Review: Empire State by Adam Christopher

Title: Empire State
Author: Adam Christopher
Format: eARC
Pages: 346
Genre: Science Fiction, Noir
Publication Date: December 27th, 2012
Publisher: Angry Robot
Rating: B-

Summary:
From Goodreads: The stunning superhero-noir fantasy thriller set in the other New York.

It was the last great science hero fight, but the energy blast ripped a hole in reality, and birthed the Empire State – a young, twisted parallel prohibition-era New York.

When the rift starts to close, both worlds are threatened, and both must fight for the right to exist.

Adam Christopher’s stunning debut novel heralds the arrival of an amazing new talent.

Why did I read this book? I really enjoy being a part of Angry Robot’s Robot Army, because I get to find out about and read upcoming releases. This is how I found out about Empire State and after seeing the words super hero, noir and prohibition-era I had to read it!

Source: eARC from publisher

My Review
Empire State is not really like anything I’ve read before and I mean that in a good way. It combines so much awesomeness into one package. The story is this: two super heroes fighting in their high tech armor create a hole in reality and subsequently another reality. Our protagonist is Rad Bradley, a fedora-wearing private investigator who takes the job of finding a missing young woman. He drinks lots of illegal booze and rationed coffee because the Empire State is in Wartime against a mysterious enemy. This takes Rad to a plot to destroy the world (or worlds) as we know it. Like I said, there’s a lot of awesomeness: airships, robots, fedoras, and superheroes. Not to mention the stellar setting: Prohibition-era New York.

All these things I loved. At the center of this story is a mystery (can’t have a detective without a mystery…) and there were so many twists and betrayals I didn’t see coming. Rad is our main character and I enjoyed his subtle goodness and his determination to solve the mystery (and save the world), but there were also other characters I enjoyed. One of them is Captain Carson, a quirky old time adventurer who helps Rad throughout the story.

I may appear vague because I don’t want to give away the ending or any of the reveals about this world. What I will say is that there’s a fascinating take on the alternate reality and how this affects the people and places in our world and theirs.

Rating: B-
The only issues I had with Empire State was that I found it took some time to really get into the story. Everything takes some time to get set up but once it is, it’s pretty fast-paced. I would have also liked to have seen more women, or more of the women that are in the story. However, I found Empire State very enjoyable. Christopher melds so many ideas together: superheroes, Prohibition, noir fiction, science, alternate realities and creates a powerful fantasy package. I never once thought this world was unbelievable and I think that’s a great accomplishment.

This is Adam Christopher’s debut novel. He recently stopped by with a great guest post: The Masked Men of Empire State. Check it out!

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Review: Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan

Title: Theft of Swords
Author: Michael J. Sullivan
Series: The Riyria Revelations #1-2
Format: ARC
Pages: 649
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Publication Date: November 23rd, 2011
Publisher: Orbit
Rating: B-/C+

Summary:
From Goodreads: Royce Melborn, a skilled thief, and his mercenary partner, Hadrian Blackwater, make a profitable living carrying out dangerous assignments for conspiring nobles—until they are hired to pilfer a famed sword. What appears to be just a simple job finds them framed for the murder of the king and trapped in a conspiracy that uncovers a plot far greater than the mere overthrow of a tiny kingdom.

Can a self-serving thief and an idealistic swordsman survive long enough to unravel the first part of an ancient mystery that has toppled kings and destroyed empires in order to keep a secret too terrible for the world to know?

And so begins the first tale of treachery and adventure, sword fighting and magic, myth and legend.

When author Michael J. Sullivan self-published the first books of his Riyria Revelations, they rapidly became ebook bestsellers. Now, Orbit is pleased to present the complete series for the first time in bookstores everywhere.

Why did I read this book? I always wanted to read this series. I actually own the first two novels in paperback form, from before they were being published by a major publisher.

Source: ARC from BEA 2011

My Review
Theft of Swords is aptly named; it is the first two tales of the Riyria Revelations and both center around the job of stealing swords. They follow two main protagonists, Hadrian, a kind-hearted soldier who can't be matched in combat, and Royce, the stealthy rogue who doesn't always share his partner's sentiments. In The Crown Conspiracy (book one), they are hired to steal a sword but are framed for a king's murder. In Avempartha they are again hired to steal a sword but must face a magical beast that threatens their lives.

The Crown Conspiracy
I really enjoyed this debut. It's highly action-packed and contained all the things I like in epic fantasy: politics, adventure and plenty of twists and turns. In fact, I couldn't believe Sullivan had me fooled on more than one occasion. Where the book faltered for me wasn't the plot, which was deftly crafted and paced, but the characters and the tendency towards info-dumping. There is really only one female character, the princess Arista and I felt while she was a decent character, I needed more representation from women. Also, with the other characters, I felt like I was always trying to connect to them, since there seemed to be many and therefore hard to connect to. My favorite was actually the prince, Alric; I felt he had a good story arc and growth through the story.

Avempartha
This was another enjoyable read for me. It's set a few years after The Crown Conspiracy and I was happy to see the story moving along. Unlike the first book, I thought Avempartha suffered from a slow start and it wasn't until halfway through did I really get interested in the plot. I noticed that when the plot involved the overreaching story of the series, it was more interesting to me than dealing with the episodic nature of the book's plot. Fortunately, another female character is introduced, but I found myself connecting more to Arista even so. She really grows in this book and I liked following her development.

Rating: B-/C+
I think I'm in the minority here where I say I thought The Crown Conspiracy (B-) was the most enjoyable for me. I really liked the even pacing, the action, and most of all, the mystery. Avempartha (C+) was good, but slower and ending on a big cliffhanger. One thing I can say is that while Sullivan uses common epic fantasy tropes (there's a wizard, a rogue, a princess, a fighter), he does know how to craft a story and keep you interested. I was able to overlook any misgivings I would normally have in favor of a good plot and addictive storytelling. There's an overall story arc to this series that gets touched on in each book as we go and I find I am really dying to see what happens. I would definitely recommend this to fantasy fans, but be warned, it's not super unique, but it's going to grab you from the beginning and not let go.

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Review: If Wishes Were Horses by Anne McCaffrey

Title: If Wishes Were Horses
Author: Anne McCaffrey
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 96
Genre: Fantasy
Publication Date: October 1st, 1998
Publisher: G P Putnam's Sons
Rating: B-

Summary:
From Goodreads: Young Tizra and her twin brother Tracell find their world abruptly changed when their father is unexpectedly called to fight in a war which promises to last much longer than the usual three-day skirmish. Their mother--the village healer--enlists her children to assist her in caring for the many refugees left wounded and homeless by the conflict. Inspired by her mother, Tizra learns never to surrender hope even in a time of fear and uncertainty.

Why did I read this book? I found this book on sale online a while back and decided to buy it because I loved the title. Then, as some may know, Anne McCaffrey passed away a couple weeks and I wanted to feature one of her books in memory of her.

Source: Bought

My Review
When I received this book I was quite surprised, it's a small, cute square hardcover with such pretty artwork. It's quite short, at 96 pages, and even then the pages are quite small.

If Wishes Were Horses is a glimpse into a fantasy world and is driven by the characters. It centers on Tizra, a twin whose father goes off to war to support their prince. This is shortly before her and her brother’s 16th birthday, and when she is supposed to receive a (magic?) crystal from her mother and her brother a horse. We see Tizra's mother through her eyes, how she rallies the people left in the town while the men go off to war. Although it sounds pretty bleak, it's actually a heartwarming story. There's just a touch of magic throughout, and I liked how it was focused around Tizra's mother and the strength of character she has.

Rating: B-
The story was entertaining and the ending was definitely gratifying. McCaffrey's prose takes you off into this land and provides just enough magic to be entranced. I definitely recommended this for someone looking for a feel-good fantasy that you can enjoy in a single reading.

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Review: First Day on Earth by Cecil Castellucci

Title: First Day on Earth
Author: Cecil Castellucci
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 160
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Publication Date: November 1st, 2011
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Rating: B

Summary:
From Goodreads: A startling, wonderful novel about the true meaning of being an alien in an equally alien world.

"We are specks. Pieces of dust in this universe. Big nothings.

"I know what I am."

Mal lives on the fringes of high school. Angry. Misunderstood. Yet loving the world -- or, at least, an idea of the world.

Then he meets Hooper. Who says he's from another planet. And may be going home very soon.

Why did I read this book? I was contacted by a fellow Montreal Book Blogger about whether I wanted to participate in a breakfast with the author, Castellucci (she's lived in Montreal I believe) and was super excited about it. I had seen good reviews of her novels but had yet to read any, and now was my chance!

Source: Review copy provided by publisher

My Review
This is a very short novel so my review will probably be short as well. The novel is about teenager Mal who has a pretty tragic life, living with his alcoholic mother after his dad left the family. This is very character driven, I find, and it's what makes this short book interesting. Not only does Mal have to deal with some pretty serious problems, he also is trying to cope with being abducted by aliens. He goes to group meetings for the contacted and meets another called Hooper, whom he becomes friends with. I really liked Mal as a character and I felt that what drove his story was the sympathy we had for him and wanting things to be okay for him. Despite growing up in harsh circumstances, he's a really great person. He looks after those that need it and never once does he complain about his life. He has a sort of matter of fact way of looking at things.

One of the heart-wrenching things is that he wishes he could go back into space with the aliens (and who can blame him?). The ending is compelling, since you never really get a clear answer on anything and it leaves you pondering.

Rating: B
I thought this was a very valuable read. It's short but packed with emotion and the characters are detailed and life-like. I really liked Mal and his journey to come to terms with his life and his feelings, and that's what this is about. It's a story about people and what they go through. We are abducted into his life for a brief time but we come out just as effected as he is after his contact with outer beings. I recommend this for anyone looking for a meaningful, character driven story. I think young adults particularly will find this valuable since it deals with so many real issues that they go through.

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Review: Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst

Title: Drink, Slay, Love
Author: Sarah Beth Durst
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 385
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Publication Date: September 13th, 2011
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Rating: B+

Summary:
From Goodreads: Pearl is a sixteen-year-old vampire... fond of blood, allergic to sunlight, and mostly evil... until the night a sparkly unicorn stabs her through the heart with his horn. Oops.

Her family thinks she was attacked by a vampire hunter (because, obviously, unicorns don't exist), and they're shocked she survived. They're even more shocked when Pearl discovers she can now withstand the sun. But they quickly find a way to make use of her new talent. The Vampire King of New England has chosen Pearl's family to host his feast. If Pearl enrolls in high school, she can make lots of human friends and lure them to the King's feast -- as the entrees.

The only problem? Pearl's starting to feel the twinges of a conscience. How can she serve up her new friends—especially the cute guy who makes her fangs ache—to be slaughtered? Then again, she's definitely dead if she lets down her family. What's a sunlight-loving vamp to do?

Why did I read this book? I thought the premise sounded like this could be a fun, different kind of vampire book then what's out there right now. I've also read this author before and have enjoyed her work!

Source: Review copy from author

My Review
There are many things that attracted me to Drink, Slay, Love. The cover is really nice and gives off the light, amusing feel of the story. Then I read the synopsis and found it perfectly clever that this story is about a vampire named Pearl who is stabbed by a were-unicorn's horn, and starts to develop tendancies that would suggest a soul. I wasn't disappointed with this either, once the scene came around: "Despite the thick shadows by the dumpsters, he sparkled like a horse-shaped disco ball. His traditional spiral horn beamed like a toy light saber." (p. 8) I found myself reading with a smirk on my face because Durst references so many well-known vampire tropes. I really liked that things were poked fun at and it made the story more enjoyable, that it wasn't just following a tread, but commenting on it.

While the humor and wit of the story is what really grabbed me, I found that what sustained me throughout was the universal nature of Pearl's growth. Yes, she's a vampire but her whole situation is what most young adults are going through (and even some adults). She finds she different from everyone and her parents are pressuring her to be one thing, to follow the family's path. On the other hand, the human friends she makes are pulling her the other way. It's her story of self-discovery and trying to find a place in the world.

What I also really liked about Pearl is that she didn't just get stabbed and "changed" by a were-unicorn's magic, it was a catalyst to her change, but instead of making her life change for her, it just spurred her into thinking about it. She really struggles with how to live her life, whether to suck the life out of people or to do something else. She doesn't exactly welcome the were-unicorns intervention, either.

Rating: B+
In a world where there are so many vampire books, I found this one to be rather refreshing. I loved the humor and the personal growth of the main character, Pearl. Along the way there's action, some romance (but it doesn't dominate) and overall I found it to be a smart story. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a light, entertaining read.

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Review: Broken by Susan Jane Bigelow

Title: Broken

Author: Susan Jane Bigelow
Series: Extrahumans #1
Format: eBook
Pages: 340
Genre: Dystopia, Super Hero Fiction
Publication Date: January 25th, 2011 (eBook) / November 22nd, 2011 (paperback)
Publisher: Candlemark & Gleam
Rating: B-

Summary:
From Goodreads: In a post-war future world where First Contact has been made, humans are colonizing the stars, and the nations of Earth have been united under a central government, Extrahumans are required by law to belong to the Union. When a young man with visions of the future sets out on a mission to define the course of human history, he encounters a devastated former hero, a fascist dictatorship bent on world domination, and the realities of living in a society where affiliation is everything.

Broken figured she was done with heroics when she lost the ability to fly and fled the confinement of the Extrahuman Union. But then the world started to fall apart around her, and the mysterious Michael Forward entered her life, dangling the possibility of redemption and rebirth.

Michael Forward can see the future, but all he wants is to escape the destiny he has struggled against all his life. When the moment comes, though, he finds he can't refuse. Now he needs the help of a homeless ex-superhero to save a baby who may be the key to humanity's freedom.

Monica had a good life with her large family, until two strangers and a baby showed up at her door. Now her family is gone, her life is in ruins, and she's on the run from the law.

In a time of spreading darkness, when paranoia and oppression have overtaken the world, can three unlikely allies preserve a small ray of hope for a better, brighter future?

Why did I read this book? I was offered a review copy, and after I read the synopsis, I knew I couldn't pass it up. It's got superheroes!

Source: Review copy from publisher

My Review
When I was approached by new speculative fiction publisher Candlemark & Gleam to review Broken, I knew I had to try it. It's superhero fiction set around one hundred years in the future.

The first thing that really caught my eye about Broken was the raw and clever voice of the author. The story is told in just the right amount of detail without going overboard with what could be an info-dump disaster. I was often smiling at the straightforward and magnetic way the story of Broken is told. Broken, one of the main characters, is a former superhero who's lost her ability to fly and so she lives on the streets, never able to just die because of her other ability, super regeneration. She medicates herself with booze. Eventually a young man named Michael, traveling with a baby, finds her and pleads her for help. He's seen her in his visions of the future and knows she must help him get the baby off Earth to the colony of Valen in order to prevent horrible war.

The plot revolves around getting baby Ian off the planet while Broken and Michael are on the run from the government who is also looking for him. One hundred years in the future is a nasty place run by a corrupt governement. Even the leading superhero, Sky Ranger, is working with them. Everyday people are at risk, especially those associated with the old political party, the UNP. Their adventure is a harsh one, with many consequences, and I was engrossed all the way.

I wish the end didn't come so quick. There are still answers I'm looking for, such as why Broken lost her ability to fly. Is it psychological or is something else going on? How were the Extrahumans created or how did they evolve? What's happened in Earth's past?

Rating: B-
I really enjoyed Broken and would recommend it to those looking for a great superhero story with good world-building. Some say this is a young adult novel (maybe because Michael is around 16 years old), but I never got that feeling. It could be good for young adults or older, but it is definitely a gritty story. I thought the ending was great, especially with the ways Bigelow used Michael's visions as a way to foreshadow and also lead us astray. Even though you see glimpses of the future, I never saw some things coming. There's a sequel coming out called Fly Into Fire which I'd like to read and find out more about this world.

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Blog Tour Review and Sweeps: The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory

Title: The Lady of the Rivers
Author: Philippa Gregory
Series: The Cousin's War #3
Format: ARC
Pages: 497
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publication Date: October 18th, 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Rating: B-



Summary:
From Goodreads: Jacquetta, daughter of the Count of Luxembourg and kinswoman to half the royalty of Europe, was married to the great Englishman John, Duke of Bedford, uncle to Henry VI. Widowed at the age of nineteen she took the extraordinary risk of marrying a gentleman of her house-hold for love, and then carved out a life for herself as Queen Margaret of Anjou's close friend and a Lancaster supporter - until the day that her daughter Elizabeth Woodville fell in love and married the rival king Edward IV. Of all the little-known but important women of the period, her dramatic story is the most neglected. With her links to Melusina, and to the founder of the house of Luxembourg, together with her reputation for making magic, she is the most haunting of heroines.

Why did I read this book? Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, and it had been a while since I read anything by Gregory. When I had the chance to read one of her books in the Cousin's War series, I jumped at the chance!

Source: ARC provided by Simon & Schuster Canada

My Review
At first, I wasn't really sure about reading this book because it is the third in the series and I hadn't read the first two (though, not for lack of wanting). It worked out since this novel follows Jacquetta, mother of Elizabeth Woodville and so takes place before the other two books (The White Queen and The Red Queen). I had read Gregory many times before, including all her Tudor books and so I was anxious to see what she'd done with the War of the Roses era.

I wasn't disappointed. In fact, I felt this novel had a different feel from her previous books. I thought there was a lot of focus on telling the story of what happened politically during that time, rather than focusing too much on romance or drama between characters. The characters are brought to life and I felt connected to Jacquetta, a strong woman and mother, and her friend and Queen, Margaret of Anjou. I even found that I came enjoy her detailed and adventurous account of the tumultuous time, catapulting this novel to one of my favourites of hers. I also liked that aside from the beginning of the story, there isn't much time spent on the supernatural aspects that Gregory often injects (or hints at) in her historical tales. I thought it was enough to keep it interesting but did not distract from the story being told.

My only issue with the novel stem from some lulls in the story, often during the times when Jacquetta leaves court and thus, the action. I sometimes debated whether Jacquetta was a good choice for the point of view of the story, because while she is an interesting woman, there were times she was too far removed from the main plot of the story. I would have also liked to see her later life explored, where her husband and son are murdered.

Rating: B-
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel set in a time of political upheaval in England and I appreciated the focus on Jacquetta of Luxemburg. If you aren't sure about reading a story with references to Melusina for fear of detraction from the historical account, you could probably read this as I have an ignored what you are uncomfortable with. I recommend this to historical fiction fans and fans looking for a good War of the Roses read, and especially if you are already into the Cousin's War series.

Blog Tour Events

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Click here for details.

Philippa Gregory will be in Toronto November 1st, 2011. For tickets please visit Tickets.ca by clicking here. Click the image on the right for information on how to enter the Lady of the River Sweeps hosted by Simon & Schuster Canada! See website for details.
Read an excerpt of the book
Visit the author's website

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Review: Shadow Kin by M.J. Scott

Title: Shadow Kin

Author: M.J. Scott
Series: The Half-Light City #1
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 324
Genre: Gaslight Fantasy, Romance
Publication Date: September 6th, 2011
Publisher: Roc
Rating: B-

Summary:
From Goodreads: On one side, the Night World, rules by the Blood Lords and the Beast Kind. On the other, the elusive Fae and the humans, protected by their steadfast mages...

Born a wraith, Lily is a shadow who slips between worlds. Brought up by a Blood Lord and raised to be his assassin, she is little more than a slave. But when Lily meets her match in target Simon DuCaine, the unlikely bond that develops between them threatens to disrupt an already stretched peace in a city on the verge of being torn apart...

Why did I read this book? I really was interested in reading a fantasy that seemed to offer a different kind of world. I was also attracted to the idea of the main character being a wraith.

Source: Publisher, by request.

My Review
This novel opens with Lily, a wraith and assassin to the Blood Lord Lucius, attempting to kill the sunmage Simon DuCaine. She fails, and finds herself flirting with the idea of leaving the Blood Lord's domain, although she feels like she doesn't have much of a choice in the matter. She was abandoned to him by her mother because of her being born a wraith, a creature despised by most of better society. The Blood Lord keeps her captive against her will and she struggles with the choices of leaving him, for fear of her safety and for those who might help her.

This is how the plot is set up. We are also given the world Lily lives in, which was definitely different than I thought it would be. I thought this was a urban fantasy, but it turns out it's more of a gaslight fantasy; it's set in a partly-familiar world, almost Victorian, but contains many magical and paranormal elements like vampires, mages, fae and werewolves. I really enjoyed this surprise and came to really love the world Scott created. All the species that co-exist in the city, including humans, get along through a treaty set up and monitored mainly by the fae. The novel also includes these politics, since the Blood Lord is not abiding by the rules set by the treaties and so he's becoming a bigger and bigger threat, especially to humans. This is a concern of Simon, the sunmage, and also a reason he wants Lily to help him expose the Blood Lord and his crimes.

The things I liked most are the unique world-building (as I mentioned above) but also the romance. I think Simon and Lily have pretty good chemistry and while they were two star-crossed lovers, a wraith and a sunmage, I believed in their romance. I especially liked Simon, he's a sunmage, but also a healer. I thought it was fun that the female was the assassin and the male was a healer, despite the trope of the woman always being a healer in fantasy.

There was a few things I had problems with. First, the novel is in two first person point of views: Lily's and Simon's. While I don' have anything against it personally, I just found I was often confused of who's head we were in and when the point of view changed, I was mildly disoriented. The other problem I had was Lily's weakness towards the Blood Lord and her lack of confidence. I understand she's had a bad past (which was almost a little too contrived in itself) but I would have liked to see her empowered more by the end of it.

Rating: B-
Overall, I really enjoyed this debut from Scott. Scott has created a fascinating society that includes an array of magical creatures and pulls it off expertly. While I had some conflictions with the point of view and the main character, Lily, I was really absorbed in the romance between her and Simon and the politics of the Half-Light City. It's a great gaslight adventure and I look forward to the sequel, Blood Kin, out next year.

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Review: Blood and Other Cravings ed. by Ellen Datlow

Title: Blood and Other Cravings
Editor: Ellen Datlow
Format: ARC
Pages: 320
Genre: Anthology, Paranormal
Publication Date: September 13th, 2011
Publisher: Tor
Rating: B



Summary:
From Goodreads: When we think of vampires, instantly the image arises: fangs sunk deep into the throat of the victim. But bloodsucking is merely one form of vampirism. For this brilliantly original anthology, Ellen Datlow has commissioned stories from many of the most powerfully dark voices in contemporary horror, who conjure tales of vampirism that will chill readers to the marrow.

In addition to the traditional fanged vampires, Datlow presents stories about the leeching of emotion, the draining of the soul, and other dark deeds of predation and exploitation, infestation, and evisceration…tales of life essence, literal or metaphorical, stolen.

Seventeen stories, by such award-winning authors as Elizabeth Bear, Richard Bowes, Kathe Koja, Margo Lanagan, Carol Emshwiller, and Lisa Tuttle will petrify readers. With dark tales by Laird Barron, Barry Malzberg and Bill Pronzini, Kaaron Warren, and other powerful voices, this anthology will redefine the terror of vampires and vampirism.

Why did I read this book? I wanted to start reading more anthologies and I thought where better then the start with something edited by Ellen Datlow? The premise of this book really intrigued me. I wanted to see different takes on vapirism.

Source: ARC received at BEA

My Review
I don't think I ever reviewed an anthology before and so I struggled with how I would review this one. I decided not to review each story individually since I think this book works better as a whole and so I'll review it as such.

I really enjoyed most of these stories. Of course there were a few that I didn't care for but I found new authors that I never heard of before. What this anthology offers is a great array of tales of vapirism that don't always focus on blood as the essence of choice. In fact, I think most of the stories that did not involve traditional blood seeking vampires to be the most interesting. In particular, I enjoyed the story Keeping Corky by Melanie Tem, a story about a mentally disabled mom who had to give up her child to adoption and how she struggles to connect with him while those around her are influenced by her determination. I also really liked the storyThe Third Always Beside You by John Langan, about a family affected by a father's infedility, and how this lasts long after the other women passes away.

Here is the entire line up:
All You Can Do is Breathe by Kaaron Warren
Needles by Elizabeth Bear
Baskerville’s Midgets by Reggie Oliver (reprint)
Blood Yesterday, Blood Tomorrow by Richard Bowes
X For Demetrious by Steve Duffy
Keeping Corky by Melanie Tem
Shelf-Life by Lisa Tuttle
Caius by Bill Pronzini & Barry N. Malzberg
Sweet Sorrow by Barbara Roden
First Breath by Nicole J. LeBoeuf
Toujours by Kathe Koja
Miri by Steve Rasnic Tem
Mrs. Jones by Carol Emshwiller (reprint)
Bread and Water by Michael Cisco
Mulberry Boys by Margo Lanagan
The Third Always Beside You by John Langan
The Siphon by Laird Barron

Rating: B
After rating each story individually, the average rating was a B. I enjoyed most of the stories but there were a few great and and a few not so great, but the majority ran down the middle. I tended to enjoy the more creepy stories, but there were also more urban fantasy type stories, others more horror and some just plain weird. It's a good anthology and I would recommend it if the theme interests you. 

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Review: Sins of the Angels by Linda Poitevin

Title: Sins of the Angels

Author: Linda Poitevin
Series: Grigori Legacy #1
Format: ARC
Pages: 325
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publication Date: September 27th, 2011
Publisher: Ace Books
Rating: B-

Summary:
From Goodreads: A detective with a secret lineage. An undercover Hunter with a bullet-proof soul. And a world made to pay for the sins of an angel…

Homicide detective Alexandra Jarvis answers to no one. Especially not to the new partner assigned to her in the middle of a gruesome serial killer case—a partner who is obstructive, irritatingly magnetic, and arrogant as hell.

Aramael is a Power—a hunter of the Fallen Angels. A millennium ago, he sentenced his own brother to eternal exile for crimes against humanity. Now his brother is back and wreaking murderous havoc in the mortal realm. To find him, Aramael must play second to a human police officer who wants nothing to do with him and whose very bloodline threatens both his mission and his soul.

Now, faced with a fallen angel hell-bent on triggering the apocalypse, Alex and Aramael have no choice but to join forces, because only together can they stop the end of days.

Why did I read this book? I saw this book floating around the blogosphere and that it was written by a Canadian author. After I read that it was about angels, I knew I wanted to get my hands on it.

Source: My very first Goodreads First Reads win! Yes!

My Review
There are some really great things I enjoyed about Sins of the Angels and just a few things I think could be improved upon. The story follows protagonist Alex Jarvis, a Toronto police detective who's following a string of brutal murders with no leads on the killer. Our other protagonist is Aramael, a Power (an angel of the sixth choir) who is sent to protect Alex from the serial killer she's searching for. Aramael, being a Power, doesn't interfere with humans (that's for the lowly Guardians), and has an issue with this mission but tries to get through it since he is also hunting the serial killer, who happens to be a Fallen Angel. This causes a lot of tension between Alex and Aramael, of course, and then there's the attraction they share to each other.

I really liked the the characters, especially Alex, since she's a tough cop but she's not without flaws. She finds herself overwhelmed from her case and this is made worse by Aramael since she can see his true form if they touch. She thinks she's losing her grip on reality because insanity runs in her family.

I also liked the world building. Out of all the paranormal races (vampires, werewolves, etc) I like angels the most. I think they could be used more so I was glad to see a book based on that mythology. The angel hierarchy resembles the Christian one but with changes and also includes a history of the past thousands of years existing with humans. I think this mythology is nicely woven into the book that also has a feeling of a crime novel since most of it is spent trying to solve all these murders.

Some of the issues I had with the book is that a lot of the conflict the characters feel is created by them not telling the truth to one another. This is sort of a pet peeve of mine (I always say: why can't they just say it!) and it creates some fustration for me. I would have liked to see things resolved more between Alex and Aramael sooner in the story so we could have a better payoff at the end. The novel also ends wide open for another sequel and maybe I'm just impatient but I would have loved to see more closure.

Rating: B-
I'd definitely recommend Sins of the Angels for urban fantasy lovers, but I warn you: you will like the characters and may wish more from them that you won't get possibly until later installments in the series. It's a fast-paced read and filled with good world building and action to move the story along. I'll definitely be picking up the next book in the series when it comes out (I just have to find out what happens, darn it!)

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Review: Ammonite by Nicola Griffith

Title: Ammonite
Author: Nicola Griffith
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 397
Genre: Science Fiction
Publication Date: April 30th, 2002 (first 1992)
Publisher: Del Rey
Rating: B+

Summary:
From Goodreads: Change or die. These are the only options available on the planet Jeep. Centuries earlier, a deadly virus shattered the original colony, killing the men and forever altering the few surviving women. Now, generations after the colony has lost touch with the rest of humanity, a company arrives to exploit Jeep–and its forces find themselves fighting for their lives. Terrified of spreading the virus, the company abandons its employees, leaving them afraid and isolated from the natives. In the face of this crisis, anthropologist Marghe Taishan arrives to test a new vaccine. As she risks death to uncover the women’s biological secret, she finds that she, too, is changing–and realizes that not only has she found a home on Jeep, but that she alone carries the seeds of its destruction. . . .

Ammonite is an unforgettable novel that questions the very meanings of gender and humanity. As readers share in Marghe’s journey through an alien world, they too embark on a parallel journey of fascinating self-exploration.

Why did I read this book? It's the August selection for Calico Reactions's Alphabet Soup book club! I was also really interested in the premise; I wanted to see how Griffith created her all-women world.

Source: Library

My Review
I finished Ammonite a few days ago and I found I couldn't write my review right away. I just needed to think about what I thought about the book and how I should put that into my review.

Generally, I really enjoyed Ammonite. It was one of those books that after the first few pages, I knew I was hooked. And I was, right up until the end. That's saying something since I did have some issues with the book but the writing and pacing were done so well that I found myself coming back to it whenever I had a few spare minutes.

What really hooked me was the premise of the plot. Marghe, an anthropologist, for her own reasons, accepts a mission to the planet Jeep to study the native people. These people, humans, had colonized the planet generations ago and suffered through a virus that killed all the men and some women. Now, much later, the colony is still thriving: the women have survived and even managed to reproduce without males. I was just as fascinated and interested about finding out about this planet and it's inhabitants as Marghe. Additionally, once Marghe made it to the planet, we meet Commander Danner, the woman in charge of the Company soldiers stationed on the planet. They are waiting for a vaccine for the virus so they can be allowed to return home. I didn't expect it but I came to be really caught up in Danner's plight and the character herself. She's a strong women in a very unfortunate situation: her and her team are stuck on the planet and have no idea how to or if they will ever leave and they don't know how to work with the natives. I came to like other women on her team including Lu Wai and Dogias.

The novel does switch from Marghe's story to Danners throughout the novel but it's more concentrated on Marghe's. One of my main issues was that I wasn't very fond of Marghe. I didn't really relate to her as much others and I found her story just a means for us to discover Jeep and its inhabitants. I appreciated her adventures but not because I really was connected to her, but because I was so interested in finding out more about Jeep.

That brings me to another great point: Jeep and it's people are the meat of the story. It's all about discovering how the author creates an all-female civilization socially and also, with reproduction, scientifically. I was really happy with how it all turned out.

Rating: B+
Overally, I really liked this book and think it was a very rewarding and unique experience. I had some issues with it and maybe you will too, but I think it's definitely worth reading. The adventure, mystery and discovery of the planet Jeep and meeting all the diverse characters really solidifies this book as a great read.

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Review: Want to Go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman

Title: Want to Go Private?

Author: Sarah Darer Littman
Series: N/A
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 336
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: August 1st, 2011
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Rating: B

Summary:
From Goodreads: Abby and Luke chat online. They've never met. But they are going to. Soon.

Abby is starting high school—it should be exciting, so why doesn't she care? Everyone tells her to "make an effort," but why can't she just be herself? Abby quickly feels like she's losing a grip on her once-happy life. The only thing she cares about anymore is talking to Luke, a guy she met online, who understands. It feels dangerous and yet good to chat with Luke—he is her secret, and she's his. Then Luke asks her to meet him, and she does. But Luke isn't who he says he is. When Abby goes missing, everyone is left to put together the pieces. If they don't, they'll never see Abby again.

Why did I read this book? Normally I don't read contemporary young adult novels becaue they don't appeal to me, but this one grabbed my attention due to its subject matter. Online targeting of kids is an important issue to me and I wanted to see how the author handled it.

Source: This book was donated to our Montreal Book Blogger meetup by the publisher and I was able to snag a copy!

My Review

This book starts off in Abby's point of view while she starts high school. She is like many teenagers who have low self-esteem, problems at home with the family, but is generally an all around good student. She doesn't do drugs or drink and she gets great grades. Even so, she is targeted and groomed online by a predator posing as someone who claims to understand her home problems and fills that void for her. Soon after, the situation escalates and the point of view switches between Abby's younger sister and her best friend. We see how lives can be disrupted and destroyed as easily as someone logging into a chat room and saying the right things to a vulnerable child.

This is a hard review to write because I can't say I enjoyed the book. It was gut-wrenching and hard to see Abby go through things that I think many young girls go through; lonliness and lack of self-confidence. However, Littman does a great job in describing the grooming process and how a star student can be made to do things she would never normally do. We also see how this effects the family and friends in the aftermath of such a situation. I believed the story that Littman told and I think a lot went into the research of writing about online predators and how they work. I really felt connected to Abby because I was a lot like her at that age and it made me think what would have happened if I had been targeted the way she was. It shows that anyone can fall prey to these online predators.

Rating: B
While the subject matter of this book can be rough and graphic at times, I think this is great book for young adults and their parents, one they could read and talk about after. It provides a gripping story and yet is informative and certainly a wake up call for parents out there. I wouldn't advise anyone sensitive to the issue of sexual assult to read this because it can be explicit.

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Mega Manga Challenge (3): Arisa, vol. 1 by Natsumi Ando

Title: Arisa
Author: Natsumi Ando
Series: Arisa vol. 1
Demographic: Shojo
Format: Manga
Pages: 208
Genre: School Life, Mystery
Publication Date: October 26th, 2011
Publisher: Del Rey
Rating: B+



Summary:
From Goodreads: Tsubasa thinks that her pretty and popular twin sister, Arisa, has the perfect life. Everyone at school loves Arisa—unlike the hot-tempered Tsubasa, whose nickname is “the Demon Princess.” But when Arisa attempts suicide, Tsubasa learns that her seemingly perfect sister has been keeping some dark secrets. Now Tsubasa is going undercover at school—disguised as Arisa—in search of the truth. But will Arisa’s secrets shatter Tsubasa’s life, too?

Why did I read this book? I thought the art look really good and I wanted a school life/shojo manga to read! Shojo isn't my favorite demographic but I definitely like to get a small fix. :)

My Review

I discovered this manga some time ago before the release date and locked it in my brain because I had a long time to wait until the release date. Then I remembered it a few weeks ago while I was at the bookstore and they happened to have volume 1 (bookstores never have volume 1s)! I snatched it up for my Mega Manga Challenge.

What drew me to this story is the wonderful artwork, but also the "switch" story. Tsubasa trades places with her twin sister Arisa after reuniting with her and finding out her life isn't as perfect as it seems. Arisa has everything: friends, great home life, great grades, popularity, but something is missing after Arisa tries to kill herself. We (and Tsubasa) don't know what the deal with everything is, so she goes undercover as Arisa to her school to find out. I think this concept is actually really fun and different. We have the comedy aspect of Tsubasa trying to get by as Arisa but also the mystery of what is going on at this school.

Some of the mystery is revealed in the later chapters, but I don't want to spoil that. Let's just say the story gets even more mysterious and really left me wanting to read the next volumes to find out what is going on in this high school.

Included in this volume are some great extras. At the beginning there is a article explaining Japanese honorifics (such as using -chan, -sama, etc) and I found that very helpful! I also enjoyed the writer/artist extras at the end. They were very cute and I think these are important in manga, it really allows you to get to know the artist.

Rating: B+
I really liked Arisa. I didn't expect it to be a mystery (I was thinking more just comedy and romance) but there's a certain weight to the plot when students are acting out of character and possibly trying to hurt themselves. I will definitely be reading the next volume to find out what happens. I hope anyone interested in shojo manga with good comedy and a mysterious plot will give this a try!

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Review: Hexed by Kevin Hearne

Title: Hexed
Author: Kevin Hearne
Series: The Iron Druid Chronicles #2
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 296
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publication Date: June 7th. 2011
Publisher: Del Rey
Rating: B-

Summary:
From Goodreads: Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, doesn’t care much for witches. Still, he’s about to make nice with the local coven by signing a mutually beneficial nonaggression treaty—when suddenly the witch population in modern-day Tempe, Arizona, quadruples overnight. And the new girls are not just bad, they’re badasses with a dark history on the German side of World War II.

With a fallen angel feasting on local high school students, a horde of Bacchants blowing in from Vegas with their special brand of deadly decadence, and a dangerously sexy Celtic goddess of fire vying for his attention, Atticus is having trouble scheduling the witch hunt. But aided by his magical sword, his neighbor’s rocket-propelled grenade launcher, and his vampire attorney, Atticus is ready to sweep the town and show the witchy women they picked the wrong Druid to hex.

Why did I read this book? I read the first book in the series, Hounded, and enjoyed it. Then I generously given a copy from Dreams and Speculation (blog no longer exists)!

What I liked: A lot of what I liked about Hounded is present in Hexed. Atticus' world is pretty much filled with many riduculous and awesome mythological creatures including but not limited to vampires, witches, Celtic goddesses, werewolves, Maenads and demons. Hearne manages to include everything but the kitchen sink (which I wouldn't be surprised if one made such an appearance in one of his books) while keeping everything seemingly under control. Of course, hilarity ensues but it's just so much fun watching Atticus interact with all the different characters. Everything is done very cleverly.

One thing that keeps me smiling is Atticus' dog, Oberon. He's able to communicate mentally with him through his magic and the things this dog says is just so funny! At one point Atticus tells him the story of the Merry Pranksters and hippies and Oberon has it in his mind the whole book of 'sticking it to The Man'.

What I didn't like: I was really hoping for Granuaile to take more of a prominent role after the last book. I really like the chemistry between her an Atticus and I think there's room for a female main character. Unfortunately, we don't see her much while Atticus is busy with trying to take care of all the crazy supernatural shenanigans.

Also, while this book had a main goal, I felt like most of the plot was filler and could feel it lagging a bit in certain areas. I would have liked a more unified plot line, but perhaps some things were being sorted out for the next book. It didn't bother me too much but I hope the next installment has a more concrete path.

Thoughts on the cover: It's pretty standard urban fantasy. Except it's not a woman showing tatooes, it's a guy. Not bad, but I'm not crazy about it either.

Overall Thoughts
If you liked Hounded, you'll like Hexed, and you'll most likely want to continue the series after this as well. It has all the great fun Hounded had; humor, adventure and supernatural craziness. If you haven't started the series yet, you really should, if you're interested in urban fantasy. This is turning out to be a pretty good UF series, one that I'm looking forward to continuing. The next book is called Hammered and I'll definitely be picking it up!

You can read the first six chapters of Hounded HERE.

Thank you to Dreams and Speculation for providing the review copy.

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Review: All the Windwracked Stars by Elizabeth Bear

Title: All the Windwracked Stars
Author: Elizabeth Bear
Series: The Edda of Burdens #1
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 352
Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction
Publication Date: October 28th, 2008
Publisher: Tor
Rating: B+



Summary
From Goodreads: It all began with Ragnarok, with the Children of the Light and the Tarnished ones battling to the death in the ice and the dark. At the end of the long battle, one Valkyrie survived, wounded, and one valraven – the steeds of the valkyrie.

Because they lived, Valdyrgard was not wholly destroyed. Because the valraven was transformed in the last miracle offered to a Child of the Light, Valdyrgard was changed to a world where magic and technology worked hand in hand.

2500 years later, Muire is in the last city on the dying planet, where the Technomancer rules what’s left of humanity. She's caught sight of someone she has not seen since the Last Battle: Mingan the Wolf is hunting in her city.

My Review

Why did I read this book? To be honest, I never knew about this book or series until the Women of Fantasy book club. However, I've read Bear before and so I looked forward to trying out one of her fantasies.

What I liked: I've read two other Bear books to date, The White City (review) and Dust (review). All the Windwracked Stars is my favorite so far. I really loved the integration of Norse myth into a fantasy setting that also included some science fiction elements. Bear's creativity and aptitude in creating this word, called Valdyrgard, is really what caught and held my interest the whole way through.

Muire is the last Valkyrie, an angel and Child of the Light. She's lived thousands of years since Ragnarok, and she is called to attention when Mingan the Wolf starts attacking people in the last functioning city in the world. She investigates and in finds that there is a larger game being played which involves the Technomancer, the only being keeping the city alive. She pairs up with the only other survivor of Ragnarok, Kasimir the valraven, and joins forces with others in the city to put right the things that have gone horribly wrong.

Like I said, I really enjoyed Bear's worldbuilding. There are many interesting characters and people and magic. Muire can harness the power of the Light which keeps her immortal and able to heal, but she's lost a lot of the Light since Ragnarok. Juxtaposed is the magic of the Technomancer, able to manipulate technology and people in often weird and uncanny ways. Part of the Technomancer's creations is the moreaux. a collection of anthropomorphic people to work for her. I really liked Selene, one of the Technomancer's trusted moreau, a humanoid cat.

Lastly, I really connected to Bear's writing style. Her prose flows expertly and she always creates a great picture in your mind. The ending was unexpected and a little heartbreaking. Just the way I like it!

What I didn't like: My only major criticism with Bear's books is that it really takes me a little while to figure out what the heck is going on. She doesn't info dump and doesn't give many explanations to the basic things of the new world we are exploring. I got into the groove eventually but I would have enjoyed, say, a glossary or map.

Thoughts on the cover: LOVE the cover. It fits the story perfectly and really helped me imagine the characters.

Overall Thoughts
Definitely recommended for fantasy lovers or those interested in Norse mythology. I really enjoy Bear's work because I'm always pleasantly surprised at what she comes up with. This book is followed by two more in the series, By the Mountain Bound, a prequel, and a direct sequel called The Sea Thy Mistress.

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Mega Manga Challenge (1): Fullmetal Alchmist vol. 1 by Hiromu Arakawa

Title: Fullmetal Alchemist

Author: Hiromu Arakawa
Demographic: Shonen
Format: Manga
Pages: 184
Genre: Steampunk, Science Fiction, Adventure
Publication Date: May 3rd, 2005
Publisher: Viz
Rating: B+



Summary: Dabbling in alchemy carries a price. When brothers Edward and Alphonse played with the mystical power to alter the natural world, they both paid dearly. One lost an arm and a leg; the other became a soul locked into a body of living iron. Now these siblings are slaves of the evil military-alchemical complex, using their unique powers for dire purposes. Fullmetal Alchemist combines powerful graphics with a strong original story line.

My Review

Why did I read this book? This is first day of my Mega Manga Challenge and I wanted to pick a book that had some signficance. You see, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (and also it's predecessor, Fullmetal Alchemist) is my favorite anime. I always wanted to read the manga but never got the chance or the right motivation. I thought it would be a good start to the challenge!

What I liked: This volume begins with Ed and Al (pictured on the cover) traveling to a small town to where they find out a prophet of the sun god Leto has some miraculous abilities, such as bringing thigns back to life. They think he might have something their looking for, the Philosopher's stone, which allows the user to bypass the alchemic laws of equivalent exchange (you can only gain something by giving something of equal value. There's a reason they're after this stone, but I won't say because it would spoil it!

Needless to say, the boys go on many adventures, being that Ed (the blond one) is a State Alchemist. That means he's strong enough in alchemy that he can work for the government. Alchemy is the 'magic' in the story, where alchemists draw a transmutation circle on the ground and use it to transform materials inside that circle into others (such as coal into gold, etc). I really love this idea and think it's pretty awesome. It's a great magic system because there are definite limits (such as equivalent exchange) but also lots of room for creativity. Another aspect I really enjoyed is the steampunk nature of the story. It takes place in what seems to be some kind of industrial era, perhaps in a European like country (can't be sure though) and is full with a bunch of steampunk goodness like automail, trains, and fun gagdets.

Finally, I love the humor. Ed is hilarious in his insecurities (such as being called 'puny') and the way Al plays off of this is great.

What I didn't like: There's not much I didn't like in this first volume.

Thoughts on the cover: Not my favorite but at least it shows the main characters.

Overall Thoughts
This is a must read for anyone interested in shonen manga or adventure stories. It's got humor, great artwork and the beginnings of a great story. We aren't revealed too much about the main plot, but we get a good introduction to some of the main characters. I will definitely be reading the second volume.
 

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Review: Hounded by Kevin Hearne

Title: Hounded

Author: Kevin Hearn
Series: The Iron Druid Chronicles #1
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 289
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publication Date: May 3rd, 2011
Publisher: Del Ray
Rating: B-

I have to say that I never really heard of this book or author before and decided to take a chance with it, especially since I had enjoyed reviewing for Dreams and Speculation before and wanted to do so again. The premise looked fine enough but didn't really stand out to me. Fortunately, this turned out to be quite an enjoyable read despite my (wrong) expectations.

The story is pretty straightforward: a twenty-one year old druid named Atticus (who is actually around 2000 years old) lives quietly in Arizona while trying to keep his distance from his enemy, a Celtic god who wants to reclaim a sword Atticus had taken centuries before. Atticus routinely converses with gods, witches, vampires, werewolves and all manner of mythological creatures that inhabit his world while trying not to get killed. He's accompanied by his dog Oberon, who he has taught to communicate mentally through his magic.

There's a lot to like about this book. First, Atticus himself is pretty hilarious. Humor is a large part of why I enjoyed Atticus' adventure. He has a great repertoire with Oberon and I found myself laughing out loud many times at their conversations. Oberon himself stood out to me as a great character who acts very much the canine best friend of the main character. Another highlight is the world building. You don't find many fantasy novels featuring druidic magic and I liked I got a taste of something different. Atticus draws his power from the earth and is able to shape shift. He's actually really powerful (he's had 2000 years to master his magic) but I never felt like he was invincible. Hearne populates his world by the idea that any and all mythological people and creatures actually exists in our world, however much of our experience is focused on Celtic mythology and witches and werewolves.

I found that the pacing and action was good and kept me turning the pages however, I felt like something was missing. This changed when a new character emerged near the end, a young woman named Granuaile. She makes a deal with Atticus to become his apprentice and I felt like this would be a great idea so we can see how a druid becomes a druid. This isn't yet explored in Hounded and I'm not sure it's in the sequels either. I think what I was missing was a connection between Atticus and another character (other than Oberon). The closest we get to this is with the Morrigan who has some great scenes with Atticus but they are few.

Overall, I'd recommend this book for someone looking for a good urban fantasy sans romance with extra humor and action. I enjoyed it and would like to read the next books in the series, Hexed and Hammered.

Review copy was provided by Dreams and Speculation.

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Review: Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Title: Howl's Moving Castle

Author: Diana Wynne Jones
Series: Castle #1
Format: Paperback
Pages: 304
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publication Date: March 16th, 2009 (first 1986)
Publisher: Harpercollins; New edition edition
Rating: B+

From Goodreads: In the land of Ingary, such things as spells, invisible cloaks, and seven-league boots were everyday things. The Witch of the Waste was another matter.

After fifty years of quiet, it was rumored that the Witch was about to terrorize the country again. So when a moving black castle, blowing dark smoke from its four thin turrets, appeared on the horizon, everyone thought it was the Witch. The castle, however, belonged to Wizard Howl, who, it was said, liked to suck the souls of young girls.

The Hatter sisters--Sophie, Lettie, and Martha--and all the other girls were warned not to venture into the streets alone. But that was only the beginning.

In this giant jigsaw puzzle of a fantasy, people and things are never quite what they seem. Destinies are intertwined, identities exchanged, lovers confused. The Witch has placed a spell on Howl. Does the clue to breaking it lie in a famous poem? And what will happen to Sophie Hatter when she enters Howl's castle?

Diana Wynne Jones's entrancing fantasy is filled with surprises at every turn, but when the final stormy duel between the Witch and the Wizard is finished, all the pieces fall magically into place.

I think this review might be hard for me to write since I feel like this is a book that is just so unique and fun that it would be hard to talk about it to people who haven't read it. So that's a long way of saying: read this book!

I've never read a Jones book before (they somehow escaped my childhood) but I was always interested in them since they are so loved by so many. I picked up Howl's Moving Castle after I heard of her death and read it quickly after that. This book was so much fun and so clever and I found that Jones' voice really shone through. She created pretty lovable characters, my favorite being Sophie. Sophie grows up thinking nothing great will happen to her because she's the eldest of the siblings, only to find herself cursed and living in the body of a 90 year old. I felt this was so appropriate since Sophie was living her life before as if it was over, and once her body changed to match her mindset, she started to act differently because she thought that an old woman didn't have to worry about acting a certain way. I thought the curse sort of freed her from her own issues and while living this way throughout the book, she discovers what her life means and what she can make of it, whether she's young or old.

I also enjoyed the little tidbits of magic such as the seve leage boots and the magic door that ingeniously connects Sophie's world to ours. The ending was surprisingly more awesome thant I thought it would be (which I won't reveal for spoilers).

I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for a light children's fantasy with a fantastic ending. Really, to anyone who was hesitant about reading Jones before, just go do it already!

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Review: Doomsday Book by Connie Willis

Title: Doomsday Book

Author: Connie Willis
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 578
Genre: Science Fiction, Time Travel
Publication Date: August 1st, 1993
Publisher: Bantam Spectra
Rating: B+

This book is part of the 2011 Women of Science Fiction book club hosted by Dreams and Speculation.



From Goodreads: For Kivrin, preparing an on-site study of one of the deadliest eras in humanity's history was as simple as receiving inoculations against the diseases of the fourteenth century and inventing an alibi for a woman traveling alone. For her instructors in the twenty-first century, it meant painstaking calculations and careful monitoring of the rendezvous location where Kivrin would be received.

But a crisis strangely linking past and future strands Kivrin in a bygone age as her fellows try desperately to rescue her. In a time of superstition and fear, Kivrin — barely of age herself — finds she has become an unlikely angel of hope during one of history's darkest hours.

Five years in the writing by one of science fiction's most honored authors, Doomsday Book is a storytelling triumph. Connie Willis draws upon her understanding of the universalities of human nature to explore the ageless issues of evil, suffering and the indomitable will of the human spirit.

My first experience with Connie Willis' time travel adventures was with To Say Nothing of the Dog (review) which I enjoyed very much. Doomsday Book is quite different in that the plot is a lot heavier, but there are still a lot of the qualities that I loved in Dog. For example, Willis never fails to amuse me with her clever and discreet humor and her always smart time travel plots.

Doomsday Book is split between the stories of Kivrin, who is visiting the middle ages, and Mr. Dunworthy, who's back at Oxford dealing with a virus outbreak. From the beginning I always enjoyed Kivrin's story more, probably because I love history and the idea of a young woman going back to that time always interested me. What didn't help Mr. Dunworthy's story was that I found it spent too much time having him run around trying to figure out if Kivrin was all right while simultaneously dealing with an outbreak that went on for an extreme amount of pages to the point I felt like it was redundant. Also, perhaps to make Mr. Dunworthy's story interesting or hilarious, a lot of the events in the present day were preventing him from finding out or helping Kivrin and I felt that these events were exhasperating and sometimes convoluted. For example, whenever he had to call someone important he couldn't get ahold of them because they weren't by the phone. Doesn't anyone have cell phones or interenet in 2050-something? I know this book was written in 1992, but I felt this was a bit of a stretch.

While you can probably tell I was annoyed with some parts of the book, I really liked it overall. Willis' time travel is just so fascinating and so well done I can't help but be absorbed into the story. I wanted to see the Middle Ages as envisioned by Willis and she doesn't let you down. Kivrin is shocked to see that the time period is not exactly what she pictured, to say the least. The time is not glorified but gritty, real and populated with very human characters such as young Agnes or Father Roche.

Overall I recommend this book to anyone interested in time travel, history or just great science fiction. This wasn't my first Connie Willis book and it certainly won't be my last. B+

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Review: The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

Title: The Knife of Never Letting Go

Author: Patrick Ness
Series: Chaos Walking #1
Format: Paperback
Pages: 479
Genre: Dystopia
Publication Date: May 5th, 2008
Publisher: Walker Children's
Rating: B
Challenge: Calico_Reaction's Book Club - March Challenge

From Goodreads: Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in an overwhelming, never-ending stream of Noise. Just a month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd and his dog, Manchee - whose thoughts Todd can hear too, whether he wants to or not - stumble upon an area of complete silence. They find that in a town where privacy is impossible, something terrible has been hidden - a secret so awful that Todd and Manchee must run for their lives.

But how do you escape when your pursuers can hear your every thought?

Gosh, I'm pretty late on this one. I actually finished reading it on time but got sidetracked when trying to write the review.

Anyways, I was really excited to read this book and was happy to see it was chosen for the book club. I have heard great things about it and I really wanted to read a good young adult dystopian after having some trouble with others.

Needless to say, I wasn't disappointed. I found The Knife of Never Letting Go an exhilarating experience in a world where men can hear each other's thoughts (these thoughts are called Noise). Todd lives in Prentisstown, where there are no more women left and he's the last boy to grow into a man. Ness presents a very creepy look into the world where susperstition plays a big part in everyone's actions, especially those in Prentisstown. It kind of reminded me of the Lord of the Flies, where a bunch of kids (in this case, adults and kids) get put on an island and left to their own devices. In Prentisstown, the men have created a skewed view of the world and they make some pretty crazy plans.

The story follows Todd as he tries to escape the clutches of the men of Prentisstown. There's a lot of adventure. Todd is always on the run. I find that to be a pro and con to this book, since it means there was a lot of action, but I was really yearning for more interaction with people outside Prentisstown. I wanted to see and experience more of the world through Todd's eyes - not constantly follow him alone into the forests on his journey.

That pretty much sums up my opinion of this book: I really was fascinated by this world and it kept me turning the pages, but I wished I had learned more about it. This is obviously a series since Ness leaves us with a big cliffhanger at the end. I hope in the next book, The Ask and The Answer, he shows us more about the world he's created. B

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