. Captain Hastings, poor dear, was almost too stupid too live, but since he never actively put himself or his friends/comrades in danger, I'll just label him "doof."

I listened to this audio book in the course of one work day, and it made the time fly. The only thing missing was the giant wasp.

From Doctor Who episode 4.7 The Unicorn and the Wasp

Audio Book Review: Bossypants

Bossypants 
By Tina Fey
Narration by Tina Fey
Book: ****
Narration: *************

“To say I’m an overrated troll, when you have never even seen me guard a bridge, is patently unfair.” 
― Tina Fey, Bossypants

From Goodreads:
Before Liz Lemon, before "Weekend Update," before "Sarah Palin," Tina Fey was just a young girl with a dream: a recurring stress dream that she was being chased through a local airport by her middle-school gym teacher. She also had a dream that one day she would be a comedian on TV.

She has seen both these dreams come true.

At last, Tina Fey's story can be told. From her youthful days as a vicious nerd to her tour of duty on Saturday Night Live; from her passionately halfhearted pursuit of physical beauty to her life as a mother eating things off the floor; from her one-sided college romance to her nearly fatal honeymoon—from the beginning of this paragraph to this final sentence.

Tina Fey reveals all, and proves what we've all suspected: you're no one until someone calls you bossy.

(Includes Special, Never-Before-Solicited Opinions on Breastfeeding, Princesses, Photoshop, the Electoral Process, and Italian Rum Cake!)

An unabridged recording on 5 CDs (5.5 Hours).


From Me:
Tina Fey reads the audio book. LISTEN TO THE AUDIO BOOK. You know how a bad narrator can make a good book awful? A kick-ass narrator like Tina Fey READING HER OWN BOOK makes a good book magic. 

Tina Fey is magic.