Christmas Reads

Pulled this off my Instagram. Feel welcome to follow me
there to see tons of book and cat pictures. :P

I'm going to my parents' house for Christmas in a few days and therefore have set aside the books I'm going to read over the six days I'll be there. I figured I would go ahead and share them here in the order that I intend to read them.

My True Love Gave to Me Edited by Stephanie Perkins
~This compilation of stories by twelve different prominent Young Adult authors just came out about a month ago and I have been dying to read it. I'm not much of a Christmas-y person. I don't like Christmas music and am partial to only a few Christmas movies, but I like Christmas stories and this should be good. And I would be remiss to ignore pointing out how stunning this version of it is. It's the UK cover and I am in love with it. It's definitely one of the most gorgeous books I own. (Rivaled only by my Drop Cap version of Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass.)

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone & Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

~I've been wanting to do another reread of the Harry Potter series for a few months now. What better time to kick that off than Christmas, the most nostalgic of holidays (in my humble opinion)? So I'm packing up the first two adventures that introduced us to the Wizarding World and diving back in to a story that is "always there to welcome you home".

Conrad's Fate by Diana Wynne Jones
~This is the third book in the Chrestomanci series by the incredibly talented author of Howl's Moving Castle. I've been meaning to get to this book for a while. It's filled with magic and stories that really wrap you up and pull you in, so I cannot wait to get lost in it. Again, this is another stunning UK cover (their covers beat ours almost every time). All of my Diana Wynne Jones books are in this cover and they look amazing on the shelf.

Those are the books I'm taking this year, though there is always the distinct chance I'll be throwing in a graphic novel or two for the plane ride. I tend to pack even more, but I'm trying to cut back. Plus, I asked for quite a few books for Christmas, so I'm sure I'll have plenty more to choose from after we open presents.

Do you have any Christmas reads you're planning this year? If so, leave a comment here to let me know what you're reading!

October #SpookyReads

     This year, I decided that I would try to get myself in the mood for Halloween by only reading "spooky" books during the month of October. I figured I would read some Halloween-themed reads by searching out the ones on my shelves (or in the library) that had ghosts, murderers, vampires, or witches and go from there. I tried to go for the creepy stuff. Some of the time I succeeded and some of the time I didn't.
     Anyway, I figured I would compile a list here of the books I read this month. Maybe you'll even want to pick one up to read tonight, now that Halloween is upon us. I tweeted about them all month using the hashtag #SpookyReads, but twitter only gives you so much space to give reviews and I miss doing this, so here we are.

#SpookyReads 1: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

     Beautiful Creatures was actually a reread for me and kind of what inspired me to do #SpookyReads. I read it for Halloween two (maybe three?) years ago and it had been so long that I knew I couldn't read the sequels without first reading this one. Plus, I had seen the movie adaptation since then and I knew it had strayed pretty far from the book, so I wanted to get my facts straight before continuing.
     A story about Casters (as in spell casters), true love, beating the odds, southern prejudices, superstitions, and Dark vs. Light; Beautiful Creatures was just as good the second time around. I love the story and I devoured it again, even knowing where it was going. It's a thick book, but definitely worth taking your time to read.


#SpookyReads 2: Misery by Stephen King
     Misery happens to be my very first Stephen King book. I've heard about the man and his proficiency with the horror genre since I was a kid, but wasn't allowed to read him while growing up. To be fair, I was a pretty big scaredy cat as a child, so I don't blame my parents. The downside of an overactive imagination happens to be panicking at even the slightest suggestion of danger.
     I have to say, I quite liked my first run-in with Mr. King. Misery was even better than I expected, drawing the reader in from the very get-go and holding you in suspense from beginning to end. The antagonist is terrifying enough to have given me a nightmare or two and one particularly scary scene may or may not have made me yell "No!" while reading it in a crowded airport.
     I can definitely see why Stephen King has the great writing reputation he has carried for years now and I am definitely looking forward to reading more of his work in the future.

#SpookyReads 3: Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
     Next up is Beautiful Darkness, the second book in the Caster Chronicles. This one was a bit more angsty than the first and for pretty good reason (though to tell you why would be a major spoiler, so I'll keep my lips sealed). For this reason, it was a tad harder to read than the first. Still, the adventure and the characters manage to draw you in, even through the sadness, and I definitely found myself dying to read what would happen next. This sequel keeps all the sarcasm and charm of the first book while layering it with the aftermath of everything that went down between Lena, Ethan, and their families in the last book.




#SpookyReads 4: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black
     This was my least favorite "spooky read." Before that  causes you to mark it off your reading list or skip the rest of this review, though, I should clarify that I am not a fan of vampire books. Vampires have always grossed me out and I don't see the appeal at all. I can do gore, but the ingesting of any human blood or flesh makes me queasy at the first glimpse of the idea, so I tend to stay away from this kind of book.
     That being said, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown was pretty good for my one and only vampire read. I've never read a vampire book or sat through a vampire movie (besides the second-to-last Twilight movie at LeakyCon 2012, which was heavily commentated by Maureen Johnson and other various funny ladies). I always enjoy Holly Black's writing. I love that she doesn't shy away from the gritty stuff and I love that she manages to create a world in this book that romanticizes vampires while not realizing the true horror of it. And I love that she uses it to explore the human condition in a world that is both fascinated and terrified by these monsters.
     If I had to read a vampire book, I'm glad it was this one. Holly Black's world building is thoroughly believable and can pull in even the most hesitant of readers.

#SpookyReads 5: Jack the Ripper: The Whitechapel Murders Re-Examined by Paul Roland
     For my final spooky read, I decided to mix it up by throwing some non-fiction into the mix. So I chose this book about Jack the Ripper that has been sitting on my shelf for a while now. I bought it not long after I read Maureen Johnson's The Name of the Star, which had some Jack the Ripper themes and made me want to find out more about the real history of the notorious murders.
     This book wasn't an amazing overview, but it did it's job in making me familiar with the murders and common theories surrounding the myth of the Ripper. I liked that it had photos and sketches I could refer to in seeing the suspects and certain aspects of the murder, but I couldn't help being a bit disappointed by the end of it. The author has a hard time helping the reader keep the names straight, and I found the lack of a bibliography at the end particularly irritating. How am I supposed to take this man's word if he can't tell me his sources? This book got three stars from me for that. It did it's job in giving me the gist of the matter, but I certainly don't feel as informed as I had hoped to be by the end of the book.

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.

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!"

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare (Mortal Instruments, #2)

"To draw something is to try to capture it forever," Jocelyn had said, sitting on the floor with a paintbrush dripping cadmium blue onto her jeans. "If you really love something, you never try to keep it the way it is forever. You have to let it be free to change."

[Click here to read my review of book 1: City of Bones]

I ordered City of Ashes almost immediately after finishing its predecessor. I really enjoyed the first book and was eager to find out what would happen in the sophomore addition to the series.

Since Clary and Jace found out that they are actually siblings, things have been tense between the two of them. Both are doing their best to deny their feelings for each other and that means they're doing their best to shy away from even the smallest contact.

Simon, on the other hand, is becoming both more bold and more withdrawn. Venturing into Clary's world means finding himself in a place where he is virtually powerless and, more often than not, a liability. But Clary's his best friend, and if he wants a part in her new life he has to find a way to fit himself inside of that, even if that means throwing himself headfirst into danger.

As things heat up between these three, as well as the rest of the Shadowhunter world, Valentine returns to New York City in order to pick up where he left off with his two children. He's not done with them and he'll do anything to draw them to his side of the battle, even that means showing them why he's not the kind of person they want as their enemy.

I really wanted to like City of Ashes. I tried to defend it against the people who had already read it and told me to stop while I was ahead. I tried to defend it against myself, saying this was just a little step back--the next chapter will be better. I just couldn't do it.

As much as the action and Cassandra Clare's lovely writing style had me hooked, I just could not bring myself to really enjoy this book. A lot of that can be attributed to Jace and Clary's I-can't-love-you-because-you're-my-sibling angst. I just cannot sympathize and the longer it goes on, the more uncomfortable it makes me feel.

Beyond that, it seems like this book really just brings the romance aspect of the Jace-Clary-Simon love triangle into focus and pushes the Shadowhunter war to the back burner, which I do not like at all. I'm all for a little romance, don't get me wrong, but making their awkward angst a priority instead of the battle is just frustrating. I want to hear more about what Valentine is planning, not listen to Jace moan about Clary avoiding him.

Even in that, I am interested in finding out what the third book has in store. There are some hints in this book that make me think there may be some resolution to a few of the problems I had, but I'm still on the fence about whether or not that means I'll read it. After all, I've been trying to teach myself not to read books I don't like just because I feel like I have to. There are too many good books I need to read.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

"Look," Luke went on. "In all the years I've known him, there's always been exactly one place Simon wanted to be, and he's always fought like hell to make sure he got there and stayed there." 
"Where's that?"
"Wherever you were," said Luke.

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." 

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.

GNW: Mercury by Hope Larson

In Mercury, we are told the story of two different girls, separated by time. In 1859, Josey meets a strange and intriguing stranger who promises to help her family find gold by mining on their farm. Even more important to Josey, he promises to love her and even to take her for a wife one day, a prospect which has her heart soaring. The only problem is that her mother doesn't like Josey's new suitor and isn't shy about letting her feelings known. She worries that the bad omens she has been seeing are directly related to the appearance of this particular young man and that tragedy will soon strike in his wake.

In 2009, Josey's descendant, Tara is living with her aunt and uncle after the fire that took her house left her virtually homeless. Her mother is across the country working on a temporary job and trying to find a more permanent solution. In the meantime, Tara must begin attending high school with her cousin and classmates she hasn't seen in years. When she finds an old pendant that used to belong to Josey, she soon learns it has magical properties that might just lead her to some of that gold that was once rumored to be hidden on the land where the ashes of her home now stands.

Filled with lovely illustrations, interesting characters, and a good dose of magic, Mercury is a fun graphic novel. After all, who can resist hidden treasures, intrigue, and romance? Each of these themes can be found within the pages of Mercury. The artwork compliments the story well and brings a simple beauty to the pages that ties it all together. 

Mercury was a fun, quick read that took me on a short, but thoroughly enjoyable adventure. If that isn't reason enough to give it a try, I'm not sure what is. 

Rating: ★★★★☆

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.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

"Nothing's ever the same," she said. "Be it a second later or a hundred years. It's always churning and roiling. And people change as much as oceans."

I received this lovely book when I went to the Neil Gaiman event a few months ago. It was pre-signed (though I did still wait for five hours to get my copy of Stardust signed) and I wanted to tear into it immediately. However, I was halfway through rereading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, so I had to wait.

On my way home from visiting my family last month, I finished reading A Monster Calls not long after my plane taxied out. Thankfully, I'm a chronic over-packer when it comes to books. (I left for that two week long visit with twenty-five books on me. I'm pretty sure I brought double that on the return trip.) I saw this book and immediately fell upon it, hardly even looking up between chapters as I read.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane is told from the perspective of a nameless male protagonist who finds himself having wandered back to the house at the end of the lane where, once upon a time, he met Lettie Hempstock and thus began the adventure of a lifetime. Only, for some reason, he seem to only just now remember what happened all those years ago, when he was only seven years old and the world became more terrifying than he could ever have imagined.

When a man committed suicide in their neighborhood on a hot summer day, things shifted and beings awoke that should have remained asleep. Lettie, her mother, and grandmother are uniquely equipped to put an end to what has begun to terrorize the neighboring homes, but it only takes one misstep by our protagonist for things to become much worse. What he carries inside him has the potential to wipe out everything and everyone in its path, but Lettie has promised to protect him no matter what the cost. And if he knows anything, it's that the Hempstocks know what they're doing and they are more than capable of bringing this threat to its knees. He can only hope that they manage it before it's too late.

Once again, Neil Gaiman has managed to create a fantastical world that draws the reader in from the start. This book is overflowing with creativity and insightful truths, with more than a little magic sprinkled throughout. I loved every part of this dark fantasy, though it had me equally entranced and horrified. I don't know where the man gets his creative genius, but I would love to find out!

Be prepared, this isn't a kid-friendly fairytale, but it's one of those magical tales you'll want to go back to again and again. This one is going to win more than a few awards and it will deserve every one. You can count on that.

Rating: ★★★★★


"Oh, monsters are scared," said Lettie." That's why they're monsters. "As for grown-ups . . ." She stopped talking, rubbed her freckled nose with a finger. Then, "I'm going to tell you something important. Grown-ups don't look like grown-ups on the inside either. Outside, they're big and thoughtless and they always know what they're doing. Inside, they look just as they always have. Like they did when they were your age. Truth is, there aren't any grown-ups. Not one, in the whole wide world." 

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness [Illustrated by Jim Kay]

Stories are wild creatures, the monster said. When you let them loose, who knows what havoc they may wreak.

I picked up A Monster Calls at a bookstore after hearing more than a few people gushing about it on book review vlogs and blogs. The artwork on the cover is stunning and hooked me for certain and, to add that extra cherry on top, I noticed the blurb by John Green that stated, "Patrick Ness is an insanely beautiful writer."

How could I not read it?

My younger brother even got his hands on my copy before I did and tore through it in one sitting. When he finished, he couldn't stop telling me how good it was and that I needed to read it immediately. I got the memo and started in on in while waiting for my flight back to the States after visiting my family a few weeks ago.

When Conor wakes up in the middle of the night, he expects the monster in his nightmares to be lurking just out of sight. He knows with everything that is in him that the monster will come for him soon and he'll live the horror of his nightmares in his waking hours. But it's not the monster Conor expects when he looks out his window and finds the yew tree from the graveyard is now standing firmly in his backyard, his booming voice informing the young boy that he has come for him.

However, Conor is not scared of the yew tree that stands menacingly behind his house, because he's seen worse. Nothing is worse than the monster in his dreams and he'll take any horror over the reality of that nightmare coming true.

However, the great yew tree has different plans for Conor. He has come to demand the truth and to share it. He promises to tell Conor three stories, but after that, Conor must share his story, the one that haunts his every waking hour, as well as his sleep.

My absolute favorite illustration from within A Monster Calls.

I honestly cannot say enough about how utterly spectacular this book is. I can already tell it will be one of those that I read again and again and again, because of its breathtaking beauty and truth.

This is the first work I've read by Patrick Ness, though I've heard people raving about him for years now. I definitely regret not having enjoyed his prose sooner. The storytelling in this book is beyond superb and is only compounded by Ness's profound mastery of the material and his ability to spin and weave the words into something so stunning that it nearly leaves the reader breathless.

And speaking of breathless, look at that artwork! I'm not even sure I can produce words for how intensely beautiful the illustrations are. They litter nearly every page and make the text that much richer; the story that much brighter. I seriously have to find out how I can get my hands on some prints of these.

Overall, I have to say this: if you haven't read A Monster Calls you are seriously missing out. You need to get your hands on this book as soon as you get the chance. It is definitely one of my favorite reads of the year and I'm certain it will be yours as well.

Rating: ~★★★★★~


There is not always a good guy. Nor is there always a bad one. Most people are somewhere in between.
Conor shook his head. "That's a terrible story. And a cheat." 
It's a true story, the monster said. Many things that are true feel like a cheat. Kingdoms get the princes they deserve, farmers' daughters die for no reason, and sometimes witches merit saving. Quite often, actually. You'd be surprised.

Spellcaster by Claudia Gray (Spellcaster, #1)

"Thanks," Verlain whispered. "Kendall was being such a witch." 
Nadia tried to brush aside her momentary annoyance. "I prefer bitch actually. Most witches are perfectly nice people. Sorry - pet peeve."

I picked up this book at Teen Book Con earlier this year. I had the pleasure of getting to hear Claudia Gray pitch her book and, frankly, I was intrigued. She explained the synopsis of the story and I was interested; but it was her description of how she had basically reinvented the laws of magic that piqued my interest. She explained that, while she had wanted to have that magical element in her story, she hadn't wanted to get the "universally accepted magicking laws" messed up. She didn't want any obnoxious letters about how she had messed it up. So she created her own.

In Spellcaster, the spells are not powered by your typical magic. Each has a list of ingredients that aren't really ingredients at all. They're memories. The stronger the memories in the combination, the stronger the spells. When she explained this, I knew I had to purchase the book. And though it took me a while to actually get to it, I've finally read it.

When Nadia, her father, and brother move to Captive's Sound, she's already got a lot on her mind. Her mother recently packed her bags and abandoned them. This is hard enough for any family, but it's especially hard for Nadia, who was being taught the Craft by her mother and now has no teacher and no way to further her mastery of witchcraft.

It's not long before Nadia realizes that there are sinister forces at work in Captive's Sound and she seems to be the only witch around who can do anything about it. However, because she has no one to continue training her, she's not sure how much she can do about the growing threat. And now she has to deal with a mysterious boy whose family is cursed and a girl that seems to be constantly overlooked or forgotten. It's up to Nadia to figure out what's going down in Captive's Sound and do her best to fix it without getting herself, her family, or her friends killed in the process.

I really enjoyed Spellcaster. I was hooked from Chapter One and could hardly convince myself it was worth interacting with my family instead of reading this. Claudia Gray has managed to create both an original magical mythos, as well as a great heroine and a fabulously terrifying villain. (Seriously, though. Props to her for creating a villain so believable and intensely scary.)

I really enjoyed the story and the new context of the magic involved in it. I was quite excited to find that this is slated to be a series (with book two set to hit shelves in March of next year) and I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel. If you're a fan of magic and contemporary fantasy, you'd better get your hands on this book as soon as humanly possible!

Rating: ★★★★★

"But no matter how hard I pushed you away, you just kept coming. You're relentless, you know that? You wanted to understand me. You wanted to know me. You wanted to save me, and I think you're the only one who can."

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson & The Olympians, #1)

Gabe turned toward me and spoke in the rasping voice of the Oracle: You shall go west, and face the god who has turned.
His buddy on the right looked up and said in the same voice: You shall a what was stolen, and see it safely returned.
The guy on the left threw in two poker chips, then said: You shall be betrayed by one who calls you a friend.
Finally, Eddie, our building super, delivered the worst line of all: And you shall fail to save what matters most, in the end.

I was one of those who was introduced to the Percy Jackson series when the movie, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, came out. I adored the movie and was absolutely stoked when I realized it was based off a book series. Even still, it took a while before I actually got around to reading it. I must have checked it out from the library at least three times before I finally cracked it open and got to reading.

Percy Jackson never realized he was different. Sure, he had a smart mouth on him and a bit of a rebellious nature, he struggled with dyslexia as well as ADD, but nothing too strange. At least, not until his teacher turned into a harpy and tried to kill him. At the end of his sixth grade year, Percy learns that he is actually a half-blood (or a demigod), son of a human mother and a father who happens to be an Olympian god. Now that he has begun to realize his true heritage, the monsters who make it their mission to take down these half-blood heroes are onto his scent.

As if that weren't enough, it's not long after this new discovery that Percy learns Zeus's master bolt has been stolen and all Olympian eyes are on him as the prime suspect. If he wants to clear his name and save the Western World from the wrath of the gods, Percy and his friends are going to have to find the real lightning thief and find the motive behind the theft before it's too late.

This series is often likened to that of the Harry Potter series in more ways than one. While the two series are vastly different in content, I do have to say this: I think the Percy Jackson & The Olympians series is on par in becoming Children's/YA classics for decades to come. Maybe this is a little pre-emptive of me to say. After all I've only read the first two books so far (#2's review will be up in the next 2-3 weeks), but I've got a feeling about this one. We'll just have to see if I feel the same when I reach the end of the series, won't I?

The point is, I loved this book and I think it's an extremely promising start to what looks like an amazing series. I've definitely enjoyed it. (How can I not? Let's keep in mind that I've been fascinated by Greek mythology since I was in elementary school.) I deeply look forward to getting to know Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and the others as the series continues.

Rating: ~★★★★★~

[Click here to see my review of book 2: Sea of Monsters]

"So if the gods fight," I said, "will things line up the way they did with the Trojan War? Will it be Athena vs. Poseidon?"
She put her head against the backpack Ares had given us, and closed her eyes. "I don't know what my mom will do. I just know I'll fight next to you."

The Wizard Heir by Cinda Williams Chima (The Heir Chronicles, #2)

"Why do you think it was your fault?" Nick asked gently.
"They were trying to help me. If it hadn't been for me, they would still be alive."
"Perhaps that was their choice, not yours."

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

I've done it again. I've managed read another sequel before reading the first book. If any amount of *headdesk*-ing could fix this, I would be all over that. I hate reading sequels before the original! I didn't even realize it until after I finished it and was trying to figure out if there were more. Well, now I'm on the waiting list for the first book at the library. Here's to hoping I get it soon!

Seph has always known that he was a wizard. Raised by a sorcerer, he was taught all about the Weir guilds. He learned about sorcerers, enchanters, warriors, and seers. However, he never learned nearly as much as he wanted about his own class. His foster mother, Genevieve, didn't trust them. The same went for nearly all of those in one of the "lesser" guilds. Wizards are known for their treachery and their want of power.

This lack of knowledge about his heritage has also left Seph with another sever disadvantage: lack of control. He is shuffled around from school to school after each "incident" that seems to follow him. This is what finally lands Seph in the Havens, a boy's school for troubled cases. At first, Seph is almost excited when he learns that his headmaster is also a wizard and many of the other students are Weir as well, but it isn't long before Seph gets on the headmaster's bad side.

Secluded from all other society, Seph has to wage a battle against a force that's much more skilled than himself and darker than he could have anticipated. The headmaster becomes a powerful enemy that Seph is deeply unequipped to battle. And worse- his evil isn't contained to the Havens. No, the headmaster and his accomplices have much bigger plans than that.

Even though my enthusiasm for this book was dampened upon the realization that it wasn't the first book in the series, it didn't change how deeply I enjoyed it. Who doesn't love a good story combined with powerful magic? It has everything you could want in a good, magical fantasy. The darkness is deep and the stakes are high. I was on the edge of my seat throughout and could hardly put it down.

I absolutely can't wait to read The Wizard Heir's prequel, as well as any and all sequels Cinda Williams Chima has in store afterward.

Rating: ★★★★★

He paused, as if expecting a reaction, but Seph said nothing. He'd always found that he learned more if he kept quiet.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter, #3)

"Molly, how many times do I have to tell you? They didn't report it in the press because Fudge wanted it kept quiet, but Fudge went out to Azkaban the night Black escaped. The guards told Fudge that Black's been talking in his sleep for a while now. Always the same words: 'He's at Hogwarts . . . he's at Hogwarts.' Black is deranged, Molly, and he wants Harry dead."

[Click here to see my review of book 1: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and book 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]

Now in his third year at Hogwarts, we rejoin Harry in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in the midst of his summer vacation. He is still living with the Dursleys and very unhappy about it when his Aunt Marge goes too far in insulting Harry's deceased father and ends up being blown up like a balloon from the force of Harry's anger.

Panicking over his accidental used of magic outside of school (which is strictly prohibited), he runs out of the house and soon catches a fleeting glimpse of a large, black dog just before leaving for the Leaky Cauldron.

As the school year begins, Harry continues to catch fleeting glimpses of what he soon finds out may be a Grimm, a death omen. Nearly every time he has seen this apparition, he seems to have a near death experience. And now his Divination teacher is even predicting his death.

To make matters worse, Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban. Black was placed in the high-security wizard prison twelve years ago for the murder of thirteen Muggles and one wizard not long after the defeat of Voldemort. The clues all point to his return to Hogwarts where he intends to finish the job he started so many years ago: He's coming to kill Harry Potter.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is my second favorite book in the entire series, topped only by Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. J.K. Rowling never falters in her masterful storytelling. Her magic with words is equal in strength to the magic in the story, it draws you in from the first page to the last.

Walking along with Harry as he discovers more about his parents and more about himself is always a treat and this book is so riveting that you simply have to find out what happens next. Rowling brings back the characters you've already fallen in love with, only to make you love them even more and introduce even more wonderful people you won't soon forget.

This book was absolutely wonderful and I so enjoyed rereading it. I suggest it to anyone who wants a magical story, great characters, and a journey that will last with you long after you've finished the series itself.

Rating: ★★★★★

[Click here to see my reviews of book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, book 5:Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, book 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.]

"You say you remember him at Hogwarts, Rosmerta," murmured Professor McGonagall. "Do you remember who his best friend was?"
"Naturally," said Madam Rosmerta, with a small laugh. "Never saw one without the other, did you? The number of times I had them in here--ooh, they used to make me laugh. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter!"

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter, #2)

"It's our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."

[Click here to see my review of book 1: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone]

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the story of Harry's second year at Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After spending a terrible summer with the Dursley's, Harry is just about to return to school when a strange creature that calls himself Dobby shows up in his bedroom. Dobby warns Harry that terrible things are going to happen at school this year and he mustn't be there, because it would put his life in grave danger.

Harry, however, refuses to stay with his horrible family and dismisses Dobby's warning as a cruel joke played by someone who doesn't want him back. But things start going wrong from day one: Ron and Harry can't get onto the platform for the Hogwarts Express and have to find other means of getting to school. That's merely the beginning of it.

Then Harry starts hearing voices that no one else can and something starts attacking the Muggle-born students. No one is safe. A rumor about the Chamber of Secrets and Slytherin's heir passes through the student body quickly as fire. Can Harry find out who the Heir of Slytherin is and stop the monster that's attacking the students in the process? Can he protect his friends and convince people that he is not the heir?

Rowling draws us into the sequel to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone with the same eagerness and excitement that made the first book so wonderful. Once again, she manages to knock us off our feet with her masterful storytelling and her way of keeping us hooked from beginning to end.

Not only does she write wonderful characters that you get to grow with and learn to understand as if they were close friends, but the story itself is filled with twists and turns that one wouldn't have expected, yet would never question. When an author can have you coming back to the story time and time again, wanting to delve into it just once more, that's what makes a truly good book. And that's what J.K. Rowling has in this series of books. You'll always come back wanting more.

Rating: ★★★★☆

[Click here to see my reviews of book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, book 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, book 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.]

The ink shone brightly on the paper for a second and then, as though it was being sucked into the page, vanished. Excited, Harry loaded up his quill a second time and wrote, "My name is Harry Potter." 
The words shone momentarily on the page and they, too sank without a trace. Then, at last, something happened.
Oozing back out of the page, in his very own ink, came words that Harry had never written.