Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Recently I got an email from Quirk's Social Media and Marketing Manager
asking if I'd be willing to review the newly released paperback copy of

 Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

by Ransom Riggs

Amazon Synopsis:

Amazon Best Books of the Month, June 2011: As a kid, Jacob formed a special bond with his grandfather over his bizarre tales and photos of levitating girls and invisible boys. Now at 16, he is reeling from the old man's unexpected death. Then Jacob is given a mysterious letter that propels him on a journey to the remote Welsh island where his grandfather grew up. There, he finds the children from the photographs--alive and well--despite the islanders’ assertion that all were killed decades ago. As Jacob begins to unravel more about his grandfather’s childhood, he suspects he is being trailed by a monster only he can see. A haunting and out-of-the-ordinary read, debut author Ransom Rigg’s first-person narration is convincing and absorbing, and every detail he draws our eye to is deftly woven into an unforgettable whole. Interspersed with photos throughout, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is a truly atmospheric novel with plot twists, turns, and surprises that will delight readers of any age. 

Review:

The story follows Jacob, a young American boy, on his journey to not only find out more about his Grandpa, but more importantly, his own sanity. As it turns out, the two go hand-in-hand.

Middle Grade or Young Adult?

Based on the way the action paces itself, and how long children linger on terrible events, I'd actually classify this as more of a bridge book between Middle Grade and Young Adult, rather than a flat out YA novel. In other words, I think this book would appeal to both younger and older children... and I think it would be an excellent "read aloud" bedtime story book. (Er... for the children who aren't easily scared.... because while this book isn't a horror story, there is some very creepy imagery going on in it)

History:

The storyline is adventurous, mysterious and fraught with perils, not to mention laced with history.

I always appreciate a book that can tie in real world history in a way that makes children more curious about the past... and if listening to Grandpa's stories, or the scene with Adam and the bomb doesn't do that, then I would think the Bog Boy at least would spark children's interest and imagination. Plus, the series promises to deliver quite a lot more in terms of historical referencing with the upcoming sequel.

The love story:

There are several love stories that unravel through the book, which for me was the more "YA" aspect of this story... but even though Jacob's own love story happened rather quickly, I found it entirely believable. For once, there was a YA love story with a good, solid reason as to why the girl would fall in love so quickly. All too often I read YA novels where the characters seemingly hate each other, and then three sentences later, they're in love. In Rigg's book, Jacob's "love" story is, as one would expect from a teenage boy, really something that began more with lust (as in, he thought she was really hot... and then all the "Oh, and she's pretty cool too" stuff came later). Maybe that is because this novel is written by a man, who actually had the benefit of experiencing life as a teenaged boy? I don't know, I just know when I read YA love stories, more often than not, I'm very aware that the teenaged boy in the story is acting NOT like an ACTUAL teenaged boy, but like a sappy, boring page from some starry-eyed teenaged girl's fantasy.

The Magic:

This book is fantasy fiction... and it uses the fantasy aspects to propel the story in compelling ways. Often times I read YA novels that have fantastical aspects and feel like I've read the same story I've read a million times over, except this time it was a Mermaid instead of a Vampire. The "Fantasy" is just a gimmick to draw kids in, but could easily be replaced with a million other things.

In Riggs' book, I felt that the fantasy was an integral part of the storyline. It wasn't thrown in casually, it was the mechanism that made this story run. Riggs was able to take moments in history and make them even more real to the reader by not only giving us characters who had been there and lived through it, but by using the magic in this world to allow the main character to experience it as well. The same magic will also allow the main character to delve into the past even farther, and that's something that I'm rather excited about.

The Villains:

I'm not going to say too much, that would be a bit of a spoiler... but I will say I really loved the villains of this story. Their whole reason behind doing what they do is perfect, and reflects a kind of child-like mentality.

The Writing:

I really enjoyed Ransom Riggs writing style. It's fast paced, with page after page of action to pull the reader along. He also does a great job of creating an eerie atmosphere. The book reminded me of one of the haunting stories from A.S. Byatt's Little Black Book of Stories... the forest is filled with monsters, BEWARE!

Conclusion:
READ THIS BOOK! Read this book aloud to children!!! Everything about this story was a pleasant surprise, and I can't wait to read the next one.

ARC REVIEW: The Wells Bequest by Polly Shulman

The Wells Bequest

by Polly Shulman

 Release Date: June 13th, 2013

This ARC was provided by the publisher at my request.

Synopsis:

Leo never imagined that time travel might really be possible, or that the objects in H. G. Wells’ science fiction novels might actually exist. And when a miniature time machine appears in Leo’s bedroom, he has no idea who the tiny, beautiful girl is riding it. But in the few moments before it vanishes, returning to wherever—and whenever—it came from, he recognizes the other tiny rider: himself!

His search for the time machine, the girl, and his fate leads him to the New-York Circulating Material Repository, a magical library that lends out objects instead of books. Hidden away in the Repository basement is the Wells Bequest, a secret collection of powerful objects straight out of classic science fiction novels: robots, rockets, submarines, a shrink ray—and one very famous time machine. And when Leo’s adventure of a lifetime suddenly turns deadly, he must attempt a journey to 1895 to warn real-life scientist Nikola Tesla about a dangerous invention. A race for time is on!

In this grand time-travel adventure full of paradoxes and humor, Polly Shulman gives readers a taste of how fascinating science can be, deftly blending classic science fiction elements with the contemporary fantasy world readers fell in love with in The Grimm Legacy.

Characters:

Leo: The main character, Leo is pretty level-headed for a teenaged boy. He's sweet and swooning over the girl he likes, and smart to boot. He comes from a family of incredibly intelligent people where he's a bit of an outcast, not because he isn't smart, but because his brain works in different ways. However, when he's visited by his future self, his life becomes a tad bit more interesting as he learns about a library that will change his life. He's a likeable kid, cautious and respectful of things like Time Machines and Death Rays... you can't help but admire those qualities.

Jaya: Headstrong and defiant and the girl that Leo is swooning over, Jaya is a character from The Grimm Legacy, the companion book to The Wells Bequest. At first I was worried I wouldn't like her, since headstrong girls are often obnoxiously portrayed in books... but I found Jaya completely likeable.

Simon: Simon is the villian of the story, but one could more aptly call him "The Teenaged Boy of the story" and be totally accurate in their description. He's actions are ruled totally by hormones, unfortunately, he just so happens to be a bit more connected than your average teenaged boy, so he can cause a bit more trouble.

Plot:

For me, this book cleared up the issues I had with The Grimm Legacy, I didn't read this one thinking, "Wow, they just solved that HUGE problem really easily..." I felt like a little more time was taken in this one to really craft each encounter that the characters had. This story was cute, the adventures were well paced and I truly enjoyed their historical and present-time interactions.

All around, a lot of fun, and I can't wait for more in this series from Polly Shulman!

After reading this book, I've also decided I need to figure out a new rating rank that is around 4 Squeeds, but instead of saying (but probably wouldn't read again) it needs to say (and will absolutely read this to my children). :)

Conclusion:
This is a book I highly recommend to not only friends, but also to the teachers I know. The combination of classic literature along with historical figures will entice any kid to want to learn more about these topics. Much like The Alchemyst series by Michael Scott, this is the kind of book that is going to make kids sit up and take interest in the past.

Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder

Scent of Magic

Book 2 in the Healer Series

by Maria V. Snyder

I'm confessing right now, these books (as in, ANY Maria V. Snyder book) are my guilty pleasures. Are they the best stories in the world? No. Are the main characters terrible Mary Sues? Yes. But are they fun and fast reads anyways? Hell yes. If you're looking for the most beautiful, amazing fantasy you've ever read, this isn't it. If you're looking for a fun, fast read in which you can sit back and just enjoy a goofy story... this is for you. I would absolutely send these books along and share them with people I know would enjoy them. Are they the people who read things like Tolkien or George R. R. Martin? Abercrombie or Cook? No. Are they the kind of people who enjoy authors like Condie, Meyers and Evonavitch? Yes, and that is not a criticism.

If you have not read TOUCH OF POWER (BOOK 1)

do not read this review, there are spoilers.

Amazon Synopsis:
As the last Healer in the Fifteen Realms, Avry of Kazan is in a unique position: in the minds of friends and foes alike, she no longer exists. Despite her need to prevent the megalomaniacal King Tohon from winning control of the Realms, Avry is also determined to find her sister and repair their estrangement. And she must do it alone, as Kerrick, her partner and sole confidant, returns to Alga to summon his country into battle.

Though she should be in hiding, Avry will do whatever she can to support Tohon's opponents. Including infiltrating a holy army, evading magic sniffers, teaching forest skills to soldiers and figuring out how to stop Tohon's most horrible creations yet: an army of the walking dead—human and animal alike and nearly impossible to defeat.
War is coming and Avry is alone. Unless she figures out how to do the impossible…again.

 Characters:
 Avry: Main character, and as the last line of the the synopsis implies... a bit of a Mary Sue. I have to admit, so far I enjoy Avry... despite Snyder repeatedly writing dreadful Mary Sue girls, they are usually likeable, which is their saving grace. I feel like Avry is a bit more toned down than some of Snyder's other heroines... but then, this is only book 2.

Kerrick: The leading man, Prince of his own realm, mage of the forest and all around smouldering love interest. He's off having adventures of his own this time, and I appreciated the split chapters.
Noelle: Avry's sister, introduced in book 1 as blaming Avry for abandoning her... a big part of Avry's mission in this book is winning back her sister's love.

Tohon: Still a dick.

Ryne: The prince that Avry risked her life for in the last book spends his time earning it this book. Ryne is still a bit of a vague character, but he is likeable.

Belen: Ol' Papa Bear returns and you find yourself enjoying his company once again.

The Monkeys: Now assigned to guard Prince Ryne, the Monkeys really haven't changed... at all.

Ursin: Leader of "The Jumping Jacks", one of Estrid's troup of soldiers, he is the first one that Avry really deals with as she tries to be covert, but he's got a secret of his own that doesn't help her stealthiness at all.

Estrid: Leader of the main army opposing Tohon. She seems fair and intellegent, even if she's got a bit of over the top religious fervor.

Cellina: Tohon's lackey

Noak: Son of the leader of the people from the Wilderness. He takes Kerrick and Danny prisoner. He also has a strange "Winter Magic" that he uses against Kerrick.

Danny: Young boy rescued by Avry in the last book, has healing potential because he survived the Death Lily Toxin. Sneaks along with Kerrick, thus getting Kerrick in a lot of trouble, but proves useful as a non-magical healer, because he wants to follow in Avry's footsteps.

Rakel: Noak's sister, has mysterious "Summer Magic"

Story:
Yet another fun, quick romp through one of Snyder's worlds... this book is a fast read and for the most part, enjoyable.
The book starts out with Avry and Kerrick parting ways. At the end of the first book, we saw Avry survive the "unsurvivable" and learn that the Lilies had more of a part to play than anyone realized. Kerrick is going to reunite with Ryne and get the army moving while Avry is going to find her sister and go undercover in the world, since it's now believed she's dead.
Kerrick ends up in the North, facing an invasion from the Wildmen, and finding out that what he thought to be true might not be.
Avry, on the other hand, takes up her mother's name and becomes a Sergeant in Estrid's army, where she's quickly outed as having magic and being a healer. As is the way with most of Snyder's leading ladies, subtle isn't really her thing.
This story spends a lot of time without a lot of action. There are extensive training sequences, and a lot of "putting the pieces in place", but other than that, not much really happens until the very end. There is a constant referring to the fact that Tohon has *got* to have spies in camp, but no real effort to figure out who they might be. People who were pretty evil in the last book seem a bit distracted in this one, and in general everyone is pretty forgiving of Avry, since they're mainly just glad she's alive (whether because they were her friend, or because she is the last known healer EVER). 
More strange things occur with the lilies, some of which I'm not entirely clear on myself... and then there is "the death". The author kills off a character and I'm going to be honest... I don't understand why. Unless there's going to be some magical resurrection, which I don't think there is. It was just such a pointless death... and I have to wonder, IS there a plan, or did the author just get sick of writing that angle of the plot? It seemed unfinished. Based on reading Snyder's other stories, I could make a comment here... because this is a "death" that she seems to fall back on a lot, to try to really make the reader feel for the main character... but this time I just didn't buy it. It was too ill-placed in the story, too abrupt and really, it made the whole earlier story and anything referencing the relationship just seem like a real waste of my time. In other words, it pissed me off, but not in an "invested, emotional reader" way. More like in a "Wow, what a waste of time" way... and that's never good.
There were also some really, really, really awful cheesy lines. One that comes to mind, "My man has eyes that change colors with the seasons"... or something equally vomit-worthy. This happens a couple of times in the books, and I couldnt' help but thing, "Ew... would Avry really say that? And people didn't laugh at her?" I don't know... it's just over-the-top stuff like that where I really think Snyder is missing the mark on being a great author vs. a guilty pleasure read.

All in all, though, it's still a fun fast read, and I'll be picking up the next one on April 1st. The stories are cute, and the time investment is small, so yeah, despite my grumblings... Snyder is going to win my hard earned dollars in the end, because it's still a fun, fast romp through girlie fantasy fiction. 

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent

by Veronica Roth

Synopsis (via Amazon):

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.


Characters:
Beatrice "Tris" Prior: The main character, Beatrice is from the faction of Abnegation, who are supposed to be the selfless types... but she's always felt she doesn't fit in, because by nature, she is not selfless. She chooses to go live with the Dauntless faction instead. Dauntless is a faction of warriors and risk takers, and also where Beatrice changes her name to the shortened version of "Tris"
Beatrice sees herself as unattractive... but as per usual in YA novels, it's simply her own perception of herself.
Four: Tris's instructor when she starts training as a Divergent. He is the main love interest, and a boy with secrets. I don't know what it was, but something about Tris and Four's love story really struck home for me. Maybe it's that it was born through blood and tears... and not just two dopey teens mooning over one another with little to no explanation of attraction other than hormones.
Thomas: Another High School student, and the one who lured Cas there in the first place... he is a mind-reader and a witch (although this book does not make it clear if ALL mind readers are witches or not). He attempts to befriend and watch out for Cas, and is dogged about it, even though Cas is a total jerk to someone who, you would think, Cas would recognize immediately as an important ally.  
Caleb Prior: Tris's older brother, who choose to go live in the Erudite faction, which is the "intelligent" faction, always seeking to learn new things.
Christina: One of Tris's first friends in Dauntless, she is a good friend, but struggling through issues of her own.
Peter: Another Dauntless boy who is cruel and vicious. He causes plenty of problems for Tris and her friends.
Will: Another good friend of Tris's, and Christina's love interest.
Marcus Eaton: One of the leaders of the Abnegation group.
Al: A sweet, but weak willed, Candor born Dauntless initiate, and a friend of Tris's.
Tris's Parents: Tris's father is one of the leaders of Abnegation, and both of Tris's parents have secrets they're hiding.

 Writing: The book is fast flowing, with constant action, making it a quick read. The language is dynamic and the prose flow smoothly from one event to the next.

Ending:

Shocking. That's all I have to say. Shocking.
While I saw some of it coming, I truly did not expect half of what happened in the last few pages of that book.

Plot:

I enjoyed the plot of this book. Granted, it's one of those dystopian futures, much like the Hunger Games, where you sit around for a while wondering why anyone would even set their whole society up like that in the first place... although it's more plausible when you realize that this is, in face, not the entire world, but one large city (Chicago).  
The story actually spends most of its time following the personal struggle of the main character, Tris, as she fights to earn her place in the Dauntless society, and to find out who she really is. 
The story then smoothly transitions from Tris's own inner struggle, to a much larger war that has been raging in secret between the factions. Tris and her friends are pulled into it in a plausible manner and the scene is set for book two.

Believability of World: Like I said, it's one of those dystopian novels that make you wonder, "How did the society even get like this?" ... but for me, that doesn't ruin the story in the least. I expect dystopian novels to have extreme societies.. and this one has a structure that is believable and fun to watch unfold.

Overall Grade: B ~ This was a fun, fast read. Would I reread this book? Probably not. It didn't bring anything new and ground-breaking to the dystopian genre... but will I pass it on to others to read? Heck yeah. An absolutely enjoyable book.

Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake

  Anna Dressed in Blood

 by Kendare Blake

There are spoilers in the PLOT section of this review.

Synopsis (via Amazon):

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. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.
When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: 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.
But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.


Characters:
Cas: The main character, son of a ghost hunter and now a ghost hunter himself, he leads a lonely, troubled life. Personally, I don't like Cas much through most of the book. He's kind of an arrogant ass, and not in an endearing way. He makes assumptions about people, and is very contradictory, one minute thinking he's all that, then the next talking about how he's scrawny... his thoughts don't always mesh.
Carmel: The "It" girl at the High School Cas attends while he hunts Anna, Carmel find herself drawn into Cas's haphazard adventures. She seems to be a decent kid, and is a whole lot more likeable than Cas.
Thomas: Another High School student, and the one who lured Cas there in the first place... he is a mind-reader and a witch (although this book does not make it clear if ALL mind readers are witches or not). He attempts to befriend and watch out for Cas, and is dogged about it, even though Cas is a total jerk to someone who, you would think, Cas would recognize immediately as an important ally.
Anna: The ghost. She's obviously tormented, and for whatever reason, can't kill Cas, which allows him to have some deep conversation with her. Is it sad that I prefer Anna's character to Cas?
Cas's Mother: A white witch who travels the country at the whim of her teenaged son. She comes across as a protective, but meek character.
Mike, Will and Chase: The three moronic, predictable goons of the story. Are they jocks? Yes. Are they stereotypes? Yes. Did they offer any surprises? No.
Gideon: The mysterious British voice over the phone... aka, an old friend of Cas's father that we never actually meet, but he conveys really potent, important info to Cas, and gives a little background story concerning Cas's father. He reminded me of Giles from Buffy.
Morfran: Thomas's grandfather... and someone I really expected to step in a little more... I mean... you've got all these kids dealing with crazy occult and ghost stuff... you're pretty informed in that area, and you let the kids do their thing and call all the shots? Hmm.
Cas's Father: Dead from the start of the book, Cas's father is what set him on the path he's on. He died under mysterious circumstances that Cas just can't let go, despite everyone's warnings. 
Tybalt: Cas's mother's cat, he is a special cat who can detect the supernatural... which is evidently something all cats can do, but this one is better at it for some unexplained reason (literally, it's unexplained... Thomas mentions the cat is special... but no one ever says how).

 Writing: One thing I will say about this book, I actually love Kendare Blake's writing style. It flowed, and the description of the ghosts and the atmosphere were just downright creepy. She had my looking over my shoulder in rooms of my own house... and I've lived here for years without anything "spooky" ever happening. She is gifted at creating imagery in the reader's mind.

Ending:

The VERY end of this book really is enticing. Even though I disliked quite a lot of things about this book, I will read the second, hoping the things I disliked about this book are not quite as glaring in the next.

Plot:

Ah... the parts I hated most about this book all lie in the plot.
1. THE ATTIC. What... the... heck. Cas and his mother professionally hunt ghosts? They even have a cat who detects them... they clense every house they live in... and yet they neglect to check THE ATTIC???? It's like not checking the friggin basement. This was really, really unacceptable for me, as far as being able to believe this story or these characters... *especially* when Tybalt started freaking out about the attic, and Cas's mother heard things up there that went bump in the night. How was that NOT a glaring warning for them?? When I got to the part where the thing comes down out of the attic, I wanted to throw the book across the room... but it was a library book, so I refrained (I also wanted to smack Cas for literally telling his mother to shut up... it made me like him even less). It was so dumb that they didn't check EVERY room of the house, especially after their little house walk through, and the story of what happened to his mother once before. It made no sense and was an inexplicable, glaring oversight.. and just really bothered me because I felt like the author just couldn't think of anything better, so cheated to get the ghost in the house.
2. LOVE PLOT FROM A MANGA: Have you ever heard of shojo manga? It's the girly love story brand of manga (a manga is a japanese comic), where the characters tend to fall in love within the span of a page or two for no really great reason. Well... that's how I feel about the love story in Anna Dressed in Blood. Cas falls in love with this ghost (who has ripped human flesh to shreds right before his eyes) in the span of pages, and then suddenly trusts her whole-heartedly. Don't get me wrong, as far as characters in this book go, Anna is one of my favorites, but for Cas, Mr. Trust-no-one-even-if-they'd-obviously-make-an-excellent-ally, be-a-total-dick-almost-all-of-the-time, Super ghost hunter on a mission to do nothing but avenge his father... falling in love with Anna seems totally out of character. He literally is instantly transformed from a real jerk into a character I can actually find myself liking... it's why I'll read the second book, because I hope the author relents on his stupid machismo attitude... and there is promise of that... but unfortunately it came at the expense of a believable love story. I get it, he's all swoony and not thinking particularly straight... but his lack of fear around her just makes me think he's an idiot... even Sam took longer to fall in love with a Demon (that being Sam from Supernatural... a tv show with a hauntingly similar plot) than Cas did to fall in love with a Ghost. To me, it seemed just like the attic, a convenient plot device that felt contrived. Would it have been so awful for him to befriend her in the first book, and come to really respect her? There are obviously more than one of these books coming, so why not take your time and make it a rich, wonderful love story... why rush it?
3. TYBALT: Yes, it pisses me off that he died. I hope he haunts Cas and makes his life a living hell!!! This cat did his job 100% and they blithely ignored him. Shame on you, Ghost Hunters, shame on you (and really lame of you too, for supposedly being so experienced).
4. HUMAN VILLAINS WITH NO DEPTH: I mean this... did Mike, Will or Chase do a single thing that surprised you? Nope... very boring human villains. Normally, I wouldn't have an issue with this, but Cas made a point of pointing out repeatedly how clever Will seemed to be.
5. BIG BAD SUPERNATURAL VILLAIN WITH NO BACKGROUND: I can only hope this will be filled out more in future books... I'm hoping the end of this book didn't actually see the end of this villain... because an Obeahman could be really terrifying... if, you know, we had known more about him. I mean, yeah, the whole eyes stitched shut, jaw unhinging was creepy... but other than that, all we got was an info drop on what an Obeahman was, and a pretty skimmed one at that. Voodoo can be some really, really, really scary, creepy stuff... and he's supposed to be creepier than Voodoo? I need to know more to believe it. Just telling me isn't showing me... and what I was shown of him wasn't creepier than what I saw of Anna... so I wasn't really feeling the terror... nevermind we know *nothing* about this specific Obeahman... so he's just some vague, random ghost that Cas's dad had the bad luck of running into.

Believability of World: I think all the ghostiness works... it's creepy and I like the explanation that people don't WANT to explain some deaths. That works... we've all seen the world turn a blind eye to atrocities, especially when they can't explain them... but Cas's stupidity about certain things and the love story's rushed feel really kill a little bit of it for me.

Overall Grade: C+ ~ I really loved certain aspects of this book, and will read the second one... but there were certain things in this story that really just made me angry... just glaring plot holes, or contrived romances, or generally unlikeable main characters that made me want to chuck this book across the room. I'm hoping book two is a little more well thought out, and a whole lot less convenient when it comes to events that occur within the story.
I would like to give this book a higher score, because I really thought Blake's physical description of the ghosts was spooky and fantastic (and so was some of the emotional conflict the ghosts experienced)... but this book just made me so angry when it came to those other things that I can't overlook that.

REVIEW: Un Lun Dun by China Mieville

 

 Un Lun Dun

by China Mieville

Synopsis:
Strange things keep happening in London when Zanna is around, and the only one who notices (or will admit to noticing) is her best friend, Deeba. When the two of them follow a living umbrella and Zanna transports them to the strange world of UnLondon, they are hardly shocked to find that Zanna is the mythical Shwazzy, sent to save UnLondon from the wicked Smog.


Character Likability:
Deeba: “The Funny One”: as categorized by The Book, under Shwazzy sidekicks. A label she finds most insulting. However, it’s quickly apparent that Deeba is, in fact, the main character of this story, having much more depth and personality than the rather bland Zanna. Deeba takes over and pulls us through a danger filled adventure filled with the strangest of creatures.
Zanna: The Shwazzy, revered as the savior of UnLondon, and Deeba’s best friend.
Hemi: Half boy, half ghost, Hemi is misunderstood and bitter. He knows how society sees him, even if it’s wrong, but there’s little a semi-transparent boy can do about it… except team up with Deeba to save the world.
Smog: The big bad in this book, it is what is sounds like, one big, nasty, black cloud of evil.
Curdle: Deeba’s pet milk carton, Curdle shows amazing courage when you would least expect it from something that smells like spoiled milk.
Obaday: An interesting take on a tailor, Obaday has a pincushion head and makes clothing items out of book pages. I kind of wish he really existed.

Skool: Obaday’s sidekick, and an amusing take on the idea… but I won’t say more.

Book: The Book of prophecy, looked to by all for the answers on what is to come, but quickly it is discovered that what is written in the book isn’t exactly how things will be. The Book speaks, and is often heard lamenting its own new-found worthlessness.

Conductor Jones: A Conductor who came through from London when Conductors were gotten rid, he has found new life in UnLondon with his friend, the bus driver, Rita.

Brokkenbroll: Lord of the Unbrellas (read that carefully) he is working with a man named Unstible to create Unbrellas that can withstand the onslaught of the Smog… but one can’t help think that something sinister might just be up.

Writing:
This book pulled me right in, starting with the two girls, Zanna and Deeba, standing in London staring at a fox who was most certainly watching Zanna in a sort of awe. I was sucked in, and kept interested by the strange things that kept happening. Mieville’s style is smooth and never once pulled me out of the story, which is the number one thing I ask for from any book. As the story progresses, things start happening faster and faster, and while I enjoyed the action, I wish there had been a bit more time to develop certain characters they met along the way. There was a real opportunity here to create some deep, rich, strange, interesting people, but I think it was somewhat lost, since the story was more plot driven than character driven. The plot, though, was fascinating and rich in ideas and action.

Ending:
While the beginning of this book was a little slow moving, it quickly picks up speed and races along, straight to the end. I really enjoyed the end of this book, it was one of those endings that you can be satisfied with, even if another book in this world is never written… and really, with the end to this book, one doesn’t need to be.

Plot:
This particular book has a rich, bursting at the seams plot line. There is so much going on that it almost seems as if the book isn’t quite long enough for everything that is happening. This is one instance where I really wouldn’t have minded this story being broken into a series of more books. The world was amazing, interesting and bewildering, and I would have loved to slow down and see more of it. ESPECIALLY the land of the dead.

 Believability of World:
The author did a wonderful job making a rich world for these characters to play in. UnLondon is supposed to be a bit unbelievable, in so far as all of the insanity that takes place there, and the magic of it all, but it is written in such a way that one can easily buy into it.


Overall Grade: B+ ~ An exciting romp in a magical world, and a very likeable heroine.

REVIEW: The Magicians by Lev Grossman

 The Magicians

by Lev Grossman

Synopsis (from back of book):
Quentin Coldwater is brilliant but miserable. A high school math genius, he’s secretly fascinated with a sweries of children’s fantasy novels set in a magical land called Fillory, and real life is disappointing by comparison. When Quentin is unexpectedly admitted to an elite, secret college of magic, it looks like his wildest dreams may have come true. But his newfound powers lead him down a rabbit hole of hedonism and disillusionment, and ultimately to the dark secret behind the story of Fillory. The land of his childhood fantasies turns out to be much darker and more dangerous than he ever could have imagined…


Character Likability:
Quentin Coldwater: When the story first begins, I really like Quentin. He’s a brilliant boy who is obsessed with the fictional books of a land called Fillory… and has a pension for slight of hand tricks. Then suddenly he’s whisked off to a place called Brakebills, which he discovers is a school for the magically gifted… but from here on out, my like for Quentin diminishes. He represents the hopeless pursuit of happiness… he is always looking for the greener grass. Nothing is ever good enough, and the last half of the book, before he discovers Fillory is real, degrades into a hedonistic sunnoffabiotch and generally becomes someone unworthy of the trip to Fillory, if (and it’s hard not to) we are considering Fillory to be a thinly veiled version of Narnia. He doesn’t really appreciate what he has until it’s gone, and frankly, he’s kind of a whiner. I think Alice sums it up best when she says something along the lines of “Do you want to be the kid who is remembered for coming to Fillory and moping about it?” She’s right. He’s a downer.
Alice: A talented, hard working, dedicated and devoted witch… she is one of my favorites. She’s shy, brilliant and at Brakebills by her own doing. She begins a relationship with Quentin, has aimless magical parents whom she resents, and has a personal history with the magical school, and her own reasons for being there.
Eliot: A bit of an enigma… there are certain things introduced concerning this character that make him complex and confusing at the same time. He’s one of the first characters Quentin befriends at Brakebills, but also one of the most aloof. He spends most of his time drunk but functional… always keeping the group well stocked in spirits. Eliot has a bit of an about-face when they find Fillory, suddenly finding direction, motivation and sobriety. I think it might be possible that he is an example of what Quentin hoped to be. A miserable kid who was looking for his magical escape… but, unlike Quentin, when he found it, he also found his sense of purpose.
Josh: Comic relief, really. He’s a cute character, kind of roly poly, not really in control of his magic… it feels like he’s mostly there to round out the group, have someone actually likable. He also seems a bit more childish than the rest of them.
Janet: Bossy, whorish, meddling, troublesome… she’s a bit of a nemesis to Alice while putting on the mask of being a friend. She’d probably be an unlikable character if she didn’t motivate the group into action. I get the feeling that if she weren’t around, though, this book would have been truly dull, seeing as the rest of the characters might have done little more than drink themselves into stupors every day.
Penny: I really enjoyed this character. Another boy to test in the same year as Quentin, his motivations are mysterious, and I was sad to see him disappear until almost the end of the book. When he does come back though, he’s filled with a child-like enthusiasm and belief that I find absolutely refreshing after reading page after page about a bunch of bored kids who have had the world handed to them but are to self-involved to realize it. He’s the vehicle that takes them to Fillory, and a bit of a nemesis to Quentin, which makes me like him even more.

Dean Fogg: Kind of a vague Dumbledore-esque character, his motivations aren’t entirely clear, and I’m wondering if more will be revealed about him in the next book.

The Chatwins: A darker version of the Pevensies. Seriously. They’re kind of the “what would have happened to the kids in Narnia had they lived in the worst of the real world” scenario.

Julia: A friend of Quentin's before he learned that magic was real, and the girl he was obsessed with. She has the potential to be a really interesting character... and it looks like she'll show up a lot more in the second book.

Writing:
The book was actually a really easy read from this standpoint. The text flowed smoothly, moving along a story that, often, wasn’t going anywhere at all.

One thing I absolutely did not like, however, was how many times Harry Potter was mentioned. Fillory is already a very thinly veiled copy of Narnia… so to mention real world fantasy novels just isn’t working for me… because that means Narnia still exists, and that means that Fillory is nothing more than a sad rip-off of the real thing. Would people have been pissed to see Narnia mucked around with this way? Yes… but for all intents and purposes, that’s what the author did anyhow… so why pussyfoot around it by sticking them in a world with Narnia. Why not just give them their own world? It’s not like the reference is going to be lost on the reader.

Ending:
Truthfully, I was pretty pissed off to get to the end of this book and find it’s part of a series. Granted, based on the books it references, I should have seen it coming… but I really felt this was something that could have ended in one book… and had the characters not spent so much time drinking and pondering their own self worth, that might have been achievable.

Plot:
Take a super smart kid prone to bouts of self pity, let him find out that not only is magic real, but so is the magical world of Fillory (aka, Narnia) that he has obsessed about his entire life, then let him go there… and be disappointed.

There was something that I find really interesting attempted in this book, and that is to write a fantasy novel where the main character has actually read fantasy novels and has expectations of how things should be.

Considering that fact, though, when it got to the end of the book and some of the kids started actually doing magic, I was pretty shocked, considering how much time we actually saw them learning magic (and not just drinking and laying around).

The novel also attempted to take the “big bad” (such as Voldemort or the White Witch) out of the book, the author stating that in real life things aren’t so black and white. Unfortunately, for me, the most interesting parts of the book were when its equivalent of “the big bad” showed up. Until then, it was really a bunch of kids mucking about aimlessly, for the most part. Sure, some of them were self motivated and there for interesting reasons (such as Alice)… but at best we get snippets of her story, and what she’s learned/discovered while there.

Believability of World:
This is supposedly set in our world, referencing things like Harry Potter and Narnia… which for me, only makes Fillory less believable. The world itself is fine, though, and Brakebills is nicely set up for believability thanks to the fantasy novel history it draws from in Harry Potter.


Overall Grade: C (Despite the fact that I have gripes about this book, there were many elements in it that were interesting and have potential to make an interesting story. I think my biggest disappointment was the book’s focus on Quentin and how dull he was. There were exciting elements, like the plot involving Alice’s brother and the cover up, that really stirred up some excitement and made me want to learn more… and I’m hoping it’s these kinds of things that are explored in the second book, and not more of Quentin and friends drinking and doing not much of anything.)

Waiting On Wednesday

Ok, I have been waiting for this book since 2004!!!

Finally, it has a September 2011 release date!

What is it?

Why, it's...

Abarat: Absolute Midnight 

by Clive Barker

No, of course they haven't given us cover art yet (what you see above are the covers to book 1 and 2)... why would they do a silly thing like that. :(

I've heard it's going to be a very black cover, though.

Back to the point though, I've been waiting for this book, which is number 3 in the series, since 2004! I was beginning to think it would never be made... although sadly, there are still 2 more in the series after that, but hopefully those ones will have 2 year printing gaps (like the first two did) and not 7 year gaps.

The series is really amazing... and don't be turned off by the main character's name (and it's truly stupid... her name is Candy Quackenbush)... keep reading. It gets to be elaborate, amazing and very dark, ala Clive Barker's usual style. PLUS the books are peppered with amazing paintings by Barker himself, representing the characters and events that take place in the book.

Check them out, they're worth the read, and worth the wait.

As aggravating as that wait may be.

Teaser Tuesdays and a Manga Review

First up...
Teaser Tuesday!
Go here to join in: Should Be Reading

My teaser this week is from Zombies vs. Unicorns:



"They go off and grab the first thirteen-year-old who coos at them, and then it's all, 'Their purity will lead the way,' blah, blah, blah. Lead the way to a whole bunch of dead baby unicorns, maybe."

This excerpt was from The Purity Test by Naomi Novik...
which was one pretty amusing, funny story.

Now for the Manga review!

Today I'll be reviewing Kobato, Volume 3, the latest release from CLAMP.


Synopsis:
Kobato is a mysterious young girl who has been assigned the task of healing people's hearts. She has a tiny jar that collects tiny stars when she is successful. She is accompanied by a stuffed pooch named Ioryogi... who is obviously more than he seems. She has tasked herself with healing the hearts of the employees of a local Kindergarden...
but finds herself doing so much more.

Character Likability:
Kobato herself is adorable. She's naive, sweet, caring and pretty much like an overgrown child.
You can't help but like her.
Sometimes I find Ioryogi a tad annoying... he goes from extremes of quiet to yelling... and his yelling is often over the top. He's no Kero... but he's not entirely unlikable either.
The other supporting cast seems likable enough, but this is only volume 3, and you don't know quite enough about them yet.
Quality of Writing:
Easy to understand and easy flowing, this text isn't a bother to follow at all, and isn't choppy. Words are where you expect them to be and the dialogue is natural.
Ending:
Since this is in the middle of a series, there is no true ending. Nothing is even concluded, and that really happens is more problems are introduced...
the equivalent of a TV episode cliff-hanger.
Plot:
In the third volume of this series, the plot becomes more in depth. There are shocking revelations and what seemed like a simple situation becomes increasingly more complex. Personally, I'm both interested in and excited by the added depth to this story.
Quality of Illustration:
CLAMP has my all-time favorite Manga Illustrators on their team... I think their work is so flowing and beautiful... the line work is amazing, the detail is amazing, and their knowledge of the human anatomy is amazing :)

Waiting On Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

Here is what I am waiting for:
(Click on the book cover to go to D.M. Cornish's blog)

Monster Blood Tattoo Book Three: Factotum
by D.M. Cornish
Release Date: November 2010

You have no idea how much I'm waiting for this book... supposedly being released in the US in November of this year... the first two books in this series are amazing... and I mean... AMAZING. Possibly 'Golden Squid' amazing (as ridiculous as that sounds).
But the world woven by D.M. Cornish is detailed, rich, believable and frightening.
Being in love with these books is an understatement.

If you've never heard of Monster Blood Tattoo... pick them up. PICK THEM UP NOW!

The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman

The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman

Well, I have to say, I enjoyed this book. I hope there is a sequel, but I can't find any information about it online, and it ended in such a way that a sequel isn't necessary.

The story is about a young girl, Elizabeth, whose life is a bit like a fairytale itself. She has a beloved, passed-on Mother, and a rather unlikeable Step-Mother and two rather unlikeable step sisters... and while you get a sense of her home life being not quite happy and a tad unfair, the author doesn't spend too much time delving into it, because that isn't what this story is about.

This story is about a repository in NYC that holds collections of things to be checked out. Among those collections there is a collection of items from Grimm fairytales... all very magical (because in this world, magic does exist)... there is also a William Gibson, H.G. Wells and H.P. Lovecraft collection... which I'd love for them to delve into more!

Elizabeth gets hired as a page, and steps into the middle of quite the conspiracy. Items from the Grimm collection are being stolen, and employees are all suspect. Everyone is walking around looking at everyone else sideways, and Elizabeth is not quite sure who to trust, because it seems everyone is acting a bit shady, except possibly Doc, the man who runs the place.

I enjoyed the interaction between the main characters, because they made decisions as children their age *would* make decisions... trying to protect the ones they love, trying to protect themselves, and being motivated by things like the promise of friendship and love.

This story wasn't quite as well crafted as some I've read before (that might be asking a lot though when I'm comparing her to the likes of Howl's Moving Castle and Ella Enchanted), but the concept was absolutely enjoyable. I feel like this author will only improve... and I fully intend on reading more when she writes it :)

(To explain the comment above... when I was reading the story, the characters would encounter problems... and it felt, to me, as if these problems were a bit too easily solved. Things happened very quickly and without a lot of explanation... issues that seemed like they were a big deal would be resolved a page after they were introduced... in fact, the whole ending of the book was a bit anti-climactic.
There were just too many things that happened that were TOO helpful and TOO glossed over. Despite that though, this really is a VERY fun and enjoyable read!!!)

Book Cover: 5/5
Book Title: 5/5 (the title is what made me pick it up)
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 3/5
Ending: 2/5