The Beast Is An Animal
by Peternelle Van Arsdale Book Review by Miranda Fraser ISBN: 978-1-4814-8841-9 Picture it, a book store, a girl on a hunt for Beauty and the Beast novels, and there it was a gorgeous book cover titled, "The Beast Is An Animal". She was drawn to it immediately, and the disappointment that it had NOTHING to do with Beauty and the Beast, lasted about five seconds. It only took five seconds for the creepy poem on the back of the novel to catch my attention. And, if you've followed my book reviews, than you know the last book with a creepy poem on the back ended up being one of the best books I've ever read. three-dark-crowns.html Taking a leap of faith I held onto this, hopeful that it might be a good Halloween read. With a poem with lines like this, "The Beast is an animal/ Hear It scratch upon your door/ It sucks you soul then licks the bowl/ And sniffs around for more" I would certainly hope it gives off Halloween vibes. The story revolves around a girl named Alys who at the age of seven lost her family and her home. The Soul Eaters came, but she was not touched, nor were any of the children in her village. Why was Alys spared when she had looked upon the Soul Eaters? A question she wonders daily. Rumors of her being found awake after the attack, began to fuel gossip that she herself was no good. A vile creature. The world in which Alys lives is very old timey. I got a very Scarlet Letter vibe from the townspeople's dialect, clothing, and especially their religious guidelines. Basically this a time where anything out of the ordinary must mean witchcraft. You don't bare children? Probably a witch or cursed. You use medicine instead of prayers- you're a witch. You get the picture. So it should come as no surprise that this book has prevalent hints of Good vs Evil and what one can do to be considered one or the other. And definitely how we perceive ourselves. This girl has a connection to the Soul Eaters and The Beast that they sing poems about and the churches preach against. She hides this from all, battling it slowly within herself, terrified of what the others might do, or what her loved ones would think of her. And the Soul Eaters are causing more damage to the world of Byd than merely taking souls. As this threat grows, Alys is running out of time to confront her inner abilities and fight for all that she loves. In the darkest hours of the world, where Alys has seen little joy and kindness, she is terrified that she deserves the bad, or has somehow caused it, by having an unholy connection to these creatures. Can Alys make a change to save the world of Byd or is she damned to darkness? I loved this book so much! And I got a bonsu experience: these Soul Eaters hunt at night, and whilst I was reading this book, it's about 3 a.m., and the lights started sputtering until finally we lost power in the house. It didn't last long, but when the lights inside came back on, my neighborhoods street lights were all out... I put the book down for the night, lol! This book is very profound, and the first this author has written, though I hear she has more books in the works, and I eagerly await what she will bring to book lovers. I hope you guys enjoyed this book and find the topic of Soul Eaters fitting for a Halloween season read. And as always read on my fellow book worms, may we one day have Belle's Library!
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Ruined
by Paula Morris Book Review by Miranda Fraser ISBN: 978-0-545-23607-2 This is the third book in the 2017 Halloween Book Review Series! I love doing these because this is my favorite Holiday! I try and pick books that revolve around topics that fit the Halloween vibe- murder mysteries, ghost stories, monsters, etc. (I mean, some people I know only read those type of books during this time year.) Now with Ruined by Paula Morris, we have a slight mix of genres. This novel is marketed as a ghost story but I gotta say it's not going to be exactly what you're expecting when you hear 'ghost story'. However, there are mysteries and clues at every turn. And I did NOT see it unfolding the way it did! This story takes place in New Orleans. [[And for anyone who is an Originals fan there's ONE sentence in this book that mentioned vampires and I laughed really hard.]] Our main character is Rebecca, a fifteen year old girl, whose father takes a job in China and sends her to live with her aunt in New Orleans for a year. This is a far cry from her home in New York, and she protests at every step of the way. To make the adjustment harder her Aunt Claudia is a very eccentric woman who reads tarot cards for a living. There are even rumors that she's a descendant of a voodoo priestess. As if all these changes weren't enough for Rebecca she also must attend a new school, all girls, with a hideous uniform, and a very strange social order. Instead of your typical jocks vs nerds we find "Old Families" aka old money running the show, even being able to overrule teachers because their parents are so influential. So where does this ghost come into play? Did I forget to mention that Rebecca is now living directly across the street from an old cemetery? On one particular night of rule breaking, Rebecca sneaks into the cemetery and meets a very peculiar black girl about her age. (Now I mention her race because it is relevant to the story, see Lesitte has been dead for over 150 years. I don't need to go into a history lesson for people to understand the significance of heritage back then.) Thinking that this bare footed, ripped shirted teen is homeless, Rebecca seeks her out, only to discover that Lesitte is a ghost and no one else can see her. At least that's what she thinks. She learns how the spiritual world works, mostly ghosts who were murdered or have some sort of unfinished business remain until things are sorted out. For some this never happens. Correspondingly, Lesitte is not the only character in this book who has a long complicated history riddled with mystery. I know, that rhymed. The Elite children of these Old Families all have their own secrets/rules and keep to their 'own'. They look down on Rebecca and do their best to put her down and keep her "in her place". All except Anton Grey, a kind young man, who struggles between wanting to be more/do more, and not disappointing hundreds of years of family traditions. Old Families are friends with Old Families, their children grow up together, they keep the same secrets, and throw the same parties. His interest in Rebecca does not sit well with these families. But as supernatural events occur and more clues are laid out, Rebecca may just find herself in the worst episode of Murder She Wrote she could ever imagine. With so much at stake, will the clock run out and if it does, who will you have to say goodbye to? I'm LOATHE to leave you with so little information! But like I said I DID NOT see the ending coming, and I fear that anything more I would say would help unravel the events as you yourself read this novel! I also want to mention that the links to the authors pages are listed below and if you follow the Goodreads button pay CLOSE attention to the list of books she's written! Read on my fellow book worms, may we one day have Belle's Library! Dream Magic by Joshua Khan Book review by Miranda Fraser ISBN: 9781484737620 I waited so long for this book to come out and even longer to share a review on it! I do try and limit my reviews on book series, that way I'm not just posting about all the books in the series. But since I did Shadow Magic for last years Halloween review series I thought it would be fun to once again bring attention to this series. Joshua Khan has really created the perfect universe with such a great balance of plot twists and emotional highs and lows.
First off, this is the second book so I don't recommend jumping into the the series on book two. You could, I mean Khan does a good job of recapping, but you won't fully understand the love and loss that's necessary for the emotional connection of these characters! If you haven't read Shadow Magic or my review on it I'll just recap what the world is about here: There are six kingdoms that, at one point in time, stemmed from one family. Every ruler must be able to wield magic, if they cannot the next in line would take the throne. Though, admittedly, magic appears to be dying in this world and less and less people are capable of using magic, much less cast any useful spells. In the main heroine's family, her Uncle could not wield magic and therefore the throne went to her father- the younger of the siblings. Women are banned from wielding magic, due to an ancient belief that witches bring on disaster. So when tragedy strikes her family, Lilith Shadow is placed on the throne, but in order to really solidify her right to the throne she must marry a nobleman who can wield magic. It's also important to note that Lilith Shadow is the ruler of Castle Gloom and the kingdom of Gehenna. The darkest "scariest" kingdom in all the realms, a kingdom where zombies, ghosts, and vampires are not just a regular part of their world, but run in the royal family itself! Now, book two starts after Lilith's place on the the throne has been excepted, though the marriage proposal's still flow like honey. HERE'S WHERE I GIVE YOU SPOILER ALERTS. IF YOU PLAN ON READING THE FIRST BOOK YOU MAY WANT TO STOP HERE OR AT LEAST GO READ MY FIRST BOOK REVIEW. http://pickupabooktoday.weebly.com/young-adult-fiction/shadow-magic I'm not sure how many spoilers I can avoid! Lilith has not only solidified her place on the throne but she has also begun practicing her magic with a great teacher by her side. Due to the events that took place in the first book, zombies have increased ten-fold what they were before in Gehenna. Lilly tries hard to give them all positions and something to do, because, as she says, alive or dead they are her people. But ultimately it becomes the least of her concerns when her citizens are turning up missing right out of their homes! And an ancient enemy of their people, the trolls, have a new king leading them. Leading them right into war against her kingdom! Thorne, the main hero of this series, sets out to find out how these people are disappearing. He doesn't believe that the trolls are responsible. After all Trolls are huge, there would be more proof than holes in roofs and missing farmers. While in the midst of unraveling the mysterious disappearances it turns out their kingdom has a new enemy altogether. In seeking out how to defeat him and what it is he wants, Lilly uncovers family secrets she'll wish she hadn't. With magic dwindling in the world, kingdoms at war and no safe way to practice her magic- is it possible for Gehenna to have a happy ending? And what will it mean for her future when the rumors are getting harder to quiet and everyone becomes convinced she is a witch? Dream Magic is a wonderful continuation and I am EXTREMELY EXCITED for the next book Burning Magic coming in 2018!!! Read on my fellow bookworms, may we one day have Belle's library! And as always, links to the author's pages are below. The Ghost of Graylock
by Dan Poblocki Book Review by Miranda Fraser ISBN: 978-0-545-40269-9 It's back! My lovely book worms and Halloween fanatics alike! Halloween Season is upon up and thus the return of my Halloween Book Review Series. Now, I want to be clear that I am posting this under young adult but it is probably more on the children's/middle school reading level. I saw many complaints on Goodreads about this book being shelved as a young adult so I thought I'd clear that up right away. When I first heard about this book I was so excited! I had just come off the high of the last Poblocki book I read for last years Halloween Series. The reviews all said that if I loved The Stone Child than this one was the next book to read. Though, not exactly what I expected, it was very good ghostly read. To Begin with, this is another one of Poblocki's mysteries that will have the hair on the back of your neck standing! While I don't feel like it is as complicated or layered as Stone Child, it certainly made for a great haunt/mystery. Graylock Hall is an insane asylum, for lack of a better term, located in the woods of a small little town called Hedston. Everyone has heard the story of the nasty Nurse Janet who haunts the, now abandoned, place looking for new victims to drown. Everyone's heard about it except for Neil and Bree Cady, the new kids in town. They came to the tiny town of Hedston to spend the summer with their aunts, due to difficulties at home. When the tale of Graylock reached Neil's ears, he knew he had to see it for himself. Being an avid ghost fanatic, he could not wait to explore Graylock and find out for himself if the haunting was real or a hoax. But was he ready for what he was about to get himself into? After a dangerous trip to Graylock Hall Bree and Neil have been having vivid nightmares, finding pond weed in strange places, even finding puddles on their bedroom floors. There had to be a logical explanation for all these things, right? Well, perhaps, but none that is logical in the typical sense. A haunting is indeed happening, but when they discover that the ghost chasing them isn't Nurse Janet, everything changes! Who is this ghost and what exactly does she want from the two of them? Neil and Bree are accompanied by their new friends, Wesley and Eric Baptiste. Together they explore Graylock and unravel the mystery that has been forced upon them. Now, I really don't want to go too much into this. This is a small town and any and all details and characters could easily give away the plot twist of this mystery! I'd hate for that to happen. What I will say is the first half is very intense, as the haunting begins and you're left worrying about what's going to happen! The second half is also intense but for a different reason, less because of the ghost and more because of the ticking clock. If you're looking for a ghost story where they don't rip the mask off the ghost all Scooby-Doo-Style then this will make a great read for you this Halloween Season! As always read on my fellow book worms, may we one day have Belle's Library! The links to the author's pages are included below. The Last Unicorn
by Peter S Beagle Book Review by Miranda Fraser ISBN: 978-0-451-45052-4 What child hasn't dreamed of the beauty of unicorns? I remember being very young and my mother bringing home The Last Unicorn movie. I watched it over and over and I'm sure many of you have as well. If you have not, it is a beautiful movie, and until I saw this book at a bookstore I had never actually thought about whether or not it was a book! With that being said, I will say that I felt like the book and the movie were pretty close to the other. That's probably because the author also helped write the screenplay for the movie! There were plot holes that the book filled in, and there were events that seemed to be altered or rearranged from book to movie. However, I do think it made sense that some of these scenes got left out or weren't mentioned, being that this became a movie aimed towards children (they were mostly dull moments or confusing circumstances that were cut). This is a wondrous tale about a Unicorn who journeys out of her forest in search of other unicorns, or at least answers to where they have all gone. To begin with, Beagle tells us that Unicorns are immortal, they can die at the hands of other immortal creatures like Dragons and Harpies, but otherwise they live forever. They are the most beautiful creatures on the planet, mate very rarely, and have very little concept of the passing of time. Especially being that it is always spring wherever they dwell. The Unicorn in our story is just minding her business when two hunters enter her forest. The one starts talking about how they'll never catch an animal here for this is a Unicorn's forest- always spring and perfect here. If anywhere on the planet lived a unicorn, the last surely lived here. The Unicorn can't get this out of her head, how could she possibly be the last? Despite her fear she leaves her forest and searches for any sign that what she has learned is true. To her dismay men never recognize her, they always think she is a white mare. Beautiful, but just a horse. She is angered by this but also wonders if perhaps unicorns do exist and men are just too blind to know it. Not too long after starting this journey trouble begins to find her, for example men try and lasso her thinking she is a prize horse. But one night as she sleeps, a woman, Mommy Fortuna, drives past her and recognizes her immediately. Now, Mommy Fortuna runs the Midnight Carnival, a bunch of wagons/cages filled with 'magical creatures': a Manticore, Cerberus, Harpy, etc. She also keeps a magician with her, he's not the best at magic, but he entertains crowds well enough. When Fortuna stumbles across the unicorn she has them build the cage around her and take her as one more addition to their carnival show. The problem is men cannot seem to see real magic for themselves anymore. And yet they also want to believe so desperately that even poor magic can trick them into seeing what they want. I know that sounds confusing but if you read the book you will understand it immediately. Things in this Carnival are not what they seem. But then there is the Unicorn, she is a real as magic itself and the magician Schmendrick comes to the Unicorn and promises to help her get free. He makes good on that promise and all hell breaks loose for the Midnight Carnival. When the Unicorn asks Schmendrick how she can repay him, he asks that he come with her on her journey. She agrees, hesitantly, but knowing that she cannot make him a true magician, this is the next best thing she can give him. Now, the movie doesn't give too much background on Schmendrick, but in the book you find out he used to be a student of a famous magician, and is cursed to appear young until he can find his true magic and become a great magician. They continue traveling through towns and forests. In the movie this doesn't seem like much, in the book you get more details about their stops and Schmendrick's conversations with the townsfolk. All the while they see little sign of what has happened to the Unicorns, though they have pieced together that Kind Haggard's land may have some answers. Through a serious of unfortunate events, Schmendrick ends up in the hands of a Captain Cully and his band of 'merry men', sound like another fellow we all know? While Captain Cully tells great tales of his exploits, Molly Grue, who it's implied is with Captain Cully, has no trouble pointing out that he makes up his stories and is no Robin Hood. This is one of those scenes that was altered in the movie, for good reason, it dragged on and on and was rather boring in my opinion. Though reading the book makes the moment that Schmendrick is able to call on his magic and produce Robin Hood and his Merry Men all the more poetic! It should come as no surprise that Captain Cully did not appreciate that trick and ties the magician up to a tree to await punishment. The Unicorn comes to his rescue and there they are joined by Molly Grue. She has waited her whole life for a Unicorn, for they are supposed to meet young virgins and women, but none ever came. Molly is pissed and over joyed but she loves the Unicorn from the moment they meet. She joins them on their journey, for she knows the way to King Haggard's castle, and off they set. Before the castle there is a little town called Hagsgate, this is COMPLETELY left out of the movie. But it fills in more information about how the castle came to be, the curse on it and the town, information on the King's son, etc. The townsfolk pay the magician to kill the king's son so that the prophecy never comes true (come on, you guys know by now you're going to have to read to find out what I'm talking about *wink*). They continue on their way to the castle but by nightfall the Red Bull comes out and chases the Unicorn. In the book it says he is blind, perhaps that's why in the movie his eyes are white, but I always thought it was to further prove his demon like state. This bull gave me nightmares as a kid! He begins chasing her down, herding her like a sheep dog. When all hope is lost and it seems like nothing can be done Schmendrick calls on the magic and changes her form so that the Bull will leave her be. It works, though the Unicorn is heart broken to find herself in a human's body. She is a beautiful as she was as a Unicorn, though she does not think so. They continue on their way to the castle, where they are met by King Haggard and his son Prince Lir. Now here we get another prophecy, for as soon as King Haggard agrees to let them stay, his (now fired) magician tells him that he just let his doom in through the front door. He knows what the Lady Amalthea truly is and he rejoices in that last bit of revenge before leaving his former employer. Of course, Prince Lir falls for the Lady Amalthea and does everything he can think of from slaying dragons to swimming raging rivers, but nothing impresses her. There is a beautiful line in the book that they left out of the movie, where Molly tells her she could at least say a kind word the him. And she responds that he does all these things and she says nothing, "What will he do if I speak?" (184). I thought that was very beautiful and thought provoking! As the days pass they find nothing to help them prove where the Unicorns are. And as the winter goes on Lady Amalthea is losing more and more of her unicorn personality and memories. She no longer remembers who she is and becomes more and more human. And in doing so she begins to fall for Prince Lir as well. Haggard, growing confident in himself, reaches out to her and tells her he knows what she is and where the others are. He boasts and challenges her but ultimately this forces the outcome of the ending of the story. Now, I've already told you a lot about the story, and those of you who know the movie well can probably picture most of this in your head. I know I could! I will not tell you how the climax of the story goes or who wins the day. The ending is definitely emotional, and in some ways I felt more powerful than the ending of the movie. If you loved the movie I suggest you read this for yourself, no matter how similar the movie and the book are, the book always gives you more. And bonus this author has done quite a bit of work with unicorns in his fiction. Including a short story that is supposed to be a sequel of sorts to this one AND a book called "The Last Unicorn: The Lost Version". This is supposed to be the original version of the story and while I haven;t read it and cannot give it justice in description this is what the Goodreads page says, " This first take on the beloved classic -- so much the same, so very different -- is now available to readers for the first time, with an introduction and commentary by the author." I know I will be looking for a copy of that and will more than likely check out more of Beagle's fantasy novels. He stole my heart as a child, now let's see how he affects me as an adult. Read on my fellow bookworms and as always links to the author's pages are below! Of Beast and Beauty
by Stacy Jay Book Review by Miranda Fraser ISBN: 9780375991004 This novel actually has a few genres, one of which being Science Fiction>Dystopia. The reason I bring that up at the very beginning is because that has to be the most interesting take on Beauty and the Beast I have ever heard! Instead of some hidden castle deep in a forest on earth this story actually takes place on another planet. Beauty living in the world of the Smooth Skins that exists under a dome and Beast being of the Monstrous living in the desert outside the domes. On this planet and ancient covenant was born with a dark god who promised the Smooth skins (normal looking humans) that their dome would be sustained as long as they continued to honor their blood sacrifice to him. The Monstrous live outside the dome in the desert where they are dying of thirst and hunger if not illness. Their people are in danger and dying while the Smooth Skins live happy lives under this dome. They hate them and wish to take that stability from them. Thus a feud, going as far back as when the first people came to this planet. The novel goes back and forth between the point of view of Beauty and the Beast for the majority of the book, but there is a third character, a possible Gaston, if you will, that also gets his own chapters. The origin-story goes that when the colonists first came to the planet, there was one 'god', the Pure Heart. But over time it split into two and the Dark Heart appeared, using dark magic it was able to provide the colonists with what they wanted and overtime they formed a deal with him and forgot about the Pure Heart. But much like the Enchantress in Disney's Beauty and the Beast, the Pure Heart appeared at the door of the Smooth Skins as a Monstrous woman in white robes with black hair, an attempt to get them to show compassion. But not only was there no compassion there was violence. She sought aid from the Monstrous, but they could sense that she was not really one of their own and they too sent her away. And so this being placed a curse on both people, until one from each clan could learn to love the other their worlds would be falling apart and no amount of blood sacrifices would heal them. Centuries later and both people's worlds are falling apart, each set in their ways and beliefs, but are they correct? Now, in the world of the smooth skins the blood sacrifice seems to keep the noble families safe, but the common people are weaker and born with deformities and mutations (a side effect of the Pure Heart's curse). In this dome is a kingdom and each King and Queen has a role to the Covenant; when the dome is in need: damage is done to it, crops are weak, etc., a blood sacrifice is made. Always a Queen and she must willingly sacrifice herself. The King then remarries until his life is over, then either his daughter marries or his wife remarries. That is the way of their people. So when the King suddenly dies from an enemy attack his blind, slightly mutated, daughter is left to take the throne. (It is important to note that her mother was from a different planet and thus her looks were already slightly different from those of the people on this planet.) Isra was blinded at age four in a terrible fire, and while she has no clue what she looks like, she has already discovered that she looks different from other Smooth Skins and fears that she has scales and mutations so terrible she must be hid away. This sad woman will marry, far too young, in the spring and the Covenant will continue for her people. But as terrible as his death was one of the Monstrous that invaded the city was able to speak their language and Isra was determined to learn from him. His name is Gem and when they were captured his father promised the at Gem would stay there, forever a prisoner if they were set free. A twist on Beauty and the Beast, this time he's the prisoner. Of course, they had a plan, they wanted roses from the Smooth Skin's garden and thought leaving Gem behind was their best bet at getting them. Gem's people are lizard like, a mutation developed to help them survive the desert. He is tall with broad shoulders, black hair similar to the Smooth Skins, and he is covered in orange and golden scales like a snake. A VERY different look as far as Beasts we've come across in this book review series. As time progresses between when her father died, and the winter months were to begin, her and Gem worked every day on a royal garden that would help stop mutations for her people, or so she thinks. In the meantime, they get to know the other very well. And while Gem is convinced in every way that he can't stand her and thinks she's weak and useless, he too can't help but acknowledge they have feelings for the other. His people think and act very differently than hers and so to him she is weak and a coward. He says he hates everything about her and her people, but in truth he doesn't hate her. In fact, at one point they sneak away outside the dome and have a romantic moment that was almost R rated. From that moment on nothing is the same. Isra, spirited as always, wants to change the city, wants to help Gem's people, wants the world to change. Her people grow more weary of her and the potential that she is insane, and she loses more of her rights and freedoms, but not before she helps Gem escape to hopefully save his people. When her eyesight returns the people grow wearier and decide to rush her into a marriage and to her sacrifice. She spends her days waiting for a sign of Gem's return even as her city begins to fall around her. Time is running out as the curse is running its course with their people. Will she end up a sacrifice or will she and Gem break the curse with their love for the other? I have some much I wish to say about this novel, but there's too much that would ruin the plot twists and the AMAZING ending. But I promise you this, there are plot twists around every corner, betrayals and family secrets, deaths and heartache, characters I didn't even talk about, and above all a satisfying ending! The emotions this story evokes and the growth of the characters as a whole are inspiring and memorable. When I started this book I wasn't sure how I felt about it, but by the end, I was so thankful I picked it up! I look forward to reading more from this author and highly recommend this novel. Read on my fellow bookworms, may we one day have Belle's library! As always links to the author can be found below. Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake Book review by Miranda Fraser ISBN: 978-0-06-238543-7 "Three dark queens are born in a glen, sweet little triples will never be friends - Three dark sisters all fair to be seen, two to devour and one to be Queen". This poem sits on the back cover of Three Dark Crowns. From the moment I read it my interest was peaked. It was dark and mysterious and gave me chills. And now that I'm through with it, I can say that this was one of the best novels I have ever read! It has been a while since a novel has given me such delight that I found myself crying and screaming by the end of the novel. And spoiler alert there will be a sequel!
What I found interesting about this novel was right on the back cover you know that only one sister can survive but you don't know why. This novel takes place in a land with a magical island where people are born with gifts of magic. So far we have learned that there is the gift of war, the gift of sight, the gift of elemental, the naturalists, and those of the poisoners. The island is always ruled by a queen, the most powerful of the triples. She will lead until the time that she gives birth to triplets herself and then her reign is over. The sisters are raised together by a midwife, tucked away from the world, then they are taken by their specific gifted clan at age 6. In this generation a poisoner queen is born, Katherine, an elemental queen Mirabella, and a naturalist queen Arsinoe. By the time they are sixteen they will have re-met, begun courting suitors, and then be sent to kill the other two. Only one can be queen, it is the way of the island. When Blake starts her story we first meet and fall for young Katherine, a pale, thin queen in blossom, who doesn't seem to have much of a gift for poisons. At least not in consuming them. See, Poisoners only eat tainted foods, drink poisoned wine, and they can hold poisons on their body with skill. Katherine is only gifted in mixing them. Poisoners are harsh people, jagged with looks and attitude, they have managed to rule the island for over a hundred years by rearing strong Poisoner queens. The lack of strength is infuriating and they stop at nothing to pull it out of her. She is not the only queen with little talent. Arsinoe is a naturalist with no powers. She cannot make a single plant bloom or even conjure up a familiar. Every naturalist has a familiar, an animal which you call to and they become an extension of your very being in the world. The stronger the naturalist the stronger the familiar. I think I loved Arsinoe on a special level, she was hard headed and strong willed, she cared about everyone around her, but she never lost sight of the truth that her life was going to be very short. Then there is queen Mirabella, the island whispers only of her insane abilities and her future rule. She is stronger than any elemental they have seen in a long time, though fire is her strength and joy. The problem is, it is impossible to hate any of them. I loved them each and felt for each one of them and their stories, and I even grew to love the families that housed them. Their life is a race against time and while they have accepted their duties they take no delight in them. Each one of them had their own fears and concerns and strengths. The problem they truly face is each of their clans want them to win so that they may rule. Which means each clan is raising their queen with specific rules and training. It also means that the girls are being raised to believe they are enemies, that each sister is ugly and cruel, or selfish and talent-less. They never get to know how much alike, they may be or how deeply they could love the other. It is painful as Mirabella has vivid childhood memories of her sisters and deep down does not believe she could ever kill them. Her people fear that too. Since you get to read a chapter from each girls world as the story progresses, you know everything that's happening and like an overseer with no power you cannot do anything but grip the book tighter and pray for an outcome you can live with. It's amazing how fast I become emotionally invested in their stories, love lives, etc. How I found myself thinking over different outcomes when I wasn't even reading the book. Or how MAD I got at one of the love interests in the story, it felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest. With sixty pages left in the novel I kept thinking,"Either I'm going to hate the ending or there's a sequel. There's just too much that hasn't been tied up". As I stated earlier, there is a sequel in the works, though I do not know when it will be published. But Blake was not about to leave us hanging without TWO massive plot twists that just left me with goosebumps, tears, and a satisfaction of screaming, "I KNEW IT!!!!!!" throughout my house. I was going to put in this book review what my guess was during the book, but when it actually came true, I was like OH MAN EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS NOW!!!!! So, as you can clearly tell, I am in love with the novel and this world, there are so many plot twists yet to come and I cannot wait to see what Blake has planned for these triple queens! I truly hope you enjoy this book as much as I did. 10/10 recommend! Links to the author Shadow Magic
by Joshua Khan Book Review by Miranda Fraser ISBN: 978-148473272-4 Shadow Magic by Joshua Khan is by far one of my favorite books! When I started the novel a lot of people asked me what it was about. Less than a 100 pages in I simply looked at them and said, “I’m not entirely sure. There’s magic kingdoms, though.” And that was being honest. See, I didn’t know much about the novel, but this little quote from Rick Riodan drew me in, AND is the reason I added this to the Month of Halloween Book Review series, “...Six Great Families of magic, the nicest princess of darkness you’ve ever met, a peasant boy with skills to rival Robin Hood, and a supporting cast of zombies, Paladins, ghost puppies, executioners, minstrels, murderers, and a giant hero bat.” SERIOUSLY HOW COULD THAT NOT SOUND LIKE A GOOD BOOK?! And so here we are, my final Halloween book review and a new favorite author added to my bookshelves. To start with, there are six kingdoms that stemmed from one family at one point in time, and every ruler must be able to wield magic. If they cannot the next in line would take the throne if they were able to wield it, such as in the main heroine’s family. The catch to this, of course, is that it is illegal for women to practice magic. And this is not a small crime either when you consider that it means an immediate burning at the stake, no matter who you are or what your social rank is. With this being said only sons are truly valuable to rulers. That’s a real shame for Lilith Shadow, who has lost her entire family and has been pushed into leadership for all of Castle Gloom and Gehenna. To truly rule she must marry. And as common in times of war, that means a peace treaty will be made with her hand in marriage. And not just any kingdom, no, to their greatest enemy’s son. While Lilith rules Castle Gloom, a kingdom where the dead are as important as the living, and ghosts and zombies are normal, her husband to be is a Solar. He comes from a kingdom where there is no such thing as too bright or too white from colored fabrics to horses. They are prim and proper filled with riches and power to rule over all, and to them appearance really is everything. It’s not a good mix… and I swear to you, you will HATE Gabriel Solar as much as I do or I will welcome angry hate mail. *insert laugh here* And while the kingdoms fuel their wars and powers the peasants don’t have much of a say. Incoming new character: Thorn, an outlaw’s son, who knows the forest better than a castle. Thorn lives by simpler rules than most people. He sticks to blatant honesty, sticking up for what you believe in, breaking rules IF necessary to survive or do the right thing, and he has no use for fancy things. He can shoot a bow like he was born with it in his hand and he has a good heart. Something that doesn’t tend to get you very far in the world. And while, as a peasant, the horror stories of vampire filled Gehenna and the evil Shadow family, are all he’s ever heard, he still finds himself living there. In fact, he was bought, as a slave, by the executioner for Castle Gloom. He finds Thorn while searching for the brigands who killed the Shadow family. What a dream life this boy is having, no? But it does seem to work out. The evil Lilith Shadow is actually quite pretty, and while her ways and stubbornness can both anger and confuse him, he still finds himself drawn to her. As assassin attacks are being brought down on Lily’s head, can she Thorn and their friend Kleefe manage to figure out who is being them? And is this person also behind the deaths of her family? In her hunt to escape a terrible arranged marriage and save her kingdom Lily decides that Thorn’s break the rules philosophy might not be so bad and she begins to test the waters to find out if she has the magic of her ancestors. Each character has their own personal crisis that comes out at some point in time throughout the novel. The plot twists and the unexpected enemies kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time! The magical spells, the background of the kingdoms, the items made of magic and ancestors powers, the beautiful animals, and the unlikely budding love story all make this a perfect novel. I want to say so much more, but I am so afraid to give any of the good stuff away! Just trust me when I tell you that the plot twists are unexpected, the ending is emotional and hopeful, and I cannot wait to start the sequel! This is Joshua Khan’s first novel, so, seriously give this guy a round of applause and check him out! I look forward to great things from him!! And as always links to the author's pages are below! Bloody Irish: Celtic Vampire Legends
by Bob Curran Book Review by Miranda Fraser ISBN: 1-903582-19-9 Alright, let’s be honest here, I’m Scottish and Irish in my main bloodline. My family can literally trace one side back over 500 years, before coming to America. So I am always super fascinated by anything having to do with either place. That’s the first thing that got my attention about this book, the title, ‘Bloody Irish’. Secondly, I’m a HUGE fan of horror movies, spooky stories, ‘monsters’, etc. I have been as far back as I can remember, so the graveyard cover and the secondary title section that says, ‘Celtic Vampire Legends’ was pretty much a MUST TAKE HOME moment. I’ve actually checked this out of the library so many times that when I went to grab it today I went straight to the place on the shelf where I knew it to be. So I AM a little biased at this point about this collection of short stories. But since Halloween, or Samhain as it was called in Ireland, can trace most of its traditions BACK to Ireland I figured this was a very fitting novel to review on Halloween. The author Bob Curran is a bit of a know it all, having degrees in History and English, a Doctorate in Educational Psychology, broadcaster for BBC, even develops historical tours of Ireland! How cool is that? So it’s not so surprising that he would write a novel like this. As I previously mentioned, this book is a collection of short stories in terms of Irish Vampire legends. Again, if you’re looking for some Twilight level, sparkle in the sunshine BS, look elsewhere. IN FACT some of the ‘vampires’ are very different from those that we’ve grown accustomed to thanks to Hollywood! I think that’s part of why I enjoy these stories, its not Vampire Diaries or Dracula, they’re very… different. This book contains an Introduction and then four short stories: Beside the Fire, The Way Through the Wood, The Withered Hand, and Miss O’Hare. One of my favorite sentences from this book is actually found in the introduction, “And yet, the oldest recorded vampire story comes from Ireland”. WHAT?! That’s fascinating! Especially since we always picture a count from Transylvania with a bad accent, right? But the authors of those famous vampires were FROM Ireland, so it’s not that far of a stretch, now is it? I will say from the reviews I’ve read FROM actual people in Ireland, they all agree this is a loosely based novel, and not actual legends copied down in a collection. I was going to do a short snippet about each story, but instead I want to quickly focus on what these stories are going to be like. You’re not going to see some guy in robes with sharp pointy teeth. Instead the stories focus on what a Vampire is supposed to be: a spiritual being who can drain life from a person. The Celts were very big into death and what it actually meant, they did not see it as an ending but a new beginning. But when modern day Christianity came along, their beliefs had to change and be altered. Everything was now made to go with the church, the importance of death and blood was still there, but it had now been transformed in the way it was taught and thought about. So now, what once was ancient ghosts were more considered demonic vampire like beings. And personally I think these short stories, and a BEAUTIFUL informative introduction, really show that to the reader. In conclusion, I will tell you that the first time I read it there were a few stories that sort of gave me the creeps. I read this late at night and when I went to go to the other room, I opened my door to a pitch black hallway and empty home. It was very spooky and I found myself unconsciously moving quickly from doorway to doorway as if I expected some supernatural being to be in the shadows ready to drain me of my life. And if we're being honest, based off these stories, it probably wouldn’t be fast either, it would latch on like a supernatural depression and take all that it could from me.. Creepy, spooky, gripping, and unique! These stories will stay with you, everyone I’ve met that has read this book has loved it cover to cover. And most of us have recommended it to a friend. Now I am recommending it to all of you. Happy Samhain everyone. Remember to keep your candles and jack-o-lanterns lit all night and don’t stray too far alone in the dark *wink* As usual the link to the Author’s sites have been included below for your enjoyment AND as a bonus since it IS Halloween I thought you might also enjoy some links to the history of Halloween! Have a wonderful evening ghouls and ghosts. The Stone Child
By Dan Poblocki Book Review by Miranda Fraser ISBN: 978-0-545-29725-7 The Stone Child by Dan Poblocki was an absolute thrill to read! I had stumbled across this at Half Price Books one day and decided that it sounded pretty interesting. I knew eventually I would get around to reading it, but if I had known how thrilling of a book it would be, I wouldn’t have waited over a year! This author is now on my must read list and I’ve already begun a search for more of his novels! The first sentence on the back of the book is what really caught my attention, “What if the monsters from your favorite horror books were real?” As someone who has an overflowing crate of horror movies, this sounds pretty intriguing! But that is exactly what the main character of the book has to deal with. Eddie Fennicks has moved into the town of his beloved favorite author, who has been missing for almost thirteen years. Rumors of the town housing a curse are told from his first hour within the city, but within days of being there he begins to realize it’s more than a rumor. When Eddie moved to Gatesweed he had no idea the history of the town or the adventure that awaited him. His father sells antiques, and figured this little town was full of them, and his mother is a writer who was looking for inspiration for her novel, an all around normal family really. When a car accident sets their move off to a rocky start they discover a few things, first he discovers that the house on the hill above the town is the home of his beloved horror author Nathaniel Olmstead and then that the whole town believes they are cursed and blame Olmstead for it. Talk about good news, bad news, right? Olmstead had disappeared nearly thirteen years before without a trace, only rumors and his novels remained. Eddie of course, like any book lover, can then only think of his novels and sets to finding his Olmstead collection as soon as they arrive at their new home. Little did he know that that action would change the course of his life all together. While searching for his book he comes across a strange novel titled, “The Enigmatic Manuscript” and on the inside cover is the Nathaniel Olmstead’s signature along with a strange symbol. To make matters more complicated the entire novel is written in code! Now, in many of his books, his characters had to solve a code to save themselves, but this was something different all together. Perhaps if Eddie can crack the code he can figure out something about his disappearance! Naturally, moving to a new town and starting a new school you will meet other children your age, and with luck, befriend some. In this case, Eddie meets a young boy named Harris who is not only a huge Olmstead fan as well, but his mother is the owner of the bookstore in town called Enigmatic Manuscript. Named by Nathaniel himself before his disappearance. When he shares his secret Olmstead book with Harris the two set off to crack the code. But as their search starts they realize the monsters from Olmstead’s novels are coming to life and terrorizing them. Perhaps the curse wasn’t so crazy after all? Could the key to finding him and cracking his real life code be IN his published novels? When their new friend Maggie, a horror skeptic and slight brainiac, joins them things really start to progress and a mystery like no-other will be unraveled. And while the basic monsters, you know, hounds from the lake, gremlins, witches, watchers, trolls, and so on, are fairly easy to handle, nothing will prepare them for the truth they will uncover. As if their hands weren’t full enough they realize they are running out of time to solve this mystery and make things right for the little town of Gatesweed, especially now that Eddie’s mom is about to finish her own horror story and set free the scariest monster yet.. Unfortunately, there is so much more I want to discuss. I mean this book goes from a Hardy Boys mystery to... I’ll read this in the daylight when I’m less spooked. And honestly, it takes a lot to scare me! Not to mention the in depth details Poblocki added to the background of the creatures and the inevitable rift between worlds. Leaving me with questions I’m sure my Pastor would be offended if I asked him, lol. But man, did it make it all the better! I had planned to read this slowly over the course of a few days and I found myself reading over half of it in an hour curled up on the couch after work. I couldn’t wait to get home and read what would happen to the kids and if they ever found out the fate of Mr. Olmstead. This book was amazing! A real page turner and I wish there were more! Part of me wants to believe there is a potential for another book in a similar world, but who knows what could happen! All I know is that I am going to read more of his books as soon as I can, and I highly recommend this book to everyone! As usual the links to the Author's Goodreads, website, and Facebook page Pyre
By James McCann Book Review by Miranda Fraser ISBN: 978-1-894965-66-8 Woah, yet again, McCann has drawn me into the little town of Minitaw and I am still not ready to say goodbye. This is Book Two in the Rancour Chronicles but it’s not exactly a sequel. This story actually takes place in 1998, whereas Rancour will take place several years in the future, in fact events from Pyre are mentioned rather early on in Rancour. And while Pyre’s story takes place first, I still think reading them in their published order adds more to the weight of the story and the depth of the characters. If you haven’t already read Rancour, it is the first review that was ever published here at Pick Up A Book Today and I highly recommend reading it! To begin with, if you did read Rancour (or Rancor as it’s also been titled) then you know from his point of view, that he is a werewolf who’s greatest enemies are Vampires. However, in Book Two we see more things on the Vampires side, told from the point of view of Jonathan Pyre a mortal boy who finds himself neck deep in immortal feuds. Once again the emphasis on good verses evil is prominent in McCann’s storytelling, in fact, almost more evident than in Book One. But before all of that, Pyre has dreams of rock and roll and freedom, unfortunately as is more typical for high schoolers anymore, he instead is actually quite burdened by bullies at school and some problems at home. That’s when an act of vandalism finds him in an ‘after school’ activity of cleaning up the very center he tried to vandalize. This is the turning point in Pyre’s life. In the meantime a string of, what appears to be, wolf attacks has begun terrorizing the little town of Minitaw. This is also when a mysterious new student with emerald eyes begins attending Fillmore High (sound familiar to anyone?) He goes by the name of River. And mostly keeping to himself he somehow seems to draw little suspicion from anyone other than Pyre. All the while Pyre finds that the man he works for after school is indeed a vampire and he has a strong feeling that the recent changes to his strength and senses can all be traced back to that fact. What has he gotten himself into? As Pyre discovers the impossible truth around every corner fate closes in on him, and all that he loves, right up to the very ending of the novel. In the end, I found myself picturing the same school, parks, and overall little town that I did throughout Rancour. And while yes, it is the same town, even the map on the inside cover of the books are the same, it is hard to explain the talent it takes to bring a reader right back to where they once were. It felt like coming home, so much so, that I caught myself mixing the timelines of the two stories in my mind as it all sank in. And as if Rancour hadn’t already played with my emotions reading Book Two in the chronicles surely did the trick. As I said before, I was not ready to let go of this town and I wish there was more to this extraordinary world and the creatures within it! I highly recommend this series and hope that it brings the same sense of wonder and joy to you as it has for me. Below are the links to James McCann's Goodreads, Facebook, and website so you can follow him for more updates. He has also recently published a new novel "The Rise of the One-Eyed King" an apocalyptic drama filled with twists that will keep you sitting at the edge of your seat until the very end! Definitely keep and eye out for it or order one as soon as you can. Rise of the One-Eyed King By: James (Alfred) McCann Book Review by Miranda Fraser IBN 13: 9780993748653 First things first, I was INCREDIBLY lucky to get to read this novel early. The release date for this book is July 1st, 2016 and I highly recommend getting yourself a copy! This is also the same author who wrote Rancour, which was the first book review I ever posted. So I’d be lying if I said that he wasn’t one of my favorite author’s. But favorite author’s aside, I was nervous to read a novel about ‘zombies’. I’m sure I’m not the only person who LOVES zombies and horror stories. But when it comes to novels about them, it’s either really good or really bad. Let me just tell you right now, you can lay those fears aside. James brought a refreshing take on an apocalyptic world with a story line that is hard to put down. In fact, once again McCann’s writing hits home with unique characters you can’t help but to love. This story revolves around Ethan, a young man who hasn’t had the easiest life. In fact, he has always been the outcast both in his family and society, but with that came great knowledge. Which is good, considering this is the apocalypse we’re talking about, right? At this point I hope you’re thinking the important questions, such as,“Can an outcast have any friends?”or“Are his family involved in this story?” As unlikely and nerve wracking as it must be for Ethan, yes, he actually does get a group of unlikely ‘friends’. Now, I don't want to give to much away so for this I refer to the Goodreads information about the novel, just a small excerpt to leave you guessing, “Thomas, the thuggish football captain; Kady, the flighty cheerleader; and Gearald, the meek tinkerer”. And as for family, well, the absolute bane of Ethan’s entire existence is still alive and well- his own stepfather. This naturally doesn’t please Ethan and he fears the army, he knows his stepfather is sure to rise. In the meantime, McCann’s descriptive narration puts you right in the heart of the story. You find yourself working through problems in your head with Ethan, as well as feeling your heart strings tugged on as events pass by. Not to mention finding yourself in the middle of overgrown nature, rundown gunshot-filled buildings, and the constant fear of who’s behind you. And while worrying about all of this there’s the question of what started all this to begin with? How does it spread? Survival is about so much more than hunting down food and supplies, especially when you’re surrounded by monsters everywhere. Finally, it’s really no surprise that the real monsters in this story are not the zombies but the living. And when both are breathing down your neck and time is ticking away, you’re sure to be find yourself on one hell of an adventure, whether it is for the better or not. I highly recommend this novel, I fell for each character and found myself engrossed in the world of people trying to survive and struggling with moral decisions every step of the way. The Rise of the One-Eyed King is sure to be a hit. I’d also love to give a big shout out to James McCann for letting me read AND review this novel early. It was an extremely exciting experience and I have to say that it is very humbling when someone you admire so much is just as kind as easy going as you imagined. Thank you, James. AS I TEASED ABOUT ON INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER HERE IS THE LINK TO ENTER TO WIN A FREE GIVEAWAY OF THIS NOVEL!!! https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/enter_choose_address/184430-rise-of-the-one-eyed-king Here is the link to Jame's Blog Here is his facebook And here is his Goodreads where you can find more on this novel, and others, as well as the 'giveaway' link should mine not work.
Distant Waves: A Novel of the Titanic
By Suzanne Weyn Book Review by Miranda Fraser ISBN: 978-0-545-20045-5 First things first, if you’re pursuing this book in hopes that the whole story will be taking place ON the Titanic you will be mistaken. HOWEVER, if you are looking for one hell of a story that is full of intrigue, mystery, romance, and building anticipation then you will love this story. Ever since I was eight I’ve had a fascination with the Titanic and its mysterious sinking. So I would be lying if I said that “A Novel of the Titanic” didn’t influence my decision to buy this book. But despite being surprised that the story line was simply leading up to what happens on the Titanic I found myself hooked from the very beginning. Now, the story focuses around five sisters, their mother, a scientific genius, and a world split between spirituality and science. Jane, is our narrator, and the second oldest sister. In the order best described the sisters are: Mimi, Jane, Emma and Amelia (twins), and finally Blythe. At the beginning of the story we find that their mother believes she has a gift with contacting ghosts. Throughout the story the concept of psychics and the ability to contact those who have passed on is extremely important. I’ll get back to that later as this represents the spiritual part I brought up earlier. Now one of the really cool things that Suzanne manages to incorporate into this story are characters who actually existed during this time period. For instance, a recurring character is Tesla. Yes, the scientific genius Tesla! Our narrator met him at a young age and he becomes a sort of center point in her life. Being that the story focuses on five sisters it goes without saying that genetics play an interesting role in this. If their mother has a gift, or believes she has a gift, it could be possible that some of, if not all, of the sisters show potential. The twins are particularly interesting, in fact, they are a focus of great interest as you get further into the story! Are any of the girls predicting futures or events, or are they simply acting things out in their heads. Are there any real psychics? And what of the world of science, why is Tesla so important? We hear so little about him in reality, so what story did the author weave to give him such importance to a “Titanic” story? Believe me, it’s actually really interesting! Going back to the “split world” I mentioned earlier, the wonderful part of these two worlds, spiritual and scientific, melding together is that it creates a beautiful foreshadowing. After all psychics try to predict the future, right? *wink* But it also lends to the constant human search for answers of the possibility of life after death. Should you live a life for religion or science? Perhaps, why not both? And given the time period of the Titanic, tension over skin color is still prevalent and Suzanne does a wonderful job bringing this to light. Between her clever foreshadowing and the brilliant hooks that keeps you flipping the pages this story is wonderfully addicting. With every page flip you find yourself being drug further and further in. By the last fifty pages you will be unable to focus on anything but finding out how this ends. And if you're like me, spend the last ten emotionally wrecked bawling your eyes out. [But then again, I get emotional over amazing stories.] Brick Lane
by Monica Ali Book Review by Miranda Fraser ISBN: 978-0743243315 This isn’t exactly going to be my typical book review. Normally I would be gushing at the seams of how much I loved the story. This time I’m slightly more pessimistic, so bare with me. For starters, this is not the type of book that I personally would grab if I were browsing at a book store. You’ve seen the type of stories I’ve reviewed before [unless you’re new to this website] and this one doesn’t quite fit the mold. I had to read this novel for a women’s literature course I’m taking in college. And when I started reading the book I was slightly intrigued, a couple more chapters and I was bored out of my mind. I wanted to put the book down SOOOOO bad. I literally talked to my best friend about it for an hour, to which he said, “This book gave you the Forrest Whitaker eye”. [For the record, I promised you that’d go in my book review and I kept that promise!] Yet, as I kept reading I grew more and more intrigued. I started to understand just WHY this book had been the winner of the 2003 Discover Award for Fiction, as well as nominated for a few other rewards. Monica Ali, I give you a lot of credit for writing a very compelling piece. I’m sorry I didn’t give it the due it deserved when I started reading it. First of all, we should discuss the basic parts of this novel. We start our story with a young Bangladesh woman, who we ultimately find, which is customary with their culture, is being married off to a man she does not know and does not “love”. Now I put love in quotes because that is one of the very important topics that Ali tackles in her writing. This man lives in London, so after the wedding, she is whisked off on a plane and flown to a new country away from everyone and everything she once knew. That’s right, this story has a lot to do with immigration. But not quite the way we in America are used to, though the struggles I’m sure are the same. The years fly by in this novel and in the meantime, we find out more about her family, both in Bangladesh and that which her and her husband build. We learn about her husband over time, and while I went from hating the man to feeling strongly for him, I can honestly say that the journey from start to finish with this man teaches you a lot about love and how relationship bloom. And no, this isn’t a typical Disney love story, love doesn’t bloom slowly till they’re infatuated with the other, but it is still a lover worth reading. If you know anything about Muslim cultures, and I mean real knowledge, you know that most women are not permitted to work and rarely leave the home. They stay home and take care of the house, their children, and their husband. They do as they say and that is that. I feel part of the beauty of this story is the melding and the fight of the melding of the western culture and the Bangladesh culture. Her husband wants so badly to stick to their roots, but that’s a very hard battle within a world so different from where you’re from. Now, that I’ve given you some insight to what you will see within their relationship I want to also tell you of other topics and issues that Ali beautifully writes. And you will have to pay close attention to themes within the story, such as fate, love, and even racism. And this is because the emphasis on fate, of a power stronger than you, is a very heavy theme. One you will be introduced to from the very beginning. Can you do anything without it going against your fate? Or perhaps that’s just it, in thinking you’re going against fate, you are actually doing exactly as you are fated to do. And what power does an immigrant have in a westernized culture. Who should change? The immigrants or the natives? Who is right and who is wrong? Should an immigrant be asked to give up their culture, aka their religion, their dress, their traditions? And what of raising children in such a different world? How can two immigrants, who have spent years trying to maintain their culture, raise children in a western world. Particularly daughters when fashion and music is such an important part of growing up. When the media tells us what we are to look like and what is “in” how can girls growing up westernized be forced to dress in saris and only listen to their parents’ homeland music? This and MANY other issues are touched on within this novel. And I think what’s so beautiful and confusing, and sometimes frustrating, about this story is that it all just blends together. You’re reading about a woman’s life, and those of the people around her, and in the meantime, you’re touching on such deep topics you find yourself stopping and thinking it over yourself. And one minute you might find yourself siding with one character’s view on things and then the next do a complete 180 and side with someone on the opposing side. Also, this book contains the issue of religion. Religion is one of those topics where everyone has their own opinion of it, so sometimes it is very difficult to write about. What will your readers think, what racism or scandal may happen over this topic? And what’s wonderful is Ali just writes about it anyways. Writes about Nazeen, our main character, and her battle with religion. She loves her religion, she follows it closely, but everyone is capable of sin. And when a sin sweeter than anything you’ve ever tasted before comes walking through your door, you may not be able to resist it. There is a second love interest in the novel, a man who in most ways is very different from her husband, and in some ways very like him. This issue is greater than you would imagine and the things it helps her to unlock and live through are immeasurable. In the end, I stand by my change of heart. You will love it and you will hate it. It will be a struggling roller coaster to get through. But when you get to that last page and you read how it all goes you come to the point where you no longer hate the story but rather feel a sense of overall enlightenment and heartfelt sympathies. I finished the book and tingle sense of emotions just rolled over me. Monica Ali, thank you for writing Brick Lane. [I also have the movie Brick Lane rented and plan to watch it. We all know the movies are never as good as the novel but I still want to see it. I will let you know how it is later.] [Update, I hated the movie.] I tried to find a link to Monica Ali the one listed as Ali, is a link from her publisher. Lament
by Maggie Stiefvater Book Review by Miranda Fraser ISBN: 978-0-7387-1370-0 Alright, so I know they say you can't judge a book by its cover, but let me first address how awesome this book cover is! It is actually what caught my attention to begin with, a gorgeous Celtic designed dagger surrounded by clovers, it is just stunning! Then I look and see "Maggie Stiefvater" written on the cover. And as this woman has managed to steal my heart, over and over again with all of her amazingness, I knew this book had to be mine! Fast forward past two college exams and enough time to actually sit down and read this book- I get about 30 pages in and think, "My goodness this is amazing, is there a sequel, I must have it!". (So I ran up to Half Price Books and bought the sequel.) I get 50 pages in and I think, "PLOT TWIST!" and I can't put this book down! Almost 300 pages in and I'm borderline bawling my eyes out praying for an amazing ending. And so my lovelies let us discuss this amazing creation of the written word! To begin with, our important characters are Deidre, our main heroine, Luke, our main male hero (maybe, dun dun dun!), and James, our heroine's best friend and comedic genius. I would literally burst out laughing at his parts! So there you have it, our three important characters. But there's also family members and other people who come into play here and there and believe me, their parts can be just as interesting to the story as our main characters. Essentially, you have your basic run of the mill love triangle when you think of it, right? Male and female best friends, new boy on the block, can't see any strange tension there, right? WRONG! Boom! Maggie makes things interesting! Unspoken secrets all around, mysterious happenings, and unique, though seemly normal, teenagers! Now, we find out right away that our heroine is quite the harp player, actually she just might be one of the most gifted teenage musicians ever! But is she gifted in other ways as well? (I will approach that in a little bit *wink*). We also find out that her best friend James is a gifted big pipe player. And to top it all off Luke is an extremely talented flute player. Hmm, we have a very musical theme here, right? Well lets see Celtic cover, Celtic instruments, yep, there might be a theme here. So what in the wonderful world of Celtic legends loves music? The Fey, of course. Faeries! Brilliant! So this whole novel revolves around three musically talented teenagers and a mystery of the Fey. Of course, I said I would readdress my question of what else she might be gifted at, right? Well, if we have the Fey involved, and we all know they are not exactly the nicest creatures, (certainly not the Tinkerbell and friends that Disney mass feeds our little girls) there must be something they are after- and music isn't it. Turns out our heroine is very important to some very important otherworldly creatures and it just might be Luke knows more than he's letting on. Well, at least at first, after all it's hard to tell a story you're not allowed to tell. Perhaps this is confusing? Good! Nothing is better than a good mind game, especially to the Fey. If they're out there they are probably having a gay old time at Stiefvater's brilliant word puzzles, poetic songs, and perfectly placed carrot dangling. Luke may not be as innocent as he seems, and the Fey might not all be as wicked as we think, but with bad omens, mysterious abilities, and crazy evil freaks running around, this story certainly keeps you on the edge of your seat! Plus, as I said almost 300 pages in and I was an emotional wreck, I laughed so hard at these characters wit and humor, cried when things were looking hopeless, went gaga over the mushy lovey-dovey parts, and found myself wishing this story wouldn't end. I highly suggest this book, it is emotional, it is brilliantly played out, and shows a depth of a character growth that is remarkable in a story of its size! I am practically opening the sequel as we speak, to see where this otherworldly adventure takes us next! Links to Maggie Stiefvater's website and facebook are on the buttons below! Book of a Thousand Days
by: Shannon Hale Book Review by: Miranda Fraser ISBN: 978-1599903781 Book of a Thousand Days is based on an old Brothers Grimm story "Maid Maleen" and while I have not read that particular tale I stand by the Brothers Grimm as having some of the best tales known to man! We owe so much to their collection of tales! And I would also like to point out that this book has won the Whitney Award for Best Speculative Fiction in 2007. With that being said, this novel already has some great credibility! Plus the author, Shannon Hale is a Newbery Honor winner and has many amazing stories published! But this book... it's just truly incredible. It really leaves you with a yearning to finish this tale. This book of days, as it could be called, is written as a diary. There are not chapters, but rather the pages go on and every so often it's marked with "Day (insert number here)" and thus you've reached a new entry in her journal. Now this story focuses on a mucker maid (read the novel to find out what that is) and her Lady, whom she is a Lady's Maid to. She is sworn to take care of her Lady and follow her orders. The complicated part? Well, to start with, she is a maid to a Lady whose father has decided to lock her up in a tower for seven years for refusing to marry the man he chose. Complicated enough for you? But wait there's more! She refuses to marry this man for various reasons, but on top of that she has also betrothed herself to a different man. So now we have two suitors, an angry father, and finally a Lady and her maid locked in a tower. Rapunzel style, but more intense... So now that we've got your average, everyday princess locked up scenario lets move on. Normally, I just talk about the book, but really this is a story that deserves something different. This is a story that leaves you with a lot of emotions. It's the type of story you pick up and you read 60 pages and you think you're ready to put it down for a little bit. But the next chance you get, you will have it right back in your hands, enthralled with reading this girl's journal. If we've learned nothing from other famous journals is that you don't know how the story will end. Are we reading a dead girl's journal because she didn't make it? Or are we reading it because she left it for her children and their children and so on? You're stuck wondering how her story goes. You find yourself wondering what it must be like to live in a world such as this. To have such hardships. Dashti, the maid, is the one keeping the journal, she's just a peasant, a Lady's maid, nothing special as far as the world's concerned and even she feels this way at times. But she is more important to the kingdoms than she knows. And as you read you sense this importance, but you never know when it's going to come out. When are things going to take a turn? You wait and wonder and speculate. And I can tell you that I love books, and some stories just stick because you loved them, but this story sticks because it leaves you with a truly satisfied story-line. The plot to this story is beautiful. It just resonates with a pure storytelling. An ending you hope for but never see actually playing out. It's one of those books where when you think all hope is lost you slowly start to give into the negativity. And then suddenly something wonderful happens! Something just shifts and the entries change and you're on the edge of your seat! You find yourself laughing with the characters and feeling their frustration when things seem lost. It's a book that when it comes to the end you feel complete. Like a true fairy tale, beginning to end, just wonderful. And that's what I want people to know about this story, it's just wonderful. I highly suggest picking up this book and reading. Go to the library, the book store, eBooks (if that's your thing), just wherever you might find a copy. I found mine sitting on the shelf at Half Price Books and thought it looked perfect, boy was I right. What a story! And hey, if you saw this review and went out and read it, please let me know what you thought of it! Shannon Hale's official site and Facebook are linked on the buttons below! My Soul To Save
by Rachel Vincent Book Review by Miranda Fraser ISBN: 978-0-373-21004-6 My Soul To Save is the second book in the Soul Screamers series. These stories are excellent! Once again Vincent has weaved a tale you just DON'T want to put down. I don't know if I am going to do a review for every book in the series, but I decided this definitely needed one. To begin with, a big concern I heard from other people was that the heroine of the story doesn't know anything. [If you haven't read the first book or at least my review of the first book I suggest you do so now because this may contain spoilers.] Now my problem with those kind of reviews are that not only is it an interesting concept to have a heroine who doesn't have all the answers, but its also inaccurate to complain about it. In my last review I said that Kaylee would begin to understand things better and come out of her shell in future stories. Well, I can put any doubt to rest that she did just that! Even in this story there are new elements she hasn't EVER had to tackle before, but she does so with an open mind and figures things out much quicker than you might think. So now we have a heroine who is not only saving the day, but she's learning on the go. Way to go Kaylee, I always believed in you! And along the way we also see a return of our favorite characters from the first book and a perfect continuation of their stories and their aid to Kaylee. This story picks up as closely after the last one as possible, I believe it said it was only a few weeks since the last story. Kaylee and her father are working through their fragile relationship and her father's overly watchful curfews. Her and her boyfriend are still going strong, much to her father's dismay. Kaylee has "banshee lessons" to better understand her abilities as well as learn to control them. And of course our friend the reaper is ever present making him an unforgettable character in our hearts. Despite being a Banshee it seems that she lives as normal a life as possible, but then comes a fateful concert, where a pop star dies right in front of her. But when she feels no need to wail her world turns around once more. Subsequently, she comes face to face with new information she never would have thought of. Why couldn't she wail for the fallen pop-star? Well, she can't cry for someone who has no soul. [Seriously, I warned there were spoilers] From that moment on things trickle out of control, leading up to us getting a better look at the Netherworld and its inhabitants. Which is as exciting as it is eerie. Kaylee has learned how to use more of her abilities as a female bean sidhe, and when a young woman's soul is at stake Kaylee takes a risk to save her from a hellion's eternal torment. This involves breaking curfews, sneaking around with a pop-idol, crossing over into the netherworld, bargaining with a hellion, and almost losing her own soul. Talk about a roller coaster! And she still has high school on top of all that! To clarify, this was one of the best sequels I've ever had the pleasure of reading! Vincent's characters are unforgettable, her plot twists are amazing, her descriptions are timeless and I am eagerly awaiting reading the third book! Links to Vincent's website and Facebook below. My Soul To Take
by: Rachel Vincent Book Review by: Miranda Fraser ISBN: 978-0373210039 Sub-genres: Fantasy & Paranormal When I saw this book sitting on a shelf at Half Price Books I was intrigued. After I read the back, I was like, "So she's a *******?" (What? You really thought I'd tell you this early on?) To which my boyfriend promptly looked at the book and said, "Yea, it’s a really good series too!" So I bought it. I read it in about two days time; it was one of those books that you really couldn't put down. Every time I did I sat there thinking about what was going to happen next and I just couldn't let it go! So, if mythology and mysteries are your cup of tea then look no further because Rachel Vincent has combined the two beautifully. PLUS there's a little bit of romance, and who doesn't want a sprinkling of that? This story is told through our heroine Kaylee's point of view. She is your typical sixteen year old girl, She has a love interest, an awesome best friend, and her fair share of family problems.The difference between Kaylee and other teenage girls? She can tell when someone's going to die... and worse yet she uncontrollably screams bloody murder when she senses it- and she has NO clue why she does this! As far as she’s concerned, she is just completely insane. That is until one of her predictions comes true... Much to her pleasure two people, her boyfriend and best friend, witnessed it so there is some proof she’s not certifiably insane! But this leads to more questions, as she wonders why she has this ability, does her family know, why did that girl die, and why are more dying every day? Now that you have an idea of what’s going on, allow me to blow your mind! Vincent’s world of screaming girls only gets more insane! If you know your mythology you know that Kaylee is clearly a banshee or Bean Sidhe as the Celts call them. Way cool! Not too many people write about them, much less put such AMAZING plot twists on them. Vincent takes the concept of a famous legend and adds new twists to what Banshees are and what they can do! But it doesn’t stop there, oh no, you have your Banshees, Reapers, family secrets, and sudden deaths. And NONE of it is what you’d think! Her new twists and amazing storytelling makes this book unforgettable! I am a very proud to be Scottish and Irish, our myths are absolutely exciting, but I swear I will NEVER look at Banshees the same way again! All the mysteries, from the little ones making up Kaylee’s direct story, to the bigger picture of why all these girls are suddenly dying is an unforgettable ride! You will try to predict the ending, and trust me, you won’t. Now I would like to make a few notes on this. 1- I've seen a few people talking on other sites saying that this wasn't a good book, that the heroin is too ill informed, etc etc. Seriously? This is book one of a series. She has NO CLUE what she is or why she has these abilities. It all comes as quite a shock to a 16 year old girl. GIVE IT TIME. I plan on picking up the sequel tomorrow and I'm sure it will ONLY get better! 2- Now that I've made mention that this is only the first book, I would like to comment that there are seven books in the series.... PLUS a prequel to the first story and three Novellas being told by other character's. I will not be commenting on those, at least not any time soon, as I don't read Novellas [big let down because they look REALLY good]. Here are the links to Rachel Vincent's sites. Rancour
by James McCann Book Review by Miranda Fraser ISBN: 978-1897476116 WOW! What a book! I've read this story before, say seven or eight years ago, so I already knew it was a fabulous read, but re-reading it only confirmed how wonderful this intricate work of fiction really is. This book has so many layers to it! There is a very heavy emphasis on the battle of good vs. evil and as you read the book you will find yourself questioning what is honorable and what is a sin. The novel takes place in a tiny town where a series of mysterious events has started taking place. As the story progresses, we find ourselves with a small town mystery, a werewolf, a vampire, a mortal girl, and a back story to shake the ages! McCann paints a vivid picture of the time period and invokes such raw emotions of his characters. It’s impossible to put this book down. I read it in one night! The story is told from Rancour’s point of view which is what makes the story a MUST read. He is an Irish werewolf who values morality and goodness above pretty much all else. As you can imagine being an ‘immortal’ creature gives you all the time in the world to think. He is a very philosophical creature and his journal entries through the story not only give light to him but give pause to the world as we know it. In his quest to find himself, and the one he loves, he has figured out the difference between mortals and immortals. And it’s not as black and white as you’d think. Their world might not be so different from ours… If you read the back of the book or the quick blurbs online you’ll notice the first thing it talks about is a girl named Alix. The mortal girl I mentioned earlier. And those really do make it seem like this book is about her, but in reality the REAL story takes place around her. She is in the middle of an ancient feud between werewolf and vampire. But it gets SOOOO much better. Turns out werewolf and vampire are not the only ‘immortal’ creatures running around in this world. The plot thickens and memories from the past fly between characters. You will be dying to get to the end and see what becomes of this ancient feud and the characters within. I myself cannot wait to pick up the sequel and see what new wonders McCann has put on paper! Two Quick Notes: 1- If you've read review comments on this book anywhere else you might have seen people saying "If you liked Twilight you'll like this book". THIS BOOK IS WAY BETTER. So if you don't like Twilight just go ahead and put that comparison out of your mind! Because McCann's Vampires and EPIC immortal beings are a WHOLE OTHER LEVEL from Meyers. [And before any crazy twilight fans jump down my throat, I own the series, I read and enjoyed the books but I love this way more.] 2- As I was grammar checking my review I stumbled across a comment from THE James McCann about this book. This is what he said on the 27th of June 2014: "This third edition has many changes in the story from the first and second editions. A new publisher and new editors helped craft a much better book." Now the book I reviewed is a second edition. I had read the first edition BEFORE there was ever a "Rancour Chronicles" but when it came time to buy a copy all I could find was a second edition. In June of 2014 James announced a third edition of the book. I thought this was strictly based on the cover, but based on his comment I am TICKLED PINK to get a copy of the third edition!!!!! I AM SOOOO HONORED TO FIND OUT THAT JAMES MCCANN SHARED THIS REVIEW! I was looking for him to add a link to him on here and I found that instead. |
YA Fiction Reviews |