Bloodleaf by Crystal Smith

Bloodleaf by Crystal Smith

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Release date: March 12, 2019

Series:  Bloodleaf Trilogy #1

Source: For review

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

Princess Aurelia is a prisoner to her crown and the heir that nobody wants. Surrounded by spirits and banned from using her blood-magic, Aurelia flees her country after a devastating assassination attempt. To escape her fate, Aurelia disguises herself as a commoner in a new land and discovers a happiness her crown has never allowed. As she forges new bonds and perfects her magic, she begins to fall for a man who is forbidden to rule beside her. But the ghosts that haunt Aurelia refuse to abandon her, and she finds herself succumbing to their call as they expose a nefarious plot that only she can defeat. Will she be forced to choose between the weight of the crown and the freedom of her new life?

When I received this book, I had no idea what it was about. I always read the notes from other authors or reviewers who are featured in the ARC before I start new titles now. With some of the fantasies I've read lately, I am getting more cautious about the titles I pick up. Fantasy/YA authors I trust had to have said some good things about it before I'll give it a chance. I will say, I was pleasantly surprised. Writing this review, I had to work a lot to not share spoilers because some of that is what I really want to talk about. Alas!

Nevertheless, I did find myself sucked into this novel. It was quick to get into/a good hook, gave just enough details that I was trying to puzzle things out but continue reading, and definitely was carried along at a fast pace for the plot. Bloodleaf is a fairytale retelling of The Goose Girl, which I started to realize as soon as it mentioned Falada, the white horse. 

Protagonist Aurelia is a headstrong, untested, and extremely reckless girl for a princess. She's mostly likable even if she severely lacks wisdom that often makes one extremely exasperated with her choices and absence of forethought. She is betrothed to marry the prince of Achleva, but during an attack by the Tribunal and their allies, Aurelia is forced to flee Renault to Achleva with a few important members: Conrad, her brother and the heir to Renault; Toris, a noble lord who is also head leader of the Tribunal and is trusted by her mother because he too is a blood mage; Lisette, Toris's daughter, and Kellan, Aurelia's guard. It is Lisette who pretends to be Aurelia rather than a maid for the retelling. Originally, Aurelia falls headlong into the "damsel in distress" or "princess in jeopardy" trope as other male characters try to protect and shepherd her. She also seems to fall into a sort of "chosen one" trope, but both tropes are subverted by her actions throughout the book and at the ending. She's definitely an empowered damsel if anything.

While I enjoyed getting some description of Achleva and things Aurelia ran into and places she went, the one thing that stood out to me as needing more fleshing out was her journey to Achleva, because at one point she has to rely on herself and she knows nothing. How does she not starve or get completely lost, especially since everyone was having to work so hard to keep her alive? At times it seems like Aurelia is smart, but then just makes unfathomably foolish decisions. She receives a confession of insta-love and believes it, and never sees the betrayal coming. I would have liked to see more of Aurelia's life in Renault growing up rather her descriptions of other characters. A flashback or vivid memories would have lent more credibility to her mother, Kellan, and other details like her cycle of waiting ladies or her discoveries of her blood magic. I thought we did get remembrances of Onal and Conrad. 

My favorite thing about this book was the Achlevan characters like Zan and Kate. They came to life much more than any of the Renaultan folk except Aurelia herself. When we meet Zan and it turns out Zan helps her, there were a number of clues I picked up on here. I was able to predict the majority of the twists but really appreciated the slow unfolding of events and emotional narrative. I was sucked in and crying at two points in the novel! This relationship between Aurelia and Zan felt pretty believable even if it was hard to determine just how much time had passed with Aurelia in Achleva. In fact, I became very accustomed to Aurelia as Emilia instead of herself. 

This being an ARC, there probably are details and some passages that will change from this version to the published book, out this coming Tuesday. My edition was missing supporting documents like the map, so I was unable to visually see Renault and Achleva. (Confession: I love maps and spend a lot of time pouring over them to compare the written journey with the depiction.)

Since I was thinking so much about the worldbuilding, I wouldn't say I'm fully clear on worldbuilding particulars like the history of being a blood mage, the history of Renault and Achleva, etc. I'm not sure whether that's a result of this ARC copy, the book itself, or me. Still, I would have liked to have a clear picture of those points because it seems to be super important later in the book. For example: I thought there were a number of interesting fantasy elements with not enough explanation -- witches, harbinger as ghosts, and "blood magic" vs other magic? Is all magic blood magic and there are some just places it's allowed? I thought there was a mention of other magics which we see a glimpse of with the mysterious fox. Also, the 500 year timeline and its relation to present characters was confusing, but without revealing key points, I can't muse further.

All in all, I enjoyed this read and spin on "The Goose Girl" retelling. It was creative and emotional, and despite some confusion over details, I'm looking forward to reading the next installment in the trilogy.

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

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Posted by Kara at 07:00

 Bloodleaf, Crystal Smith, Fantasy, HMH Publishers, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Magic, Review, witches, young adult  3 People left their mark

A Map of Days by Ransom Riggs

A Map of Days by Ransom Riggs

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Young Adult
Genre: Supernatural, Time Travel Fantasy
Hardcover: 481 pages
Publisher: Dutton Books
Release date: October 2, 2018

Series: Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children #4

Source: Purchased

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

Having defeated the monstrous threat that nearly destroyed the peculiar world, Jacob Portman is back where his story began, in Florida. Except now Miss Peregrine, Emma, and their peculiar friends are with him, and doing their best to blend in. But carefree days of beach visits and normalling lessons are soon interrupted by a discovery—a subterranean bunker that belonged to Jacob’s grandfather, Abe.

Clues to Abe’s double-life as a peculiar operative start to emerge, secrets long hidden in plain sight. And Jacob begins to learn about the dangerous legacy he has inherited—truths that were part of him long before he walked into Miss Peregrine’s time loop.

Now, the stakes are higher than ever as Jacob and his friends are thrust into the untamed landscape of American peculiardom—a world with few ymbrynes, or rules—that none of them understand. New wonders, and dangers, await in this brilliant next chapter for Miss Peregrine’s peculiar children. Their story is again illustrated by haunting vintage photographs, now with the striking addition of full-color images interspersed throughout for this all-new, multi-era American adventure.

I'm not sure why, but I was super surprised when this book was announced. I guess I thought the series wouldn't be continuing after Library of Souls, but I've been waiting to read this book for months! Took me longer than I wanted but I finally did another readthrough of the first three before picking up this new novel. It's a new world finding peculiardom in America for Jacob and Miss Peregrine's peculiar children. For Jacob, this is a new set of conflicts and choices. Does he be normal? Does he be peculiar? It seems like his parents will not stand for both. At seventeen and after quite a period of absence for the events of the last couple books, Jacob has been back trying to force his life into his old-normal patterns, but his parents don't trust him and he cannot reconcile the knowledge of himself and his grandfather with his same-old.

Let's talk about his parents for a minute because Jacob has unusual parents for YA literature. 1) They're alive. 2) They don't have a relationship with their son. They do, and they make him do. The end.  3) They don't have relationships with their own parents, and in Grandpa Portman's case, there seems to be a great divide. 4) They believe everyone (except Grandpa) over their own son. This attitude gets worse, obviously, after Jacob's disappearance. It seems mind-boggling because he's 17 and they STILL never believe him. He's about to be an adult, and doesn't have a good track record for adult independence at 18. 5) Because of 4, they try to have him committed to a mental institution against his will. Usually this step is a last resort, and since he'll be 18 in a few months, this is the last time they can make this sort of step because after he's 18 and they try, the courts and law will get involved and things could get very ugly. 6) They are not described much in emotion, despite being well-drawn in facts. They're kind of bleh. Why does Jacob say he loves them because the reader hasn't been given anything to love about them, just pity or tolerate (see 3, 5). [Aside: Would you really having loving feelings toward your parents if they had you committed? I'm thinking no. Note to parents, probably don't be like Jacob's...]

This theme continues with the peculiar children under Miss Peregrine's care. How or why does Miss Peregrine not watch the children for signs of independence after all of their adventures? Every reader must have predicted this struggle. The children need to try out their adulting skills! Miss Peregrine is supposed to be good at taking care of children, and this is a key part of adolescent development (even if she's been watching over non-aging adolescents and children for years). She could be giving them space, but I think it's far more likely she's quite angry at their buck of parental supervision.

Those last couple chapters of the book came out of nowhere. It sort of made sense but...I found it less inventive and more horrifying since it takes us back to other terrible times to live in: the seedy grunge of American crime, though no mention of prohibition; corruption and white supremacy and racism of the South; gangs and gangsters and territorial fights. All of it makes you NEVER want to visit the American past. Instead we could've visited a loop from the Revolution or the Civil War. I am sad we missed out on these potentials. I wish there had been more descriptions with the American loops since we were back in the past. I had a hard time seeing the setting and just how different it was from our preconceived notions of the past.

Some random observations: My favorite part was the trip through Abe's house and his secrets. There was less of a connection to H to feel emotionally attached to him as Abe would. You'd think the "kids" would stop and get the hint to quit mentioning ymbrynes at whatever loops they visited! Noor! I really liked her even if her peculiarity was hard to grasp. It would be really hard to be in her situation. I liked Lily too. Moving on before any spoilers, this book had a few things I predicted (Emma/Jacob squabble -- relationships are never straightforward) and ended on a TOTAL CLIFFHANGER.

Mostly, there were a lot of questions I had at the end that don't get answered like:
FIONA?! WHERE IS FIONA? WHY are they not asking at every loop again? Because they're selfish and they forget?
Where's Nim? And the unnamed Bentham assistant? [Both of these are associated with the last book, Library of Souls.]
What about Horace's clue of Chinese food vs Contintental? This was not mentioned again.

These are a lot of questions and unknowns while waiting for yet another unknown: when will we get book 5? :'(

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Posted by Kara at 07:00

 A Map of Days, Dutton Books for Young Readers, Fantasy, Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, Penguin Random House, Ransom Riggs, supernatural, time travel, young adult  2 People left their mark

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Hardcover: 525 pages
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Release date: March 6, 2018

Series:  Children of Orisha #1

Source: Library

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

They killed my mother.
They took our magic.
They tried to bury us.
Now we rise.
Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.
But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.
Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.
Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy.

Since last year, I've heard a lot about this book, and I bet you have too. I heard Tomi speak last year at a fantasy conference panel, so I knew I had to pick it up. It has been lauded on many awards and recommended lists this year and breaks ground into new territory as a west African fantasy novel. It's a YALSA Morris Award finalist. I started reading it a few months ago, but it took me awhile to finish. If everyone else loved it, why was I not loving it too?

First, this is a very character-driven fantasy. There's a lot of dialogue, a lot of back-and-forth between characters that takes up probably 80% of the book. The entire premise of a magical west Africa and ten clans of magi all with their distinct brand of magic is definitely a great hook. I really wanted to read more about this! However, the background of the novel really didn't cover much history or even the setting. Rather than being well-grounded in a place you can feel, see, and realize through the page, there were whole portions where I felt like the characters were just rushing around and zapping themselves wherever the plot needed them to be next.

The lack of transition and fully-fleshed out setting was disappointing as I've never been to Africa but really wanted to see Africa through the details in description, not just a vague reference. It seemed like this novel weeded out all of the "boring" bits that typically happen with fantasy. (Note, fantasies aren't all actually long and "boring" ala Frank Herbert's Dune or The Lord of the Rings trilogy--which sometimes frustrates readers. See Leigh Bardugo's well-drawn descriptions in her Grishaverse.) The actions that happen are very direct and possess no subtleties, no layers of subplot, and when things do occur, it didn't paint a full picture.

This was probably my biggest complaint about the novel. Since there were not many details and descriptions, this left mostly dialogue and action which left me tired of the book and unconnected to the characters. For example, Amari is scarred by the murder of her handmaid Binta and there are constant references to how kind Binta was to Amari and how she feels about her, but the reader doesn't see this kindness and get attached to Binta. We only see it through Amari's narration, which makes it feel distant and hard to summon emotion to care what happens to her except that we're "supposed to" because of who and what she represents. Rather than this being the only instance, I also had a hard time believing everyone switches sides to see Zélie's point of view and how she's always on the "right" side. As the reader, sure, we're supposed to think Zélie is right in her pursuit for justice and freedom for her people, but the majority of the people she meets are supposed to be anti-magi, supporting the genocide of her people. Rather than them having a change of heart and an experience to change, they simply "see" how Zélie thinks, and suddenly they're on her side like Inan's back-and-forth conversion. For this matter, there's also the troubling insta-love with the prince. Why do they have to romance each other immediately?

I think this book, because of the roots of its creation in Black Lives Matter and racial violence and justice, was simply rushed to publication and did not take enough time to build up the characters and the world. I loved the ideas and creativity, but in fact, I would have preferred something like a subtle coming-of-age story. Such as, if the book started out with the three characters and described how each were raised - Zelie, Inan, and Amari. Then each started their adventure a few chapters later and slowly the reader discovers who they are and they come together to take on the full story as a team. Like the emotion it responds to, it's just too full of passion and rebounding and lacks the strength of connection to back it up. These mass scenes of violence--against families, children, parents-- happen but none of the characters really respond to it or process through it, they and the reader are left numb and vengeful. While the "bones" of this story are good and promising, the "blood" of the story just doesn't make it breathe and leap off the page.

What did you think? Let me know in the comments.

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Posted by Kara at 07:00

 Children of Orisha, Fantasy, Henry Holt amp; Co., Magic, Review, Tomi Adeyemi, young adult  1 Person left their mark

Renegades by Marissa Meyer

Renegades by Marissa Meyer

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Hardcover: 552 pages
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Release date: November 7, 2017

Series:  Renegades, #1

Source: Purchased

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

Secret Identities.
Extraordinary Powers.
She wants vengeance. He wants justice.
The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies―humans with extraordinary abilities―who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone...except the villains they once overthrew.
Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice―and in Nova. But Nova's allegiance is to the villains who have the power to end them both. 

I know there could come a day when I might not love what Marissa Meyer writes, but thank goodness I haven't reached it yet! Before I purchased this book, I did not know what to expect from the story except that it was about superheroes. This was different than any other superhero story I've read, and joins unique superhero YA tales such as Dangerous by Shannon Hale and The Young Elites by Marie Lu.

Here we have two opposing groups of superheroes trying to gain control of Gatlon City, the Renegades and the Anarchists. Nova, our heroine, is an Anarchist known as Nightmare, having been raised by the former Anarchist leader Ace Anarchy and his followers after her family was killed in gang warfare though the family was supposed to be under Renegade protection. Because she saw her family and especially her toddler sister murdered in front of her, she never sleeps and can put others to sleep at her touch. She's also very gifted with tech and weaponry, like an assassin. Adrian, our hero, is a Renegade known as Sketch who is the adopted son of Captain Chromium and the Dread Warden, the leaders of the Renegades. He can bring his drawings and artwork to life. Since Adrian is the leaders' son, he also is kept largely out of the field and has developed another secret identity, the Sentinel, to gain some independence. His real mother was the Renegade, Lady Indomitable, before she was murdered from a fall, ironic considering her power was flying. Adrian has long suspected the Anarchists of murdering his real mother, and when he encounters Nightmare attempting to assassinate his fathers, well, he takes it personally.

Adrian and his team are actually on the tail of Nightmare, and little does he know she's right under his nose. Nova has decided to attempt to infiltrate the Renegades to even out the balance of power, because many Renegades are abusing their own laws. Secretly, she also wants to know why the Renegades didn't protect her family, why they aren't protecting the people they should be. She joins Adrian's Renegade team as Insomnia.

It's a very intricate story where the heroes and villains are not black and white. They each have depths of good and bad and just happen to be on the perceived "hero" or "villain" side. They also discuss the normal people and the effect of all of these superpowers on them: does it help or is it ultimately hurting them? So while this book is super fast-paced and full of interesting details, it also is thought-provoking and asks new questions about the presence of superheroes and villains and their motives. Such as, what if superheroes were part of the government and part of the protection force, instead of regular people as policemen? Are the policemen going to think they can't work and aren't good enough?

Though we largely view the story from Nova and Adrian's points-of-view, the other characters are very well-drawn and lifelike, memorable. An example of a well-drawn character is this horrifying (especially as a mom!) description of the Puppeteer:

"Eight shimmering gold strings cascaded from his fingertips into the crowd, and though Nova couldn't see where they landed, she knew he would be seeking out children in the chaos below. Those who were touched by his strings would turn into puppets he could control. After all these years, she still wasn't sure if his power only worked on children, or if he just preferred them because a mindless, rabid four-year-old was so damned creepy. . . The street below was in chaos. The Puppeteer's gossamer strings littered the pavement, some still wrapped around children's throats and wrists, though many of his puppets had been discarded and crumpled against buildings or in the middle of the street. . . Winston had four children still enthralled, the strings like nooses around their necks as they threw marching band instruments through shop windows, ripped parade floats to pieces, and hurled street food at the Council members who were trying to stop them without actually hurting them. The Dread Warden, of course, had gone invisible, while Tsunami kept trying to trap the puppets in a frothy tidal wave -- except the spellbound children didn't seem to care that they might drown as the plunged into the wall of water."

One of the most intriguing characters is Max, Adrian's "half-brother" who is kept in a glass prison for everyone's safety. I expect he'll be more important in book two, but for now, there are still questions to be answered about Max, his abilities, and how he is connected with Ace Anarchy. I hope we'll get to see more from Adrian's Renegade teammates in the next, like more opportunities to get into their heads. This book has a lot of action and is actually great for middle grade and up. There's little romance and other situations though there is violence and some horror elements -- like the creepy amusement park? That reminded me of images I had seen. (For inspiration, here's some.)

Speaking of this, the world building is really good, though I am looking forward to what details are revealed in the next book. Seems like the next one will be more about Nova and Adrian standing in the gap between the war of Renegades vs. Anarchists, so we hope there will be maybe some more connection, even romance, there. I also took the time to pull out some fun quotes and things I enjoyed about the book below, including a heartbreaking shout out to libraries.

"Humanity loses faith in times like that. With no one to look up to, no one to believe in, we all became rats scrounging in the sewers. Maybe Ace really was a villain. Or maybe he was a visionary. Maybe there's not much of a difference."

"Heroism wasn't about what you could do, it was about what you did. It was about who you saved when they needed saving.

Introducing Gene Cronin, aka The Librarian: "It pains me to think that, even now, the Renegades refuse to trust me. I pay the Council's taxes. I follow the Council's rules. And on top of all that, I provide a great service to this community. . . Do you know there are only nine functioning public libraries currently open within Gatlon city limits? There used to be well over a hundred. And all nine of those are thanks to the selfless efforts of people like me, who have made it our lives' work to continue the free distribution and sharing of knowledge and wisdom. To make sure that the people have access to this... to books."
Ingrid, The Detonator, to The Librarian later after she blows the library up in an inferno: "You'll get over it. It's all those lost weapons that are the real tragedy."
Cronin: "The weapons might have supplied my livelihood, but those books...those were my life."

Fun aside: The lead singer of Imagine Dragons made a special appearance for Renegade tryouts -- "Dan Reynolds, aka...The Crane!" 

Look for book 2, Archenemies coming in November 2018.

Watch the book trailer!

Find your Renegade or Anarchist superpower.

Read Excerpt 1

Read Excerpt 2

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Posted by Kara at 07:00

 Fantasy, Feiwel amp; Friends, Marissa Meyer, Renegades, superhuman, young adult  1 Person left their mark

Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo

Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy, mythology,
Hardcover: 369 pages
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Release date: August 29, 2017

Series:  DC Icons, #1

Source: Library

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

She will become one of the world's greatest heroes: WONDER WOMAN. But first she is Diana, Princess of the Amazons. And her fight is just beginning. . . .

Diana longs to prove herself to her legendary warrior sisters. But when the opportunity finally comes, she throws away her chance at glory and breaks Amazon law—risking exile—to save a mere mortal. Even worse, Alia Keralis is no ordinary girl and with this single brave act, Diana may have doomed the world.

Alia just wanted to escape her overprotective brother with a semester at sea. She doesn't know she is being hunted. When a bomb detonates aboard her ship, Alia is rescued by a mysterious girl of extraordinary strength and forced to confront a horrible truth: Alia is a Warbringer—a direct descendant of the infamous Helen of Troy, fated to bring about an age of bloodshed and misery.

Together, Diana and Alia will face an army of enemies—mortal and divine—determined to either destroy or possess the Warbringer. If they have any hope of saving both their worlds, they will have to stand side by side against the tide of war.

Fans of the recent movie will want to know, where does this book fit in? Well, Diana is a "teenager" in years, for a start. It seems to be pre-movie, but is not in any way connected to the movie or the comic series in chronology. (I've never read the comics, so I'm just taking this from Leigh's info about writing the book that she spoke about once.) This tale takes place in the modern era, finding Diana desperate to be worthy of her sisters and her mother's legacy. Diana is much less sure of herself and rather impetuous, choosing to fight her insecurities through action by rescuing Alia and attempting to reverse her Warbringer destiny. Rather than being sure of her superhuman abilities, here Diana does not fly or cause pulse shocks (or whatever you call it) with her armbands. Instead she is constantly trying to show her skills as a warrior, tougher than average because she's been trained by the best of her Amazon sisters. Even without her more flashy superpowers, Diana shines as she single-handedly manages to keep a horde of gun-toting mercenaries in a chase for miles and then leap aboard an ascending aircraft.

In Diana's relationship with and through Alia, we finally get to see how she navigates female friendship, potential romance, and discovers modern customs and humor as she meets Alia's friends Theo and Nim and her brother Jason. Here Diana gets her first dose of human violence, politics and manipulation all the while adapting to the mythical power of the Warbringer and the entropy towards mass destruction. I loved the characters and Nim, Theo, Jason and Alia come to life just as much as larger-than-life Diana.

It's a very clever, fun book, and while I don't want to give too much away, I will say I was laughing out loud at times and impressed by some astute observations on the behavior of humanity. I also learned a shared fact about Wonder Woman - she prefers Shakespeare's Benedick and Beatrice over Romeo and Juliet, a woman after my own heart! This was a fantastic book for fans of Wonder Woman and will grab teens who're new to the fandom. I loved the twists at the end and the spurts of mythology that almost remind readers of the appeal of Rick Riordan's famous Percy Jackson etc. series.

Here are some of my favorite quotes:

Jason: "I'm just saying all those things that make our lives so convenient have a price. Think about the way technology has changed modern warfare. How much courage do you need to launch an air strike from behind a computer screen?"

Nim shook her head, "Alia and I have spent half our lives being bullied. If those asshats think they can scare us into not fighting back, they're in for an education."
Nim held up her right pinky and Alia locked her own finger into it. Alia raised her left hand, and after a moment of confusion, Diana hooked her pinky with Alia's, then offered her other pinky to Nim.
"Are you guys forming a coven?" called Theo, the spare slung over his bony shoulder.
"Bubble, bubble," said Nim with a determined grin.
Alia squeezed her pinkies and felt Nim and Diana squeeze back.
They answered together, "Make some trouble."

Read an excerpt.

Watch the book trailer.

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Posted by Kara at 07:00

 DC Icons, Fantasy, Leigh Bardugo, Mythology, Random House Children's Books, Wonder Woman: Warbringer, young adult  1 Person left their mark

All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater

All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy, historical fiction
Hardcover: 311 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release date: October 10, 2017

Source: Library

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

Here is a thing everyone wants:

A miracle.


Here is a thing everyone fears:

What it takes to get one.


Any visitor to Bicho Raro, Colorado, is likely to find a landscape of dark saints, forbidden love, scientific dreams, miracle-mad owls, estranged affections, one or two orphans, and a sky full of watchful desert stars.

At the heart of this place you will find the Soria family, who all have the ability to perform unusual miracles. And at the heart of this family are three cousins longing to change its future: Beatriz, the girl without feelings, who wants only to be free to examine her thoughts; Daniel, the Saint of Bicho Raro, who performs miracles for everyone but himself; and Joaquin, who spends his nights running a renegade radio station under the name Diablo Diablo.

They are all looking for a miracle. But the miracles of Bicho Raro are never quite what you expect.

If you all didn't know, I'm a big Stiefvater fan. I think she writes such descriptive, lyrical fantasy and unforgettable characters. Two months ago, I was so thrilled to be able to go see Maggie when she came to YALLFest in Charleston, SC.

[This is obviously not a great picture. Sorry! I had to super hurry because she had tons of people in line and a very limited time to sign, so we were all trying to be quick and accommodating so as many of her fans could see her as possible (and I met the nicest two people in line that day, Bonnie and Kirsten!).]

This is Maggie Stiefvater's second standalone novel, after The Scorpio Races, and is a very odd little book. It has more world-building at the start than most of her books, and is just so niche, and yet positively wonderful. It's rather a redemption story and more magical realism than fantasy. If this is the first book of hers you pick up, you might be caught off guard, especially new teen readers, as it unfolds much more slowly. It contains a lot of characters and presents a number of facts the reader must keep straight to appreciate fully the scope and beauty of the novel. The reader is told of what each character wants and fears, but also of exceedingly strange impossibilities that strain credibility and threaten to make you break the suspension of disbelief barrier.

However, if you're able to get past this, you'll discover it's actually a gem. No, it doesn't beat my favorite of her novels, The Scorpio Races, nor is it quite as beloved as the Raven Boys series. Still, it's a story about a Latin American family, the Sorias, who have a particular set of gifts; they're saints and can perform miracles if they choose. Pilgrims have journeyed from all over to get a miracle out of desperation, and when their darkness is revealed into some manifestation, they must somehow conquer it to be fully healed. However, the sainted Sorias also have fatal flaws: if they interfere with the miracles they grant, their own darkness is revealed and can destroy any number of them. Therefore, the Sorias perform the miracles and then adhere to strict guidelines to stay away from the pilgrims desperate to find their second miracle and be fully healed. The pilgrims meanwhile are growing in number and must live with their particular affliction, like Jennie who can only speak by repeating back what people say to her. What you don't expect is that all the Sorias are pilgrims themselves, even if they don't realize it, and throughout the book, both pilgrims and Sorias have some lessons to learn about letting miracles come to fruition. It exposes a unique truth about being human -- that we all have flaws, big and little; some of us try to improve them, but you can still find the beauty in imperfections and courage in the effort of conquering them.

As far as the representation of Latinx culture, I can't really speak with any authority on that, but it didn't feel offensive to me. It felt rather like it brought out some truths that could be out there and happen to apply to this family. I enjoyed that this had a different perspective of culture and setting.  [I think we're all pretty tired of reading only about white people, and honestly, writing about only yourself (which you can't change) is boring and unimaginative and kind of selfish. How much better to write about different people and bring them to life in a unique way?] I loved having such a close range of family. I felt that was true to culture and the way I've seen it represented in people I know. Especially enjoyed that there is such a close sibling-like relationship between the cousins.

I wish we got to see more of Pete and the inside of Joaquin are the only two complaints I can give. I loved the bits with the rooster, also Francisco's roses, and I'm reminded how I'm always struck by the animals in Stiefvater's novels. I don't think she'll ever write a book without a significant animal.

The imagery is particularly memorable (see quotes below) and Marisita's tale of her past still comes to life vividly. Two other things I enjoyed were that 1) the owls, who seemed to congregate around the miracles, seemed rather like winged hope and that 2) Beatriz, who is descibed as la chica sin sentimientos or "the girl without feelings," who really discovered she had feelings but perhaps didn't know how to express them. Contrast her with Marisita who literally wore her feelings as falling sorrows of rain, and that just really makes me happy to have both of them. Can you tell they were my favorite?

Interesting quotes or other excerpts:

The beginning of Pete and the desert...

[Tony speaking] "You always this pedantic? Why don't you turn on the radio?"

There was no knob. Pete said, "I can't. The dial's missing."

With satisfaction, Tony replied, "Damn right it is, because I threw it out the window in Ohio. I didn't want to listen to its whining and I don't want to listen to yours, either. Why don't you just point those lost-puppy eyes of yours right out the window and stare at God's country for a while."

.     .     . 

 Pete fell deeply in love with it. 

This strange cold desert does not care if you live or die in it, but he fell for it anyway. He had not known before then that a place could feel so raw and so close to the surface. His weak heart felt the danger but could not resist. 

 He fell in love so fiercely that the desert itself noticed.

Owls, Saints, and Witches

Marisita had come from Texas to Bicho Raro, and on the border where she lived, owls were considered with distrust. The problem lay not with the owls themselves but rather with the lechuzas, witches who could transform themselves into owls with human faces. Even though Marisita trusted the intentions of the Sorias, there was no pretending that they didn't have otherworldly abilities. And although she did not believe the Church had been correct to drive them from Abejones, it was not difficult for her to see how she, as one of the Sorias' troubled pilgrims, also did not belong in a church.
It was just that Marisita was not sure that saints and witches were very different in the end.

Just for kicks - There were some horrifying things to note if you are a parent, especially a mom. Here's one example.

George Wyatt was a man of action. George Wyatt had been supposed to die in the womb, as his umbilical cord had been wrapped around his neck, but he'd decided that death was not for him and had chewed himself free. He'd been born two weeks early, his baby hands still clutching the ragged stump of his umbilical cord, his baby mouth already full of teeth. 

My favorite quote:

Read an excerpt.

Watch the brief trailer.

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Posted by Kara at 07:00

 All the Crooked Saints, Fantasy, historical fiction, Maggie Stiefvater, Scholastic, young adult  Leave your mark

Crucible of Gold by Naomi Novik

Crucible of Gold by Naomi Novik

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Del Rey
Release date: April 30, 2013

Series:  Temeraire, #7

Source: Library

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

Former Aerial Corps captain Will Laurence and his faithful dragon, Temeraire, have been put out to pasture in Australia—and it seems their part in the war has ended just when they are needed most. The French have invaded Spain, forged an alliance with Africa’s powerful Tswana empire, and brought revolution to Brazil. With Britain’s last desperate hope of defeating Napoleon in peril, the government that sidelined Laurence swiftly offers to reinstate him, convinced that he’s the best man to enter the fray and negotiate peace. So the pair embark for Brazil, only to meet with a string of unmitigated disasters that forces them to make an unexpected landing in the hostile territory of the Incan empire. With the success of the mission balanced on a razor’s edge, an old enemy appears and threatens to tip the scales toward ruin. Yet even in the midst of disaster, opportunity may lurk—for one bold enough to grasp it.

Our heroes are out of the Land Down Under! Because the Tswana have invaded Brazil intent on reclaiming their people kidnapped into slavery, Laurence and Temeraire and their very depleted crew have been reinstated into the Aerial Corps, and now, joined by Iskierka and Kulingile and their crews, they travel on a diplomatic mission to Brazil on the Allegiance, accompanied by their old friends Captain Riley and Arthur Hammond, the former ambassador to the Chinese. On the way, they meet a storm and disaster, leading to a close brush with death and capture by the French who are on their way to the Incan Empire. Iskierka befriends an Incan dragon, and the French feel threatened enough to abandon them on an island in the Pacific. When they finally reach the Incan Empire, they discover the Incan customs about dragons challenge all of their previously held beliefs. Here, Incan dragons are, like the Tswana dragons, caretakers of their people, but other dragons steal people too, hoarding them like men frequently do with Incan gold. Temeraire, Iskierka and Kulingile, since they are carrying men from the Allegiance, are met with high status. Iskierka's impulsiveness lands her in a battle over a man she's stolen and this eventually leads them to the Incan ruler. Through Iskierka's wiles, she proposes an alliance and an absurd marriage.

In the past, we've seen dragons owned as property, dragons as weapons, dragons as independent "people", and dragons as ancestors reborn, but a new attitude is one of dragons as herdsmen -- literally, herding men and whole families. This has intriguing consequences and spurs more philosophical talk amongst Temeraire and Laurence.

To the stoic sensibilities of the British, Iskierka's proposal of a marriage to Granby is preposterous. She even doesn't consider Granby's own wishes, which normally the dragons act with great care to their human partners. However, it is not as if Iskierka has ever behaved with sensibility and empathy towards her much chagrined captain. . . She frequently runs right over whatever advice he gives and stubbornly does what she wants, his will or no. But not this time. Granby finally asserts some authority and it's refreshing to finally see Iskierka getting a dose of humility and consideration. Though she is a wonderful dragon, her attitude can be insufferable!

Another conflict pops up as Iskierka attracts attention from a high-placed Incan dragon and there's talk of romance and eggs. Temeraire, consequently with Iskierka being allowed to be their representation to the Inca, gets a healthy helping of jealousy and confronts his irritation and feelings towards Iskierka, who has always wanted to have an egg with Temeraire. We will have to see if anything plays out in this thread in the next novel. (!!)

Speaking of romance, Demane and Emily Roland's affection has been noticed, and Laurence feels a sort of fatherly guilt at letting Emily, who without being the heir to Excidium, should possess a chaperone and proper gentlewoman etiquette. He pays for a chaperone to accompany them, and this is a sort of side farce in itself, as naturally, Roland wants nothing to do with feminine frippery and formalities. (I just love Roland.)

Lastly, the real reason they're in South America -- to stop/negotiate with the Tswana -- doesn't happen until the last quarter of the book. Most of the action is at sea, on an island, and through the Incan territory. I will say, this last bit is resolved with ingenuity though it feels rushed. There is also another former character spotting as the former Mrs. Erasmus pops up when they meet the Tswana.

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Posted by Kara at 07:00

 Adult, crucible of gold, Del Rey, dragons, Fantasy, historical fiction, naomi novik, temeraire  7 People left their mark

Tongues of Serpents by Naomi Novik

Tongues of Serpents by Naomi Novik

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Historical fiction
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Del Rey
Release date: June 7, 2011

Series:  Temeraire, #6

Source: Library

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

Convicted of treason despite their heroic defense against Napoleon’s invasion of England, Temeraire and Capt. Will Laurence have been transported to a prison colony in distant Australia—and into a hornet’s nest of fresh complications. The colony is in turmoil after the overthrow of military governor William Bligh—aka Captain Bligh, late of HMS Bounty. And when Bligh tries to enlist them in his bid to regain office, the dragon and his captain are caught in the middle of a political power struggle. Their only chance to escape the fray is accepting a mission to blaze a route through the forbidding Blue Mountains and into the interior of Australia. But the theft of a precious dragon egg turns their expedition into a desperate recovery operation—leading to a shocking discovery and a dangerous new complication in the global war between Britain and Napoleon.

I was really excited to begin this book to see a glimpse of Australia, but the Australia of this time period is, frankly, miserable and messy. There's not much food or resources to be had, and not many good men to work since Australia was used as a penal colony. There has also been a coup for power, known as the Rum Rebellion of 1810, and two rival military groups are trying to gain control, thus trying to also influence their new Aerial Corps members to their side. Temeraire and Laurence have been accompanied by Iskierka (of her own will, naturally) and Granby and three dragon eggs, intended to found the colony's only dragons and airmen. One of the potential captains for the eggs is Rankin, who was in His Majesty's Dragon and ill-treated his old dragon to death. The first egg to hatch is that of the ferals and arrogant Caesar emerges, choosing Rankin on account of his family's status and wealth despite Temeraire's best efforts to convince him of Rankin's villany. Thus, when the temporary commander of the colony orders Laurence to make a pass to Sydney from the nearby mountains, Rankin, Caesar, and the two eggs accompany them along with men to dig and Iskierka and Granby. This task, and the underlying one of catching smugglers, leads them on a chase across all of Australia, especially when one of the eggs is stolen. 

I found this book to be a bit more of slog than the rest of them since they kept traveling constantly and running out of food, sinking into danger, and generally finding bad luck every which way, not to mention the quarrelsomeness of their company. It felt like the Oregon Trail where people are dying of dysentery left and right and treacherous mountain passes and little food mean possible cannibalism. Not that there was cannibalism exactly. It's just there was more chaos in command for both Temeraire and Laurence and despite their experience and talents, they just fell short. Add this to the fact that they're being gagged by the British government and reports of the war are getting steadily worse, and you feel downright depressed at the lack of action or progress. Another factor in this book is relations with China again and the idea of more conflict between governments over trade. Temeraire and Laurence have to discuss political bribery, which is a moral gray area for Temeraire and largely unknown to him. This dilemma was perhaps one of the most interesting details since heretofore Temeraire usually chooses the moral high ground. Other fun parts are the surprise of Demane, which I won't spoil, and the intrigue of the tiniest dragon egg. After finishing this one, I'm ready to get out of Australia and back to Temeraire and Laurence being regarded as heroes. Onward to Brazil and hopefully some good news!

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Posted by Kara at 07:00

 Adult, Del Rey, dragons, Fantasy, historical fiction, naomi novik, temeraire, tongues of serpents  3 People left their mark

Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik

Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Historical fiction
Paperback: 376 pages
Publisher: Del Rey
Release date: May 19, 2009

Series:  Temeraire #5

Source: Library

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

For Britain, conditions are grim: Napoleon’s resurgent forces have breached the Channel and successfully invaded English soil. Napoleon’s prime objective is the occupation of London. Unfortunately, the dragon Temeraire has been removed from military service–and his captain, Will Laurence, has been condemned to death for treason. Separated by their own government and threatened at every turn by Napoleon’s forces, Laurence and Temeraire must struggle to find each other amid the turmoil of war. If only they can be reunited, master and dragon might rally Britain’s scattered resistance forces and take the fight to the enemy as never before–for king and country, and for their own liberty.

In the last novel, the British had contaminated Napoleon's dragons with the wasting disease, and Temeraire and Laurence recognized that this would spread to other countries and all dragons would die. Temeraire and Laurence made a choice to bring the cure to France's dragons though all of Britain would see this as betrayal and Laurence would lose everything and be branded as a traitor. Upon their return to Britain, Laurence and Temeraire were separated and have been sent to their respective fates: Temeraire to the breeding grounds and Laurence captive in a ship's brig to await his hanging.

Things do seem the lowest of the low for our two heroes. Still, with a war on, Temeraire is the most valuable dragon in their arsenal, and things don't quite pan out to the expectation. This book is where Temeraire begins to shine separate of Laurence. When he believes Laurence is dead, he wins the allegiance of the dragons at the breeding grounds and takes them to war against Napoleon, who has launched a campaign on British soil. However, the dragons are also acting without military orders. Laurence, who has only been called to duty since the war needs Temeraire, must act as Temeraire's representative (once reunited) for the canny dragon has made himself a commander, with dragons and militia under his orders. Temeraire begins to grasp the chain of command and the hurdles resulting while also confronting the outcomes, bringing a better understanding of what Laurence has done for him in choosing treason to make the moral choice. Finally, with Temeraire's military rise, he uses this newfound power to command respect from the men and bargain for dragon rights, though we have not yet fully seen how this will play out.

Laurence, too, has his own inner battle, finding he readily accepts martial consequences of his actions for himself but not for many others it has affected. This is a subtle conflict, and Laurence chooses safeguards to prevent this from occurring again under his command by withholding their true orders from the other captains and crew. This obedience to orders to save his companions further complicates matters, though, as their orders goes against his moral code. And after everything Laurence has suffered, we finally see this take a noticeable toll on him through Temeraire's observation.

 Despite the separation and chaos of this novel, I really enjoyed the character development and the opportunities for Temeraire to both lead and learn, mostly without Laurence's guidance or influence. I still like Laurence, and with him so miserable, it would be nice to see him afforded a bit of happiness soon. I don't see how this is likely with them headed to Australia, but I guess I will have to keep reading!

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Posted by Kara at 07:00

 Adult, Del Rey, dragons, Fantasy, historical fiction, naomi novik, temeraire, Victory of Eagles  Leave your mark

Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik

Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Historical fiction
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Del Rey
Release date: September 25, 2007

Series:  Temeraire #4

Source: Library

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

Tragedy has struck His Majesty’s Aerial Corps, whose magnificent fleet of fighting dragons and their human captains valiantly defend England’s shores against the encroaching armies of Napoleon Bonaparte. An epidemic of unknown origin and no known cure is decimating the noble dragons’ ranks–forcing the hopelessly stricken into quarantine. Now only Temeraire and a pack of newly recruited dragons remain uninfected–and stand as the only means of an airborne defense against France’s ever bolder sorties.
Bonaparte’s dragons are already harrowing Britain’s ships at sea. Only one recourse remains: Temeraire and his captain, Will Laurence, must take wing to Africa, whose shores may hold the cure to the mysterious and deadly contagion. On this mission there is no time to waste, and no telling what lies in store beyond the horizon or for those left behind to wait, hope, and hold the line.

This is possibly the most anxiety-ridden book so far in the series as all of Britain's dragons except Temeraire are in danger of being wiped out by an aggressive epidemic. With the war still ongoing, the only defense keeping Napoleon out without the dragons is the Navy, and even then, with Napoleon's and Lien's ingenious tactics, war could soon come onto British shores. Leaving the willful Iskierka and Arkady's band of ferals (with the translation help of Tharkay and Granby) to defend all of Britain from Napoleon by air, Temeraire and his cohort must travel back to Africa in hopes of finding a cure for the draconian disease.

Book 2, Throne of Jade actually introduces quite a bit that surfaces in this novel. Quick recap: on route to China, Temeraire took suddenly ill, but with the help of the Chinese cooks who were unafraid to use whatever means to feed him as possible, they managed to find something that cured his illness. That same illness spread to Britain and amplified (Temeraire not having the illness long enough to observe the full scope and devastation of the disease), and now all the British dragons face wasting decay and death. The cure, thought to be an odd, smelly mushroom, is virtually unknown and thus, their search is made 1,000x harder by the language barrier, unknown name and unknown description over all the continent of Africa. Having traveled to Cape Town, South Africa, Temeraire's and Laurence's job is to find that cure and test it on their friends, Lily, Maximus etc. (his wingmates from previous novels) before sending it back to Britain.

Laurence and his fellows bring with them two former slaves: Joseph Erasmus, an African missionary and his wife Hannah, and their two young daughters. Since they are onboard the Allegiance with Captain Riley again, this brings up another key theme/conflict from Throne of Jade: slavery and human rights/dragon rights. Though slavery is condemned by Laurence (and Temeraire), it still exists in Britain and other countries and upheld in British law though there has been a movement for some time to abolish it. Riley's family are slave owners, and this creates tension between the naval officers and Laurence and some of his airmen. Slavers have been increasing their raids of African villages from the coast and moving inward. While they are in pursuit of the mushrooms and harvesting a large cache, Laurence and some other captains and crew, including the newly pregnant Catherine Harcourt and former slave Hannah Erasmus, are captured by African natives. Here they directly see the effects slavery has had on the African villages and their dragons, and though Laurence is against it, they still must pay the price for being associated. It forces everyone, human and dragon alike, to confront their perceptions of slavery, and even Britain suffers the devastating consequences in the end. Will our heroes make it out of Africa alive? I couldn't predict any part of the way this ended (!), and I'm sure the mind-blowing outcome will come into play in a later novel.

This one made me laugh, cry, and bite my nails with anxiety since there are a plethora of awful possibilities just waiting to happen... Onward to more reading!

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Posted by Kara at 07:00

 Adult, Del Rey, dragons, Empire of Ivory, Fantasy, historical fiction, naomi novik, temeraire  Leave your mark

Black Powder War by Naomi Novik

Black Powder War by Naomi Novik

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Historical fiction
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Del Rey
Release date: May 30, 2006

Series:  Temeraire #3

Source: Library

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

After their fateful adventure in China, Capt. Will Laurence of His Majesty’s Aerial Corps and his extraordinary dragon, Temeraire, are waylaid by a mysterious envoy bearing urgent new orders from Britain. Three valuable dragon eggs have been purchased from the Ottoman Empire, and Laurence and Temeraire must detour to Istanbul to escort the precious cargo back to England. Time is of the essence if the eggs are to be borne home before hatching.

Yet disaster threatens the mission at every turn–thanks to the diabolical machinations of the Chinese dragon Lien, who blames Temeraire for her master’s death and vows to ally herself with Napoleon and take vengeance. Then, faced with shattering betrayal in an unexpected place, Laurence, Temeraire, and their squad must launch a daring offensive. But what chance do they have against the massed forces of Bonaparte’s implacable army?

This third novel is very much an epic as it is mostly journeying across Asia and Europe (more so than most of the other novels so far). They've managed to appease China in having Laurence adopted as the Emperor's son and sealed good relations with England in the process, and now they must return as England calls for Laurence and Temeraire to escort three dragon eggs from Istanbul home. Temeraire and his crew, along with a slippery guide named Tharkay, travel across deserts and rice paddies of inland China through unknown territories to Turkestan, facing starvation, attacks, and finally betrayal.

At the forefront of this novel is the idea of dragon rights and better conditions for what most other countries see as beasts or property. When Temeraire decides to return to England, he is filled with righteous fire and determined to bring better conditions to his dragon friends. Having seen some of the luxuries in China, they bring back cooks and other Chinese ideas like his decorative dragon claw sheaths, pavilion plans, and sand tables for writing. On their journey though, they must trust their safety to Tharkay, which is in some ways problematic as he keeps disappearing and after the secrets in China, Laurence is wary of more danger. They also encounter a large band of feral dragons, led by Arkady, who wish to see the Sultan of Istanbul and have great battles and stories such as Temeraire tells. When they arrive in Istanbul, they face a mess as their allies have conflicting stories than their instructions. Here they discover that Lien has preceded them across Asia to align herself with Napoleon and turn the Sultan against them. Desperate to return to England and help in the war after having learned of other defeats, Laurence and Temeraire must decide to do things their own way without guidance. Here their bond grows even stronger as they have only themselves and their crew to rely on with the communications silent. Here their honor, choices, and unorthodox kindness to their allies are key game changers in their long journey home, especially in a war that dragon intelligence has altered drastically.

I loved the new characters and setting in this novel, though it does seem like it's a wonder that any of Laurence's crew survives. There is one super heartbreaking moment in this novel that made me cry, but there are lots of great moments too, like finally getting to see Granby having more opportunities. The brush with historical characters is exciting, though I had to do a bit of research about Napoleon and the Prussian royalty. Like always, there is quite a big cliffhanger that drives you on to the next novel. Review coming soon!

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Posted by Kara at 07:00

 Adult, black powder war, Del Rey, dragons, Fantasy, historical fiction, naomi novik, temeraire  Leave your mark

The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron

The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Space fiction
Hardcover: 403 pages
Publisher: Scholastic
Release date: June 27, 2017

Series:  The Forgetting, #1

Source: Library

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

What isn't written, isn't remembered. Even your crimes. Nadia lives in the city of Canaan, where life is safe and structured, hemmed in by white stone walls and no memory of what came before. But every twelve years the city descends into the bloody chaos of the Forgetting, a day of no remorse, when each person's memories -- of parents, children, love, life, and self -- are lost. Unless they have been written.

In Canaan, your book is your truth and your identity, and Nadia knows exactly who hasn't written the truth. Because Nadia is the only person in Canaan who has never forgotten.

But when Nadia begins to use her memories to solve the mysteries of Canaan, she discovers truths about herself and Gray, the handsome glassblower, that will change her world forever. As the anarchy of the Forgetting approaches, Nadia and Gray must stop an unseen enemy that threatens both their city and their own existence -- before the people can forget the truth. And before Gray can forget her.

This was such a unique book and idea! While it seems like it could be overwhelming with all of the details at first, it was carefully put together and gave just enough information to keep the reader engaged without being lost. At first, I was trying to see how this civilization might resemble a former Canaan of the Bible, but don't bother. I think the only reason it is referenced this way is that it is another "promised land" of a sort, though any further description means spoilering some awesome revelations at the end.

Nadia is special among the residents of Canaan because she hasn't forgotten. She tries to make plans for her family so that in case they forget again, she will keep them together. Until Gray helps, she is basically running a one-girl band to find out the truth behind the Forgetting. Additionally, Nadia is one of the few that recognizes the emotional trauma of being forgotten and lost and left behind. That's possibly a great metaphor to explore, and one that invokes a sad reminder of the effects of today's dementia and Alzheimer's diseases. It's really wrenching to picture a child or teen going through that!

From the very beginning, I kept expecting Gray or someone to betray her/them. It happens, but not quite the same way I pictured. What is really phenomenal is how you don't really realize that this is science fiction and specifically dystopian space fiction until much later in the book. I would have really wanted to find out more about the details of this, but perhaps that is coming in the sequel The Knowing coming out next month, October 2017. (It should be noted that this sequel does not continue the story of Nadia but has whole new characters since it takes place well after this book.)

The character description and character development were great. They really stick with you, and so many of them do change throughout the course of the novel, including Gray and Nadia. There are a few things that are rather disturbing about the book such as the killings, physical abuse, lost or orphaned children, and torture. Some things may be traumatizing to middle school readers, especially if they couldn't take similar themes in The Hunger Games either.

As a librarian, the idea of the books and the archives was intriguing and fun. I really enjoyed this aspect, especially when Nadia gains a job at the Archives. However, no way would I want my own book collection. I definitely would not want to have to write everything down, have other people potentially read what I've written and take advantage of it, nor to forget my family if my books were lost or destroyed. Again, super personally thought provoking! I enjoyed this one more than Rook but not as much as her two steampunk novels. Still can't wait to see what The Knowing holds!

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Posted by Kara at 07:00

 Fantasy, Review, Scholastic, Sharon Cameron, space fiction, The Forgetting, young adult  Leave your mark

Flame in the Mist by Renée Ahdieh

Flame in the Mist by Renée Ahdieh

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Release date: May 16, 2017

Series:  Flame in the Mist, #1

Source: Library

Reviewed by: Kara

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Wrath and the Dawn, comes a sweeping, action-packed YA adventure set against the backdrop of Feudal Japan where Mulan meets Throne of Glass.

The daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko has long known her place—she may be an accomplished alchemist, whose cunning rivals that of her brother Kenshin, but because she is not a boy, her future has always been out of her hands. At just seventeen years old, Mariko is promised to Minamoto Raiden, the son of the emperor's favorite consort—a political marriage that will elevate her family's standing. But en route to the imperial city of Inako, Mariko narrowly escapes a bloody ambush by a dangerous gang of bandits known as the Black Clan, who she learns has been hired to kill her before she reaches the palace.
     Dressed as a peasant boy, Mariko sets out to infiltrate the Black Clan and track down those responsible for the target on her back. Once she's within their ranks, though, Mariko finds for the first time she's appreciated for her intellect and abilities. She even finds herself falling in love—a love that will force her to question everything she's ever known about her family, her purpose, and her deepest desires.

I loved her other series of The Wrath and the Dawn so I was keen on reading this one as soon as I could (plus, she's a fellow North Carolinian)! I wanted to like this book just as much as TWATD, but I just...didn't. I listened to this on audiobook, and that made the Japanese accents and names and history come alive, but I might have missed some key details that I otherwise would not have if I had read the book. Maybe at a second reading I'll have a different perspective, but I might just not even try. :(

This was marketed as Mulan meets Throne of Glass. Now, I love Mulan, but I absolutely really dislike Throne of Glass, so that wasn't a sell for me. The Mulan comparison comes from a girl masquerading as a boy and learning to fight, possibly also from Mulan's headstrong tendency to do as she likes rather than what people tell her to do. Unlike Mulan, I didn't feel like we really understood a picture of Mariko's personality and background before she was attacked/left for dead and then insinuates herself with the Black Clan. She seems a bit of a Mary Sue as we find out she's gifted at swordplay, alchemy/chemistry, and designing weaponry. Other than the fact that she is not like other girls and does not pretend to be the perfect ideal noble girl, most of her personality and skills are bland. She also has a typical blind eye towards other's feelings, especially if they are of a lesser station than she is. When she discovers abuses her family has done to their servants, she is shocked. It's rather like she just woke up to seeing the suffering of others since she was attacked. This seemed very...unbelievable.

Another of the things I missed was about Ōkami and Ronmaru, and apparently, Mariko missed it too. It's partially a spoiler, so I won't go into it here, but the last bit of the ending was confusing and didn't make enough sense. Perhaps this is due to the cliffhanger but I think it was simply too farfetched an idea, or due to the fact that our main character is so blind, the reader is too. I enjoyed the descriptions and writing and romance (!) though somehow missed this was actually feudal Japan with a bit of magic thrown in. The magic also is hard to grasp, as there are shadowy figures or animals and a fierce jungle cat that seems like something magical. Ōkami has some weird power too that seems magical, but none of this is explained because Mariko is kept so much in the dark. Without these explanations, I was just frustrated overall and wanted more from this story as I really think it could have been amazing. The romance was quite honestly the best part, so if you want some steamy kisses...

Did anyone else read this? What did you think?

Read an excerpt.

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Posted by Kara at 07:00

 Fantasy, Japan, Renée Ahdieh, Review, the flame in the mist, young adult  Leave your mark