Liviania (1,326 books)

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Liviania rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Arclight (Arclight, #1)
by Josin L. McQuein (Goodreads Author)

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I am loving the current crop of dystopias. They're moving away from aping THE HUNGER GAMES and towards incorporating more science fiction and thriller elements. Stories about despotic governments are okay, but not really what I'm into. Stories about...more I am loving the current crop of dystopias. They're moving away from aping THE HUNGER GAMES and towards incorporating more science fiction and thriller elements. Stories about despotic governments are okay, but not really what I'm into. Stories about crazy future technology and uncovering the truth? I'm there.

Marina lives in the Arclight, now. The people in the Arclight are protected by constant light preventing the Fade from getting in. But Marina came from outside the Arclight. She has no idea how she managed to survive because she doesn't remember anything before she was rescued. But fitting in is hard, especially because several people died retrieving her.

The Fade are very different from humans in how they think, how they're organized, their goals. There may be similarities, but it's hard to know since the only contact between the humans and the Fade is hostile. Marina wants answers, however, and she's willing to put herself in danger to get them. I enjoyed the thought debut author Josin L. McQuein put into the conflict between the two communities, as well as the communities themselves. The Fade are scary since they're so alien. It's no wonder the humans fought. At the same time, that doesn't mean the humans are always on the side of the angels. ARCLIGHT raises many complicated questions about identity and ethics.

There is a love triangle, which I could live without. There's enough conflict in ARCLIGHT without adding in a romantic dilemma. I did appreciate that it didn't overwhelm the novel. Marina is pretty clueless that Tobin is into her. And why wouldn't she be? She's preoccupied with figuring out where she came from and not dying. Dating is a distant concern.

ARCLIGHT will satisfy science fiction fans looking for a fast-paced tale of culture clash, war crimes, and hidden truth. The action starts on page one and just keeps going. There's a lot of plot packed in these pages. It's a fun ride and I'll be back for MERIDIAN, the forthcoming sequel.(less)

Liviania rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Allegra
by Shelley Hrdlitschka (Goodreads Author)

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I was drawn to ALLEGRA by the summary, which promised both music and dance. Allegra Whitman transferred to a performing-arts high school to focus on dance -- her parents are both musicians, but she doesn't want to follow in their footsteps. But the s...more I was drawn to ALLEGRA by the summary, which promised both music and dance. Allegra Whitman transferred to a performing-arts high school to focus on dance -- her parents are both musicians, but she doesn't want to follow in their footsteps. But the school requirements mean she has to take music theory.

ALLEGRA deals with several thorny subjects. One subplot involves her parents' unhappy marriage. But the biggest thorny subject is that of student-teacher relationships. Allegra develops a crush on her music theory teacher Mr. Rochelli. He's young, attractive, challenges her, and respects her abilities. It's no wonder she crushes. When they start working on a composition together, he does act unprofessionally by treating her as a fellow professional rather than a student. They meet after school, use first names, et al. But I think Shelley Hrdlitschka does draw a clear line between Mr. Rochelli being a bit too chummy and actually returning Allegra's affections.

Part of the reason Allegra is drawn to her teacher is that she's quite introverted and has trouble making friends. Some kids at her new school do reach out, most notably fellow music theory student Spencer. Still, a few friendly overtures don't make it simple for Allegra to develop lasting friendships. My problem with the friends plotline is that all her prospective friends drop out of the story completely after one of them brings Mr. Rochelli and Allegra's relationship to the attention of the administration. They're totally demonized. I get that Allegra would feel that way, but . . . I just felt like they weren't the worst. Trying to help someone you think is in a bad situation is a good thing.

The few dance scenes in ALLEGRA are beautifully described, but this is mostly a music book. Allegra's composition consumes her life and her relationships. It is very wish fulfillment that her composition is brilliant, but the book does try to ground it by first establishing that she's very familiar with music theory and performance. And some of my favorite musicians started writing wonderful songs even younger than seventeen. What really crosses it over into unbelievable territory is that she's also talented enough as a dancer to consider going professional.

ALLEGRA is a quick read despite the difficult subjects it tackles. I think it will be of most interest to readers who enjoy books about musicians and dancers. Hrdlitschka does a wonderful job of writing about a teacher-student relationship in a realistic, rational way. There is drama in ALLEGRA, but little hysteria and no fear-mongering. Allegra can be frustration, but that's pretty average for a seventeen-year-old girl. ALLEGRA isn't, however, the best choice for someone looking for a really exciting read. It's fairly low key.(less)

Liviania rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Breath (Riders of the Apocalypse, #4)
by Jackie Morse Kessler

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I have enjoyed the Riders of the Apocalypse story more with each book. Jackie Morse Kessler has brought her series to a fitting, stirring conclusion, albeit one that won't make sense to readers who haven't read the three previous books in the series....more I have enjoyed the Riders of the Apocalypse story more with each book. Jackie Morse Kessler has brought her series to a fitting, stirring conclusion, albeit one that won't make sense to readers who haven't read the three previous books in the series. BREATH is not only the story of Death, but also the end of the stories of each of the Horsemen.

Death is not like the other Horsemen and never has been. He is older and more powerful and never human. But that doesn't mean he can't become suicidal. And if Death commits suicide, then the world dies with him. The world's only chance is Xander Atwood. Death owes him a boon and can't end the world until he repays it. Xander, who can barely face his own issues, is thrust into the position of confidant and therapist.

I loved how the stories of Tammy, Missy, and Billy weaved into the stories of Death and Xander. BREATH could have easily felt overstuffed, but I thought all of the elements worked together. And I was especially happy to get more of Tammy's story, considering I mentioned long ago in my 2010 review of HUNGER, "Tammy's story has no resolution." Turns out I was wrong. Kessler also addresses the issues I had with Missy and Death's relationship, and briefly touches again on her sister. Billy's connection to his predecessors continues to be important to the story, just as he continues to be my favorite Horseman. Leaving threads hanging can make stories seem more realistic, but I'm happy that Kessler finished her tapestry neatly.

I have been fascinated by the figure of Death through HUNGER, RAGE, and LOSS. I wondered how Kessler could ever reveal more about him without ruining everything, but I think she managed. Death's tale contains love, betrayal, creation, despair, the whole of our universe. It's an intriguing origin and makes him no less interesting.

I enjoyed Xander's story too. I felt it was a bit easy to figure out what happened to him, but I'm not sure it was supposed to be a huge mystery. Kessler certainly wasn't leery of giving clues. But I loved his personality, very giving and compassionate. He was the right character at the right time, albeit one with a life punctuated by inopportune moments.

I highly recommend the Riders of the Apocalypse series as a whole. They're a unique blend of urban fantasy and issue novels and each piece comes together so wonderfully. Kessler's afterword tells how much of the story was unplanned, which is amazing given how wonderfully constructed the series is.(less)

Liviania recommended Strands of Bronze and Gold (Strands of Bronze and Gold, #1) to Tempestt

Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson

Strands of Bronze and Gold (Strands of Bronze and Gold, #1)
by Jane Nickerson (Goodreads Author)

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Liviania rated a book 5 of 5 stars

The Case of the Petrified Man by Caroline Lawrence

The Case of the Petrified Man: Western Mysteries, Book Two
by Caroline Lawrence

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The random books Penguin sends me makes me happy. None of the other publishers tend to send me off the wall stuff. But Penguin does and I've found some real gems that way. Let's be honest, a middle grade western mystery? Pfft.

But P.K. PINKERTON AND T...more The random books Penguin sends me makes me happy. None of the other publishers tend to send me off the wall stuff. But Penguin does and I've found some real gems that way. Let's be honest, a middle grade western mystery? Pfft.

But P.K. PINKERTON AND THE PETRIFIED MAN was terrific. Let's face it, mystery series live and die based on the personalities of their detectives. P.K. is most definitely a personality. He's twelve years old and recently orphaned. He's started a detective agency where he uses his skills with disguise, language, and tracking. However, he has a Thorn - he's bad at reading faces and detecting lies, both important skills for a detective.

P.K. is autistic, but it's described in period terms. An older reader will figure it out, but for a younger reader he'll just be a little different. Caroline Lawrence did an excellent job with the period language. She uses words that are easy to understand and a little fun, never ones that feel overly archaic or pretentious. The haphazard capitalization also feels like how a twelve year old might write.

Honestly, all the period stuff is cool. Lawrence really brings the American West to life without romanticizing it. P.K. is half Lakota and thus not welcome everywhere. The girl who likes him treats him differently after learning his heritage. Entertainers put on shows in blackface. The murder P.K. investigates isn't a priority with the law since the victim was a Soiled Dove. (The references to prostitution are fairly circumspect.) P.K.'s client is a former slave. (The Civil War is raging, although P.K. is mostly oblivious.) At the same time, Lawrence doesn't make it seem like a terrible time and place to live. Just a tough one.

One of the characters is Sam Clemens, before he was Mark Twain. I liked that he was used sparingly. Readers familiar with Mark Twain will have much to chuckle about in his appearances and the joke doesn't wear out its welcome. If any of the other characters were historical figures, I didn't notice them.

P.K. PINKERTON AND THE PETRIFIED MAN is a page-turning, character-driven mystery. I liked how all the clues came together and P.K. came up with a plan to bring the murderer to justice. Lawrence never gets too bogged down in the historical and character detail to remember she's telling a mystery - a clever one at that. THE PETRIFIED MAN is a genuine gem.(less)

Liviania rated a book 5 of 5 stars

The Sweetest Dark (The Sweetest Dark, #1)
by Shana Abe (Goodreads Author)

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I bought THE SMOKE THIEF a few years ago for about a dollar based on a vague recollection of someone complimenting Shana Abé's style. It just rocketed up my to read list because her young adult debut THE SWEETEST DARK blew me away. (I just have to fi...more I bought THE SMOKE THIEF a few years ago for about a dollar based on a vague recollection of someone complimenting Shana Abé's style. It just rocketed up my to read list because her young adult debut THE SWEETEST DARK blew me away. (I just have to find it, first.)

First of, Abé's style does deserve being complimented on its own. She has a smooth, almost poetic, way of writing that draws you into the magical atmosphere of her drákon-inhabited England. The majority of THE SWEETEST DARK's action takes place at the Iverson School for Girls, on the coast of England during World War II. It's all very gothic, aside from the lack of moors.

Eleanore "Lora" Jones grew up in an orphanage and spent much of her childhood in a mental institution due to the music she heard running through objects all around her. Now seemingly cured, she is chosen to be a scholarship student supported by Duke Idylling. There she encounters Jesse, the supposedly mute gardener who speaks to her, and Armand, the duke's discontented son. And there the music begins to return. Jesse knows what it means and helps Lora discover her power.

I liked how Abé handled the love triangle. Armand is clearly into Lora, but she turns him down cleanly and clearly because she prefers Jesse. There's no dithering about when she's obviously more into one of the choices. I also liked that it wasn't the center of everything. Although there's nothing magical about the girls in the school, Lora does have to live with them. Thus learning to navigate their company takes some of her attention. I liked that not all of the girls were horribly stuck-up and that some were more friendly than they first appeared.

The way history interweaves with the paranormal plot also works well. London-born Lora is quite conscious of the threat posed by German bombs. And, inevitably, the war does reach her doorstep. Even with dragons on your side, war leaves devastation in its wake.

THE SWEETEST DARK made me forget the paranormal fatigue I've been feeling. It's a swoony book that I'll probably read multiple times before the promised sequel comes out in summer 2013. If you've ever enjoyed a paranormal romance, then read THE SWEETEST DARK. It's one of the best books of the year.(less)

Liviania rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Beguiling the Beauty (Fitzhugh Trilogy, #1)
by Sherry Thomas (Goodreads Author)

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Liviania rated a book 4 of 5 stars

The Tale of Raw Head and Bloody Bones
by Jack Wolf

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I was eager to read THE TALE OF RAW HEAD AND BLOODY BONES. If there's one thing I love, it's a fairy story. And the bogeyman Raw Head may not be well known on this side of the pond, but I have heard of him because I am just that much of a geek. (Okay...more I was eager to read THE TALE OF RAW HEAD AND BLOODY BONES. If there's one thing I love, it's a fairy story. And the bogeyman Raw Head may not be well known on this side of the pond, but I have heard of him because I am just that much of a geek. (Okay, so he was in the latest Dresden Files novel.) Throw in a genius young man who might be mad and I'm there.

Then I started the book and worried about what I'd gotten into by signing up for the TLC book tour. There was the capitalization of every noun, the archaic spellings - I despaired. I get going for atmosphere, honestly, but it's pretentious and unauthentic. After all, the words are misspelled the same way every time in a modern text. And it doesn't start with Tristan Hart going off to be a physician and studying pain. Oh no, it starts when he's a little kid with a best friend, Nathaniel Ravenscroft, who is a little jerk obviously going to grow into a bigger jerk.

Then when Tristan gets older and finally goes off to London, he stays with Henry Fielding. The Henry Fielding. It was an odd intrusion of reality that I wasn't into. And well, I was struggling with Tristan's fantasies. The guy has some mental health issues, although those around him are more aware of it than he is. (Animal lovers: beware.) But I'd promised to read this book! And about 200 pages in, it started clicking. It was his first surgery - a scene that's gruesome, but the physical action is overwhelmed by both Tristan's lust and his competence as a doctor. I loved the duality of his talent and his sadism.

As THE TALE OF RAW HEAD AND BLOODY BONES goes on, people and places from the long beginning start showing up again. But it's hard to know if they're really there, because Tristan is the narrator and Tristan is crazy. The text is channeled through his psychosis and it's hard to know what's really happening because Tristan doesn't know. Then things really get interesting when it turns out Tristan might not be as nutty as he seems. (He definitely takes his sadism beyond safe, sane, and consensual, but still, less nutty.) It's one thing to know he's an unreliable narrator - to think that he might have been reliable at certain points in the novel is rather startling.

By the climax I was utterly enthralled. I had no idea what Tristan might do, how he might react, how he might save himself. I was impressed by his humanity, the goodness he managed to cultivate despite believing himself a Monster. I liked how the book explored many types of desire, and showed how there can be benefit in even the darkest kinds. I liked his relationship with Katherine Montague, Nathaniel's cousin, a young girl betrayed by her family and suffering emotionally, but undaunted and irrepressible. It was the fairy story I was promised.

In addition to the intriguing, perhaps nonexistent, paranormal elements, I enjoyed the historical aspect of THE TALE OF RAW HEAD AND BLOODY BONES. Tristan is interested in both philosophy and medicine. His questioning of religion is quite radical, as are his insights into the source of strokes. It's exciting to see a character puzzle out something that we know based on what he can observe. I also liked that Tristan was well-to-do, the son of a country squire, but not well-liked or received because his mother was a Jew and he took after her in looks. He's aware of certain injustices of the time that another squire's son would not be.

I'm not going to lie; the beginning of THE TALE OF RAW HEAD AND BLOODY BONES is rough. I found the style artificial and felt the book wasn't delivering the creepiness promised. Then the style started disappearing into the background and I fell completely into Tristan's worldview. THE TALE OF RAW HEAD AND BLOODY BONES is a rewarding, cathartic novel if you're willing to give it a chance. I'm very happy I stuck with it.(less)

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Liviania is now friends with Saskia
May 02, 2013 10:18am
Liviania rated a book 4 of 5 stars Arclight (Arclight, #1) by Josin L. McQuein (Goodreads Author)	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I am loving the current crop of dystopias. They're moving away from aping THE HUNGER GAMES and towards incorporating more science fiction and thriller elements. Stories about despotic governments are okay, but not really what I'm into. Stories about...more
Apr 24, 2013 02:49pm · see review
Liviania rated a book 4 of 5 stars Allegra by Shelley Hrdlitschka (Goodreads Author)	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I was drawn to ALLEGRA by the summary, which promised both music and dance. Allegra Whitman transferred to a performing-arts high school to focus on dance -- her parents are both musicians, but she doesn't want to follow in their footsteps. But the s...more
Apr 24, 2013 02:48pm · see review
Liviania rated a book 4 of 5 stars Breath (Riders of the Apocalypse, #4) by Jackie Morse Kessler	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I have enjoyed the Riders of the Apocalypse story more with each book. Jackie Morse Kessler has brought her series to a fitting, stirring conclusion, albeit one that won't make sense to readers who haven't read the three previous books in the series....more
Apr 21, 2013 02:20pm · see review
Liviania recommended Strands of Bronze and Gold (Strands of Bronze and Gold, #1) to Tempestt Strands of Bronze and Gold (Strands of Bronze and Gold, #1) by Jane Nickerson (Goodreads Author)	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 21, 2013 02:20pm · like
Liviania rated a book 5 of 5 stars The Case of the Petrified Man: Western Mysteries, Book Two by Caroline Lawrence	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
The random books Penguin sends me makes me happy. None of the other publishers tend to send me off the wall stuff. But Penguin does and I've found some real gems that way. Let's be honest, a middle grade western mystery? Pfft. But P.K. PINKERTON AND T...more
Apr 21, 2013 02:16pm · see review
Liviania rated a book 5 of 5 stars The Sweetest Dark (The Sweetest Dark, #1) by Shana Abe (Goodreads Author)	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I bought THE SMOKE THIEF a few years ago for about a dollar based on a vague recollection of someone complimenting Shana Abé's style. It just rocketed up my to read list because her young adult debut THE SWEETEST DARK blew me away. (I just have to fi...more
Apr 17, 2013 08:29pm · see review
Liviania rated a book 4 of 5 stars Beguiling the Beauty (Fitzhugh Trilogy, #1) by Sherry Thomas (Goodreads Author)	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 15, 2013 11:05pm
Liviania rated a book 4 of 5 stars The Tale of Raw Head and Bloody Bones by Jack Wolf	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I was eager to read THE TALE OF RAW HEAD AND BLOODY BONES. If there's one thing I love, it's a fairy story. And the bogeyman Raw Head may not be well known on this side of the pond, but I have heard of him because I am just that much of a geek. (Okay...more
Apr 15, 2013 11:04pm · see review

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