Yet Another Ode to Tamora Pierce: Keladry of Mindelan

Art by: minuiko

Warning: Spoilers for The Song of the Lioness, The Immortals, Protector of the Small, and Daughter of the Lioness.

There's something I really love about Keladry of Mindelan.  I feel like whereas Aly might be the most actively disliked heroine, Keladry is the most overlooked.  (What is with me and loving the least loved?)  People just don't seem to connect to Kel in the same way they do with Alanna and Daine.  Kel's certainly less flashy than the other Tortall heroines.  The other heroines all seem to be born to what they do.  Daine is a wild mage because she's basically a demigod, Aly is also a product of her heritage (although I think she is the most tenuous in my argument that the non-Kel heroines are born to what they do), and I'd argue that Alanna's involvement with the Goddess is so deeply ingrained that her path has almost entirely been shaped by the Goddess.  (Not that I'm saying that they don't work their butts off to get where they are. It's more of a destiny sort of thing that guides them so that there really isn't anything else they could have been.) Kel on the other hand, is very, very normal.  And that's kind of the point.  She's the only non-magical heroine we have (disclaimer: I haven't actually read the Bekka Cooper books yet, so all of these claims are excluding her since I can't say anything on that matter), so she doesn't have the raw power or specialties that the other three do.  Yes, she does eventually become a God's project, sort of, but it happens only in the last book.  Whereas it feels like Alanna was always chosen by her goddess, and Daine and Aly were born into their involvement with gods, it feels more like Kel's god chose her because of who she has come to be, not because she particularly was who he was waiting for. She was simply the best tool for the job at the time.

Art by: Renigada 

I know some people might have felt less involved with Kel's story because there's no big one true love situation.  There's definitely some romance, but there's no one in particular that she ends up with definitely. I actually think this might be one of the reasons I love this quartet so much.  It felt a lot more like what I was like growing up: I was definitely interested in a more than a few boys, but I was never interested in taking it very far.  Basically, like Alanna there are a lot of love interests - but unlike Alanna, there's not lots of sexy time.  And I think it's important that both of these things are put into stories. Both that it is ok to have sexy times if you want them, as long as it is your decision, and that if you aren't ready, then you don't need to do that either.  Both of these situations are good, no one option is better than the other.  And I think it's great that you see heroines who really only have significant interest in one guy (Daine, Ali) or that there's serious interest in lots of guys, but the heroine gets her one guy (Alanna), or that there's interest in lots of guys, but the heroine isn't ready to settle down to have her one guy yet, so she doesn't end up with anyone (Kel). And she's happy like that.

Art by: tameraali

Kel also doesn't have Alanna's temper, Daine's emotionally charged background, or Ali's quick wit, so I suppose even her personality and background doesn't stand out quite the same way theirs does.  And again, I don't think this is a bad thing.  A lot of things about Daine's character are really, really good - she's patient and mild-tempered (at least outwardly - she definitely fights to portray the calm people think she has) - but they are seen as sort of boring traits.  The same with her background - she's from a diplomats family, and her family seems to deeply love her. She didn't hide who she was half her life (Alanna), have her family murdered (Daine), and Ali kind of makes up from having such a privileged background by being so snarky and witty (my opinion haha).  Kel's personality just seems so much quieter than the others, and is more of a team player (even as she ends up being a leader) and I think who she is as a core is just so unappreciated a lot of the time.  In fact, while browsing for awesome Kel fanart, I came across minuiko who is a hard core Kel fangirl, and man you should read what she wrote on why she loves Kel so much.  I mean she just really nails down everything I'm trying to say here.  And on that note, I'm going to leave you with one of my favourite paintings of hers (I think it's because Kel is such a giant and Daine's hair is like....flawless).

Day 06 - Favorite Book of Your Favorite Series

I've mentioned before the the Redwall series was a huge part of my life growing up.  With twenty-two books in the series, it's no surprise that after about book 10, they all start blurring together.  I have vague remembrances of enjoying one more than another, but in general the stories were always pretty solid, if not memorable.  There is one exception in this series, and ever since my first time reading it (and upon many, many rereads of this series) it has always stood out as my absolute favourite book of the lot. 

Martin the Warrior is the sixth book in the Redwall Series, and it is the first time we go back to the history of the world Brian Jacques has set up.  In the previous books, you hear constant mentions of Martin the Warrior as a true hero to almost mythic proportions.  In the previous books it's been years (from what I recall it's basically at least a century), and it doesn't matter how far down the generations the books have taken us, Martin the Warrior remains a strong part of their history.  So when I discovered that we'd finally get to hear about this Martin fellow I was pleasantly surprised as it was a new twist to how the series had been progressing (aka, chronologically). 

This book has everything that I've come to realize that I expect in a fantasy novel to be worthy of my favourites shelf.  It's got heartbreak and tragedy, but humour and love, platonic and romantic relationships, epic worldbuilding (and food porn!), complex relationships...it's amazing. I'm not expecting anyone who hasn't read this story to read it, but in the interest of not spoiling it anyway, BEWARE SPOILERS.

Martin's main love interest is killed and my guess is that it was probably the first time I'd had a main character/love interest die (although Charlotte's Web may have happened before this, so who knows. But definitely the love interest dying bit.)  It was one of the only times in the series that a main character dies, and I was absolutely heart broken when I finished this book.  I always find that the books I found as a child that were more than just a happy story are the ones I was really drawn to.  (Hmm. Maybe this is why I am so morbid?)

END SPOILERS

And now I think I'm going to start rereading these books...I'm getting nostalgic haha

Dealing with Harassment, or Why Fire is My Favourite Graceling book (Part 2)

So originally this was only going to be one post, but clearly my love for Fire couldn't be contained to one mere post.  In my last post I talked a lot about why I love Fire, but I never got to why I love Fire the most.  And part of that is because in this case it is supremely subjective (ooh alliteration!), and so personal I wasn't sure I was going to write a post about it.  But I decided it was something I should write about, so it's going to get super personal for a while, just as a warning.

I've mentioned on the blog before that I had a phone harasser.  Long story short, I got terrifying text messages for about four months and finally had to involve the cops.  What I haven't mentioned is that last summer got completely out of control as far as harassment went.  A couple weeks after I had finally ended the problems with my harasser, I got another one.  This time in real life.

I was walking through a park to find a spot to read my book, when a man approached me.  This man was very attractive - fit, tan, well dressed, looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties.  This was enough to keep me from gauging him as an immediate threat.  He told me that I was beautiful, and wanted to know if I was interested in getting his number to meet up sometime.  I was very flattered, after all doesn't everyone want a gorgeous man complimenting them?  I thanked him, but let him know I had a boyfriend.

At this point it all went downhill.  He wanted to know how serious we were, then he wanted to know if I wanted his number just in case, wouldn't stop being extremely pushy, and at this point was standing way too close for my comfort.  I finally escaped and moved to a bench at the other end of the park to finish up my book.  About ten minutes later, the guy rides by on his bike to leave the park.  I thought it was a little weird that he managed to leave by the same entrance I was at - there are a good twenty or thirty other ways to leave, but I just shrugged it off.  Until he rode back by me another ten minutes later, slowing down as he went by my bench.  And then again.  And then again.  Until he rides by, leans the bike against my bench and sits down next to me.  I was absolutely frozen.  I didn't have a clue what to do.  And I was terrified.  I was about a fifteen minute walk from my apartment, my roommate wasn't home, and I was wearing heels which are not especially conducive to escape plans.  After sitting and staring and getting no response from me, he left. I was so terrified that I honestly didn't think I was capable of walking.  And how could I be certain he was gone for good? How would I know if he followed me home?  I ended up staying in that park for hours because it felt safer to stay there than to walk home by myself to an empty apartment.

A week after that took place, a man started taking photos of me without my consent while I waited for the train.  I was in so much shock I wasn't able to process what had just happened before the train came and he got in a different car. (And don't worry, after last summer I have taken definite steps to be able to defend myself, and have probably spent an inordinate amount of time coming up with plans for what-if scenarious)  Needless to say last summer took a huge toll on my psyche, and I'm dealing with the aftermath even today.  I'm fine most days, but sometimes seeing a man on the street is enough to send me home instead of going wherever I had meant to be, and I'm not always as in control of my emotional and physical reactions to strange men as I used to be.  It's a work in progress :)

Well that's great and all you might be saying, but how does that relate to Fire?

Artwork courtesy of the Inclusive Graceling tumblr

Sometimes there is a perfect meeting of what you need as a person, and what you find in a book.  Fire is that character for me.  As you read the book, you see Fire evolve from fear to strength.  You see her deal with significantly worse situations than I have ever been in, and instead of crumpling under the horror of it all, she gets stronger, and stronger, and stronger.

Character development is one of the most important things to me in a book, and Kristin Cashore manages to completely change Fire from the beginning of the book to the end in a way that both almost makes her unrecognizable.  Her strength and assertiveness, as well as her sense of self are so much stronger it's amazing to think back to the beginning of the book and how she acted then.  And yet at the same time she is the same person, just stripped down to the really core of who she is. Not only is that just simply impressive and enough for me to declare my undying love for an author, it just happened to be a character evolution that I need to have in my life when I encountered it.  In some ways I relate to Fire in a way I haven't needed to relate to other characters, and in some ways she's sort of a beacon of hope that I can evolve into a stronger person once I have mentally and emotionally dealt with everything I need to deal with.  Beyond that connection, I just love Fire as a character.  She's complicated and tough and loyal and unafraid of her sexuality.  She also makes a choice in the book that is probably one of the most heartbreaking decisions a person ever has to make, and I think what she did was awful, but ultimately the right decision for her and for the future.  She's also a passionate musician, which is always an added plus in my book, and the time Cashore takes to describe Fire's instruments so lovingly really endeared her to me.  Fire demands respect in her relationships, and is unwilling to compromise who she is as a person (at least as she evolves through the book) in any of those relationships, friendship, family, or otherwise.  That juxtaposed with her vulnerability, tenderness, fear, but mental and physical prowess solidify Fire as one of the best examples I know of a "strong female character" (read: a complex being)

Why Fire is My Favourite Book of the Graceling series (Part 1)

On a scale of 1-10, staying up until 3:30 in the morning last night rereading Fire, that was at least a 9 on the decision scale.  (And before any of my family yells at me, I would like to point out that I wouldn't have been up that late if it weren't for my terrible, evil cat.  If I hadn't had to lock Lily in my room because she's been pooping in front of the refrigerator every night for the last two weeks and my room mates hate me now, then I would have been able to sleep.  It's very difficult to sleep when your cat decides headbutting the door is her best shot at getting out of your room)

I've officially reread all three books at this point, and it's let me reflect a little on the series.  It's clear to me on this reread that Fire is my favourite book in the series, although Graceling is only a hair behind at second, and Bitterblue a hair further behind in third.  What it really comes down to is this: Fire makes me cry the most.

I know, I know it sounds really hypocritical of me since I talk so much about how I procrastinate hardcore on sad books, but there you are.  And I would like to add there's also a big difference between sad books and books where sad things happen.  In fact, it's a similar distinction I make in general between YA and adult literature - YA literature is almost always hopeful, even at it's most tragic.  Most adult literature I come across is sad in that ever pervasive, hopeless, drudgery way.  If you're going to make me sad, you damn well better get a bucket of tears and heart palpitations from me.  Just saying.

THERE ARE SERIOUS SPOILERS AHEAD.  I would recommend scrolling really fast all the way to the bottom of your post and cautiously making your way up until you see the end spoilers words if you want to read the bits of the post without them!  In the interest of not spoiling the really really spoilery bits (and not just my reactions because I don't think you can make images sort of invisible) I will make some of what I write under the reactions only visible if you highlight it.

SPOILERS!!!








My progession on reading Fire:

1. First half, oh yeah I remember how much I love this!

2.* About halfway through...oh god. Oh wait.  Doesn't Archer die?! WHY DID I REMEMBER THIS JUST NOW??

3. Cry because of this realization.

4. Cry when it happens.

5. *Cry because of Fire's fingers, and how I can't imagine living if I ever lost even one of my fingers.  I have actually spent probably a longer time than is healthy thinking about what I would do if this happens, because you can't play the oboe if you lose a finger. 

6. Cry because the book ended.  

END SPOILERS!!!

I would also like to note, that while I am an absolute crybaby in most books, I very rarely cry because a book has ended.  If it's a decent book, I might put it down with a sigh of satisfaction and move on.  If it's quite good, I will probably lie in bed and think about it for a while.  If it's really good (a la Graceling and Bitterblue), I will become despondent for a good hour, think about all the characters and the worldbuilding, and whyyyyy did it have to end?!  But it's rare that ending the book actually makes me cry.  Off the top of my head, I can only think of the last Harry Potter book that put me there.


I'd make the educated guess that Graceling is the general favourite of the series. My guess is that Bitterblue is less popular because it is significantly less action packed when compared to Graceling and Fire, and at 563 pages, it's also a good 100 pages longer than the other books.  I still loved Bitterblue, and I love, love, LOVED, that it dealt with the aftermath of Leck.  My respect for books that deal with things not magically being ok afterwards (Different book spoilers: Mockingjay, Quintana of the Charyns) is insurmountable, and I think more of them need to be out there.

My guesses for why Fire is less popular are very different.  For one, I think people probably expected more Katsa and Po (and who wouldn't want more Katsa and Po?) and it was probably a bit of a shock to find yourself with completely different characters in a completely different land. It's also very outspoken about rape in a way that I think can both empower and infuriate women.  And from here on out it's probably going to be a little spoilery, at least about the world building.  It's always tricky to talk about rape, especially when it is built so deeply into the world building.  It's always a fine line to walk, and inevitably you are going to upset people.  I'd argue that as a whole, (and there are individual times when I might not agree, and I'm still uncertain how I feel about an entire book that deals with violence towards our heroine) that Kristin Cashore does this in a respectful way that doesn't use rape simply as a plot device, and that also opens up a dialogue about what makes people good or evil (or neither).  While at times it may seem like the book is saying it's Fire's fault that the men are acting this way (and that's never an ok thing to believe in my book), I'd also like to point out that usually, any time this was mentioned - the men who look to act this way against Fire generally were this way beforehand, it just happened more suddenly and violently.  At some point in the book she talks to Brigan about how she turns most men away from her tent, but the men that are truly violent, she let's attack her so that Brigan will dismiss them.  This is still a mixed bag, and I totally understand why a lot of people were really upset by the way this was approached.  I tend to take the positive out of what was said, but I'll get to that later.

(Sidenote: One of my only quibbles on this point is that it's mentioned multiple times that it's worse for Fire because she's a woman, with the implication only women are desired.  It's not only men who feel desire - I'm sure there were women who lusted after Cansrel.  Yes, physically speaking, it's generally much, much less threatening, but there are also gay men.  My point is that worldbuilding wise, it doesn't make sense to me that only women are desired.  It does make sense to me that it's much scarier for a woman - specifically a woman like Fire vs. a man like Cansrel.  But it's weird to me that it's pointed out on more than one occasion that Fire is desired because she's a woman, and that these problems don't apply to Cansrel)

I'd also like to say that Fire almost never blames herself for the way men act towards her.  Archer and Nash are perfect examples of this.  Both of them act in a manner that is wholly unwelcome to her, and she let's them know that it's up to them to get themselves under control.  I also think that Archer and Nash are brilliant studies in what makes a person good or evil.  We seem examples, like Leck and Cansrel, of people who are pure evil.  This is juxtaposed against people like Fire who is a "monster", but who isn't inherently evil.  Then you've got Archer and Nash who seem like mostly decent men, but are more or less unbearable around Fire. (I have really complicated feelings on Archer. I kind of hate him as a person, but he's not all bad. Spoilers: And I was still extremely upset when he died. I don't really get it, to be honest. I think he really tried to be good, but....I don't know.  Complicated feelings.)

All of these are reasons why I love Fire (and why if you haven't read this series, GO READ IT NOW. I know plenty of non-fantasy lovers who loved it if you aren't convinced).  I never really got to why this is my favourite book of the series - I talk about why I love it, but none of this is what makes this book so personal for me.  This post has gotten so insanely long that I will have to wait for another post to get to that though :)

The Book Challenge: Day 04 - Your favorite book or series ever

So...I am going to have a real problem sticking to my guns about no repeats on this list (especially since I keep picking more than one book).

I've already talked about Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia, All of Tamora Pierce's books, Abarat, and Unspoken, all of which would be contenders for this category.  I'm going to go ahead and see if I can pick a standalone novel, so let's see where that leaves me...


                                                

I've picked both of these books because
A. Then I don't have to choose between them, and because
B. The less you know about them, the better.  It means I can't talk much about them, but I'm hoping you'll take me at my word here that if you love INSANE plot twists, both of these books are definitely for you.  (And on a sidenote, I've discovered almost all of my favourite standalone novels are adult fiction.  There's like two that aren't.  Is this because almost all of YA is series now? Uncertain...)

If you like gothic feeling books, I couldn't recommend The Thirteenth Tale more. I cannot talk enough about how in love I am with this book.  If you read her book Bellman & Black and hadn't read The Thirteenth Tale, please please please don't judge her writing by that book.  (Or rather her ability to write things that are heart racing, absorbing, and have a plot. Her writing is beautiful even in Bellman & Black, it just didn't actually make anything happen).  I don't know a single person who didn't love this book. (And these are all reviewers or authors whose opinions I value greatly.  Also sorry not sorry, I was a total creeper and totally checked out if we loved the same books.  What? It's important to know!)  Basically, the writing in this book is just beautiful (and we know how I am with beautiful prose), it definitely has a complicated premise (so if you like your mysteries clear cut and simple, this isn't for you), has a...narrator that is my favourite type (LOVE - it's even like an unreliable narrator getting the story from an even more unreliable narrator. IT'S THE BEST.) and best of all, it's all about books :)  (Also if you liked The Thirteenth Tale and haven't checked out The Shadow of the Wind - and vice versa - you totally should.)


The Double Bind is no less complicated than The Thirteenth Tale, but it's a very different sort of mystery.  But again, I can't say how.  I will say it is just as...dark, but in a more graphic way?  This was my very first Chris Bohjalian novel, and remains my favourite.  If you've read any of his novels, I will say that they are all very different, and this one is definitely in a category all on its own, so if you've read his more popular books (like Midwives) it is nothing like them, and you shouldn't bring any conceptions of his style of story telling from those.  Even more than The Thirteenth Tale there's just very little I can talk about.  Like...there are things that I want to say...I just can't! Because you need to know NOTHING beforehand.  Just...can someone PLEASE read this so that I have at least one friend who has read it and I can talk to someone about it?  GO READ THIS NOW.

Anna and the French Kiss - Stephanie Perkins

Summary

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend.

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?


Thoughts

It's rare that I'll begin a book and have a ton of red flags raised in the beginning...and then end up loving loving the book.  In the beginning I was beginning to think that the blogging world had gone mad!  I mean you've got your stereotypical mean girl (which admittedly, was still one one of my least favourite bits), there's a set up that's guaranteed to pit friends against each other - even worse all over a boy, all the friendships all seem focused on said boy...needless to say I was pretty skeptical. And then I got to page 69 (I swear it's just chance it's that number!). And it all changed for me.

This is...kind of spoilerish?  Maybe? Light spoilers, in any case.  Throughout the book Anna proves that's she's really interested in Etienne for who he is as a person and as a friend, and she is really doing her best to not fall in love with him, because she doesn't want to be interested .  It's not like in a lot of books where the character just says it over and over - Anna shows it. And by page 69 I was completely convinced with their relationship.  And their love story evolves so slowly, with a solid foundation in friendship, which is everything I could ever want in a book centered around a love story.  It's totally swoon-worthy, but it's also slow burning and messy and imperfect.  And despite being centered around a love story, that's not all there is to this book.  It's also about finding yourself, navigating foreign waters both literally and emotionally, messy relationships - family, friends, and romantic.  It's basically just a story about life, and it's pretty much beautiful.  Was it perfect? No.  I wanted more show and less tell in her female friendships, and particularly just more Bridget in general.  But otherwise I thoroughly enjoyed it and as a debut novel it means everything is going to get even better in her other books.


TL;DR

If you're like me and were skeptical with the premise, and the opening of the book is totally not your thing...trust me. Just trust me and keep reading.  Contemporary lovers should read this for sure, anyone who's a sucker for romance, and if it influences you at all, this was on my top ten books I've read this year!

The Drowned Cities (Ship Breaker #2) - Paolo Bacigalupi

Summary

Goodreads: Soldier boys emerged from the darkness. Guns gleamed dully. Bullet bandoliers and scars draped their bare chests. Ugly brands scored their faces. She knew why these soldier boys had come. She knew what they sought, and she knew, too, that if they found it, her best friend would surely die.
 
In a dark future America where violence, terror, and grief touch everyone, young refugees Mahlia and Mouse have managed to leave behind the war-torn lands of the Drowned Cities by escaping into the jungle outskirts. But when they discover a wounded half-man--a bioengineered war beast named Tool--who is being hunted by a vengeful band of soldiers, their fragile existence quickly collapses. One is taken prisoner by merciless soldier boys, and the other is faced with an impossible decision: Risk everything to save a friend, or flee to a place where freedom might finally be possible.
This thrilling companion to Paolo Bacigalupi's highly acclaimed Ship Breaker is a haunting and powerful story of loyalty, survival, and heart-pounding adventure.


Thoughts

Ok, so I'm cheating. I have totally been slacking and not really reading much and I'm too lazy to go get my kindle and do the mini reviews I meant to do. So I'm posting a review I posted to Goodreads during my hiatus last month.

I just finished this book (well ok, I had when I originally posted this) and I am still reeling in the aftermath of emotions a book can give you when it's that good. This book is so powerful. I really, really enjoyed Ship Breaker, but it didn't speak to me quite the way this one did.   I think part of that comes from my absolute favourite character from Ship Breaker (Tool) becoming a main character in this story. I just connected with these characters, and particularly the ethics vs. survival situations our characters are put in time and time again. I'm not entirely sure of the timeline here, whether it was set directly after or ages after Ship Breaker, which is honestly my only complaint.  So if you're looking for a connection to our lovely MC's from Ship Breaker, and Tool isn't your idea of the best character ever...you might be disappointed.

Just like in Ship Breaker, the world that this is set in is terrifying - and so easy to see in countries around the world right now. It's much bleaker than the dystopias we've come to see in YA fiction these days with Diveregent and Delirium, and to some extent The Hunger Games (and no, I'm not knocking these books. I loved most of them and they have completely different messages and purposes. I'm simply using them as a comparative device to this one). In part this is because of the lack of romantic interest here, which would have felt out of place, and to be honest was one of the things I didn't love about Ship Breaker. What I take from this setting, and what makes it so terrifying, and the messages so powerful...is that it's real. This isn't an imagination of a distant future - it's an imagination of a distant American future. Which is to say that it is a real, current event in many places, most notably Africa. It's clear that Bacigalupi did lots of research on child soldiers, and it is brutal and effective.

There are just so many great things about this series that I think are eye opening about our world today - race, politics, environment on a larger scale, and on a closer scale, loyalty, greed, and power. I think these books really explore how humans operate - both good and bad - and immerses you in a world that feels like a dangerously real possibility.


Why you should read this

1. You loved Ship Breaker
2. Dystopias are totally your thing
3. You love your dystopias without an ounce of romance
4. Diversity, world building, awesome characters, thought provoking

(In other words read this. Unless you need romance, which I'm sure many of you do, in which case this might not be your thing. But I think it might be a little life changing if you do read this).

The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastards #1) - Scott Lynch

 

Summary

The Thorn of Camorr is said to be an unbeatable swordsman, a master thief, a friend to the poor, a ghost that walks through walls.

Slightly built and barely competent with a sword, Locke Lamora is, much to his annoyance, the fabled Thorn. And while Locke does indeed steal from the rich (who else would be worth stealing from?), the poor never see a penny. All of Locke's gains are strictly for himself and his tight-knit band of thieves. The Gentleman Bastards.

The capricious, colourful underworld of the ancient city of Camorr is the only home they have ever known. But now a clandestine war is threatening to tear it apart. Caught up in a murderous game, Locke and his friends are suddenly struggling just to stay alive...

Thoughts

Oh Scott Lynch you know exactly how to hook me in:

1.  Give little snippets of some BIG THING
2.  Jump to a different part of the story line that is connected in a way that doesn't seem obvious for a long time
3.  Jump back and forth between story lines, amping up suspense about BIG THING
4.  Reveal the BIG THING, but at this point you're already hooked on what's going to happen in the other story line, so no matter what the big thing is, if you might otherwise think it's not a big deal (it always is, but some people aren't as easily as impressed as I am)

This jumping between story lines might not work for anyone, and my bet that's probably going to be a complaint for a lot of people, but I don't feel like looking up bad reviews of a book I really enjoyed, so someone else will have to verify that.  I will say that the time lines aren't as perfectly streamlined as they are in the third book, which is no surprise since this is his debut and by the third book obviously he's grown as an author.

I will say I don't get his descriptions, usually of people's colouring.  What exactly is the skin color equivalent of shadowed honey?  And if you describe someone as very blonde...in the next sentence calling her hair color amber is a bit confusing.  Am I just confused about what color amber is?  Because I was pretty sure it was kind of a dark honey color...sort of brownish orangeish yellowish.  Which doesn't sound very blonde to me.  But maybe this in the context of the characters who all seem to be various shades of dark?

Things happened in this book that I had NO idea were going to happen so soon based on what I know of in the third book, and now I have zero clues what the @#$ is going to happen from here on out.  Like seriously.  I have zero clues what happens from the second half of this book through the second book, because everything I knew about already happened.  Also there was a death I was pretty shocked by because I am 90% sure I didn't know about it judging by the third book.  HOW AM I GOING TO SURVIVE THIS??

Other things 

- There is a drink described in here that I WANT to be real.  I want to try this drink because it sounds like the most amazing thing I've ever heard of, and sadly I gave the book away before writing down the description.  But I'm pretty sure if you've read this book, you'll know what drink in there I'm talking about.  Is there a real life version of that? ...must search...Oh Google, how I love you.  Yeah read this.  Tell me you don't want this.
 - The description of Locke as Vene whatever is totally swashbuckling and rogueish...and you KNOW I love my rogues.  I don't care that Locke is supposed to be supremely average looking...in this outfit?  I know he's a sexy beast.

TL;DR

Read it.  JUST DO IT.

Days of Blood & Starlight (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #2) - Laini Taylor

 

Summary

Goodreads:  Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?


Thoughts

If Daughter of Smoke and Bone was all mysticism and wonder and magical, this book is pain and devastation.  I knew as soon as I started liking something - anything it didn't even have to be a character, something terrible was about to happen.  There are scenes in here that were graphic and terrifying...at least for me.  It's common knowledge on this blog that graphic and terrifying are not things I handle well in books, so while I found them...horrifying, some of you might be less disturbed haha.

I don't have near as much to say about this book.  If you liked the first book, this carries on in much the same vein, and luckily there's still plenty of Zusanna!  There are definitely some twists here that I definitely didn't see coming.  (And in one case I thought SPOILERS would be more emotionally invested in the angel's brother's death since he's supposed to be all sunshine and happiness, but I guess we just don't get much connection to him. END SPOILERS).  I'm not sure how I feel about where this book is going (Is there anything involving angels that doesn't involve war damn it?!), but I trust Laini enough to stick around to see where this will take us.  I'm third in line at the library for the book after it's released (and the library actually receives it) so yay!

TL;DR

You've read Daughter of Smoke and Bone and loved it.  Good, read this next.  You haven't read Daughter of Smoke and Bone.  Well what are you doing silly?  Go read it!

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Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #1) - Laini Taylor

Summary

Goodreads:  Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands", she speaks many languages - not all of them human - and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?


Quotes:

“I don't know many rules to live by,' he'd said. 'But here's one. It's simple. Don't put anything unnecessary into yourself. No poisons or chemicals, no fumes or smoke or alcohol, no sharp objects, no inessential needles--drug or tattoo--and...no inessential penises either.'

'Inessential penises?' Karou had repeated, delighted with the phrase in spite of her grief. 'Is there any such thing as an essential one?'

'When an essential one comes along, you'll know,' he'd replied.” 


Thoughts

Guys.  Guys.  GUYS.  THIS BOOK!!!

I mean, I know I'd heard great things about it.  But...WOW.  I mean if there is an emotion in the human spectrum of emotions, this book takes you there.

But even more than the feels...oh my god.  I don't know how Laini Taylor does it, but I would read a book on sea cucumbers if she wrote it.  There's just something so evocative and exquisite and....it's almost impossible to describe how amazing her prose is.  And we all know that if there is anything that will make me forgive any flaws it's prose.  (Or well...almost anything.  After Bellman & Black, I now know that authors with the most gorgeous prose in the world are not invincible).  There were times I didn't trust you, Laini Taylor, particularly with the instalove...but I never should have doubted.  Each time I doubted, I was proved wrong.

And that ending???  Oh Laini Taylor you brilliant, brilliant woman.  All the clues were there.  They were basically shouting to be discovered.  And oh the heart break.  I should have known!  I never saw that coming in a million years.  I usually have a vague inkling of things that are about to happen in a book - I imagine most of us who are big readers tend to at least have a few vague theories, and one of those theories is generally right.  But complete 100% unprepared shock?  Very rare.  And the best part is...ALL THE CLUES WERE THERE.  I felt so betrayed by my mind (And also my heart because I'm pretty sure it stopped for a second), because I should have had a clue.  In fact...it's entirely probably I was just being an idiot and most of you who have read this book did have a clue.

Other things I love?  Zusanna.  Ahhhh girl friendships are the best.  This one made me so, so happy.  It's a bit like Kami/Angela's friendship or Anya/Scarlet's friendship in that they really are kind of codependent on each other.  It's not unbalanced and Zusanna doesn't fade into the background - she's WAY too awesome for us to forget!  Where Karou brings mystery and magic into Zusanna's life, Zusanna tethers Karou somewhere so that she's not aimlessly drifting about the world.


TL;DR

Read this.  Please for the love of god, if you like fantasy...if you even think you might like fantasy, read this.  Don't be put off with distaste of "angel" stories, because trust me, it's not structured how you think it is.  I regret putting this series off so late (well only a little, because now I only have to wait until April for the third book to come out!), and as I've mentioned...3rd book is coming out in April! You have no excuse.  The whole series will soon be available at your bidding.

Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell

 

Summary

Goodreads:   In Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl, Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.
Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

A New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of 2013


Thoughts

Ohmygodohmygodohmygod

I was so excited about this book that I read 20 pages of it waiting in line at the library.  My hands were literally tingling with excitement about reading the book!  And now, 2 1/2 hours later,  I've finished it.  There are SO MANY OTHER THINGS I should be doing right now (read: I have auditions for the next month), but I just couldn't stop myself!  I shouldn't have read those 20 pages...I might have been able to resist...

I love this book so much. I love the characters so much.  It's everything I love about contemporary YA, and it added complete irrestistability with the addition of fanfiction.  In many ways I'm like Cath, and in some I'm like Wren.  Actually out of all the characters, I'm most likely to be Levi if you disregard the whole reading issue bit. And I think it's fantastic that I can relate in some way to every single one of her characters.  Wren and Cath drama felt so real.  Not melodramatic, and not shallow, but what it feels like in the situation.  And I love that they aren't the same, and they aren't opposites, they're simply their own people.  The character development in this is just so amazing (even if I feel like Wren more reverted to original self).  And I love Reagan/Levi's friendship with Cath in the beginning.  I laughed so hard at some of the parts.

Rainbow Rowell read fanfiction to research beforehand, and that makes me love her.  I've talked a little bit about my involvement in fanfiction, and how much I absolutely love it.  There's something amazing about reinterpreting someone's work, to reshape how we view certain characters, setting, and relationships.  I think I love fanfiction so much because since childhood I have loved fairy tale retellings easily as much as I love the original story.  But I digress.

I did have a few quibbles with the book - mostly about Wren.  It feels like she didn't go through character development so much as she was suddenly very different people.  And honestly I really disliked her for the better part of this book.  I think if we'd seen a little bit of what their relationship before college was like maybe I wouldn't have felt so confused by her sudden personality changes?  But honestly in the grand scheme of things, that still wouldn't be enough to lower my rating below 5 stars.  Everything in this book was so outstanding it more than makes up for it!

Battle Magic (Circle Reforged #3) - Tamora Pierce

 I received a copy from the publisher's.  Trust me, this doesn't affect my review in any way because Tamora Pierce is fantastic, has always been fantastic, and will remain fantastic until the end of time.

Summary

Goodreads:  On their way to the first Circle temple in Gyongxe, mages Briar, Rosethorn, and Evvy pay a visit to the emperor's summer palace. Although treated like royalty when they first arrive, the mages soon discover that the emperor plans to invade Gyongxe, posing a fatal threat to the home temple of the Living Circle religion. Accompanied by one of the emperor's prize captives, the three mages rush to Gyongxe to warn its citizens of the impending attack. With the imperials hot on their trail, Briar, Rosethorn, and Evvy must quickly help the country prepare for battle. But even with the help of new allies, will their combined forces be enough to fight the imperial army and win the war?


Thoughts

It's pretty clear I love Tamora Pierce.  What can I say to convince you that if you aren't reading her that you should be?  I've talked over and over about how much she's influenced my life as a person and as a reader.  This book only proves everything I've always said about her.  Instead of hearing me say it again, feel free to search my blog for any mention of Tamora Pierce (or click those links). 

So feel free to assume everything that is magical and amazing about Tamora Pierce's novels also apply to this book.  But THIS book in particular, is one that I have been waiting for!  I'd say it was for ages (it feels like it!), but if we're going to be honest, I only caught up with the series in December so it would be a lie.  Why is this book so special you ask?  Well you might remember me mentioning in a review of an earlier book in the series that I felt very confused about parts of Briar's story because it kept referencing things that happened...but we didn't know about said events yet. This is the book that explains it all!  We finally get the details of Briar's war experience, of Gyongxe, and what happened that was so terrible.  And I have to say, after finishing this, I was not disappointed.  It was everything I could have hoped for and more.  There's adventure, and dire situations, and you finally get the background on how Evvy met Luvo (which is something I wanted to know about in the second book, so you get answers on that front too!)  There's a certain level of graphicness in this series that I don't think is quite at the same level in the Tortall series.  It's not over the top (we've discussed how much of a weenie I am before), but it's just enough to really pack a punch.  And I LOVE it!

 That being said, I have only one criticism of this book, and it's more a criticism of the entire Circle Reforged quartet.  If you have not read this series yet (and you really, really, REALLY should!) I would recommend reading this quartet out of order.  I would read this book first.  Even though it is the third in the quartet, it is referenced so often in the first two books that I think the series would feel more cohesive.  I might even read the whole quartet backwards, but I think whether you read the 1st and 2nd book in order doesn't really matter.  And in the grand scheme of things, if this is my only criticism of the book...that's NOTHING.  So go read this book, and if you're new to the series you are missing out on so much amazingness and you should remedy that.  Like.  Right now.

In which I discover Charles Delacroix is a favourite character and that I miss Scarlet very much (In the Age of Love and Chocolate by Gabrielle Zevin)

 

Summary

Goodreads:  All These Things I’ve Done, the first novel in the Birthright series, introduced us to timeless heroine Anya Balanchine, a plucky sixteen year old with the heart of a girl and the responsibilities of a grown woman. Now eighteen, life has been more bitter than sweet for Anya. She has lost her parents and her grandmother, and has spent the better part of her high school years in trouble with the law. Perhaps hardest of all, her decision to open a nightclub with her old nemesis Charles Delacroix has cost Anya her relationship with Win.

Still, it is Anya’s nature to soldier on. She puts the loss of Win behind her and focuses on her work. Against the odds, the nightclub becomes an enormous success, and Anya feels like she is on her way and that nothing will ever go wrong for her again. But after a terrible misjudgment leaves Anya fighting for her life, she is forced to reckon with her choices and to let people help her for the first time in her life. 

In the Age of Love and Chocolate is the story of growing up and learning what love really is. It showcases the best of Gabrielle Zevin’s writing for young adults: the intricate characterization of Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac and the big-heartedness of Elsewhere. It will make you remember why you loved her writing in the first place.


Quotes

“Besides, I did not require heroism--I had been the hero of my own life for some time.”

"I had always tried to be a good girl, and until that night, it had never occurred to me that some people you kissed wouldn't become your boyfriend and that this was, in fact, perfectly fine. Maybe even desirable.”


Thoughts

Once again, this is clearly going to have spoilers for all three books.  Warning served!

 I've had a lot of time to think about this book since I read it (procrastination is sometimes quite helpful!), and while at first I thought it was only a pretty good book, I might have to change my opinion of that.  It might not be as fun as the first book is, but it feels true in a way I'm not used to sci-fi/fantasy feeling. Yes, it's set in the future and a lot of crazy things happen, but it's also one of the most realistic books I've ever read.  This is similar to a dystopia in that it is set in the future, and the future sucks.  But unlike almost every other heroine in this setting, Anya doesn't overthrow the government.  She changes stupid laws by working her ass off and moving through loopholes.  Again, I just think that THIS is how things happen.  If this is how our world works 80 years from now, that's how you change it.  Everything, even down to the Theo situation felt like the way life works.  Speaking of...how can you not love a guy who says this:

"That's how you have to be when you farm cacao. Cacao is a demanding plant, as you well know. Too much water, there is mold. Too little water, she dries out and dies. You cannot simply shower her with affection either. She needs to be left alone sometimes to grow. If you make it too easy for her, she won't provide a strong crop. Sometimes, you do everything right and she still is not satisfied. You remind yourself not to have hurt feelings -- for that is just how she is. But she is worth the effort -- I tell you, Anya, she is. Get everything right and you are rewarded with an uncommon sweetness, a rich flavor that you can't find anywhere else. Growing cacao has made me relentless, as you say, but also patient and deliberate. Everything worth loving is difficult."

But this is not about Theo and how I felt about that, or even about how I felt about Yuri (read:  I still don't understand why it was the worst decision she ever made.  I thought it was a pretty awesome one actually.)  A lot of it is how she and Win finally came back together.  I loved that they both grew up a lot as people.  Most importantly, I loved that Anya did not compromise who she was as a person to continue a relationship with Win.  YES YES YES YES!!! That!! That needs to be in more YA books!  I'm all about love, but sometimes we need reminding as teens (or in my case 20s) that there is more to life.  Don't give up and give in for one person if it means sacrificing yourself.  ESPECIALLY THAT LAST PART. 

This book forces Anya to become completely dependent on people for the first time in almost her entire life.  Shannon's comments at the bottom of my previous post really address why that is such an amazing thing.  And Win grows up and realizes that Anya was right to do what she did.  And he made me fall in love with him all over again (sorry Theo).  BUT I wasn't planning on reviewing the book (even though I kind of just did), so on to what I originally wanted to talk about!

First, let me address the issue that is Scarlet.  Scarlet has been a dwindling force throughout the last two books and her friendship (and personality) was a huge force in attracting me to these books in the first place.  Her friendship with Anya is one of the best examples of female friendships I've seen in YA.  I talk a lot about this in my first post about this trilogy, so you can head over there to see me wax lyrical on why they are so perfect together and why Scarlet is seriously the best. 

In the second book, Scarlet's absence makes a lot of sense as a huge portion of the book is spent in Mexico, ergo no Scarlet.  Towards the end of the book when Anya returns to New York, you get a lot of fighting between the two of them and you start seeing the downsides to Scarlet's personality.  Her optimism and belief in everyone gets her in trouble, and Anya sort of gives up on her.  Which I think is a shame as Scarlet stuck with Anya even after Anya wasn't being so great herself.   Of course they patch things up..but  then Scarlet gets pregnant.  And that changes a lot of things.  Scarlet doesn't have time to see Anya because she's dealing with family drama and taking care of her child.  They go months without seeing each other and it seems like their friendship is irreparably changed.  It felt like Anya didn't really miss Scarlet most of the time - she wasn't more than a passing thought.  And I felt like Anya, while overly independent and self reliant, would still have missed Scarlet's role in her life.  Honestly I can't criticize their distance much because that's just how life happens.  BUT since this is fiction I wish Zevin had found a way around it, because I missed Scarlet.

And then there's Charles Delacroix.  He goes from being one of the main villains in the series to being an integral part of Anya's life and well being.  He and Anya are so similar in so many ways and you don't really (or I didn't) make that connection until this book.  They are very obstinate, private, independent people.  They continue to pretend to dislike each other or feign indifference well beyond when they've become more than friends even - they've become a family.  I could go on and on about how their relationship really formed who Anya as became as an adult, but instead I'm going to show you the exact moment I truly loved Charles Delacroix.

I felt a hand on my shoulder.  "Don't go this way," Mr. Delacroix said.  "I know exactly what you're thinking.  I know you so well.  I know exactly what thoughts turn behind that opaque visage of yours.  You've ben abandoned so many times.  You think if our business relationship ends, that we will not be in each other's lives anymore.  But we will.  You are my friend.  You are as dear to me as my own flesh and blood, and as improbable as this is, I love you like my daughter."

The Will of the Empress (Circle Reforged #1) - Tamora Pierce

Summary

Goodreads:  Sandry, Daja, Briar, and Tris, are older now and back together again, in an exciting and much-awaited, stand-alone novel by everyone's favorite mage, Tamora Pierce.

For years the Empress of Namorn has pressed her young cousin, Lady Sandrilene fa Toren, to visit her vast lands within the Empire's borders. Sandry has avoided the invitation for as long as it was possible. Now Sandry has agreed to pay that overdue visit. Sandry's uncle promises guards to accompany her. But they're hardly a group of warriors! They're her old friends from Winding Circle: Daja, Tris, and Briar. Sandry hardly knows them now. They've grown up and grown apart. Sandry isn't sure they'll ever find their old connection again - or if she even wants them to.


Thoughts

This book is probably one of my favourites in the whole series so far.  I feel like it succeeded where the very first book didn't.  Both books focus on all four mages, but this book must be triple the size of the first one, and it is exactly what was needed for that many main characters to work.  The only thing I didn't like was that there were all these references to Briar's past (that we don't know about).  It made me feel like I'd forgotten something.  I actually had to look it up to make sure that I hadn't skipped a book!

It was so uncomfortable having the four of them at each other's throats most of the book, but I loved it!  It's the right sort of feeling uncomfortable, especially because I think it mirrored how the characters felt after being reunited after 2 years. 

The character development in these books have been so amazing.  I really don't think I've read another series that rivals it (well, okay, probably Harry Potter.  But other than that, I don't think I have).  They've gone through so many different experiences, it's no wonder they've all changed so much as indiviuals!  And they've grown - and not all in ways that I liked.  I hate that Briar's become a lady's man :-/...it feels weird since we were first introduced to him when he was what...12? 14?  I suppose he's the right age for it now though *sighs*  And I particularly hated the assumptions they all made about Sandry -  who I felt bore the brunt of the ire, when I feel she deserved it the least.  She was the most open to reopening a connection between the four of them, the most supportive, and the others treated her like crap AND IT MADE ME SO ANGRY!  But this isn't me complaining about them doing that - it felt very in character with how they have grown as individuals.  This is me angsting out about how I felt reading the book haha.  So this isn't even really a review.  Do I even have the right to actually review a Tamora Pierce book?  Don't answer that.

Why Theo Is The Best Guy EVER: Because It Is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin (Birthright #2)

Summary

Goodreads:  Freed from jail, Anya hopes that things will get back to normal. But life on the outside is even more dangerous than life behind bars. Some of her gangland family want revenge for the crime for which she has done time: the shooting of her uncle. Forced to flee the country, Anya hides out in a cacao plantation in Mexico. There she learns the secrets of the chocolate trade, a trade that is illegal and deadly in her native New York. There too she discovers that seemingly random acts of violence carried out across the world have a single target: her family. As innocent bystanders get caught in the crossfire Anya must act fast and decisively to stop it, no matter what the danger to herself


 Quotes

Anya:  "The girl who died today.  She was my age," I said.  "She was crossing the street and ten she was gone.  I am sorry for her friends her family,and especially her parents.  It is a tragedy.  I would hope that the fact that an infamous person was riding on the bus wouldn't take away from that."

Yes readers, I was seasick.  I see no need to trouble you with the details except to mention that, once I threw up so hard I sent my moustache flying across the room.


Thoughts

Anya's time in Mexico is easily my favourite part of the entire series.  It's not just because Central and South America are dear to me and I loved reading a book in that setting, or that it was fantastic seeing Anya learn the ins and outs of cacao, it can also be greatly attributed to Theo. 

Theo is a very fun, easy-going character, but there is so much more to him than meets the eye.  While he acts silly and playful all the time, he's also incredibly smart.  He picked up on all sorts of clues as to Anya was, and instead of letting anyone know (including Anya) that he had figured it out, he just kept mum on the subject.  It seems surprising since he seems so childish most of the time, you would expect him to blab secrets.  In fact you wouldn't really expect him to be all that observant, so this was definitely a surprise. 

He has many of the same values as Anya does, he just goes about them in a different way.  Perhaps it's because he hasn't lost his family the way Anya has, but he clearly cares deeply about his family.  Where Anya is controlling and micromanages, Theo is funny and playful.  In many ways his family and the way he treats them reminds me of my own family, and in even more ways they made me so nostalgic for all the amazing people I've met when I got the chance to travel in South America. 

I've hit on how playful he is, but Theo is incredibly serious about two things:  Cacao and his family.  It's clear when he's teaching Anya about cacao just how passionate he is about it.  He has devoted his life to it, knows the ins and outs of cacao, and he loves it (even when he hates it.  That sounds awfully familiar...being a musician is DEFINITELY always fun) When Theo cares about Anya things, it's clear he doesn't hold back.  The same goes for his family.  At the end of the book, when it came down to it, his family was more important than the girl he liked who put them in danger.  Can I reiterate how much I love that this series emphasizes important things in life - other than romantic love?

Beyond loving Theo as a character, he's a great love interest!  He's so freaking adorable!  Win is your typical angsty YA love interest.  He's just so...good.  It's boring.  Especially when he's been good AND angsty.  Theo is adorable, and tenacious, and passionate.  He has his priorities straight - family first, then work AND play next.   Mitchii might like Yuji best (and who could blame her, he is one fine specimen of a man character), but Theo will always be the character for me!

Why Anya Balanchine Is So Great: or All These Things I've Done - Gabrielle Zevin

 Summary

Goodreads:  In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.'s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidently poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight--at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family.


Engrossing and suspenseful, All These Things I've Done is an utterly unique, unputdownable read that blends both the familiar and the fantastic.


Quotes

Aside:   Still, you may find yourself asking, What of Leo's job? What of the contaminated chocolate supply? What of Nana's health and Natty's nightmares?  Just because Annie has a delicious new boyfriend she can't possibly think that's a good excuse to go around ignoring everything and everyone else in the world.

Scarlet:  "But it's not the easiest thing in the world being your best friend either.  And I think I've been there for you through a lot of bad times haven't I?  So when something good happens to you, I'd like to know about it.  I'd like to be there for some of the happy times too."

Thoughts

When I first started reading this in December, I hit a big reviewing slump.  It's not that I didn't want to talk about them - I just only wanted to talk about certain parts of them.  This is especially true about books that are rereads (which this book is), which is why I have so few reviews for rereads on the site (a grand total of 2!) in comparison to what I reread (which I rarely keep track of, but it's easily a quarter of what I read).

Then I realized...what exactly is stopping me from just talking about the characters if that's what I want to do?  And the answer is nothing.  I'm not sure if I'm going to give this idea a title or not, but as of this moment I'm going to talk about all the reasons why Anya Balanchine is one of the most fantastic female heroines in YA literature.  Be aware that while my focus is on this book, spoilers for the other books (and this one) may appear.  You have been warned!



Anya Balanchine is one of the best example of what a real "strong female character" is.  No, she isn't an expert swordsman or know crazy karate moves (although she does chop off a guy's hand with a machete at one point during the series which is pretty awesome).  Anya has become orphaned at a young age, her older brother was in a car accident which caused him to become intellectually disabled, and her grandmother (who is the caretaker) is dying.  Anya has to run the whole household, while being very careful to make sure that no one finds out, or they will take her siblings away from her.  What makes her strong is not only her ability to do all this while refusing any extra help, but also how unsteady she feels all the time.  This is a time when reading a story in first person really helps.  She never acts vulnerable around other people if she can help it, but as you read, you discover just how terrified she is that everything is going to fall apart.  THAT is what makes an awesome strong female character - having a truly well-thought out character, with real flaws as well as strength, whether it's physical, mental, or emotional.

This is where Win comes in.  Win's father is the A.D.A's son.  Anya's father was the head of the mafia, so she already has a reputation.  She can't allow anyone close to her, especially not the A.D.A's son in case they take her family away from her.  Despite this, they fall in love and everything is hunky dory until things happen.  Win's father, Charles Delacroix, cuts her a deal - she must break up with Win, or she goes to jail and her family is put into foster care.  Anya deals with this the way I'd expect people in the real world to deal with it.  She honestly weighs what is important in life, and it doesn't take her long to take this deal.  While she loves Win and is going to feel miserable without him, he is not more important than her family or her own freedom.  Win is not more important than other people's lives.  She doesn't whinge on for chapters about life is unfair and how she can never be happy because of things like this.  Life has always been unfair for Anya - that's just how it is, there's no point in continuing to dwell on it.  Instead of worrying herself into a worthless dither, she takes charge of her destiny.  She knows her entire happiness does not hinge on a life with Win.  It hinges on being in control of her life, and being able to provide for the people who are most important to her.  Having Win in her life would be wonderful, but simply not practical if she has to pit herself against his very powerful father.  This is a huge reason as to why I LOVE Anya!  Romantic love does not always conquer all, and there are things much more important than said concept.  I love reading YA, it's obviously what I primarily read, but I don't relate to a lot of the main characters because there is often a huge emphasis on the importance of romantic love - to the detriment of everything else.  Including your own life.  (I'm looking at YOU Everneath!) 

Anya's values line up exactly with my own.  She prizes loyalty and family above all else, and those are what I would rank most important to me as well.  In the beginning when her best friend Scarlet is crushing on Win, Anya makes it clear she doesn't want him, and will never go for him.  And it's not like it is in every other book I've read with this situation (Yes, YOU, The Forsaken)  - she really is not interested in making a move, is not secretly longing for him.  He might seem like a boy she could like, but Scarlet likes him, and she doesn't know the boy, so that's that.  Scarlet is her best friend in the world (and one of my absolute favourite characters), and nothing is more important than that.  It is ONLY because Scarlet has made it clear that she acknowledges that Win will never be into her and that she thinks Anya could use a guy like Win, that Anya even tempts the idea of liking Win.

I could do a whole post just on all the reasons I love Scarlet, but I figured as the main character (and also because I spent the whole book cheering on how AWESOME Anya is), Anya gets priority.  But if there is one thing that I could name as my favourite part of this book, it would definitely be Scarlet and Anya's friendship.  It is so refreshing when I find friendships that are:

A.  Actually friends, not secretly backstabbing each other
B.  The friend is a person, not a cardboard cut out to sound off of each other
C.  And most rare, the friend is an integral part to the main character's life

Scarlet and Anya are complete opposites - Scarlet is beyond optimistic, always believes in Win and Anya as a relationship, and is out for some fun trouble-making.  And it's not just Scarlet being a doormat for Anya.  The quote Scarlet gives in my quotes section is one of my favourite quotes of the book.  Scarlet doesn't back down when she believes in something, and this shows up throughout the story - even if it pits her against her best friend.  But when it comes down to it, she and Anya are there for each other no matter what happens.  When it comes to Scarlet, Anya will be confidante, wingman, or defender of character and reputation.   They are really good for each other - Anya keeps Scarlet grounded, and Scarlet makes sure Anya doesn't condemn herself to a grim life. 


And these are all the reasons why Anya is one of my all-time favourite heroines (followed closely by Scarlet).  Have any of you read this series?  Who did you love?  I already know Mitchii's answer, but I'm curious to know what the rest of you thought! 

Circle of Magic - Tamora Pierce

Summary

Sandry's Book:  With her gift of weaving silk thread and creating light, Sandry is brought to the Winding Circle community. There she meets Briar, a former thief who has a way with plants; Daja, an outcast gifted at metalcraft; and Tris, whose connection with the weather unsettles everyone, including herself. At Winding Circle, the four misfits are taught how to use their magic - and to trust one another. But then disaster strikes their new home. Can Sandry weave together four kinds of magical power and save herself, her friends, and the one place where they've ever been accepted?

Tris's Book:  Earthquake damage leaves Winding Circle vulnerable to pirate attack, so everyone - including the young mages-in-training Tris, Briar, Daja, and Sandry - is working to strengthen the community's defenses. When Tris's cousin Aymery comes to visit, he advises the "weather witch" to return to the family that exiled her, but she doesn't wish to leave her friends to face the threat without her.
As the onslaught begins, two things become terribly clear: The pirates have a powerful new weapon, and they have an accomplice within Winding Circle. But the attackers have failed to reckon with the fury of a young mage betrayed once too often and her very stubborn, very loyal friends....

 Daja's Book:  Outcast Trader Daja, along with her fellow mages-in-training, journeys from Winding Circle to the Gold Ridge Mountains, where drought threatens widespread famine. There, Daja creates an astonishing object: a living metal vine, and Daja's dealings with her former people reawaken a longing for familiar ways.
Daja must choose - should she return to the Traders or remain with the Winding Circle folk who have become her family?

Briar's Book:  Four elements of power, four mages-in-training learning to control them. In Book 4 of the Circle of Magic Quartet, former "street rat" Briar leads a comfortable life at Winding Circle Temple, learning plant magic from his teacher Rosethorn. But street kids are still his friends, and when one of them gets sick, she turns to Briar for help. As the mysterious illness spreads, Sandry, Daja, and Tris join Briar and their teachers to fight the epidemic. But just as the situation improves, the unthinkable happens. Will Briar be able to save what he loves most?

Quotes

"You're always reading," retorted Sandry.  The only way people can ever talk to you is to interrupt."

"Then maybe they shouldn't talk to me," Tris said.  – Briar’s Book

 

Thoughts

So my big undertaking in 2013 was reading all of Tamora Pierce’s Circle of Magic books.  I’m a HUGE Tamora Pierce fan (she has been the bread and butter of my reading since childhood) it’s a little bit amazing I’ve only read the her books set in Tortall.  Admittedly, that’s still a good 2/3 of her books, but if I’m going to call myself a true Tamora Pierce fan, I really should read that missing 1/3!

I have to say, as much as I love Tamora Pierce her first Circle of Magic quartet took me a while to get into.  I started out confused and like I didn't have a great grip on the characters, particularly the first book which felt like it was a quick introduction.   It’s only about 200 pages, and we’ve got FOUR main characters.  It means we only get a brief overview of each character, and I found it a bit confusing as the first book is titled Sandry’s Book.  It didn't seem like we spent much time with Sandry at all even though it’s her book because had to spend so much time laying in foundation for everything else.  Luckily, I read all four back to back, so by the fourth book you have some truly amazing character development.  When I say it that way, it sounds like it’s meant to be read that way, like it’s really one large book divided into four.  It’s not like that at all!  In fact one of my favourite things about how Tamora Pierce writes, is that all her books are books on their own, not cliff hangers (or very minor ones towards the end of a couple of her series).  You continue this series because you will always want to know more stories about her land and her characters, not because you HAVE to due to a cliffhanger. 
 

Out of all the books in the quartet, it’s Briar’s Book (the last of the quartet) that really knocks me off my feet.  This is definitely when I got 100% behind the Emelan books the way I am about the Tortall ones.  I enjoyed the second and third books more than I did the first, but Briar’s book is….ahhhh!  I honestly didn't know who was going to survive or not of the side characters (you know who I'm talking about if you've read the book).  Like seriously.  Up to like 3 pages to the end I honestly didn't know how it was going to go!  You know with Tamora Pierce that ultimately, it’s going to be a feel good book.  That being said, it doesn’t mean your side characters are safe - Alanna and Kel’s quartets in particular punched a hole in my gut with some of the deaths.  

 

Overall

It's Tamora Pierce.  I expected to love it, and I was not let down.  If you haven't read these, you should.  For so many reasons - I'm going to have a Tamora Pierce discussion post up tomorrow so if this review wasn't enough to convince you, let that convince you!