Showing posts with label highly recommended. Show all posts
Showing posts with label highly recommended. Show all posts

Favorite Reads from 2011

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So, there have been a host, a flock, a crowd of best lists and favorites lists, and all kinds of year end lists.  I'm just throwing in my two cents.  Since I've read (or will have read) more than 150 books this year, having around 25 favorites isn't too many, right?  Eh, I'm going to talk about them all anyway! :)  I'm not even trying for categories or books released this year or anything.  Here they are in no particular order or even a semblance of order:


The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
A fantasy gem in my comfort genre of choice.  Reading it felt like coming home to my old favorite fantasy books.

Blood Red Road by Moira Young
A dystopian adventure that swept me up and swallowed me whole. Impossible to put down from beginning to end.

Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce
This is an oldie but a goodie; one I wish I'd had when I was twelve.


After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick
What I like to call bitter sweet hilarity.  Proof that there is life after cancer, and it can be fun!

Plain Kate by Erin Bow
The ultimate "under the radar" good book - I loved it, but no one else seems to know about it!

Leaving the Bellweathers by Kristin Clark Venuti
I'm such a sucker for quirky families and this MG read had a whopper of an oddball family.

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi
A smart, thoughtful, unique, stand-alone dystopian (even if there is a companion book coming out).

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
A fave author does it again, and how! With writing so rich, you could be tasting the goulash in Prague.

Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt
I don't know how Schmidt does it, but he creates the most semi-tragic, but somehow comic stories! I simply love Doug.

Entwined by Heather Dixon
A sweet, smart, witty retelling. Brought new life to a tale that's been told many times.

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
A book that reminds you just how easy your life is, and how to be optimistic in the face of tragedy.

The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima
One of my favorite fantasy series. I thought this was the last one, so I was happy to learn it wasn't!

The Giver by Lois Lowry
There is a reason this comes to mind when you think classic dystopian. Always worth a reread!

Crossed by Ally Condie
Proof (to me) that a slow-moving sequel can be just as good as the first one.

The Ring of Solomon by Jonathan Stroud
Contains one of the most hilarious characters in all of juvenile fiction. And my favorite djinn ever.

These is My Words by Nancy Turner
I do read adult books and apparently they are good too! :)

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
A book that opened my eyes and urged me to think differently of those with physical disabilities - works for kids and adults alike.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Still just as powerful and heart-wrenching as that first time.

Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson
Hello historical fiction, I'd almost forgotten how charming you can be.

Divergent by Veronica Roth
A heart-pounding, read-it-in-one-sitting, must-be-devoured-in-big-gulps dystopian adventure.

White Cat and Red Glove by Holly Black
Love this wickedly smart series with con men for characters and surprising twisty plots.

Wither by Lauren DeStefano
A story with writing beautiful enough to overshadow the crazy plot.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Another book to remind me that adult books can captivate me still.

Everneath by Brodi Ashton
Been waiting a long time for this one and I wasn't disappointed at the depth and beauty of the tale.  (Bonus: I have a giveaway for this book going on right now.)

Icefall by Michael J. Kirby (review to come)
A bitter cold story filled with warm-hearted characters and intriguing suspense. 

What are your favorite reads of the year?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage


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Book Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton and GIVEAWAY!!

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Everneath by Brodi Ashton
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: January 24, 2012
ISBN: 9780062071132
Source: ARC provided by publisher


Nikki disappeared months ago without a word and then she suddenly returned home. No one knows where she went or what happened while she was gone.  Now, she must try to pick up the broken pieces of her life with her father, little brother, and her boyfriend, Jack.  But what none of them know is that she is leaving again, and this time she has no choice.  Can she say goodbye properly this time or is it too late for those she loves?

Things I Liked:
I've been looking forward to this one for a long time.  I follow Brodi's blog quite regularly and I really love her humor and fun.  Her book is definitely not a laughing-throughout book, but it was still fabulous.  I loved Nikki and the way she was coming to recognize all that she did to her family and friends when she left.  I thought it was particularly interesting to see the connections between actions and choices and consequences - that's something that a lot of teens (and adults) don't always consider.  The romance was just perfect, a sweet combination of passion and caring that makes it more realistic.  I just thought it was a such a great story, not crowded with too much action and adventure, but full of slow sweet moments, interactions, and feelings.  That's not to say that stuff doesn't happen (boy, does it), but it had more than just action.  I really liked the mythos, the way the Persephone myth played into the story and yet was changed.  Without ending on a cliffhanger, it manages to make me want to know more about what will happen next and how things will work out.  Great debut worth the read (not to mention, you can ogle the cover - simply gorgeous)!  Some favorite parts:
We'd pluck the spiky chestnuts, leaving their green outer shells intact, and throw them at the neighbor boys.  I always took particular care in aiming for Jack's head.  He told me later that he rode his bike by my house on purpose.  I asked if him if he liked pain. P 44 of ARC
"Because it's not the supernatural abilities that set mythical characters apart."  She leaned forward.  "It's the decisions the human characters make, in impossible situations, that have us still talking about them centuries later.  Heroes are made by the paths they choose, not the powers they are graced with." p 133 of ARC
Friends don't eat friends' souls. p 223 of ARC
Things I Didn't Like:
It has a bit of awkward phrasing here adn there and the ending was something I saw pretty far in advance, but it had plenty lovely writing and twisty turns, so I was unable to put it down from beginning to end.  Just what I love in a good mythological retelling - new twists with some of the same basic backbone.

Read-alikes:
Some other Persephone retellings:
Abandon by Meg Cabot
The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
Radiant Darkness by Emily Whitman

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: ! 
a handful, not much though

mrg-factor: X 
kissing and such like, nothing explicit

v-factor: -> 
a little bit, nothing gory

Overall rating: ***** 

AND, lucky for you, I got an extra ARC and thought I'd share the love so you can get your hands on this one (hopefully) a bit early.  All you have to do is fill out the form below.  I'm offering an extra entry for those who spread the word about this, just provide a link to where you shared (twitter, blog, whatevs).  I'll close the contest about January 2nd and ship it out ASAP.  (US only, sorry I'm still poor.) Good luck!



If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage


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Book Review: Eona by Alison Goodman

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Eona by Alison Goodman
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Publication date: April 2011
ISBN: 9780670063116
Source: Purchased

*Some spoilers for the first book, Eon, are inevitable - read at your own risk!*
Eona is no longer the girl masquerading as a boy, she is the first female dragoneye in centuries and she is powerful. But after witnessing the murder of all the other dragoneyes, she is overwhelmed with all she is responsible for and unable to draw on that power fully. She and her friends are on the run from the evil Lord Sethon and must find the black folio before it falls into the wrong hands. In addition to all of these things, Eona also must choose between two very different kinds of love. Will all of these things pull her apart or simply make her stronger?

Things I Liked:
This book was just as fascinating and action-packed as the first one.  The world Goodman has created is so vivid, colorful, and real that you feel like you are living in it.  The history and the dragons and the dragonlore are just beautifully rendered.  Not to mention the twisting story filled with hints and surprises that will keep you reading just to know where Eona will end up.  I love this book with its gorgeous Asian-inspired culture and heroine who is battling with herself, her motives, and what is right vs what she wants.  Some of the secondary characters are really well-drawn, particularly Kygo and Ido.  An excellent sequel and everything I hoped it would be.

Things I Didn't Like:
It did seem to drag on just a bit too long.  I felt like, while there was a lot of action, there could have been a few things cut to keep us moving the story along.  And I got mad at Eona again, for doing things that you really wished she'd think through and just not seeing what was plain to see.  Just as frustrating and fascinating as last time. 

Read-alikes:
Read Eon: Dragoneye Reborn first
Reminds me of Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
I was too involved in reading to notice, but there were probably at least a few

mrg-factor: XX
some innuendo and it has some sensual parts, nothing explicit

v-factor: ->->->
lots of fighting, lots of action, plenty of description

Overall rating: *****

I've seen mixed reviews of this one - what are your feelings?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage


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Book Review: Crossed by Ally Condie

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Crossed by Ally Condie
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Publication date: November 2011
ISBN: 9780525423652
Source: Purchased

*Some possible spoilers for Matched*
When Cassia is sent to the Border Provinces, she hopes to be able to find Ky.  She finally makes her way to the Outer Provinces, with a new companion,  But will she be able to find him before they are all caught, and will it be enough to be together when she does?

Things I Liked:
I simply fell in love with this book.  It is not what I'd call a typical dystopian full of action and excitement, though it does have some.  What I love most is the quiet nature of it, the slow development, and especially the layered symbols and meanings that I see in nearly every sentence.  Condie's writing seems simple, but it also has depth and measure that belies its simplicity.  It was such a beautiful experience to just feel like there was more than the story going on with deeper feelings and ideas.  Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but somehow I felt like I was floating along on an undercurrent with Cassia and Ky in this gorgeous alien landscape (it helps that I adore the geography of Southern Utah).  The character back stories and the delicious depths of the Society and Aberrations and all that stuff just made this a rich and moving experience for me.  I also really enjoy the thought that goes into the love triangle - the feelings Cassia still obviously has for Xander and his own frustrations at being left behind.  Just really well done!  Here are some of my favorite parts:
I thought it was having the picture that made it special, but it's not even that. It's looking at something without being watched, without being told how to see. That's what the picture has given us. p 12
Because in the end you can't always choose what to keep. You can only choose how you let it go. p 21
This happened to him, while I sat in my house on the very same street, eating my premade food and listening to the port and daydreaming about the perfect life that was about to be delivered to me, the way everything always was. p 262
Things I Didn't Like:
I can definitely see how there will be things people don't like about this one: the viewpoints are very similar, the plot is pretty slow sometimes, it seems like the whole book is kind of one big circle and back where they all started, but I was not bothered by any of these things.  I enjoyed it all!

Read-alikes:
Read Matched by Ally Condie first
Other dystopians are kind of similar like Delirium by Lauren Oliver and Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: ! 
one or two

mrg-factor: none 

v-factor: -> 
some, but not graphic

Overall rating: ***** 

What books blow you away that others think are just ok?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage


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Retro Friday Review: The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer

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Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc."


The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer
Publisher: Atheneum
Publication date: 2004
ISBN: 9780689867460
Source: Audiobook download from the library








When Jack and his sister are stolen by Northmen and taken as thralls to their home, Jack isn't quite sure what to do.  When they are brought before the half-troll queen, Frith, he ends up forced to go on a quest for a magical well hidden deep in the kingdom of the Trolls.  Can he complete this quest, with the help of the gruff Thorgill and Olaf one-Brow in time to save his sister from being sacrificed?


Things I Liked:
What a fun story!  I wish I'd read this one sooner.  The mythology is absolutely fabulous.  I adored learning more about Norse and Scandinavian mythos, particularly the gods and the trolls.  The story is interesting and unique and it evoked the great quests so common in high fantasy.  But what I really loved was the historical element as well.  This is set in the dark ages of England and Scandinavia and that setting is written so thoroughly that you can't help but fall into it!  The book is rich with myths and history and entirely relatable characters.  In addition, it talks so neatly about the issues of slavery and the animosity between countries that you almost don't notice it.  I adored Thorgill and I could write an entire treatise on her complexities, but I'll spare you.  I listened to this one on my new horrifically long commute to work and it kept my mind completely off the traffic (hopefully in a good way).  The narrator does incredible voices and accents and I truly loved delving into this story through audio.  A fantastically underrated fantasy series that I've got to read (or listen to) more of.




Things I Didn't Like:

It did seem a bit long, but for fantasy fans the thick book will be nothing extraordinary. 


Read-alikes:

It felt rather Lord of the Rings ish

Icefall by Matthew Kirby

A bit like the Percy Jackson books by Rick Riordan



BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: ! 
there were some here and there


mrg-factor: none 





v-factor: ->-> 


several rather gruesome battles described





Overall rating: ***** 



Anybody else read this series or know of any other Viking books for kids?




If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage




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Retro Friday Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

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Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc."



Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books

Publication date: July 2007

ISBN: 9780545139700

Source: Purchased (of course)








Really?  I'm not going to bother with a summary. 


Things I Liked:

Even after reading it before, I am amazed I can still fall into the story so easily again. I know what will happen, but the action is so non-stop and heart-pounding I get caught up in it anyway.  And, having only read it once as fast as possible back in 2007, there were lots of delicious details I missed and needed refreshing.  Rowling is a master of suspense and giving you just the right amount of info at once that you feel like you know something, but then later you learn you didn't really know it at all.  I never once seemed to see any of her revelations coming.  Lily and Snape, Dumbledore's family, the horcruxes, nothing.  Fantastic story, exciting ending, and still fascinating enough to be reread often.  I managed to reread it before I saw the last movie installment (mind you, I didn't see it for several months) and I was reminded how superior the books are to the movies.  In my opinion. 


Things I Didn't Like:
I was struck again at just how nearly ridiculous it becomes that Harry can have so many near-death or near-Voldemort experiences and get out every time.  I think it stretched its believability to the max, but no one cares because we love Harry and his innate ability to get out of scrapes (with luck and his friends).  


Read-alikes:

Nothing quite like it, but you know the first six Harry Potter books

For post-Harry withdrawals, I liked the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan



BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
a few here and there
mrg-factor: none
except occasional snogging


v-factor: ->->->
loads of this, though


Overall rating: *****




Do you have a favorite part of this book?  What do you wish had been in the movie that didn't make the cut?



If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage


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Book Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

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Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date: September 2011
ISBN: 9780316134026
Source: ARC provided by publisher


Karou lives between two worlds, one just like everyone else's, an art student in Prague with best friend Zuzana. The other world is filled with fantastic creatures, ones that humans are unaware exist, an underground world and the one Karou grew up in. But when beautiful and terrifying angels show up and shatter the delicate balance of her life, she will learn much more about her past than she ever imagined possible.

Things I Liked:
Oh how I loved the writing.  Taylor had me wrapped around that story from page one.  I fell into it and I couldn't see (nor did I want to) my way out.  I read it slowly and in bits so I could savor every phrase.  And you can tell that Taylor spends time on every phrase so that they sound just right.  I love the spooky, creepy, quirky, but gorgeous style she has for writing fantasy stories with a dark undercurrent.  The world she's created is rich and deep and you think you know about it, until you learn more and realize you haven't learned much.  The story was not original in itself, but the way she's created the world, the characters (I adore Zuzana and Karou and Issa and so on and so on), and the cultures is so fascinating I couldn't stop thinking about it.  I'm even more excited to learn there will be more adventures in store for Karou.  A detailed and dark story that will lure you in.  I adored the details about Prague too - I spent only two days there, but Taylor brought it to life for me again. Here is some of the good:
The streets of Prague were a fantasia scarcely touched by the twenty-first century - or the twentieth or nineteenth, for that matter. It was a city of alchemists and dreamers, its medieval cobbles once trod by golems, mystics, invading armies.  Tall houses glowed goldenrod and carmine and eggshell blue, embellished with Rococco plasterwork and capped in roofs of uniform red.  Baroque cupolas were the soft green of antique copper and gothic steeples stood ready to impale fallen angels.  The wind carried the memory of magic, revolutions, violins, and the cobbled lanes meandered like creeks.  Thugs wore Mozart wigs and pushed chamber music on street corners, and marionettes hung in windows, making the whole city seem like a theater with unseen puppeteers crouched behind velvet. p 24-25 of ARC
The first time she'd come to Prague, she'd gotten so lost exploring these streets.  She'd passed an art gallery and a few blocks later doubled back to find it, and...couldn't.  The city had swallowed it.  In fact, she never found it.  There was a deceptive tangling of alleys that gave the impression of a map that shifted behind you, gargoyles tiptoeing away, stones like puzzle pieces rearranging themselves into new configurations while you weren't looking.  Prague entranced you, lured you in, like the mythic fey who trick travelers deep into forests until they're lost beyond hope.  But being lost here was a gentle adventure of marionette shops and absinthe, and the only creatures lurking around corners were Kaz and his cohorts in vampire makeup, ready with a silly thrill.  Usually. p 185 of ARC
His eyes were hypnotic, his brows black and velvet.  He was copper and shadow, honey and menace, the severity of knife-blade cheekbones and a widow's peak like the point of a dagger.  p 195 of ARC

Things I Didn't Like:
As I mentioned, the story, if you stop and think about its bare bones, is not that original.  The telling and the wrappings and the life Taylor breathes into it brings me hope for more fabulous angel stories.  It is also not something I could devour in a few sittings, it requires time and thought to fully appreciate it.  Even if I felt it lagged a bit in the middle, I never could put Karou quite out of my mind.

Read-alikes:
Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr
Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor
Demon's Lexicon series by Sarah Rees Brennan

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
pretty regularly, though not overwhelming

mrg-factor: XX 
it does have it, but doesn't describe the actions

v-factor: -> 
not a lot, but they do fight and kill

Overall rating: *****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage


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Book Review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

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The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publication date: September 2011
ISBN: 9780062026484
Source: e-book provided by NetGalley

 The Girl of Fire and Thorns

Elisa has always been told she'll do something remarkable - after all, she was chosen by God to bear the Godstone.  But, as the younger daughter of a distant king and feeling wholly inferior and useless compared with her older sister, Elisa is not sure if she'll ever do anything.  When she's married off to a foreign king, one who only wants her for her Godstone, her life is about to change forever.  Will she be able to discover what her purpose is before her life is ripped away forever?

Things I Liked:
I really liked the world Carson created here.  What I think sort of fed that love, at least initially, is that it felt like The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley, a favorite book of mine.  But this book was great on its own.  I loved Elisa.  She was a real person to me, with weaknesses and doubts and I love how she dealt with her body image - most of the time, she didn't care what people thought of her.  It hurt, the things people said, but it didn't consume her.  I liked the original cover they had for the book, but not after I'd read the book.  So glad they got rid of the one with the thin model on it.  The love interest in the book also was unique and didn't feel like the same thing I've been reading - it was so different from what I expected.  This was a really well created and interesting story, not the mention I loved that God and religion were just a part of the world, a part of Elisa.  It was a positive and also balanced portrayal of religious people.  For coherent thoughts on that, check out Kiersten White's post.
 
Things I Didn't Like:
I was a little disappointed at how quickly things were resolved at the end.  It really came down to the wire and I thought maybe it was going to have a sequel to wrap up this story (and thank heavens, if there is a sequel, there wasn't a cliffhanger).  It just seemed a bit rushed at the end.  Still, it was satisfying and not completely perfect, just the way endings should be.

Read-alikes:
The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley
Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
I think one or two mild words

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->
there is fighting and death, some a bit gruesome

Overall rating: *****

Anybody else read and loved this? Or not loved it?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage


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Book Review: Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt

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Posted as part of Tween Tuesday, hosted by GreenBeanTeenQueen.
Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt
Publisher: Clarion Books
Publication date: April 2011
ISBN: 9780547152608
Source: Library

Okay for Now 

Doug Switeck has never had it easy.  But when his family moves to Marysville so his father can get a job, things become even worse.  Everyone soon accuses Doug's brother of some local burglaries and Doug becomes guilty by association.  His teachers at school, especially the gym teacher and principal, have it out for him and life is just as crummy as possible.  But, can discovering a new talent and some new friends make Doug's life a little more bearable?

Things I Liked:
Wow.  Mr. Schmidt is a master at the middle grade novel.  This book has everything from feeling like you stand in the shadow of your older siblings to thoughts on the Vietnam War and dealing with a crooked father.  Doug has more than his fair share of rotten days and rotten experiences, but the best thing about the book is how just one or two beautiful things that happen to him can change the way he thinks.  When one teacher decides to help Doug out, when one friends sticks by him, when one person praises him, you can really feel what an impact that has in his life.  Schmidt creates these pitch perfect voices for his characters.  Doug is the right mixture of vulnerable, punk, and sarcastic humor that he literally feels like your surly younger brother.  I laughed and then cried and then did more of the same through the entire book.  I cheered for his successes and mourned his sorrows.  One of the very best books I've read in a long time.  And if you liked The Wednesday Wars, you'll love Okay for Now.  Here are some favorite parts:
When she finished, she took the bottle away from her lips - she was still smiling - and she sighed, and then she squared her shoulders and kind of adjusted herself like she was in a batter's box, and then she let out a belch that even my brother couldn't match, not on his very best day.
It was amazing. It made birds fly out of the maples in front of the library.  Dogs asleep on porches a couple of blocks way probably woke up.  p 29
She came over and looked at the picture.  Then she took my hand.
You know what that feels like?
Like what the astronauts will feel when they step onto the moon for the very first time...
Like someone seeing what a chump you are and getting you a cold Coke anyway.
Like possibility.  p 226-227
In English, Miss Cowper was throwing us into the Introduction to Poetry Unit like it was as all-fired important as the moon shot.  You know, there are good reasons for learning how to read.  Poetry isn't one of them.  I mean, so what if two roads go two ways in a wood?  So what?  Who cares if it made all that big a difference?  What difference?  And why should I have to guess what the difference is?  Isn't that what he's supposed to say?  Why can't poets just say what they want to say and then shut up? p 235
And you know what I was going to do?  I was going to shriek like an insane woman who has been locked in an attic for a great many years.
In front of Joe Pepitone.
You know what that feels like?
You can't know what that feels like, because no one has ever had to shriek like an insane woman who has been locked in an attic for a great many years in front of Joe Pepitone.  
I couldn't do it.  
I wouldn't do it.  
Not in front of Joe Pepitone. p 313
Things I Didn't Like:
This is not an action book.  It is fairly slow moving and focuses definitely more on characters than action.  Also, I was a little surprised at the changes his dad made at the end.  They seemed a bit sudden.  Still, this is truly one of the best I've read.  Ever.

Read-alikes:
The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: *****

I can't think of anyone who writes quite like Schmidt. Can you?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage


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Book Review: Entwined by Heather Dixon

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Entwined by Heather Dixon
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publication date: March 2010
ISBN: 9780062001030
Source: Purchased

Entwined 

When their mother the queen dies, Azalea and her eleven younger sisters aren't sure what to do.  Their father places the palace and all his daughters in deep mourning, cutting off all outdoor activity and fun activities, including dancing.  But the princesses discover a secret place where their father can't find them to dance.  What they little expect is to discover dark secrets about their mother and the Keeper of their secret place.

Things I Liked:
I just have to say - fantastic!  The book was gorgeous and written so beautifully.  I loved how Dixon described the motivations for why things happened, especially for why the sisters wanted to dance and how they got into the situation to begin with.  I must say, Bramble and Lord Teddie stole the story for me.  I adored them and I'm just hoping Dixon decides to write a story all for Bramble, because she was hands-down my favorite character.  She was so fabulous that I thought Azalea paled a bit in her shadow.  I loved the sweet romance that actually seemed to take the time to develop.  And the story had just the right touch of creepy too!  I loved having the disturbing and weird stuff that made the story balanced - not too sweet with something wicked hidden beneath the surface.  I obviously really enjoyed this retelling - it's taken a place as one of my favorites.  Some lovely bits (much of them from Bramble, of course):
Mrs. Graybe made cinnamon bread, a treat they could only afford on holidays, and Mr. Pudding walked about the palace, singing "Huzzah" in wheezing, out-of-tune tones.  The Harold Herald, alive with news of the war, even printed an extra edition the next day, and among the news on the front page, the girls discovered that Minister Fairweller had been wounded.  Clover, so tenderhearted, cried.  
"Oh, he's probably all right," said Bramble.  "It would take a lot to kill him.  Like garlic and a stake through the heart." p 126-127
"Down with tyranny!" Bramble cried. "Aristocracy!  Autocracy!  Monocracy!  Other ocracy things!  You are outnumbered, sir!  Surrender!" p 148
The dancers were masked with ornate, gilded animal heads.  A golden-furred jackal, and his lady, with feathers and a gold beak.  Masks with eyeholes rimmed in gems and embroidery clung to the dancers' faces.  This was a masked ball, something Azalea had only heard of.  In her imagination they had been more innocent; gentlemen dressed as hussars and ladies with white, glittery masks attached to a stick.  Not this chaotic meshing of gilded beasts and opulent monsters. p 258
"Sir!" whined Lord Teddie.  "You forgot my birthday, too!"
Bramble gave a surprised laugh, then slapped her hand over her mouth, as though shocked at letting it out.  The tension broke.  The girls laughed sheepishly, and Lord Teddie beamed.  He probably did not have many ladies think him funny.  In fact, he probably got slapped by a lot of them.  p 297
Things I Didn't Like:
It did start out a bit slow.  The book is long and a lot of it is build up to the story, but for those who love a well-developed and complex fairy-tale retelling, this is perfect.  I adored it, honestly.  I think a story with twelve separate sisters is like a writers' nightmare, because it's impossible to have them all well-developed.  But, I loved them, when I could remember who was who.  The oldest three are the most important and they certainly were better developed than the others.  

Read-alikes:
Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->
just a touch creepy, not really violent

Overall rating: *****

Do you have a favorite retelling of all time?

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Retro Friday Review: The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

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Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc."
  
The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
Publisher: Various
Publication date: 1971
ISBN: 0912376015
Source: Library, for book group

Hiding PlaceTHE HIDING PLACEThe Hiding Place (Hendrickson Classic Biographies)

This is the true story of Corrie Ten Boom and her family, who become the center of an underground resistance in Holland during WWII.  When Corrie and her family are discovered, they are sent to prison.  Facing deprivations and transfer to a concentration camp, Corrie and he sister Betsie find beauty and bring religion to the people they meet.

Things I Liked:
What an absolutely inspiring story!  This book has the power to change people's lives and even better, their behavior.  I was entranced with Corrie's family - the descriptions of the daily things her father and sisters would do and say just exemplify a Christian lifestyle.  I loved the genuinely honest comments Corrie makes about herself and her little weaknesses.  She seems so willing to recognize her mistakes and to praise the strengths of others that you begin to see just how truly good she is as well.  Towards the end, when they are in the concentration camp, the scenes of utter despair and horror are so powerfully juxtaposed to the sisters' devoted and hallowed attitudes that I have no ability to describe my own feelings about it.  This book will make you so grateful for the many conveniences you enjoy and it will (hopefully) help you to see the good in every difficult situation you face.  An amazing account of sincerely religious and happy everyday people who were able to overcome the tragedies in their lives through faith in God.  Just a few of the many places I marked in the book.
Mama's love had always been the kind that acted itself out with soup pot and sewing basket.  But now that these things were taken away, the love seemed as whole as before.  She sat in her chair at the window and loved us.  She loved the peple she saw in the street - and beyond: her love took in the city, the land of Holland, the world.  And so I learned that love is larger than the walls which hut it in.  p 48
Back in the dining room I pulled back the coverlet from the baby's face.  There was a long silence.  The man bent forward, his hand in spite of himself reaching for the tiny fist curled round the blanket.  For a moment I saw compassion and fear struggle in his face.  Then he straightened.  "No. Definitely not.  We could lose our lives for that Jewish child!"  Unseen by either of us, Father had appeared in the doorway.  "give the child to me, Corrie," he said....  "You say we could lose our lives for this child.  I would consider that the greatest honor that could come to my family." p 99
Once again we considered stopping the work.  Once again we discovered we could not.  That night Father and Betsie and I prayed long after the others had gone to bed.  We knew that in spite of daily mounting risks we had no choice but to move forward.  This was evil's hour; we could not run away from it.  Perhaps only when human effort had done its best and failed, would God's power along be free to work.  p 123
But as the rest of the world grew stranger, one thing became increasingly clear.  And that was the reason the two of us were here.  Why others should suffer we were not shown.  As for us, from morning until lights-out, whenever we were not in ranks for roll call, our Bible was the center of an ever-widening circle of help and hope.  Life waifs clustered around a blazing fire, we gathered about it, holding out our hearts to its warmth and light.  The blacker the night around us grew, the brighter and truer and more beautiful burned the word of God.  p 194
And as the cold increased, so did the special temptation of concentration-camp life: the temptation to think only of oneself.  It took a thousand cunning forms.  I quickly discovered that when I maneuvered our way toward the middle of the roll-call formation, we had a little protection from the wind  I knew this was self-centered: when Betsie and I stood in the center, someone else had to stand on the edge.  How easy it was to give it other names!  I was acting only for Betsie's sake.  We were in an important ministry and must keep well.  It was colder in Poland than in Holland; these Polish women probably were not feeling the chill the way we were.  Selfishness had a life of its own. p 213
"...must tell people what we have learned here.  We must tell them that there is no pit so deep that HE is not deeper still.  They will listen to us, Corrie, because we have been here." p 217
Things I Didn't Like:
Honestly, while the writing may not have been amazing, I didn't even notice most of the time, because the story is so engrossing and powerful.  I encourage every person to read this book, no matter their religion or beliefs.

Read-alikes:
Anne Frank - The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
Night by Elie Wiesel

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
probably one or two 

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->->
not exactly violence, but the cruelties of concentration camps are described

Overall rating: *****

Anybody else inspired by this memoir?

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Book Review: The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima

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The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH
Publication date: August 2011
ISBN: 9781423118251
Source: e-book provided by NetGalley

The Gray Wolf Throne (A Seven Realms Novel) 

*Spoilers for the first two Seven Realms books are very possible*
Raisa is on her way back home to her mother and sister, but things are not going as planned.  After escaping the grasping Gerard Montaigne, she is chased by rogue members of her guard.  When Han finds her nearly dead from a poison arrow, he makes a choice to do everything in his power to heal her.  He doesn't expect it to take so much out of him, though.  Their two paths will twists and intersect again and again, especially when Raisa decides she must rely on Han to help her make it onto the Gray Wolf Throne.  Can she live long enough against the assassins and ill-will of the Bayars?

Things I Liked:
Chima has a real talent for creating extremely realistic, fully developed, fantastic worlds.  The Seven Realms seem as real to me as our world!  She has such an ability to bring fantasy to life.  I love the characters and their stories and the intricate plots she's woven together, everything leading to one particular path that seems inevitable, but is still surprising.  I really love reading a complex court intrigue and this is one of the best I've come across.  Trust, betrayal, deception, and so many other emotions wind together to make a complicated and fascinating pattern that I won't fully grasp until I get that next book!  Just what a high fantasy should be.

Things I Didn't Like:
I have to admit, it has the usual drawbacks of high fantasy - a huge cast of characters, a vast number of pages, and a super complicated plot that can occasionally become confusing.  Still, that's one of the challenges I love about it.  I thought this was the last book in the series and was confused when it didn't end satisfactorily.  But, I found out there's another book (thank goodness) and I simply can't wait for more.

Read-alikes:
Read The Demon King and The Exiled Queen first
The Heir of Night by Helen Lowe
Crown and Court Duel by Sherwood Smith

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
a little

mrg-factor: X
some heavy kissing

v-factor: ->->
there is fighting and death

Overall rating: *****

Any predictions for what will happen in that next book?

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Book Review: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

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Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication date: September 2010
ISBN: 9780061985843
Source: Purchased

Paranormalcy

Evie has spent most of her life working with IPCA - the International Paranormal Control Agency - bagging and tagging such creatures as vampires, hags, and others. Her ability to detect paranormals has served her well in see what others don't. But, when a mysterious and hot paranormal shows up, a king she's never heard of before, Evie begins to question the agency and what she knows about herself.

Things I Liked:
Um, Evie of course.  She's so awesome - so kick-butt and sarcastic and just plain fun.  I wanted more from her.  Much more.  The story was pretty fun, but honestly it was the characters that had me coming back for more.  Lend was interesting and Reth was full of surprises and I liked Lish a lot too.  The paranormal angle was so refreshingly fun and not-nauseating and so spoofy fun that I think I fell in love with paranormal romance all over again.  Thank you Kiersten White!  Fun quote:
I sighed.  I hate the vamp jobs.  They think they're so suave.  It's not enough for them to slaughter and eat you like a zombie would.  No, they want it to be all sexy, too.  And, trust me: vampires?  Not. Sexy.  I mean, sure, their glamours can be pretty hot, but the dry-as-bone corpse bodies shimmering underneath?  Nothing attractive there.  Not that anyone else can see them, though.  p 2
Things I Didn't Like:
I think I got a bit hung up on what was actually happening in the story.  I'm not sure if I was just confused or if I was just as in the dark as Evie about IPCA and other paranormals.  Either way, I'll be devouring Supernaturally as fast as possible.

Read-alikes:
I don't know, maybe a bit like The Darkest Powers series by Kelley Armstrong

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none
bleep :)

mrg-factor: none
well, some kissing 

v-factor: ->
just a little bit of action violence

Overall rating: ****

Honestly can't think of anything quite like this, can you?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage


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Book Review: The Giver by Lois Lowry

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Posted as part of Tween Tuesday, hosted by GreenBeanTeenQueen.
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publication date: 1993
ISBN: 9780385732550
Source: Library audiobook

The Giver 

When Jonas is chosen for a job that he never expected, Receiver of memory, he is about to learn all kinds of things about his community and his family.  Every day he receives memories from the Giver and he learns a little bit more about how his settlement works and just what they might have given up.  Will he have the courage to make hard decisions that might affect everyone he knows?

Things I Liked:
This is a perfect classic dystopian story and it never gets old.  I love how slowly and carefully Lowry reveals things about the society and what is really going on.  I love how we discover, along with Jonas, all the things that the Giver knows and remembers.  It is such a unique and interesting world that you can't help but feel and hurt right along with the characters.  I listened to this one on audio and I really enjoyed it just as much as reading it.  What I noticed this time around was just how strange the idea of a memory-keeper would be and how impossible, yet plausible, the future society Lowry has created seems.  One of the best dystopian books ever.

Things I Didn't Like:
I have to admit I was slightly bothered by the voice our narrator used for Jonas.  Yes, he's only 11 or 12 during the story, but he sounded like a very whiny seven-year-old.  It made it harder to believe the things he dealt with and learned.  I would have liked a slightly more mature voice.  Still, it was not too distracting, since I still enjoyed the story.  There is still stuff I don't think I'll ever figure out about Lowry's future vision.

Read-alikes:
Matched by Ally Condie
Maybe a little like Delirium by Lauren Oliver - for the world-building
Gathering Blue and Messenger by Lois Lowry (which are kind of sequels) 

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none
well, maybe a very few, but honestly I can't remember

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->
more like mature stuff, not really violence

Overall rating: *****

Anybody not read this? Anybody read and not liked this? I'd love to hear opposing opinions :)

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Book Review: The Ring of Solomon by Jonathan Stroud

8:00 AM mixagrip

Posted as part of Tween Tuesday, hosted by GreenBeanTeenQueen.
The Ring of Solomon by Jonathan Stroud
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH
Publication date: November 2010
ISBN: 9781423123729
Source: Library audiobook

Bartimaeus: The Ring of Solomon 

Djinni extraordinaire Bartimaeus has spent thousands of years serving magician masters.  In this adventure, he serves a rather nasty master, one that is determined to break his spirit.  Throw in the ring of power that King Solomon wields and you have an interesting adventure for Bartimaeus to survive.  Will his wit and sheer cheek keep him from a nasty end?

Things I Liked:
Oh how I love Bartimeaus.  He makes these books completely enjoyable.  The snark, the sarcasm, the hilarity, all belong to him.  I'm so glad Stroud decided to write this book as a companion to the previous three books, because he deserves a book all to himself.  I reveled in everything he said and did.  The story was fairly interesting too, but I honestly kept listenening for Bartimaeus' humor.  And I was not disappointed.  I laughed so hard on multiple occasions that I honestly had to stop what I was doing (good thing I wasn't driving).  This is pure entertainment and so well-written, too.  If I'd read the book instead of listening, I'd probably have about 100 quotes from it.  Instead, I'll recommend either listening or reading, because the narrator, Simon Jones, does a fantastic job of reading this, with just the right combination of sarcasm and boredom that Bartimaeus would use.  I was worried I'd have a hard time distinguishing footnotes from the story, but he managed those perfectly as well.  Now if only they'd make a movie...

Things I Didn't Like:
I think I wish I had read it too, because I spent long periods of time away from the book and would then come back to it and not remember what had happened previously.  Still, I completely enjoyed listening, even if I did miss some of the finer points of plot.

Read-alikes:
Read the first three books in the Bartimaeus series by Stroud

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
a few mild ones here and there

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->
some violence, but mostly not described

Overall rating: *****

Have you read any of these? If not, why not?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage


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