Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

I thought it's safe to start reading Strange the Dreamer because I only have to wait until October for the Muse of Nightmares to come out. Should've waited longer before I did because this book ended with the mother of all cliffhangers. Am I'm exaggerating? Yes. Is the ending a cliffhanger. A big fat YES. I haven't really read like really, really, really read in a long time and I thought Laini Taylor will save me from this reading slump. She did. But at a price. The one star I knocked off is for the ending (d'oh). I loved the book, of course (because Laini Taylor). I mean, I can't not love a book that makes me want to ugly-cry in public (as in inside the tram while I was heading home from work) merely because of the words that it used.

I'll be honest. The concept can be compared to the Smoke and Bone trilogy if you think about it. 
One species falling in love with another ... remember the whole "Once upon a time, an angel fell in love with a devil" thing? In Smoke and Bone it's angels and monsters. In Strange the Dreamer, it's humans and gods. The beauty, however, lies in how she created a whole new world (not the song, heh) that somehow equals the Smoke and Bone trilogy. Something THAT amazing is hard to top but lo and behold, she creates another world that you cannot help but care about with a whole new set of characters that you cannot help but fall in love with. I don't mean to be poetic (wait, is that poetic enough?) so ... gaaaaaah for the lack of more coherent words.

The Fireman by Joe Hill

Oxytocin. Social interaction. Empathy. Attachment. Emotional memories. I loved the concept of how a certain hormone that is responsible for so many positive human emotions can be turned into a scary sci-fi/horror disease stimulant because it's not really far from the truth. I'm not talking about spontaneous combustion but the fact that oxytocin triggers protective instincts but can also trigger possessive and demanding attitude. It turns belief into obsession. It promotes social connection but can also be the reason for mob mentality. Moral of the story? Individualism, ladies and gentlemen. Okay I kid but you get the gist. It's something so positive but if you don't get a good grip at it it can turn sideways very easily.

The story sort of mimicked Harry Potter in a sense that it covered tyranny and I thought it was brilliant how two stories can tackle the same issue in two very different, very elaborate ways.

I mentioned HP because the author dedicated it to J.K. Rowling. Now, I can't tell if reading the inscription helped me understand the book or if the fact ruined it for me. Don't get me wrong, I love J.K. Rowling and the HP series but I found there's too much reference to it and most of them I found ... off. Also, I'm not sure why the title is Fireman. Shouldn't it be Harper?

I loved this book as well, hence the 4 stars, but I would've given it more if not for the constant mention of Dumbledore and other works of British authors. It's like the author wanted the story to revolve around books but not really so he only did it half-heartedly throwing in a title or a character whenever he seemed appropriate. Except it didn't seem appropriate for me. But that's just me.

Love is Red (Nightsong Trilogy #1) by Sophie Jaff

I always thought great story telling is better than a great plot. I haven't met a book that proved me wrong. Take this book for example. Some parts were told in first person and some in second. Yes, second person. I mean who does that?! In fiction no less! I understand how the book is told in different perspectives and for some books that can work. The story telling has to be full proof, though. And whose voice does the second person story telling belong to? If that's not enough there are a couple of chapters towards the end that were told in third person. I blame artistic freedom. If you can get over the constant switching of voices you might like this.

Or not. Because Love is Red had such great potential if it didn't try to put so many ideas in one book. The birth of Jesus Christ and the alien wise man (I SHIT YOU NOT), some Wiccan tale which didn't really relate to the ... colors (don't even get me started with this), and of course the main mystery. This is the first book of a trilogy, if I might add. I got more questions than answers when I'm done. I'm hoping these will be clarified in the next two instalments, not that I'm holding my breath for those. Okay sorry but the colors ... the colors should've at least been mentioned at the beginning not in the middle with no explanations whatsoever. I'm not saying the writing isn't good.

It is ... for the most part. I wouldn't finish it if not. And I also kind of understand why this is in first and second person because there are a couple of chapters written in 3rd person and this is how one sounded like: 

Chapter 28: The woman opens her eyes. Her eyes are open in the darkness. It is too dark in here.

I rest my case.

Uprooted by Naomi Novik

A mediocre plot can be amazing if delivered with great story-telling. Uprooted, however, is not mediocre. It was action-packed and there were so many things going on that readers would be constantly on the edge of their seats. I loved the story, I thought it was an amazing mix of fantasy and romance with a lot of beauty-tames-the-beast feels which every woman loves and don't you disagree. 

BUT! Issue #1: I think there are pages that the story can do without (maybe 50 of them? give or take?). I was about 10% into the book when I had to stop because the descriptions were repetitive. Specifically how the spells were cast. More specifically how they "let it flow out of" them. It was all over the book you can't miss it. That and there were just parts that I wanted to skip completely. I understand how there's a calm before the storm as in other-stuff-before-the-twist but I thought making a point about how politics worked and how the citizens in the capital were petty was too much. Especially since Sarkan already talked about it before Agnieszka went there.

AND! Issue #2: The voice used in story-telling is confusing. It's not because each scene calls for a different pace. It's experiencing a simple story telling using simple prose and vocabulary for one chapter and then suddenly going Alice in Wonderland feels. It didn't happen throughout the book. But it happened.
It was ...
Chapter 1: The ball is red. 
versus
Chapter 2: The spherical object is a of a color at the end of the spectrum next to orange and opposite violet. Like rubies and blood and it was scarlet.

I think I liked parts of this book but felt meh during the other parts.

Oh and apparently, 417 Goodreads users marked this as YA ... um ... no. Lol. Although I had the same first impression of the book due to the opening, there are other parts that are a bit too adult to be young adult. 

3.5 stars.

The Winner's Crime (The Winner's Trilogy #2) by Marie Rutkoski

As much as this book's characters are filled with emotional turmoil, the only thing it stirred is my rationale (I do have that sometimes). I'm still loving the political and scheming bits of the second book but I can't give it a five because both main characters seem to have ran out of common sense. 

Let me break it down. Kestrel was written to be a strategist. She's supposed to be good at making decisions, cutting losses, picking the perfect solution out of varied options. Her flaws are: 1) her father and 2) Arin. When a strategist decides on a solution that is the lesser of evils, the strategist will then move on. This is not to say that the strategist lacks emotional and moral judgment but putting the idea out there knowing that it will be carried out because it will benefit the empire the most (but still save a lot of lives!) and then whining about how it's all her fault and self destructing because of it doesn't follow. So I guess my issue is her character is inconsistent?

I kept waiting for the how-much-their-crimes-will-cost-them twist and when it came it was a bit of a disappointment. Not because it's a hanger. It just is. Where do you think all this spying and treason will lead? Especially because, from the very beginning, the emperor and all of the empire knows about their supposed relationship. 

Also, what is up with Arin's suicidal attitude? I'll leave it at that because I can't even --

Err ... I still can't wait for the last installment. Heh.

PS: They used the word "foodstuffs" in this book. It doesn't have anything to do with my rating. I swear to God. It just really bothers me ... I'm just saying.

3 stars.

End of Days (Penryn and the End of Days #3) by Susan Ee

I think, first and foremost, one must remember that this is a romance story. I forgot, therefore, I am disappointed. It wasn't bad. Neither was I expecting it to be life-changing. But I wasn't expecting ... this. Basically, here is the story of the third book: Penryn was gushing over Raphael. The end. If you were expecting something else then let this serve as a warning.

The awkward word exchange between characters is back, the idea to draw the crowd to the bridge for what was supposed to be an epic battle was A COMPLETE JOKE, some parts and characters reminded me so much of another book (a highly successful one) and ... it ended just like that! 

The only part that I liked about it was Beliel's. That was the only person whose bitterness and personality was explained. I felt really bad for him but at least for Beliel I had closure. But what of Penryn? There was supposed to be an explanation for why she was wielding the angel sword. An explanation that is more than what was given. More than the fact that it deemed Raffe not deserving anymore because then anyone can wield it. More than people being a grand grand grand grand grand grand (and more grand) daughter of one of the Watchers. They didn't say that outright but what's a person without closure do except invent a that-would-do explanation? 

2 stars.

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

I haven't read a book I wanted to stay up late for in a long time. Here's one. I was devastated to find out the last of the trilogy won't come out until next year so now my problem is do I read the second book or do I wait a few months and suffer. Tough decisions.

See, it's books like this that got me into YA. The last YA trilogy I read wasn't so much of a much so I stopped reading YA for a bit. I mean, it was good but I didn't as excited about it as this one. I think this book just killed my YA reading slump. I like the story telling and its prose best. As far as the made-up world, clan wars and forbidden love, it's all been done before. It's the story telling and writing that makes a difference.

Okay I think my EQ is low today so I'm gonna go read the 2nd book and then suffer longer until the last installment comes out. 

Five stars.

Born of Illusion by Teri Brown

This is a fast read (if I hadn't been busy) and an uncomplicated one but the way I feel about it is a bit -- contradicting. I like the genre and the writing should be easy for anyone to follow but it's still just -- not a page-turner. I liked the old New York setting and I'm in love with old circus and old magic concept but for some reason I couldn't connect with this one. I have to admit I expected more from it so maybe there lies they problem? I'm also getting tired of the love triangle thing in YA so there's another star off the rating. I'd still like to read the second book and see how it turns out. I think I would give this a 3.5 at most. 

James Potter and the Morrigan Web by G. Norman Lippert

If you're a Harry Potter fan and you haven't read this, you're doing yourself a disservice. I don't want to have to explain again how amazing I think this fanfic is anymore so just DOWNLOAD IT ... for FREE!!! I love how I didn't have to pay to extend my HP experience but I really hope this would come out in print and that Mr G. Norman Lippert gets paid. Yes, I know about copyright issues but *cougheEricVanLustbadercough*. For now, dear people, please buy this guy a coffee. Better yet, buy his non-JP works (that was what I did haha) here:http://www.jamespotterseries.com/. I mean, seriously.

Now, I am super sad to know that the author cannot promise to make another installment because life gets in the way. (That's why I said buy his other works. So he can continue writing more. Purely selfish reasons, I know. Lol.) All that being said, I think this is a good "ending" to the series. It didn't end per se. Like the author said, there's still a lot of story there. But some parts, somehow, gave me (so I'm assuming it would be the same experience for Potterheads) closure. Yes, I'm talking about the mirror of Erised. I wish he'd included Ron and Hermione in that scene, though.

Here are a few things I'd like to see on the possible installments: the "relationship" between James and Petra explained, George Weasley's spark and faith in magickind to come back, and more of the Snape paintings terrorizing James lol. 

I'd really like a JP #5, #6 and #7. :(

Some books I read but didn't write a review for ...

2 STARS

  

2 STARS

2 STARS

3 STARS

Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer

Great concept but it's for a very specific target audience ... which is kind of ironic because that's how the fairy tale in the book is seen by the adults and most young adults in it. It wasn't a bad read, it was fast, as a matter of fact, and was okay. I just didn't get the satisfaction I normally do when reading Picoult. I'm not comparing genres and I think it's super cool how writers sometimes switch but maybe they should've put the daughter's name on the cover using a bigger font than the mother's. I'm sure it helped a ton with marketing. I just think it's too much of a teenager's story (which it is) from a teenager ... and not her mother. But ... yay for mother-daughter books, hey? 

Ruin and Rising (Grisha #3) by Leigh Bardugo

Those four stars didn't come from this trilogy having a (sort of) happy ending. I liked this best of the three because Alina didn't sulk as much. The saint finally grew balls. Heh. Seriously, this was the most action-packed and at some parts I may have been on the edge of my seat trying to hold on until I found out what happens next. There were too many deaths, though. If some people can be resurrected from the dead then there shouldn't have been too many deaths. WHY WERE THERE TOO MANY DEATHS?!! 

Not to be a fanatic but I noticed some similarities between this and another famous series ... but I didn't want to ruin the experience when I'm finally enjoying the story so I let it go lol. Hmm I guess I also liked that they explained a lot of things in this book. Oh! Also! Also! Also! I was told how I will like this book depends on who I want Alina to end up with ... does that mean I was rooting for ***tooot***? I can't say yes. But it was okay what happened in the end. I guess it was ... fitting?

Truckers (Bromeliad Trilogy #1) by Terry Pratchett

I know ... I almost always give anything Terry Pratchett a 4 if not a 5. I haven't read all his works but I think I only gave two of them a 3. Couldn't help it. Even though I didn't laugh out loud at this book like the others, I chuckled at a lot of it. I was trying to read another fantasy/satire the same time as this but I couldn't ... grasp ... the humor. I get what it was trying to say and why it was supposed to be funny but ... I think what I'm trying to say is I think Terry Pratchett is still the best fantasy/satire writer there is. 

Story-wise, although Truckers doesn't leave you hanging, it's a bit open-ended. I'm actually glad the trilogy was already published when I started reading. So off to the next book.

The 57 Lives of Alex Wayfare by M.G. Buehrlen

Ironically, the thing I hated most about this book is also the part that had the best prose (in the book). The ending. 

In summary, the ending was good but it was a hanger. I said good because I liked that the narrator was literally talking to the reader. I liked how it was delivered; but no one wants to be left hanging. I felt cheated because I liked the book and the story a lot and then I found out that I had to wait another year before knowing what's going to happen next. To be specific, who Blue is in Base Life (shallow, I know) and how they will defeat Gesh and what happened to Levi ... and the list goes on.

Now, I'm not a big scifi person. I took off one star not because of the ending, it was because I zone out every time they explain how the "Limbo" and soul travel works. I think people who are into vintage stuff might like this in a way that the author took time to describe Alex's dresses in detail. Although I have to say I couldn't help but think ... "Heh. Pinterest."

Some books are meant to be a stand-alone. Some should be in a series ... this is what I kept repeating to myself just so I don't throw my Kindle out the window.

The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (with a little bit of spoiler)

So what are the odds that when you're in a hide-and-seek scene with a sadistic character it happens in a room full of limbs of old mannequins? Now that I got that out of the way (haha!), I'll go straight to saying I was glad to know that the mother of beating around the bush has a sister.

Although I had to make it clear that I don't believe that this book does not, in any way, pale in comparison with its predecessor, I had a couple of wait-what?!-moments when reading the story.[Like how did David know where to find Christina? One moment I was reading about how he was contemplating about Corelli's love of sugar cubes, next thing I know he's on his way to the sanatorium. What did I miss? I feel stupid. Skipping forward, I didn't get the ending I was prepared to get. Just when I was ready to accept that everything that was happening was nothing but the ravings of a raging lunatic (and even when he met up with the witch of Somorrostro to explain what the curse was all about), Irene Sabino enters and confirms David isn't alone if it's just lunacy we're talking about. I mean, I feel for Captain Grandes. 

I also couldn't get over the fact that Andreas Corelli loves sugar cubes ... and then nothing. I feel like it means something that's significant to the story. There's so many missing things that I can't let go of. Having said all that (haha), I think the ending was still fitting. It just wasn't enlightening. It leaves more questions than answers. 

A few things that stuck (I mean other than the room full of mannequins part): I loved this from its very first paragraph (it might be safe to say that any aspiring novelist would). I also loved the dialogue exchange between Don Basilio Moragas and ... well, pretty much anyone he talked to in this book which is David and the archives guy Jose Maria Brotons. Don Basilio sounds like he could have been a gangster boss from the 50s. It was cute. Overall, I still love the prose, the gothic setting and the fact that this is about books AND authors so ... there.

Physik (Septimus Heap Book Three) by Angie Sage

Allow me to read between the lines. Or too much into the story. 

Somehow I liked this book better than the first two. Although the characters are slowly growing up and we see more "evil" in the new antagonists rather than the comical characters of DomDaniel and Simon (I mean, who's gonna take a character named DomDaniel seriously? Okay maybe Simon but that's beside the point. Heh.), it's still too much of a children's book in a way that it's a bit predictable. Except what happened to Nicko and Snorri in the end, that kind of surprised me.

Physik is the first one that made me accept the fact that the series is named after Septimus Heap. Septimus is starting to be the 7th son of a 7th son. I now see the potential. Lol. I think that was why I didn't rave for Magyk and Flyte. It made him just "one of those" characters and I needed to feel something great from a main character to be able to love them.

The one thing I REALLY liked about this book, however, is the satire-ish instances. Kinda reminds me of what characters represent in the Discworld series. Thinking back, there's a satirical side to the series ever since, but it wasn't as pronounced for me. Here's a few I can think off of the top of my head.

The Rat Stranglers could be a group of people taking action about things they don't understand. They choose to blame something else (that they don't understand as well). It makes people feel better that they're trying to do something, even though it's obvious it's not solving anything. It was funny, too, how they had some sort of a mob song that didn't make sense. Just a lot of kill, kill, kill and splat, splat, splat in it. Silas Heap and Gringe is another example. Here are two men who hated each other's guts from the time they saw each other but somehow manage to set their differences aside for the love of sports. Well, a board game but you get the drift. Silas is also one of those men who we're all so familiar with from movies or TV shows. A man who has a wife who has a lot of money so he stops working and writes a book that no one knows about or if it will be published (in this case, this is a man who has an adoptive daughter who turned out to be the princess and ends up pursuing his hobbies rather than providing for the family. Don't get me wrong, I love Silas.). Oh and Stanley and Dawnie? Don't even get me started on them. Lol.

Unspoken (The Lynburn Legacy #1) by Sarah Rees Brennan

I understand it's a series before I started reading and I understand there would be answers that won't be addressed on the first book but ... I don't understand cliff hangers. I really don't. It works for them TV series but somehow it doesn't work on books. At least not for me. And this already dragged on some parts. Like the way they kept talking about the unknown origin of the connection between the main characters. You can't keep on repeating the issue from the beginning to about half of the book without spilling the answers and expect not to bore people. Speaking of TV series, this one screams Vampire Diaries lol. I'm not saying this was copied, it's a different plot and story all together but I couldn't help remembering the founding families the originals when they talk about the Lynburns' being one of the oldest families in a small, scarcely populated town.

It wasn't all that bad. I even considered buying it in print too to add to my collection. I'm glad they didn't have the hardbound cover I liked when I went to the bookstore. The paperback cover is ugly, imho.

Anyhoo, I admit it got interesting when I got to about 10%-15% of the book (that's why I considered buying it again) but when 64% came and they finally blurted the big "secret" I was like ... um okay. That was so anticlimactic. Pft. But then I said I promised to finish reading any book I started reading this year so ...

What really made the whole thing bearable was the humor. I gather that witty dialogue exchange is a trademark of the author? It can be funny, but there's a but lol. Butt <insert-minion-snigger-here>. There are scenes where Kami's wit is not really appropriate anymore. So that was kinda off?

Overall, I'm sad to say this only earned 2 stars from me. I guess I expected too much from it so ... yeah. I don't think I'll be reading the second book yet, though I have it on hand.

Magyk (Septimus Heap, Book One) by Angie Sage

I do love a story with a happy ending. And I like that the author spent time to tell the readers what happened to the other characters, no matter how brief their role was. Actually it's like saying no character is big or small. But that was the downside too. It was hard to know where to focus. The book is called the Septimus Heap series but it was the Queenling that was sort of the focus. If there was any focus at all. I realize he was thought to be dead and people don't often think of dead people but the fact that the series was named after him tells us he'd end up being alive one way or another. But of course, as Marcia said, things have a way of working out on its own. Eventually.

Now this is a kid's book, it may be too much of a kid's book for me and it was a bit predictable but that was fine. What bothers me is how they spell some words. Adding "e" at the end of some words and misspelling terms on purpose. It's cute but for that reason I wouldn't advise kids to read this, maybe the parents could read it to them or they could get the audiobook. Children are the most impressionable people. Their minds are susceptible so there's a risk they may carry that growing up. Especially during this age when Tweeting and micro blogs force us to change and shorten words.

The characters? I loved all the characters. Especially Marcia. The bad guy was pretty funny too.

Overall, I really liked it. Apart from what I've written above this is pretty good for light reading. And, although this is the first of a series, it's also a good stand alone book.

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor (and the third book's cover *gasp*)

I don't really have a lot to say about this book except I liked it a lot! I thought it was much better than Daughter of Smoke and Bone, too, which was a pleasant surprise. Too often, we'd be thrilled about the first book of a trilogy only to be let down by its second installment. That wasn't the case for this one.

The main characters can be pretty annoying because they seem to not know what they want and how to deal with the situation they're in (isn't it always like that?) but I guess I'd be the same lol. For a moment there I thought there'd be a love triangle here and I was so ready to chuck the book out the window but, alas, I was proven wrong and I'm glad. I loved the other characters, though, and although this is very dark compared to the first book, Zuzana and Mik's character sort of brings it a brighter angle. Winning the chimaeras' hearts are kind of corny but it was cute too. Other than their story everything was very serious. I thought the deception chapter could've been better, though. Loved the concept but I didn't feel like the story was told with justice. For that I took off one star. 

Some things that I'm really looking forward to in the next book, I guess, is Akira's origin and what Brimstone said about how the angels could win the war if they hadn't burned their library during the war. I'm hoping the story won't be disappointing. I don't wanna go holding my breath and end up saying "that's it?!" Oh and I like that there's more to the war than just Angels and Chimaeras hating each other. This should make it easier to accept that two races are at war and will just stop because a member of each decided they'd fall in love with each other.

So yeah, really looking forward to the last installment and Days of Blood and Starlight officially made me a Laini Taylor fan. :)

Read: November 13 - 19, 2012

Still broken-hearted about the final installment being pushed to April 2014. Loving the cover, though! *fangirling*

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Surprisingly ... I found this book good. Great, even. I thought it was just going to be one of those angel-devil kind of book (and technically it really is that) but it turned out a lot better than I expected. There's too many fantasy novels now about angels but this one? Wow ... just ... wow! I have the Kindle version and the Audible version and I still want to have this one in print. That's how much I liked loved it!

Granted, the book Daughter of Smoke and Bone has the usual Romeo-and-Juliet plot. Angels and "monsters" at war, a character from each side falling in love with each other, fighting for that love against all odds, a bit of twist and turns here and there but it's the story telling that did it for me. Laini Taylor has some wild, vivid and amaaaaaazing imagination. I mean, souls and ... teeth? Teeth!!! Of all parts of the body! Who knew?! Kinda makes one think that eyes are overrated now, eh? Lol!

I loved how she gave each character ... well ... character. I loved them for their strengths and their flaws. Their weaknesses and their talents. I loved Brimstone, Issa, Yasri, Twiga, Zuzana, Izil and even Razgut, Chiro and Thiago and that hunter guy with the disgusting beard! Maybe it's just me but it's so ... balanced. The only thing I didn't like was Karou (I love her name) being a rebel towards Brimstone. The adopted, teenage drama gets old. I loved how she wished for petty things, though. That was amusing. Ironically, it's the angels that I found less interesting but I imagine they get more featured(?) in the next books? I also don't get why the ex Kaz was mentioned too much at the beginning unless he plays a big role in the later part of the story. I guess I'll find out soon enough ... the second book is out! :D

I thought this one actually lived up to the hype.

Read: November 5-11 of 2012.