Days of Blood and Starlight

by Laini Taylor

"Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?"

This sequel to Daughter of Smoke and Bone, was unprecedented.  It is rare that a sequel fully lives up to its predecessor, but to surpass it is practically impossible.  Days of Blood and Starlight left me breathless for the conclusion of the series.  It provoked deep emotion and incited a familiarity with the characters.  I love Karou.  I ache for her; her loss, her heartache, her great, back-crushing responsibility, which she bears with the most beautiful and realistic grace.  She doesn't do these things because she is noble, or brave or good- she does them because she has to.  When life pushes you down and leaves you to rot, you stand up and keep going because you must.  Even in the unending desert, surrounded by creatures of myth, with a past and future twain by the schism of your two selves.

The relationship between Karou and Ziri is heartbreaking.  I found myself rooting for them, but almost guiltily as there has not been true closure between Karou and Akiva. Ziri's monstrous form is lost in his compassion, his genuine and pure nature, his humanity.  I love his sacrifice, so unselfish and heartfelt, not the product of unrequited love, but driven by a desire to make things right.

The developing characters of Hazael and Liraz are also a compelling part of this sequel.  Their relationship with each other and Akiva is tender and strong.  Additionally, we see more of Zuzana and Mik, who bring humor and sass and impossible things to the Chimaera camp.

This book, more than anything, gave me a feeling of family. The relationships between friends, kin, lovers... they are deep, emotional and extremely gratifying to be a part of.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

By Laini Taylor

"Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.
And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.
Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.
When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?"

I literally could not put this book down.  It was so beautifully written, all I could think of was Eva Ibbotson's flawless imagery.  The setting of Prague was an excellent choice of setting for this strange tale.

Right away, I fell in love with Karou.  No simpering, lovesick little girl, but a smart and capable woman, even at the age of 17.  This character was neither unrealistically savvy, nor pathetically incapable.  Karou has sass, smarts, and incredible sense of self.  Her awareness that something seems to be missing is proof of that.  Akiva is a character that I was determined not to like.  However, his story, his strength and pain and the realization of his dreams of peace pulled me onto his side.  I enjoyed the glimpses of his vulnerability when he was around Karou, which stemmed from his love of Madrigal.  As a supporting character, I have to mention that I really loved Zuzanna as well.  She is a remarkable example of friendship.   I could go into all of the characters, they were really very well developed, but instead I'll just leave it at that.

As the story unfolds, mystery is stacked upon intrigue until the reader is salivating over the inevitable fitting together of this puzzle.  Taylor does an incredible job of creating a world outside of our world, playing off of myth and religion and legend to create something almost tangible within a pocket of the heavens.  I absolutely loved that she told the story of Karou, which was followed by an entirely different story of Madrigal, which all fit together seamlessly.

I can't fully articulate how much I enjoyed this book, I'd just end up rambling for another six paragraphs. I loved it.  Can't wait to find out what happens next.

The Mermaid's Madness

by Jim C. Hines
The Mermaid's Madness is a companion to The Stepsister Scheme. I say companion, because it doesn't necessarily continue any plot from the first book, although it does continue shortly after the conclusion of The Stepsister Scheme.

I really enjoyed getting to know these characters better. I loved the plot of this second book and the way it continues on in revealing the truth behind beloved fairy tales. Adventure, intrigue, romance and sacrifice were all prevalent in this story. It was fun and engaging, heartbreaking and tragic. I can't wait for the next installment!

A Company of Swans

by Eva Ibbotson

Ms. Ibbotson, you've outdone yourself.

I am a huge fan of Eva Ibbotson and I think I'm close to having read all of her books. This one is by far my favorite. It kept many of Ibbotson's trademark themes, but it was the largest departure from her other books.

Harriet is a typical character of the author. She is strong within herself, but not overbearing, almost timid in her interactions. She is pretty, but not beautiful in an obvious way and is outshone by most of the other female characters in the book. That being said, Harriet is special. She is smart and kind and has a gift for dancing. She runs away, not to a European countryside, which one might expect from Ibbotson, but to South America, to dance with a small ballet company. There, she meets Rom. Again, typical in his good looks, his rags to riches past and his money grubbing ex-love. However, Rom is a philanthropist, and a kind one at that. I loved this character. Usually the men in Ibbotson's books are arrogant and conceited and can't believe they are attracted or drawn to in any way someone below their lofty status.

The difference in the love story was pronounced as well. Rom falls in love with Harriet with no mind for any other woman. His greedy, contriving ex spends the entire book trying to get back to him so she can woo him with her feminine wiles and their shared past. Harriet and Rom's true obstacle takes form in Harriet's unwelcome fiance, a cold and controlling Father and a shrewish Aunt.

I love this book and I know it is one I will read over and over again. Ibbotson's prose is, as always, breathtaking, her descriptive imagery unrivaled and her characters compelling and dynamic.

The Shack

by William P. YoungThe Shack, although on the bestsellers list, is not a book that I would randomly pick off the shelf at the library. I read it on the recommendation of a co-worker that is a self-professed non-reader. It took me a few chapters to really get into it, but I ended up riveted by the story.

This book is the story of a grieving Father. His family has been torn apart by tragedy and he is wracked by guilt and sorrow. He receives a letter from God inviting him back to the scene of his daughter's murder and, despite his confusion and skepticism, returns to the shack.

The story continues as Mack comes face to face with God and gains valuable insight into himself and his relationship with deity. The Shack is a really hard book to thumb down into a review~ at least for me. It contained startling and poignant ideas about religion and the relationship between God and his children. There was ideology that I'd never considered that made perfect sense and, being Mormon, I had to wonder where these things might fit into the doctrine of the church.

The book was touching and painful and extremely tender. Mack was such a genuine character, very real and his struggles and flaws and thought processes seemed very true to human nature. The stereotypes and preconceived notions about God were turned on their head a bit in this book. He appears as a plump black woman and Jesus appears as a young Semitic man, whereas the Holy Spirit appears as an Asian woman who's form is more like an impressionist painting and who appears more like the wind than an actual person. Mack spends time with each of these individuals, learning about trust, coming to terms with his guilt and grief, overcoming his anger at God and finally being able to heal.

The writing was beautiful, the complexity was as straightforward as possible and I thoroughly enjoyed Mack's journey.

Princess Ben

by Catherine Murdock

"Every fairy tale, it seems, concludes with the bland phrase "happily ever after." Yet every couple I have ever known would agree that nothing in marriage is forever happy. There are moments of bliss, to be sure, and lengthy spans of satisfied companionship. Yet these come at no small effort, and the girl who reads such fiction dreaming her troubles will end ere she departs the altar is well advised to seek at once a rational woman to set her straight."

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved Ben and the fact that she developed and underwent a metamorphoses. I also liked that she wasn't the typical beautiful, perfect princess and that even though she had insecurities, she also didn't let them crush her. She had real character and found her innate goodness and compassion.

I really enjoyed Murdock's writing and the world that she created. The fact that this world is one that is not a fantasy, fairy tale world, but that ends up having magic and dragons hiding in the walls is compelling and unique.

The relationship between Ben and her prince was, unfortunately,less developed than I would have liked, but given the depth of the book and the amount of pages, their love didn't exactly come out of the blue.

This is going down on my list of books to pass on to my daughter.

Catching Fire

by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire is the sequel to The Hunger Games. I was dying for this to come out, hoping it would be as good as its predecessor. Collins did not disappoint.

Once again, the story drew me in and ultimately left me wanting more. Although considerable less fast paced and action packed, the plot was compelling and far from dull.

I love how Collins continued the story, leaving unresolved issues unresolved without a quick resolution. The characters were no less charming in this installment and I continued to be caught between Katniss' conflicting emotions for Gale and Peeta. I loved the plot twists despite the fact that they weren't necessarily surprising.

This second installment provided even more character development in characters that I'd already fallen in love with and related to. The writing is extremely easy with great imagery.

I love this book, I love this series and I will be holding my breath until the next comes out.

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow

by Jessica Day George

This Norwegian folk tale is one that I've come across before and this book did nothing to quell my adoration for the story.

The characters in this book are unique and familiar at the same time. The lass is an endearing and wholesome woman that embodies a loving nature and has an affinity for animals. Her glaring flaw is her curiosity which ultimately places herself and her true love in peril. Although predictable, the fact that the lass perseveres in the end and saves not only herself, but her family, her homeland and many others around her, is not contrived or boring. I don't really have very much to say about this book because it was just an enjoyable, well written story.

There is nothing inappropriate in this book.

The Hunger Games

by Suzanne Collins

(CONTAINS SPOILERS) Overnight, The Hunger Games has joined the list of my favorite books. I literally could not drag my eyes from the pages and stayed up all night, until my eyes refused to stay open, reading. I enjoyed it from the first sentence to the last period and my mouth dropped open in disappointment to see that the story has an open ending which will continue in the sequel not yet published.

I immediately fell in love with the main character, Katniss. Strong, smart, passionate and sacrificing, she is my ideal heroine. That's not to say she doesn't have faults. I was a little irritated at the fabricated romance between Katniss and Peeta because from the start I was rooting for a love story between Katniss and Gale. Also, Peeta is a very endearing character and I felt bad that Katniss couldn't get her mind together and realize what was happening and find a solution.

I loved the never-ending suspense and action throughout the actual Games. I was glad Collins didn't delve too much deeper into most of the other tributes because I didn't want to feel for the characters that died like I did for Rue and even Thresh.

This was an incredible book and I'm practically salivating over the prospects the sequel presents. There was a large amount of violence, but no swearing or lewdness.