Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles, #2) by Marissa Meyer

After falling in love with Cinder and being left on something of a cliffhanger, I was eager to get my hands on the second book in the series. Thankfully, my mom had given me a $10 Barnes & Noble gift card that I had forgotten about. When I remembered it, I put it to good use.

When Scarlet's grandmother goes missing, she knows foul play was involved. Her grandmother would never leave her, never take off without telling anyone, and she certainly wouldn't have cut out her ID chip to do it. The police say there's no proof of foul play and drop the case, but Scarlet is determined to continue the search herself. Then she meets Wolf, a street fighter who is surprisingly quiet and a little awkward. Despite the fact that she's not sure she can trust him, she learns he may have a connection to the people who took her grandmother and asks for his help. While she is rushing into danger to save her grandmother, it soon becomes clear that danger might be trailing her already.

Meanwhile, Cinder has broken out of prison and hitched a ride with another prisoner she teamed up with in order to escape. They leave the Commonwealth, but it soon becomes clear that the entire planet is out to get them. Now Cinder has to make a decision. She can either go to Africa to be trained or flee elsewhere and try to learn more about herself and her past.

I was warned going into this book that it would feel "a little to Twilight-y." And though I've never actually read the Twilight books, I can see where they're coming from. (To be clear, I'm not a mindless hater of Twilight, I'm sure it has its merit, though I try to steer clear of anything that romanticizes abusive patterns in relationships.) However, I still deeply enjoyed this book. Again, this is another book that keeps you on your toes and definitely makes this aspiring author applaud at the very believable world-building.

Second books tend to be a bit duller than their predecessors, but this book doesn't fall prey to that lull. Marissa Meyer did a fantastic job in making sure Scarlet was every bit as good and exciting as Cinder. I am definitely eager to find out what happens next. I just have to wait for Cress to come out in paperback first!

Rating: ★★★★★

Saga, Vols. 1-4 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

 I don't remember where I first heard about Saga (though I'd hazard a guess that it was somewhere on Booktube), but I am so glad I did. This is easily one of the Image Comics' top series at the moment and for very good reason.

When Marko and Alana fall in love, it isn't in a very normal situation. Marko is a prisoner of war and Alana is his guard. Their two planets have been wrapped up in a bloody war and each race views the other as something to be reviled. However, Marko and Alana fall in love despite everything and it isn't long before Alana becomes pregnant. If they thought they were in trouble before, it was nothing compared to this. Hazel, their new daughter, is viewed as an abomination and considered a political danger. The new family must go on the run if they want to stay alive, but even that's iffy when the dangers that follow them are so great.

Be warned, this is one graphic series. The author has no qualms about letting you know this from the get-go. The first of the series begins with Alana giving birth and the very first line is her saying, "Am I shitting? It feels like I'm shitting!" If that doesn't sell you, I don't know what will. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with it. I love how gory and graphic this series is. I think it adds that extra bit of realism to it. (More on that in a minute.) Just be warned that you're going to see a lot of nudity and a lot of gore. I mean look at the cover for Volume 2 for goodness sake. Marko's absolutely doused in blood.

I cannot say enough that I love everything about this series. The artwork is incredible, the story keeps you hooked from beginning to end, and the worlds contained within leave you begging for more. There's something about that level of world-building that takes me over the moon (and makes me intensely jealous that I couldn't create a world that detailed if I tried for the rest of my life).

However, I think one of the things that impresses me the most is how real it is. I know that sounds a little confusing, but I'm going somewhere with this. As fantastical as everything is, as captivated as the art makes me, and as thrilling as each new world is; I think it's how real the characters are that really makes this a winning series.

Every single character that steps onto the stage of this story is three dimensional. Every one has their own personality, their on flavor, that's so tangible that it's almost unbelievable. You really believe in these characters and become invested in them to a point where it's almost ridiculous.

If I keep going, I'm worried I'll spoil something in the plot, so I'll leave this review here. Just know that if you don't go pick this series up immediately, you'll really be missing out.

Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles, #1) by Marissa Meyer

I have heard quite a bit about The Lunar Chronicles in the past, but had never really gotten the chance to pick theme up. I'll go ahead and blame that on my taller-than-me TBR pile, because there's nothing about this that wouldn't appeal to me. A sci-fi fairytale retelling? Yes, please! A cyborg Cinderella? Count me in!

A coworker of mine who has heard me rant and rave about how much I love YA Fiction approached me about a month ago to ask if I'd read these books. She is in love with them and had learned that the author was going to be speaking at a Tacoma library at the end of January and wanted to know if I wanted to come with her. I regretfully told her I hadn't yet read them, but I would totally come with her and would do my best to read the three books in The Lunar Chronicles that had already come out.

Linh Cinder, our cyborg Cinderella, is a mechanic in New Beijing, known for being one of the bet at her craft. She works constantly to support her stepmother and stepsisters, who technically own her, since cyborgs are considered property, not people. When Prince Kai shows up in her shop one day, asking her to fix an android of his, Cinder doesn't want to admit that she likes the boy that every girl in the empire would kill to meet. Soon, it becomes clear that the information the android carries is more important than Cinder could have realized and may be the key to holding off the threat that is Queen Levana, the Lunar queen. Cinder wants to do everything in her power to help her country and the boy who has been so kind to her, but when she ends up getting pulled into the political skirmish, she can't help but wonder if she'll even be able to make it out alive.

I really loved everything about this book. Cinder is a great heroine. She struggles with her own insecurities and these insurmountable odds that rise up against her, but she's also smart, strong, and kind. I love the idea of a mechanic Cinderella. Her relationship with Prince Kai is incredibly believable and the romance almost creeps up on her. I really enjoyed that she was pretty resistant to the idea of falling in love with him and that he fell for her because she was someone he could talk to, not because she was the prettiest person who walked into the ball.

Cinder was a great opening to what looks like a pretty stellar book series. It keeps the reader on the edge of their seat from beginning to end, eager to put the pieces together and find out what is going to happen next. If this first installment is any indication, we have a pretty amazing series to look forward to, and it's going to be an interesting ride from beginning to end.

Rating: ★★★★★

Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama

“Pastor McKee, do you think we really have a ghost up there in the sanctuary? I mean, does the church even believe in ghosts? Because – if there is a ghost – maybe it's related to this drowning?”

It sounded so ridiculous when she said it out loud.

“Tell me, lassie, have you paerchance heard any local tales o' sea folk?” he said out of the blue.

“Uh . . .” Hester wondered where he was going with this.

“I've haerd tell they live en the deepes' par' of our own bay.”

“Why do you ask?”

He shrugged and shifted his feet, preparing to sit in the chair again. She held his arm while he lowered himself into it. “Jus' tha' tales o' ghosts and tales o' sea folk paersist in the world. Even an educated paerson mus' wonder ef thar's a reason for et.”

“Monstrous Beauty” is another book I came across on the shelves of my local Half Price Bookstore. I hadn't ever heard of it or the author before, but the cover was stunning and the summary on the back sounded just dark and interesting enough to catch my attention. If I remember correctly, this wasn't long after I had read “Fathomless”, so I'll admit I was probably on a bit of a dark mermaid story binge at the time, though I obviously didn't read it until much later.

Hester Goodwin has pledged herself never to fall in love or marry. Most especially, she will never have children. Hester has made this decision because of her family history. After all, if all the women in the last one hundred fifty years of your family history had died within a week of giving birth to their first child, you would be concerned too. Though she definitely has feelings for her best friend, Peter, she suppresses them and pulls away. She can't fall in love. She can't be talked out of it. She doesn't want to die.

Then Hester meets Ezra, a strange and intoxicating man whom she only ever sees on the beach, and suddenly all of her resolve seems to dissipate. He claims he can help her, that her troubles sound more like a curse than a genetic fault and perhaps the two of them can solve it together.

As she begins to look into her family's past, Hester begins to uncover the pieces of a tragedy that took place long ago and may be the cause of her curse, as well as the rumored hauntings that have taken place in the church and its graveyard, where she used to play as a girl. It's up to her to uncover a terrible truth and set to rights that which was tampered with long ago, that is, if the forces that be will let her do it.

The further I sank into this book, the more surprised I was that I hadn't heard of it before. A beautifully written tale that can be dark, tragic, thrilling, and hopeful all in one excellent novel? I was smitten from the start.

I cannot get over how good this book managed to be and I will definitely be singing its praises for months. The reader is caught up along with the protagonist in the mystery that surrounds her and the terrifying adventures she must face in order to get to the bottom of things. Hester is fierce and resourceful and an all-around believable character that I enjoyed getting to know within the pages.

If you're looking for a good, dark fantasy preferably containing mermaids and other supposed myths, this is the book you need on your shelf. I suggest finding it as soon as you can manage.

Rating: ~★★★★★~

She struggled and writhed as the thing switched positions, easily hooking an arm around her neck and swimming her down – headfirst, faceup, deeper and deeper – in a death-spiral version of a lifeguard rescue. It was a distinctly humanlike arm that held her, and Hester clutched it with both ahnds, afraid of the speed, and afraid it would strangle her. The rhythmic thumping and pumping beneath her was the unmistakable action of a powerful tail, propelling them to the depths of the bay. Hester kept her eyes closed, but she knew without seeing the creature: it was a mermaid.

They were real.

McKee was right; E.A. Doyle was right.

And Hester was about to be killed.

Cold Spell by Jackson Pearce (Fairytale Retellings, #4)

"You think the fact that you love Kai means you'll win?"
"No," I saw slowly. "I think the fact that I love Kai means I'll fight for him."

[Click here to check out my review of book 1: Sisters Red, book 2: Sweetly, and book 3: Fathomless]

I adore fairytales and modern retellings that fit the old legends and make them even better are hard to come by. If you're looking for a good series that fits that criteria -- look no further.

After falling in love with each of the books in this series, one after the other, I was admittedly a little upset when I found out that this would be the last of the series. After all, I had all these ideas about how I wanted a final showdown to take place (and I cannot be the only one who was already beginning to ship Scarlett and Ansel, though they technically hadn't met). However, Jackson Pearce hadn't let me down thus far, so I knew I would be pleased however it turned out. I tore into it as soon as my preordered copy arrived in the mail.

When we first meet Kai and Ginny, they're skipping class to sit up on the roof of their apartment building and talk about their future. Kai, a extremely gifted musician, will be going to New York for a music program and Ginny intends to follow him. Extremely devoted to her young love, Ginny doesn't have much of a plan for her future. All she knows is that it absolutely involves Kai. Both look forward to the time away in the summer, especially Ginny, who is always happy to get out from under the loathing eye of Grandma Dalia, Kai's grandmother.

Grandma Dalia has hated Ginny since the day she and her family moved into their apartment building. She didn't like Kai playing with a girl and seemed to take every precaution to keep them away from each other, but even that couldn't stop the two from falling in love. Grandma Dalia loves her grandson and only him. She has dedicated her life to keeping him safe from the beasts and the dangers that she knows are lurking just around the corner. Most of all, she yearns to keep him safe from the snow queen.

Both teens have always assumed that these delusions were just a part of who Grandma Dalia was, that she was missing a few marbles. Ginny, though, always wondered if maybe there was a bit of truth to her words. What if there really was a real danger out there?

It seems her suspicions are confirmed when Kai disappears with a girl whom Ginny can only assume is the snow queen Grandma Dalia had warned them about. Now it's up to her to save the only love she's ever known and the only person she can't live without.

I may not have gotten the exact ending I was hoping for, but Jackson Pearce gifted her readers with exactly the kind of stunning end to a great story that we were all hoping for. Cold Spell ties up the story told within the series in the masterful way that only she could. Every character was complex and unique, while the story itself kept me glued to the pages.

Cold Spell is a chilling conclusion to a stunning tale that will leave the reader feeling satisfied, yet wishing they could continue reading anyway. I fell in love with it and can't wait to recommend it and its predecessors to as many readers as I can coax into reading them. Definitely the perfect holiday pick for your last minute Christmas shopping.


Rating: ★★★★★

She's already figured out what she does--she steals boys. But right now, I can do everything. If Mora can steal boys, I can bring them back.

Into the Woods by Lyn Gardner [Illustrated by Mini Grey]

"I'm frightened, Storm. I am frightened fo Dr. DeWilde, of Mother Collops, of the mountains, of everything."
"Well, I'm sorry, Aurora," snapped Storm, "but you're just going to have to get used to being frightened. We're going to save Any, even if it kills us."

 I picked up Into the Woods because the cover caught my eye while I was perusing the local library. I picked it up, turned it over, and after reading the back, added it to my stack of books I was checking out that day. I thought it looked deeply interesting, but I still wasn't sure I would find the time to read it. After all, it was a rather large book and, though it looked good, I didn't think I'd have much time to read it. (As much as I adore reading, I only have so much time in which to do it, so I try not to get stuck on larger books that will take me so much longer to get through.)

However, this one kept screaming at me from my shelf, so once I finished City of Ashes, I decided to follow it up with a middle grade novel that I would almost certainly enjoy.

Storm Eden is nearly in her teens when she and her sisters become almost orphans. Their mother died after giving birth to the youngest Eden girl, Any, and their father soon abandoned them afterwards. Aurora, the eldest of the three, takes over. After all, it wasn't like her parents did much to take care of them before that. Aurora has long been in charge of the house, the cooking, and even Storm's education.

On her deathbed, Storm's mother presented her with a tin pipe. It hung on a chain that kept it around her neck and Storm listened in rapt attention as her mother cautioned her to use the pipe well and keep her sisters safe. At first, Storm is enchanted with the idea that the pipe is something special, but it isn't long before the doubt creeps in and she feels cheated, wondering if her mother was laughing at her by playing such a strange joke.

But when Dr. DeWilde, a menacing older man with a pack of wolves at his disposal, arrives at the girls' home in search of the pipe, Storm is quick to realize that there's more to the story that what her mother told her. Soon the girls are on the run in search of safety. When Dr. DeWilde gets his hands on Any, though, it soon becomes apparent that only Storm has the gumption and the fire necessary to save them all from Dr. DeWilde's evil schemes.

Into the Woods is a wonderful mashup of fairytales mixed up with an entirely new story, bringing with it a freshness and excitement that I was totally unprepared for. I really did love everything about this. Storm is a wonderful heroine, but then so are Aurora and Any. In an age where many take the easy route in making cookie-cutter heroines, I really appreciated having that contrast in each of them. (Aurora gets to be girly and scared, but still loyal and protective. Storm gets to be brave and the plucky tomboy, while still appreciating her sister's more feminine tendencies.) They all make mistakes and they all have their own brand of heroism, but they're in this together and each sister will do anything to protect the others.

The story itself was fabulous and kept me guessing the whole way through. It's whimsical, yet dark, and kept me engrossed from page one. And of course, the little dashes of illustration sprinkled throughout only heightened my enjoyment. Mini Grey does a fabulous job at giving us these lovely illustrations that let us peer into the story in another way without overwhelming us.

Altogether, it's a very well done book and definitely one I'll be introducing to my nieces and nephews once they're a tad older and able to handle longer books like this. It's a wonderful story for all ages and one I'd suggested adding to your Christmas list before you close this page!

Rating: ★★★★★

"Leave?" said Aurorora, staring wildly at Storm. "Leave, and let you face Mother Collops alone? What kind of sister do you think I am? I will never, ever abandon you. Whatever the circumstances. I'd die first!"

Emilie & the Hollow World by Martha Wells

"You should go back to the ship," Daniel told her, his tone bearing an unfortunate resemblance to the way Emilie's brothers spoke to her. 
Seth and Cobbier and Mikel were all protesting to Charter that they should stay together and Emilie knew there wasn't time to argue. She said to Daniel, "You mistake me for someone you have the right to order around."

Emilie & the Hollow World was one of those books that I picked up randomly at the library. I was perusing the "New" section and this one's cover jumped out at me. Boy, am I glad it did.

Emilie & the Hollow World  begins when Emilie runs away from the home she lives in with her aunt and uncle, who are unkind and stifling. She plans to run away to the girls school where her cousin is and see if she can live with her. Only, when Emilie tries to stow away on the ship that will take her there, she ends up on  another ship- one that is headed into the depths of the earth.

Soon, Emilie finds herself under the care of Miss Marlende, an adventuress who has commissioned this ship and its sorcerer to help her reach the Hollow World in search of her father, who made it there a few months earlier, only to have his ship fail before they could return. Now Miss Marlende and her crew are in search of her father, but there are many dangers standing in their way. It's up to Emilie to find the courage within herself to face the many obstacles standing in their way, and maybe even save the day.

Emilie & the Hollow World is essentially Treasure Island with a female protagonist and a little steampunk science fiction thrown in for good measure. How could I not adore it? Emilie is a fun and smart heroine who finds herself thrust into a situation she could never have imagine and yet doesn't think twice about stepping up to the plate. She's the perfect heroine for young girls who love adventure and are tired of not getting to see women take part in the action. (And she's not the only woman who doesn't shy away from danger and capable of handling it, she's just the youngest of them.)

If you're looking for a fun adventure novel with a twist of fantasy, this is definitely the book for you. I was thrilled to get my hands on it and I'm sure you will be too!

Rating: ★★★★☆

Kenar broke it off, shook his head, and smiled down at her, though the smile was a little wry. "When you get back to your own world, will you really be content to sit meekly in a school after this?"
Miss Marlende, engrossed with her spyglass again, snorted. "Whatever she does, I doubt she'll do it meekly." 

Gustav Gloom and the Nightmare Vault by Adam-Troy Castro (Gustav Gloom, #2) [Illustrated by Kristen Margiotta]

"Who am I?" he roared, in tones so fearsome Fernie wondered why he'd ever bothered to use a gong. "You come into my house, scare my friends, chase away my family, and dare ask who I am? You could not possibly be so stupid!
My name's Gustav Gloom. Grandson of Lemuel Gloom, son of Hans, almost the son of Penelope, protector of this house and of my friends. If you're looking for anything inside these walls, you need to negotiate with ME."

[Click here to see my review of book 1: Gustav Gloom and the People Taker]

After reading the first book in this lovely gothic children's series, I had to get my hands on the sequels. I searched the bookstore in Paris where I'd bought the first one: nothing. I searched through each of the bookstores I normally frequent and still couldn't find anything. That's the wonderful thing about online shopping, though. You can almost always find what you need. I found this book and it's sequel on the Book Depository and ordered them as soon as possible.

The second book of the Gustav Gloom series begins just a few weeks after Fernie What's narrow escape from the clutches of the People Taker. Her family has been spending a great deal of time with Gustav, bringing over new foods he's never tried and generally giving him the pleasure of their human company. It's at one of these little picnics in the front of his yard that Fernie first spots the ice cream man.

After Aunt Mellifluous warns her against the ice cream man, Fernie grows suspicious, but it isn't until the man shows up in her house while her father's away that she and her sister, Pearlie, realize what danger they're in. It turns out, the ice cream man is a shadow eater named October who is searching for something called the Nightmare Vault. The trouble is, no one but he happens to know anything about this Nightmare Vault.

It's up to Fernie and Gustav to find out where the Nightmare Vault is and find it before October can. It's  the only way to stop him from destroying everyone either of them care about. But as the search becomes more frantic, the two children discover that the Nightmare Vault is more dangerous than they could have anticipated and that it very well might be the reason Gustav's parents are no longer with him.

I cannot get over how much I am loving this dark children's series. It's everything I hoped it would be: exciting, fun, scary, and filled to the brim with imaginative adventures and the kind of bravery that comes when someone you love is in terrible danger.

Once again, we get to run along with Gustav and Fernie through the Gloom mansion, discovering new rooms, strange creatures, and even a house inside the house. I especially enjoyed getting to learn quite  bit more about Gustav Gloom and how he came to be the only human living in a house filled with shadows.

I can't wait to read more of this lovely series and hope it continues for many books to come. I'll absolutely follow it until its end. You should do the same.

Rating: ★★★★★

She pounded on the door, screaming, "Gustav! I'm in trouble here!" 
"Yes," October said. "You are."
The black tendrils were now fewer than three feet from Fernie, and she couldn't have run in another direction even if she'd wanted to; they'd formed a cage around the two front steps to the Gloom house and blocked every other possible direction. 
"You should have cooperated," October said as the tendrils closed in. 
Fernie pounded on the door. "Please, please, please! Somebody let me in! I'm a friend of this house!"
The doors opened.

GNW: Batman & Robin: White Knight vs. Dark Knight

Being Batman has never been easy. Neither has being a member of his team. After the launch of Batman Inc., Dick Grayson has taken over the role of Gotham's Dark Knight while Bruce works in stopping overseas threats. At Dick's side is Damian Wayne, Bruce's only biological son and the newest Boy Wonder.

Though Bruce isn't the same Batman anymore, Gotham hasn't changed much at all. There's still plenty to keep the Dynamic Duo busy. Psychopaths have never been in short supply in their line of work and this line-up is enough to throw the two for a loop. Whether it's Bruce's not-so-stable ex, the White Knight who wants to cleanse Gotham of the bloodlines of Arkham inmates, or even Jason Todd, former ward to Bruce Wayne and the second person to carry the title of Robin.

Though Damian and Dick have worked together for a while now, they still have plenty to learn, both about each other and themselves. They may not have the same senses of humor or even be brothers by blood, but they're family and that has to be enough.

Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne as the Dynamic Duo was a genius stroke on the move of the writers after the "death" of Bruce Wayne. They're a fun combination all around. I mean, how can you not fall in love with a surly Robin and almost playful Batman? Though he was Bruce's first ward, Dick Grayson is far from being the same person his surrogate father is and it shows- whether that's in his one-liners or his fighting style. He's still the badass we've come to associate with Batman, still giving the right tribute to the name, while adding his own little twist to the role itself.

As for Damian, he's one of those little buggers that you love to hate when you're first introduced to him.  He's rough around the edges and it takes a great deal of restraint for the kid to keep from killing his enemies. After all, he was raised by the League of Assassins. However, the longer you're exposed to him, the more you get to see that he's actually a good kid. He's just an eleven year-old with a traumatizing past and a debilitating sense of humor. Working with Dick Grayson does him well. The two even each other out and he trusts his surrogate brother in a way he doesn't trust anyone else. When he's struggling against the war within him, Dick always trusts him and is there to help steer him in the right direction when he needs it.

All in all, the point is, this was a lovely graphic novel and I really enjoyed getting to read it. It's full of all the typical adventures of Batman & Robin, but with the style and grace that I've come to adore with these writers.

The Dragon Heir by Cinda Williams Chima (The Heir Chronicles, #3)

"Because I know what it's like to want to prove yourself so badly it destroys everything else that matters," Hastings replied, gazing into the fire. "Sometimes it's just an excuse to avoid dealing with your own demons."

[Click here to see my review of book 1: The Warrior Heir and book 2: The Wizard Heir]

After reading the first two books out of order, I was definitely excited when I got to The Dragon Heir. Now that I had the full backstory, I could proceed to read the third book, which was originally intended to be the final in a trilogy that has now expanded into a full-blown series. I knew that after the way the first two books blew me out of the water, the third would have to at least be up to par with its predecessors. I hoped it would be even better.

As the Roses and White Roses gather their forces after the uprising at the Seven Sisters, the Weir all over the world are becoming uneasy. Nowhere is it more obvious than in Trinity, the safe haven for all AnaWizard Weir.

Seph McCauley maintains the boundary around the town as only a wizard with his strength and ability can. Jack and Ellen work together to train their ghost warriors, preparing for the attack that they know is bound to come at any moment.

Meanwhile, Jason and Madison are each having their own personal crises. Jason, who has never been a particularly skilled wizard, feels useless and wants to prove himself to the Weir. He has been working with Leander Hastings, but chafes under his leadership. His drive to prove himself and set right the wrongs that have befallen himself and the people he cares about may be rooted in good intentions, but his headstrong nature is more than likely to get him in deeper water than he can get himself out of.

Madison, on the other hand, has learned that she is an elicitor, but isn't entirely sure what that means for her. While her gift managed to save Seph at the Seven Sisters, it seems that the dark magic she absorbed has begun to start leaking out. When she gets a call from her mother claiming that the state will take away Madison's younger siblings if she doesn't come back and help care for them, Madison jumps at the chance to leave Trinity and put as much distance between herself and Seph, whom the dark magic is deeply affecting. But outside the sanctuary, her friends can't protect her. Even though she's not Weir, she has become a part of the war that sits on the horizon and danger follows close behind her.

Once again, Cinda Williams Chima has produced a book filled with stunning characters and magic that is fully original, both exceedingly believable. In this book, we get to see a little more from the perspective of Madison and Jason, which I really enjoyed. Madison easily became a favorite when she was introduced in the second book and I really loved getting to see her character develop throughout the story. It's fantastic to see a character with such an interesting gift and learn what drives her and motivates her; what she would die to protect and who she would sacrifice everything to keep safe.

I could go on about each of the characters in similar fashion, but I'll try to keep this post short. The point is that the book is filled with strong bonds of friendship and sacrifice. The magic is thrilling and interesting throughout, but it's really the humanity of each of our teenage protagonists that drives the story and keeps the reader hooked from the start.

The third in the series, The Dragon Heir would have been a wonderful end to the trilogy, but it would have left the reader aching for more. Because of this, I am thrilled to learn that there will be a fourth and fifth book in the series. In fact, The Enchanter Heir was just released a few months ago. As you can imagine, I'm dying to get my hands on it.

Rating: ★★★★★

It's a peculiarity of man- this lining up and marching toward death. The only other creatures who don't flee a killing field are the scavengers who come after the fact.

The Journey by Kathyrn Lasky (Guardians of Ga'Hoole, #2)

"Hope is never a foolish thing -although others will tell you it is. But I don't need to tell you that, Soren- look at yourself. You were snatched and you taught yourself to fly and you escaped from that awful St. Aggie's. You flew straight out of those deep stone canyons and right into the Yonder. Anyone who flies out of a stone hole into the Yonder knows about hope."

Soren, Gylfie, Twilight, and Digger are a band of owls (joined by Mrs. P, a snake and Soren's old nursemaid) who are traveling together in search of the Great Ga'Hoole tree. Each of the young owls have been deeply affected by the goings on at an institution called St. Aggie's and each is determined to do what they can to put an end to the evil within its borders. In order to do this, the band must find the Great Ga'Hoole tree and warn them of what they've seen at St. Aggie's. Only those owls of mythos who are said to fight evil and protect owls everywhere  can possibly save them from the pervasive evil.

Yet even their journey to find the Ga'Hoole tree is fraught with many dangers and plenty of doubt. After all, few have ever laid eyes on the Great Ga'Hoole tree and many believe it is just legend, an old tale passed around for years. And once they reach the Great Ga'Hoole tree, if ever, will that be the end of their journey? Or will it simply be the next step in a tale they never dreamed of stepping into?

I am loving everything about this series so far. I have all but fallen in love with Soren and Gylfie and the other members of their band of owls. Each has their own unique personality and gifts to bring to the table and, even though they fight often enough, they always have each other's backs.

The story itself continues to be breathtaking and keeps the reader hooked from page one. Walking alongside the group through each and every trial can be both hilarious and heartbreaking. You just can't help being addicted to the page. I have to admit, the fact that it is also a pretty clear World War II analogy also adds to the appeal and keeps me that much more interested.

This is a wonderful children's series of which I cannot wait to read more. If you haven't checked it out yet, I highly suggest you do.

Rating: ★★★★☆

"No! No! This can't be!" Soren wailed. He felt his legs collapse under him and he crumpled beside her. "Eglantine! Eglantine!"
"Get Mrs. Plithiver, quick!" Gylfie rasped.

GNW: Identity Crisis by Brad Meltzer [Illustrated by Rags Morales]

 The Justice League has seen its fair share of deaths. This is no surprise. When you put your life on the line on a daily basis against villains who are willing to go much further than you ever will, you are ready to expect the worst. That's why most of the caped crusaders wear masks; and all of them have high-tech security for their friends and family members. Because it's bad enough knowing that you're putting yourself in danger. It's another thing entirely to understand that you're gambling the lives of everyone near you.

That's why, when Sue Dibny is found murdered in her apartment, the entire Justice League jumps into action. The wife of Elongated Man, Sue Dibny was an honorary member of the Justice League, having been a part of it from its very foundation. She never fought, but she has come under fire more than once and was well protected.

The League moves in to investigate, but they can't find anything. There's not a single breach in a system that can even keep someone from phasing through the walls (among other things).

As if that wasn't enough, it isn't long before The Atom's wife is attacked in her own home and rescued in the nick of time. Once again, there is no trace of the attacker. But, unlike Elongated Man, Atom's identity wasn't public. Whoever attacked his wife knew who he was; and that person undoubtedly was the same person who had attacked Sue.

Soon the League realizes that their family and friends are under attack. No one is safe until they find who killed Sue Dibny.

This is by far one of my favorite Justice League graphic novels. It's heart-wrenching and heavy, the type of story that sits with you long after you've finished reading. Identity Crisis highlights the danger that comes with putting on a mask and reminds the reader just why those heroes keep their identities so secret in the first place. It's exactly the type of story that reminds people that comics aren't for kids anymore.

The artwork is superb. Sharp and clear on the covers (like the one you see above) and almost gritty in the story itself, showcasing just how dark and gritty the story itself is. It's the perfect compliment to a story this intense. Don't be surprised if you find yourself pausing just to admire how well the artist captures the emotions and the aura of the scenes themselves.

If your a fan of superheroes and dark stories filled with hard choices, you need to pick this one up. It'll crush your heart and make you question everything you thought you knew about the Justice League.

City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, #1) by Cassandra Clare

"Every teenager in the world feels like that, feels broken or out of place, different somehow, royalty mistakenly born into a family of peasants. The difference in your case is that it's true. You are different. Maybe not better - but different."

I've been meaning to read this book for ages. I heard about it quite a long time ago and kept reminding myself that I needed to get my hands on it, only to have it pushed back on my reading list once again. Finally, the movie adaptation came into theaters and I figured it was about time I buckled down and read it. I don't intend to see the movie until it comes out on DVD and I've read the second book (because movie adaptations are notorious for using bits from later books to cushion the first and I don't want any spoilers), but I figured it was about time I got started.

City of Bones is told from the perspective of Clary Fray, a teenage girl who witnesses a murder in the back room of a New York City club she visits frequently with her best friend, Simon. Only, this isn't a normal murder. How could it be? After all, she is the only one who can see the murderers. And the boy who died? He disappeared seconds after he took his last breath.

Only a few days later, Clary comes home to a demon that seems to have killed or taken her mother and threatens to end her as well. She barely manages to kill it before it kills her, but not without collateral damage. It has managed to wound her pretty badly and who should come to her aid but one of the murderers from the club.

As it turns out, the boy whom she saw killed was actually a demon in disguise. Jace, the one who comes to her aid after her own brush with a demon, explains that he and his friends are Shadowhunters, descendants of the Nephilim and sworn to protect humanity from the demons who threaten to overrun it. By inking special runes on their skin, they can make themselves invisible to mundanes (humans) or demons, stronger, or a number of other things. The thing that neither of them can figure out, though, is how a mundane like Clary could possibly have seen them or the demon in their home.

The more she sees the more she wonders what connects her to this world of strange mythical creatures and seeming humans with inhuman power. And why has she never seen them before now? Clary soon realizes that her mother has kept far more from her than she could have ever dreamed and the only way to get answers is to find the person who kept the questions from her in the first place.

I had really hoped I would like this novel, which made me more than happy to find myself with my nose in this book at every given opportunity. I simply could not put it down!

I love the entire paranormal mythos that is presented in this book. There are fairies and pixies, vampires and werewolves, even demons and intensely creepy monks. Though these themes are common in fantasy as of late, it is in no way campy or unoriginal. Clare puts her own spin on the creatures we've heard about since childhood and weaves it all into a deeply enthralling tale that will keep you wanting more.

There is so much I could praise about this book: its original take on well-known tales, its characters' vast differences and similarities that make them each profoundly human and realistic, the gray areas that remind the reader that there isn't always a black and white answer. I could go on, but I won't. If you're not convinced this is a worthwhile read already, then I'm not sure what else I can say.

The point is that this book was immensely satisfying and definitely worth giving a read. It won't disappoint.

Rating: ★★★★★

"Instead his father took the bird, now tame and trusting, in his hands and broke its neck. 'I told you to make it obedient,' his father said, and dropped the falcon's lifeless body to the ground. 'Instead, you taught it to love you. Falcons are not meant to be loving pets: They are fierce and wild, savage and cruel. This bird was not tamed; it was broken.'
"Later, when his father left him, the boy cried over his pet, until eventually his father sent a servant to take the body of the bird away and bury it. The boy never cried again, and he never forgot what he'd learned: that to love is to destroy, and that to be loved is to be the one destroyed."

House of Many Ways (Howl's Moving Castle, #3) by Diana Wynne Jones

"I never talk nonsense." the creature said. "All is mine. You are mine." Wings whirring, it began to stalk towards her on most unnatural-looking wiry blobs of feet. "I shall come to claim my own very soon now. I claim you first." It took a whirring stride towards Charmain. Its arms came out. So did a pronged sting on the lower part of its face.
Charmain screamed, dodged and fell of the edge, scattering flowers as she fell.

[Click here to see my review of book 1: Howl's Moving Castle and book 2: Castle in the Air]

When Great Uncle William falls ill, Charmain Baker is tasked with the responsibility of taking care of his home while he's away with the elves who are trying to heal him. Charmain jumps at the chance to get out from under her mother's thumb and go to a place where she can read and eat to her heart's content.

Upon arriving at Great Uncle William's home, she soon learns that caring for the home of the Wizard of High Norland isn't quite so easy a task as she had anticipated. After all, the house is filled to the brim with magic (which she is unaccustomed to entirely) and filled with secret passageways and hidden rooms that could take her days to navigate her way through. Soon, Charmain finds herself dealing with a magical dog named Waif, little blue men who seem determined to make her life more difficult, and a boy who only seems to be able to irritate her and keep her from settling down with a good book.

But when Charmain is summoned to the castle to help the King sort out his library, she learns that the king and his daughter are searching for the elf-gift, a weapon that could help save High Norland from ruin, and she might just be essential to locating it. She isn't the only one who has come to help, though, and soon Charmain finds herself under the speculation of a Mrs. Pendragon and her fire demon, Calcifer.

I really loved this conclusion to the Howl's Moving Castle trilogy. Charmain is a wonderfully stubborn and irritable protagonist who isn't exactly the best at being kind, though she tries to get better at it. She stands her ground, even when she's scared, and she'll sate her curiosity if it's the last thing she does. She is profoundly human and I love that about her.

I mentioned before that I wasn't a big fan of the second book in this trilogy because I felt it opened slowly and dragged on for a bit. This was absolutely not the case with House of Many Ways. I felt like I was pulled in from the get-go and loved everything about the story. It was a satisfying read and one I highly recommend.

Rating: ★★★★★

"Who are you?" the demon said.
Charmain's heart thumped a little, although Waif seemed perfectly calm. If I hadn't just met a lubbock, Charmain thought, I'd be quite frightened of this Calcifer. "I... er... I'm only the temporary help in the library," she said.
"Then we'll need to talk to you later," Calcifer crackled. "You reek of magic, did you know? You and your dog."

The Warrior Heir (The Heir Chronicles, #1) by Cinda Williams Chima

"You look like a boy who has eaten the fruit of the tree of knowledge and doesn't like the taste." 
Jack studied the old man, hunting for any sign of wizardry. He was aware of a bright intelligence, nothing more. 
Nick was watching him keenly. "How are you, Jack?"
"Just great," Jack snapped. "I'm lying to my mother, going against doctor's orders, and being hunted by wizards. Matter of fact, when I'm not being hunted by wizards, I'm hanging out with them." 

After reading book two in this series (The Wizard Heir) before I realized it was a sequel, I eagerly anticipated reading the first book. However, the library had quite the waiting list and I only managed to get my hands on it recently. Of course, I dove into it, eagerly anticipating more of the world I had been introduced to in its sequel and excited to see Jack's backstory, which had been heavily hinted at in The Wizard Heir.

At sixteen, Jack is a semi-popular soccer jock who has had to take heart medication every day for as long as he can remember and whose greatest concern is dodging his obsessive ex and trying to catch the eye of the new girl. That is, of course, until he forgets to take his heart medication one day. Instead of the myriad of things he had expected to go wrong, he realizes that he feels stronger and more powerful.

It's not until Jack's Aunt Linda comes into town for a visit that he finds out what's really going on with him. He learns he's a Warrior, one of the five guilds of the Weir and the rarest. As if this wasn't more than enough information to send him reeling, he discovers that he is being hunted by Wizards, who have a long history of oppressing the other guilds and forcing Warriors to fight their battles for them. But Jack was born a Wizard, turned Warrior by the tampering of another, and that fact might be the one thing that can save his life, or at least prolong it.

When I started reading The Warrior Heir, I was a little worried that I wouldn't be as interested in this book because I already knew how a good portion of it would end up. As I've already mentioned, the second book heavily hints at the contents of this one and I was worried that would spoil it for me. Thankfully, it did not.

I really loved this book! Jack is an intensely relatable character and the type you can sympathize with right off the bat (or at least, I could). He takes each challenge as it comes and faces them head-on, though not without a fair amount of fear. His determination to do what he sees as right and to protect the people he cares about immediately endeared me to him.

Cinda Williams Chima does a wonderful job weaving a tale filled with believable characters and a plot that had me biting my nails even though I knew a great deal of how it would turn out. Her concept of magic and the way the guilds work is original and captivating. I'm already immensely pleased that she decided to expand the storyline, taking it from the trilogy it was originally meant to be to a full-blown series. I cannot wait to see what she has in store for us next.

Rating: ★★★★★

[Click here to see my review of book 2: The Wizard Heir]

They fought because they loved the dance, and the weight of the sword in their hands. The clash and spark of metal and hiss of flame was like music written just for them. They fought for glory, but not for blood. They were Weirlind, heirs of the warrior's stone. And they always slept better with blades beneath their beds.

GNW: Wonder Woman: Who is Wonder Woman? by Allan Heinberg [Illustratedby Terry & Rachel Dodson]

When Diana Prince (aka. Wonder Woman) chose to kill Maxwell Lord, the world turned against her. It didn't matter that she had been raised a warrior. It didn't even matter that she had done so because she knew it was the only way to stop him and keep the world safe from his tyranny. The only thing that seemed to matter to anyone was that she was a superhero, a member of the Justice League, and she had crossed the line.

So Diana decided to take a step back. She walked away from the role of Wonder Woman and gave the title to her young protégé and  sister, Donna Troy. She stepped into the shadows so Donna could shine and chose to pursue her task of bringing peace to the patriarchal world on other ways: namely in becoming Agent Diana Prince of the Department of MetaHuman Affairs, where she can help save the world in more discreet, out of the spotlight, avenues.

However, it isn't long before her rogues are calling for the "real" Wonder Woman, eager to call their old foe out of hiding and destroy her. Though Donna is a force to be reckoned with, she is overpowered by the villains, whose powers have somehow doubled in strength since they were last seen.

When Cassandra Sandsmark, current Wonder Girl and daughter of Zeus, is also taken, Diana finds herself unable to dodge the role of Wonder Woman any longer. Forced to team up with the arrogant demigod turned god (read: powerful misogynistic asshole), she must find the Cassie and Donna and discover who or what is the source of the power behind her rogues before it's too late.

Wonder Woman comes under some fierce speculation, both in her own world and in ours. She's been a feminist icon since the day she showed up and, being the only woman in the Trinity (Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman - the three most powerful members of the Justice League), she takes a lot of flack about everything from her wardrobe to her Themysciran background.

That's what was so great about this particular graphic novel. The writer takes all of that scrutiny, all of that judgement, and bundles it up into the question of "Who is Wonder Woman?" A question which Diana is even asking of herself.

It's one of those great stories that reminds us exactly why Diana is considered one of the most powerful DC heroes in existence. She is a powerful force to be reckoned with.

GNW: Avatar: The Last Airbender (The Lost Adventures) by Nickelodeon

Avatar: The Last Airbender is an animated show that lasted for three season on Nickelodeon and garnered quite a large fandom. Fans loved the series so much that it received its own (poorly made) big screen adaptation, a spin-off series (Legend of Korra, which is now on its second season), and a few graphic novels with new adventures inside.

In The Lost Adventures, we get to join up with the Gaang once again as they're making their way across different nations in their journey to teach Aang each of the bending techniques he needs to learn before facing Firelord Ozai. This graphic novel is a collection of untold stories from within the time frame of the three seasons we were given from Nickelodeon.

For those of you who miss getting to spend time with our favorite benders (and Sokka!), this is the perfect solution. It was a fun afternoon spent reading them. Everyone is perfectly in character and you can practically hear them aloud as you move from story to story.

I definitely appreciated this volume of lost stories the fans never had the chance to see before. I would absolutely suggest it to anyone who has seen the TV series. You won't regret it.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

The Capture by Kathryn Lasky (Guardians of Ga'Hoole, #1)

"A legend, Kludd, is a story that you begin to feel in your gizzard and then over time it becomes true in your heart. And perhaps makes you a better owl."

I saw the movie adaptation of Kathryn Lasky's Guardians of Ga'Hoole series back while it was still in theaters and fell in love with it. It was created in the same manner of Inkheart, where they changed quite a great deal about the story so they could fit it into a single movie instead of a series of movies; so that it becomes it's own entity, almost something separate from its origins.

I've been wanting to read the books for some time, mostly because I kept having middle grade readers coming into my video store and telling me why the movie was nothing compared to the book. Few things make me want to read a book more than when a child goes into raptures over it. They always know a good story when they see one. So I finally got my hands on a copy and cracked it open.

When Soren, a Snowy Barn Owl, falls out of his nest, he expects the very fate his parents warned him about. An owl that can't fly isn't far from being the next meal of whatever predator happens to be nearby. However, Soren manages to avoid this fate when he is taken by another owl, a type he's never seen before, and carried away to St. Aggie's Academy for Orphaned Owls. The thing is, none of these owls were "orphaned" before they were taken from the nests, usually while their parents were off hunting for their food.

But something even more sinister is going down at St. Aggie's. Soren makes a friend, Gylfie, an Elf Owl, and the two stick close to each other, each keeping up the other's spirits as they plan to make their escape and warn other owls of the threat that lays in the canyon where St. Aggie's is hidden.

Like I mentioned, I was fairly certain I would enjoy this book, and I most definitely have. Soren and Gylfie are lovely as the main hero and heroine. They're young, scared, and reluctant; yet both have this unwavering desire to help the owlets they see around them, as well as the ones they are fully aware rest in unknowing danger simply because of the presence of a place like St. Aggie's.

I cannot wait to see what happens in the second book and the volumes following. I can tell Soren's journey will be one filled with love, sacrifice, and bravery: key elements for all the best kinds of adventures.

Rating: ★★★★☆

"I hated the idea of being the pathetic dependent owl, the one the owlets were always forced to visit. I decided that it was contrary to my nature to lead such a life and that if I could not live like a normal owl, I would in fact, use my disability for some noble purpose."

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce (Fairytale Retellings, #1)

The wolf opened his wide, long jaws, rows of teeth and bloodstained tongue stretching for her. A thought locked itself in Scarlett's mind, and she repeated it over and over until it became a chant, a prayer: I am the only one left to fight, so now I must kill you.

I picked up Sisters Red after hearing a pretty great review of it on another book reviewing blog. I bought it a few weeks ago and just now got around to reading it. My reaction? I love almost everything about this book.

You'll often hear avid readers getting "book hangovers," meaning basically that after they've finished the book, they have trouble starting a new one or thinking about anything besides the book they have just finished because they're still in that world. As many good books as I read, I don't usually experience that as much anymore. I still often find my mind going back to a good story or book that I really enjoyed, but I don't often have trouble breaking away from thinking only about a particular story for a day or two after I've finished it. But I definitely experienced that with Sisters Red. Long after I'd finished it, I was still poring over the tale and everything that had happened within it.

Sisters Red is the shared story of Rosie and Scarlett March. When they were children a werewolf (or Fenris, as they're called by those who are familiar with them) attacked them, killing the grandmother who raised them as well as taking Scarlett's eye and leaving scars all over her body. To save herself and her sister, Scarlett killed the beast; and ever since, she has had an all-consuming passion to hunt Fenris so that no one else has to suffer the way she and her sister have.

When a good friend of the sisters and an excellent woodsman and Fenris hunter, Silas, returns from a long family visit in California, things start changing. Not only does Rosie suddenly find herself drawn to the woodsman, she also begins to guiltily dream of a life where she isn't constantly fighting Fenris. But, more immediately, something is changing about the Fenris. They're getting bolder and more numerous, drifting into territory they had long abandoned. As more and more lives come in contact with the murderous creatures, the three are going to have to come up with a plan to take them on and fast. Otherwise, they could lose a lot more than they already have.

A modern and incredibly well-done spin on the old Red Riding Hood tale, Sisters Red was a compelling read from the very start. Not once did I lose interest or feel the tale was moving either too slow or too fast. Pearce did a fantastic job at pacing her story just right, as well as creating characters that the reader can identify and empathize with.

In particular, the relationships Pearce portrays really struck a cord with me. The loyalty between Rosie, Scarlett, and Silas was beautiful and the fierce love that each portrayed for the others was absolutely stunning. Their love for each other was probably the thing I loved most about this book. No matter how much fighting there was or how high the tension got, you never once doubted that each would do anything to protect the others and I cannot say enough how beautiful that is to me.

I would definitely suggest this to everyone, particularly lovers of fairy tales. It was an all-around wonderful book and I will definitely be snatching up the next Jackson Pearce novel I see. I'm thinking her Hansel and Gretel retelling looks like just the right book to be the next addition to my bookshelf.

Rating: ~★★★★★~

[Click here for my review of book 2: Sweetly and book 3: Fathomless]

The plan forms in my mind slowly, more like a tide coming in than a wave crashing over me. I am confident, I am capable, and I will not wait to be rescued by a woodsman or a hunter. I will escape.