Cover Reveal - NINE BY NIGHT #AmReading #UrbanFantasy

Another fabulous cover by Damonza! What do you think?

NINE BY NIGHT

About NINE BY NIGHT

"From vampires to empaths, to the grim reaper himself, this bundle will keep you on the edge of your seat. I dare you to try and put it down!" SHANNON MAYER - author of THE RYLEE ADAMSON NOVELS and THE NEVERMORE TRILOGY

Nine books. Nine bestselling authors. Nine heroines that take names—and chances—while confronting dark foes, whether by force of arms or magic, that threaten their entire world.

Over two-thousand pages of epic reading await! Let the adventures begin.

From NYT and USA Today Bestselling Author, SM REINE, WITCH HUNT –– Shaman on the run. Isobel Stonecrow speaks with the dead...for the right price. She brings closure to the bereaved and heals broken hearts. But when she resurrects someone for the wrong client, she ends up on the OPA's most wanted list.

From NYT and USA Today Bestselling author, CJ ELLISSON, DEATH’S SERVANT –– Jonathan Winchester has clashed with his werewolf alpha one too many times. He returns to Virginia to find work and meets a young waitress, Raine. As their relationship progresses, Jon's embroiled in more intrigue than he bargained for and a danger bigger than he can handle.

From bestselling author, LINDSAY BUROKER, TORRENT –– When Delia chose to major in archaeology, she imagined herself as the female Indiana Jones of the Southwest. She didn't imagine herself stumbling across decapitated bodies in old mine shafts or learning that monsters are real…

From bestselling author, ANTHEA SHARP, SPARK –– What if a high-tech game was a gateway to the treacherous Realm of Faerie? Superstar gamer Spark Jaxley's life might look easy, but she's part of an elite few who guard a shocking secret; the Realm of Faerie exists, and its dark magic is desperate for a foothold in the mortal world.

From bestselling authors BOONE BRUX and CJ ELLISSON, DEATH TIMES TWO –– The V V Inn has a ghost problem. New grim reaper, Lisa Carron, accepts the job. She quickly learns the hotel is full of the dearly departed—and she’s working for vampires. Throw in Asa, a young vamp hot enough to melt the Arctic ice, and Lisa realizes she’s way out of her element.

From bestselling author, JC ANDRIJESKI, ROOK: ALLIE’S WAR EPISODES 1-4 –– Like most humans, Allie distanced herself from Seers, a race of human-like beings discovered on Earth. Yanked out of her life by the mysterious Revik, Allie finds out her blood may not be as “human” as she thought, the world is nothing like it appears to be...and she has more in common with Seers than she ever wanted to believe.

From bestselling author, ANNIE BELLET, JUSTICE CALLING –– Gamer. Nerd. Sorceress. Jade Crow lives a quiet life running her comic book and game store in Wylde, Idaho. After twenty-five years fleeing from a powerful sorcerer who wants to eat her heart and take her powers, quiet suits her just fine. Surrounded by friends who are even less human than she is, Jade figures she's finally safe. As long as she doesn't use her magic…

From bestselling author, JESI LEA RYAN, ARCADIA’S GIFT –– Teenager Arcadia (Cady) Day’s family tragedy unleashes a hidden power. After experiencing what can only be called a psychic episode, her home life crumbles. As her emotional control slips away, Cady begins to suspect that her first psychic episode was just the beginning…

From Urban Fantasy author, KARA LEGEND, WILD NIGHT ROAD –– One innocent hex sets off a chain reaction of trouble among the shifters of the Kinraven that threatens war between werewolves, seraphim and witches. Lilith Darke will do anything to be free of her seraphim master. All hell breaks loose when rival packs face off only to discover a new, deadly threat that will take all their magick to survive.

NINE BY NIGHT releases 8/03/2014 on Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and other e-book retailers. 

Book recommendations for the reader on your list! #AmReading #Christmas

As many of you know, I read a lot. A LOT! Last time I counted, I finish about 250 books per year. That makes me somewhat of an expert when it comes to recommending books to people, especially this time of year when people are looking for gift ideas. So, I thought I would write some gift book ideas for you to help you on your shopping. 

For readers who liked The Hunger Games, I recommend Veronica Roth's Divergent Series. Within an action-packed dystopian world, it explores what it means to be human. It would also give the reader a chance to check out the book before the movie is released in 2014. 

For readers who like Twilight, AND for those who didn't like Twilight, I recommend Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy Series. This is how a young adult vampire series should be done. No dippy heroines, over-protective boyfriends and lots of kick-ass action. Not to mention, it has one of my favorite romances of all time. The first movie also comes out on Valentines Day, so your reader can get a head start.

For readers who liked the Anita Blake Series, I recommend Shannon Mayer's Rylee Adamson Series. Filled with action, supernatural creatures and humor, without going all "porny" like Anita Blake did. The first book is Priceless, but there are a total of five books out so far if you wanted to make your own boxed set.

                   

For readers who liked Fifty Shades of Gray, I recommend Sylvia Day’s Crossfire Series: Bared To You, Reflected In You and Entwined With You. The first three books are now available in a boxed set. 

Or check out Christina Lauren's Beautiful Series. The first book is Beautiful Bastard. 

For readers who like erotic fiction, but found Fifty Shades of Gray to be ridiculous, I recommend Tiffany Reisz’s Original Sinners Series: The Siren, The Angel, The Prince and The Mistress. This is one of my favorite series ever!!! It is erotic literary fiction, and the characters are amazing.

For those who liked Beautiful Disaster, I recommend Easy by Tammara Webber.

Or try M. Leighton's Bad Boys Series: Down To You, Up to Me and Everything For Us.

For readers who liked On The Island by Tracey Garvis Graves, I recommend Surviving Raine by Shay Savage. This is how a tortured, brooding man should be written. I officially have a new book-boyfriend in Bastian Stark. 

For readers who like alpha males, lots of action and are open to M/M romance, you have to look at the Cut and Run Series by Madeline Urban and Abilgail Roux. This is another of my all-time favorite series. The characters are beautifully flawed, hilariously written and sexy as hell. There are more books than this, but here are the first four:

 

For readers who think vampires should be sociopaths, not romantic heroes, I recommend a little known book called Scent and Shadow by Mercy Loomis. Horror readers will absolutely love this book! And the writing is brilliant. 

I hope these recommendations help. If you need more, I read many genres, and I'm happy to help you come up with something for the reader on your list. Leave a comment, or hit me up on Twitter - @Jesilea.  

And of course, my books are also available to the young adult, paranormal loved on your list.  #ShamelessSelfPromotion.  

Happy Holidays!!!!

Best rest + #Amreading = 7 books in 5 days & micro-reviews!

So I had surgery last week and not able to work for a few weeks. While I have certainly been better, it's kind of nice to catch up on my reading. Unfortunately, I don’t have the energy to write full reviews right now, but I thought I’d post some micro-reviews on the few books I’ve read in the last few days.  (I'm not including the summaries, so for more info, click the cover art.)  If you have read any of these books, feel free to let me know what you thought of them in the comments.  Enjoy!

Broken Pieces by Rachel Thompson

Not my normal read.  This is a collection of personal essays and poems where the normally comedic author gets serious about tragedies in her own life.  Honest and sad.  Not what you might want if looking for a pick-me-up, but still an important, emotional read.  Sometimes it’s good to know that you are not the only one who has experienced pain.  The weightiness of the subjects might be tough, but this is a book that is easy to read a little at a time between other things.

* I don't do dream casts for non-fiction. It's a little weird.

The Deepest Cut by J.A. Templeton

Ooh, a YA ghost story with kissing! I loved the paranormal aspects of the story.  It was a bit insta-love, but it’s a short book, so you’ll have that.  The evil spirit was super creepy.  The only part that felt off to me was the whole cutting thing.  It felt disconnected from the rest of the story.  It could have been left out without losing any of the emotion.  I also think the title and cover art should have focused more on the creepy paranormal plot line. 

Dream Cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) - Britt Robertson (Riley), Brant Daugherty (Ian)

The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

I would read Julie Kagawa’s shopping list.  She has never disappointed me with anything she has ever written. The Eternity Cure is a perfect follow up to The Immortal Rules.  The characters all had a chance to grow and come into their own.  Allie is getting super bad-ass.  Jackal provided some much needed comic relief in this dark and serious novel.  Seeing him, Allie and Zeke have to work together was fabulous. 

Dream Cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) -  Brenda Song (Allie), Armie Hammer (Zeke), Chris Pine (Jackal), J.D. Pardo (Vampire Prince dude...forgot his name)

Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead

It’s no secret that I’m in love with Richelle Mead. But when you add together Richelle Mead + sci-fi world + kick-ass heroine + brainy hero + ancient gods + a murder mystery, that equals up to a whole lot of AWESOME!  I took me a few chapters to get into the book because there is so much world-building that needs to be set up and a lot of characters to introduce, but stick with it.  I can already tell I am going to love this series!

Dream Cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) -  Anna Torv (Mae), A younger Dean Cain (Justin), India Eisley (Tessa)

For Everly by Raine Thomas

Excellent new adult read!  The characters were fun; I liked the awkwardness between Everly and Cole at their first business lunch; there was some great family drama; the love story was exciting.  My only problem--and this is a major pet peeve of mine and is no way isolated to this book alone--but I am so f’ing sick of the virginal heroine.  Twenty-two years old, looks like a super model, and never been kissed? Really??? Why can’t women and men meet on a more level playing field in the bedroom?  We're all about having empowered heroines in every area except when it comes to sex.  There still seems to be a stigma around girls who embrace their sexuality.  I’m ready to go on a crusade to champion realistic female sexual power.  Who’s with me?!?!

Okay, done with my rant.  Seriously, For Everly is a really good book.  Don’t let my bitching discourage you from buying it. 

Dream Cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) - Channing Tatum (Cole), Karen Gillan (Everly)

Damaged by H.M. Ward

Yeah, I’d say these characters were damaged. Both Sidney and Peter come with serious emotional baggage.  Add to that he is both her professor and boss...yeah, there is no shortage on present drama either.  While I liked the book and thought the characters were interesting, the back stories were a tad bit on the over-dramatic side.  They just felt too contrived and not so believable.  That said, I'm a sucker for a great love story, and there were enough comedic elements to keep the story from getting too bogged down. #CouchSniffer 

Dream Cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) - Sarah Hyland (Sidney), Xavier Samuel (Peter)

Unbreak Me by Lexi Ryan

This book was really messed up, but I loved it!  Maggie has made one poor decision after another in her young life, but she has the best intention of getting back on track.  The book opens with her as a bridesmaid for her sister who is marrying Maggie’s ex-fiancé, Will.  I immediately did not like Will for this reason alone. Whether Maggie broke up with him or not, how could he move on to her sister?!?  Then, enter Asher, the hot next door neighbor.  While he wasn’t perfect either, he was so much easier to like.  The book started as a train wreck of family drama, but ended up turning into a beautiful love story. 

Dream Cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) - Jacqueline Emerson (Maggie), Penn Badgley (Will), Robbie Amell (Asher)

Anastasia V. Pergakis discusses her writing and causes close to her heart. #Interview & #Giveaway @AVPergakis

Joining us on the blog today is fantasy author and my friend, Anastasia V. Pergakis.  Her novel Cleanse Fire is the first in the Kinir Elite series, a military inspired fantasy series about an Elven Captain who leads his team on a missions while he is haunted by his past.  

Welcome, Anastasia!

Jesi:  First of all, I loved your book!  Cleanse Fire opens with an incredibly emotional scene. What was it like to write that scene? Did you have any reservations about starting the book out setting such a dark tone right in the beginning?


Anastasia:  I honestly don't remember much of the "writing" part for that scene. It just was sort of, 'there'. It wasn't until after it was written and I went back to read it over that I felt shocked and surprised. I knew the scene going in was going to be emotional and graphic, but I didn't expect that. I was a bit scared that I could write a scene so graphic. I almost didn't include it because of the graphicness of the scene, but in the end, I left it there as it really is a great scene and gets the reader into Derac's head right from the start.


Jesi:  Many times when I read fantasy, I have trouble with the names. Either they are ridiculously long, unpronounceable or spelled crazy. I love the names of your characters because they are different enough to set a fantasy tone, yet very readable. How did you come up with your character names?


Anastasia:  Some of them I made up – or felt like I made up – out of thin air. The name was just there and it fit. Kie's, Derac's, Rakan's names were like this. I also get out my baby name book and try to find names that have a particular meaning. But, to make it fantasy, I often change the spelling in a radical way to make it fit with the language and culture I've created for my fantasy creatures. Aeli's name was one such name where I changed the spelling in a funky way to fit with the elfish language. Other times I take two different names and mush them together to form a new name. Tyn's full name is Tyngrad and I came up with it looking at the names "Tyler" and "Grady" at the same time. Surnames though, are always just me throwing some letters together until it sounds right.


Jesi:  I know you have donated some of the profits from Cleanse Fire to charity. Can you tell us a little about the charity you support and why?


Anastasia:  I support two charities now, actually. Wounded Warrior Project (http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org) helps wounded soldiers and their families in the United States heal after returning home with both the physical and mental injuries of war. Help for Heroes (http://www.helpfforheores.org.uk) is an organization that helps wounded soldiers in the United Kingdom.

My Dad served in the US Army for 20 years, so soldiers hold a special and personal place in my heart.

I'm sure some are wondering why I would help an organization in the UK when I live in the US. Well, I could get all political and talk about them being our allies and on the same side, etc. But, truthfully, it's from a long story my Dad once told me that for some reason has wedged itself into my heart. Many times the US and the UK soldiers get together for some "skirmish war games" and my Dad gained a close friend through one of these times (after the guy knocked out his two front teeth!).

A soldier in the UK makes the same sacrifices a soldier in the US does. It's wonderful when they work together toward a common goal and so I support both with all the thanks I can muster.

Jesi:  Such great causes!  Thank you for your generosity. You recently produced your first audio book for Cleanse Fire. How was that process for you? Can you tell us about your narrator and why you chose to work with him?


Anastasia:  It was a whirlwind of fun! Chad Tindale and I met through ACX.com when he auditioned to be the narrator for my book. He read the excerpt I posted with such intensity, I listened to it about five times in a row! He totally blew me away with his talent and energy.

I sent him a copy of the book and he fell in love with it. He went above and beyond than just "reading" it in audio format. He gave each character their own voice and unique accents even! The girls too! He got into reading the lines as if he was on a stage acting – full of emotion. His wife even loved the story so much, he wasn't allowed to record chapters until she was at home to hear it!

It was great fun having such powerful feedback for my book and then having a great new medium to showcase it, is just a bonus for me. The audio book was finished much sooner than I ever anticipated thanks to Chad's love of the book and his dedication to helping me get it out there. I could never thank him enough and I can't wait to work with him again when the next book in the series is finished.

Jesi:  As readers of my book reviews know, I have a habit of casting real people, usually actors, in my mind as the characters when I read.  As you are writing, do you base your characters on real people?  If Hollywood made a movie of Cleanse Fire, who would you like to see playing the leading roles?

Anastasia:  Well, I so love the cast you came up with when you reviewed Cleanse Fire. I even shared it on the Kinir Elite blog because the cast was so fitting!

While writing though, I do have a particular person(s) in mind when writing each character, if only to get personalities shown correctly and such. But when it comes to their looks, no, I don't think of any particular person.

So, to answer the last question, if Cleanse Fire was made into a movie, I'd probably go with the cast you saw while reading it because like I said, they fit so well!

Henry Cavil (Derac)

Keira Knightly (Kie)

Sean Patrick Flanery (Tyn)

Rosamund Pike (Aeli)

Sean Bean (Rakan)

Armie Hammer (Jardel)

Jesi:  The Speak Loudly campaign has been fighting censorship in teen books, specifically in schools.  Of the books under fire, many include issue books which deal with heavy themes or controversial subjects such as eating disorders, abusive relationships, sexuality issues, teen suicide, alcohol or drug abuse, etc.  Do you feel there are topics which should be considered off limits in Young Adult literature? 

Anastasia:  As a recovering alcoholic, no I don't think these topics should be off limits. Teens have always struggled with these things and in my personal opinion it seems to get worse with each generation as the drugs are stronger, culture views on things like sexuality change, and even the way parents raise their children change.

Having these "controversial" books, even those that are fiction, can help struggling teens make it through hard times. I was bullied and ridiculed as a teen and like I said, I was a raging alcoholic and addict during my teen years as well. But books – reading about the same struggles, knowing that I wasn't alone, that someone at least thought about the things I was going through - made all the difference to me. The characters in the books were able to make it through – they dealt with whatever monsters were in the book, and within themselves. They made it! Feeling alone is the worst thing a teen can feel and knowing that I wasn't, even on a subconscious level, kept me going.

Books – not even controversial ones – ANY book, can help a teen cope. It's an escape and sometimes even a life lesson thrown into an epic adventure. I'm an adult now (and sober for almost 7 years) and I still read for the escape and for the adventure. Books should never be banned. EVER!

Jesi:  I appreciate you sharing your story with us.  People who overcome such obsticles in life never fail to amaze me.  What are you writing now that Cleanse Fire has been released? 

Anastasia:  "Blood Trade" is the sequel to "Cleanse Fire". The story picks up a few days after Cleanse Fire ended but it's an entire new adventure for the team. They are asked for help from the Tinally Elite (the faery team) dealing with a ruthless terrorist.

The other project is titled "Burden of Prophecy" and it's the first book of an entirely different series, "A Faery's Tale". As the title suggests, there is a prophecy that must be fulfilled - unite the five faery kingdoms. But, of course, tensions are high because of hatred and ignorance brewed over the last thousand years. It's heavy on the romance themes as the two main characters, Aelic and Rosyani, are a fated pair meant to bring about the fulfillment of the prophecy, but they were born as enemies and now have to make their sudden and rash marriage work somehow AND fulfill the prophecy.


 Jesi:  Thank you so much, Anastasia, for joining us today.  Readers, Anastasia is hosting an awesome giveaway.  See below for details!

GIVEAWAY

Use the rafflecopter widget below to enter to win an E-BOOK COPY OF CLEANSE FIRE. Simply leave a comment on this post, answering the question: "Who is your real life 'super hero' and why? (Can be anyone!)" then enter on the raffle copter! I can't wait to see your answers, and I wish you luck!

Giveaway runs from June 1 to June 7!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY

Grand Prize #1: A paperback copy of “Cleanse Fire” – signed by the author, a color poster of the team – signed by them, a special edition bookmark of Derac – signed by him, and five Kinir Elite bookmarks.

Grand Prize #2: A paperback copy of “Cleanse Fire” – signed by the author, a black and white poster of the team – signed by them, and five Kinir Elite bookmarks.

Head over to the Kinir Elite website (http://kinirelite.com/2013/05/cleanse-fire-tour-2013/) to enter! Follow along on the tour to have more chances to win one of these amazing prize packs. Contest ends on June 12, 2013!

*Open Internationally!*

Book Links:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Audible

Five star review: Cleanse Fire by Anastasia V. Pergakis @avpergakis

Cleanse Fire 

By Anastasia V. Pergakis

Complete the mission, no matter what...

Captain Derac Vidor has served Kinir for nearly twenty years. It's his life, his blood. And then his Commander betrays everything Derac holds dear. Now he has to focus on his own life and his team instead of saving the citizens of Kinir.

Treason is only the beginning...

Fueled by rage, the team chases the source to their Commander's betrayal - a powerful wizard bent on revenge. The wizard seeks to destroy the Kinir Elite, in both mind and body. No place is safe, even among their allies.

The past holds the key...

Derac's tragic past may be the key to saving the team. But can he face the gruesome nightmare in time?

(Amazon description)

I have to admit, I wasn’t sure I wanted to read this book.  I don’t read a lot of high fantasy.  Not because I have any particular problem with it, I’m just not drawn to it the way some people are.  But I have been hearing a lot about this book, so I thought I’d give it a shot.  Turns out, that was a good call!

For me, a good book is one that I can connect to emotionally.  The book opens with a highly emotional scene where Derac, the Captain of an Elvin military unit called the Kinir Elite, loses his wife in a fire.  The visual of this scene was so disturbing I immediately became emotionally connected with Derac. 

The story picks up ten years later--Derac is still the successful Captain of the Elite, but he has never really been able to move on from his guilt over the loss of his wife.  When he first begins to feel attraction to Kie, an archer in his unit, he is hesitant to act on his feelings.  I found the love story that grew up around these two characters refreshing in its slowness.  There was no insta-love.  These were two adults who acted like adults.  Their mission came first at all times.  They might have wanted to rip each other’s uniforms off, but they help off, prolonging the sexual and romantic tension. 

While I am always sucked in the love story, the main plot of this novel was a military story, full of strategy, battles and intrigue.  I loved the way the author described the battle communication among the members of the group, made up of a mixture of hand signals and whistles.  Something about it felt so...elfish, maybe?  Almost like how animals might communicate when coordinating an attack.  Not that these characters are animalistic in any way, but it was a subtle reminder that they were not humans, dependent on speech and electronic devices to communicate.  Very well done.

The characterization was also great.  Each member of the Kinir Elite had a distinct personality and skill that added to the group.  Derac, as Captain, is a natural leader.  He is smart, strategic and brave.  Rakan is the experienced veteran soldier in the group, rough around the edges, but trustworthy and tough.  Tyn is Derac’s best friend.  Without him, I think Derac might have become so overcome in his grief after the loss of his wife, that it might have rendered his useless.  Tyn prevents Derac from taking himself too seriously, constantly teasing him and drawing him out.  I would love to see a future book which revolves around Tyn.  Jardel is the young soldier, full of youth and spirit.  While he is very good in a fight, he also is a bit like a naughty puppy.  Too cute to really get angry at when he is bad.  Aeli and Kie are the two women in the group and are opposite in every way.  Aeli is vain and feminine, but also smart and loyal.  She is easily under estimated.  Kie is a tom-boy with a troubled past.  I appreciated that the author did not make her too angsty or snarky.  She doesn’t have a chip on her shoulder.  Instead, she bravely faces the things that frighten her most. 

My only semi-criticism of the book is that a few times I felt like things worked out a little too easy.  For example, when Aeli’s loyalty is questioned, Derac decides to trust her right away, not really exercising the caution that I think he should have.  Of course, it turned out that she was loyal to the group, but Derac didn’t know that. 

Cleanse Fire is the first book in the Kinir Elite series.  It was very well written, and I will definitely be reading the next book when it releases. 

Overall, I give Cleanse Fire...

Plot - 4 1/2 bookmarks

Character development - 5 bookmarks

Love Story - 4 1/2  bookmarks

Dream cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading)  -  Henry Cavil (Derac), Keira Knightly (Kie), Sean Patrick Flanery (Tyn), Rosamund Pike (Aeli), Sean Bean (Rakan), Armie Hammer (Jardel)

Ash by Malinda Lo

Cinderella retold

In the wake of her father's death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother. Consumed with grief, her only joy comes by the light of the dying hearth fire, rereading the fairy tales her mother once told her. In her dreams, someday the fairies will steal her away, as they are said to do. When she meets the dark and dangerous fairy Sidhean, she believes that her wish may be granted.

The day that Ash meets Kaisa, the King's Huntress, her heart begins to change. Instead of chasing fairies, Ash learns to hunt with Kaisa. Though their friendship is as delicate as a new bloom, it reawakens Ash's capacity for love-and her desire to live. But Sidhean has already claimed Ash for his own, and she must make a choice between fairy tale dreams and true love.

Entrancing, empowering, and romantic, Ash is about the connection between life and love, and solitude and death, where transformation can come from even the deepest grief.

(Amazon description)

I really loved Ash for a variety of reasons. I’m always a fan of fairy tale retellings, and this is one of the better ones. It retains many of the hallmarks of the original tale, yet flouts some of the more annoying tropes, particularly the Prince Charming aspect. While there is a Prince character, he is peripheral to the story at best. The true love in the story is Kaisa, the Huntress, and she is so much more satisfying than the powerful Prince would have been in that role. It is exceptionally rare for fairy tales to center around non-heterosexual relationships, so I hope this is a trend that continues in this type of literature. This story’s Prince is present, but distant and far more unreachable, whereas Kaisa is very present in Ash’s life. She teaches Ash many things, but also allows her to make her own choices and plans without attempting to jump in and ‘rescue’ her.

I particularly love the characters. They are interesting, realistic, and full of surprises, even the secondary ones. Ash’s grief and despair as an orphan is compelling, as is her rebellious impetuosity. She grows and changes, learning to cope outwardly with her situation, whatever her inner turmoil may be. Lo also manages to avoid the usual broad-strokes, cookie-cutter evil in the step-mother and step-sisters. Each is an individual, and each has a different relationship with Ash, depending on her personality. I always appreciate well-rounded villains, even if that just makes me hate them more.

But my favorite part was the ending, both because I wanted Ash to be happy, and for the ways she changes and grows in order to achieve that happiness. Ash’s character is darkened by the death of her parents and she starts to walk dangerous paths (sometimes literally). But as she grows up, she begins to try and change her circumstances. She is ultimately her own heroine, and one of the most independent and self-sufficient female protagonists I’ve ever read.

The style is somewhat literary, which isn’t usually my cup of tea, but Malinda Lo makes it work for Ash. Perhaps my biggest complaint about this book was that it was a little slow. This is definitely a book to be savored over the course of days, rather than devoured in a single sitting. Despite this, it retains the feeling of a timeless fairy tale, the sort told in sections at bed-time and returned to night after night. That is exactly how I read it, every evening just before bed, a few chapters at a time. It is, ultimately, a bed-time story.

I highly recommend Ash, particularly for those looking for a story with a compelling queer main character.

About the Reviewer

Lia Wolff is a writer and stay-at-home-mom currently exiled to the backwoods of Florida. She achieved a Master's degree in Classics from Durham University in England, which she finds comes in handy for getting out the tough stains of Motherhood, and also in her Historical Fiction writing. She writes Egyptian Historicals and Steampunk Fantasy, and is currently unpublished, though ever hopeful of finding a good home for her stories, long and short. She has been an avid reader since age 3, and recently discovered the exciting new world of reading while nursing a baby. She will read anything once, but prefers Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Historical Novels and Cozy Murder Mysteries. Lia currently blogs erratically at http://bookewyrme.straydreamers.com/, Tumbles at http://thebookewyrme.tumblr.com/, and Tweets @LiaWolff. Stop on by and say 'Hi', the comments are always open to her fellow readers.

Review: ‘Graceling’ by Kristin Cashore

Kristin Cashore’s best-selling, award-winning fantasy Graceling tells the story of the vulnerable yet strong Katsa, a smart, beautiful teenager who lives in a world where selected people are given a Grace, a special talent that can be anything from dancing to swimming. Katsa’s is killing. As the king’s niece, she is forced to use her extreme skills as his thug. Along the way, Katsa must learn to decipher the true nature of her Grace . . . and how to put it to good use. A thrilling, action-packed fantasy adventure (and steamy romance!) that will resonate deeply with adolescents trying to find their way in the world.

(Amazon product description)

This might be the first time that I started writing my review before the book was even done.  (I listen to audio books, so I can type and listen at the same time.  Don’t worry, it’s only the epilogue.)  I am so in love with this book!  I read a lot of young adult literature, and to be honest, many of the heroines are starting to blend together.  Katsa is one who will stand out in my mind for a really long time.  She has been graced with a talent for killing--something that makes her the ideal assassin for her uncle the King.  But Katsa gets no joy from hurting others, and she views her powerful Grace as less of a gift and more of an albatross around her neck. 

The cool thing about Katsa is that she is a wonderful role model for teen girls.  Here is a character who refuses to be defined by the men in her life.  Her spirit is strong and determined; her mind is sharp; her heart is compassionate.  She’s not perfect.  She can be impulsive, aloof and a tad demanding on others who don’t have her stamina.  She also has trouble dealing with her Grace.  There is a scene early in the book where she strikes Po in anger, then immediately realizes her mistake.  It is a defining moment for her, one where she discovers the necessity of boundaries.  It felt a bit like that was the moment she stopped being a child and matured into an adult. 

Speaking of Po...

Po is a prince and a graceling in his own right.  His Grace is equally as powerful as Katsa’s, but he has been able to keep it a secret so as not to become exploited by others in the way Katsa is exploited by her uncle.  Katsa figures out Po’s secret and he makes the decision to confide in her.  The two become close friends, largely because they each understand what it’s like to be graced.  Po is more mature than Katsa, but it doesn’t take her long to catch up.  They have a beautiful relationship based on equality.  It might be one of my favorites in YA literature. 

The plot is fast-paced and filled with action.  The mystery starts with the kidnapping of Po’s grandfather and turns into a hunt for a graceling psychopath.  Lots of fun!

Overall, I give Graceling...

Plot - 5 bookmarks (my leading contender for favorite book of 2012)

Character development - 5 bookmarks

Love story - 5 bookmarks (While this is not a heavy romance, there is plenty here to get the heart racing.)

Fight scenes - 5 bookmarks

Dream cast (Otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) - Alexis Knapp (Katsa), Jake Able (Po), Mackenzie Foy (Bitterblue)

Review: ‘Lost Boys’ by Orson Scott Card

Set in the early 1980’s recession, Step Fletcher and his wife Deanne are forced to move their family to North Carolina for Step’s new job.  They soon realize that the job is awful.  Step has to bide his time until he can find a way to quit, while Deanne struggles to balance the kids and her church duties while pregnant.  In the background of the story, there are young boys going missing in the town, causing the Fletchers to be weary and safety conscious and at times, overly-protective of their kids. 

Their oldest son, eight year old Stevie, doesn’t adjust to the new town well.  He has difficulties with his teacher and kids at school and begins to accumulate imaginary friends.  Terrified that their son is going crazy, Step and Deanne work together to help him, eventually finding out that his imaginary friends are not as imaginary as they had thought at all. 

Usually after reading a book, I take a glance at the Amazon reviews to gauge how others reacted to the book.  While some might agree with me and some might disagree, I like to see how others think about what they’ve read.  I can honestly say that I’ve never seen Amazon reviews which are as “all over the board” as Lost Boys.  Some liked it.  And even though many didn’t, they disliked it for many different reasons. 

Probably the biggest complaint was that people felt the book was a commercial for Mormonism.  It’s true that the Fletchers are Mormons and their religion plays a prominent role in the book, but I found this to be more interesting than distraction.  Religion can add a certain depth to a character, providing them with a belief system and a place in the order of their world.  I’ve read many books with characters from many religions and haven’t encountered this much negativity from readers as this book generated.  It makes me wonder if the fact that the characters are Mormon and not Catholic or Baptist or Jewish that is the real reason why people have a problem with it.  I found the insight into Mormon life fascinating, and it adds to the plot nicely.

One complaint that others had that I agree with is that the book tended to drag a bit.  There is a lot of day-to-day life and issues that these characters go through that frankly should have been cut down to about half.  Some explanation for daily activities is fine, but I found myself wanting to skip ahead several times. 

Step’s issues with his employer played a prominent role in the first part of the book, but as things went on, this all became subplot.  I’m not sure how I feel about that.  On one hand, anyone who has suffered through a boring job with a nasty boss will relate to Step, and might even get a chuckle or two out of it.  On the other hand, there was a point when the job issues wrapped up and weren’t mentioned much again.  I felt the pacing of this subplot could have been timed to better coincide with the novel’s conclusion, giving a more climatic feel. 

In the end, I enjoyed this book and am glad to have read it.  This is the first Orson Scott Card novel that I’ve read.  I will definitely be checking out Enders Game in the near future.

Overall, I give Lost Boys…

Plot - 3 1/2 bookmarks

Character development -4 1/2 bookmarks

Fantasy elements -3 1/2 bookmarks

Creepiness -4 1/2 bookmarks

Dream cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) -Billy Burke (Step), Gretchen Mol (Deanne)