Altered by Jennifer Rush

Anna has worked with her father for the Branch, and with her responsibilities of typing up reports and filing, she has developed relationships with their four subjects: Nick, intense and quiet; Cas, fun and flirtatious; Trev, smart and her closer friend; and Sam, who Anna loves. They have been genetically altered and their memories wiped, their abilities are exceptional and their pasts unknown. But when the Branch starts taking a greater interest in Anna herself, Anna finds herself allied to the boys that she used to monitor.

Anna and the boys find themselves on the run and they must decide who they can trust and where they can go for information. It doesn't help that one of their own is betraying them. In the end Anna must decide where her loyalties lie and how her hidden past ties in to the four boys'.

I was so excited about this book. I'll own it. Obviously I didn't expect it to be Shakespeare but I thought that it would be gripping in an emotional-sense. There were so many elements that I usually enjoy: emotionally distant love interest, enhanced boys, girls that learn that they are capable of more than they though... I loved the idea that Anna had this double-blind secret that unveils throughout the book. Her love for Sam seemed like icing on the cake!

Alas and alack. The actual follow through was not so good. There were elements that were good. Some of the mystery was well done, interesting twists and great action.

But then there's Anna. Not so great. Anna is pretty Mary Sue-ish and her love for Sam was one-dimensional. There just wasn't really any basis for her devotion nor for his feeling grow for her. Especially as the truth comes out that Sam used to be in a very serious relationship with Anna's older sister. Did I forget to mention that Sam is almost ten years older than Anna? Ick.

You know who I did like? Nick, Cas, and Trev. Much more interesting and dynamic. Who got the short end of the stick when it came to character development and plot time? Nick, Cas, and Trey. Lame.

I've read Erased as well, I hope to have that review up soon-ish, which was better but not at the same time... Ahh well.

Emiko Superstar by Mariko Tamaki

Emiko's best friend moved last year and now she's trying to fit in with the other girls at school. What ends up happening though is a growing feeling of alienation that pushes Emiko to find connections with performance artists who live on the fringe. As Emiko develops a growing sense of self, she also starts performing by reading the diary of an alienated wife that she babysits for. As the story progresses Emiko must decide whether or not she's reflecting her own self or just a reflection of the people she has grown to care for.

I really wanted to love this. I thought the themes were really strong, the setting was fantastic, and the portrayal of underground performance art was new. I unfortunately thought the characters were rather weak. Well maybe that isn't the best explanation, the characters didn't live up to the rest of the story. They were a bit under-developed and underwhelming. Emiko never seemed to really find her sense of 'self.' I liked her development as a performer and her growing confidence in that, but I didn't really feel like that would necessarily mean that she had a new definition of self. Which is the payoff that I was searching for and never ended up getting. Emiko found a group of people that she connected with, but instead of defining herself she let the group define her which I think kind of undercuts the entire arch of the story.

Then there was the subplot of the family that Emiko babysits for. I found this to be quite fascinating and kind of wish more time was spent with it. I thought that the ambient tension and frustration that the family was going through was quite poignant.

To sum up:

• I liked the artwork
• I loved the setting
• I liked some of the secondary characters
• I thought the main character was weak
• I thought the themes were underdeveloped, though well chosen

Overall this book was only okay, it had the potential to be great but never reached the heights I wanted it to.

The Host versus The City of Bones

Within the next ten months we are going to have two book to movie adaptations.

The Host as many of us know is by Stephenie Meyers, and is generally thought of as being slightly better written than Twilight. Saoirse Ronan is starring, and she's been quite a few book to movie adaptations: City of Ember, Atonement, and The Lovely Bones. I'm going to be honest and say that I never finished The Host. I got bored after the fifth chapter and stopped reading around the tenth. I've been told multiple times I need to go back and finish it, but I think I'm a bit Stephenie Meyer-ed out. I've put in my time with Twilight (we're seeing the last one on Saturday so watch for our review on that) and I'm ecstatic to be done. Thank goodness The Host is a standalone. So really, at least on my end, there's no pressure for this to be great. I like Saoirse Ronan, I think she's a very strong actress. There's rumors she should be cast as Tris from Divergent but I don't really see that happening now.

On the other hand you have Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments trilogy that features Lily Collins (who I don't think has starred in anything that has done super well, except for The Blind Side but she didn't carry that one did she?) as Clary. I loved this series. I think Cassandra Clare is a fabulous writer, and of course I'm super nervous that they've messed everything up. There's some really great actors in it though: Lena Headey, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Aiden Turner, and Jared Harris. Unfortunately all of these people are secondary characters and won't be really in it all that much. In other words we could have five years of this and it could just go from bad to worse. I'm trying to keep an open mind though, because I thought terrible things about the Hunger Games movie and that turned out quite awesome.

Get More: Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Jamie Campbell Bower, Movie Trailers, Movies Blog

Which one do you think will be better?

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

Article 1. The United States embraces the Church of America as her official religion.
Article 2. Literature and other media considered immoral are hereby banned and shall not be owned, bought, sold, or traded in any capacity.
Article 3. Whole families are to be considered one man, one woman, and child(ren).
Article 4. Traditional male and female roles shall be observed.
Article 5. Children are considered valid citizens only when conceived by a married man and wife.

It didn't always used to be like this, Ember remembers a time when people were allowed to practice their own religion and to speak their mind. Where books weren't contraband and she didn't have to worry about friendships being tested by the Moral Statutes. She remembers a time when she was in love with a boy named Chase, and life wasn't about getting by and food stamps. But when she and her mother are taken and separated because they've violated Article 5, and arrested by the one she loved the most, her world falls apart. Her one goal in life is to be reunited with her mother, but things are becoming more complicated as Chase sets her free but leads her to a different kind of freedom.

This was so complex yet so simple. The culture that Kristen Simmons created is well done, her world-building was so multi-layered. There were valid reasons behind everything, and you could see the history behind it. Nice.

The characters themselves were complex, their backstories and their the evolution of their personalities. Delightful. Ember is consistent in her focus and yet her personal growth is well plotted. Chase is fantastically enigmatic and loyally haunted. Essentially perfection.

I think what I like most about this, and why I call it a rather simple book, is the fact that while there's obviously a revolution going on around Ember and Chase, which they are rather centrally involved in. Most of the plot is about their traveling together as just a pair. They don't really know what's going on around them, they are more concerned with getting to their unknown destination and getting there alive. And yet they become a symbol of hope and rebellion, which I think is rather lovely.

Article 5 was excellent, and the sequel Breaking Point comes out Feb. 13th. Wahoo!

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Gwen's family has been waiting in anticipation for her perfect cousin Charlotte to elapse. Most of the women in Gwen's family has some sort of special ability, but it has been prophesied that a girl from their family will have the ability to elapse back in time and be the final key to the secret society that her family has been a part of for centuries. But as Gwen starts having dizzy spells, and eventually elapses several times, she is thrust into events that she is completely unprepared for (and partnered with a snooty hottie who thinks she's beneath recognition). She must decide who she trusts and if the society's ultimate goal is something she wants to be a part of.

I really enjoyed this book, as in I'm super excited for the sequel like I was excited about the Lux series by Jennifer Armentrout. Rock star. Here's thing though, it really reminds me of Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough. The idea of a girl who grows up in a relative's shadow and then discovers that not only is she extraordinary but also the penultimate power. Perhaps a bit heavy handed, but both were so well done that you can't but forgive the similar themes.

The first book is a lot of set up, there are many different plot devices that are being set up and characters to introduce. Count Saint-Germain seems super creepy, Gideon seems a bit smarmy, and I love the twist on who Lucy Montrose is and how she plays out her part. The characters are complex in Ruby Red, and you're never quite sure whose side a person is on. I'm not sure if it's because Kerstin Gier is German, but this book has a great complexity and pace that you don't see much in young adult books.

I have to apologize, Ari and I were up late last night preparing a paper for possible publication. I meant to do a better job with this, but am having a hard time completing thoughts. This was an excellent book, which I thought you should all know about. I'll come back soon and see if I can't flesh it out to tell you how awesome it was.

The sequel Sapphire Blue comes out Oct. 30.

Waiting on Wednesday: Indigo Awakening by Jordan Dane

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine to spotlight an upcoming release that we're excited about. This week I'm waiting on Indigo Awakening by Jordan Dane.

 Because of what you are, the Believers will hunt you down.

Voices told Lucas Darby to run. Voices no one else can hear. He’s warned his sister not to look for him, but Rayne refuses to let her troubled brother vanish on the streets of LA. In her desperate search, she meets Gabriel Stewart, a runaway with mysterious powers and far too many secrets. Rayne can’t explain her crazy need to trust the strange yet compelling boy—to touch him—to protect him even though he scares her.

A fanatical church secretly hunts psychic kids—gifted “Indigo” teens feared to be the next evolution of mankind—for reasons only “the Believers” know. Now Rayne’s only hope is Gabe, who is haunted by an awakening power—a force darker than either of them imagine—that could doom them all. (Summary from GoodReads)

Runaways? Voices? Crazy awesome cover? So there.

Indigo Awakening comes out Dec. 18th.

Kissing Shakespeare by Pamela Mingle

Miranda has grown up in the shadow of her famous Shakespearean actress mother. After a terrible performance in The Taming of the Shrew, Miranda's frustration leads her to rethink acting all together. But just as she is about to call everything off, the mysterious fellow student Stephen propositions her. He wants her to come back to the Elizabethan Age and ensure that Shakespeare becomes a brilliant playwright instead of becoming a priest. Miranda now must navigate the cultural and political intrigues that hinder her budding relationship with William Shakespeare, but also her quickly developing feelings for Stephen.

Shall we first discuss the elephant in the room? What is up with this cover? Yes it's pretty, but it really is no reflection at all of the story. If Miranda is in the 1580s, why would she be showing off her shoulders and have her hair down? Pretty... I guess, but I think it's rather insulting that a pretty cover is what's needed to draw people in. But we here at Wandering Librarians have grumbled a bit about the vapidity of covers.

Let me state that there's a theme with the rest of the review. Build up and let down. I felt that there was a continuous build up of a theme or information and then was let down with the follow through. I had such hopes for this, perhaps too high, and I thought that I would love it but didn't.

I liked the fact that Pamela Mingle chose The Taming of the Shrew to kick start the story, as we are supposed to see Miranda conform her modern views to the traditional Elizabethan age. Except Miranda never really comes off as the strong feminist that Katherine does. She comes off as arrogant, credulous, and a bit lacking in the personality department. She cries over almost anything that has to do with Stephen and her intense feelings for him, yet continuously goes along with his plan to seduce Shakespeare without thinking of alternatives. She finds herself in the middle of a religious and political conflict and yet doesn't really think to make a concentrated investigation of it.

I thought that the descriptions of the historical elements were very well done. The little details about dress, food, religion, were all so fascinating. But the details that made the story somewhat tolerable were pretty infrequent, and generally were overridden by the sad storytelling.

I thought that there would be this great dramatic ending (Spoiler alert), obviously Miranda wouldn't actually end up sleeping with Shakespeare but I thought there'd be at least so sort of deep conversation about what he wants in life and why priesthood wouldn't be right for him. I didn't thin that Miranda would just kiss him a couple times and then he would declare that he'd already decided he wasn't going to become a priest. It just kind of showed that Miranda had no real purpose. It probably would've been fine without her, therefore this story never needed to be written. Sad.

Not well done. No real point and and very disappointing ending. I read some other people's requests for a sequel, but I think it would be best to let dead dogs lie. It had potential, but never really went anywhere.

Shadowfell by Juliet Marillier

Sixteen year old Neryn has been wandering all over the kingdom of Alban with her father in order to keep her alive. It is illegal to deal in magic and Neryn is able to interact with the Good Folk which makes her one of the few people alive with the ability. After being gambled away to a complete stranger, Neryn finds herself being led to a supposed safe haven called Shadowfell by the secretive Flint. Soon Neryn finds that she is a part of a greater plan to take down the king and save Alban, but what will she have to do for that to happen and who can she trust?

I liked this book, I didn’t have strong feelings of joy while reading it but it definitely held my interest and I am most likely going to read the next one.

The beginning was strong, and I loved the introduction of Flint’s character. The entire premise of Neryn’s abilities was also interesting and well explained. What threw me for a bit of a loop is the fact that the mythos that the Good Folk are based on is all Celtic inspired (or at least I’m assuming it is). I didn’t know this until about two-thirds of the way through. The lyrical chants that hadn’t really made sense did once I figured this tidbit out.

Helpful hint: Stanie mon = stone man

I really liked Neryn’s character, I thought she was rather fantastic. Obviously at sixteen she wants to be strong enough to go off on her own and be self-reliant, but she’s still young enough to want the guidance of another. This leads to her vacillating on whether or not to trust Flint, and running from him numerous times. This got a bit tedious, but was true-ish for the story. She has a very strong sense of herself and it moves the story along when it might otherwise lag.

The ending was also very strong and action-packed. I liked the fact that it wasn’t all tied up into a nice neat package. Of course not everything could be sunshine daisies as this is a series, but there’s some emotional ambiguity that was thought-provoking and a rather nice send off for the book.

Here’s my one thing that I got a bit weirded out by. Neryn is sixteen. Flint is twenty. They are headed toward a romantic relationship. In a high fantasy, should I be clutching my pearls because they are romantically involved? Or do I need to get over myself and the cultural norms I’ve grown up with because this is supposed to be a different world? As I was reading I leaned toward pearl clutching. Thoughts?

Shadowfell is quite good. You should read it and see if you too need smelling salts when Flint and Neryn kiss.

Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

So I took the wimp way out and just used the summary from the publisher, but here's my nitpick about it: the summary focuses on the romance aspect of the book which is somewhat important but is definitely not the majority of it. At least for this book. The real focus should be on the fact that Blue, Gansey, Adam, Ronan, and Noah, are four messed up individuals who find something in each other that connects them. They all find a balance in having the group together, and if any of the dynamics are thrown off they all fall apart.

The real drama comes from the relationships and the fact that Gansey has enlisted/emotionally hijacked them all into a fantastical quest. They are looking for King Arthur's body. Yep. King Arthur from the Round Table. It seems that Gansey has made it his seventeen year old life's mission to find it. What he doesn't know is the fact that some other boys have also looked for it from Aglionby and one of them ended up dead.
There are some big themes and plot twists in this, and I kind of wasn't expecting it to come together like it did. In a positive way. I was surprised that Maggie Stiefvater was able to get all of these big ideas to work almost cohesively. I had a few issues with the villains, I thought some of them were a bit clunky and not well developed. Otherwise pretty freaking good. The characters are all very unique and have distinct voices, which is maybe why she had five different narrators. Which I found quite jarring. I wish it would've been written from no more than two perspectives. Not that it wasn't interesting to see the plot unravel from different eyes, but that I felt like I was just getting into the rhythm of a character and then we'd jump to someone else. On the flip side of it, I don't think I would've emotionally connected to the characters as much as I did if she hadn't done four of the narrations, so I guess it's a trade off.

There's still some mysteries to unravel, and I'm already eagerly anticipating the sequel. It was an interesting and intense setup to a series.

Raven Boys comes out Sept. 18.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine to spotlight an upcoming release that we're excited about. This week I'm waiting on The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett.

16-year-old Dusty Everhart breaks into houses late at night, but not because she’s a criminal. No, she’s a Nightmare. Literally. Dusty is a magical being who feeds on human dreams.

Being the only Nightmare at Arkwell Academy, a boarding school for magickind, and living in the shadow of her mother’s infamy is hard enough. But when Dusty sneaks into Eli Booker’s house, things get a whole lot more complicated. He’s hot, which means sitting on his chest and invading his dreams couldn’t get much more embarrassing. But it does. Eli is dreaming of a murder. The setting is Arkwell.

And then it comes true.

Now the Dusty has to follow the clues—both within Eli’s dreams and out of them—to stop the killer before more people turn up dead. And before the killer learns what she’s up to and marks her as the next target. (Summary from GoodReads)

I stumbled upon this randomly on Amazon. It sounds super intriguing and I love the cover. The idea of a person being a nightmare is pretty great right?

The Nightmare Affair comes out March 5th, 2013.

Waiting on Wednesday: Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine to spotlight an upcoming release that we're excited about. This week I'm waiting on Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst.

 In a desert world of sandstorms and sand-wolves, a teen girl must defy the gods to save her tribe in this mystical, atmospheric tale from the author of Drink, Slay, Love.Liyana has trained her entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. The goddess will inhabit Liyana’s body and use magic to bring rain to the desert. But Liyana’s goddess never comes. Abandoned by her angry tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the dust in search of her.

     Korbyn is a god inside his vessel, and a trickster god at that. He tells Liyana that five other gods are missing, and they set off across the desert in search of the other vessels. For the desert tribes cannot survive without the magic of their gods. But the journey is dangerous, even with a god’s help. And not everyone is willing to believe the trickster god’s tale.

     The closer she grows to Korbyn, the less Liyana wants to disappear to make way for her goddess. But she has no choice: She must die for her tribe to live. Unless a trickster god can help her to trick fate—or a human girl can muster some magic of her own. (Summary from GoodReads)

I think this sounds really intriguing, like Sarah Beth Durst created a well-thought out complex world. And it comes out on Arianna's birthday! So good times.

Vessel comes out Sept. 11.

Waiting on Wednesday: Black City by Elizabeth Richards

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine to spotlight an upcoming release that we're excited about. This week I'm waiting on Black City by Elizabeth Richards.

 A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable--they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash's long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they're caught, they'll be executed--but their feelings are too strong.

When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths. (Summary from GoodReads)

It just all sounds so dramatic and takes a lot of interesting aspects of different genres that I love. Also I think the cover is pretty.  

Black City comes out Nov. 13.

YALSA Coffee Klatch

You might remember that we went to the YALSA Klatch last year, and met some really great authors. This year we have to admit that we were highly disappointed with the fact that there was no food nor tea served, it really started the entire klatch off on the wrong foot. Sad. Now to the fun stuff, this year we met:

Weird Fishes by Jamaica Dyer

Dee and Sam aka Bunny Boy are two middle schoolers who live in the social outskirts. Dee has bizarre visions and Bunny Boy hasn't taken off his Halloween costume since he first wore it. They've been the other's only friend, until they have a disagreement. Suddenly Bunny Boy is going for hipster chic and trying to get the attention of Goth Girl and Dee's visions are becoming all too real.

This was super weird. As in I'm still not sure of the point of the book, or to be honest if there is a point. It's got some interesting plot lines, and things get somewhat resolved by the end... but I finished with a very strong sense of "Huh." Fortunately I didn't feel like I had wasted my time, but I was just completely thrown off by what had just happened. Discombobulated as it were. I didn't find it obnoxious that it ended abruptly, because the book was so bizarre I just figure that they'll go off into the sunset and do whatever. Kind of like they have throughout the book

Let me side-note here: I should probably point out that most of the main characters are middle schoolers, but I kept forgetting because of the attitude, drug-use, and how they looked. They are all so much cooler than I ever came close to being at 14. But then they are also a lot more messed up, so I guess it's a trade-off.

Last thing, I thought the artwork was phenomenal. Super beautiful. Jamaica Dyer has a really lovely way of creating her pictures with sketches and (I'm assuming) watercolors. They serve as a really lovely juxtaposition to each other and tell just as much of the story, if not more, than the words. I wish every page could have been in full color because I think it would have blown my mind. Jamaica Dyer is a talented lady.

So is the book for just anyone? Definitely not. I'm not going to label it as a "Great Graphic Novel for Girls" because I'm not 100% sure that it is. I thought it was lovely and engaging, but I also think I was in the perfect mood to read it. A minute earlier or later and I would not be having this review for it. So I guess I'm going to say read at your own risk.

My Boyfriend is a Monster: My Boyfriend Bites by Dan Jolley and Alitha E. Martinez

Vanessa Shingle just likes to make people the best that they can be, kind of like the army except without the training or the ability to better people's lives. So what if her last three boyfriends/projects all ended up worse off than before? If they'd listened to her they wouldn't have ended up in jail/military school/unemployed. Which brings us to her latest fixer-upper: Jean-Paul. He's gorgeous, a literal life-saver, and turns into a bat. As things get more freaky, Vanessa learns that she has a destiny to fulfill and that the scariest things in life are not a bad first date.

This is the third book in the My Boyfriend is a Monster series. Each is a standalone book that depicts a different monster: Frankenstein, zombie, ghosts, etc. Ari read the first one I Love Him to Pieces and enjoyed it. I found this to be really intolerable.

I'm going to guess that Vanessa is supposed to have somewhat of a victim mentality at the beginning of the book and then grows into this warrior woman. I thought that she was just lame. As in needs to work on herself before she works on anyone else because she has MAJOR issues, I mean who really goes out of their way to date losers? What happens if the loser boys had improved themselves? Does she then continue to date them or then dump them so that she can go 'help' someone else? Also Jean-Paul really needs to work on keeping his were-bat-hood secret a secret. And his pseudo-relationship with Vanessa completely weirded me out. It developed strangely fast and yet they didn't really spend all that much time together.

It didn't help that the artwork was not my favorite. Jean-Paul kind of reminds me of the lead singer from Metalocalypse and Vanessa's lips are distractingly puffy. They are bigger than Angelina Jolie's. Weird. But what really sank this for me was the it was a strange amalgamation of Buffy tropes and Twilight characters. Except not as well done, which is pretty sad because let's be honest Twilight is not Stoker's Dracula.

So two very different reactions to this series. I will not be reading anymore of this series, because I thought it was awful.

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughin

Will Scarlet is a well known thief, a part of the much loved and vilified troop of thieves led by Robin of Locksley. As Will, Little John, Much, and Robin steal from the rich to give to the poor, Will Scarlet must also deal with the ongoing secrets that he lives with: he is actually a she and she has a past that is catching up to her like the hangman's noose. As she deals with a confrontation with thief catcher Guy of Gisbourne, she must also pick through the conflicting emotions she has for Robin and the attentions of Little John.

HOLY BANANAS THIS WAS AWESOME! AWESOME I SAY!

Scarlet was such an incredible, deep, layered character. She was thoughtful strong, and best of all realistic. She was not a wilting flower pretending to be a boy, Scarlet was fully committed to her ruse and was rather disgusted by the idea of skirts and flirtation. That's not to say that she isn't sympathetic to the female plight. She has a back story that unfolds beautifully and naturally, kind of like her feelings for Robin and her confusion about Little John.

SPOILERS HINTED AT AHEAD

Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder

Avry is a healer, she absorbs others' pain and sickness into her body and they are instantly healed. But after the plague wiped out much of the population and the kingdom is in upheaval as different families constantly struggle for the political upper hand, healers are blamed and hunted. Avry survives by keeping a low profile and constantly being prepared to run. Her luck runs out when she heals a child and contracts a mild for of the plague, she is taken into government custody and sentenced to death. Her unfortunate end is waylaid by a small band of rebels led by a handsome enigmatic man. They have saved so the can take her to a prince that could join the different factions and bring the Nine Kingdoms back to their former glory. Avry must decide if she is willing to sacrifice herself for the good of the kingdom, when the man she is supposed to save is the reason her family is dead.

I really enjoyed Maria V. Snyder's Study series, they were such a great mix of high fantasy, fantastic characters, and great storytelling. Then she wrote the Glass series, set in the same 'world' as the Study series, and I wasn't thrilled. It seemed a bi flat, with only adequate storytelling, and not great characters. And then she had the Insider series which I thought was fairly terrible. With this past history, I was a little nervous when I started reading this book but man I'm glad I did.

Gotham City Sirens: Strange Fruit by Peter Calloway, Tony Bedard and Andres Guinaldo

A couple of story lines that tell of the new female team of Catwoman, Harley Quinn, and Poison Ivy.

I like the fact that this is a very female-oriented and yet not overly sexual. You get to see three strong women who really support and care for each other really kicking ass of those who would try and hold them back. I would like to see more of that done.

Here's what I didn't like: all of the stories pivoted around their romantic relationships with men. The impetus for all the action had to do with either past love or using a woman's emotions against her. Sad. These are three strong famous super villains, they have fantastically complex back stories, and yet they can't seem to step out of the men's shadows. Why? Why can't they go off to take down someone or steal from the mob because they just want to? Does it have to be because Batman's past relationship with Catwoman makes her weak? I just wish it could've allowed for stronger female protagonists. Perhaps in the upcoming comics?

I'll read the next one, give it a chance, but I can't seem to be optimistic that it'll change all that much.

Killer Princesses by Gail Simone and Lea Hernandez

Faith, Charity, and Hope are three beautiful idiotic sorority girls who happen to also be vicious foul-mouthed assassins for a secret agency that promotes "Better a World Without Genius, Than a World Determined to Conflagration."

I would like to put out for all the world to see that I love Gail Simone. I think she's brilliant, she can do no wrong. Her books always have more depth to them than you expect, and are seriously twisted. I first thought that this would be her attempt to reach out to the young adult group, but I was wrong. So wrong! It's only 88 pages long, but it entertains, disturbs, and makes you think. WHO ELSE CAN DO THAT IN 88 PAGES! There is more violence and swearing packed into this than I saw in Batman: The Killing Joke. And yet it's still exceptional storytelling.

I really enjoyed Lea Hernandez's artwork, it's got a little bit of a manga-vibe to it, but it was totally appropriate for this book. She makes killing adorable.

Let make it clear that this is not for the young or faint of heart. This is pretty hardcore and don't go into it thinking that if you enjoyed Cardcaptor Sakura you're going to like this, because you will definitely not get the same thing from it. Otherwise awesome!

Waiting on Wednesday: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Barduga

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine to spotlight an upcoming release that we're excited about. This week I'm waiting on Shadow and Bone by Leigh Barduga.

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee. 

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.
Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart. (Summary by Goodreads) 


I love a little bit of political intrigue tossed into my fantasy. This sounds like it has a lot of potential for being an incredible read. Can't wait.


Shadow and Bone comes out June 5th.