Review: The Rose & The Dagger by Renee Ahdieh

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Series: Yes, The Wrath & The Dawn #2
Pages: 416
Copyright: 2016 
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Buy: Amazon

Review of first in series The Wrath & The Dawn

Summary: from Good Reads
The darker the sky, the brighter the stars.

In a land on the brink of war, Shahrzad is forced from the arms of her beloved husband, the Caliph of Khorasan. She once thought Khalid a monster—a merciless killer of wives, responsible for immeasurable heartache and pain—but as she unraveled his secrets, she found instead an extraordinary man and a love she could not deny. Still, a curse threatens to keep Shazi and Khalid apart forever.

Now she’s reunited with her family, who have found refuge in the desert, where a deadly force is gathering against Khalid—a force set on destroying his empire and commanded by Shazi’s spurned childhood sweetheart. Trapped between loyalties to those she loves, the only thing Shazi can do is act. Using the burgeoning magic within her as a guide, she strikes out on her own to end both this terrible curse and the brewing war once and for all. But to do it, she must evade enemies of her own to stay alive.

The saga that began with The Wrath and the Dawn takes its final turn as Shahrzad risks everything to find her way back to her one true love again.

Feelings: 
The Rose & The Dagger by Renee Ahdieh included a little love and betrayal, intrigue and war, a curse, and magic. This was a strong novel and I thought it did an excellent job concluding the series. Shahrzad and Khalid were strong characters and they developed through out the story. My only complaint was the very very ending...not going to include spoilers in here but I felt like the epilogue was not needed. 

The characters in this book and the first are amazing and I loved reading about them. When I fist saw this series I didn't think it would be a retelling of The Arabian Nights, but it is so much more than just a retelling. It take the idea of telling stories to stay a live and gives the back story and so much more. 

I really enjoyed Renee Ahdieh's writing and I look forward to seeing what she writes next. I recommend you check out this series. It is a love story and a story of finding trust in yourself and those around you. 

Black Bird Volume 14 by Kanoko Sakurakouji

Genre: Shoujo
Series: Volume 14
Pages: 200
Copyright: 2012
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC
Buy: Amazon

Summary: from Good Reads
There is a world of myth and magic that intersects ours, and only a special few can see it. Misao Harada is one such person, and she wants nothing to do with magical realms. She just wants to have a normal high school life and maybe get a boyfriend. But she is the bride of demon prophecy, and her blood grants incredible powers, her flesh immortality. Now the demon realm is fighting over the right to her hand...or her life!

Feelings:
Kyo and Sho finally have the sibling fight that their father has seen coming for years. Misao doesn't want either of them to be hurt, but she knows that it isn't possible for them to both live. Sho has made it impossible for Kyo to show mercy.

This volume included a few interludes in the middle after the story arc of Sho finished. The last chapter in the volume began the final story arc for the series. I admit that while I have enjoyed the series to this point, it has begun to feel a bit stretched to me. I intend to finish the series as the end of this last story arc developed characters I'm interested in finding out more about.

Review: The Wrath & The Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

Genre: Fantasy
Series: Yes, The Wrath & The Dawn #1
Pages: 388
Copyright: 2015 
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Buy: Amazon

Review of the second in the series: The Rose & The Dagger

Summary: from Good Reads
In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad's dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph's reign of terror once and for all.

Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she'd imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. Incredibly, Shahrzad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It's an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid's life as retribution for the many lives he's stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?

Inspired by A Thousand and One Nights, The Wrath and the Dawn is a sumptuous and enthralling read from beginning to end.


Feelings: 
Shahrzad was looking for revenge for her grief not love.

The beginning of the story shares something with A Thousand and One Nights. However, I felt like this novel gave a bit more of a human side to both Shahrzad and the king. Truthfully, I don't even remember the king's (sultan's) name from A Thousand and One Nights. This story is less about the stories that are told by Shahrzad and more about the relationship between the characters. There is a lot of mistrust between characters; of course there is. You marry a king who has killed all of his past wives after one night, and that is bound to cause a little bit of suspicion.

What I really liked about this was that it went into more of the back story and more of the characters stories. I think I would have been bored with this novel if it had followed the same pattern as A Thousand and One Nights. The Wrath & The Dawn focused more on Khalid so that we begin to feel compassion for him. This compassion is not something that is easily given and as Shahrazad comes to have feelings for him the reader too begins to wonder about the boy-king and what made him the way he is.

At the very beginning of the book we get a hint that the killing is something that isn't a choice.

"It is done."
His father nodded, and the soldier left.
Again, the two men stared up at the sky.
Waiting
A drop of rain struck the arid surface beneath their feet, disappearing into the tan stone. .....Soon, rain was falling around them at a steady pace.
"There is your proof," the general said, his voice laden with quiet anguish. (p. 2)

We don't know why but this opening to the story gives the reader something to question. We realized with the first chapter that the opening happened a while ago and we are put into the middle of the conflict. I liked that. It gave me a reason to keep reading.

What I didn't like was switching between character's perspective. I didn't mind the perspective's of those around Khalid and Shahrzad but I didn't really like those outside of the castle. I know they had a purpose but I didn't enjoy reading those chapters as much. The author did a good job removing any compassion I had for Shahrzad's father and Tariq Imran al-Ziyad. I really didn't like their perspectives. While I didn't enjoy reading from their perspective, I do understand why it was in there and how it added to the story. I enjoy reading from characters perspectives I liked. I'm hoping that the characters I didn't like as much in this end up getting explained a little more so that I can relate to them better in future novels.

I'm looking forward to the next in the series. I highly recommend this to readers who enjoy young adult fantasy with kings, queens, romance, conflict, and a little magic.

Black Bird Volume 13 by Kanoko Sakurakouji

Genre: Shoujo
Series: Volume 13
Pages: 200
Copyright: 2012
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC
Buy: Amazon

Summary: from Good Reads
There is a world of myth and magic that intersects ours, and only a special few can see it. Misao Harada is one such person, and she wants nothing to do with magical realms. She just wants to have a normal high school life and maybe get a boyfriend. But she is the bride of demon prophecy, and her blood grants incredible powers, her flesh immortality. Now the demon realm is fighting over the right to her hand...or her life!

Sho's plans to plunge the world into chaos continue as he targets the Eight Daitengu, hoping to strip his brother Kyo of all his protectors. And now Sho has Hoki, whose secret past makes him easy prey.

Can Hoki stand up to Sho, or will his efforts to aid Kyo backfire?

Feelings:
This volume focused more on characters surrounding Kyo. I like the volumes where other characters are developed, besides Kyo, while the story arc is developed. Now that I think about it, Kyo is a static character in a lot of ways, he hasn't really changed much since the start of the series, he wants Misao and is willing to do anything to protect her and keep her for himself. That hasn't changed. It is the characters around Kyo that grow and learn from their mistakes. That is why I liked this volume and volume 12, they focused on building characters surrounding Kyo.

The story arc following the conflict between Sho and Kyo is again at the climax. It will be interesting to see what the outcome is of the conflict in the next volume. I hope I'm surprised, although I think I can predict what will happen now.

Review: Salvation by Anne Osterlund

Genre: Young Adult Romance
Series: No
Pages: 276
Copyright: 2013
Publisher: speak
Buy: Amazon

Summary: from Good Reads
A smart, unexpected romance from an award-winning author.

Salvador Resendez--Salva to his friends--appears to have it all. His Mexican immigrant family has high expectations, and Salva intends to fulfill them. He's student body president, quarterback of the football team, and has a near-perfect GPA. Everyone loves him.

Especially Beth Courant, AKA the walking disaster area. Dreamy and shy, Beth is used to blending into the background. But she's also smart, and she has serious plans for her future.

Popular guy and bookish girl--the two have almost nothing in common. Until fate throws them together and the attraction is irresistible. Soon Beth is pushing Salva to set his sights higher than ever--because she knows he has more to offer, more than even he realizes.

Then tragedy strikes--and threatens to destroy everything that Salva has worked for. Will Beth's love be enough to save him?

Thoughtful and romantic, this is a beautifully written story about following your heart and fulfilling your potential.

Feelings: 
This novel surprised me. I wasn't expecting an intelligent story that dealt with race, poverty, and high school. That is asking a lot of a young adult novel. I had previously read Aurelia, and enjoyed it so I thought I might read another book by the author. Salvation is very different. I thought their might be a fantasy element since the previous novel had it. However, this one is set in reality. 

There are small details throughout the novel that don't slam home the poverty and race issues the book covers but add to the story. They build the feeling of being stuck in a hard place.

Salva scanned the stark classroom. The seniors sat so frozen in their seats you'd have thought the air-conditioning was working. (p. 8)

Many of the characters in the novel are Hispanic and dealing with the racism and poverty of being the minority.

"You tell your real boss," the guy said to him, "I'm talkin' to someone who speaks English on the phone, not this Spanish flunky. This is America." (p. 109)

The sad thing is I've seen white Americans treat non-white Americans exactly this way. Reading it hopefully people will see how despicable these action is and how it reflects poorly on all Americans. I want to think of America as a place where we accept others for who they are. However, this is not the reality.

This novel doesn't allow the characters to feel sorry for themselves because they aren't going to the best school and their options are limited because of poverty and race. I respect that. The characters in this novel were strong. I enjoyed both Beth and Salva's perspective. They had dreams and they weren't going to be held back by the situation they found themselves in. Their relationship starts slowly. They are friends at first. Although they are both conflicted about their feelings, things progress in a fashion that you would expect from two shy teenagers.  For me the relationship was nice but it was the strength of the characters that made the story for me.

I recommend this book. I know I've only given it a three bird rating but that is because I prefer fantasy. This was very good for not being fantasy.

Black Bird Volume 12 by Kanoko Sakurakouji

Genre: Shoujo
Series: Volume12
Pages: 200
Copyright: 2012
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC
Buy: Amazon

Summary: from Good Reads
Sho’s manipulations have cast the demon world into chaos, and Kyo must leave the tengu village to help save the Kuzunoha clan from slaughter. But giving aid to one of his few remaining allies means he must leave Misao vulnerable to attack.


Kyo’s grandfather is able to cast a powerful shield over the tengu mansion, but while it keeps anyone from getting in, it also traps those who are inside. How can Misao justify locking herself away when Sho begins to menace the village’s most helpless members?

Feelings:
I enjoyed this volume more than the last few volumes. I think it was because it focused less on the conflict with Sho and more on internal conflicts and character building. It was interesting to see Zenki and Hoki expanded as characters because they have not been major characters in past volumes of this manga.


This volume was a turning point, if it hadn't been stronger than past volumes, I probably would have stopped reading the series at this point, but now my interest is renewed, and I am interested to see where the series leads.

Review: The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett

Narrator: Samuel Gillies
Genre: Historical Fiction
Series: Yes, The Lymond Chronicles #1
Length: 25 hours
Copyright: 1961 (book), 2000 (audio)
Publisher: Recorded Books
Buy: Amazon

Summary: from Good Reads.
Dunnett introduces her irresistible hero Francis Crawford of Lymond, a scapegrace nobleman of elastic morals and dangerous talents whose tongue is as sharp as his rapier. In 1547 Lymond is returning to his native Scotland, which is threatened by an English invasion. Accused of treason, Lymond leads a band of outlaws in a desperate race to redeem his reputation and save his land.


Feelings:
This audiobook was a little slow at first, but once the characters were introduced it started moving faster. Lymond is loquacious and verbose. He values his intelligence and wit above all other things. He uses them to deceive and pillage throughout Scotland in his quest to clear his name with the Scottish court.

There are both pluses and minuses to this book. I know that giving it a five bird rating might make you think this book is for everyone. It isn't. However, there were many things in this novel to respect and love. I think the cons for the book are very few and the amount of enjoyment I got from this book far out ways my initial opinion. Most of the cons I had, vocabulary, Scottish accent, use of Latin, Spanish, and French, and following the narrative as it switched perspective were things that resolved themselves as I became acquainted with the writing style. Yes, if I had a dictionary while I was listening and the desire to look up every word I didn't know I would have been pausing all the time. You can find huge lists of words in other reviews of this book. However, it think exposing oneself to new vocabulary is a good thing. We all have the potential for growth and this book presents a story that is engaging while offering a challenge.

Things I really enjoyed about this audiobook were the characters. They make mistakes and they are human in the way they deal with these mistakes. There are regrets and characters grow and work to correct their past blunders. Many times in stories characters only learn from or grow from mistakes when it suits the narrative. I didn't feel that way about this novel.

The story itself was very interesting and the history surrounding the story seemed to be only a small part of the story. I was glad for that because if the plot climax was dependent on history it would not be a surprise. I like to be surprised by the climax and this was able to do that.

Samuel Gillies did an amazing job reading this audio book. This seems like it would be a difficult book to read given the vocabulary of our characters. I don't know that I would have enjoyed reading this book as much as I enjoyed listening to it.

I highly recommend the audiobook. The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett was amazingly crafted and the story and characters were wonderful to follow as they travel the country.

Review: Black Bird Volume 11 by Kanoko Sakurakouji

Genre: Shoujo
Series: Volume11
Pages: 200
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC
Buy:  Amazon

Summary: from Good Reads
Sho has miraculously returned to the tengu village, and while he seems content to live quietly on the outskirts, Kyo has learned the hard way not to trust his brother. To make matters worse, the villagers are resentful that Kyo won't share the restorative power of the Senka Maiden with them. But most demons don't possess Kyo's willpower, and one taste of Misao's blood would send them into a frenzy. Is it possible for Kyo be a good leader and a good husband?

Feelings:
The conflict between Kyo and Sho is back in the story. This time though Sho is more powerful. He, also, seems to be less human and to care less about others. 

Misao worries about what will happen to her and Kyo's relationship as she begins to pity Sho. 

I am not sure how I felt about this volume. I am not as enamored with the series as I used to be. However, I feel invested and I'm going to see it through to the end.

Review: Lonely Planet China's Southwest by Damian Harper, Tienlon Ho, Tomas Huhti, Korina Miller, Ellis Quinn

Genre: Non-fiction
Series: Lonely Planet travel guide 
Pages: 536 
Copyright: 2007 
Publisher: lonely planet 
Buy: Amazon

Summary: from good reads
Discover China's Southwest

Follow your shadow floating over limestone peaks on a Guangxi ballooning voyage.
Hike Tiger Leaping Gorge to the snowcapped mountaintops of Haba Shan via the Jinsha River.
Savour the Yin and Yang of spicy, sizzling or soaked-in-soy Southwest delicacies.
Get caught up in the dancing at the vibrant Miao Lusheng Festival.

In This Guide

Five intrepid authors, 220 days of in-country research, 157 bus rides and one rotting yak's head.
Includes captivating new destinations not covered in any other English-language guidebook.
Chapters dedicated to gateway cities (Beijing, Honk Kong and Shanghai), minority cultures and adventure activities.

Feelings: 
This travel guide was very helpful when traveling in Yunnan Province in China. It was easy to use, and the tips were helpful. We spent most of our time in Kunming and the book helped us find many places to visit and eat. When we left Kunming and traveled to Guilin in Guangxi Provide, the book was again helpful. We ended our trip in Beijing and the book included a section for our time in Beijing.

If you are primarily visiting China's Southwest I highly recommend this book.