Review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns

Author: Rae Carson
Publisher: Greenwillow
Release Date: September 20, 2011
Audience: Young Adult
Source: Purchased in Bookstore
Reviewed by: Renée
Fiction * Fantasy * Adventure * Romance

Description from GoodReads:
Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can't see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he's not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people's savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

I loved this book so much. This has been sitting on my shelf for months, waiting for me to find some time to sit down and read it, and when I saw that it was recently awarded a finalist for the Morris Prize, I decided it was time to give it a try. The Girl of Fire and Thorns is unlike anything I have read in the young adult genre. While it will definitely appeal to fans of Graceling, Blood Red Road, and Tamora Pierce, this novel is something completely new and original (and Rae Carson's writing is incredibly beautiful).

The fantasy world in The Girl of Fire and Thorns is very special. The concept of someone being born every century carrying a Godstone -- a jewel on his/her stomach -- that marks her for greatness by God was a unique twist on the "chosen one" trope that comes up frequently in many pst-Harry Potter series. I loved the way that religion played such a strong role in shaping the characters' destinies, and how it placed this heavy burden on the protagonist, Elisa, to rise to the task. I know that many people, myself included, are wary of novels that even vaguely reference religion, but the spirituality in this book is not of the preachy converting sort. It's more a of a plot device that puts heavier responsibility on Elisa to fulfill her prophecy and acts as a means to emphasizing each character's unique traits, such as loyalty, obedience, and fear. The spirituality in this book definitely will not alienate or offend anyone, and is purely fictional.

Another unique thing about this story was the culture of the characters. Although, it is never stated, many of the characters have names like Alejandro and Humberto, and Spanish-sounding city names, which suggests that they might all be Spanish or Castilian. I really liked this, because the majority of mainstream YA focuses on White Americans or English protagonists, so it was nice to read about a different landscape, foods, architecture, and people for a change. Despite the fantastical/magical elements that characterize a lot of the action and plot development of the story, these cultural touches made it feel very real and excited the traveler in me.

While the writing was truly superb and mature, and the setting was special, the best part of the novel for me was the character development. Elisa is such a great protagonist. She is the overweight, moody, 'dark-skinned' second daughter to the king, and she undergoes such an amazing emotional transformation throughout the book. I liked reading about someone who was genuinely unpopular and insecure in an obvious way (with her being rather plump) and seeing her grow from that and become more than just what people see on the outside. I loved how Rae Carson handled the issue of being overweight and how she made Elisa's maturity and emotional journey something that is not solely tied to whether she loses weight or not. I also loved some of the secondary characters. There were definitely some guys that I loved in the novel -- some who I hope will become more than Elisa's friends and some who I hope just remain as close friends (but I won't spoil it by naming names). Also, I loved Ximena and, eventually, Cosme. I always find it refreshing when young adult books can include some strong female friendships or alliances, instead of always pitting girls against each other as competitors or scheming frauds. Even the villains in the novel were complex, and of a breed that I was not expecting at all. I finished this book and honestly felt like I was being parted from my friends.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns is fantastic, and went immediately to my "favorites" shelf after reading. It is intense, and Rae Carson doesn't hesitate to hurt or kill off characters, so beware. You will become very emotionally attached. The action is non-stop, the heroine is strong, and the romance is so sweet, and it will leaving you dying for Crown of Embers (Book 2).

I write books about teens who must do brave things. I'm originally from California, but I moved to Ohio to marry my husband, who is the smartest and therefore sexiest man I know. We live in Columbus with my teenaged stepsons, who are awesome. My books tend to contain lots of adventure, a little magic and romance, and smart girls who make (mostly) smart choices. I especially love to write about questions I don't know the answers to. Follow her on Twitter: @raecarson

Her website is: http://www.raecarson.com/ 

Review: Angelfall

Author: Susan Ee
Publisher: Feral Dream
Release Date: May 21, 2011
Audience: Young Adult
Source: Purchased via Amazon Kindle
Reviewed by: Renée
Fiction * Post-Apocalyptic * Paranormal Romance

Description from GoodReads:
It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.

Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.

Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.


I'll be honest and say that I've always been skeptical of self-published books or e-books. Despite the crazy success stories of novels like The Tiger's Curse and Eragon that were purportedly initially self-published, the few interactions I've had with self-published novels or releases from small lesser-known publishing houses have usually been dismal and disastrous. However, I had been hearing some good buzz about Angellfall on Goodreads from bloggers and bestselling authors alike, and I noticed that it was chosen as a finalist for a Cybil award, so I decided to give it a try, and it blew my expectations out of the water. I am so happy to be proven wrong and to have my faith in less conventional publishing methods restored!

The prose was so powerful and strong in Angelfall. The novel is fairly short -- probably a little under 300 pages if it was in print -- so I was worried that the author might not give enough description, but Susan Ee commands words so well that you get a detailed, descriptive story without endless pages of reading. The world constructed in Angelfall is very original. I liked how it blended elements of post-apocalyptic fiction with the paranormal element of angels, so I got the gritty survivalist tough-girl protagonist that I like, with a bit of the fantastical elements that I love. The post-apocalyptic California in the novel is very unique and not like any other post-apocalyptic/dystopian worlds I've encountered before. The concept of this world and this story is just so brilliant. I'm a fan of angel lore, but with so many new stories about angels coming out, some of the themes can get a little too familiar. Angelfall does something great and gives us angels as these destructive, almost evil creatures exacting a brutal apocalypse on humankind, which is a refreshing take on "bad" angel.

Another great thing about this story was the character development. The protagonist, as I mentioned before, is very touch and independent, without being surly or unlikeable. I loved Penryn's devotion to her mother and sister (and eventually Raffe). She was loyal and fierce and had a great personable quality about her that balanced being tough without coldness or hardness. I also loved Raffe. He was very mysterious and multidimensional. There were many surprising things about him that are slowly revealed throughout the novel, and I loved watching his reluctance turn into genuine respect and possible affection for Penryn. These two characters had great chemistry as partners and I loved their interactions together long before there was even a hint of possible romance. Also, their "romance" is so subtle and subdued, taking a backseat to the plot and action, which I surprisingly liked -- I'm a sucker for romance -- because it didn't distract from the serious things happening in the story.

My favorite character, though, was Penryn's mother. Susan Ee tackles some big issues in the novel. Aside from the mechanics of creating a post-apocalyptic world, Penryn's sister has a physical disabilty and her mother is described as schizophrenic. I think the author did a fantastic job of addressing some sensitive topics without making the novel feel preachy or obviously educational. Penryn's relationship with her mother felt very realistic, oscillating between annoyance or guilt about her mother's "insanity" and a unique kind of fondness and love that springs up amidst extraordinary circumstances. As much as I loved the male/female dynamic of Penryn and Raffe, it was her mother who I found to be the most exciting, unpredictable, and ultimately endearing.

I cannot recommend this more highly. The plot moves quickly from the first chapter, the writing is very rich and beautiful, the setting is fresh, and the characters feel so human (even the non-human ones). I read this in one day and the ending left me dying for the sequel. Get it while it's still only $0.99 at Amazon -- if you don't have an e-reader you can still read it on your computer with a free Kindle for PC/Mac download. Fans of Blood Red Road will devour this.

Susan Ee is the author of Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days, Book 1). Her short stories have been in various publications including Realms of Fantasy and The Dragon and the Stars anthology. She is also a filmmaker whose latest film played at major film festivals and on cable TV stations throughout the U.S. She studied creative writing through workshops at Stanford, The Iowa Writers' Workshop and Clarion West. You can follow her on Twitter: @Susan_Ee

Her website is:  http://susanee.com/

Book Review: Shatter Me

Author: Tahereh Mafi
Published: Harper Collins (November 15, 2011)
Audience: Young Adult
Source: Purchased in store
Young Adult  * Dystopian * Apocalyptic


Description from Goodreads:
Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now. 

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.
 
Shatter Me was one of the most hyped YA debuts of 2011. It was drawing comparisons to The Hunger Games and X-Men, and it was the latest in a lost of young adult novels being optioned for a film adaptation, so I was very excited to see if it lived up to the hype. Thankfully, for me, it did. The story is very original -- a girl who has a lethal touch who is forced to be a tool of war or part of a revolution -- and the world is very inventive. This is set in a post-apocalyptic/dystopian America. This seems to be a popular genre in recent years, but somehow Shatter Me manages to create some interesting things about the world that makes it stand out. This book gives us tastes of some of the aspects of this new America ruled by The Reestablishment, but there is so much to be answered in future books. Who are the other people trapped in the prison with Juliette in the beginning? How did she develop her abilities? And so many other questions that I can't ask without spoiling the book for you...

One of the most interesting things about this novel is the writing style. The prose is written in a kind of stream of consciousness from Juliette's point of view. Every thought that crosses her mind and every poetic comparison she makes are documented, so that reading the novel almost feels like sifting through her mind as things are happening. Also, many of her thoughts are striked out, which is an interesting technique I've hardly (if ever) seen in prose. In the world of the novel, Juliette is characterized as a monster for her deadly touch, so when her thoughts become morbid or self-deprecating, and she thinks I am a monster or I want to touch you but I can't, I like that the strikeouts provide a visual for her inner struggle with who she is. Personally, I really enjoyed how original and different this prose is, especially in a YA context. It might be disconcerting for some readers, but for me it was very refreshing and unique.

The characters in the novel are really what hooked me. Even though the end of the novel took the plot in a direction I wasn't expecting, I still loved the book because the characters were so great. As I said before, Juliette was a great protagonist because I felt like I had a perfect view into her thought process, which helped me understand why she might shy away from people or behave in strange ways. I love how her character went from timid and reserved at the beginning of the novel to assertive and strong as she became more comfortable with her 'ability'. I also love Adam in the novel. He is the other main character/love interest/person-we-root-for in the novel. He is supportive, strong, quite sexy, and an honorable guy. Very crush-worthy, so you can add him to your list of book boyfriends. All of the characters are interesting and complex in the novel, and character development is undeniably one of Shatter Me's strengths.

My favorite character, though -- and I know I am probably alone in this -- is Warner. For me, Warner is the most multi-dimensional, complicated, and human of the book's characters; however, I think he is supposed to be the villain/antagonist so I know I'm setting myself up for future heartache in the series. The thing about Warner is that he does horrible things: he is ruthless, aggressive, and even cruel. BUT, he's doing what he has to do in order to survive, so I can't fully hate him for trying not ot be a victim. Also, beneath his hard exterior, I think there's real emotion and sincerity in him. I really hope that future books explore his back story more, particularly his family history, because I have some theories about him and just find him so fascinating.

Honestly, I really loved Shatter Me. The plot began on Page One and the story moved quickly, with exciting twists and a great mix of action, romance, drama, and suspense. As I said before, the ending took the story in an unexpected direction, so I'm eager to see how that affects future books. I highly recommend this, particularly for fans of Wither (Lauren DeStefano), Divergent (Veronica Roth), and Incarceron (Catherine Fisher).

Tahereh Mafi is a girl. She’s 24. She writes books and reads books and drinks way too much coffee. SHATTER ME is her first novel, and the first of a trilogy, coming from Harper/HarperCollins on November 15, 2011. Film rights have been optioned by 20th Century Fox. Her work is represented by Jodi Reamer of Writers House, LLC. You can follow her on her blog: http://stiryourtea.blogspot.com/ or on Twitter: @TaherehMafi

Her website is: http://www.taherehmafi.com/

Book Review: Forbidden

Author: Tabitha Suzuma
Published: UK: Definitions (May 27, 2010) / US: Simon Pulse (June 28, 2011)
Audience: Young Adult
Source: Purchased in store
Young Adult  * Romance 

Description from Goodreads:
Seventeen-year-old Lochan and sixteen-year-old Maya have always felt more like friends than siblings. Together they have stepped in for their alcoholic, wayward mother to take care of their three younger siblings. As defacto parents to the little ones, Lochan and Maya have had to grow up fast. And the stress of their lives—and the way they understand each other so completely—has also also brought them closer than two siblings would ordinarily be. So close, in fact, that they have fallen in love. Their clandestine romance quickly blooms into deep, desperate love. They know their relationship is wrong and cannot possibly continue. And yet, they cannot stop what feels so incredibly right. As the novel careens toward an explosive and shocking finale, only one thing is certain: a love this devastating has no happy ending. 

*WARNING: BOOK CONTAINS ADULT MATERIAL*

Before I begin to review this book, and tell you why I thought that this was one of the best books I've read, I want to reiterate that this book does contain mature themes. It deals with the incestuous relationship between a brother and sister, so parents or sensitive readers should take note.

This is a difficult review for me to write because I can't quite explain how I loved this book to someone who hasn't read it. Just to get it out of the way, the novel doesn't gloss over the aspects of Lochan and Maya's relationship. It's not just a crush. They are properly in love, and strangely... I really wanted them to be. Like for most people, incest is one of those universal taboos for me. So, I was half-intrigued, half-skeptical going into reading this , but Tabitha Suzuma nails it. There is something about the way she writes these two characters that forces you to root for them. A few chapters into the book, I completely abandoned my, "Ewws," for, "Awws," and was already hoping for a way that the two of them could find a way to be together without hiding. The romance is sweet, believable, and paced extremely well -- they aren't making out in chapter 2 or declaring eternal love in chapter 3. Forbidden is a long enough book that Suzuma can take her time establishing Lochan and Maya as separate characters and individuals and make the romance grow out of that slowly. I promise you, I went into this young adult romance thinking that my stomach might turn at the idea of sibling love and came out of it wanting even more moments of them together.

Suzuma does a great job with characters in general. Besides Lochan (my favorite!) and Maya, the other characters in their family are multi-dimensional and interesting. Particular favorites include their alcoholic mother, who was so nuanced, and Kit, their rebellious younger brother. I loved that the alcoholic mother wasn't of the stereotypical scream-and-shout-and-abuse variety. The way her addiction to alcohol made her an absent parent and tore her family apart was different and believable, and caused enough harm to facilitate Lochan and Maya's unusual relationship. Kit, on the other hand, was a fascinating character because he was the 13 years old middle child, in that awkward stage between boy and man. As much as I agreed with or accepted the ending of the novel, the one thing I would have wanted would be more of Kit -- such a fascinating character.

The writing was also really phenomenal. It's told in alternating POV between Lochan and Maya, which is so difficult to manage sometimes, but worked really well in this one. Each of their voices is very distinct and I really like it when authors can pull this off. (If you are a fan of Maggie''s Stiefvater's Shiver or Malorie Blackman's Naughs and Crosses, then you'll appreciate this style of storytelling.) I loved getting inside the heads of these two complex characters and listening to -- or reading, rather -- how they justified their love, criticized themselves, felt cheated or dirty.... Given the subject matter of the novel, it really helped to be told in first person POV.

There's really not much more I can say about this. The novel is a beautiful romance that might step on some toes, but ultimately surprise you. There isn't anything like this out there (that I've read anyway). This novel just represents what I love about fiction. It turns something vile, unexpected, unconventional, and ultimately "wrong," into something beautiful and poetic. I hope you give Forbidden a chance. It's certainly a risky novel, but the reward is so great.

Tabitha Suzuma is the award-winning British author of several young adult novels with difficult subject matter, including mental illness and depression. You can follow Tabitha on twitter: @TabithaSuzuma or on her blog: http://tabithasuzuma.blogspot.com/ 

Her official website is:  http://www.tabithasuzuma.com/

Book Review: Fateful + ARC Giveaway

Author: Claudia Gray
Published: Harper Collins (September 13, 2011)
Audience: Young Adult
Source: For Review
Young Adult  * Paranormal Romance * Historical


Description from Goodreads:
 It's about a servant girl named Tess in 1912, who wants to escape from the house where she works, and most particularly the lecherous young lord of the manor. But that's not her biggest problem. While on a voyage to America, where she plans to escape and start a new life, she meets Alec, who's ruggedly handsome, fabulously wealthy, intelligent and yet so clearly troubled that she'd rather not fall for him, but she does. That also is not her biggest problem. Alec, it turns out, is a werewolf ... one cursed to change every night, unless and until he surrenders his independence and joins the Brotherhood, a pack of violently misogynistic werewolves who have been tracking him for months. You'd think that would be their biggest problem, wouldn't you?

But no. Their biggest problem -- though they don't know it yet -- is that they're aboard the RMS Titanic.


As a huge fan of Claudia Gray's Evernight series, I was very excited to read an advanced copy of her new book, Fateful. This new book is a stand-alone (as far as I know) and it's very different from her Evernight series. Firstly, this is historical paranormal fiction, instead of contemporary, and Claudia Gray does historical so well. Reading Fateful, it was very obvious that Gray had researched the period well. The dialogue, the clothing, the description... everything felt true to turn of the century London. She describes the lifestyle and the environment so well that I felt like I was immersed in the time period. Also, having seen the movie Titanic countless times, I could catch references to different real-life people like Margaret Brown and Mr. Andrews. You don't have to know a lot about the Titanic story to enjoy it, but I think history buffs (or fans of the movie) might get even more out of it.

Another really interesting aspect of the story was the werewolf element. It was handled in an original way, with an interesting twist on the typical werewolf pack, changing in the moonlight, and all the obvious werewolf myths. I also loved the villain in the novel. He was scary and manipulative and everything I want in an antagonist. The characters in general were very well-done. The wealthy family Tess works for is deliciously snobby and unkind and secondary characters, like Irene, Layton, and Myriam are very multi-dimensional and well-written.

Alec, however was my favorite character. His spirit was great, and I think he offered the most complexity. He and Tess had amazing chemistry and with all the obstacles preventing them from being together -- class/status, the fact that Alec is a werewolf, lurking danger of the villain, and their potential deaths when the ship eventually sinks -- their romance was sweet and light. It was very wel-done.

Overall I liked the story.The ending felt a bit rushed, and the plotline with Alec and the werewolves that are hunting him (which was great!) would have probably been developed better if it didn't have to work around the limitations of a short ride on a ship that would eventually sink. I would recommend this book, though, to fans of Claudia Gray's superb writing and people interested in history and/or werewolf mythology.

Claudia Gray is not my real name. I didn't choose a pseudonym because my real name is unpleasant (it isn't), because I'd always dreamed of calling myself this (I haven't) or even because I'm hiding from the remnants of that international diamond-smuggling cartel I smashed in 2003 (Interpol has taken care of them). In short, I took a pseudonym for no real reason whatsoever. Sometimes this is actually the best reason to do things.

I am a full-time novelist based in Chicago. So far, in life, I've been a disc jockey, a lawyer, a journalist and an extremely bad waitress, just to name a few. I especially like to spend time traveling, hiking, reading and listening to music. More than anything else, I enjoy writing. You can follow her on twitter: @claudiagray or on her blog: http://claudiagray.com/blog/


Her official website is: http://www.claudiagray.com/


Complete the form below for a chance to win an advanced reader copy of Fateful. Please read contest rules carefully.

CONTEST RULES:

1. Please do not enter any personal information in the comments section (it will be deleted if you do), you must complete the Entry Form to officially enter the contest.
2. The contest runs from August 28 to 11:59 PM Pacific Time on August 31, 2011.
3. You must be 13 or older to participate in this contest.
4. If you are selected as a winner, I will notify you by e-mail. If you do not respond within 48 hours, I will select a new winner.
5. This contest is open to the  U.S. and Canda.