Book Review: Mystic City

Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city—including herself. Quoted from Goodreads

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As an idea, this book is utterly and completely amazing.  It has mystery, forbidden love, memory loss, conspiracy, magic, intrigue, and suspense.   As an idea, it totally delivered. It's half Romeo and Juliette meets The Vow set in a futuristic New York, with a few Godfather allusions, haves vs. have nots, and dystopia/sci-fi setting. What more could you want?

The setting was really fun. Basically if you have money, you live at the tops of skyscrapers and never, ever go below to "the Depths," or street level.  Because of Global Warming, the ocean has risen, turning New York into a sort of sweltering Venice, burying most of the streets under water. Plus, there's magic.  Instead of everything running off electricity, mystics are drained of their power and it is used to run the city. I love New York, and while this city is vastly different from New York today, the places are all still there, but oh so different, and I liked getting a new view on what could happen. 

I liked Aria.  I thought she was a brave and handled a bad situation well. She didn't accept her memory loss lying down, yet she didn't push things to the point of stupidity. I also really liked Hunter.  On the outside he is everything she isn't, mysterious, poor, mystic, rebel, etc., yet they are cute together, and you can see why they would fall in love. They are the perfect representatives for their different classes, so it makes their romance all the sweeter because it hi-lights the distance between their respective worlds.

Now nothing would be complete without obstacles.  Number 1, Aria's memory loss.  Most of what she does in this book is to discover exactly what she lost. Beyond that, we have political maneuverings, mob antics, and an unequal city about to explode with political unrest.  Aria has to decide which side she is on, and whether her loyalty to family can trump her own political leanings.

So what am I rating this book?  Honestly, 3 to 3.5 stars.  Like I said, all the ideas in this book are excellent.  There is suspense, heartbreak, intrigue, wonderful setting, and swoon-worthy romance. But. Yes, there it is.  But.  While all the ideas in this book are amazing, some of the execution fell a little flat for me. 

The villains are all one dimensional and utterly unlikable. You wouldn't think the unlikable thing would hurt the book, and I won't give too much away, but because they were so despicable, their betrayal lacked the punch it could have delivered.  They never gave Aria a reason to "join the dark side" as it were, so there was no internal struggle for Aria to face. Despite the mystery, everything was a bit too black and white.

My other problem was the predictability.  It was a fun ride, but the answers to all her questions were obvious long before she figured them out.  There was one, small twist that came as a bit of surprise, but all the big ones? Yeah, I saw those coming from the beginning.

All in all, this book is a light, fun read.  Like I said, the ideas behind it are fabulous, and the main characters are sympathetic. There are some great actions scenes, and I loved discovering the world Theo Lawrence created. I just wish a few things had been set up a little differently, the writing had been a little bit deeper, and the mystery less transparent.

Flashback Friday: The Fairy Rebel

The Fairy Queen strictly forbids fairies from using their magic power on humans. But after Tiki accidentally meets Jan, a woman who is desperate for a baby daughter, she finds it impossible to resist fulfilling her wish. Now up against the dark and vicious power of evil, this fairy rebel must face the Queen’s fury with frightening and possibly fatal results. Quoted from Goodreads

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I realize this book is for younger readers, but it's Flashback Friday, so I get to review this and not feel guilty because it's a younger book.  I think I first read it in third grade and immediately loved it, then read it again a few years later and still loved it, and again in high school. I think.  It's short enough that  it doesn't take long and it's a sweet little story.

This book is sort of a modern throwback to the old fairy tales where fairies flit around flowers and grant wishes. The summary talks about Tiki like she's the main character, and in a way she is, but the book is never told from her point of view (at least that I remember). First we get Jan's point of view, a poor, injured actress who wants to have a baby more than anything, but she can't.  In comes the lovely and slightly crazy Tiki, granting her heart's desire.  

Okay, so she's like a fairy godmother or  something?  Kind of, but not really.  Tiki is hilarious. She's obsessed with clothing (especially pants), has a hard time saving magic, is a bit chubby, and is looking more for another friend than helping someone as a sort of calling.  

The second half of the book is told more from Bindi's point of view, Jan's daughter, who is almost completely normal, but with a bunch of magical blue fairy hairs in a clump on her head, sort of her fairy legacy. Both are fun points of view, but it's Tiki's story that the reader focuses on, sort of a "call me Ishmael" deal where we all know the real star of the book is Captain Ahab. It works for the story because we, as the reader, still get to feel the wonder of discoverly fairies and the glimps we get of their world.  

Of course, every story nees a villain, and the Fairy Queen is excellent. Besides conspiring with humans (going so far as to grant one a baby), Tiki also falls in love with her best friend Wijic (don't you just love that name. It's so utterly other and yet simple at the same time.) which is expressly forbidden. Loving anyone but the queen is illegal.

 I love the inclusion of wasps as the queen's minions because honestly, does anyone like wasps? Bees, yes.  I think most people support bees, but not wasps.  Never wasps. They creep me out, so it's easy to imagine how terrifying they would be to creatures roughly the same size as they are.

This is a fun, quirky book that should be a part of everyone's childhood. I give it a lovely 4.5 stars. Enjoy.

Book Review: The Paladin Prophecy

Will West is careful to live life under the radar. At his parents' insistence, he's made sure to get mediocre grades and to stay in the middle of the pack on his cross-country team. Then Will slips up, accidentally scoring off the charts on a nationwide exam.

Now Will is being courted by an exclusive prep school . . . and is being followed by men driving black sedans. When Will suddenly loses his parents, he must flee to the school. There he begins to explore all that he's capable of--physical and mental feats that should be impossible--and learns that his abilities are connected to a struggle between titanic forces that has lasted for millennia.

Co-creator of the groundbreaking television series Twin Peaks, Mark Frost brings his unique vision to this sophisticated adventure, which combines mystery, heart-pounding action, and the supernatural. Quoted from Goodreads

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So you've all read Mark of Athena (and you have all read it, right?).  Now the ending is making you a little crazy, and you don't know how to wait an entire year for the sequel or quite what you'll do until then.  No worries, for I have the answer to at least one of these problems: The Paladin Prophecy.  Adventure?  Check. New mythology? Check.  Smart, brave hero? Check. Plucky side-kicks? Check. Mystery? Check.

First off, there's Will, and I love him.  Here's the thing, just by naming a character that, you have my attention.  What can I say, I love the name.  Beyond that, though, Will is smart, cocky, and confident--maybe a little bit like Tony Stark without the money or Sherlock Holms only he's better with girls.  I love main characters like this, characters who take charge of their situation, aren't perfect, but aren't so flawed you want to smack them upside the head.

Then there's the mystery.  Why did Will's parents tell him to remain middle-of-the-road when he's clearly better than that?  Who are the black caps? What's up with his mother? What is the Paladin Prophecy?  Where are his powers coming from? Who can Will trust?  Who's the random stranger that keeps saving his life?  The questions go on and on, and as soon as you figure out one, another one takes it's place, forcing you to keep reading.

Another refreshing aspect is Will's friendship with his parents. They're such good friends, in fact, whenever he encounters a new situation, his Dad's rules or sayings pop into his head.  I like those sayings.  Honestly, they're kind of a cool plot device, and I wouldn't mind owning a list and stealing a couple for myself.

I don't want to give too much away, but this is a great book.  If you're looking for another fun adventure with a hodgepodge of different tropes (angels, knights, super-powers, special school, demons, secret societies, ultra advanced technology, other dimensions, good vs. evil, monsters, kidnapping, body-snatching, mind control, etc.) this is the book for you.  I give it a mysterious four stars. It's a smart book that kept me reading until the end.  Alas the next book doesn't come out for a good while.

Okay, so I realize that I've probably over sold the book, and I don't want you not to love it because you expect too much, so I'm warning you, it's not perfect.  I found Will's relationship with Nando  and the things that man was willing to do kind of pushing it. Also, Will is remarkably good at being noticed when he's spent his whole life trying to blend in.  He made the switch kind of fast for me.  Despite these minor problems, this book is a fantastic ride you should absolutely board.

Now, in honor of Theater Thursday, which again, I didn't really do, here is the book trailer.  It's one of the best ones I've seen recently and would be kind of awesome if it were turned into a movie.  If you like Percy Jackson or Artemis Fowl,  I defy you to watch this trailer and not immediately rush out to read this book.

Book Review: Poison Princess

Okay, sorry about not posting for the past couple of days (well, Monday wasn't mine, but there was also a good reason for that).  Here's the thing, I knew what book I wanted to review.  I finished it Monday night, just perfect for reviewing on Tuesday, but . . . Yes, but.  I'm still not sure how I feel about this book.  There were parts of it I really liked and parts of it that weren't really my cup of tea.  I thought an extra day would help, but I'm still figuring out where I stand on this. I even went so far as to read other reviews to see if anyone captured exactly how I felt, but no dice.  Most people were big fans of Kresley Cole and reviewed it from that standpoint which didn't help me at all.

So without further ado, here's my review, and if it's a bit disjointed, I'm sorry, but that sort of reflects my thoughts for the moment.

She could save the world—or destroy it.

Sixteen year old Evangeline “Evie” Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they’re still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can’t do either alone.

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can’t totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it’s not always clear who is on which side . . .  Quoted from Goodreads

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So first thought in my jumbled brain: the cover is beautiful.  Seriously, that is what drew me to this book in the first place, well that and Maria V. Snyder's Poison Study.  Not that this book is like Poison Study at all, because it's not, but that's what the title made me think of, so beautiful cover + great title association = I was absolutely going to read this book.  Plus, the synopsis sounded fun.  22 teens with powers based on tarot cards sounds pretty original; add a post-apocaliptic setting, and I'm sold.

So what's the problem, you ask.  Well, first there's the crazy.  I am not a big fan of my main characters thinking they're crazy, and that's how Evie spent the first 100 pages of this book. Yes, it shows that Evie has been through a lot with her emerging powers, but after the Flash (that event that turns Evie's hum-drum world of privilege and high school parties into the terrifying--and much more interesting--setting of the rest of the book) is when the book really starts to pick up. Don't get me wrong, I like the contrast between then and now, and the crazy does add tension, but it took me a couple of days to wade through those first 100 pages to the Flash.  Then things got taken to the next level, and I couldn't put the book down.

My second issue was Jack.  Half the time I love him. He is flawed, moody, strong, and interesting all at the same time. And Cajun, which is just fun. Plus, his background makes his amazing survival skills absolutely believable.  But every once in a while he would do or say something that would drive me crazy (and not good-crazy).  Then I would rethink my entire love of the character.  

Contrasting with these problems, there are moments of brilliance, which is what makes it so hard to write the review.  First, the opening chapter.  Absolutely creepy in a good way.  I love the whole "open in a moment of peril and then see what brings the character to that point" device, and Kresley Cole absolutely nailed that first chapter for me.   Then there's her writing. You know the woman can write (I mean, she has like 20 books out), and she is good at sucking you into her world and her characters. Honestly, you can tell this is her first YA book, and just a heads up, it is absolutely for older teens, but I probably never would have picked up her adult books, so this was a nice surprise.

Then there's the amazing ending.  I love that Evie finally embraced what she had been fighting the whole book and stopped playing the victim. I really like her character arc, and while she was a bit useless in the beginning, she grew up a lot. I love her little conversations with Death and can't wait to see where that's going. I love the rain.  I know it sounds weird, but it's absolutely a game changer. And finally we get to that beautiful, creepy first chapter.

Anyway, I'm giving this book a hesitant 3 1/2 stars.  Sometimes I thing it should be more, other times less, but I'm absolutely going to read the sequel.  I have great hopes that all the problems in this book will be solved and it will be nothing but pure genius.

Book Review: For Darkness Shows the Stars

It's been several generations since a genetic experiment gone wrong caused the Reduction, decimating humanity and giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.

Elliot North has always known her place in this world. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family's estate over love. Since then the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress, and Elliot's estate is foundering, forcing her to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth--an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliot wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she let him go.

But Elliot soon discovers her old friend carries a secret--one that could change their society . . . or bring it to its knees. And again, she's faced with a choice: cling to what she's been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she's ever loved, even if she's lost him forever.

Inspired by Jane Austen's "Persuasion," "For Darkness Shows the Stars" is a breathtaking romance about opening your mind to the future and your heart to the one person you know can break it.  Quoted from Goodreads

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If you discount Pride and Prejudice, which I grew up with and have all sorts of warm, gushy feelings towards and can't quite separate from my early adolescence enough to be objective, Persuasion is my favorite of all Jane Austin's novels.  Then Dianna Peterfreund decided to turn it into a dystopia/scifi retelling.  It could have gone both ways, I suppose, but I loved it.

If you've read Persuasion, the plot of For Darknes Shows the Stars should be familiar.  And it is. But it is different enough that you still have to keep reading.  Plus the amazing world building! I love a new, creative world or concept, and for me, this one had that in spades. Its such a delightful mix of new vs. old, and convenience vs. fear.

The characters themselves are also different, while retaining a similar dynamic.  For example, Kai is more resentful of Elliot than Persuasion's Captain Wentworth, but then, he's a eighteen-year-old boy instead of a thirty-plus-year-old man, so it makes sense.  And he absolutely has his sweet moments, so no worries.  You still fall in love with him, but his pain and resentment is more apparent. Then there's Elliot's father.  He isn't the vein, delusional peacock that he was in Persuasion.  He's still arrogant and superior, but he's more vindictive and power hungry.  

Elliot herself is strong, determined, and loyal.  I love her inner struggle between everything she was raised to believe and the new world introduced with the arrival of the Cloud Fleet.  The poor girl has so many moral debates on top of her ever-present heartbreak and the burden of managing an estate, that you can't help but feel for her.  Plus, she tries to be so good to the people under her and shield them from the bitter whims of her father.

As far as the writing goes, it's beautiful and descriptive, bringing the world to life.  Personally, I couldn't put it down, but I know people that thought the first half was a bit slow.  Again, I didn't have a problem, and by the time you get half way through the book, you have to keep going til the end.  Diana Peterfreund alternates between chapters set in the present and letters from Elliot and Kai's past.  I found them a fun way to learn more about their childhood relationship and the way they fell in love.

So, should you read this book?  Yes.  Absolutely. More if you love Persuasion.  It is a lovely four stars for me.  I love the world and the characters.  I love the plot, and think Peterfreund did an excellent job of capturing the spirit of the story while changing it enough to keep it interesting.

Flashback Friday: Ender's Game

In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut—young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training.

Ender's skills make him a leader in school and respected in the Battle Room, where children play at mock battles in zero gravity. Yet growing up in an artificial community of young soldiers Ender suffers greatly from isolation, rivalry from his peers, pressure from the adult teachers, and an unsettling fear of the alien invaders. His psychological battles include loneliness, fear that he is becoming like the cruel brother he remembers, and fanning the flames of devotion to his beloved sister. 

Is Ender the general Earth needs? But Ender is not the only result of the genetic experiments. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost as long. Ender's two older siblings are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. Between the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If, that is, the world survives.  Quoted from Goodreads

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Again, Flashback Friday means I can pick a book I've loved for years, and Ender's Game absolutely falls into the category. I first read this book in Jr. High, and have read it multiple times since. Then I read the sequels. Then I read the Ender's Shadow series.  And still, this is the book I love the most. The one that started it all.

Why do I love this book so much?  One word: Ender.  He is such a human character, while being smarter than everyone around him (and come on, no one likes a stupid main character).  He has so many obstacles to overcome. Not only is there the physical challenges he faces at his new school from bullying kids to the teachers pushing him and expecting more out of him than anyone else, but he also suffers psychologically. Therein we find the great balance of this book.

I like the outside challenges Ender faces. Yes, it appalls me how mean children can be, but in that kind of environment, what else could you expect?  I love the different strategies Ender comes up with to defeat his enemies and the battle in zero-gravity. I loved watching the system break down, how Ender was pushed into becoming what they needed. I especially love Ender as a leader, the way he generated loyalty from his followers. 

Then there's Enders relationships.  I like Valentine, but I especially hate/love Peter.  He is such an excellent character. Part of you can't help but despise him for what he is, and yet what he becomes in the end is kind of amazing and terrifying.  Maybe I'm weird, but I also love the scenes with the giant and that entire world he created on the computer.

As someone pointed out, I missed Theater Thursday (though I told you I just don't have enough movies to do it every week).  Still, they are finally making Ender's Game into a movie, and I'm thrilled.  They haven't released many pictures (practically none) but here's one of the set I kind of liked.  I'm sure this movie will be featured later when more comes out, but you should read the book now, so you can get excited with me.

This is a book everyone should read.  It's a great coming of age story/adventure that makes you think. When I read it, the only thing I could even compare it to was A Wrinkle in Time, and that's a pretty far stretch.  I've read other books that are closer now, but this was groundbreaking for me, and I've loved it ever since. I will throw in that with language and violence, it really isn't for younger children, just giving you a head up.

 Based on the number of times I've read this book alone, it easily earns five stars.  Plus this book first came out almost thirty years ago, and it still holds up!  Was Card's vision of the future perfect?  No. He came close on a lot of things though, and it's still an amazing/relevant read. So if you haven't read this book yet, what are you still doing here?  Go buy or borrow it.  If you have, well, I guess you already know how wonderful it is, but it might be time it read it again. Goodness knows, I'm thinking about it.

Book Review: The Mark of Athena

Annabeth is terrified. Just when she’s about to be reunited with Percy—after six months of being apart, thanks to Hera—it looks like Camp Jupiter is preparing for war. As Annabeth and her friends Jason, Piper, and Leo fly in on the Argo II, she can’t blame the Roman demigods for thinking the ship is a Greek weapon. With its steaming bronze dragon masthead, Leo’s fantastical creation doesn’t appear friendly. Annabeth hopes that the sight of their praetor Jason on deck will reassure the Romans that the visitors from Camp Half-Blood are coming in peace.

And that’s only one of her worries. In her pocket Annabeth carries a gift from her mother that came with an unnerving demand: Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me. Annabeth already feels weighed down by the prophecy that will send seven demigods on a quest to find—and close— the Doors of Death. What more does Athena want from her?

Annabeth’s biggest fear, though, is that Percy might have changed. What if he’s now attached to Roman ways? Does he still need his old friends? As the daughter of the goddess of war and wisdom, Annabeth knows she was born to be a leader, but never again does she want to be without Seaweed Brain by her side.

Narrated by four different demigods, The Mark of Athena is an unforgettable journey across land and sea to Rome, where important discoveries, surprising sacrifices, and unspeakable horrors await. Climb aboard the Argo II, if you dare . . .    Quoted from Goodreads

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First, I won't lie.  Have you seen the cover?  The cover alone is amazing. You could rate the book off of that and get it pretty much right. I know it's shallow and you're not supposed to judge, but I totally do.

What can I say, Rick Riordan does it again. He is the master of never a dull moment books. Honestly, I liked him in the first Percy Jackson series, but not half as much as I enjoy this second one.  I really think he's become a much better writer, and I like that the characters are a little bit older.  A sixteen-year-old kicking butt with a sword is much more believable than a twelve-year old, and there's a lot of action in this book.

Like I said, Riordan has mastered keeping the plot moving, and he doesn't let up.  There is a sweet little moment or someone pauses to catch their breath, and boom! Something is happening.  Again.

You know what you're getting when you open the book, but it still manages to sweep you away and keep you turning pages, well past when you told yourself you were going to stop. I really liked the obstacles in this book.  Some monsters aren't as much fun as others, but these were excellent.  And, we get to meet Hercules!  I won't tell you more, but I've been waiting for him to appear.  I love seeing how Riordan interprets the characters from myth. Some are funny, others sad, and none come out quite like you might expect.

Plus, we finally get Annabeth's point of view!  I didn't miss it in the first series because those were Percy's books, but once The Lost Hero started handing out varying points of view, I wanted to be in Annabeth's head. In The Son of Neptune, we know how much Percy misses Annabeth, so it is great to get their reunion from her point of view, and it is perfect.  Love, love, love it--not exactly what I was expecting, but adorable.

Now, lest after two books of alternating POVs you think it's all Annabeth, it's not.  We still get to see Percy, Leo, and Piper, which was nice.  Leo was great because of the whole Sammy mystery and the Argo II (yes, I'm assuming you've read The Son of Neptune, so now you're warned). Piper was good because I felt like she still had to kind of grow up a bit in this book, plus she is more feelings where Leo is machines so they contrast. The there is Percy, and . . . Percy is Percy.  He may be sharing the spotlight, but come on.  We all know he's really the main attraction.

The ending! Aaahhggg, the ending!  So the endings in The Lost Hero and The Son of Neptune made me excited for the next book, but the main adventure was semi wrapped-up at that point.  This one left me going, wait, you can't do that. Aaaaahhhggg, I can't believe you . . . (I'll stop before I give anything away).  I need the fourth book. Now. Next year can not come soon enough.

This book is 4.5 lovely stars.  I really like what Riordan's done with the plot and the multiple threats and turning good guys into bad guys (sort of).  I love watching the characters grow as they face different challenges.  This book is everything I hoped The Mark of Athena would be.