Bookish Excursions

The question that kept entering my mind as I was reading Blue Lily, Lily Blue is "What is the purpose of the quest to find Glendower and do I really care about this storyline anymore?" 

My response at the conclusion of this book is not really.  Why?  The plot lacks focus. 

The allure of the quest is masked by inconsequential subplots that meander about but offer nothing to the story.  We're no closer to understanding the mystery of the quest and why these characters are destined to partake in it (or why they're even motivated to continue their search for Glendower given the horrific things that have already happened).  The villains, Greenmantle and Piper, appear sporadically and have awkward interactions with the main characters.  There's never any sense of urgency that Greenmantle poses any kind of threat.  He's a killer and responsible for the fallout of the previous book, but the reactions to his presence are so nonchalant.  It's like the Raven boys say, "Look at the killer in our Latin class.  Oh well, we'll come up with a plan to beat him." 

Seriously.

There are also random appearances by the Gray Man and Mallory.  I won't elaborate but their roles are equally ludicrous and unbelievable.

The things that previously annoyed me continue to do so in this book.  I can't stand Adam the self-righteous "magician," who is actually the main character even though Blue is the title character.  He stays firm in his belief that he is a victim of circumstance and no one understands what it's like to be in his shoes.....blah blah blah.  Blue remains a whiny little girl who thinks she's a witty feminist but has no sense of agency whatsoever and needs constant saving.  Noah and Ronan are the most complex characters but take a back seat to Adam's scheming and Blue's childish tantrums.  Honestly, the only thing I liked about this book was Gansey.  His character goes through a few events that make him have doubts about himself and what he wants in life.  He's no longer the "Golden Boy" that everyone fawns over and his flaws become more transparent.  His character development was the only interesting aspect of the book, but it's not enough to redeem it.

For all the build-up in The Dream Thieves and the fact that this is the third book in a series, I expected a lot more than what we're given.  Frankly, the story was a bland and disorganized mess.  I may read the next book, but it definitely won't be a priority.

How have I never heard of this book until a few weeks ago!? The madness!!!!

Naughts and Crosses is a heart-wrenching tale of young forbidden love and how two people who grew up together and think they know everything about each other are still bound to societal pressures to behave and act in a certain way.  Sephy and Callum have been best friends since childhood.  Callum is a "naught" and belongs to an oppressed class of people who were enslaved for many years while Sephy is a "cross" and the daughter of a wealthy politician.  As Callum and Sephy grow older and their attachment progresses to something more meaningful, they must face their own biases and make tough decisions that go against society and their family's beliefs.

There are other books that have attempted to reverse the race discussion and failed miserably (i.e. white people belong to an oppressed minority while black people are the ruling majority) - usually because the context of the story is so unrealistic or implicitly racist.  However, Blackman pulls it off and the reason the story is effective is because many parallels are drawn from the history of slavery and imperialism in the world in which we belong.  Yet, there are enough differences given to the reader to make Sephy and Callum's world feel distinct and plausible.

My one teeny tiny criticism of this book is that it's literally defined by blackness and whiteness.  It's a tad bit too simplistic.  The book mentions biracial characters but it's more of a glance in passing than an actual exploration of characters who don't fit neatly into the definition of "naught" or "cross."  Perhaps other books in the series explore this issue more in depth, but I view it as a missed opportunity to add a bit of complexity to the discussion.  I also found it slightly irritating that women in this book are portrayed exactly as they are in our world, which is powerless and slightly dim-witted.  The female characters were either preoccupied with mothering, shopping, getting wasted on a daily basis, reading gossip magazines, or too busy flirting with a boy to focus on their vigilante activities.

Despite these criticisms, I enjoyed this book immensely.  I think it is a thoughtful commentary on civil and human rights and could be used effectively by educators to engage in discussions with young teens and adults about racism, education and poverty.  I wish this book was publicized more because it's a worthwhile read.  I wouldn't have found it had it not been for other book bloggers and social media.  I hope I can read the next book in this series soon!

Trial by Fire caught me slightly off-guard as I wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did.  I wavered on how to rate this one because I really love the concept of the story even though the first four or so chapters are utter crap. The story revolves around a high school student in Salem who suffers from insanely high fevers, allergies and illnesses.  Lily's sickly nature isolates her from her peers and her only friend is playboy Tristan.  After a nasty fight and humiliating night with her BFF, Lily hears a familiar voice asking if she's ready to leave her world.  Lily consents to leaving her world during a moment of despair over a worthless boy and is brought to an alternate version of Salem by a powerful witch named Lillian (who is a version of Lily in this universe).

Lillian's motives for bringing Lily into her universe remain somewhat of a mystery as this is the first installment of a book series and it sets up the story for future books, but it appears Lillian has some valid reason for wanting Lily's help even though she's portrayed as an irrational and evil villain.  Lily has to adapt to this new world and learn how to control her growing powers as a witch under the mistrustful watch of Rowan, other-Tristan, and Caleb.  Her character undergoes tremendous growth and tries to use her abilities for the good of others even though it comes at a great personal cost.  It has the potential to be an epic story full of intrigue, romance, magic and drama.

The story has a hook, but the promise is never fulfilled.  I blame the boys. 

Tristan, Caleb and Rowan are charming hot rebels and for some reason they're all attracted to Lily in some capacity despite the fact that she looks exactly like their arch-nemesis Lillian. It is also nearly impossible to differentiate between Rowan, Tristan and Caleb because their mannerisms, speech and personalities are more identical than Lily and Lillian.

Lily and Rowan's attachment to one another is rather creepy since Rowan is Lillian's ex-boyfriend and their relationship was definitely not some meaningless fling.  I found Lily's interactions with the guys to be disturbing, especially since she's a virginal figure who is required to strip off all of her clothing to perform a powerful spell lest her fever get too high.

***MAJOR EYE ROLLING***

The romance and angst wasn't my cup of tea, but the most glaring problem with the book is the plot and world-building.  The political storyline is incredibly cartoonish.  The plot enacted by Gideon and his minions to overthrow the witches is laughable, as is Lillian's mission to ravage the world before it destroys itself.  The power struggle is a farce and lacked the tension and complexity that should be present in a world on the verge of civil war.  I also couldn't visualize this alternate universe.  Alternate Salem is like pseudo-medieval Europe with a castle, citadel, dungeons, herbal remedies, men with crossbows, and elite women who wear "ornate gowns" and style their hair with long braids. Yet there's electricity, greenhouses, modern glass buildings and cafes.  This "other" world is a weird mash-up of aristocratic and contemporary influence minus the industrial revolution.  I don't get it - but there's a part of me that still wants to understand this world.

I have books collecting dust on my shelf that I tell myself over and over again that I need to read.  "Today will be the day," I tell myself.  Instead, I pick up a book I've read numerous times but still feels like a fire truck rammed itself into my stomach each time I reach the ending.

Jellicoe Road starts off slow and I remember the first time I read it that I disliked the constant shifting between Narnie's story and Taylor's narration.  I still prefer Taylor's story to Narnie's but Marchetta successfully merges both perspectives into a moving tale about survival, friendship, family, and how secrets kept with the best intentions can ultimately cause more pain and destruction to the people we love most.

This book is a tad melodramatic but I love the lyrical passages and the way the author is able to craft characters who are damaged but likeable.  This is something Marchetta excels at in her other books as well.  Although it's somewhat hard to believe that Taylor so easily forgets certain aspects of her upbringing, her character's strength, wittiness and persistent desire to find answers to her mysterious childhood is compelling.  This book has everything: a slow burn romance, amazing dialogue, lies and secrets, major plot twists, death, friendship and a sense of community.  The themes of the story are dark and none of the characters come away unscathed from the events that unfold, but there's still a possibility of hope and redemption.  For me, this is the best kind of story.

Even though this book can be read without any prior knowledge of Perkin's earlier books, it's still tied to a series that wonderfully began with Anna and the First Kiss.  Fans of the first book waited several years for this book to be released.  I'm sad to say Isla and the Happily Ever After is yet again another finale in a book series that is incredibly disappointing.

Yes, I expected fluff and some teen angst but the storyline is essentially two rich kids from New York fall in love in the mere span of the week and their greatest conflict is how to make out or have sex with each other at their super pretentious boarding school without getting caught. 

Seriously.  That's all we get???  I honestly expected more than this shallow and juvenile romance that leans more in the direction of obsessive lust than actual love.  Josh and Isla's prevalent "I love you" declarations may be sweet at first but it quickly gets old.  The lack of plot and immature behavior of the characters made it very hard to finish this book. 

A few weeks ago I got home from work too exhausted to do anything so I decided to order a pizza loaded with amazing veggies for dinner.  I just wanted a hassle-free night and was willing to shell out a few extra bucks to make this happen even though I was perfectly capable of throwing a haphazard dinner together.  The heavenly smelling pizza arrived at my doorstep 40 minutes later and I dug in right away only to discover with bitter disappointment that the bottom crust was very burnt.  What looked amazing on the surface turned out to be a complete waste.  Likewise, On the Fence is a story that is not unique for its genre but had a lot of potential that was never realized.  

On the Fence centers around the life of Charlie (aka Charlotte), a tomboy and athlete who basically condemns anything "girly" or feminine and makes random generalizations about what it means to be a woman.  Apparently it's impossible for athletic girls to be considered pretty and Charlie judges other girls because they wear makeup and skirts.  Since Charlie's mom died when she was young she never properly learned how to be a girl, which is just a huge load of crap.  I liked the fact that Charlie was comfortable with herself (for the most part) and didn't feel the need to wear makeup, but at the same time I don't think makeup is something to scoff at and I honestly didn't learn from my Mom how to wear makeup anyway - my friends played a much larger role in teaching me about makeup and a lot of it was trial and error and in good fun.  I also reject the notion that a father is completely clueless on how to raise a daughter.  My parents have three daughters and my Dad did perfectly fine with us.  Sure, my Mom was probably more involved in some of the more delicate/sensitive parts of our adolescence but that's more due to the fact that she was a stay at home mom and my Dad wasn't at home as much because he had to work.  My Dad wasn't oblivious to what was going on and would be the first to help me or my sisters out if there was anything we needed.  It just seems really immature that Charlie's Dad was so embarrassed by certain "feminine" things, which apparently includes buying his daughter products like conditioner.  I mean, what's so embarrassing about conditioner???  I'm pretty sure some guys use conditioner too.

The story was really immature, full of stereotypes, and overall felt forced to me.  There wasn't enough time devoted to developing the romances between Charlie and the two love-interests.  The family secret was also a load of baloney.  I really don't believe it's realistic for Charlie to forget something that monumental.  At one point she knew what happened and suddenly she doesn't and blocks it out even after being told what happened and goes to therapy for it?  I understand Charlie experienced a traumatic event, but the fact that all these macho men know this "secret" but thought they were protecting Charlie by deciding to keep her in the dark really irked me.  She is treated like one of the boys and is told she can do all the things her brothers can, except for the fact that she's actually a fragile female who cannot deal with her emotions and needs constant rescuing and protection from herself.  I just don't have the patience for this kind of story.  If you want a solid boy-girl next door romance, read Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins or My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick.  These books are not without their flaws, but they get more right than wrong.

Oh, and just a side comment: The girl on the cover is definitely not a tomboy. 

I tried approaching The Kitchen House with an open mind and dismiss the overall melodramatic tone of the book, but I am quite puzzled by the extent to which this book has gained popularity among readers and book clubs.  The story is premised around a young Irish girl named Lavinia who is sold as an indentured servant to plantation owners in Virginia and whose formative years are shaped by slaves who take her in and raise her as if she is their own kin.  While Lavinia's naivety can be excused in the beginning chapters of the book due to her age and lack of understanding of American society when she first immigrates to this country, it kind of blows my mind that the author continues to portray Lavinia as some innocent sacrificial lamb.  It's completely implausible that a character like Lavinia remains oblivious to slavery or to the fact that she is also property owned by other human beings.  I just don't buy that a child raised by slaves on a plantation can be so colorblind and make so many dumb and misinformed decisions.

Even though some of the brutality of slavery is accurately captured in the narrative, I thought a lot of the events that unfolded cheapened the story and were created solely for the purpose of entertainment and to create a "shock factor" as opposed to really examining the origins of racism and slavery in American history and how this destructive system has shaped this "great" country as we know it today.  Today is July 4th and while all the festivities scheduled today in celebration of America's independence are good fun, it would do well to remember the dark history of this country and how so many people lived here for centuries without freedom of choice or the right to live the lives they wanted.

I won't go into too much depth about how much the depiction of women really bothered me in this book, but the female characters are all permissive, meek, love-sick fools.  Horrible things are done to them but they all somehow manage to rally together in their misery and bond with each other after they are exposed to abuse and cruelty at the hands of white men (and yes, all the men who are not slaves in this book are basically evil or despicable - even good ole' Will Stephens grossly proclaims later in the story that he always thought of twelve year old Lavinia as 'his girl.' **gags**).  Mama Mae and Belle are perhaps the two most complex and interesting characters in the book, but as events unfold their struggles become kind of pointless. 

It's also so irritating how many times a character states something to the effect of, "I just know something bad is coming or about to happen," and then you turn the page and someone dies, is raped, is beaten, or is sold to another plantation.  I'm sorry, but the writing is not so wonderful and I would steer clear of The Kitchen House as there are other books that do a much better job addressing slavery and its lingering impact on the U.S.

For the past two months I have picked up multiple books that I either lost interest in or just couldn't finish for sheer lack of interest. I've really been in a reading slump this year, but I can happily state that I have crossed We Were Liars off my TBR list. While I'm not as enamored with the story as many other readers, it was the first book in quite some time that actually held my interest so in my mind it's worth reading if you're on the fence.

The story explores many themes ranging from family relationships, race, young love, grief, and greed.  There's something in the book for everyone which is probably why there's a lot of buzz surrounding it.  I also believe a major fault in how the story is constructed is it tries to accomplish way too much and there isn't enough time devoted to allowing the reader to get to know the characters.  This is especially true of the adults in the story, who are portrayed as one-dimensional caricatures.  The three Sinclair daughters (Carrie, Bess, and Penny) are basically the same person and have no distinct personality whatsoever, and the grandfather is an almost laughable representation of old entitled White men in America.  Point is, a little bit more depth and less stereotyping would have gone a long way.

The novel's protagonist, Cady, is likeable but it's evident early on in the story that she's an unreliable narrator and her point of view should be taken with a great deal of skepticism.  I enjoyed her interactions with her cousins and Gat, but the story lacked execution.  I just wish the author had focused on a few problems instead of jumping around to various issues/stereotypes in an effort to keep the reader in the dark so the "twist" in part four of the story had more of a shock factor.  Oh, it should also be mentioned this technique didn't work at all and most readers will probably figure out the book's OMG moment very early on in the story.

We Were Liars wasn't horrible by any means, but I wanted more than what we were given.  The writing was also too choppy for my liking.  Still, it's a decent enough summer read and I think a lot of people will find something to relate to in the book.

I'm always looking for a well-written dark fantasy novel and I promise you this: Daughter of the Blood doesn't even come close.  In fact, I really hate this book.

There are many books I've read and disliked, but hate is a harsh word and I rarely throw it into a review with such force.  I went into reading this book not knowing what to expect but it took me by surprise in the worst way possible.  I constantly put it down because it gave me such feelings of ickiness.  The entire story is convoluted and the worst aspect has to do with the protagonist, Jaenelle, who is not only a witch but is mysteriously "Witch."

There's a lot of of talk throughout the story of rape and pleasure slaves, but what really bothered me was the sexualization of young girls, specifically Jaenelle.  Several male characters make possessive comments about her due to her tremendous power as Witch and allude to how they cannot wait until she reaches womanhood.  It should be mentioned  that Jaenelle at this point in the story is no where near an age we would associate with a grown woman - she's a very young child.  Here's one of many repulsive excerpts pertaining to Daemon's attraction to Jaenelle as he's helping her onto her horse:

"Daemon had the feeling she didn't need help, but what he wouldn't have admitted to anyone for anything was that he wanted - he needed - to be able to touch her in some innocent way, even if it was just to feel her small booted foot in his cupped hands."

No no no no no no!  Ugh.

I'm not opposed to books with risque and dark themes, but there absolutely must be some underlying critique of a culture entrenched in sex, politics, and war.  Perhaps I didn't read far enough to find the critique, but I honestly couldn't stand reading another word.  Not only is Jaenelle's relationship with Saetan and Daemon SaDiablo disturbing, but the entire story is illogical: women rule this society as witches with different ranks based upon some system of birthright jewels they're gifted with but the class difference among the jewels is not at all apparent.  I cannot begin to explain the difference between a witch who wears a black jewel versus one who wears gray or purple dusk.  I also cannot buy into a society in which women rule and keep pleasure slaves and control men by using a "ring of obedience." 

I won't elaborate too much, but the role reversal that women are the ones obsessed with sex and basically prostitute men is not at all convincing.  I mean, really?!?!  I'm not saying women can't be cruel and selfish, but it should be noted that Saetan and Daemon are portrayed as more powerful than the witches in the book even though they "serve" these women, so it's really a false sense of power.  Also, women are still raped and murdered throughout the story so the witches we're presented with aren't in control of their society even though they're designated as queens.  It's distasteful and this is one of the most disgusting books I have ever read.

The Winner's Curse has some great things going for it.  I loved the political plots, the sometimes infuriating slow-burn romance, and the fact that all of the characters are layered and complex.  I am also thankful that the author could have steered the story in the direction of a convoluted love-triangle and chose not to go there (at least not yet).

While I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone who loves a solid, well-written fantasy it is not without flaws.  The most ridiculous aspect of the story is that Valorian women have two choices when they come of age: join the military and dedicate their lives to the service of the empire (the implication being a female soldier can never marry and will remain chaste for the rest of her life) or get married.  Of course, male soldiers are held to a different standard and can choose a single life or marriage.  However, someone needs to explain to me how it is socially acceptable for Kestrel to challenge a man who is not her equal in physical strength to engage in a dual that's essentially a fight to the death, yet she cannot walk in the marketplace without an escort because she is a woman?

The gender roles in this world do not make one iota of sense but I still enjoyed the story because it explores complex issues that don't have easy answers.  What do you do when you have to choose between loyalty to your country and father and the life of a friend?  What if you fall in love with someone whose motives completely differ from your own - do you change your plan and try to find common ground?  How should one's oppressor's be treated when a shift in power occurs?  Is the cost of war worth freedom and what are the consequences of survival? 

I have a weakness for morality tales and The Winner's Curse excels in fleshing out these themes and making you fall in love with characters while also being repulsed by their values and decisions at the same time.  This is especially true of Kestrel.  There were moments aplenty in which I wanted to slap some sense into this girl.  Kestrel is not an easy character to like and I certainly don't consider her a heroine.  She is the General's daughter and even after learning about Arin and his history as a slave, she still staunchly defends the empire and makes some unfathomable decisions.  Why?  Because she is Valorian and must side with her people.  It's hard to feel sympathy for a character who sees Arin and Enai as exceptions and aligns herself with a culture that enslaves an entire country and committed mass murder to achieve this purpose.  Kestrel manages to position herself as some sort of victim in the events that unfold and while there might be some truth to this, her perspective remains unsettling and unless something drastically changes I am rooting for her to fail.

It took me a month to read this book.  Let me repeat that again: ONE WHOLE MONTH.

I wouldn't go as far to say it's a bad story, but it's definitely underdeveloped and the strengths of the book do not compensate for its faults.  My main issue has to do with the lack of plot.  The entire plot can be summed up as follows: Dinah's father is a corrupt king of Wonderland who commits every sin imaginable to stay in power and rules with an iron fist.  He's an evil man who hates his children and everything they represent, and he will not give up the throne to his daughter without a fight.

Basically, we have a book that is reminiscent of medieval Europe but is marketed as being "Wonderland."  I am truly curious to know if the author has actually read or studied Lewis Carroll's works because there's nothing about Queen of Hearts that remotely resembles Wonderland.  While the creepy factor is present, there are not any uplifting moments or reminders that this is also a magical realm where adventures happen and beauty lies hidden within its sinister contours.   Overall, it was fairly lackluster and didn't offer anything new compared to other novels of the same genre.  What's worse is the story abruptly ends right when the action finally gets going.  

I enjoy reading books written by Kasie West.  Truly, I do. 

I don't have much to say about Split Second other than I expected more than what we are given in this sequel.  Addison, Laila and Trevor are great characters, but I thought their stories were rushed and the romances were kind of juvenile.  I guess I was hoping for more tension, particularly since Addie's choices at the end of Pivot Point did not exactly work out in Trevor's favor.  Their reunion was too easy and if I'm being honest, Laila's story arc was a lot more interesting to read than Addie's. 

The story is decent enough, but ultimately forgettable.

I hate to say it, but this book is a complete mess.  It took me several attempts to read it and I nearly threw it into my DNF pile.  The author weaved Greek mythology and demon-lore into a weird medieval fairy tale setting. Some readers may see this Beauty and the Beast re-telling as an ambitious and imaginative endeavor, but the author isn't remotely able to pull all of these elements together into a cohesive and logical story.

As previously stated, the plot is a mess.  The mythology is lost amidst the romance and there's a strange insta-love triangle in this story that is barely tolerable.  I don't get it.  Anyway, the world-building is horrendous and mythological stories are randomly thrown into the narrative.  One moment Nyx is hating herself for wanting to kiss the "evil" Ignifex and then the story abruptly shifts to a mediocre synopsis of some skirmish among Greek gods.  I kind of understand what the author was trying to do, but the lack of transitions made the narrative incredibly confusing to follow or enjoy.

The thing that bothered me the most about this book was the writing itself.  I could be nice and say it just wasn't for me, but my irritation is so great that I must express my dissatisfaction with the lack of editing.  A story should have transitions and a sense of ease and flow.  It should sound natural, but the writing in Cruel Beauty is so awkward and disjointed. Here are a few excerpts:

1. "I almost could have pretended that Father was trying to show how much he loved me, or at least how much he honored my sacrifice."

2. "All my life, I had hated the Gentle Lord, but only in the way that one hates plague or fire.  He was a monster who had destroyed my life, who oppressed my entire world, but he was still only a story.  Now I had seen him, dined with him, kissed him.  I had watched him kill.  I had a name for him, even if it was not true.  So I could truly hate him.  I hated that he could kiss me, kill me, or lock me up with perfect ease.  Most of all, I hated that he had made me want him."  

3. "He snorted. 'Your lore is stupider than I thought.'"

4. "I didn't know why I had ever felt that he could dissolve or unmake me; this kiss felt like coming alive, and I was helpless only in the way that I was helpless to stop my heart from beating."

I know we all have writing preferences and pet-peeves, but COME ON.  Phrases and words like "I almost could have" and "stupider" are glaring edits.  Ignifex is supposed to be a witty and charasmatic bad-boy, but having him utter the word "stupider" contradicts his characterization and makes him sound like a moron.  Words like "almost" and "that" can easily be deleted without changing the meaning of the sentence. I won't even get into the author's excessive use of commas.  Good Lord.

Then there's the phrase "I had hated" in the second sentence I listed above.  I don't claim to be an expert on the correct use of the past perfect, but inserting 'had' into the sentence implies Nyx hated the Gentle Lord at one point in the past but no longer does.  Yet, she stresses in the sentences that follow how much she still loathes him (and now herself because apparently he's sexy and all that jazz - personally, I think Ignifex and Shadow are creepy blokes.  To each her own). 

The constant switching between past simple and past perfect tenses was distracting.  I'm not convinced the author uses the past perfect correctly throughout the novel, but I've also never claimed to be a grammarian so what do I know?  Many of the sentences feel wrong to me and could have been re-worked to reduce repetition and avoid the frequent use of "had."

I would also like to note the author likes to use many of the same phrases throughout the novel, such as "only in the way."  It's unclear to me what this expression is supposed to accomplish.  I interpret the use of "only in the way" as Nyx trying to express the degree of her feelings and she is attempting to make a comparison to another type of emotional state or situation.  However, repeating the words 'helplessness' and 'hate' over and over again is not only annoying, but it also fails to make any type of sensible comparison.  On another side rant, how hard is it to think of other feeling or descriptive words?!?  What about resentment, scorn, hostility, loathing, or revulsion?  Perhaps Nyx can feel forlorn, defenseless or forsaken?    

The lack of editing kind of boggles my mind.  The second sentence is also a perfect example of telling rather than showing.  If the author really wanted her readers to feel hatred and conflicting emotions toward Ignifex, then Nyx would have been placed in situations without the need to spell out the type of emotion she is experiencing.  We would feel the cruelness of Ignifex's actions and develop hatred toward him on our own.  Telling me Ignifex is evil does nothing but cause me boredom and make me yearn for a glass of wine to help me endure the rest of the book.

At the beginning of 2012, I didn't know anything about YA books and never perused the teen section of book stores or libraries.  I studied English literature and after graduating in 2010, I had a severe case of burn-out and stopped reading altogether.

The only YA books I had any awareness of were Harry Potter and The Hunger Games, but this all changed when I came down with a bad case of the flu and was incapacitated for almost two weeks.  I passed this miserable time in my life reading several books, including Divergent, Graceling, and Under the Never Sky.  What started out as a diversion quickly turned into an endeavor to learn more about YA fiction.  It was a turning-point in my life and something that has brought me a great deal of joy.  I fell in love with books all over again.

Now it's 2014 and one of the series that had a strong hold over my heart has come to an end.  Into the Still Blue was almost everything I hoped it would be.  We see the depths of Perry, Roar and Aria's grief as they cope with the loss of a person dear to them, as well as the mounting tension among the Tides as it becomes evident the aether storms are rapidly intensifying and members of the tribe continue to disagree on how to reach the Still Blue and rescue Cinder.

As expected, Rossi's book shines because of her characters.  In my opinion, Perry and Roar are among the most well-written male characters I have ever read in any book.  Even Soren was a pleasant surprise.  They all came full-circle and the transformation all three underwent from the first to third books is stunning.  I simply adore Roar's friendship with Perry and Aria.  Roar and Perry are like brothers and their struggle to come together after the events of the previous book broke my heart but felt realistic.  It makes sense that Roar would take his anger out on Perry because they are family and Perry is the only person left who is strong enough to handle his grief and anger.  Then there's Roar and Aria.  Their friendship is perfection.  It's refreshing to see a meaningful male-female friendship and I'm pleased Rossi kept their relationship platonic throughout this series.  Their friendship is never put on the back-burner to the principal romance.  It's just as important.

Into the Still Blue is engaging and filled with tension, but I agree with some of the reviews I have read that the pacing of the story is off and the ending felt rushed.  I would have liked the climax and conclusion to have been drawn out in more detail.  I am also a little bit disappointed with the resolution of Aria's storyline.  Perry's story arc culminates to an unthinkable and heartbreaking decision.  He's definitely the hero of this entire series and the character who grows and changes the most.  I can't say the same for Aria.  At one point in the story, Perry makes the observation that Aria is still learning how to be a leader, which implies we haven't seen her full potential.  She isn't a weak character and has an active role in the story, but something was definitely missing and I wanted more from her character than what we were given.    

I know I have said this before, but recently released finales to book series have either been major disappointments or wholly underwhelming this past year.  Evertrue fails miserably.  

I wasn't as attached to this series as some of the others I've been reading, but I still didn't expect this book to be so BORING.  Honestly, I stopped reading at page 222 and skimmed the ending because all of the characters annoyed the hell out of me.  The worst part of this whole book, besides the complete ruining of Cole's character, is that the only way Nikki and Jack are able to formulate a plan to battle the Everneath and its queen is to consult a mythology expert who has never been to the underworld and doesn't really believe in its existence.  Essentially, Nikki and Jack go on a suicide mission in which very convenient things happen to them at the precise moments they are in need of help.  All of the hard work is done for them, isn't that great!?!

Ugh.

Burial Rites is a book that really hits you like an emotional freight train.  While I've been known to shed a tear or two during movies, I'm not someone who cries while reading.  Hardly ever, really (with the exception of a certain character dying at the end of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince).

I damn well came close to tears at the end of this book. Word to the wise: do not read Burial Rites if you're in a very depressed mood.  This book will not lift your spirits in any way whatsoever.  You've been warned.

This isn't to say, however, that this story is a bore or a waste of time.  I intended to read a few chapters and ended up reading the book in one sitting.  If all the pages I bent are any indication, I would have highlighted an insane portion of the book had I actually owned it and not borrowed it from the library. 

This book is a fictional account of Agnus Magnusdottir's life after she is convicted of conspiring with others to murder two men on a farm in Iceland.  Agnes is sent to live with a family on a remote farm while she awaits her execution and during her stay she gradually reveals details of her life and what happened the night of the murders.

We are never led to believe that Agnus is completely innocent, but she is also not the callous evil witch history paints her to be.  Murder is a subject-matter that should be transparent.  When it happens, it is a violation so heinous that it can never be justified.  Yet, we see a lot of grey area in Agnus's story.  She may have made many mistakes along the way, but we see glimpses of her humanity and learn how she ended up in such an unfathomable predicament.  We're asked whether she is actually guilty and if so, does the punishment imposed upon her fit the crime she committed?  Is Agnus capable of atonement?

I'd like to think better of Agnus - that the version of her life she reveals is the truth.  However, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if other people feel differently.