Adventures of a Book Wyrm

The False Princess by Eilis O’Neal

firebooks — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:51:52 +0000

I slept a maximum of four glorious hours last night. That was knowing that today I would come to my internship from 9-1 and then have a gap before going to my other job from 6-11. Now why would I sleep so little when I knew I had a long day ahead? Last night around 11:30pm I asked when we were going to bed and he said he might read so I picked a new book to start. I did try to fall asleep at some point but it didn’t work the book was too present in my brain so I snuck off to read a little more and finished it around 4:30am. I suppose that is part of the danger of reading things directed at young people (this one is supposedly 12 and up but personally I always fall into an and up category) because I know I can usually finish them and still sleep at least some. How can I recommend a book more than saying I read it even when I needed the sleep most desperately?

Congratulations to the blurb writers. You intrigued me without giving away too much. Often of late I feel like I’m given the whole book so I can decide if I like the whole idea or I’m given the movie trailer version chopped together in a way that makes it a completely different story from the actual book. You did not mislead or spoil! So in turn I will attempt not to spoil. I’ll admit I was caught even by the concept as presented in the title. Nalia is princess of Thorvaldor or so she thought but actually she is Sidna, a commoner who replaced the princess to protect her from a threat on her life. Now it is time for the princess to return and Sidna has to relearn how to live. When Sidna reached her aunt’s I suddenly realized that I had no idea what was going to happen next (an excellent feeling in case you were wondering). Sidna has been torn away from everything she has ever known and you might think that would be enough twists for one young woman’s life but it does not stop there. The twists and turns just keep coming.

I suppose for a moment I will return to the recommended age 12 and up, which is interesting because the protagonist is 16 and a lot of times the range tends to center around the protagonist age. I think protagonist determining recommended reading age has always been silly. In this case I think part of the reason is that the story is interesting but not complex. I believe readers younger than 12 could follow the story but not all of them appreciate kissing yet. Kiernan and the others are likeable and imperfect but I would not call them round or dynamic. I sniffed a bit near the end but more developed characters easily have me bawling. Honestly though she was consistent and it was good enough that 12 and up could read it and be interested. I mean really once again it kept this 24-year-old up into the wee hours, though I also have a weakness for instant gratification. This one goes in the keep pile and I will be keeping an eye on Eilis O’Neal (First name pronounced A-lish if you were wondering).

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente

firebooks — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 03:26:24 +0000

Recommended age 0 to infinity. As soon as I set this book down I began thinking about who I could give it to (I’ve been weeding heavily lately) and the people on the list ranged from male to female, age 9 to age 56, mothers to children to fellow writers. Though this is one I will keep only to be loaned to the most trustworthy of souls. Honestly I’m not sure of anyone I wouldn’t recommend this book to. Even my discriminating man appreciated the bits I couldn’t help but read aloud to him. Often times you hear all these rules about judging books based on the number of words you don’t know, but I have always loved books where I have to guess at words (though nowadays I tend to cheat and have the iPod ready). This book uses words I didn’t even know but the point is neither does September. How would a twelve year old from World War II era Omaha be fully versed in the mythologies and folklore of the world? Understanding is not necessary but curiosity is natural and what is wrong with a book that sends a child to the Encyclopedia now and then?

Onto the story: the Green Wind comes and whisks September out of her window and to Fairyland. Though he cannot come with her and Fairyland is not exactly a happy place right now. The Marquess has brought laws and taxes and regulations down hard upon the heads of everyone. So September sets off to retrieve a Witch’s spoon and she is accompanies by a literally and figuratively colorful cast of characters. The language is beautiful. I think it is excellent for read alouds.

On a funny side note I have read something by Valente, but it must have been before I started the blog. Palimpsest, which is about as far as you can get from a book for children. Honestly I laughed as hard I could when I went to her website and saw it there.

I might be curious to read her adult work and I will also be curious to see if she write children’s again.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

firebooks — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:59:38 +0000

I have a disease, a book disease. Another one devoured in one sitting. Though I probably needed kleenex. A friend said this book isn’t as good – maybe it is the sleep deprivation and stress of exams, but I thought this was just as good. Though I suppose it’s a very different book. District 13 is not a place I would like to call home, any more than 12. Coin is almost as frightening as Snow. The final moment with Coin; I felt it coming in the breath before. I love Boggs. I definitely think Peeta is meant to be especially once you see how Gale reacts to hostile stimuli. I like Gale and I bet there are people that think they should be together, but I think the reasoning at the end is a good analysis of their personalities. There are so many deaths that tear at you. When I look at specific amounts of time spent on supporting characters I don’t feel like I should know them that well, but I suppose that it is Katniss’s pure emotions for them that tell you about them, not filler conversations. I think it’s funny that I can love a book and easily run out of things to say. I will watch the movies… and I will read Gregor the Overlander…

This is the third book in the Hunger Games series.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

firebooks — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:58:53 +0000

Note to self: don’t underestimate Suzanne Collins. I couldn’t quite figure out how we were going to get to revolution so fast. I think in my head revolutions take years, but that is primarily the build up under the surface. Countries fall quickly in the end. So I can see how it will be possible to get it all wrapped up with a bow on top. I hadn’t read anything about this book so I was pretty surprised. The Gale versus Peeta issues were what I expected though still better handled than I expected. There were things I predicted slightly, the reentry into the arena and how things went into the arena but Collins keeps me unsure more than most. Even when I suspect something for chapters I still get doubts when Katniss gets doubts. I love her titles too, I suppose it goes with the fact that it is all thematically consistent – fire and coal, mocking jays. The fact that as victors they can even make the people of the capital see. Oh and there was crying for Cinna, for Darius, for Gale. The technology still overwhelms me a bit, but I love it. It’s almost fantastic, because it is all secrets though Beetee is an interesting introduction. The lies about the rebellion were hard. It’s funny I say a lot of hints made me wonder, but the one I was mostly sure of was the watch and it took forever to reveal. Though I like Katniss didn’t get the hint about Midnight. I know I’m rambling and wandering, but the truest review is this: I accidentally sat down and read it in one sitting.

This is the second book in the Hunger Games series.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

firebooks — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:25:52 +0000

This has been on the to read pile for a long time. It’s one that everyone knows I will love it has just taken me a while to get to. On November 21st when I posted that I finally started, my best friend from middle school who I haven’t seen in over a decade said “I thought for sure you would have read these by now. I just heard about them myself, and I was disappointed in my own lateness. For shame, Ms. Jobe.” I love that it’s been so long but at the core we are still a bunch of nerds. We still read the same books. We’re still those kid who wrote stories when we should be taking notes. I know we both still write.

I was hooked within pages. I laughed. I cried. I grinned. I felt what Katniss felt. I felt protective of Prim. I adored Rue. Usually if there are two boys I have a strong gut reaction, but I’ll admit I’m just as torn between Gale and Peeta as she is. It gives me the sense that at this point probably even Collins didn’t really know. The technology is fantastic. I love the mockingjay history and presence. The mutts terrified me. I’m sure that will be elaborated on later. The interesting support team. I am absolutely enthralled. I might need to have Ben take the next two books and hide them so I don’t start them before I get my work done.

The upcoming movie. When I love a book this much movies scare me. The excite me but I have been burned in the past. This movie is even more interesting because part of it was filmed in my home town so really I’m going to watch it no matter what so that I can poke Ben in the ribs everytime a familiar place comes up. The core aspect of this book that gives me misgivings about it being turned into a movie is actually one that comes up a lot with book to movie adaptations for me: the internal dialogue of the protagonist. All those conversations she has with herself about what Haymitch wants her to do, especially later in the game when Peeta is around, I can’t seem to see how they are going to pull that off and still give her the same depth of character.

I don’t know why I’m worried about spoilers, most people have read it by now. So I suppose if you haven’t read it don’t read past this. I went into this expecting the beginnings of the revolution and they were there in the things her and Gale said before. They were there in the things Peeta said on the roof. When she got it, after Rue. I cried as soon as Rue was hurt with the flowers I was almost sobbing, actually I think I peaked when the bread came. I kept wondering if it would start early enough for some of the others to survive, but I suppose I knew security was too high. I still can’t imagine how they can fight back, but it is hard to get an idea of the numbers of people in the districts versus the capital versus the Avox. The genetic alterations were an interesting twist from the beginning but the mutations was something that definitely threw me for a loop. Cato’s death was definitely the most gruesome. I expected that they would revoke the two being able to win, but I was stumped as to how both were going to survive. The berries impressed me greatly, pure genius and an excellent set up. I loved the fire theme for the outfits, I’ll admit I can’t wait to see the movie versions. I wish I could remember what all was filmed in Shelby. As for the next book I’m super excited because she didn’t set it up too much. I still expect revolution, but I don’t know how it will start or even who all our allies will be. I like both Peeta and Gale, though I look forward to getting to know Gale more. I don’t go in for this teams stuff.

This is the first book in the Hunger Games series.

The Aviary by Kathleen O’Dell

firebooks — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 18:35:50 +0000

It makes me sad that it has taken me this long to start reading these. I suppose it isn’t important to read them before publication date but I wish I had been able to. I have so many books I don’t think I’ll ever get to them. Though many are a nice variety from what I usually seek out. This one for example from the description I would not normally pick it up. To a friend I described it as “historical mystery with a dash of magic.” Okay the fact the mansion belonged to a magician hints at that dash, but he could just be a regular magician. This is why genres drive me crazy. They don’t want to market this as fantasy so we just ignore the magical aspect and market it as a “mystery-adventure.” Sure I’m a fantasy nerd but say there was a cataloguing term for dash of magic I would look for it constantly. I was raised on those books. I love a fully created fantasy world but something like this is even more enchanting. This is the kind of book that makes a young person wonder if maybe magic could be possible if you just found the right kind. Alright so the Glendoveer mansion as previously referenced Mr. George Glendoveer was a magician and illusionist. Now his mansion houses his widow, the cook, the housekeeper, and Clara. And of course the birds. The birds are the ones who set eleven-year-old Clara on the path to solving they mystery haunting the house. I was comparing Clara to my usual heroines. Usually I read the brave and daring adventurers but I suppose Clara is just on a different scale. Alright so the thing I sometimes like about ARCs is it’s easier to discuss the age thing because they usually print their target audience, here being 8-12. I hate ranges honestly. I was reading things before I fell in their range and obviously I’m reading them well after but anyway. From the cover this looks like a pretty scary book. There are some spooky moments but it ends quite happily. I’m sure the cover will terrify some mother somewhere but as long as she pays attention to whats inside she should be impressed. I do think the cover does something amazing. I kept looking at it and forgetting it was a kids book, and yet it still looks like a younger age group. Anyone could hold this without getting funny looks, or so I think. I greatly enjoyed it but it might end up in the pass on pile because I need shelf space.

Scheduled Release Date: 9-13-2011 ARC from ALA Annual Conference

The Dragon’s Tooth by N. D. Wilson

firebooks — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 04:13:10 +0000

Yes, yes, yes and yes. Next semester especially I should have time to read, after they’ve all come out of course but I’m glad this one was on the top of my list. Why was it on the top? Well I’d heard about the 100 Cupboards books and was curious. The title and this amazing cover that becomes eve more amazing when you realize just how accurate it is. Aaron Becker props to you. There are so many things that are simply amazing in this book. I’ll admit Antigone does drive me a little nutty sometimes especially early on, but I am definitely warming up to her. A lot of times the 12 year old boy characters just don’t strike right, but Cyrus held me to the end. Wilson has woven an intricate mix of history, mythology and his own breed of magic that absolutely floors me. The ones that struck me giddy when I caught on were the references to Treasure Island. There were others too but much of it is done in such a way that it is like the tickle in the back of your brain when you see a familiar face but can’t recall the name, like the whiff of a smell from your childhood. I know there are tons of references I missed and that I could spend hours trying to track them all down. See I have this issue when I really really love a book. I sit here staring at the screen because I can’t decide what to talk about: interesting steampunk style magical weapons, tiny immortal snakes, animal and human hybrids, lightening bugs (fireflies), magic keys and that is just scratching the surface. I don’t say this often but this is definitely goes in a MUST READ category. I suppose it’s too early to preorder the next one, huh?

Scheduled Release Date: 8-23-2011 ARC from ALA Annual Conference

This is the first book in the Ashtown Burials series.

The Inquisitor’s Apprentice by Chris Moriarty

firebooks — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 03:59:20 +0000

So the scheduled release date for this is October 4, 2011! You know what that means I have finally dived into my ARC pile from ALA, which is terribly exciting but also terrible news for my homework. It is set in turn of the century (circa 1900) New York but not exactly the one we learned about in school. This world is filled with magic. Sasha’s life as a thirteen year old Jewish boy with parents who immigrated from Russia living in tenements with the whole family squeezed into one room of a two room apartment trying to squeeze out a living from the terrible factories. Then Sash realizes he can see magic and he becomes apprenticed to the most prominent Inquisitor, Maximillian Wolf. Sasha is then thrown into a whole side of New York that he never knew before.

The first few pages I definitely had an “eek! Yiddish!” moment but after that brief immersion moment I was relieved to find that Moriarty only used the words where their meaning could be understood in context. There are also a range of historical references to people and places with many of them slightly changed. I think this showed me just how much time Moriarty spent thinking about this alternate history. No, the kids reading it probably won’t get all the references but I was about this age when I learned about this period and even this many years later I kind of felt like I was in on a secret when I suddenly made the connection. Obviously the concept had intrigued me that this was the first ARC I picked up. I’ve always wanted to see more magical historical fiction that wasn’t just a tiny slip of superstitions being true. Thus that part alone had me definitely excited. I don’t know if I’ve ever read a book with a Jewish protagonist before other than The Devil’s Arithmetic. It’s a lot to introduce a alternate but realistic history, an integrated magical system and a religion that is only vaguely familiar to many readers but she pulls it off impressively. Also there were definitely hints or more accurately references to a sequel. It seemed as if there is little doubt. To me this book seems like an excellent way to encourage a historical fiction reader towards fantasy or vice versa. I was definitely impressed.

Scheduled Release Date: 10-4-2011 ARC from ALA Annual Conference

This is the first book in the NYPD Inquisitor series.

The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause

firebooks — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 11:13:40 +0000

So, yeah. I have this edition with two short stories. The first story takes place before about Simon making friends with a cat. The second story is supposedly about Zoe but really it is about Simon’s cat coming back as a ghost and climbing into a painting. I think this already begins to communicate how I felt about this book. Now I can understand that in 1990 this filled a hole in YA lit. I can also understand that there are still people who eat this up, but that does not include me. So Zoe’s mother is dying of cancer and her best friend is moving away and she feels very alone. That is until she connects with a vampire by the name of Simon. Simon is hunting another vampire, one that enjoys the kill instead of being like Simon who tries to leave those he feeds on alive. The revenge story line is actually a side note. I would say the primary action is about Zoe learning to cope with the fact that her mother is dying, but really though death is the connection point for her and Simon they spend most of their time kissing. They do talk about death some, but even the ending sugar coats what should be a fairly painful death. I won’t spoil whose death I am referring too because the author did for me. Yep, in the introduction she tells you how the book ends because apparently it is perfectly safe to assume that the only people who will read your book are those that have read it before. Wrap your head around that one people. So note: DON’T READ THE INTRODUCTION UNTIL AFTER, because yep that is totally what introductions are for.

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

firebooks — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 05:28:09 +0000

First things first I do think this one got talked up a bit much. It was good, but I didn’t feel quite as wowed as I expected to be. Don’t get me wrong it is very good. I’ve just heard too much about it. Alot of times having to keep up with the dates for things can be confusing but this is sequential enough that you never lose your place it just helps you get an overall sense of the pace of things personally and historically. I absolutely love the use of the quotes from actual historical documents, how they are picked to reflect what is currently happening. They are enough to give the historical flavor without being distracting. Isabel is a fierce young woman. I love the portrayal of people like Lady Seymour and Colonel Regan who mean well but aren’t willing to go all the way. In so many portrayals of slavery there are only 2 types of white people, those who love slavery and those who are completely against it, but like everything else in reality it was much more of a spectrum much like the citizens of New York unable to decide if they are Patriots or Loyalists. That doesn’t make the slavery any less wrong but it is a much more realistic portrayal than you usually see. Okay I understand that the world is unfairly biased against the series as far as things like best seller lists, etc. However are we really ever going to change that if novels like this insist on keeping people in the dark about a planned trilogy. Then it is hard to even find reference to them as a trilogy but rather there is going to be a “follow up” (I know Forge is out now I’m just looking at how it was). Maybe that is why people are refusing to name the series anymore and I am left avoiding terrible sentences like Chains is the first book in the Chains set of follow ups.

Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction 2009

This is the first book of the Chains trilogy.