Review: Assassin's Heart by Sarah Ahiers

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Series: Assassin's Heart #1
Pages: 420
Copyright: 2016 
Publisher: HarperTeen
Buy: Amazon

Summary: from Good Reads

In the kingdom of Lovero, nine rival Families of assassins lawfully kill people for a price. As a highly skilled member of one of these powerful clans, seventeen-year-old Lea Saldana has always trusted in the strength of her Family. Until she awakens to find them murdered and her home in flames. The Da Vias, the Saldanas’ biggest enemy, must be responsible—and Lea should have seen it coming. But her secret relationship with the Da Vias’ son, Val, has clouded her otherwise killer instinct—and given the Da Vias more reason than ever to take her Family down.

Racked with guilt and shattered over Val’s probable betrayal, Lea sets out to even the score, with her heart set on retaliation and only one thought clear in her mind: make the Da Vias pay.

Feelings: 
Assassin's Heart by Sarah Ahiers created a world where angry ghosts rule at night except where those faithful to the God Safraella, the goddess of death, murder, and resurrection. Lea Saldana is the first person narrator, and while I liked her character I felt like the story was a little predictable. There was a lot of obvious foreshadowing that took away from any surprise.

Once Lea gets to Yvain and meets Alessio, Les, the story got a little more interesting for me. However, it still remained predictable. Les was probably my favorite character. He was the reason Lea grew throughout the story.

This novel was just alright. I enjoyed parts of it, but I didn't feel like it was anything special.

Review: The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Series: The Glittering Court #1
Pages: 400
Copyright: 2016 
Publisher: Razorbill
Buy: Amazon

Summary: from Goodreads

Big and sweeping, spanning from the refined palaces of Osfrid to the gold dust and untamed forests of Adoria, The Glittering Court tells the story of Adelaide, an Osfridian countess who poses as her servant to escape an arranged marriage and start a new life in Adoria, the New World. But to do that, she must join the Glittering Court.

Both a school and a business venture, the Glittering Court is designed to transform impoverished girls into upper-class ladies who appear destined for powerful and wealthy marriages in the New World. Adelaide naturally excels in her training, and even makes a few friends: the fiery former laundress Tamsin and the beautiful Sirminican refugee Mira. She manages to keep her true identity hidden from all but one: the intriguing Cedric Thorn, son of the wealthy proprietor of the Glittering Court.

When Adelaide discovers that Cedric is hiding a dangerous secret of his own, together they hatch a scheme to make the best of Adelaide’s deception. Complications soon arise—first as they cross the treacherous seas from Osfrid to Adoria, and then when Adelaide catches the attention of a powerful governor.

But no complication will prove quite as daunting as the potent attraction simmering between Adelaide and Cedric. An attraction that, if acted on, would scandalize the Glittering Court and make them both outcasts in wild, vastly uncharted lands…

Feelings:

I enjoyed The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead more than I thought I would. My expectations were lowered a little when I realized the author had written the Vampire Academy series. While I liked The Glittering Court I would not have picked it up and read it if I had realized it was the same author that wrote Vampire Academy. This book was not a vampire book though, and I'm glad I read it.

I really enjoyed Adelaide, Cedric, Tamsin, and Mira. Adeaide was the first person narrator, and we know all of her secrets but we don't know the secrets of the other girls at the school Tamsin and Mira. We know they have reasons they joined the Glittering Court and are willing to make a dangerous trip to a dangerous new world. However, I didn't need to know their secrets. Knowing Adelaide and Cedric was enough for me. They had big secrets.

This was a little like a fantasy period drama and I liked the descriptions of the clothing and the difference between the two cultures. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have lived in a time where society was based on your history and your wealth. I imagine it would have felt limiting. The characters in this novel seemed to feel limited by and that was why they were willing to travel to a new world because they hoped it would provide a little freedom.

I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys historical fiction based in Victorian times. Yes, this is fantasy, but it has the same feel as many historical novels. This book stood by itself. It is part of a series but the next book in the series is from Mira's perspective and covers the same time as this book. I think I will probably end up reading it, but I don't feel like I'm missing something if I don't read it.

Review: Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Series: Snow Like Ashes #1
Pages: 422
Copyright: 2014
Publisher: Blazer + Bray
Buy: Amazon

Summary: from Good Reads

A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.


Feelings: 

The world created in Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch was different than any other fantasy world I've come across. I found the idea of a circular world made up of an inner circle and outer circle interesting. The inner circle was composed of four kingdoms that each at one season year round. The outer circle was also four kingdoms, but they cycled through the seasons as our world does. 

I liked the characters but I didn't like any of them enough to say I had a favorite. I thought Meira was a little whinny at times, particularly when she didn't get what she wanted, which was often. Meira was the first person narrator so we see the other characters through her eyes. That may be why I didn't feel much of a connection with the other characters. Meira really likes Mather but I didn't find him to be that interesting of a character. He is the child King of winter, but he is a refugee like Meira and has no power to help his people. Maybe because he is only sixteen years old. The character I ended up liking the most was Theron, the son of the King of Cordellan. Theron had in many ways given up on his dream. However, while he was forced into the role of future king he remained true to who he was, and I liked that about him.

Snow Like Ashes was an enjoyable story of learning to be true to who you are. I recommend this story to those who enjoy very different world. I intend to read the next in the series. 

Review: The Impostor Queen by Sarah Fine

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Series: The Impostor Queen #1
Pages: 415
Copyright: 2016 
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Buy: Amazon

Summary: from Good Reads
Sixteen-year-old Elli was only a child when the Elders of Kupari chose her to succeed the Valtia, the queen who wields infinitely powerful ice and fire magic in service of her people. The only life Elli has known has been in the temple, surrounded by luxury, tutored by magic-wielding priests, preparing for the day when the queen perishes—and the ice and fire find a new home in Elli, who is prophesied to be the most powerful Valtia to ever rule.

But when the queen dies defending the kingdom from invading warriors, the magic doesn’t enter Elli. It’s nowhere to be found.

Disgraced, Elli flees to the outlands, home of banished criminals—some who would love to see the temple burn with all its priests inside. As she finds her footing in this new world, Elli uncovers devastating new information about the Kupari magic, those who wield it, and the prophecy that foretold her destiny. Torn between her love for her people and her growing loyalty to the banished, Elli struggles to understand the true role she was meant to play. But as war looms, she must choose the right side before the kingdom and its magic are completely destroyed.

Feelings:
I made the mistake of looking at a few reviews as well as the over all rating before I started reading this novel. It had a not so great over all rating. I normally look for an average of 4 stars, and this had 3.7 stars. I didn't think it was the best book, but I really enjoyed the story.

Elli seemed like a real person. She had fears and worries. I liked that about her. She also had disappointment but she learned to live with it and make the best of what she had. She was a very interesting character, and I enjoyed getting to know her as she grew throughout the novel.She knew what her short comings were outside of the temple and she did her best to learn and grow. She made mistakes, but she didn't obsess over them. She did obsess a little over what she wasn't and what sh actually was. It was interesting to see her learn about magic and her lack of it.

Another character I really liked was Oskar. He denied so much of himself because of fear. This is true of so many people, not just in fiction. We let fear hold us back because we are scared of what might happen. I could go off into a rant about the politics of fear, which is applicable to this novel. However, I won't. Oskar does learn from his fear and he changes. It was the growth in both of these characters that made me really like reading about them. I also enjoyed the family dynamic that was present in the outlands rebel camp. It was so different from the city.

I also liked the balance that magic had with fire and ice. Without a balance a person is consumed by the magic. Sarah Fines created an interesting world in The Impostor Queen. I recommend this novel and look forward to the next in the series.

Review: The Heir by Kiera Cass

Genre: Dystopian Young Adult
Series: Yes, The Selection #4
Pages: 342
Copyright: 2015
Publisher: HarperTeen
Buy: Amazon

Summary: from Good Reads
Princess Eadlyn has grown up hearing endless stories about how her mother and father met. Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won the heart of Prince Maxon—and they lived happily ever after. Eadlyn has always found their fairy-tale story romantic, but she has no interest in trying to repeat it. If it were up to her, she'd put off marriage for as long as possible.

But a princess's life is never entirely her own, and Eadlyn can't escape her very own Selection—no matter how fervently she protests.

Eadlyn doesn't expect her story to end in romance. But as the competition begins, one entry may just capture Eadlyn's heart, showing her all the possibilities that lie in front of her . . . and proving that finding her own happily ever after isn't as impossible as she's always thought.

Feelings: 
I thought the selection series ended with The One, but then I saw The Heir. First I wasn't going to read it because the end of the America Maxom story felt a little stretched to me, and I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as the first book. I kept seeing this book pop up, so I decided to give it a chance. It was enjoyable, but it isn't going to be one of my favorite books. The beginning felt a little forced and childish. I didn't like Eadlyn, the first person narrator. The first few chapters weren't my favorite and that made it difficult to enjoy the story. I started enjoying the story more when it got more romantic. Princess Eadlyn is a bit of a bitch. 

"Seven minutes. It should have been you. I'd much rather sit alone and scribble away instead of all that stupid paperwork. And this ridiculous Selection nonsense! Can't you see how dreadful this is?" p. 21

I think this a pretty good example of the kind of narrator Eadlyn is. Not my favorite. However, she does improve. Her interactions with the boys when they first arrive is amusing, and it shows that she does have a gentler side when she interacts with Henri.

The story feels like a repeat of the first novels, but with a new political problem. One that came about from the dissolving of the cast system. I'll be interested to see where that aspect of the story goes. As for the Selection from 35 boys for her husband, Princess Evelyn may not have it figured out, but I'm pretty sure I do. At least I have it narrowed down to three and I think I know who she will end up with.

This novel wasn't anything new, but I enjoyed spending a little more time with Maxon, America, and with the characters from the first three novels. Even though I think I know how this will end, I am curious if I will be surprised. I'm going to be continuing to the end. This has had a nice cliffhanger ending and I want to little closure.

Review: Their Fractured Light by Amie Kaufman and Megan Spooner

Genre: Young adult fantasy
Series: Starbound #3
Pages: 425
Copyright: 2015
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Buy: Amazon

Summary: from Good Reads
A year ago, Flynn Cormac and Jubilee Chase made the now infamous Avon Broadcast, calling on the galaxy to witness for their planet, and protect them from destruction. Some say Flynn’s a madman, others whisper about conspiracies. Nobody knows the truth. A year before that, Tarver Merendsen and Lilac LaRoux were rescued from a terrible shipwreck—now, they live a public life in front of the cameras, and a secret life away from the world’s gaze.

Now, in the center of the universe on the planet of Corinth, all four are about to collide with two new players, who will bring the fight against LaRoux Industries to a head. Gideon Marchant is an eighteen-year-old computer hacker—a whiz kid and an urban warrior. He’ll climb, abseil and worm his way past the best security measures to pull off onsite hacks that others don’t dare touch.

Sofia Quinn has a killer smile, and by the time you’re done noticing it, she’s got you offering up your wallet, your car, and anything else she desires. She holds LaRoux Industries responsible for the mysterious death of her father and is out for revenge at any cost.

When a LaRoux Industries security breach interrupts Gideon and Sofia’s separate attempts to infiltrate their headquarters, they’re forced to work together to escape. Each of them has their own reason for wanting to take down LaRoux Industries, and neither trusts the other. But working together might be the best chance they have to expose the secrets LRI is so desperate to hide.

Feelings:
This was the last novel in the trilogy that begin with this These Broken Stars. In this novel all the characters from the previous two come together as well as two new characters. It is from the new characters point of view.

The characters are what make the story interesting to me. Lilac and Trevor are silently working behind the scenes to undo the evil Lilac's father has done. Chase and Fin are drawn in because of their history with the Whispers. Gideon and Sofia begin a relationship as we follow them but they are torn apart by lies. Moral tell the truth. As last book in the series it did a good job bringing everything together to create an ending that was satisfying.

I recommend the series to fantasy fans. It is a light read. I find that when two authors work together on a story it leaves me wondering about what was contributed by each person. I am sure every relationship like this towards differently based on the strengths and weaknesses of the off author's involved. This combination of authors work very well and the series was a strong one.

Review: This Census-Taker by China Mieville

Genre: Fantasy
Series: No
Pages: 210
Copyright: 2016 
Publisher: Del Rey
Buy: Amazon

Summary: from Good Reads

For readers of George Saunders, Kelly Link, and Karen Russell, This Census Taker is the poignant and uncanny new novella from award-winning and bestselling author China Miéville. After witnessing a profoundly traumatic event, a boy is left alone in a remote house on a hilltop with his increasingly deranged parent. When a stranger knocks on his door, the boy senses that his days of isolation are over—but by what authority does this man keep the meticulous records he carries? Is he the boy’s friend? His enemy? Or something altogether other?

Feelings:

The world in this novel is so close to our own but so different. This novella is startlingly simple, but there is also depth. I think the epigraph in this novel sets the tone for the book perfectly. The main character does not live " for but against." He struggles not only to understand simple things and we get to know him as a child, but from the adult perspective.

Like the other novel I read by China Meville this novel uses a sightly odd writing style. I think that adds to the story. It also adds a bit of distance between the narrator now and the narrator in the past.

A boy ran down a hill path screaming. The boy was I. He held his hands up and out in front of him as if he'd dipped them in paint and was coming to make a picture, to press them down to paper, but all there was on him was dirt. There was no blood on his palms. p.3

The third person style turns very quickly to first person. I liked this transition and the way we had distance from the narrator for the first two paragraph but "I" is interspersed so that when the third paragraph is fully in first person it does not come as a surprise.

People in the town saw that cloud long before I arrived, Samma would later tell me. p.3

The book gives lots of hints about what happens, but the adult narrator stays out of the child's story and we are allowed to come to our own conclusions about what happens in the story. I liked that the author gave the reader the opportunity to put together the hints. That made the novel a lot more satisfying for me.

While I loved this novel and will be adding it to my collection of kept books, which I try to keep relatively small, I was left wondering if I had missed something. There were many questions I felt weren't answered. That is why this book has a four bird rating instead of a 5 bird rating. I have read other books by China Mieville, and I also enjoyed them. I will be searching out more by this author. I highly recommend this novella to anyone who enjoys fiction with a slight alteration of the setting so that it almost feels like fantasy.

Review: The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Moshsin Hamid

Narrator: Satya Bhabha
Genre: Fiction
Series: No
Copyright: 2007
Publisher: AudioGO
Buy: Amazon Audio or Amazon Book

Summary: from Good Reads 

At a café table in Lahore, a bearded Pakistani man converses with an uneasy American stranger. As dusk deepens to night, he begins the tale that has brought them to this fateful meeting . . .

Changez is living an immigrant’s dream of America. At the top of his class at Princeton, he is snapped up by the elite "valuation" firm of Underwood Samson. He thrives on the energy of New York, and his infatuation with elegant, beautiful Erica promises entry into Manhattan society at the same exalted level once occupied by his own family back in Lahore.

But in the wake of September 11, Changez finds his position in his adopted city suddenly overturned, and his budding relationship with Erica eclipsed by the reawakened ghosts of her past. And Changez’s own identity is in seismic shift as well, unearthing allegiances more fundamental than money, power, and maybe even love.


Feelings: 
This was a strange book, and it took a while to get used to the narrative style. The narrator finds an American in the streets of Lahore and takes him to a cafe. There he talks to the man even though we never hear the American say anything. This makes the novel feel like a very long monologue. It is a relatively short book. I don't think the style of monologue would have lasted much longer without falling apart.

As Changez tells the story of his time as a student and how he worked at a valuation firm in New York, we see him change and grow as a person through his telling. However, it becomes clear that Changez may not be the most reliable narrator. He adds his current incite to the story he is telling and as the listener we are not sure how true any of the events are.

I enjoyed the story. I was glad it was short because the narrative style was difficult to connect with. I recommend this The Reluctant Fundamentalist audiobook or novel if you are looking for something that is a little off the beaten path.

Review: Clara and Mr. Tiffany by Susan Vreeland

Narrator: Kimberly Farr 
Genre: Historical Fiction 
Series: No 
Copyright: 2011 
Publisher: Random House Audio 
Buy: Amazon Audio or Amazon Book

Summary: from Good Reads
Against the unforgettable backdrop of New York near the turn of the twentieth century, from the Gilded Age world of formal balls and opera to the immigrant poverty of the Lower East Side, bestselling author Susan Vreeland again breathes life into a work of art in this extraordinary novel, which brings a woman once lost in the shadows into vivid color.

It’s 1893, and at the Chicago World’s Fair, Louis Comfort Tiffany makes his debut with a luminous exhibition of innovative stained-glass windows, which he hopes will honor his family business and earn him a place on the international artistic stage. But behind the scenes in his New York studio is the freethinking Clara Driscoll, head of his women’s division. Publicly unrecognized by Tiffany, Clara conceives of and designs nearly all of the iconic leaded-glass lamps for which he is long remembered.

Clara struggles with her desire for artistic recognition and the seemingly insurmountable challenges that she faces as a professional woman, which ultimately force her to protest against the company she has worked so hard to cultivate. She also yearns for love and companionship, and is devoted in different ways to five men, including Tiffany, who enforces to a strict policy: he does not hire married women, and any who do marry while under his employ must resign immediately. Eventually, like many women, Clara must decide what makes her happiest—the professional world of her hands or the personal world of her heart.

Feelings: 
I listened to the audiobook of Clara and Mr. Tiffany. I really enjoyed the audio version of the story. It was at times a little slow, and I would have liked to see a little more action. However, being based on actual people and events there was less room for invention. I enjoy historical fiction and this was interesting because of the history of leaded glass windows, and how women were involved in the process at Tiffany Studio.

The history included in this novel held my interest because the art history of Tiffany Studio was something I wasn't familiar with even though I was familiar with the art work. 

The end of the novel looked a little more at the history that went into creating the novel and that was really interesting to me.

Review: Crystal Kingdom by Amanda Hocking

Genre: Fantasy 
Series: Kanin Chronicles #3 
Pages: 432 
Copyright: 2015 
Publisher: St. Martin's Press 
Buy: Amazon

Summary:from Good Reads
The kingdom she loves has turned against her. Can she save it before it’s too late?

Bryn Aven—unjustly charged with murder and treason—is on the run. The one person who can help is her greatest enemy, the gorgeous and enigmatic Konstantin Black. Konstantin is her only ally against those who have taken over her kingdom and threaten to destroy everything she holds dear. But can she trust him?

As Bryn fights to clear her name, the Kanin rulers’ darkest secrets are coming to light…and now the entire troll world is on the brink of war. Will it tear Bryn from Ridley Dresden, the only guy she’s ever loved? And can she join forces with Finn Holms and the Trylle kingdom? Nothing is as it seems, but one thing is certain: an epic battle is under way—and when it’s over, nothing will ever be the same…

Feelings: 
This was the last book in the Kanin series. I have not read any of the other books that are set in the same world, so I am not sure if they are similar in plot. Konstaintin and Bryn are traveling together after she became an exile of Kanin and escaped from the city. As Bryn suspected, there is more going on in the capital with the queen and king. Konstaintin used to be her dream guy but now Bryn is worried about her boyfriend, Ridley, who she left in Kanin. However, with Konstaintin near and paying attention to her, old feelings can't help but surface. The love triangle seems to be one of the most common plot devices I seen young adult novels. It is also one of the plot devices I find most annoying. I could see it coming in this series and had hoped that it wouldn't become a driving part of the story. While it did not take over the story, it was there off and on.

As the last book in the series, all conflicts from the past books came to fruition and were wrapped up. While the action and events were messy, the plot was very neatly tied up at the end. It was a little neater than what I normally read; however, I enjoyed the novel.

If you enjoyed the first two books in the series, this one will hold your interest as well. I recommend this to people who have enjoyed Amanda Hocking's writing in the past. Do you start at the beginning of the series with Frostfire.

Review: Bobcat and Other Stories by Rebecca Lee

Genre: Short Stories
Series: No
Pages: 212
Copyright: 2013
Publisher: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
Buy: Amazon

Summary: from Amazon
Rebecca Lee, one of our most gifted and original short story writers, guides readers into a range of landscapes, both foreign and domestic, crafting stories as rich as novels. A student plagiarizes a paper and holds fast to her alibi until she finds herself complicit in the resurrection of one professor's shadowy past. A dinner party becomes the occasion for the dissolution of more than one marriage. A woman is hired to find a wife for the one true soulmate she's ever found. In all, Rebecca Lee traverses the terrain of infidelity, obligation, sacrifice, jealousy, and yet finally, optimism. Showing people at their most vulnerable, Lee creates characters so wonderfully flawed, so driven by their desire, so compelled to make sense of their human condition, that it's impossible not to feel for them when their fragile belief in romantic love, domestic bliss, or academic seclusion fails to provide them with the sort of force field they'd expected.

Feelings: 
Let me start by saying while this book is highly recommended, had my doubts from the start. Bobcats don't have tails and this one does. The back cover made me dislike the author and designer a little for not knowing more about bobcats and placing this image with a tail on the cover. I know this is just a fictional cat and not a real one, but it still bothered me. This led me to dislike the book a little from the start. I'm not sure why the stories were in the order they were in, but I felt like the weakest stories were at the beginning of this collection. I liked Min best of all the stories in the collection. All the stories had some connection to a university setting which was interesting. These were not the type of story I would generally enjoy reading. They show the darker side of life, and I prefer to focus on the happy parts.

Bobcat:
The first story in the collection is about a dinner party in which marriage is questioned and not everything is how it seems. Yes, there is a bobcat in the story, but it seems to be more metaphorical than real. The story was well written, but I didn't really feel that I wanted to spend time with the characters in the story nor was there a redeeming character whom made me like the story. The story did have a twist at the end I wasn't expecting. This was another of those life sucks stories.

The Banks of The Vistula:
A student wants to be noticed and different so she plagiarizes a paper. This story was a bit more interesting than the first story in the collection. I still felt that the story was a little bit flat, and I wasn't really connected to any of the characters. Life will disappoint you, was the feeling I got from it.

Slatland:
A young girl struggles with depression and goes to see a professor who specializes in child psychology. As a adult she sees the professor again and wonders about the technique he used for helping see the bigger perspective. The story was a bit odd, but I enjoyed it. I would not have wanted to spend anymore time with the characters than the short story length, but I found it interesting.

Min:
I think this might have been my favorite story in the collection. A young man invites his best friend Sarah back to Hong Kong after they graduate from college. She is given the job of reviewing applications for his future wife. The story also looks at immigrants and the politics of housing refugees from Vietnam. Following Sarah through her time in Hong Kong and her struggle with finding a woman she feels will be right for Min was engaging.

World Party:
A professor on a discipline committee at the University examines another professor, Stuart Applebaum's involvement as the leader of a protest group on campus. The story has a bit of a nostalgic review of past events, because of little facts that come from the future. It added an interesting quality to the story.

Fialta:
An architect student takes a spot as an apprentice at Fialta, and is attracted to one of the other apprentices. However, there is a rule of no dating and this becomes the central conflict of the story. The story was a bit long and slow at times but it held my interest.

Settlers:  
The last story takes a look at friendship and relationships over time and the way we imagine things that aren't always what they seem to be. The ending of the story had a finality that felt right for concluding the collection of stories. This wasn't my favorite in the collection but it was an interesting story in that the University setting was the least obvious.

Review: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Illustrator: Ellen Forney
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Series: No
Pages: 240
Copyright: 2007
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Buy: Amazon

Summary: from Good Reads
Bestselling author Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.

Heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which is based on the author's own experiences, coupled with poignant drawings by Ellen Forney that reflect the character's art, chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy as he attempts to break away from the life he was destined to live.

With a forward by Markus Zusak, interviews with Sherman Alexie and Ellen Forney, and four-color interior art throughout, this edition is perfect for fans and collectors alike.

Feelings:
This book had me crying in the first fourteen pages. I thought about putting it down then and not reading the rest of the book. However, I figured if the book could evoke that kind of emotion so quickly it would be worth reading. I should note I love dogs. The first fourteen pages might not have been a tear-jerker if I didn't like dogs.

I was curious why this book was banned in the schools and the only reason I could see was references to masturbation and boners. The narrator is a high school freshman and both masturbation and boners seem like topics that would be on the mind of a young boy.

This was not what I consider a gentle story it dealt with difficult topics: poverty, alcoholism, being an outsider, and death. Maybe because this story feels real and looks at a darker side of America is the real reason it was banned. However, I think students need to be exposed to things outside of the familiar. After finishing the book, I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a book that  will have you laughing and crying.

Review: Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson

Genre: Science Fiction 
Series: No 
Pages: 466 
Copyright: 2015 
Publisher: Orbit 
Buy: Amazon

Summary: from Good Reads
A major new novel from one of science fiction's most powerful voices, AURORA tells the incredible story of our first voyage beyond the solar system.
Brilliantly imagined and beautifully told, it is the work of a writer at the height of his powers.
Our voyage from Earth began generations ago.

Now, we approach our new home.

AURORA.

Feelings:
The story starts as an interstellar spaceship nears it's destination. Freya has growing up on the ship, and she has never seen a planet or stood on land. Her whole life has been spent on the ship much like those of the past six generations. However, soon they will reach their destination. Aurora is a moon that is much like earth, and the first generation on the ship hoped that their descendants would be able to build a new human settlement on the moon.

As the ship is traveling the last leg of the journey to Aurora we get to know Freya. Devi, Freya's mother, has instructed the ship's AI system to make a narrative account of the journey, and after struggling to do so the ship follows one individual on the ship. Through Freya we see current events on the ship that started it's trip 170 years ago.

I wanted to like this book much more than I ended up liking it. Parts of it were really good, but I found parts a bit slow, and I would get bogged down. I didn't like that aspect of the book. I did like the story. I liked the arc of the story and the growth of characters. However, I did not find the ending to be satisfying in the way I wanted. I don't want to discourage someone from reading the book because overall it was good. I just had some questions about the end and the logistics of it. Not all that big, I came up with a few explanations; however, I would have preferred that one of them be given in the story. I almost felt like it would have been more satisfying to me if the last chapter/section had not been included. I'm not sure but I think I would have been happier.

I think this book is worth a look if you like science fiction. Know that it can be slow at times, and while the ending is satisfying there is one problem that I think should have been addressed but wasn't. That is why I'm not highly recommending this book.

Review: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Narrators: Susan Lyons, Anna Bentink, Steven Crossley, Alex Tregear, Andrew Wincott, and Owen Lindsy
Genre: Fiction
Series: Me Before You #1
Copyright: 2013
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Rating: 4 out of 5
Buy: Amazon

Summary: from Good Reads
Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.

What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.

Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.

What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.

Feelings:
A few years ago, I saw this book was one of the books selected for the best fiction on the Good Reads Readers Choice Awards. At the time, I thought it looked interesting and put it on my list of books to read. Now, a few years later, I've listened to it. There were multiple points of view in the novel, and each point of view had its own narrator. I liked this but could see how the different voices could be confusing when you were used to the voice created by another narrator for the same character.

The story was touching, but not to sad. I wanted to listen to this audiobook even when I wasn't in my car. This was not always a good thing, but it tells you how much I enjoyed the story.

Will, a quadrapaligic, needs a caregiver, according to his mother, to help with his moral and Lou takes the job. At first she feels that it is rather pointless for her to be there and then she and Will begin talking.

I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. It wasn't your typical romance but there was romance in a sweet gentle way. I recommend either the audiobook or the novel to those that enjoy fiction set in the present time.

They have recently turned the book into a movie, which I have not seen yet. The trailer makes it look interesting but I'm not sure if it would be as good as the book. If you have seen the movie, let me know what you think. I'm not sure if I should go.

Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman

Title: Shadow Scale

Author: Rachel Hartman

Type: Young Adult Novel
Genre: Fantasy

Series: Seraphina #2

Pages: 608
Copyright:  2015

Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Rating: 3.5 out of 5


Summary: from Good Reads
Seraphina took the literary world by storm with 8 starred reviews and numerous “Best of” lists. At last, her eagerly awaited sequel has arrived—and with it comes an epic battle between humans and dragons.

The kingdom of Goredd: a world where humans and dragons share life with an uneasy balance, and those few who are both human and dragon must hide the truth. Seraphina is one of these, part girl, part dragon, who is reluctantly drawn into the politics of her world. When war breaks out between the dragons and humans, she must travel the lands to find those like herself—for she has an inexplicable connection to all of them, and together they will be able to fight the dragons in powerful, magical ways.

As Seraphina gathers this motley crew, she is pursued by humans who want to stop her. But the most terrifying is another half dragon, who can creep into people’s minds and take them over. Until now, Seraphina has kept her mind safe from intruders, but that also means she’s held back her own gift. It is time to make a choice: Cling to the safety of her old life, or embrace a powerful new destiny?

Feelings:
I was suprised by this book. I remember thinking after finishing the first in the series that it would be hard to have a second one that was as good as the first. I don't think this book was as strong as the first in the series but I did enjoy it.

Seraphina was still an interesting character to me and I was glad to see more of the dragon and half-dragon side of the story included in here. We focused less on Goredd and the people there are more on the kingdoms around Goredd, where Seraphina is searching for half-dragons.

The book didn't draw me in until the second half when Seraphina is traveling with the dragons. Seraphina herself seemed conflicted in this book, like the first, but she seemed to be doing less about it in this book. "I'm worried about this," seemed to be her way of dealing with it. She didn't really take action when it seemed like she should have been taking action.

The end of this book surprised me in how it wrapped everything up. I'm used to the trilogies that keep coming out and I didn't realize there wouldn't be a third until I got to the end and all of the conflicts had been solved. This was a fun series. I recommend it.

The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson

Title: The Heart of Betrayal
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Type: Young Adult Novel
Genre: Fantasy
Series: The Remnant Chronicles #2
Pages: 473
Copyright: 2015
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Rating: 4 out of 5


Summary: from Good Reads
Intrigue abounds in this hotly anticipated sequel to The Kiss of Deception!

Held captive in the barbarian kingdom of Venda, Lia and Rafe have little chance of escape. Desperate to save her life, Lia's erstwhile assassin, Kaden, has told the Vendan Komizar that she has the gift, and the Komizar's interest in Lia is greater than anyone could have foreseen.

Meanwhile, nothing is straightforward: there's Rafe, who lied to Lia, but has sacrificed his freedom to protect her; Kaden, who meant to assassinate her but has now saved her life; and the Vendans, whom Lia always believed to be barbarians. Now that she lives amongst them, however, she realizes that may be far from the truth. Wrestling with her upbringing, her gift, and her sense of self, Lia must make powerful choices that will affect her country... and her own destiny.

Feelings: 
I wasn't sure this would be  able to hold the same standards as the first book. I was surprised to find that I enjoyed this book as much as the first and maybe more. I liked getting to know the people that were seen as the enemy in the previous book and learning more about Kaden and Rafe.

There were four different points of view in this novel and I felt at times like it detracted from the story to switch back and forth. I was glad to know what was happening with Pauline in Morrighan but at times I thought maybe it would have been a better story if we didn't have her point of view included.k

I am looking forward to the next in the series. I'm hoping my library gets it soon after it is release and I don't have to wait months for its arrival.

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

Title: An Ember in the Ashes 
Author: Sabaa Tahir 
Type: Young Adult Novel 
Genre: Fantasy 
Series: Yes, An Ember in the Ashes #1 
Pages: 446 
Copyright: 2015 
Publisher: Razorbill 
Rating: 4 out of 5


Summary: from Good Reads
Laia is a slave.

Elias is a soldier.

Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

Feelings: 
This book was not what I was expecting. It took me a little time to start liking it. It was worth the first three chapters of adjustment. I really enjoyed this book. Laia is worried about being like her parents and brother and through the story we see that she is more like them than she knows. We as readers see her in a way that she doesn't and I really liked that.

Elias struggles with who he is becoming and how it isn't what he would chose. He doesn't really have a choice though and it is the lack of choice that makes him want to break free.

I wasn't sure how the going back and forth between two narrators would work but I ended up really enjoying it. I recommend this book and am looking forward to the next in the series. 

Ice Kissed by Amanda Hocking

Title: Ice Kissed

Author: Amanda Hocking

Type: Young Adult Novel
Genre: Fantasy

Series: Yes, The Kanin Chronicles #2

Pages: 309
Copyright: 2015

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Rating: 3 out of 5


Summary: from Good Reads
In the majestic halls of a crystal palace lies a secret that could destroy an entire kingdom…

Bryn Aven refuses to give up on her dream of serving the kingdom she loves. It’s a dream that brings her to a whole new realm…and the glittering palace of the Skojare.

The Skojare people need protection from the same brutal enemy that’s been threatening the Kanin, and Bryn is there to help. Being half Skojare herself, it’s also a chance for her to learn more about her lost heritage. Her boss, Ridley Dresden, is overseeing her mission, but as their undeniable attraction heats up, their relationship is about to reach a whole new level—one neither of them is prepared for.

As they delve deeper into the Skojare world, they begin to unravel a long-hidden secret. The dark truth about her own beloved Kanin kingdom is about to come to light, and it will change her place in it forever…and threaten everyone she loves.


Feelings: 
I enjoyed this book like I did the first in the series. I felt like the book could have used a little more polishing I found a few mistakes in the copy, left out words. That happens but it does take me out of the story when I have to stop and think was that a mistake or is it supposed to be that way. That being said I really enjoyed the story. Bryn is an interesting character and I think at times she could really use a good shove so that she sees that maybe what she thinks isn't really the case. I think she may have gotten that shove in this book.

The end of this book made me wish I had the next book. I know that it is out already but I don't think my library will have it yet. I recommend this book to anyone who read the first book, Frostfire, and enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to the last book in the trilogy.

Everdark by Elle Jasper

Title: Everdark
Author: Elle Jasper
Type:Novel
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Yes, Dark Ink Chronicles #2
Pages: 336
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Signet
Rating: 3 out of 5


Summary: from good reads
When Savannah tattoo artists Riley Poe is ambushed by an undead enemy, she inherits some of the traits of her attackers-and a telepathic link with a rampaging vampire. Now, she's experiencing murder after murder through the victims' eyes. And her new powers will not be enough to stop the horror-or the unending slaughter...



Feelings:
Everdark is the second in the series and there were times when I want a little more intelligence from the main character. However, since this is brain candy, yum yum, I am willing to let the silly things that don't quite add up go.

This really was brain candy. Sex, kicking ass, and a little bit of danger. Then there is the mind control and awesome powers. I want to jump roof tops that just sounds fun. This all adds up to a fun read that shut off the brain for a while. 

This book doesn't have as much of a conclusion as the first in the series did but I felt less ravenous for the third book than I had after I finished reading the first book. 

While I sometimes wanted to hit Riley for her stupidity and lack of trust. "With trust there is no love" yet she claims to love so many people and then just blatantly ignore them. That gets old. I do like how spunky she is and how she wants to maintain her independence even when it probably isn't in her best interest. It can be hard to admit we need others. Riley still hasn't realized she might need a little help or might want to share the burdens with someone else sometimes and that is what I'm waiting for her to realize. I hope the author doesn't let me down but that is one change I really want to see in Riley before the series ends. 

Here's to a great brain candy novel. I shall not be shy about the joy I have gotten from this series. It isn't for everyone but when I'm reading it I'm absorbed and loving it. 

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

Title: The Nightingale


Author: Kristin Hannah

Type: Novel
Genre: Historical Fiction

Series: No

Pages: 440
Copyright:  2015

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Rating: 4 out of 5


Cover Rating: 4 out of 5
The cover of the book that I designed was of the apple tree in Vianne's yard. She tied fabric to the tree to remember each person that the war took from her. I thought having that as the cover would be interesting because it would be from the period of the war but not as dark as a war. The actual cover is simple, which I think was good. It was from the present time and showed the Eiffel tower through a rainy window with a rose bush and a nightingale in gold laid over the top. I thought it was elegant but dark.

 
Summary: from Good Reads
In love we find out who we want to be.
In war we find out who we are.

FRANCE, 1939

In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn’t believe that the Nazis will invade France...but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When France is overrun, Vianne is forced to take an enemy into her house, and suddenly her every move is watched; her life and her child’s life is at constant risk. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates around her, she must make one terrible choice after another.

Vianne’s sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old girl, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets the compelling and mysterious Gäetan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can...completely. When he betrays her, Isabelle races headlong into danger and joins the Resistance, never looking back or giving a thought to the real--and deadly--consequences.

With courage, grace and powerful insight, bestselling author Kristin Hannah takes her talented pen to the epic panorama of WWII and illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen: the women’s war. The Nightingale tells the stories of two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals, passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path toward survival, love, and freedom in German-occupied, war-torn France--a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the durability of women. It is a novel for everyone, a novel for a lifetime.

Feelings:
It took me a while to get into the book. It starts out in 1995 with a woman remembering the past and thinking about what we loose. She doesn't relish remembering but remembering becomes central to the story in a way that is heartbreaking. Once I got to Isabelle's point of view I found the story more engaging.

The back and forth between two time periods, 1995 (where the story is from a first person narrator) and WWII (where the story is told in third person)  gave the story an interesting feeling. I wasn't sure which sister was remember the war in 1995.

The novel was not one that I would consider uplifting but it had moments of happiness during the war even mixed in with the horrors. I would recomend this novel. Many novels I think that the cover adds something to the story but after seeing the cover on this I don't think it added anything to the story and I didn't feel like I was missing part of the story seeing it after finishing the novel.

I recommend this novel to readers who enjoy historical fiction and who like strong female characters.