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Powell's Staff:
Five Book Friday: In Memoriam
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Every year, the booksellers at Powell’s submit their Top Fives: their five favorite books that were released in 2023. It’s a list that, when put together, shows just how varied and interesting the book tastes of Powell’s booksellers are. I highly recommend digging into the recommendations — we would never lead you astray — but today...
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Brontez Purnell:
Powell’s Q&A: Brontez Purnell, author of ‘Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt’
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Starter Pack: Where to Begin with Ursula K. Le Guin
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Customer Comments
irisheyz_5 has commented on (17) products
Orphan Queen
by
Jodi Meadows
irisheyz_5
, March 10, 2015
Dear Internet, First I want to tell you how excited I was to read The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows I really liked her New Soul series and this one sounded even better. I was sucked into The Orphan Queen from the very first page and was so glad that I started it on a weekend as I could devote all my time to its pages. THis is a world at war not just with other kingdoms, with the King of Skyvale looking to dominate those around him but its slowly being swallowed up by the dark. Demons and wraiths and darkness just eating up everything in its path and nothing seems to be able to stop it. Though one girl, Wilhemina is determined to try. She is on a mission to take back her kingdom and to also stop the dark once and for all. Not an easy task by any means but if anyone can do it, its Wil. Wil is a total badass and is quite skilled with a knife and most other weapons. She’s smart and a gifted liar and a forger and does whatever it takes in order to survive for in this world she is a fugitive not just because she can do magic but because she’s one of few noble survivors from her kingdom. I loved everything about this girl. She’s scary and feisty and snarky all in one and she’s definitely someone you’d want to be on your side in a fight. My other favorite character was the Black Knife and I just loved all the scenes that he and Wil had together. Especially the Spider-man scene. Oh that scene!!! Orphan Queen Quote The Orphan Queen is a book that kept me on the edge of my seat and I group it in with some of my favorite fantasy reads. There is just so much to love about this book and this world and its characters and if the damn thing didn’t break off a piece of my soul then it would be darn near perfect. That’s right, Internet, this book will break you. It will wound you in ways that you wouldn’t think possible and leave you in a gooey mess on the floor. And then…just when you think things will be getting better Meadows draws out her sword and just slays you all over again even worse than before. If I wasn’t such a broken wreck of a person then I probably would have sobbed uncontrollably at the end of The Orphan Queen. But instead I was shocked to the core and just sat for a bit in stunned silence staring at the last blank page in frustration as there were no more words. Then I may have hugged my book and contemplated tossing it across the room a few times only to stop at the last moment and hug it some more. You know me internet. You know how hard I can be on fantasy so believe me when I tell you that Jodi Meadows hits all the right notes with The Orphan Queen. Its a solid piece of writing and world building and I just long for more. I am desperate for more and the wait until the The Mirror King is going to be a long and excruciating wait indeed. But even with the killer ending The Orphan Queen is so worth all the pain and heartache to read the words within its pages. I know this is a book that I’ll re-read often and its one that I can’t recommend enough to all lovers of fantasy. ***As originally posted on www.tickettoanywhere.net***
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Unearthly 01
by
Cynthia Hand
irisheyz_5
, January 16, 2012
**Originally posted on tickettoanywhere.net** I am always wary of books that are over-hyped for all to often I'll pick up a book that everyone seems to be raving about only to find that I don't care much for it. This was the case of Unearthly by Cynthia Hand....the over-hyped part not the not caring for it. Because I did like Unearthly but I didn't love it as much as other people seem to have. For me, Clara wasn't the most likeable of characters and I really didn't like how she was obsessed with Christian. I get that teens do become obsessive sometimes with the boys around them but for most of the book Christian had a girlfriend and so I didn't care for that. I did enjoy the angel lore in the book as it was different form anything I had read before. But it was just awfully convenient that so many angels just happened to be in the same small town in the middle of small town America. That had me rolling my eyes and getting a little exasperated. There were also several other cliches that happen throughout the book that also had me rolling my eyes and as a result I didn't totally love the story. I thought that there was a lot of excess of set up as well and the beginning dragged a bit for me but it wasn't so slow that I got frustrated and stopped reading. I also thought that once events started to unfold that many of the secondary characters were underutilized and often forgotten. Unearthly also contained a love triangle and I am not a fan of those. The parts that I enjoyed most where in the middle of the book when Clara forgot about Christian (who was conveniently away for the summer) and spent time with Tucker. It was during those scenes in which I felt we got to know the real character and it was then that I actually liked her. I was glad that at the same time her friend Angela was also out of town but I missed Wendy. Angela was often abrasive and got on my nerves and Wendy was often underused as a character. I do hope that we get to see more of Wendy in Book 2 and get a little less of Christian and Angela. I also hope to see more of Jeffrey, Clara's younger brother, who was barely mentioned in this book though there was lots of set up for a future storyline involving his character. I wasn't overly thrilled with this book but I felt like it has potential and so am curious to see where things go in the next book in this series.
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Skyship Academy 01 The Pearl Wars
by
Nick James
irisheyz_5
, January 16, 2012
**Originally posted on tickettoanywhere.net** Prior to BEA 2011 I had never heard of this book and I only stumbled upon it as I attended the book signing of another author and afterwards we all got to talking over at the Flux booth. Nick started to describe his book but once I saw the blurb by James Dashner I knew that it was something I had to check out. I'm not usually one to be swayed by blurbs (and to be honest I don't usually read them) but I've met James several times and so he's an exception. From the start of this book all the way until the last page I was sucked into the story. I love the world that Nick created which was a bit sci-fi with a wee addition of dystopian mixed in. I loved how he gave a brief history of how the world came to be what it was without being dry or weighing down the story. He made a believable futuristic world where resources are scarce and humanity has been divided into factions as they fight for survival. I really enjoyed the characters in this book as well. This was very much a boy book with the majority of the main characters being boys. There was a couple of token girls tossed into the mix but they didn't always come across as very girly to me and were a bit stiff and awkward at times. But overall I really enjoyed all of the characters. I liked how Jessie was more your typical boy then anyone overtly special. He wasn't the best in his class, he was more likely to be the one who was messing up. But given the circumstances that he was thrust into he came into his own and turned his ordinariness into something more. I really enjoyed this story and all the possibilities that it raised for the rest of the series. The writing was strong and I was really invested in the story. I wasn't surprised by some of the twists and turns. And there were times when I thought some events were a bit far fetched. I liked how there were active adults in the story - although their were times where they came across as a bit stiff as well. But what I like best about the book is the potential for what is to come. As a first in a series it hit all the right notes in building a world and characters that you want to know more about. I am really looking forward to the second book and you will as well once you give this one a try.
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Witch Eyes
by
Scott Tracey
irisheyz_5
, January 16, 2012
**Originally Posted on Tickettoanywhere.net** From the first moment I heard about Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey I knew it was a book I had to read. It was one of my favorite genres, fantasy, contained a mystery and then had a GBLT character as the main protagonist. Witch Eyes was filled with many ups and downs and a few twists and turns and ended in a satisfying story that left me wanting more. And, I must admit, it also left me a bit made at Tracey for how certain events played out. Along with the dread that there are still two more books remaining in the series so plenty of words remain for him to torture both his characters and his readers alike. The mystery in the book wasn't anything super complex or difficult to figure out for an anyone experienced with reading mysteries but it wasn't so obvious that you knew all there was to know right from the start. I also really enjoyed all the characters and how they interacted with each other. There was humor and there was heart ache and I look forward to seeing how they all deepen and grow over the course of the series. I enjoyed the world and mythology that Tracey set up for his town of Belle Dam. There were lots of seeds planted in this first book and I am curious to see how they will grow. There is just so much to love in this book and I hated for it to end. I just wanted to stay in this world longer. Because then maybe there wouldn't have been as much heartbreak...ok who am I kidding...there probably would have been more if the story was longer. Because for some unknown reason authors just love to torture their readers. There should be a law against that. But then again, its that torture that keeps us coming back for more. That desire and hope that maybe in this next book events will be different and everything will be all sunshine and roses. And yes I know that I am living in a dream world with that one but isn't that part of what makes up hope? If you like a good fantasy novel....one filled with magic and mystery...along with a little snark mixed in...then you really need to pick up Witch Eyes. Scott Tracey has built a wonderful world and I think that I will be a long time fan of his writing. The characters are all so very real. They are flawed and make mistakes and its in those flaws and mistakes that you can find pieces of yourself that make it easy to relate to them. Witch Eyes also contains involved family members...which is so rare in YA books these days. For me this is a must read and bound to be on my favorites list for a long time to come. So if you haven't read it yet then you are really missing out and should bump it up your to be read list. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
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Mine Till Midnight Hathaways 01
by
Lisa Kleypas
irisheyz_5
, August 19, 2010
As originally posted on my blog Ticket to Anywhere Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas is the start of a new series that involves the delightfully unpolished Hathaway family. The Hathaway's were content to live in relative obscurity in the country until Leo inherited a title which brought the family to the attention of the aristocracy. Now Leo's sister's all have opportunities that they never thought possible before. Although what each sister will do with these new advantages will shock most members of the ton. Take for example, Amelia Hathaway, she is the oldest and has taken it upon herself to act as a mother to her younger siblings and to do her best to make even the most unconventional of them presentable. Which is a very daunting task to say the least. But then she meets Cam Rohan, a gypsy, who gives new meaning to the phrase tall, dark and dangerous. Amelia meets Cam when trying to track down her wayward brother and the sparks that fly between them are immediately felt on both sides. Mine Till Midnight was such a fun read. I loved loved loved meeting the Hathaway family and adored all of their many quirks. Especially that scene with Beatrice, the youngest Hathaway, at Lord Westcliff's dinner....well....lets just say that it had me laughing out loud and leave it at that. Amelia is a strong character and despite an initial desire to be conventional she soon realizes that just isn't the Hathaway way. I really enjoyed reading her story and all the ups and downs of her relationship with Cam, who is totally swoon worthy by the way. My one problem with this story was how even after Amelia and Cam married (and that's not a spoiler people this IS a romance book after all and they tend to end in one of two ways.) Anywho - after Amelia and Cam married the rest of the Hathaway family still referred to him as Mr Rohan. Which I can see before the marriage - but afterwards when he becomes part of their family? I don't know, perhaps I am just not very well versed in Victorian etiquette rules....but even if that is the norm, it just doesn't seem very Hathaway-like. All in all though this was a very fun read and is my favorite Lisa Kleypas to date. Can't wait to see what shenanigans the rest of this boisterously, unconventional clan gets up to! As originally posted on my blog Ticket to Anywhere
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Beautiful Malice
by
Rebecca James
irisheyz_5
, August 19, 2010
As originally posted on my blog Ticket to Anywhere Where to start... There were just so many things about Beautiful Malice that did not work for me. First lets start with the setting. For the most part the setting is unclear, ambiguous but then the main characters all go for this weekend holiday in a town located in New South Wales, Australia. I was like...yes...finally a clear setting and one that makes the language of the book make sense. Australians just have a slightly different way of speaking than Americans - the cadences of words are just different. But then when the gang meets up with Ben - the author makes a point to say that he was Australian and that one reason why Alice dated him was for his accent. That just baffled me as by this point I thought they were all Australian. Then a few pages later Ben is telling a story and mentions when he first came to the state....and I just went huh? It didn't make sense since the only place that was ever mentioned was a place location in Australia - and living stateside you don't exactly make a weekend trip to Australia....especially when you're trying to keep things on the cheap. Note: in talking with another blogger who read the Australian version of the book the setting was very clearly stated as Sydney, Australia...so it seems that for whatever reason the American publisher decided to try and remove those references. But moving on...lets talk about sequence and the flow of time. This book has three distinct time periods in them and there is no real rhyme or reason to the authors jumping from one to another. The changes just became this jumbled mess for me which would knock me out of the story. I believe it was done as a way to try to heighten the suspense and make the thrills more thrilling as random bits and pieces of the past, present and future were revealed. But my suspense wasn't heightened the odd changes just annoyed me more than anything else. Especially during those times with the perspective of the book would change. For the bulk of the book the story was told in first person but every so often the I's would change to you's and it never really worked for me. Then there is the plot. The very first line tells you exactly what happens to Alice there is no suspense there. No shock. The story is just so flat and bland and I figured out what all the big reveals where before they were made official. The characters also all came across as flat and one dimensional. Alice was narcissistic and crazy and she appeared so form the start...she then just spirals out of control and it just doesn't ring true. Katherine is a girl trying to escape her past by forgetting it and when things get hard or rough she just turns her back on the darkness and tries to pretend it doesn't exist. This is not healthy behavior and not something that you want to do when the person you are trying to forget is crazy. This book didn't work for me on so many levels and its not one that I can recommend. Beautiful Malice is also a book that is often billed as Young Adult but I don't get the YA vibe from it when I read it. The phrasing and the way the characters speak (in their bad dialogue scenes) is way more adult than teen. What about you...have you read Beautiful Malice? What did you think of it? Let me know if the comments below. As originally posted on my blog Ticket to Anywhere
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Stolen
by
Lucy Christopher
irisheyz_5
, August 19, 2010
As originally posted on my blog Ticket to Anywhere I bought this book after listening to a fragment on Bookalio.us the short snippet that Pam read had me intrigued and so I immediately rushed out and picked up a copy for myself. I started to read it the day after it arrived on a trip my friend and I took to the beach - which just added to the ambiance of the read. Unfortunately I had to put it down soon after to read some review books but thoughts of this story stayed with me. When I was finally able to pick it up again I was kept up late reading. I was so engrossed....no that's not the right word....I was addicted to the story. Stolen by Lucy Christopher is like no other book that I've read its a book that trumps everything that I've read so far this year. And as I've read some pretty amazing reads that is saying a lot. This book is unique in so many ways. First there are no real chapters to speak of....just short breaks here and there in the narrative. The narrative itself is also fairly unique in that it is a letter....a very long letter written by Gemma - who is the victim of Ty. Ty....words are so hard to describe him. He is the abductor, the villian, the tortured soul who thinks he is saving Gemma from the evils of the world. He is a person that you think you should hate and despise but find that you can't. Ty defies all that it means to be a villian because while he has done something bad he isn't a bad person. Then there is the setting - the outback of Australia - which because more then just a setting and turns into a character all on its own. This is a novel that I had no expectations of before walking into it and now that I have finished it I don't have the words to say just how truly amazing it was. Gemma's voice is unique and real and touches the very soul inside you. As a reader you turn the pages wondering just where it will all end and what choice Gemma will make. You are torn between wanting her to escape and return to the life she lead before and wanting her to stay and make a life with Ty. These conflicting emotions become a struggle - both with the reader and with Gemma - and there are no easy answers. There is only this book that is filled with such prose and detail that you can almost touch the desert sands. (Of course it probably doesn't hurt that I read the bulk of this sitting on my balcony on a very hot summer day.) This is a book that I will become a champion for and Lucy Christopher is an author that I will be eagerly waiting to see what she comes up with next. Although I think that Stolen will be incredibly hard to surpass. And seriously folks, if you only pick up one book this year, then it should be this one. Its just that good. As originally posted on my blog Ticket to Anywhere
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Losing Faith
by
Denise Jaden
irisheyz_5
, August 19, 2010
As originally posted on my blog Ticket to Anywhere I wasn't really sure what to expect when I decided to sign up for the Losing Faith tour on Traveling ARC Tours. I had heard some discussion surrounding the book and so thought hey why not? The book begins shortly before Brie's sister Faith is found dead of apparent suicide. However, despite how things look Brie doesn't believe that her sister killed herself. Brie and Faith might not have been the closest of sisters but there are some things that you just know about someone else. And so as a way to deal with the grief of her sister's...or avoid dealing with the grief...or both...Brie decides to investigate the events leading up to it. Losing Faith is the sort of book that is perfect for a lazy day of reading. Its great for sitting out on the balcony, curling up on the couch on a winter's night or relaxing on the beach. Its not a book that is filled with car chases or gunfights or overly intrinsic plots. Its a book that is filled with following words that you just fall into. The plot itself is a bit slow moving but I loved the beauty of the words and so I didn't mind that it took awhile for events to develop. I also didn't think that the cult in the synopsis was an actual cult - although it certainly has the earmarks of the beginning of a cult. Hey, even cults don't grow to David Koresch bigness overnight. I really loved the character of Brie. She was a genuine girl who was dealing with the loss of a sister and only really got to know her after it was too late. As with many Young Adult books Brie's parents were almost non-existant but they were seen on the peripherals. But what you saw of them showed that they each dealt with the grief and horror of losing a child in very realistic ways. Which left Brie in a weird state of limbo. It also didn't help that those Brie thought of as friends weren't really friends and those that Brie didn't were the ones that provided a pillar of strength. Also, a special shout out to Alistair (aka Alis) who is a wonderfully sweet boy that I think many will swoon over. There were some scenes that were cliched but over all there was a realism to the story that its hard not to enjoy the prose of the words. Losing Faith is a story about love, loss, and having faith in the world around you. Its a story that reminds you how easy it is to lose track of those that we should be closest to and so hopefully those that read Losing Faith take it to heart that people are only here for a brief moment and you should hold tight to your loved ones for as long as you can. I really enjoyed Losing Faith and its one that I will be recommending to others. As originally posted on my blog Ticket to Anywhere
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Infernal Devices 01 Clockwork Angel
by
Clare, Cassandra
irisheyz_5
, August 19, 2010
As originally posted on my blog Ticket to Anywhere If I had to walk away from this years Book Expo America (BEA) this past May with only one book then that book would have had to be Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare. When I heard that there would be copies available I was all bouncy and giddy. When I thought my shuttle bus was going to be late in dropping me off at the Javits Center and that I might miss the drop....well lets just say that I provided entertainment for my roommate and friends on Twitter. But I will be honest and say that I was not among those that RAN from the entry doors to the Simon & Schuster booth....a fast walk, yes, that was me....but not a run. So there is that bit of self restraint that I had. Albeit a small one. Clockwork Angel was also the first of my BEA books that I read as I started it that very night because even though it was May and the book wouldn't be out until August I just couldn't wait. And this is when getting an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) or a book can be a bad thing as book 2 in this series isn't scheduled for release until September 2011 - and who knows if I'll be able to get an ARC of that - or if their will even be ARCs. But anywho, I digress. Cassandra Clare was first brought to my attention by my Book Bully Tiffany who loved her Mortal Instruments series and made me read them. I resisted (foolishly) until after I attended an invent in Bryant Park in which Cassie talked about the Mortal Instruments books as well as gave some teasers for Clockwork Angel. It wasn't long before I was hooked on this world and the mythology that surrounded it. It was just so well done. One disappointment that I had with Clockwork Angel was that I only had one copy - so my book bully and I couldn't read simultaneously. So I did the only thing I could think of to do - while reading the book I wrote some of my thoughts on post it notes and left them scattered throughout the book for her to read. (Yes, I really am that much of a nerd.) There were so many great themes that were discussed in Clockwork Angel. I loved how there was a little more detail added to why the race of the Shadowhunters was thinning out and the idea that some chose to leave the life. In the Mortal Instruments series it seems as though everyone born in a Shadowhunter family wants to be one and I enjoyed how Clare explored how that wasn't always the case. I also really Clare's use of gender roles and the social mores of Victorian England in order to shape each of the main female characters. The Victorian Era wasn't known for its gender neutrality and while women in the Shadowhunter world have more freedoms than your typical girl they do are under many constraints. Like Charlotte, who is in charge of the London Institute in all but name. Her character was raised to run that facility but when her father died the Council looked to another man to head it up. Despite the fact that Charlotte was the best option. Rather than see her beloved facility fall into someone else's hands Charlotte married and convinced the Council to nominate her new bumbling inventor husband as the head. (Can I just say how much I ADORED Henry? He was just so genuine and clueless and sweet - so very adorkable!) Charlotte then became trapped in this though because while everyone who lives in the institute knows the truth she still has to hide her management because the Council didn't believe a woman was capable. Can you imagine how hard it would be to have to try and suppress your intelligence and skills because if you were more vocal you might lose everything? I certainly can't. And don't think that Charlotte took advantage or duped Henry - he really is better suited for the lab tinkering away....making the prototypes of devices that will evolve into ones that Jace and company would use in more modern times. I also loved how Charlotte and Henry interacted they were so sweet together much of the time. Then there is Jessamyn, who isn't living at the institute by choice and who doesn't want to be her. She is another strong female character who knows her mind and desires and yet because of cultural restraints she isn't allowed to just go off and do as she pleases. As an unmarried young woman she is expected to have a guardian at all times and in her world she's expected to become a Shadowhunter. Only she doesn't want that life. Jessa wants to escape only she can't do so in Victorian England unless she's married. The dating scene of Victorian England was far different than today and so she's having a hard time finding a non-shadowhunter who will take her away into the life she thinks she wants. One where she only has to worry about clothes and running a house and other things that mundanes do. I am not so sure she'd be happy living in the mundane world though because she is strong and intelligent and loves to speak her mind. She is also pretty handy with a parasol and would make Alexia Tarabotti very proud. Tessa too struggles with her place in the world. She was raised in the mundane world and accepts the rules and protocols of existing in those times. The poor girl is truly out of her element when she encounters the Shadowhunters and she's genuinely horrified when she learns that Charlotte doesn't wear a corset! Throughout the book Tessa struggles as she straddles to very different and yet similar worlds. She struggles with trying to fit into the rules of each as she is torn between two swoon worthy boys (Shout out to Team Jem!!). She also struggles with the idea that this unknown person called the Magister wants to marry her - which is a topic that my book bully and I debated the reason behind. In the end we wondered if he wanted to marry Tessa so that she would be bound to him legally in the eyes of Victorian Law. Yes he could just kidnap her and do whatever it is he wants with her power but if she ever escapes then the law would be against him. And Tessa, raised as a mundane would head to the mundane law officers (at least she would before she learned of the Shadowhunters). But if she was legally married then her options would be a lot more limited. I could go on forever I think just debating and thinking and going over all the ins and outs of this book. The whole story is just so rich and vivid. The characters all highly developed and so very flawed. Everyone is trying to overcome something. Charlotte, Jessa and Tessa are all strong women trying to overcome issues of authority and what others think they are expected to do and how they should act. Will is dealing with a big mystery of the past that adds a haunted look to his eyes when he thinks no one is looking. Their is a melancholy air that follows him about and he tries to suppress it by being overly jovial and witty. Which only works some of the time. Its very hard to act carefree when you have the weight of the world on your shoulders. Jem is also dealing with demons of his own. He is such a sweet character. He is smart and observant and notices far more about the world around him then people suspect. I simply ADORE ADORE ADORE how Will and Jem interact throughout the book!! Clockwork Angel is a book that you can re-read several times and always catching something new. Its a great start to a new series and aspect of the Shadowhunter world. My only real complaint is that epilogue! OMG I swear Cassie Clare is trying to KILL me with suspense!! I could have waited easily for Clockwork Prince (Sept 2011) if it weren't for how Clockwork Angel ended. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!!! So hurry up 2011!!! I need some more of the Infernal Devices!!! As originally posted on my blog Ticket to Anywhere
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Hex Hall 01
by
Rachel Hawkins
irisheyz_5
, February 18, 2010
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins is a book that I was really eager to read so I was very happy when I picked up a copy at ALA MW. This was one book that I couldn't wait to read and I started it almost immediately. And let me tell you that it was love from the first page. I was instantly drawn to the character of Sophie. I loved her voice. It was so fresh and unique and sounded so very real. Sophie is smart and she doesn't put up with anything from anyone. She enters Hex Hall at a bit of disadvantage from the others in her school as she wasn't raised in the magical world. But she doesn't let that disadvantage slow her down. Nor does the desire to learn all she can about being a witch mean that she's willing to compromise knowledge for what is right. Sophie has a clear head on her shoulders and its refreshing to see. Hex Hall was a delight to read and I hated to see it end. Trust me on this one, when you read the ending you'll feel the same. Hex Hall is part of a trilogy so there is a bit of a cliff hanger to the ending. Which I have to say I hate! I so prefer books that could also work as stand alones. But at the same time the fact that I can't wait for the next book is a testament the amazing story and world that Rachel Hawkins has created. I loved the world that Hawkins created. She is a gifted writer and knows just the right moments to drop in a little bit of history that will add to the moment but not distract the reader with too much detail. Hex Hall will be available on 02 March and if you like strong heroines and a hint of magic and mystery then this is a story that I would recommend that you check out. As originally posted on my blog Ticket to Anywhere
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Genesis
by
Beckett, Bernard
irisheyz_5
, February 18, 2010
Genesis by Bernard Beckett is one of those books in which is best to know nothing about it before starting to read it. So for that reason I have not include a synopsis here on my blog. As Genesis is a short book, weighing in at only 160 pages, its hard to say too much about it without giving anything away. Its also a book in which I've only heard rave things said about it so I was eager to read it. However, the high price tag (retails at $20, ebook at $14) made me pause at actually buying it. Thankfully my local library had a copy so I was able to borrow it. Initially I found this book hard to get into and so it took me longer to finish than it probably should have. I also found the story to be a bit predictable. I didn't find much fresh or new about it compared to books that have a similar storyline. There were some thought provoking aspects of it but overall they didn't really win me over to the story as a whole. I liked it, but I didn't love it nor do I think this is one that I would recommend to any dystopian lovers out there. Mainly because as I said above, there isn't anything fresh to this story. The world building was a bit underdeveloped as to where the inhabitants of this island were now. But the history of the world was pretty fleshed out and I did enjoy learning about that. In some ways I think that this story might have done better if it had more pages with which to tell it in. What about you? Have you read Genesis? What did you think about it? Let me know in the comments below. As originally posted on my blog Ticket to Anywhere
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By The Time You Read This Ill Be Dead
by
Julie Anne Peters
irisheyz_5
, February 18, 2010
By the You Read This I'll be Gone by Julie Anne Peters is one of those books in which I've heard nothing but good things. So it was one that I put on my wishlist and when I saw that it was out in stores I rushed out to buy it. So I had high hopes that this would be another Thirteen Reasons Why, sadly though that was not the case. Oh the story was absorbing enough and I did breeze through it quickly but I just found it hard to care about Daelyn. She was a very unsympathetic character. She lacks depth and you really don't learn much about why she has decided that suicide is her only option. As a reader you get these little snippets but all you really know about her is that she's tried to commit suicide several times the most recent attempt leaving her unable to talk, after each attempt her parents put her in a new school and that she's joined a website to help people complete the act of suicide. This website gives her a deadline in which she must figure out a way to successfully die and she is ready for it. That is until things in her life slowly start to change, first there is this boy who lives near her school who decides he wants to be her friend and won't take no for an answer. And the fact that Daelyn can't speak doesn't seem to deter him in the least. Then there is a girl in her choir that she slowly starts to become friends with. Suddenly things aren't as clear cut as before and her carefully laid suicide plans may not be the best course of action after all. Only you never really learn much about her thoughts or her choice. As I said before the book is short and its very two dimensional. There is a lot of ambiguity to the story that leaves the reader feeling unsatisfied. I have no problem coming up with my own ending for a story but usually in those cases you learn enough about the main character in order to think that you know where he or she might end up. But in By the Time you Read This, you don't have that same connection to Daelyn. There is no closeness and no knowing what she might do. Daelyn is a very private and closed off person both to the people in her world and to readers. Which is odd since the story is told in first person and as a reader you are in her head. This story left me unsatisfied and just goes to show you that not all books live up to the hype that surround them. As originally posted on my blog Ticket to Anywhere
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Heist Society 01
by
Ally Carter
irisheyz_5
, February 18, 2010
When I first heard that Ally Carter was coming out with a new series I was both excited and wary. Excited because I really enjoyed her Gallagher Girls books and wary because I wasn't sure if a new series would live up. Well, I shouldn't have worried because not only did Heist Society live up to the goodness of Gallagher Girls it surpassed it. I really enjoyed this book. To get an idea of what its like think about if the characters in Ocean's 11 or on the tv show Leverage had children who grew up in their world....these are the teens that you find in Heist Society they live on the edge of the law and stealing and pulling cons is as easy for them as breathing air is for us. I loved the cast of characters in this book. They were all just so much fun! And where Cammie Morgan can sometimes get annoying and repetitive Kat does not. She is smart and feisty and she tries to leave the life she's always known to be a normal teen. But normal isn't what its cracked up to be and its hard to turn your back when your family needs your help. So she's pulled back into the life of cons and we are taken along for the ride across the US and Europe. Heist Society was a well told story, it was fast paced and filled with enough witty lines that had me laughing aloud as I read the book. I couldn't put this one down and I hated for it to end. There wasn't anything that I can say that I disliked in this book it just seemed to have it all. Adventure, strong characters, strong plot, romance, etc etc etc. I can't wait for Carter to come out with a sequel for this book. If you decide to only read one series of Ally Carter, then choose this one....its worth the trip. As originally posted on my blog Ticket to Anywhere
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Iron Fey 01 Iron King
by
Julie Kagawa
irisheyz_5
, February 18, 2010
To say that I love faeries is an understatement. I have also loved the magic and mischief of them and so I love when I hear about a new book dealing with this mythology because I am always curious to see new takes on the old stories. Some authors don't do such a good job while others knock the old stories on their butts and really breath new life into them. Julie Kagawa's The Iron King falls into the second category. With The Iron King she creates this magical world that fits so seamlessly with the world that we exist in. Meghan is a believable character and for the most part I liked her. But she wasn't my favorite character as the girl never seemed to learn the rules of faery. Yes its great that you are willing to risk all for someone you love, but there does come a point when you can be too careless. After all how much can you do to help if you've given away everything that you are? I applaud her love of her friends and family but she just seemed a bit too reckless for me at times. Fortunately for Meghan the cast of characters that surround her more then make up for her personality flaws. Her best friend, Robin Goodfell, is filled with mischief and fun. Then there is Ash, the swoon worthy youngest sun of the Queen Mab of the Winter Fey. I loved loved loved the interactions between Robin and and Ash. These two frenemies were a delight to watch and it was always hard to decided which one to cheer for since they are both so loveble. And then of course there is Grimalkin, a cait sith, who is willing to help out....so long as the helpee doesn't mind giving him a small favor in return. There were also lots of fun little faeries that you meet along the way that really flesh out this world, like the dryads, Twig, and the pack rats. I became so absorbed in this book that the ending came as an abrupt shock. I kept hitting the page flip button on Anne the eReader in the vain hopes that more words would appear. But they never did and if it wasn't for the fact that my train was pulling into my station stop I might have started the whole book over again. It was just that much fun. Kagawa is a gifted story teller and I am so glad that I don't have to wait a year for the next book to come out. Harlequin Teen plans on publishing all 3 books in the series at 6 month intervals. And between Book 1 and 2 there will be a short story that will help tide one over until August. At least if I keep telling myself it won't be hard to wait then it really won't be....but gah! I so could have kept reading for another 300 pages and not been bored! I want more. Now! I want to say more but don't know where to find the words. Iron King was just such a wonderful twist on the mytholoy that I've been reading about for years. There were so many old faces like Oberon, Tatiana and Mab and yet they weren't the same old faeries of yore. Their is new life in them, more defined personalities and I look forward to seeing what Kagawa will do with them next. There are also many new faeries...and have I mentioned the swoon worthy Ash? If not then he's one to look out for. Interested in learning more? You can learn some faery terms here and be sure to check out the expert here or better yet just head out to your nearest book store tomorrow, 01 Feb, and pick up a copy for yourself! I think that you're going to love the world that Kagawa has created. As originally posted on my blog: Ticket to Anywhere
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Wolves of Mercy Falls 01 Shiver
by
Maggie Stiefvater
irisheyz_5
, February 18, 2010
So my book bully has been telling me to read Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater almost since she first read it last May. But the arm twisting didn't fully start until after she read an Advance Reading Copy (ARC) of Linger, which is the followup book that is due to hit shelves this July. I've heard mixed things about Shiver so wasn't entirely sold on it but not one to resist my book bully for long I decided to pack it on the plane with me for my trip to New Mexico. My first thoughts on Shiver was that the storyline was a little slow. I kept waiting for something bigger to happen but it never came. At about 1/2 way through I was texting my book bully asking what the deal was with the werewolves staying in MN. I mean if the change is triggered by cold then why not move south? Seems logical to me. Her response was to just wait. And so wait I did. And an answer did eventually come but I can't say its one that makes any sense to me. I don't agree with it on many levels, but its the answer that I am stuck with as that is what Stiefvater came up with. Though my initial response when I did read Stiefvater's answer was "WTF? Seriously?" and that is still what I think when it comes to it. Overall the story wasn't bad but I am not one of the hundreds of Shiver lovers out there. The writing was solid but the world building was just so-so. Grace and Sam often came off as pretty two dimensional. I also hated the utter lack of presence of Grace's parents who were like cardboard cutouts staged just to show that she had parents but they didn't add any depth to the story. I'd be amazed if they had though as they had absolutely no depth at all. Saying all that though I didn't hate the story. I'm kind of ambivalent to the whole thing with no strong emotions either way. If I didn't pick up a copy of Linger at ALA then I'm not sure if this would be a book series that I would continue. But since I do have Linger I feel as though I should give it a shot....eventually. As originally posted on my blog Ticket to Anywhere
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Into The Wild
by
Sarah Durst
irisheyz_5
, February 18, 2010
In Into the Wild Sarah Beth Durst brings to life all those fairy tale characters that we all grew up with. Only they aren't the way that we remember them. For one thing, these fairy tale characters have escaped their stories and are now living among us. They have also captured The Wild - which is the mythical forest which had held them for centuries. The Wild is a vine like thing that is currently being kept under Julie's bed and kept under control by Julie's mother, Rapunzel or Zel for short. Only The Wild is tired of being contained and somehow manages to escape, growing quickly and devouring up the town that Julie has grown up in and reclaiming not just the fairy tale characters that escaped but claiming new ones in the town residents. It is then left to Julie and her brother Boots, that's Puss in Boots, to try and rescuing her mother, the other characters and her town. Overall, this was a story that I enjoyed. I have always been a fan of fairy tales and this was a new take on them. Though at times its hard to image the characters that I knew and loved as a child living ordinary lives with jobs, bills and divorce. There were times when the pacing was a little slow but once the Julie really started to travel in the Wild things did pick up. I think the thing that kept me from loving this novel is that it falls more on the younger side of the young adult spectrum. That side the writing was solid and the world building was creative and interesting. This is a series that all those who enjoy fairy tales will probably enjoy and I will definitely be checking out the follow up to this titles, Out of the Wild. As Originally post on my blog: Ticket to Anywhere
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Vampire Academy 02 Frostbite
by
Richelle Mead
irisheyz_5
, February 18, 2010
**Caution: this review my contain spoilers as it is the second book in a series. Proceed at your own risk** I was never more happy to own an eReader as I was after finishing up Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. I finished that book during Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-Thon and immediately wanted to move into the next book in the series. As the stores were closed that wasn't a possibility but thanks to the power of the internet I was able to download a copy on to Anne the eReader. Praise be for the digital age! Frostbite picks up shortly after Vampire Academy ends this time though the story takes us from Montana to a ski lodge in Idaho. Rose again takes the narration of the story and I think that it was a good choice. Rose is such a strong character she really brings the world that Mead has built to life. Lissa, the maori princess who Rose guards, often comes across as a bit of milkmaid and I don't think she'd be able to carry the story. Rose is flawed and unapologetic. If she believes in something she'll do what ever it takes to do what she thinks needs to be done. This is both a strength and a weakness of hers that I cherish. The tension between her and Dimitri, her teacher, is palpable and grows stronger with each turn of the page. Mead is a gifted story teller and her world springs up around you as you read. I was immersed in this story from the first page. There was mystery, adventure and romance. I cheered for Rose during her successes and yelled at her when I saw she was making a bad choice. I've said it before but I'll say it again. I love Rose for her strengths and her flaws. She is so very real and I completely captivated by her story. I am so glad that I picked up this story and can't wait to see where the series takes us next. As originally posted on my blog: Ticket to Anywhere
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