be AUDacious

books: how I rate them

I've been making it through a lot of books here recently, thanks to some recent requests from Netgalley and a couple of trips to the public library. There's a big pile of new releases that I'm really looking forward to this summer, so reading is at the top of my "spare time" list (but then again, when is it not?)

I thought I'd spend a little time talking about the rating system I use. I've been using Goodreads to keep track of and rate the books I read since 2007 (I can't believe it's been that long), so naturally I use their 5 star rating. However, my ratings go a little further than just those little phrases they use to explain each one.

A 5-star rating is one that I give to a book that I absolutely ADORE. One that I fall in love with from the very first page and then feel sad when it's over and I have to leave that world. These aren't always technically or stylistically perfect books; they sometimes have flaws, but the story and the characters and the writing combine to keep me completely immersed in their world during the entire time I'm reading. Sometimes these are genre books, and sometimes they are literary fiction. Some are adult novels, some are YA fiction, some are children's books. That doesn't matter, though -- a good story is a good story.

A 4-star book is a good book. It's a book that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to someone else. In many ways, 4-star books are a lot like 5-star books (sometimes, 4-star books are technically or stylistically BETTER than 5-star books) -- the one thing they are missing is that elusive magic that makes me really CONNECT with a book. 4-star books are books that I enjoyed fully.

A 3-star book is an okay book. It's one that I enjoyed reading, for the most part, but there's usually something about it that just doesn't sit right with me -- I have complaints about the author's style or about the world they've created. Those things aren't huge issues, in that they don't make me consider not finishing a book. In fact, they usually won't keep me from recommending a book, but they do warrant a comment when I'm reviewing the book.

A 2-star book is an okay book with some pretty big issues in terms of character or world-building or plot or author's style. This usually ends up being a book whose premise I find interesting (on the book jacket or in a review blurb) but the author really fails to deliver the goods. It's a book that I'll finish but only because I've already invested some time in it and I might as well complete it. I usually won't recommend a book with this rating, or at least not without a warning.

Books with 1-star ratings are just yuck. Most of the time there are major issues with the content and the style, and I usually just skim through them. There are very few books that I don't finish -- it's just a quirk I have, that no matter how bad a book is, I still have to finish it. I think it's because there have been times when a book takes longer than 50 pages to really grab me and keep me reading. Most of the time I know when a book is going to get a 1-star rating early on, but I still feel the need to know what happens, even if I don't particularly care. It's weird, I know. 

book review: The Girl in the Clockwork Collar (The Steampunk Chronicles #2)

Kady Cross (4 stars)
summary from Goodreads: "In New York City, 1897, life has never been more thrilling - or dangerous. 

Sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne and her "straynge band of mysfits" have journeyed from London to America to rescue their friend Jasper, hauled off by bounty hunters. But Jasper is in the clutches of a devious former friend demanding a trade-the dangerous device Jasper stole from him...for the life of the girl Jasper loves. 

One false move from Jasper and the strange clockwork collar around Mei's neck tightens. And tightens."

MY THOUGHTS: I've read all three of Cross's novels (well, two novels and a prequel/short story) in this series, and I think they've been a lot of fun. On the technical side of things, I think Cross's style is just average -- she's not a flowery writer, but her prose doesn't stand out much, either. Sometimes an author can really grab you with a spare style, but that's not the case here. Cross writes serviceable prose, clear enough to set the scene and make her point -- and that's about it. Character development is pretty basic; obviously more time is devoted to Finley's perspective, though we spend a good bit of time in Griffin's head too. Both of these viewpoints work in favor of the romance (though I'm a little disappointed that we don't have Jack Dandy in this book to liven things up a bit). 

This book featured a number of things I've come to expect from steampunk, as well as a bonus: Nikola Tesla, who is one of my very favorite historic characters to show up in steampunk/alternate history novels. The New York setting is a great touch, though I wish the author had spent a little more time really describing the setting.

If I had to make one complaint about this book, it would be this: the pacing was really weak, particularly when it came to the climax of the book. The big "showdown" at the end took all of three pages to happen, and the scenes cut to each other too quickly. I felt like there was a lot that was left out and it all just felt so anti-climactic, especially after a buildup of almost 300 pages. There's one big plot point that's just left flapping loosely as well -- of course, I have my suspicions about what is going on, but obviously I'll have to wait until book #3 to see if I'm right.

Still, this is a fast, fun read -- almost like a chicklit version of steampunk.

book review | Auraria: A Novel

Tim Westover (4 stars) -- expected publication date: July 2012

(taken from Goodreads): "Water spirits, moon maidens, haunted pianos, headless revenants, and an invincible terrapin that lives under the mountains. None of these distract James Holtzclaw from his employer’s mission: to turn the fading gold-rush town of Auraria, GA, into a first-class resort and drown its fortunes below a man-made lake. But when Auraria’s peculiar people and problematic ghosts collide with his own rival ambitions, Holtzclaw must decide what he will save and what will be washed away.

Taking its inspiration from a real Georgia ghost town, Auraria is steeped in the folklore of the Southern Appalachians, where the tensions of natural, supernatural and artificial are still alive."

MY THOUGHTS: It's always something of a risk, requesting ARCs from Netgalley, particularly books by authors whom you've never heard of. But the blurb contained enough interesting details to pique my interest -- this sounded like a great cross between John Crowley's Little, Big and Charles de Lint's Appalachian stories, like A Circle of Cats. 

Westover proves himself right off as a talented writer with surehanded prose, deft descriptions, and an ear for strong dialogue. I was easily caught up in the setting and time period; there are enough details to provide a sense of location and time period, but also just a tinge of vagueness so that the story takes on an almost otherworldly sense as well at times -- as though the characters have been pulled out of their actual time and location and dropped into another world. That's a hard trick to manage, but Westover does it well.

In fact, he does it almost too well from the start. While all the characters are interesting, it's Holtzclaw whom we are partnered with from the beginning, and I wasn't sure I bought into his total acceptance of the folklore of Auraria. At first, it's obviously because his character is so blindly set on obtaining the land his employer demands, but at some point his eyes are opened more clearly, and he just accepts things so naturally. I'm not sure if readers are supposed to just accept that he had acclimated to the place so quickly that he could do nothing but accept what was going on around him. His character seemed so uptight in the beginning that I really expected more of a freakout from him, but that never happened.

The various characters are amusing, interesting, and varied; the plot moves along quickly, with just a few lapses in a couple of spots. There were one or two chapters that seemed out of place -- almost like small, stand-alone chunks of folklore or old stories tucked into the larger story being told. There were wonderfully written, like everything else here, but they disrupted the flow of the story for me, and it took a bit to get back into the rhythm of things. 

Westover has written an enjoyable novel, with just the right combination of historical fiction and Georgian folklore to keep readers of a variety of genres interested. This is one that I'm glad I took a chance on at Netgalley, and I'll be recommending it to readers upon release.

Note: I received an Advanced Review Copy in e-book format from Netgalley. 

what I've been reading: April

In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination by Margaret Atwood (4 stars)
I read this as part of some research I'm doing for a curriculum unit, so my brain has been in this SF track for a few weeks now. I always enjoy Atwood's voice in her essays -- it's wry, with a sense of humor that is sometimes dark, sometimes sarcastic, and always keenly observant. The first three essays are particularly good, especially if you have an interest in SF, superheroes, and speculative fiction. The middle section features a number of introductions and reviews, mostly to pieces that I haven't read, and some of the material is reused in the opening section. The "Tributes" section contains some short pieces of Atwood's work. What I love most here is that, although she's technically only written 3 works of SF, some of the same themes from those books cross over into her more realistic work, thus blurring those genre lines even more (yay for interstitial fiction!!!) Personally, the collection is worth checking out from the library just to read the letter she wrote to a school board who banned one of her books. :)

The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt (4 stars)
 I put this on my to-read list as soon as it was released, but I'm not sure why I was drawn to it, since I don't normally read westerns at all. But something about the description sounded appealing to me, and I'm glad that I picked it up. DeWitt's writing is terse yet still descriptive; the violence is graphic without being overly done, and Eli's melancholy voice makes for one of the best narrators I've come across in a long time. It's no secret that I don't read a lot of what's considered literary fiction, though I would if more of it were this interestingly written. This is a story that works on a couple of levels, and I've found myself coming back to the characters and their observations many times over the past couple of days.

The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr (3 stars)
 Interesting readable nonfiction about the effect changing technology has on our abilities to concentrate, read, think, problem-solve, analyze, and more. I enjoyed tracking the evolution of our brains through history, from an oral storytelling culture to a highly computerized society. My only issue is that much of what's presented here isn't particularly earth-shattering and Carr doesn't offer up much of anything new, even in his synthesis of all the current research.

Beekeeping for Beginners by Laurie R. King (4 stars)
I've never read any of the Mary Russell / Sherlock Holmes books, but I have heard great things about them. This short story provided a nice introduction to the characters. I LOVE how it started off -- there was just something about the author's writing style and voice, combined with the plot events, that really engaged the part of me that loves a good story. It's just this sense I got of "Oh, this is really good." Which doesn't always happen in such a crystal-clear manner, especially within the first couple of pages. I will definitely have to add this series to my list of books to-be-read. (As though it needed to get any longer....argh!)

Watch Your Mouth by Daniel Handler (2 stars)
 I don't think that there's any doubt that Handler is a talented writer; his wit and wordplay can knock your socks off at times. But for me, this just didn't work. I guess I just found it less absurd and more annoying. For the most part, I skimmed through the whole thing.

Redwoodian: Wilfair Book 2 by Alysia Gray Painter (4 stars)
 Okay -- so many of the things that kinda bugged me about the first book have been toned down, particularly all the little quirks that Fair is prone to while speaking. Things aren't quite so crazy inside her head, either -- and this time around, we really get to know Fair better. The best part is that the budding romance between Fair and Gomery is just too adorable for words, and the metaphysical mystery of moving buildings has really got me intrigued now. I'm looking forward to part 3.

Underdog by Markus Zusak (3 stars)
This is Zusek's very first novel, the first of three semi-autobiographical novels about growing up in a working class family and struggling to find your voice in the world. There's a lot that's really clumsily down here, but I can't deny how endearing Cameron (read: Zusak) is. It's clear even from these rough beginnings that Zusak is talented, although it's a little awkward and even embarrassing to see just how overdone and angst-y this attempt is. Still, there's something appealing about Cameron and his family, and I found myself rooting for the Underdog.

Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta (5 stars)
I wasn't really sure I could love one of Marchetta's characters more than I loved Finnikin, until I read Froi. Froi was a secondary character in Marchetta's first Lumatere novel, but he steps to the forefront in this novel and just steals the show. He is so dimensional he practically leaps off the page, and so flawed that your heart simply aches for him. It doesn't matter if you are a fan of fantasy or not, because Marchetta has crafted a story that transcends genre boundaries and makes you focus completely on the characters. I absolutely can't wait until the third book. 

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell (5 stars)
Easily one of the best books I've read all year. This one will be going on my "bestbooksever" shelf as well. I love when ideas converge, and this book came at such a perfect time for me, since I've been reading a lot of dystopian fiction and nonfiction about technology and consumerism and our need for moremoremore. Mitchell's novel tackles these themes, as well as a study on humanity and what we can endure (and how) through "progress." The various genres here are masterfully done, with incredibly diverse voices and styles, as well as an inventive form. Mitchell works in so many different layers to these stories; this is a novel that is overflowingly rich with connections for the careful reader, but just as enjoyable for someone who's simply after a well-crafted novel. 

Fighting Ruben Wolfe by Markus Zusak (4 stars)
 With each new novel in the series, I fall more in love with Cameron Wolfe, Zusak's tender-hearted idealistic alter ego. This second novel finds Zusak on firmer ground in terms of plotting and story arc; his characters are strong, dialogue is good, and he's experimenting with form, which continues in the third novel (and definitely is something that works for him in The Book Thief). This is a great novel for boys, which is a plus, but you don't have to be a teen boy to enjoy it. Again, there are places where the writing is heavy-handed and overdone but there is no denying Zusak's talent, and watching him develop through the three novels in this series is a really interesting examination.

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney (3 stars)
This is one of those instances where I want to definitely emphasize that my feelings for this book are in no way reflective of my feelings for this topic. The book is about date-rape, and I think Whitney handles the topic pretty well, but there's nothing really original about this book in terms of what's been written about date-rape in YA books before (but perhaps that's because I can't help but compare this to Speak, which for me is the definitive book on the topic). The idea of the Mockingbirds as a form for meting out campus judgement is interesting, but I have some issues with this concept of student justice (particularly because the author has handicapped the faculty at this prep school so handily -- I think that is overdone and way too cliche and heavy-handed for reality). Whitney's writing is not especially strong either, so I found myself skimming a lot because things were pretty repetitive and Alex just got annoying by the end. 

French Milk by Lucy Knisley (3 stars)
 A nicely drawn diary of the author's stay in Paris with her mother. I think the cover blurbs are misleading, because I don't really see the development of the mother-daughter relationship here, at least not like I was expecting. Lucy's drawings are fun and it was nice to experience Paris through her eyes, but everything was a bit flat in terms of story -- I kept wondering "What's the point?" I was told what I should expect to read here, but that's not what I actually read.

The Apothecary by Maile Meloy (4 stars)
I listened to this today, on an 8 hour road trip by myself, and it was the PERFECT way to pass the time. This is an absolutely charming adventure story with a dash of magic -- plus there are spies and it's set in London and has boarding schools and all kinds of great little touches. The characters are excellently written -- just your ordinary kids who have an extraordinary adventure. Just the kind of book I loved as a younger reader, and one that still appeals to me as an older reader now.

Hana by Lauren Oliver (3 stars)
 I liked seeing the events of Delirium from Hana's point of view (particularly since Lena kind of got on my nerves once she fell in love with Alex). I like the added dimension of things not being what Hana expected them to be, and her struggle to come to terms with that. Aside from that, there's not much here that really adds to the other two novels, though the twist at the end might be a surprise for some folks.

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver (3 stars)
 I'll be honest, it's Oliver's writing that brings me back to this series, rather than the concept of the book itself. I think the world-building is a little weak, and I could kick her for falling back on some pretty worn-out YA tropes, but I'll admit -- Oliver can write like nobody's business, and that alone keeps me sucked into this world.

Ella Publishing's newest e-book: book crafting

Looking for fun things to do with old books? Look no further! Inspired by their Books & Crafts weekly web show, Angie Lucas and Wendy Smedley teamed up with three crafty contributors to bring you an eBook jam-packed with book crafting ideas—one of today's hottest trends.

You'll enjoy 38 brilliant crafts with old books (from pencil boxes and picture frames to canvas art and book journals), plus direct links to four Books & Crafts videos that explore four of the book craft ideas in depth.

On top of that, you'll also get 5 fabulous layout ideas about books and reading, plus 76 pages of List It! for Book Lovers printable journaling cards! The List It! section includes lists, quizzes, and reading log pages that you can print directly in either a scalloped or square shape, in either black or brown. And if you want to customize them further, your purchase includes the associated PNG files as well!

MY OPINION: There was so much great inspiration in this e-book. I am constantly finding great old books -- one of our favorite places, as I've mentioned before, is McKay's Used Books in Nashville. I'm always having to convince myself not to bring home more books since we already have more than we can store, but these projects have given me so many ideas. I really loved the variety of projects, particularly the vintage desk set (see below) and the repurposed notebooks.

I've been working on a reading journal for a while, and the List It! topics in this e-book are great prompts to include in my journal. (You can find my original post here, with a follow-up post here and a freebie to download here.) In fact, I used one of the prompts as a starting point for this layout, about one of the books that impacted my love for reading when I was in elementary school.

credits: April Foundations Template #8 by Crystal Livesay (Live Your Stories); Tell Me a Story collaboration kit (One Story Down)

Right now you can get Book Crafting for an introductory price of $10.99; if you love books and crafting, then this e-book offers you both at a great price!

what i've been reading: March

Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral (4 stars)
I came across this totally by accident, just by browsing the shelves at a local bookstore. The story told via photographs and other interactive elements intrigued me, of course, and the artwork/design is masterfully done. This is one book you'll definitely want to read closely, as tiny details really do matter. Nothing is quite what it seems here, and so the open nature of the story leaves the resolution open to the reader's interpretation (reminds me of As Simple As Snow, in that sense). This is one of those books where you can't take anything literally. Well done and creative -- I recommend it.

Bright's Passage by Josh Ritter (4 stars)
This short novel contains a dreamlike quality, despite the horrors of both the World War I setting in France and the rural desolation of the Appalachian Mountains. I liked how Ritter told his two stories through alternating chapters, and the hint of magical realism gives the story the feel of a modern-day fable. Things didn't wrap up as smoothly as I think they could have, which is perhaps more a fault of Ritter's first-novel skills than anything else. Still, I breezed through this quickly and thought it was beautifully written, if a little overdone in some passages.

Feed by M.T. Anderson (3 stars)
I see a lot of opportunity for talking about technology, knowledge, consumerism, and more with students through this novel. However, for just my own personal reading entertainment, I wasn't particularly engrossed. There were parts that were done exceptionally well, but for the most part, I was just completely annoyed by the narrator and his friends.

Magic or Not? by Edward Eager (4 stars)
Cami brought this home from school; it was given to her as part of some reading initiative. The author's name was familiar to me, in the same vein as Joan Aiken or E. Nesbitt. And even though these were quite the kinds of books I would have ADORED as a young reader, I don't think I read many of them. Perhaps Half Magic? That one sounds familiar, but I'm just not sure. Anyway, this one was great fun -- it's the nostalgic kind of magic realism that seems so common to a certain type of novel for young readers, and reading it was so familiar and comforting. Just the kind of thing to pull me out of my recent reading funk.

Ghost Story by Jim Butcher (4 stars)
I see that this installment of The Dresden Files is getting some really mixed reviews -- probably to be expected with the turn the series has taken. I liked going back and seeing some of the events that have shaped Dresden; those things were hinted at in previous books, but in this case, we get some nicely detailed full chapters. I also like seeing how Dresden has to adapt to what has happened to him, and the look at how other characters have adjusted to the most recent events (although a few of those glimpses are pretty perfunctory and just felt tacked on -- Thomas is the most obvious example). While it felt like it took a bit for things to get rolling in terms of moving toward some kind of resolution here, Butcher starts with the action right off the bat, so there was always something going on. I enjoyed this one more than some of the most recent contributions to this series.

Swamplandia by Karen Russell (3 stars)
I really enjoyed Russell's collection of short stories. Her writing is just as excellent here -- her prose is muscular, descriptive, stark, often witty. She excels at creating mood and atmosphere; her settings are well-drawn, and her characters are quirky and flawed, possessing voices that draw you in to them easily. You'd think that all of those things would combine for an excellent book, but I didn't find that to be the case at all. This really dragged for me; reading it felt like walking through the swamps she so easily describes. Maybe it's the bleak situation of the Bigtree family that sucks at your feet like quicksand. Maybe it's the dark sense of foreboding because you KNOW that this, this cannot be a good idea, that made me reluctant to keep reading more than 20 or 30 minutes at a time. Whatever it was, reading this book was slow going for me, which is not normally the case.

Jamrach's Menagerie by Carol Birch (5 stars)
I was a little worried when I started this book. I've been on quite a YA kick and sometimes adult literary fiction fails to grab me quickly enough after so many YA novels. And with my recent experience with Swamplandia, I just wasn't sure that I'd enjoy or appreciate this. Boy, was I wrong. Birch's narrator Jaffy is a marvelous storyteller -- his voice is authentic and immediate and so enjoyable. And Birch's style, her prose -- ahhhhh, what a treat. There's nothing here for the faint-of-heart, as other reviews have noted, but Jaffy's journey is one that you must take. Unless 2012 turns out to be a bumper crop of books, this one will definitely be on my "best of" list.

The Magic Half by Annie Barrows (4 stars)
A cute little novel from the j-fiction shelves -- Cami is a fan of Ivy+Bean and really liked this one as well. Suspenseful and even a bit unsettling, but full of good writing, strong heroines, and great action. Cami is my reluctant reader, and there were several nights in a row where I had to *make* her stop reading to go to bed. Always a good sign.

Wilfair by Alysia Gray Painter (3 stars) 
The basics of this are good -- interesting characters and setting, although the narrator seems a bit young for 19. Still, it's a fun little romance, although I didn't care for the "to-be-continued" type ending. What I liked least was the overwhelming amount of clever wordplay and general overwriting it contained -- the author could've cut about half of it out and still been left with a fun YA novel with a distinctive voice and style. Instead, there was a lot here that I just skimmed over because it felt unnecessary. 

 

 

 

what I've been reading: February

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (3 stars):
I love John Green. I'm so glad we have authors like him (and like Libba Bray, Melina Marchetta, A.S. King, and Marcus Zusek, among others) to counteract all the crap that's marketed to teen readers. With that said, I wasn't all that impressed with this book. 

It's nothing technical -- Green is a fantastic writer. Everything works here: interesting characters, great dialogue, good pacing. In fact, it reads just the way you'd expect a John Green novel to read. Which is kind of the problem, as you've probably seen from other reviews. I just didn't find anything NEW here. Honestly, I thought the Amsterdam subplot was a stretch, and it was in the transition where the trip occurs that things felt awkward and clunky. Even to the point where I felt that things were being manipulated too strongly by the author, and that's usually not something I normally think while I'm reading a John Green novel. 

Of course, there were many things that I liked, too: Hazel's dad in particular is made of awesome, and I loved seeing little things I loved sprinkled throughout the book (J. Alfred Prufrock, you will always be my favorite). I liked getting a signed copy of the book, and I especially liked my Hanklerfish. :) 

But I stick by my rating; when all is said and done, this was just a so-so read for me. I liked it; I just didn't LOVE it.  

Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King (5 stars):
A.S. King has been added to my list of go-to YA authors. Basically that means that whatever she writes, I'll read. She creates characters with such distinctive voices and puts them into the rawest, realest situations. Her books are heavy but hopeful. More than that, they require that you sit up and take notice and then urge you to DO SOMETHING but not in a way that's preachy or sentimental. I have a hard time writing about her books because I want to get into the details and really DISCUSS them -- and that's not what reviews are for. But that's how good her books are -- I want to talk about them and share them and act on them. This writer, she's incredible. 

Pearl Jam twenty by Pearl Jam (5 stars):
 There's so so so much PJ goodness here. Photos, interviews, set lists. This definitely isn't a book you can sit down and consume all at once. It's better to take your time...read a little bit here, a little bit there. Pearl Jam has been one of the few bands that I've consistently listened to for the last 20 years, so recounting this journey feels like walking through my own history. If you're a fan, I think you need this book.

Evermore by Alyson Noel (1 star):
 There's honestly nothing good that I can say about this book. Well, the writing was decent. But the characters drove me crazy (there was WAY too much Edward Cullen in Damen), and the plotting/pacing was just so poorly constructed. When I see adults complaining about the type of books available for their teens, I know that this is what they've seen on the bookshelves in bookstores and big box stores, and I just kind of wither and die inside, because I know that there's so much QUALITY YA fiction that's available to teens that parents never see, because there's such a surfeit of subpar work like this clogging the shelves.

Steampunk! An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories, edited by Kelly Link and Gavin J. Grant (4 stars):
Short story anthologies are notably hit or miss -- and I've found that steampunk collections are even more so. This one, however, is one of the strongest collections I've read in some time. Almost every single story was well-crafted, and they each contributed something new to the subgenre, which can be difficult to find in a subgenre already so specific (and one that has become so popular recently in YA fiction). I thought that the two comics were fairly weak, as was the Cassandra Clare story. To balance that out, however, are superb stories by Libba Bray, Kelly Link, Elizabeth Knox, and Delia Sherman.

Getting the Girl by Marcus Zusak (5 stars):
 Oh Markus Zusak, I love you. I love you because, despite the fact that I know nothing about you, Cameron Wolfe is so distinctly written in this book that I imagine he has to be you, or some part of you as you were growing up. And he is so gorgeous in his aloneness and his not-okayness that becomes okayness that I have fallen in love with him, which means that I have fallen in love with you. 
I love getting a GOOD YA book told from a male point-of-view, and this one doesn't disappoint. There's so much goodness here, about coming of age and family (particularly brotherhood) and love (not just romantic love but also self-love) and self-awareness and being hungry...you just have to read it. 

After the Golden Age by Carrie Vaughn (4 stars):
 I thought this was absolutely delightful. Being part of a superhero family but lacking powers will certainly put a strain on family relationships, and Vaughn explores that potential quite well. The action was constantly moving here, and even though I figured out some of the plot twists in advance, I was still engrossed in how Vaughn examined the underlying family and personal issues. 

10 on Tuesday: the book series I enjoy edition

I posted last week about the books I'm looking forward to being released in 2012 and mentioned that there are a number of series (particularly YA series, since that seems to be the only way in which a book can get published these days -- as part of an ongoing series) that I'm excited to continue during 2012 with new releases. Here's a collection of the ones which I'm most excited about:

The Enchantress by Michael Scott:
I've really loved the entire pantheon of immortals and gods/goddesses that Scott has invoked in these books. There's such a wide variety of cultures represented, which is a bonus for a myth-geek like myself. Plus, he tells a great story, so it's a winning combination all around.

Black Heart by Holly Black:
Black's Curse Workers series is one of the most original series to hit the paranormal YA shelves in some time -- it's like a (much needed) breath of fresh air. She's one very talented writer, and she's constantly putting out strong, quality material.

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver:
I think this book has already been released (just within the past week, maybe?) Or perhaps it will be released within the next week. Anyway, you can get it soon. While I thought the overall idea for the series seemed awfully similar to Westerfeld's Ugly series, I can't deny the appeal of Oliver's prose. She writes so gorgeously, that I can forgive a multitude of sins in her books just because of the writing.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth:
Roth's dystopian debut was one of the best additions to this wildly popular trend that I've read in some time. I'm excited to see how she continues building this future world and how her characters continue to develop.

The Serpent's Shadow by Rick Riordan:
While I don't enjoy The Kane Chronicles as much as I like the two Olympus series, Riordan's work still completely captures my attention while I read. I love his use of mythology, and he has a knack for action, dialogue, and compelling characters. I'm also excited about the next Lost Heroes book due out in the fall, The Mark of Athena.

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor:
This is one that I'm seriously excited about. Taylor writes like a dream, and the world she has created takes standard paranormal fare and turns it into something otherworldly. Not to be missed!

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare:
Even though I get so aggravated by her characters at times, this is a series that I can't imagine not completing. And I think the fact that I react to the characters the way that I do speaks to how much I enjoy the series, even when it makes me angry! ha!

The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson:
I was really (delightfully) surprised by the strength of Carson's first novel; it reminded me so much of Robin McKinley's The Hero & The Crown, which remains one of my favorite YA novels of all time ever in the history of the world. This is another one that I'm really excited about -- I know I'll be picking it up immediately upon hardcover release.

Timeless by Gail Carriger:
I've really enjoyed the magic and manners atmosphere of this series. The books are quick, light reads and they are a lot of fun. They're great for a break in between longer or heavier reads. Definitely a series to spend some time with if you need something a little fluffy.

The Darkness Dwellers by Kirsten Miller: (cover art not available)
The Kiki Strike series is just perfect: a band of misfit girls, each with some awesome talents, work as spies and discover a secret underground world in New York City. There's so much cool stuff in these stories, and they are exceptionally well-written.

And a bonus for you:

Cold Days by Jim Butcher: (cover art not available)
Harry Dresden is my favorite wizard by far, and after 14 books, Butcher is still able to keep me reading late into the night, wondering just what is going to happen next and stifling my snickers at Dresden's smart mouth. 

 

 

 

movie adaptations of your favorite books

I didn't watch the Oscars yesterday evening; I spent most of the time putting together this week's coursework for a class I'm teaching at MSU. I did, however, follow along via comments on Twitter.

I've been quite interested in just how many of the Best Picture nominees this year are adapted from books. I'll admit, I haven't seen any of them. Hugo is on my list (and the girls are both excited about it as well), particularly as I think that The Invention of Hugo Cabret (and author Brian Selznick) is one of the most gloriously written/illustrated books I've ever read. Can I tell you another secret? I still haven't seen The Help either, though it's a novel that I just loved. See, that happens a lot. A novel that I love will get made into a movie, and then I'm so scared to see the movie because I'm afraid it will end up ruining the book for me. I've heard wonderful things about the movie, but I don't know -- something about it just makes me wary. I think it is because all the trailers make it look so funny and lighthearted, and that's not what I took from the novel at all. (Two of my most favorite books of all time, The Time-Traveler's Wife and Possession have both been made into movies that I've never seen, and I'll probably never work up the nerve to see them, to tell the truth.)

There are a significant number of books being adapted for the big screen this year; while I don't watch a lot of movies (I always have PLANS to watch them but I just never get around to it -- maybe I should change that?), I am looking forward to several of these.

Of course, Cass and I are excited about The Hunger Games. I think Collins' book will make for a great adaptation, like several other YA series: the Harry Potter books and Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief both come to mind. Speaking of those two movies, their stars Emma Watson and Logan Lerman (who I think is just TOO CUTE) are starring in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, which is one of my most favorite YA novels. I think this one has so much potential, especially since Chbosky wrote the screenplay and was actively involved in the entire process.

I'm excited for The Hobbit, of course; I think LOTR was phenomenally done. There's a remake of The Great Gatsby hitting theaters at the end of year. This has always been one of my favorite books to teach, so I'm interested to see how this will stack up against Redford's Gatsby. Baz Luhrmann is directing, so it has the potential to be a hot mess, but I think most of the casting is just stellar (I'm still on the fence about Tobey McGuire, and I think I might have preferred Michelle Williams as Daisy, rather than Carey Mulligan). 

Another one I'm interested to see is Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. That book has been at the top of my to-read list for ages; I'm heading to the library later this week, in fact, to finally make a point of finding it and reading it. Life of Pi is also being adapted; I enjoyed the book, but I'm just not sure I'm interested enough in seeing a movie adaptation, especially one that will be in 3D (I HATE 3D movies!)

One of the releases I'm actually most excited about is The Secret World of Arrietty, based on The Borrowers by Mary Norton, which I ADORED as a young girl. (I am currently convincing Cami that she needs to read these books, and since she wants to see the movie, she knows that she needs to read the book soon). The minute we saw the trailer, we knew it had to be a Studio Ghibli film, and we were thrilled to see that Miyazaki did the screenplay. We've seen every Miyazaki film we can get our hands on (I'm waiting for the day when I can find a collection of EVERYTHING he's done); we particularly love My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, and Howl's Moving Castle.

What about you? What are your thoughts on movie adaptions of your favorite books? What books have been adapted well, in your opinion? What adaptations have been terrible? Are there any books-turned-movie that you are excited to see this year?

10 on Tuesday: the 2012 books I'm looking forward to

It doesn't matter that my to-read list at Goodreads has 444 books on it; it doesn't matter that I literally have a bookcase at home that's completely full of books I haven't read yet; it doesn't matter that I just went to both the public libraries to which I have access and checked out a stack of books from each. None of those things matter, because when the following 10 books are released this year, I will pick them up as soon as possible! Some of these are books that I've been waiting on for quite some time. Others are from authors whom I've just discovered -- and isn't that a nice feeling, to know that your newest author crush is quite prolific, rather than being someone you have to wait years to get another novel from (hello, Patrick Rothfuss!)

1. The Woman Who Married a Cloud: Collected Stories by Johnathan Carroll (June 2012)
This is probably the release I'm most excited about this year, for several reasons. One, it feels like it has been FOREVER since Carroll released something new. Two, this is a signed limited edition, and I was lucky enough to place a preorder in time. It will take a place of honor among my other signed books (I'm beginning to amass quite a collection, which makes me all goopy-happy). 

2. Hide Me Among the Graves by Tim Powers (March 13 2012)
Tim Powers is another novelist that I adore; every time I go to the bookstore, I make sure to check the section where his books are, in case he released something and I wasn't aware of it. This novel is a follow-up, though not necessarily a sequel, to The Stress of Her Regard, and I'm really looking forward to immersing myself in the product of his imagination, intelligence, and sheer genius.

3. Bitterblue by Kristen Cashore (May 1 2012)
I can't wait to step back into the world of The Seven Kingdoms; Cashore's writing is a real treat, and I love that these books really feel like intelligent fantasy written FOR women. 

4. The Diviners by Libba Bray (November 6 2012)
Libba Bray makes my list of the best YA authors of all time; she's intelligent, screamingly funny, sarcastic, observant, talented. Her range is astounding, and I'm looking forward to getting into some well-written historical fiction with a supernatural slant again.

5. Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness (July 10 2012)
I thought this first book in this series was a great combination of a number of different subgenres that I enjoy: novels featuring academic research, time travel, paranormal. Wrap all that up in one package and it definitely appeals to me. I'm excited to see what some of my favorite historical characters will look like in Harkness's able hands.

6. The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There by Cathrynne M. Valente (April ?? 2012)
I am not positive that the sequel to The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making will actually be released in April -- nothing seems as set in stone as these other releases are. However, this book definitely makes this list, because I have a massive crush on the first book and cannot wait to continue September's story.

7. The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King (April 24 2012)
The Dark Tower has always been one of my favorite book series, and when I thought that Stephen King might not live to finish the series, I was so distraught. I'm thrilled to see that he's revisiting Mid-world again.

8. The Brides of Rollrock Island by Margo Lanagan (September 11 2012)
This novel has already been released in Australia and (perhaps?) the UK, under the name Sea Hearts. I don't think I've ever come across an author whose work can move me like Lanagan -- her work is powerful, gut-wrenching, and hard to stomach, but it's also illuminating, lyrical, and eerily beautiful.

9. Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak (September 2012)
This is another book where the publication information is sketchy, but I'm hoping that the latest info I've seen is accurate. Zusak is another go-to YA author for me, and I wish he had a more extensive body of work, because it's hard to wait three or four years between books. 

10. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (September 18 2012)
Another great new series in the works from Maggie Stiefvater. She's got loads of talent, and she writes the kind of fantasy that I love to read, so really, it's a match made in heaven.  

 In putting together this list, I came across lots of series that will be continuing with new releases this year. Come back next week for a glimpse at some of the YA and mid-grades series that I'm most excited about continuing this year.