Fruits Basket Volume 5 by Natsuki Takaya

Title: Fruits Basket, Volume 5 
Author: Natsuki Takaya 
Type: Manga 
Genre: Shoujo 
Series: Yes, Vol. 5 of 23 
Pages: 201 
Copyright: 2004 
Publisher: TOKYOPOP Inc. 
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary: from Good Reads
For a springtime treat, Shigure arranges for Tohru and the gang to spend Golden Week at the Sohmas' vacation home. On a rainy day, as the holiday draws to a close, who should make a surprise visit but Hatsuharu! But what's that he's hiding in the bundle under his arm?

Feelings:
I am still enjoying the series. I do feel like we are getting a lot of characters but there are going to be at least thirteen from the Chinese zodiac and not all of them are main characters but they do pop in and out of the story enough that it is good to know which is which. I admit I sometimes have a hard time.

I don't think this one had a lot of character change for the main characters, which was okay but I would really like to see the evolution of Yuki and Kyo continue.  

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Heir of Fire 
Author: Sarah J. Maas 
Type:  Young-Adult Novel 
Genre: Fantasy 
Series: Book 3 Throne of Glass 
Pages: 562 
Copyright: 2014 
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens 
Rating: 4 out of 5


Summary: From Good Reads
Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat – and his own toughest enemy.

While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love?

Feelings: 
The third book in the series takes Celaena out of Erilea and takes her to Wendlyn. At first I found the book a little slow. We switched back and forth between Erilea characters perspectives and Wendlyn characters perspectives. I wondered how we would continue the story with the characters in multiple places. I was surprised but I ended up like spending time with Price Dorian the most. He grows a lot during the book and following him as he grows as a person.

Celaena started out a bit whinny at the beginning of the book but as the story progresses she moves on from feeling sorry for herself and begins to grow herself. The story got a lot better as a whole when Celaena stops complaining and starts standing up for herself and stops being scared of what she can do.

I am enjoying this series a lot and am looking forward to the next in the series. I think there are going to be about six books in the series and I hope they can maintain the momentum they set up.

Reading goals for 2015

This year I'm going to try and read a little more of a variety. I think I'm off to a pretty good start. I've read a couple fantasy novels, a collection of short stories, a romance, a few children's books, and non-fiction. The children's books are helping me teach as student I tutor reading. I have enjoyed them more than I thought I would though.

A lot of what I have read so far has been standard for me either fantasy or young adult fantasy. My favorite reading. However, after coming across a blog post about adding variety to our reading I'm going to try and do just that this year.

Here is the link to the article on The Book Riot.
My favorite of the 24 challenges laid out were to read:  "A National Book Award, Man Booker Prize or Pulitzer Prize winner from the last decade," "A book that someone else has recommended to you," and "A book that you would consider a guilty pleasure (Read, and then realize that good entertainment is nothing to feel guilty over)"

Here are my goals for the year different from those set out by The Book Riot. I may try and see if I can incorporate some of the 24 listed on The Book Riot for fun.

1.  Read 10,000 pages.
2. Read or Listen to 10 books of nonfiction
3. Read 4 poetry collections.
4. Read 4 books of short stories.
5. Read 3 cover blind books.

Happy reading in 2015!

Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken

Title: Never Fade
Author: Alexandra Bracken
Type:  Young-Adult Novel
Genre: Dystopian Fantasy
Series: Yes book 2 "The Darkest Minds
Pages: 512
Copyright: 2013
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Rating: 3 out of 5


Summary: From Good Reads
Ruby never asked for the abilities that almost cost her her life. Now she must call upon them on a daily basis, leading dangerous missions to bring down a corrupt government and breaking into the minds of her enemies. Other kids in the Children’s League call Ruby “Leader”, but she knows what she really is: a monster.

When Ruby is entrusted with an explosive secret, she must embark on her most dangerous mission yet: leaving the Children’s League behind. Crucial information about the disease that killed most of America’s children—and turned Ruby and the others who lived into feared and hated outcasts—has survived every attempt to destroy it. But the truth is only saved in one place: a flashdrive in the hands of Liam Stewart, the boy Ruby once believed was her future—and who now wouldn’t recognize her.

As Ruby sets out across a desperate, lawless country to find Liam—and answers about the catastrophe that has ripped both her life and America apart—she is torn between old friends and the promise she made to serve the League. Ruby will do anything to protect the people she loves. But what if winning the war means losing herself?

Feelings:
I enjoyed this book. It was about what I expected from the ending in the last book. I think I liked the first one a little more than I liked this one. Ruby gained more powers and was able to become herself a little more. The beginning of the book introduced new characters and it was a little slow for me. I would have liked it to move a little faster. I missed the characters from the first book. Some of them show up in the book and I thought that helped make the book move a little faster.

I want to read the next book to see what happens but I didn't enjoy this book as much as I did the first one. This book explains a little more about the different political groups as Ruby has become part of the Children's League. It seems like all of the groups have one thing in come the fear of the children with powers. I felt a little like the politics was a weak point in the story.

I'm waiting to get the next book in the series but I have to get it from another library so it might be a while. I'm hoping that it will pull everything together. It is a different type of story than I expected but it fits with the dystopian theme that is very common currently.

Fruits Basket Volume 4 by Natsuki Takaya

Title: Fruits Basket, Volume 4

Author: Natsuki Takaya

Type: Manga
Genre: Shoujo

Series: Yes, Vol. 4 of 23

Pages: 199
Copyright: 2004
Publisher: TOKYOPOP Inc.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary: from Good Reads
When the infamous Akito makes an in-class appearance at the start of the school year, the Sohma family worries that his arrival will be an uncensored exercise of show-and-tell about Yuki's past. Meanwhile, when Ayame vows to rekindle his brother's lost friendship, he begins to realize that you can choose your friends but you can't choose your family - especially when they're acting like animals!

Feelings:
I thought this one was a little bit more romantic, sappy maybe. None of the characters seem to be aware of how they feel about the other characters. I'm wondering about the relationship between Ayame, and Shigure seems like there might be something there. Also between Ayame and Hatori. The really weird relationships seems to between all of the characters and Akito. I'm sure it will be cleared up in the next volume or so.

 

My text says something very different from this text, but I like the the drawings because Kyo is protecting Tuhru, but she doesn't get that at first because she is spaced out. My translation says "They don't put up any resistance, you know?" "It's annoying when girls get all assertive, don't you think?" "I guess so. She does look like she'll buy anything." "Maybe I should go talk to h--" I prefer this translation over what I found online but I guess this is the difference between the official translation and the translation you get the magazine.

The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

Title: The Kiss of Deception

Author: Mary E. Pearson

Type: Young-Adult Novel
Genre: Fantasy

Series: Yes, The Remnant Chronicles #1
Pages: 492
Copyright: 2014
Publisher: Henry Holt
Rating: 3 out of 5


Summary: from Goodreads
A princess must find her place in a reborn world.

She flees on her wedding day.

She steals ancient documents from the Chancellor's secret collection.

She is pursued by bounty hunters sent by her own father.

She is Princess Lia, seventeen, First Daughter of the House of Morrighan.

The Kingdom of Morrighan is steeped in tradition and the stories of a bygone world, but some traditions Lia can't abide. Like having to marry someone she's never met to secure a political alliance.

Fed up and ready for a new life, Lia flees to a distant village on the morning of her wedding. She settles in among the common folk, intrigued when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deceptions swirl and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—secrets that may unravel her world—even as she feels herself falling in love.

Feelings: 
I saw this book on the Goodreads Choice Awards: The Best Books of 2014, Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction. I wasn't sure if it would be of interest to me but I thought I would give it a try. I ended up really enjoying the story. It wasn't original but that didn't matter. The world created was enjoyable and the characters were nice to spend time with.

Lia is an interesting character. I knew when I checked this book out it was going to be a Princess story and I didn't mind that it was going to be that type of book. I was looking for a fun easy read. It was that and I was surprised to find that I also really enjoyed the story and it was more original that I thought it would me.

I'm looking forward the the next in the series. I recommend the book but know going it that this is a Princess rebelling story and as such you won't find anything to exciting here.

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Title: The Darkest Minds
Author: Alexandra Bracken
Type: Young-Adult Novel
Genre: Dystopian fantasy
Series: Yes book 1
Pages: 488
Copyright: 2012
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Rating: 3.5 out of 5


Summary: From Good Reads
When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.

When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.

Feelings: 
The Darkest Minds, Alexandra Bracken's second book and the first in a series, is one of a long list of current books that are set in a dystopian world. What would it take to turn America into, well, North Korea. I really enjoyed this book much as I did her first novel a standalone book, brightly woven. They were big differences between this book and brightly woven, one being the world's. I'm not sure if I always like the familiar world when I read fantasy. That being said they were very different books and I liked them both.

The darkest mines fall is Ruby as she discovers yourself and what it means to be a child of her generation, familiar with Beth and feared by adults. Ruby grows a lot throughout the story as she leaves Thurman, camp/prison for children that survived IHNI. The change in her demeanor comes from the characters around her and her learning from them. Chubs and Liam are very different characters but they are able to work together. With Zu as part of their group the addition of Ruby makes them stronger. They all grow together through their struggles. 

I recommend this book to those that like a strong character driven by story I will be picking up the next in the series as soon as my library gets it.