Sci Fi and Fantasy

Black Pearls (and The Woman in White)

1 Comment / 2009, Books in Bed, Fiction, Kindle, Sci Fi and Fantasy, Young Adult /

Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand was an impulse pick up from the YA shelf at the library. Liz and I were waiting for the Prince to find his way to the audio books and while she looked at graphic novels, I looked at the new arrivals. The cover caught my eye first. The faerie tales retold theme sold me.

Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my hopes. It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t great. But it’s hard to re-tell classic fairy tales in a way that pleases me, I like the originals and expect an awful lot from a fairy tale re-told.

I liked Hansel & Gretel the best. I really disliked Snow White. Rapunzel wasn’t bad. Jack & the Beanstalk pretty much put me to sleep.

Also, while I’m here… I finished The Woman in White on the Kindle. Still love it.

Black Pearls (and The Woman in White) Read More »

Foundling: Monster Blood Tattoo

2009, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Sci Fi and Fantasy, Young Adult /

I read Foundling (book 1 in the Monster Blood Tattoo series) because book 2 was on the short list for a Cybil. We tried to listen to book 2 on audio without having read book 1 and realized very quickly that this was a bad idea. There are a lot of made up words and a lot of words being used in ways that didn’t make sense. So, we took the audio back to the library and I reserved book 1 in print.

And it wasn’t half bad. Much easier to follow the made up words, monster types, etc… in print. The little glossary and such helped a good bit as well. Now I’ve received book 2 and we’ll figure out what happens to poor Rossamund.

Foundling: Monster Blood Tattoo Read More »

Savvy

1 Comment / 2009, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Cybil Challenge, Fiction, Sci Fi and Fantasy, Young Adult /

I think Savvy was maybe mis-categorized in The Cybils. I think it should have simply been a middle grade fiction book because then it might have had a chance to win. Or, probably not but I’d like to think it would.

The writing isn’t exceptional. A good bit of gratuitous use of silly words and descriptors but I get why it’s written that way. It’s a fantastic story. Really excellent. Wouldn’t it be awesome if we all got our “savvy” at 13?

I love, love, love Mibs’ “savvy” (but I do NOT want to have that “savvy” for myself. I’d never be able to spend time with my big kids!) Brilliant. I don’t think there are many children’s authors who’d have taken that direction.

I think Liz will love this one, if I can convince her to read it.

Savvy Read More »

The Host

2 Comments / 2009, Books in Bed, Fiction, Sci Fi and Fantasy /

I swore I was not going to read The Host. I was sure I wasn’t going to read it. I never put it on the library list. I had no intention of buying it. Even if RJ showed up at the house with it, raving about “souls” instead of vampires, I was NOT going to read it.

But I read it.

TW found it on the shelf at the library and she read it first. Even as she read it, I swore I was not going to read it.

But I read it.

All 500 something pages of it. It was heavy.

It was also pretty darn good. Darn it.

I even liked the ending which I did not think I was going to like. Darn it.

The Host Read More »

The Magic Thief

1 Comment / 2009, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Cybil Challenge, Fiction, Sci Fi and Fantasy, Young Adult /

I sure didn’t expect to finish The Magic Thief last night. The first 10 pages were pretty slow. The next 20 pages weren’t much more of a draw.

But, before I knew it, I only had 50 pages to go. Weird.

It’s not a compelling, page turner type of book. It’s a nice story with likable enough characters, and also hatable enough characters. It’s a super easy read. And quick, obviously since I picked it up late in the evening and finished it at 11pm.

Looking at the Cybils competition here – The Graveyard Book, it’s not better than that but kids may like it more because it’s an easier read. The Cabinet of Wonders, nope it’s not better than that either but again, it’s an easier read.

The Magic Thief Read More »

Skinned

2009, Books in Bed, Fiction, Sci Fi and Fantasy, Young Adult /

RJ and I were talking about books one day and for some reason or another she mentioned Skinned. I thought it was a title on the Cybils finalists list so I told her I wanted to read it. She brought me her copy and it was then that I realized it wasn’t on the list at all. So, I didn’t read it. It’s been sitting on my desk for a month.

When I finished the Percheron Saga and had no book waiting for me on the library shelf, I picked it up.

And I hated it.

I read 20 pages, put it down and bugged TW. I picked it up and read 30 more pages. Put it down and ranted about what a horrible book this was.

The next day, I read 20 more pages and wanted to call RJ to ask her why in the hell she liked this book. I read 50 more pages and told TW I did not want my brain cut up into pieces and downloaded so it could be put inside of a machine body. She questioned my decision because she apparently thinks this sounds like a good idea. She. Is. Whacked.

I read 30 more pages and went to bed.

The writing isn’t great. The characters have no redeeming qualities. None. Not one.

I finished it today and it was only in the last 30 pages that I found myself enjoying it – wondering what would happen next to these people I don’t like even a tiny bit.

All of that writing and only the last 30 pages made me glad I read the thing? Ugh. I don’t think I’ll bother with the rest of the series – unless RJ talks me into reading them.

Skinned Read More »

Goddess

2009, Books in Bed, Fiction, Sci Fi and Fantasy /

Well. I didn’t see that coming. Or that. Or that. Or that. Or that. In fact most of Goddess was not what I expected. Or I expected bits and pieces but those bits and pieces did not at all go in the direction I expected them to go in.

I cannot decide if I loved it or hated it. Which is maybe a good thing? Or not so much since I was so much in love with both book 1 and book 2.

I would like a new series written about the “giants” and what they did off in the mountains. That would be a fun series, I think.

Goddess Read More »

Emissary

2009, Books in Bed, Favorites, Fiction, Sci Fi and Fantasy /

Every “new year” I go back through my reading list for the previous year and try and reserve books in series that we started but haven’t been able to keep up with for one reason or another. I also click into my “favorites” category and look for books written by authors who I really enjoyed the year before.

One of the series we didn’t keep up with was the Percheron Saga by Fiona McIntosh. I think the problem was that our library in Florida only had the first book and I never made the time to ILL the next book.

Well, thank goodness for our new library system (damn I love living here!) because Emissary was excellent.

It took me awhile to remember all of the characters but within the first 50 pages, I was deep into the story again and could barely put the book down. Goddesses, demons, dwarfs, odalisques, eunuchs – what’s not to love?

Emissary Read More »

Fire Study

1 Comment / 2009, Books in Bed, Favorites, Fiction, Sci Fi and Fantasy /

When I realized there was another book published in Snyder’s series, I was soooo excited. I was also apprehensive because series have a way of letting you down. Fire Study didn’t let me down but it sure did start slowly.

But, that starting slowly thing was also helpful because it’s been so long since I ready Poison/Magic study that I needed to ease in. And then, I didn’t want to put it down… which is why I was up until midnight finishing it. (Also finishing it means I get to start the new Willig which means after that I get to read Gaiman. What a great weekend for books.)

Is Air Study next? Anyone know?

Fire Study Read More »

Ironside: A Modern Faery’s Tale

2 Comments / 2009, Books in Bed, Favorites, Fiction, Sci Fi and Fantasy, Young Adult /

I don’t know how we missed the release of Ironside in 2007 but we did. If I hadn’t taken RJ to Barnes & Noble a couple of weeks to spend her Christmas gift card (thanks Mom!) I never would have known she had written another book in the series. I was just sitting there on the floor in the YA section discussing the merits of the various pirate and vampire series’ with RJ and there it was – staring at me from the shelf.

No I did not buy it. I put a note in my iPhone to remind me to reserve it at the library, duh.

And now I’ve ready it.

Wonderful. Ten times better than Valiant and as good as Tithe. Characters from both are in Ironside and they’re brought together perfectly, seamlessly even. Holly Black writes YA dark faery stories fabulously.

Now, a question – if you were a changeling, would you tell YOUR mother?

Ironside: A Modern Faery’s Tale Read More »