Marchetta is swiftly becoming one of my favorite YA authors because her books are emotional, unusual, and important. They are also difficult, both in...moreMarchetta is swiftly becoming one of my favorite YA authors because her books are emotional, unusual, and important. They are also difficult, both in content (genocide, institutionalized rape, mass miscarriages) and narrative structure (many characters and countries, multiple storylines, complex political history). To the heavy subject matter: It is not used for shock or show; Marchetta is interested in a serious exploration of the aftermath of mass trauma, and she's not one for easy answers. QUINTANA OF CHARYN, the third and seemingly final book in this series, resolves the conflict introduced in FINNIKIN OF THE ROCK where one country does great violence to another, loosing twin curses that trap the former in guilt and the latter in grief and anger. To the narrative structure: Read the series in order, in full, and don't wait too long between books like I foolishly did. (And publishers, if you reprint, a character index would be nifty!) This series is recommended for those who liked BITTERBLUE, the ATTOLIA series, and HIS FAIR ASSASSIN series. (less)
Trilogies are *the thing* in YA right now, but it's difficult to keep a plot working over the course of one novel, much less three. Now add to that th...moreTrilogies are *the thing* in YA right now, but it's difficult to keep a plot working over the course of one novel, much less three. Now add to that the demand of retold fairy tales--the best retellings are a balance of familiarity and reinvention--and I think we can all agree that Meyer's SCARLET gets the glass slipper for staying just as clever, compelling, and fun as its prequel, CINDER. CINDER was set in a future Beijing; for SCARLET we move to the French countryside where the title character runs an organic farm with her grandmother, an ex-army pilot who's gone missing. The characters from CINDER return, joined by a delightfully sociopathic Prince Charming, and the two plots come together by story's end. Meyer is a dab hand at genre-blending: fairy tale, fantasy, science fiction, romance, heist, and horror. There's a little bit of everything you love. I wasn't surprised to discover that the author is a huge FIREFLY fan, and I recommend this book to Whedonites and readers who liked the FABLES comics. (less)
Bray is billing her series about psychic adolescents fighting evil in the 1920s as "Gatsby meets X-men." I'd liken it to a YA version of King's THE ST...moreBray is billing her series about psychic adolescents fighting evil in the 1920s as "Gatsby meets X-men." I'd liken it to a YA version of King's THE STAND because of its scope (wide), pacing (it takes its time), and moral themes (straight up good vs. evil). I appreciated the diversity of the characters and situations and the attention to setting, but be warned, it's a long, slow ride. And violence-sensitive readers? It's very gory. My first and best Bray recommendation is still her excellent short story "The Last Ride of the Glory Girls," which can be found in STEAMPUNK!, eds. Link and Grant. (less)
I'm thankful that my indie bookstore guru, Bonnie, helped me overcome my reservations of retold fairytales and high-heeled shoe covers because CINDER...moreI'm thankful that my indie bookstore guru, Bonnie, helped me overcome my reservations of retold fairytales and high-heeled shoe covers because CINDER is smart and fun. This retelling of Cinderella is set in a plague-decimated future Beijing where our title character schleps as a cyborg mechanic indentured to her "family" through robot-phobic laws. If some of the retold elements feel a little goofy--the royal system, the Lunars--others are inspired; for example, Cinder's helper mice take the form of a ditzy and endearing R2D2-type robot, and I won't ruin the surprise of the fairy godmother. The plotting is great with actions and questions leading your forward and plenty of revelations along the way. (less)
The woman who cuts my hair has a Hoffman tattoo, so I thought I'd better read the prose that inspired such permanence. *The Foretelling* is narrated b...moreThe woman who cuts my hair has a Hoffman tattoo, so I thought I'd better read the prose that inspired such permanence. *The Foretelling* is narrated by Rain who defines herself by the circumstances of her birth: her mother, the leader of a fierce Amazonian-type tribe, was gang-raped. Rain's journey is to understand her own identity within a culture that conflates strength and violence. The prose is sleek and intuitive with lovely bits of magic. I had the idea that Hoffman was a simple, commercial writer, but I think her books just give the impression of ease--the vocabulary is simple, the pacing is lightning-speed--while actually being quite complex. Don't skip the author's note at the end, but also don't read it until after.(less)
This book about a boy who makes a bargain with a storytelling tree-monster is valuable for the honesty it brings to the experience of those surviving...moreThis book about a boy who makes a bargain with a storytelling tree-monster is valuable for the honesty it brings to the experience of those surviving a loved one's death. The writing is squarely middle-grade, but the themes are universal. I read this one on my e-reader (library loan and I was traveling), but I may go get it in paper because the illustrations are beautiful. Also, if you haven't read it yet, Ness's *The Knife of Never Letting Go* is a must (whether to continue with the trilogy, I'll leave to you). (less)
His Fair Assassin is the other trilogy I'm gobbling up because...trained handmaidens of a death god! Beyond that, the (low) magic and the concept of d...moreHis Fair Assassin is the other trilogy I'm gobbling up because...trained handmaidens of a death god! Beyond that, the (low) magic and the concept of death (or Death, really, because he's personified) are employed with subtlety and imagination, the love stories are character-specific and none too gooey, and the story cycle structure allows the reader to understand the characters from multiple perspectives. Unrelated to all of this, I fan-bombed Robin LaFevers at TLA, and she was pretty darn gracious about it. (less)
The Last Policeman, which is essentially Wells's "The Star" in detective-novel form, combines three things I love: tiny-step SF, genre blending, and t...moreThe Last Policeman, which is essentially Wells's "The Star" in detective-novel form, combines three things I love: tiny-step SF, genre blending, and the fantastical used to truly shape characters. Extremely well plotted with a narrator whose gravitas hides a pool of existential aching. (Read this because of your rec, Dave--thanks!)(less)
I am picky enough and my TBR stack high enough that much of my trilogy reading doesn't make it past the first book, so it's a compliment in and of its...moreI am picky enough and my TBR stack high enough that much of my trilogy reading doesn't make it past the first book, so it's a compliment in and of itself that I hurried on to book two of Carson's Fire and Thorn series. I wanted another installment of the fresh protagonist, the nuanced love story, the twisty court intrigue, and the thoughtful world-builidng. I ended book one with a worry that the moral divide was too tidy (good guys here, bad guys there), but that's already complicated in book two and, I expect, will be even more so in book three. (less)
Gorgeous lyrical prose, and I am *picky* about this. It was nice to read a western that took its female characters seriously and didn't skew to the ex...moreGorgeous lyrical prose, and I am *picky* about this. It was nice to read a western that took its female characters seriously and didn't skew to the extremes of folksy-twee or violently nihilistic. This one offers a fully realized human experience. (less)
Both the world-building and the narrator in this book are distinctive, especially hard to accomplish in the packed field of put-upon YA heroines takin...moreBoth the world-building and the narrator in this book are distinctive, especially hard to accomplish in the packed field of put-upon YA heroines taking on a teetering political structure in a fantastical world. This would be a good follow-up for fans of *Bitterblue* and *The Tombs of Atuan*. The religious subject matter, thorny (ahem) subject matter for sure, felt a little one-note, but I think that's because we're at the beginning of the character arc. (less)
It must be difficult to write the sequel to a book that hinged on the unreliable narrator's tricking of the reader because it's nearly impossible to r...moreIt must be difficult to write the sequel to a book that hinged on the unreliable narrator's tricking of the reader because it's nearly impossible to repeat that sleight of hand. Nielsen wisely doesn't try, though The RK is still full of Jaron's scheming and much of the fun comes from trying to keep up with it. Good for readers looking for something to follow the Attolia series. (less)
This is my second Stead book, and like *When You Reach Me*, it scans up to an adult reader...or at least this adult reader: Authentic observations of...moreThis is my second Stead book, and like *When You Reach Me*, it scans up to an adult reader...or at least this adult reader: Authentic observations of childhood, an strong narrative voice, and classic conflicts made new with a quirkiness that never feels like it's trying to be quirky. (less)
Completely consumable, plot-driven romp, especially delightful if you remember the 80s. The narrator has the moral righteousness of a Cory Doctorow pr...moreCompletely consumable, plot-driven romp, especially delightful if you remember the 80s. The narrator has the moral righteousness of a Cory Doctorow protagonist, which depending on your point of view, is either utterly gratifying or a little bit grating. The final word: lots of fun.(less)
The long of it: *Scorpio Races* has believable characters with strong narrative voices and a compelling p...moreThe short of it: *Hunger Games* on horseback.
The long of it: *Scorpio Races* has believable characters with strong narrative voices and a compelling plot with clear stakes, but the best part is that the magical water horses are not stalwart companions, but truly frightening. I read another Stiefvater book that--as they tactfully say in the publishing industry--I didn't really get, but I got this one, and how!(less)
This 1970s diary of a Welsh girl at a boarding school is one of two sci-fi/fantasy geek chronicles I've read this past month (the other is *Ready Play...moreThis 1970s diary of a Welsh girl at a boarding school is one of two sci-fi/fantasy geek chronicles I've read this past month (the other is *Ready Player One*). Mor's believable voice; the stupendous, annotated SF/F reading list; and the mystery around Mor's twin sister's death pulled me through the story. As other readers have mentioned (Hi, Dave!), the ending is blink-and-you-missed-it, but I didn't mind so much because what came before it was so quirky and confident. My Hollywood pitch would be *The Saskiad* meets *The Magicians*. (less)
I read some very good books in the past month, but this may have been my favorite for pure cheek. Frankie questions the invisible privilege of her boa...moreI read some very good books in the past month, but this may have been my favorite for pure cheek. Frankie questions the invisible privilege of her boarding school's secret society with smarts, humor, and political art. If I had a teenage daughter, I'd want her to read this next. (less)
The second book in the Parasol Protectorate series is silly, sexy, and has tons of fun with bodice-rippers, Victorian novels, and the recent paranorma...moreThe second book in the Parasol Protectorate series is silly, sexy, and has tons of fun with bodice-rippers, Victorian novels, and the recent paranormal craze. (less)
I needed something uplifting after the relentless misery in *Blindness*. "So you're reading a book about teenagers with cancer?" my husband asked. Wel...moreI needed something uplifting after the relentless misery in *Blindness*. "So you're reading a book about teenagers with cancer?" my husband asked. Well, yes. And it *was* uplifting and without being maudlin, too. You'll likely be able to predict every twist of the plot (my husband did after a brief explanation of the premise), but Green's books aren't about plot; they're about the characters, particularly, their voices, and Hazel's felt entirely authentic. (less)
A friend recommended this one during a conversation about our mutual dislike of books that mistake a dire worldview as profundity. I told her that I d...moreA friend recommended this one during a conversation about our mutual dislike of books that mistake a dire worldview as profundity. I told her that I didn't mind violent and depressing subject matter as long as it was being used to illuminate true things about human nature, and she said to read *Blindness*. You should know, this book is very, very bleak. I had bad dreams nearly every night when I read it, and yet I never thought about not finishing it. It was giving me nightmares, true, but it was also giving me insight.(less)
Okay, yes, this book is called *The Princess Academy*, and I borrowed it with a raised eyebrow at the title because I'd liked Shannon Hale's writing i...moreOkay, yes, this book is called *The Princess Academy*, and I borrowed it with a raised eyebrow at the title because I'd liked Shannon Hale's writing in *Book of a Thousand Days*. Turns out, this novel is not vapid or twee or even particularly girly; it's a manners novel, but takes a wide enough view to connect etiquette to economics and self expression. (less)
I've read four Patchett books now, and what I admire and enjoy most about her writing is her treatment of happiness as intellectually worthy subject m...moreI've read four Patchett books now, and what I admire and enjoy most about her writing is her treatment of happiness as intellectually worthy subject matter. This idea is strong in *Bel Canto* where a hostage situation becomes a halcyon retreat from the wider world of obligations and social roles. Some readers may be dissatisfied with Patchett's endings--she seems to prefer the pivot of the short story, which can feel lacking after 200-some pages of novel--but there's certainly a lot to experience and enjoy before you get there.(less)
I've written up all my January books at once, so sorry to give Patchett short shrift. I liked STATE OF WONDER enough that I immediately went out and g...moreI've written up all my January books at once, so sorry to give Patchett short shrift. I liked STATE OF WONDER enough that I immediately went out and got Bel Canto. Let's leave it at that. (less)
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