Book Review: Stormdancer

Stormdancer

Author: Jay Kristoff

Publish Date: Sept 2012

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

A DYING LAND
The Shima Imperium verges on the brink of environmental collapse; an island nation once rich in tradition and myth, now decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshipers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, the land is choked with toxic pollution, and the great spirit animals that once roamed its wilds have departed forever.

AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST
The hunters of Shima’s imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger—a legendary creature, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows the beasts have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death.

A SIXTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL
Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a talent that if discovered, would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her.

But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.

I want to thank St. Martin’s Press for allowing me the privilege of an ARC. ^_^ I am forever gratefully. (And as an added thought, the cover is GORGEOUS.)

Shima is a perfect steampunk dynasty. It was so vividly painted that it was more like watching a movie that reading a book. The words left nothing lacking in it’s tapestry. 

Yukiko is a beautiful girl. Not in physical beauty because the labor of the world has hidden that away, but in ideal. She cares for what others would abandon or turn a blind eye and that is one of her greatest strengths. She’s slightly naïve in the beginning; she understands yet doesn’t really understand the matters at play that move her world. Her growth is one of the best ever written. 

Buruu is special. He completes Yukiko. His reason, and sometimes lack thereof tempers her weaknesses and at times strengthens her as well. In the beginning Buruu didn’t need her and acted that way, but with all things, there’s a gradual understanding that grows into a beautiful love. 

The story is quick paced. There’s never a page where something isn’t happening that isn’t important to the story. Every word has meaning and it’s written so well, that the plot doesn’t lead the reader by the nose. It unfolds rather beautifully and smoothly. 

Overall, this book was superb. This was a perfect blend of history, mythology and steampunk ever experienced. There is certainly nothing like this and there’s no justifiable way to describe the perfection that is this unique story. A recommend read for all fantasy, YA, steampunk, Japanese, mythology readers. 

My Rating:

Book Review: Sam Cruz's Infallible Guide to Getting Girls

Sam Cruz’s Infallible Guide to Getting Girls

Author: Tellulah Darling

Publish Date: October 2012

Publisher: Te Da Media

Why the hell can’t chicks be more like guys?

That question plagues high school senior Sam Cruz. Sam is perfectly happy being a player. He just wishes girls wouldn’t change the game from sex to relationships. It makes him look like an asshole. But when Sam’s best friend, Ally Klinger, gets dumped, she begs him to transform her into someone who can screw around then screw off. No risk of heartbreak that way. It’s Sam’s chance to create the perfect female AND cheer up his best friend. Armed with Sam’s Three Step Guide to Backseat Success, Ally gets the game better than Sam thought she would and before long, Sam has his wish: the female version of himself. Too bad it’s driving him nuts. Told from Sam’s and Ally's alternating POVs, Sam Cruz’s Infallible Guide to Getting Girls is a fast-paced romantic comedy that follows these teens as they navigate the minefield of sex, love, and friendship.

This book contains strong language, drinking, euphemisms, and lots of “bow chicka wow wow."

It’s been a while since I’ve read a contemporary book. I’ve been craving one so badly and while perusing NetGalley saw this. I’m SO happy I found this. 

Sam is a typical high school boy. Hormones and all. He’s unapologetically a player. He has a set of rules and he follows them. For the most part. He’s not a bad boy, he doesn’t go out and do things on the wrong side of the law or anything in that vein. He’s just got a really bad itch and he scratches it. Frequently. The only thing he cares deeply for is his friendship with Ally. 

Ally is a good girl. She’s smart, almost too smart, and often really hard on herself. More than likely this stems from a requirement of today’s society (and some of Sam’s influence too). She’s smart so she can’t be pretty. Or so she thinks until Sam gives her a hand. And then she’s pretty but than acts like she isn’t smart, for reasons still confusing but plausible. 

I really enjoyed reading this. The story splits personality between Sam and Ally. Every other chapter respectively. It’s not something I enjoy usually in a book, but it’s almost required for this one. It wouldn’t be the great read it is without the insight we get from being in the minds of both characters. The dialogue is fun and quirky and so natural to the characters that it’s super easy to get lost and immersed into the story. This one certainly takes the cake for me, and I would say should for anyone that loves a good love story. 

My Rating:

Book Review: Demon Catchers of Milan

Demon Catchers of Milan

Author: Kat Beyer

Publish Date: August 28, 2012

Publisher: Egmont USA

Mia's ordinary life is disrupted in the most horrifying way possible when she is possessed by a hungry and powerful demon--and only saved by the arrival of relatives from Italy, the country her grandfather fled many decades ago. Now her cousins Emilio and Giuliano say the only way to keep her safe is for her to come back with them to Milan, to live, to learn Italian, to fall in and out of love, and to master the family trade: fighting all demons with the lore of bell, book, and candle. Milan is not what Mia expected, but it will change her forever, in this stunningly well-written novel about an American girl who, fleeing an ancient evil, finds her only salvation in her ancestral home.

I’m not entirely sure where to begin with this. I got sucked in from the first page and couldn’t put it down until it was done. Kat Beyer is a powerful story teller and I’m very happy to have been allowed an advanced read. 

Milan is beautiful and very old. It’s age is emphasized in Mia’s ancestral home, in their work, even in the holidays that they celebrate. When nothing else is familiar the age of the city is a comfort in a way I hadn’t thought was possible. 

Mia is a great character. She’s willing to learn and push herself beyond what she thinks she is capable of. She’s actually capable of many great things but her self esteem feels on the low side and her confusion (or ignorance) of her Italian family only provokes her into learning. She’s not perfect, she’s far from it, and her family is certainly not perfect, but it’s family and the reader can definitely feel the love even when it’s not expressed. 

There is no love triangle in this book, for which I am super happy about. This isn’t about love. This is about finding oneself and understanding what that is. This is about being open to new things and not closed minded. There is so much OTHER stuff this book touches on that the brief encounter with flirtation/infatuation seems almost out of place. Sort of like, really Mia, is that really important right now? However, with Mia’s background, it’s also very naturally done and there’s no WTF moment so much as a moment of disappointment in the character’s behavior. It’s not a surprise she did it, it’s a disappointment she didn’t think things through. 

Overall this is a great book. It’s in no way predictable and the story is beautifully laid out. I recommend this for all YA lovers of the paranormal persuasion and some of the not. It’s about demons yes, but in a very realistic portrayal of exorcism and church. This could fall under paranormal or depending on a person’s beliefs not. 

My Rating:

Book Review: First Date

First Date

Author: Krista McGee

Publish Date: January 2012

Publisher: Thomas Nelson Publishers

Addy Davidson discovers God's unexpected plans for her life when a reality TV show turns her quiet existence on its head.

The orphaned daughter of missionaries, Addy is quite content to stay in the shadows and never draw attention to herself. But when she's selected for a reality TV show to try to become the President son's prom date-a show she didn't audition for-she's suddenly in America's spotlight.

The lights, the make-up, the competitions, and the blogs discussing every move she makes all make Addy incredibly uncomfortable. But through her time at The Mansion, Addy comes to realize that first impressions aren't always right, that hiding out may not be what God had planned for her life, and that her faith should affect everything she does. It may just be that her selection wasn't random at all and that she's on this show "for such a time as this." (Goodreads)

Personally, I’m not fond of reality TV.  I get enough of life’s drama without watching it on my TV, so I wasn’t entirely taken by the idea of a reality TV type book.  How interesting could it actually be in a book?

Addy is our normal everyday girl.  She has a deep love for her family and an admirable commitment to her friends.  I thought her to be just a little bland.  Yes, she got angry, and yes she cried and all that jazz, but it felt flat.  It didn’t feel genuine.   

Jonathan felt a bit more whole than Addy did.  Though he wasn’t prominent, it was more Addy’s interactions with everyone else, when he did have a role it had more pizzazz in it than some of the encounters with Addy.

The story isn’t a bad one. It’s a bit lack luster but I think the point of it was clear.  I certainly understood the underlying meaning presented.  The story does move from point A to point B without any huge glitches or filler space. It’s not a faced paced read but it is a steady pleasant one. 

My Rating:

 

Book Review: Touch of Power

Touch of Power

Author: Maria V. Snyder

Publish Date: December 2011

Publisher:  Harlequin Teen

Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.

Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life.... (From Goodreads)

This is the first book I’ve read by Maria V. Snyder.  I had intended on picking up the others but something or another always came up and I haven’t yet had the opportunity to read them.  Thereof I was completely void and had no expectations other than an intriguing story when I began reading. 

I love the created world. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. I would love to live here though. Even in the population bare of the kingdoms. The world is so creative I get the impression of something Final Fantasy esk. It’s got its swords and daggers, but then it’s modern labs and studies. And Lilies are my favorite flowers. ^_~

The characters are equally creative. Avry is what every doctor should be.  Friendly, nice, caring, and not above learning something new. Her fears are very real as well, and while she’s apathetic about some things, in understanding her background as the book progresses it’s clear to understand why. There are some things that just can’t be avoided and she deals with them in stride. 

Her counterpart is Kerrick.  He is her opposite but not opposite in many ways.  While not as apathetic as she seems to be; he’s just as stubborn and hard headed as well. He’s also charming and caring when he allows himself to be. It’s interesting to read the conflicts caused by their personalities. 

The story is fast paced. There is never nothing happening. Most of it is caused by Avry herself, although there are a few situations that are caused by sheer stubbornness on Kerriks’ part. I loved reading it. The banter was clever and very often sarcastic, but then most stubborn, apathetic people are. It’s their take on life. 

The great story progression is emphasized by the great character relationships. There’s no instant “OMG I love you” romance that can be so tedious in teen romance.  There’s not instant hate to love either. It’s a gradual progression of hate to wariness to tentative friendship to love that’s so natural there’s no scoffing at the unrealistic-ness of it.

Overall this was a great read. I sat in one sitting and read from start to finish. I also growled at everyone that interrupted me and finally ended up locking myself in my bedroom to read in peace. ^_^ It’s an absolutely fabulous book with an absolutely fabulous world and set of characters. It’s definitely a must read.  I wasn’t disappointed in the least and I am ecstatically looking forward to the next book.

My Rating:

Galley Book Review: Seers

Seers

Author: Heather Frost

Publish Date: October 2011

Publisher: Cedar Fort

For Kate Bennet, surviving the car wreck that killed her parents means big changes and even bigger problems. As she begins to see auras and invisible people, Kate must learn to trust Patrick O'Donnell, a handsome Guardian, or risk her life being overrun with Demons. She soon realizes that both she and her heart are in big-time trouble. (From Goodreads)

Originally, it was the book cover that caught attention. Then the synopsis. It’s a terrible thing to judge a book by its cover but frankly with all the books out there; there needs to be a reason it stands out from the others on the shelf. The synopsis provides a fresh idea to a story. It’s not vampires or ghost or angels… well not quite. It’s auras and Guardians instead. 

The characters are unique in themselves. Patrick is a gorgeous Irishman and Kate is a standard blond. Both have had major losses in life (in Patrick’s case death too) and both are unusually strong about putting up appearances that everything’s okay. While strong characters are a necessity, a few more realistic weaknesses would have been nice.

The plot is original. It doesn’t follow any of the standard cadences of a lot of today’s books. At the same time there isn’t anything stunning unique about it – typical boy meets girl type thing and it feels like you’ve read that dance someone else before. It could be a lot stronger.

Overall it isn’t a bad book. It’s a very easy read, and in the franchise of boy meets girl books it’s pretty typical if you like that sort of thing. While I’m not interested in reading it again, I would probably recommend it to friends that need something easy, light and fluffy to read. 

My Rating: 

Touya

Galley Book Review: Ashes

Ashes: Ashes Trilogy 1

Author: Isla J. Bick

Publish Date: September 2011

Publisher: EgmontUSA

It could happen tomorrow...

A cataclysmic event. An army of "The Changed."
Can one teen really survive on her own?

An electromagnetic pulse sweeps through the sky, destroying every electronic device and killing billions. For those spared, it's a question of who can be trusted and who is no longer human...

Desperate to find out what happened and to avoid the Changed, Alex meets up with Tom---a young army veteran---and Ellie, a young girl whose grandfather was killed by the electromagnetic pulse.

This improvised family will have to use every ounce of courage they have just to survive.

We all know the end of the world is coming. That’s no real shocker there, it’s the how and the when that we’re still trying to determine. Ashes provides us with one of the possibilities… and quick frankly one of the scarier realistic possibilities.  Everyone says the zombie apocalypse is coming, I don’t think anyone imagined it like this. 

The story follows Alex, who is already struggling with a brain tumor and her own impending death. However, the EMP changes something within her and life changes all over again for her. Alex is left struggling to survive not only for herself but for eight year old Ellie, whom is doubly difficult as any normal eight year old and Tom, whom as an ex soldier does a lot of protecting back. Her special gifts give her an extra edge but I’m not sure it’s enough. 

The story is well written and grabbing. It’s difficult to stop reading and the chapters are short enough that one more chapter before bed turned into five more chapters before bed. It’s fast paced but not so fast details are lost or the reader feels rushed. 

The characters are relate-able. Or most of them are anyway as the jury is still out on Jess and Chris. Alex has a slew of problems that the reader can’t help but feel connected and want everything to be okay for her. Tom was a comfort with his knowledge and conscious. Sassy mouthed kids are adorable and a pain and there isn’t one better then Ellie. 

As the first book in the series it provides a lot of ground work for the following books. The cliffhanger ending was unappreciated, but it felt like it had to be done, or the book would go on another hundreds of pages. While it had some holes, they’ll probably be filled in with the books to come so there isn’t much the book hasn’t provided. Overall, it was an enjoyable read.

My Rating:

Touya