I HAVE MOVED!

To simplify my life, I have combined this review blog with my writer blog to create Skye's Scribblings! 

Find me there for all things wordly. :)

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Title: Under the Never Sky
Series: Under the Never Sky, Book 1
Author: Veronica Rossi
Publisher: Harper
Genre: Young Adult Dystopian
Rated: Older Teen (sensuality, some sexuality, violence, minor gore, feminine issues)
Told: Third Person Past Tense; from the perspective of the two main characters, Aria and Perry.

Summary: Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she's never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim.

Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He's searching for someone too. He's also wild - a savage - but might be her best hope at staying alive.

If they can survive, they are each other's best hope for finding answers.

Writing: Once I got into the story (about 1/4th in) it was a relatively easy read.
Setting: An interesting and possible future for Earth, where some live in virtual pods and mutated others out in the savage wilderness. I was a bit disappointed that we didn't get to explore the pods more - I hope Veronica gives us a tour of Reverie in a later book.
Story: Began rough and hard to get into, but got better as the MCs got used to each other. By the middle I was engrossed, and although it wasn't perfect it was entertaining. The romance felt rather forced, but I enjoyed it none the less. The end was both complete and continual.
Characters: Aria was strong and capable, and quite the trooper - I got her right from the start. Perry was a bit all over the place at the beginning and hard to pin down, but eventually he came together. Mostly. Roar was a nice addition to their travels and story, Marron an interesting uncle figure (although I think he would have been better as a possible badish guy), and Cinder a curious window into the future story.

Eww Factor: There is - and this is their term, not mine - "menstruating" in this book. And if that isn't bad enough, a macho boy has to explain what it is to a girl. I was just as horribly embarrassed as she was.

Conclusion: While it began awkward, I was glad I stuck with it, and now look forward to Book 2.

This book is for you if you like: Dystopian epic travel adventures and/or coming-of-age kind of stories.

out of 4 Paws Up

2013 New Year's Resolutions

Happy New Year everyone!

I know I have been rather absent from this blog, but no more! This year I have two very important New Year's Resolutions:

>Post a review here at least once a month; and
>Read More

Last year I neglected my reading, but no longer! I shall be avoiding television re-runs like the plague and devoting myself to the written word.

And no longer shall I give up on a book after a mediocre first chapter! I have seen the error of my ways, and if the book has at least some worthy qualities I shall endeavor to read the entire thing.

I shall finish at least 12 books this year, with the hopes of it coming out more like at least 24 by December. I shall become a reading fiend! This year's word is "Discovery," and I plan to discover as many books as I possibly can.

So here's to an amazing and word-filled 2013!

Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

Title: Unspoken
Series: The Lynburn Legacy, Book 1
Author: Sarah Rees Brennan
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Genre: YA Contemporary Fantasy
Rating: Teen (some sensuality, mild violence and gore)

Summary: Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.

But all that changes when the Lynburns return.

The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?

Writing: It started really well, lost some momentum halfway, but mostly picked back up for the rest. While Sarah's style could be a little hard to follow at times, she was pretty good at keeping me reading without a break.
World: While it was supposed to feel very narrow, being set in a tiny English town, it felt a little more narrow than expected for me. The power angle was pretty basic, but it had its points of originality.
Story: For a YA book it felt more like an MG book, which made any romance feel childish and cheesy. I've read Sarah before and she can do excellent older teen, so I have no idea what went wrong here. The emotions were constantly all over the place, making the story hard to follow past the 1/4th point. And around the middle it started feeling choppy, like we were missing bits here and there - stepping in and out of scenes and missing important stuff in between. After a while I just gave up trying to understand anything at all (not a good thing in my opinion). To top it all off, it was 3rd Person Present Tense, which is fine except for the rare moment (in the middle of a chapter) when she would suddenly switch from Kami to Jared's POV without any warning. This caused moments of confusion that were not pleasant and required me to read several paragraphs twice.
Characters: Kami was a good enough main character, although every time she investigated anything she sounded (and acted) like a grade-school Nancy Drew. Jared was probably my favorite, but only because he was so obsessively attached to Kami (I have a thing for that in stories ;). I despised Ash from the beginning so no love lost there. Actually, Angela was probably my favorite - her and her brother, Rusty. And Holly was pretty awesome. Ergo the sidekicks rocked, the heroes not so much.

Conclusion: I finished it. That says something with me right now. I didn't particularly care when it ended, but I'll give the next book a try, just to see where Sarah takes this.

Recommend?: I guess.

out of 4 Paws Up

Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

Title: Spell Bound
Series: Hex Hall Series, Book 3
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Publisher: Hyperion
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Paranormal
Rating: Teen (violence, scary situations, sensuality)

Summary: Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. With her powers locked inside her, Sopie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies - the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that's what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn't so sure.

The only known spell that can help Sophie regain her magic is at Hex Hall - the place where it all began, and now the headquarters of the evil Casnoffs. Together with her best friend, the vampire Jenna; her boyfriend, Archer; her fiance, Cal (yeah, her love life is complicated); and a ghost for a sidekick, Sophie must battle an army of demons. But even with her friends at her side, the fate of all Prodigium rests on her shoulders alone. Can she get her powers back before it's too late?

Writing: Simple and easy. I breezed through it like the first two.
World: A "secret magical world hidden in the real world" scenerio. Always intriguing enough, and this one proved extremely un-complicated, which I always appreciate.
Story: Classic "only the girl can save the day if she can get there in time," but entertaining enough to keep my interest. There are a few instances where the story pushes against the limits of "coincidence," where momentum stalls so something game-changing just "happens" to occur, but they are easy enough to let go.
Characters: A relatable main character - Sophie is powerful but flawed and unsure. I actually secretly rooted for Cal until the end - Archer just never seemed the right fit to me. And I liked the new Brannick additions, especially the two younger girls.

Cover: There was another black cat on the cover - AND THERE WAS NO CAT IN THE BOOK. Not even a cat shapeshifter. And at one point, Sophie's hair was described as "a halo of tight curls," which is definitely not what the model on the cover has. My mind crashed at that point and it took a while to recover.

Series End: A happyish ending - everything wraps up nicely and relatively everyone ends up contented. Well, except for the bad guys, but you know.

Conclusion: I recommend the whole series for a magical, easy read.

 out of 4 Paws Up

Black Heart by Holly Black

Title: Black Heart
Series: Curseworkers, Book 3
Author: Holly Black
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Genre: Young Adult Alternate Urban Fantasy
Rating: Older Teen (some language, sensuality, scary situations)

Summary: Cassel Sharpe knows he’s been used as an assassin, but he’s trying to put all that behind him. He’s trying to be good, even though he grew up in a family of con artists and cheating comes as easily as breathing to him. He’s trying to do the right thing, even though the girl he loves is inextricably connected with crime. And he’s trying to convince himself that working for the Feds is smart, even though he’s been raised to believe the government is the enemy.

But with a mother on the lam, the girl he loves taking her place in the Mob, and new secrets coming to light, the line between what’s right and what’s wrong becomes increasingly blurred. When the Feds ask Cassel to do the one thing he said he would never do again, he needs to sort out what’s a con and what’s truth. In a dangerous game and with his life on the line, Cassel may have to make his biggest gamble yet—this time on love.

Writing: Fast-paced and a quick read. It can be a little choppy in some spots, but this is part of the character's voice.
Story: As with Red Glove, the plot can be a bit all over the place (see my review of Curseworkers, Book 2 here). But ultimately, this story is character driven, so it's best to just let the story unfold as it may. This can prove a little confusing at times, but so is real life, and this book strikes as close as it can get.
Characters: Cassel is on his game as usual, and no matter how bad she gets, Lila is always a delight. What's left of his family and friends are endearing in their own ways, although I didn't like the path his close friends took (the whole brother triangle just made me sad - bad Cassel, bad!).

Series End: I wasn't completely satisfied, definitely not impressed, but it wasn't horrible so I have accepted it.

Cover Art: I despise the new cover art. They were trying to appeal more to girls, which is stupid because girls will read just about anything. It's the boys you have to appeal to (they can be very picky readers), and in my opinion pulling away from them was the wrong move. I truly do not understand the flowery new covers in connection with the gritty-ish series, and think they are boring and don't show what the books are about AT ALL. I think they did Holly Black's amazing series a horrific disservice.

Conclusion: Although the books aren't perfect, Holly does such an amazing job with the characters and world of this series that even extremely-picky me is able to ignore most everything else and simply enjoy the story. I will definitely read this series again soon, and highly recommend it.

out of 4 Paws Up

Restless Reading Syndrome

I have been absent for some time, dear readership, and wish to explain why. You see, I have Restless Reading Syndrome.

Restless Reading Syndrome (RRS) is a horrible affliction that makes it near impossible to finish any book you start - if you can even find a book worth starting. I've gotten RRS every summer since my mid-teens (which made summer reading programs a pain to complete), and now it has become a year-round ailment I can't seem to shake. This may sound a bit like a joke, but it has become very serious for me. I am an avid reader, and not being able to simply sit down and read whatever looks good without getting bored in under ten minutes is extremely frustrating.

I have also become extremely critical of books, and when I read to review even more so. I have been trying to remedy this somewhat by reading simply for pleasure - although it hasn't freed me that much at all. This has left me without book reviews, and therefore nothing to post.

I am still a firm believer that reviewing books is good for my writing, however, and plan to start demanding one review a month from myself (it's a miracle if I finish a single book in an entire month anyway). Hopefully once I get back into the hang of it, my posts will pick back up.

For now, please be patient with me.

Yotsuba&! Volume 10 by Kiyohiko Azuma

I adore the Yotsuba&! series and always look forward to a new volume.

Summary: The story follows young Yotsuba, a little girl who goes on all sorts of wacky yet everyday adventures. In this volume she makes pancakes, goes to the electronics store, learns about lying, and meets up with an old robot friend.

Reality Check: The art is cute and funny, as is the story and the characters. It's a bit off-the-wall at times, but it's so much fun reading about Yotsuba's exploits. She is an odd child to see the world through, but that makes the story enjoyable.

Conclusion: Give all the volumes a try. You don't necessarily have to read them in order, but it helps you understand who she's met and how the relationships have progressed.

 out of 4 Paws Up

Genre: All Ages Child Fiction

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Book 2 in the Hex Hall Series. Book 1 (Hex Hall) was a pretty good read, so I was more than willing to give Book 2 a try.

Summary: Sophie Mercer travels to England with her father, the head of the Prodigium Council, with every intention of going through the Removal of her demon powers. But when her new housemates turn out to be demons as well, she becomes entangled in a dark plan to raise demons as soldiers in the coming war. And as she begins to come into her own and unravel the secrets of her "friends," and herself, Sophie learns that trust shouldn't always be placed with the obvious.

Reality Check: As with the first book, this is a nice, easy read that isn't anything too special but for the most part I enjoyed my time with it. There were a few scenes that made me set it down - surprisingly, the big flashy ones - but I picked it back up and continued right to the end.

The book does end on a weird "hope when the world is ending" moment that felt a little forced, but it was only the last page or so.

Pet Peeve: There is a black cat on the cover. Again. And was there a cat in the book? NO. Cover Designer: YOU LET ME DOWN AGAIN. Once more and I complain to the publisher. False cover advertising is a crime against readers everywhere!

Conclusion: I definitely recommend the series, and will be picking up (what I assume will be the last) Book 3.

 out of 4 Paws Up

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal

Eat-Man Volume 1 by Akihito Yoshitomi

Found this on the shelf at the library and was intrigued. I usually don’t go near "classic" manga, but I thought it might be worth a try.

Summary: Bolt Clank is an Explorer able to ingest a weapon or object and subsequently transform the flesh of his arm into it. With the help of many beautiful women he goes in search of rare items – for a price, of course. With the exception of a two-parter, each chapter is a stand-alone story.

Reality Check: This is a very original and fun story that I quite enjoyed. As a classic old manga, the art is classic old-school in my opinion – simple yet detailed – but not rough on the eyes.

Conclusion: I definitely recommend it as a light, fun read, and would love to get my hands on more volumes someday.

out of 4 Paws Up

Genre: Young Adult Adventure

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

I absolutely adored Stephanie’s debut novel Anna and the French Kiss. Such a light, clean romance in these times of dark and dreary subjects. I awaited Lola with great excitement, and after many tries and fails to get my hands on an ARC it was released and I got it from the library. I did ponder purchasing it, but now I’m glad I didn’t.

Summary: Lola, a high school girl who never wears the same crazy outfit twice, adores her rock star boyfriend Max, a “man” of 22 years. But when her first crush Cricket – who broke her heart – and his family move back in next door, Lola finds that she – and her old crush – have more feelings for each other than they should.

Reality Check: My expectations for Lola were great, which may have been part of the reason I was so disappointed. Lola is the complete opposite of Anna, the MC from Stephanie’s first book, which wouldn’t mean much but it’s because they are complete opposites that it felt forced. Like Stephanie made her as “Anna’s opposite” instead of a unique, individual character. The whole story was like that, actually – setting, situation, family, relationships. It felt like Stephanie was so afraid to have similarities with Anna that she was meticulous that every detail be completely different.

And then there was Anna and St. Clair as secondary characters in the story. Sure we loved them and wanted them to make an appearance, but it was like Stephanie was “giving the reader what they wanted,” which isn’t always what’s best for us. Anna and St. Clair’s story was over – we didn’t need a running epilogue of them cutting into Lola’s story. Especially when all we’re being told is they’re blissfully happy. Bor-ring.

Character-wise, I found Lola annoying and didn’t take to her. Max made my skin crawl, and Cricket – what a name… – was a wimp. As for the story, it was very bland and melodramatic. Where Anna shone with simplicity and romance, Lola fell flat. It was too simple, and any romance was drowned in carnal passion that made me roll my eyes. There are times to be hands-on, but there are also times to be still. Lola (and her boys) had never heard of the concept of being still, and that made both relationships feel cheap and temporary.

All that said, Stephanie is a very good writer and while I was disappointed by the content I breezed through Lola in three days (quite a feat right now).

Conclusion: Compared to Anna, Lola is a horrible flop of a second book. But by itself, it is a well written, relatively light and (relatively) clean teen romance that should not be overlooked. And I will still give any future Stephanie books the excitement and anticipation they deserve.

out of 4 Paws Up

Rating: PG-13 for suggestive content and situations, and some language

Genre: Young Adult Romance

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

I’ve been following Maureen on Twitter for several months now and thought it was about time I read one of her books. 13 Little Blue Envelopes looked intriguing as a good place to start and I was dying for a travel story, so I decided to give it a try.

Summary: Ginny receives a mysterious package of 13 letters from her deceased Aunt Peg that send her on a great adventure all over the world making new friends, doing some crazy things, inevitably falling in love, and most of all discovering herself.

Reality Check: I wanted to love this book, and I did – for the first third. I was caught up in the excitement of the travel – which feels heavily researched so therefore very realistic – and adventure of it all, and I devoured every word.

And then the character got in the way. Maureen is amazing at story ideas and setting, but her characters leave much to be desired. Ginny was whiny and boring and flat and bland as flour. Where she should have been having an amazing adventure she was simply “doing” and not “experiencing,” going through the motions until halfway through she just gave up caring at all. I never felt like I got to know her – I have no idea what she is like normally. She was just a shell that we followed around to see the sights. Like a travel bus – it sees everything and shows you it all, but what does it care?

And the writing wasn’t quite there. It was third person but felt very first person, which resulted in constant sudden halts where I was yanked out of the story with strong reminders that it wasn’t in fact “I” but “She.” It was not a pleasant journey of a read.

Favorite Place: Harrods. How have I never heard of this place before? When I finally get to London, I know where I’m going.

Conclusion: It was a great premise and an exciting adventure, but there were too many things to continually ruin it for me. I made myself finish it just to finish it, but if it hadn't been a softcover I would’ve given up. I am still contemplating if I want to read the sequel, The Last Little Blue Envelope. Sequels usually revolve even more around the character, and that would be a nightmare for me. But it has been over five years – perhaps Maureen has gotten better? Who knows.

out of 4 Paws Up

Genre: Young Adult Adventure

Natsume’s Book of Friends Volume 1 by Yuki Midorikawa

Anything with the word “book” in the title always attracts me, and Japanese spirits (yokai) are one of my fascinations. Nothing like a combination to peak my interest!

Summary: Takashi Natsume can see spirits and demons, a gift passed down from his mysterious grandmother, Reiko. When he accidentally breaks the seal on a powerful spirit, he learns that Reiko kept a book with all the names of the demons and spirits she defeated, binding them to her will. Now the owner of the book, Takashi finds himself hounded and threatened by these otherworldly creatures as they try to get their names back – or take control of the book itself. So Takashi sets out on a journey to return each and every name to its rightful owner.

Reality Check: The art is soft but dark – just the right balance for a tale about yokai. The characters are interesting, and the story enjoyable to follow. Each chapter pretty much stands by itself, with the central characters and plot woven through. I always enjoy manga like this because you can return to read random chapters over and over again without feeling that you need to read all the volumes in order.

Favorite Character: Nyanko-Sensei – in his small form he resides in a lucky cat statue, and in his large form he is a magnificent and beautiful cat/dog creature. He had me at “cat.” ;)

Conclusion: A pretty good read – this was my second time actually, and I enjoyed it as much as the first. I would read more volumes if the library purchased them. Definitely a good read for stormy days, with its melancholy mood.

out of 4 Paws Up

Genre: Young Adult Urban Fantasy

Will Supervillains Be On the Final? by Naomi Novik

Volume 1 of the Liberty Vocational series, illustrated by Yishan Li. Found this at the library. I’m always willing to give American manga a chance.
 

Summary: Sixteen-year-old Leah Taymore, able to manipulate atoms, is admitted to Liberty Vocational, a private college for budding superheroes to learn their craft. But it seems that no matter what she tries her hand at, disaster is the only result, from turning the lawn to cement or flooding the campus bathrooms. Is something wrong with her powers – or is she being sabotaged? After a project goes wrong and injuries a friend, Leah wonders if she can ever do anything right. She is sidelined by the school, even when a river threatens to flood the area – but there’s nothing like lives at stake to bring out the best in anyone.

Reality Check: It was a light and enjoyable read. The art is simple and pleasant, the story interesting, and the characters are fun to follow. It reminded me of Amy Reeder’s Fool’s Gold (although the stories have nothing in common).

Conclusion: I would recommend it, and if the library gets any more volumes I will definitely read them.

out of 4 Paws Up

Genre: Young Adult Superhero

Supernaturally by Kiersten White

"Oh, bleep. I was going to die."

Paranormalcy, the first book in the series, was original and fun, so I was excited to pick up the second one.

Summary: Evie finally has the normal life she's always wanted. She's attending high school (which houses her very own locker), dating her spectacular boyfriend Lend (although away at college most of the time), and even holding down a part-time job at the [greasy] diner she lives over (with a vampire).

The only problem: normal life is kind of boring.

Enter Raquel, offering a freelance job back with IPCA, the life of excitement and danger without the whole "prisoner" angle (and unfortunately without the unlimited credit).  But it's not all that she remembers as things go wrong left and right, and with the lies to her boyfriend piling up and an annoying yet gifted boy popping in via fairy doors to whisk her away to spectacular places, it's not easy balancing both worlds. And then of course there's her fairy ex-boyfriend Reth, always appearing to remind her of what she is - and what she is supposed to be. As the mystery that is Evie begins to unravel, she must discover what she truly wants. And where she truly belongs.

Reality Check: Very well written, as can always be expected from Kiersten. Evie is a great character...or was, to a point. As much as it pains me to say (and it hurts, it really hurts), I wasn't too impressed with Supernaturally. Evie was just too whiny and "woe is me" for my tastes, and even with her inevitable self-discovery I didn't feel the resolution. Where Paranormalcy shone for its unique take and voice in the paranormal genre, Supernaturally was simply about Evie's desperation to be normal - and when she couldn't be, it broke her.

The actual plot was weak and there wasn't much too it. More like necessary revelations before the finale, not a stand-alone book with its own full story arc. It was basically bits of shocking info thrown in here and there - and they were more strangely random than shocking. The "new love interest" was anything but, and Evie's devotion (read: obsession) with her boyfriend never let up. Overall I had several problem points that almost caused me to put the book down, and it was only my love for Paranormalcy that kept me reading.

Conclusion: After saying all that, I adore Kiersten and it wasn't as bad as I make it sound. I think I was just so dazzled by Paranormalcy that Supernaturally was a letdown. Perhaps Book 3 will be better? I'll read it, but I'm not holding my breath for anything spectacular.

out of 4 Paws Up (only because I adore Kiersten)

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal [Romance]

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

"Felicia Miller was crying in the bathroom. Again."

I wanted to read this ages ago but forgot until I rediscovered it at the library. First book I've finished in a while.

Summary: After yet another spell goes horribly awry, Sophie is sent to Hecate Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium - witches, faeries, shapeshifters, and the odd creature of the night. There she befriends a vampire, makes three powerful enemies, contracts a futile crush on the school hottie, and has to figure out who is trying to kill off her classmates.

Reality Check: Considering I have been struggling to finish novels lately, I breezed through this one with only a few minor stutters. There is nothing really new or different about the story, characters, or even the powers system, but it's well written and a nice read.

Random Note: Rachel gets away with little to no description of the magic or school classes. While this can make it feel a little malnourished, at the same time I didn't feel particularly cheated. And I think I only noticed because I'm struggling with this problem in my own writing at the moment. Otherwise, I probably would never have noticed.

Pet Peeve: There is a cat on the cover. A black cat. I RECALL NO CAT IN THE BOOK, black or otherwise. Whoever put that cat on the cover and got my hopes up should perish, preferably at the paws of Cat Kirk. If there is one thing I really like about witches, it's the whole "cat familiar" thing. Cover Designer: YOU LET ME DOWN.

Conclusion: A nice, easy read. Already have the second book, Demon Glass, next on my reading list.

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal

 out of 4 Paws Up