Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

This is a delightful book set in a industrial~ish, magical~ish Russia~ish.  Russia~ish is probably the best description of this book, because the truly beautiful parts are in the worldbuilding.  Bardugo takes some standard fantasy tropes: an orphan is discovered to have The One Power to save the world, Evil People want to use the power for bad, who to trust; and gives them some truly excellent packaging which transforms it into something that is truly delightful to read.  The other bright spot is the lead character, Alina.  Alina is stubborn, loyal, nit-picky, and not really pretty, and I really liked how all her traits became negatives and positives in turn, making her feel like a rounded character.  The cast of characters surrounding Alina was great, too.  I wasn't even bothered by the "love triangle" setup since Alina seemed so against one of the choices even if she was dazzled by power and beauty.  In the end, Shadow and Bone is about making your own choices and following your own path, which I heartily endorse, and I dare you to not get overwhelmed by the unique voice and come to love this book.

Fathomless by Jackson Pearce

Celia Reynolds is the youngest in a set of triplets and the one with the least valuable power. Anne can see the future, and Jane can see the present, but all Celia can see is the past. And the past seems so insignificant -- until Celia meets Lo.

Lo doesn't know who she is. Or who she was. Once a human, she is now almost entirely a creature of the sea -- a nymph, an ocean girl, a mermaid -- all terms too pretty for the soulless monster she knows she's becoming. Lo clings to shreds of her former self, fighting to remember her past, even as she's tempted to embrace her dark immortality.

When a handsome boy named Jude falls off a pier and into the ocean, Celia and Lo work together to rescue him from the waves. The two form a friendship, but soon they find themselves competing for Jude's affection. Lo wants more than that, though. According to the ocean girls, there's only one way for Lo to earn back her humanity. She must persuade a mortal to love her . . . and steal his soul.

I think Jackson Pearce has really found her talent.  Like her previous books this is a fairy tale retelling that kinda-sorta links in with the others but also works really well as a stand-alone.  It also really shines in comparison to the other two.  The characters in this are really crisp and have real depth.  I loved the dichotomy in Lo/Naida as the same person and also as two separate people.  Celia is also a great character and I like how she is similar to but different than her triplet sisters.  The plot is heavily character driven and really focuses on the emotional turmoil of Lo, Naida, Celia, and Jude which makes you feel their pain and gives the book a depth that absorbs the reader into the story.  If I had to find a fault I would say that the ending seemed a bit abrupt unless you had read Sweetly and Sisters Red and for its switch to action as a plot driver instead of characters, but Pearce does a good job of making things flow as smoothly as possible.  In all I thought it was a shining addition to Pearce's fairytale series and absolutely worth reading.

The Blood Keeper by Tessa Gratton

Paranormal romance fans who are looking to up the ante will be drawn to this tale of horror, fantasy, and romance. For Mab Prowd, the practice of blood magic is as natural as breathing. It's all she's ever known. Growing up on an isolated farm in Kansas with other practitioners may have kept her from making friends her own age, but it has also given her a sense of purpose—she's connected to the land and protective of the magic. And she is able to practice it proudly and happily out in the open with only the crows as her companions. Mab will do anything to keep the ancient practice alive and guard its secrets. But one morning while she is working out a particularly tricky spell she encounters Will, a local boy who is trying to exorcise some mundane personal demons. He experiences Mab's magic in a way his mind cannot comprehend and is all too happy to end their chance meeting. But secrets that were kept from Mab by the earlier generations of blood magicians have come home to roost. And she and Will are drawn back together, time again by this dangerous force looking to break free from the earth and reclaim its own dark power.

I am Josephine Darly, and I intend to live forever.
 
I was so excited for this book after Blood Magic and I certainly was not disappointed. With an introduction like that how could I be? Although there is little intersection in the characters between Blood Magic and The Blood Keeper I didn’t feel lost for long, and this book turned out to be even better than the last! There is a gifted pacing to this book. It seems almost lazy, slow but not in a bad way, more in the way I feel when I go home to Kansas. Time just seems to run differently there, as if there is not the urgency the rest of the world feels. The plot builds more slowly but solidly, piece by piece, with each reveal informing the last as well as the next. There is a complication to it as well, with the multiple narrations and the diary to follow and keep straight. The romance is natural, without a triangle, and grows organically with the story, making it feel like there is really a connection between Mab and Will and not just an electric attraction. I really liked how Mab takes care of herself, too, and has a self-assurance and grown-up-ness about her that make you believe she is an experienced practitioner that can work her own way out of things without losing her teenage innocence. And I really can’t say much more without spoiling things! This is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year and I highly recommend you go out and get it!



I received a copy of this book free through NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. I’ve since purchased my own copy since I loved it so much. 

Artemis Fowl (Book 7): The Atlantis Complex by Eoin Colfer

Artemis has committed his entire fortune to a project he believes will save the planet and its inhabitants, both human and fairy. Can it be true? Has goodness taken hold of the world’s greatest teenage criminal mastermind?

Captain Holly Short is unconvinced, and discovers that Artemis is suffering from Atlantis Complex, a psychosis common among guilt-ridden fairies -- not humans -- and most likely triggered by Artemis’s dabbling with fairy magic. Symptoms include obsessive-compulsive behavior, paranoia, multiple personality disorder and, in extreme cases, embarrassing professions of love to a certain feisty LEPrecon fairy.

Unfortunately, Atlantis Complex has struck at the worst possible time. A deadly foe from Holly’s past is intent on destroying the actual city of Atlantis. Can Artemis escape the confines of his mind -- and the grips of a giant squid -- in time to save the underwater metropolis and its fairy inhabitants?

New York Times best-selling author Eoin Colfer delivers a knockout, fast-paced, and hilarious adventure in Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex, the seventh book in the blockbuster series.

I must say this book was terribly disappointing. Maybe by reading them all in succession I am burning out on Artemis Fowl. Or maybe it is showing that Colfer burned out. I am not sure. Either way, though, I downright disliked this book. Artemis’ disease is confusing and seems contrived in some places and completely random in others, as if Colfer rolled a dice to see what would happen next. The villains are completely out of left field, and I really felt that it would have been better if they were connected to someone we knew previously like Opal Koboi. Perhaps that’s just my Opal crush talking ;) The pacing seems a bit off, too, slowing down in places to almost boringly expositionary. Perhaps it is just that too much new stuff was thrown at us: new villains, a new disease, too many deaths and changes in fairy land. I’m getting nervous about buying book 8, I hope that the years of distance can bring back the series I loved.



I received a copy of this book free through NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Artemis Fowl (Book 6): The Time Paradox by Eoin Colfer

Catching up on reviews, here's some of my backlog:

After disappearing for three years, Artemis Fowl has returned to a life different from the one he left. Now he's a big brother, and spends his days teaching his twin siblings the important things in life, such as how to properly summon a waiter at a French restaurant.

But when Artemis Fowl's mother contracts a life-threatening illness, his world is turned upside down. The only hope for a cure lies in the brain fluid of the silky sifaka lemur. Unfortunately, the animal is extinct due to a heartless bargain Artemis himself made as a younger boy.

Though the odds are stacked against him, Artemis is not willing to give up. With the help of his fairy friends, the young genius travels back in time to save the lemur and bring it back to the present. But to do so, Artemis will have to defeat a maniacal poacher, who has set his sights on new prey: Holly Short.

The rules of time travel are far from simple, but to save his mother, Artemis will have to break them all.and outsmart his most cunning adversary yet: Artemis Fowl, age ten.

I can’t quite put my finger on it, but this book didn’t live up to the series as much as I wished it would. Until now each new Artemis Fowl book was better than the last, but this one is not on my favorites list. I didn’t like the time-travel aspect, it seemed a bit contrived to pit Artemis against himself, as if there was no villain, fairy or otherwise, that could stand up to him like he could himself. Colfer attempted to use Artemis as a measure against himself but it was clumsier in this book than it has been in the past, I missed the subtlety there was in Minerva (who, by the way, is absent from the book, boo). He also seems to have backtracked in his character development, and I didn’t like the contrivance of the fight with Holly and the addition of romantic tension really disappointed. Even the reveal of the main villain did not thrill me like I thought it would. I like that No. 1 is back and seems to be developing into a minor character, but his involvement is a bit overpowered and he needs to be drawn back a bit. I hope they somehow figure out how to include him in the next book without making him seem like the solution to every problem.



I received a copy of this book free through NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Artemis Fowl (Book 5): The Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer

Ten thousand years ago, humans and fairies fought a great battle for the magical island of Ireland. When it became clear to the fairy families that they could never win, they decided to move their civilization underground and keep themselves hidden from the humans. All the fairy families agreed on this, except the eighth family, the demons. The demons planned to lift their small island out of time until they had regrouped and were ready to wage war on the humans once more. However, the time spell went wrong, and the island of Hybras was catapulted into Limbo, where it has remained for ten thousand years. Now the tainted time spell is deteriorating and demons are being sucked back into the present space and time. The fairy council is concerned about this and is monitoring any materializations. But when the spells deterioration accelerates, the materializations become unpredictable. Even the fairy scientists cannot figure out where the next demon will pop up. But someone can. Artemis Fowl, teenage criminal mastermind, has solved temporal equations that no normal human should be intelligent enough to understand. So when a confused and frightened demon pops up in a Sicilian theater, Artemis Fowl is there to meet him. Unfortunately, he is not the only one. A second, mysterious party has also solved the temporal equations, and has managed to abduct the demon before Artemis can secure him. Once again, Artemis will have to pair up with his old comrade, Captain Holly Short, to track down the missing demon and rescue him, before the time spell dissolves completely and the lost demon colony returns violently to Earth.

This is my favorite Artemis Fowl book so far, and it doesn’t even have Opal Koboi in it. That’s largely due to the introduction of No. 1 (get it, no-one?), an immature demon that encounters Artemis Fowl. The narration from No. 1’s point of view is great, and lends a sense of innocence that Artemis no longer has. On the other hand, Artemis is starting to show guilt when he manipulates people which is a great step forward for him. The other introduction in this book, Minerva Paradizo, is a welcome addition to showing Artemis as a teenager going through adolescence and discovering “girls”. She also is starting out where Artemis did five books ago and is a great way to measure how Artemis’ character has developed through his friendship with Holly and his brushes with the fairy world even through his mind wipe. The plot is similar to other Artemis Fowl books, quick moving and with excellent pacing up to a breakneck climax that almost left me in tears. Highly recommended as the pinnacle of the series for me.


I received a copy of this book free through NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Artemis Fowl (Book 4): The Opal Deception by Eoin Colfer

The evil pixie Opal Koboi has spent the last year in a self-induced coma, plotting her revenge on all those who foiled her attempt to destroy the LEPrecon fairy police. And Artemis Fowl is at the top of her list.

After his last run-in with the fairies, Artemis had his mind wiped of his memories of the world belowground. But they have not forgotten about him. Once again, he must stop the human and fairy worlds from colliding—only this time, Artemis faces an enemy who may have finally outsmarted him.

Opal’s back, and she’s ready for revenge! I loved the fun of this book and watching the Opal vs Fowl battles. Opal really is my perfect foil for Artemis. They’re alike in a lot of ways. She’s smart, a little egotistical, and gets foils Artemis almost as much as he foils her. Even though the book starts in such a tragedy that I almost did not want to continue reading I somehow managed to make it through my sadness (spoilers!). I also really loved the bank robbing scene, it was so technical it was like “Mission Impossible” was playing in the background. That really describes a lot of this book: it has extreme highs and extreme lows, and Colfer masters the roller coaster brilliantly to keep the reader in suspense and wanting to finish the ride. This is my favorite Artemis Fowl book so far, and will be hard to top.



I received a copy of this book free through NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Artemis Fowl (Book 3): The Eternity Code by Eoin Colfer

Ever the resourceful young criminal mastermind, Artemis has found a way to construct a supercomputer from stolen fairy technology. Called the "C Cube," it will render all existing human technology obsolete. Artemis then arranges a meeting with a Chicago businessman, Jon Spiro, to offer to suppress the Cube for one year in return for gold, his favorite substance. But the meeting is a trap, and Spiro steals the Cube and mortally injures Butler. Artemis knows his only hope to save Butler lies in fairy magic, so once again he is forced to contact his old rival, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrepcon fairy police. Miraculously, Butler is healed, but there is a catch: he has aged fifteen years. Thus, Butler's infamously ditzy sister, Juliet, is called in as Artemis's bodyguard. Together, they travel to Chicago to steal back the Cube and ensure that Jon Spiro is put out of business-permanently.

This is another excellent book and a good continuation of the Artemis Fowl series. The action starts right away, and starts with an event so heartbreaking I could barely continue! The wonderful pacing kept up, though, and it moved quickly past the tragedy without making light of it. The tragedy and action give the characters a chance to shine, and each one seems to have a spotlight where they show a new side of themselves. Artemis, especially, is shown to be human through the mistakes he makes which is refreshing after his near-omniscience in the other books. It is a good lesson that hubris is the downfall of the proud. The plot of the book moves along at a good clip just like the other Artemis Fowl books, and is a bit predictable but the journey has so many twists that I didn’t mind at all. The ending is nearly as heartbreaking as the beginning, but justified. I loved every page of this book and it makes me anxious to keep going in the series.

I received a copy of this book free through NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review .

Avatar: The Last Airbender Vol. 1 by Gene Luen Yang

The wait is over! Ever since the conclusion of Avatar: The Last Airbender, its millions of fans have been hungry for more--and it's finally here!

This series of digests rejoins Aang and friends for exciting new adventures, beginning with a faceoff against the Fire Nation that threatens to throw the world into another war, testing all of Aang's powers and ingenuity!

* The continuation of Airbender and the link to its upcoming sequel, Legend of Korra!

* Written by Gene Yang, author of the National Book Award-nominated American Born Chinese

I loved Avatar: The Last Airbender from somewhere around the end of season 1, so I was very excited to see that they were continuing Aang’s story in comics. I was kinda disappointed with this book though. First, it was short. Very short. I feel it’s probably too short for its price. They should have bundled at least 1 and2 together for the list price of $10.99. I alsofelt there was way too much PDA for a relationship between a 12 year old boy and a 14 year old girl. Perhaps I have been away from 12 year olds for too long, but I remember holding hands in public being a significant relationship step, and a quick peck being the pinnacle, but the comic seems to show extended makeout sessions and they just rubbed me the wrong way. The main plot line about difficulties with conquering colonies needing relocation was interesting, and I want to see where they’re going to go with it, but I’m not sure I’ll continue the series because of the cost of the books.



I received a copy of this book free through NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

The Arctic Incident (Artemis Fowl #2) by Eoin Colfer

The Arctic Incident sees the slightly older, perhaps slightly more mellow arch-criminal Artemis recovered from his last adventure, richer now that he has his half of a hoard of fairy gold, and happier since the Clarice Starlingesque superfairy Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon returned his mother's ailing mind to full health. But there is still much unfinished business: Artemis Fowl Sr. disappeared when a daring escapade designed to free his family from their criminal--not to mention deeply lucrative--past and move the family's assets into legitimate enterprises went horribly wrong. Held captive by the Mafiya (the Russian organized crime syndicate) for over two years, he has been declared officially dead, but Artemis Jr. knows in his heart (yes, he does have one) that his beloved father is still alive, and he is determined to find him. Meanwhile Captain Short is temporarily on assignment to Customs and Excise as punishment for letting Fowl separate her and her People from their gold and is finding her stakeout duties a little dull. It soon becomes obvious that the pair have need of each other's considerable skills, and before long they are on track for an adventure that will ultimately have far-reaching consequences for both of them.

The Arctic Incident is a worthy follow up to Artemis Fowl in every way. Like its predecessor it’s short and easy to read with a lot of action and adventure packed into a little space. I liked how the plot made Fowl and the Faeries friends, it was a good twist and made it so much easier to find a villain to root against. The villain behind the Bwa’Kell is well written. I was especially appreciative of how many characters were re-used from the first book. It is nice to watch them grow, especially Holly and Artemis. I like how Holly has to get over her problems with Artemis because she needs him. Artemis does a lot of growing in this book, he's shown as a lot more emotional and acts a bit more like his age.  The few new characters are very thought-out, and I look forward to seeing them again (wow, it’s hard to write this without spoiling the book!). I received a copy of this book free through NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is a millionaire, a genius—and, above all, a criminal mastermind. But even Artemis doesn't know what he's taken on when he kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit. These aren't the fairies of bedtime stories—they're dangerous! Full of unexpected twists and turns, Artemis Fowl is a riveting, magical adventure.

The Artemis Fowl books have always had a soft spot in my heart.  I read them as they were first coming out because they were quick, addictive reads.  They still are, and they hold just as much magic on re-read as they did the first time I read them.

The plot of the book seems simplistic, but Colfer is a master at making the simple work well.  There are twists where there need to be, and luls right when you need a breather.   The pace is a little harried, but that only makes you want to read more because you can't find a place to stop.  There is also a great mix of fantasy and science, making the book hard to categorize.  Although fairies have magic they also have advanced technology to combat humans and keep them undetected, which I really like because there is not the dependence on magic as a "cure all" in the plot line.

The omniscient narrator lets you have a peek into the brains of many of the main players, which helps to develop them in a short space.  There is a descriptive block when each character is introduced, but Colfer only gives the needed information, letting the reader discover the rest as they get to learn the character.  The omniscient narrator also makes it very hard to root for a side, putting Artemis and the fairies on equal footing in earning the reader's love.  If you want a book you can read in one setting and come out feeling happy, this is a quick, satisfying read.


I received a copy of this book free through NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon

On the day of her first betrothal meeting--and rejection--Ai Ling discovers a power welling deep within her. She can reach into other people’s spirits, hear their thoughts, see their dreams…and that’s just the beginning.

Ai Ling has been marked by the immortals; her destiny lies in the emperor’s palace, where a terrible evil has lived, stealing souls, for centuries. She must conquer this enemy and rescue her captive father, while mythical demons track her every step. and then she meets Chen Yong, a young man with a quest of his own, whose fate is intertwined with hers. Here is a heart-stopping, breathtaking tale for fans of action, fantasy, and romance--of anything with the making of legend.

The plot of Silver Phoenix is really the center-point of the book. Like most classic fantasy it revolves around the quest Ai Ling is on and the people she meets and travels with. There has been a great deal of work put into the worldbuilding, and the connections with real Chinese culture through its religion, customs, and even food are bountifully evident. The characters deal with a lot of trouble, too, and Pon isn’t shy about putting her characters in danger. There never seems like an obvious way out, which I liked. The characters had to think, and I did too, but the way out was always a result of their cleverness and reaction, not coincidence. These fights do serve to disconnect the book, though. Like a lot of epic fantasy the story can seem like a series of side quests unrelated to the overall arc for a great part of the book. I think that fans of the genre will find the plotting excellent, though, because the side plots are enjoyable and do bring the protagonist closer to her final battle.

Ai Ling is the definition of a strong female character imo. She has flaws and strengths that are realistic, and her powers have pluses and minuses as well. She makes decisions based on logic and her gut, and everything seems to follow her characterization well. With such a strong lead it is harder to develop the people around her, and some of the lesser characters fall a bit flat because of it. Chen isn’t one of those, though. Chen is a great male role model, supportive without being overbearing or overprotective but still flawed. The romance that develops is realistic and lasting, not a love-at-first-glance surface relationship but a true partnership that strengthens both of them. However, they are still individuals as well, and the ending only served to underscore their connection as well as their individuality. If I had to find a flaw in the book, though, it would be with Zhong Ye. His motivations weren’t always apparent, and I was left feeling that his actions were a little off from his characterization. He needed some more time in developing who he is and why he acts as he does.

Wings by Aprilynne Pike

Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful--too beautiful for words. Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings. In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever.

This book was quite engrossing.  I really enjoyed the unique take Pike had on faeries and how they worked scientifically.  She did a great job of using science and biology in a way that furthered the plot and yet wasn't too technical.  The interactions of their world with the human world was a good idea as well.  This plot, though, was the best part of the book.  Pike knows how to lay in a good story with enough foreshadowing that things don't appear to come out of nowhere, but its also not laid on so thick that you can see every twist coming.  That is not to say the story is without flaws, though.  I didn't like how clinical Pike's writing seemed.  She does not do very well at descriptions, and her prose seems a little strained for teenagers.  She also had a lot of difficulty with the beginning of her story.  It seemed as if she had a great idea but couldn't quite handle the exposition.  I think the plot and unique take on the mythology is worth pushing through, though, so tough it out to get to a really good read.

Tortall and Other Lands by Tamora Pierce

Collected here for the first time are all of the tales from the land of Tortall, featuring both previously unknown characters as well as old friends. Filling some gaps of time and interest, these stories, some of which have been published before, will lead Tammy's fans, and new readers into one of the most intricately constructed worlds of modern fantasy.

This anthology of short stories by my most favorite author ever, Tamora Pierce, came out early in 2011. With the Hugo awards coming up I wanted to be sure and review it because I will be nominating one of the stories for an award and I think other people should consider the stories when making their nomination choices.

Student of Ostriches: To be honest this story wasn’t one of my favorites, but I think that is because it is a reprinting of a story included in the Young Warriors anthology so I have had a few years to read and absorb it. I like the idea of following a female trying to become a Shang warrior, though, and it gives me hope that some day Pierce will write a set of books based on a girl (or even a boy) training to become Shang.

Elder Brother: This is the most intriguing story in the book. When Numair turns the rogue sorcerer Tristan into a tree in Wolf-Speaker he said that the rebound of the spell was that somewhere a tree turned into a man. Qiomis that tree. This story is the sad, funny, emotional tale of his first days learning to live not as a tree but as a man. It also introduces the harsh muslim-like culture that will feature in Hidden Girl.

The Hidden Girl: A story of a girl traveling with her preacher father and her attempts to educate women in religion just like her father educates her, and to take his place after he dies. This is a very interesting story to compare with current events in the Middle East and the efforts of women there.

Nawat: This is the story of Nawat Crow, the bird who took human shape for the love of a girl, and a story about that girl. Nawat and Aly have gotten married, you see, and Aly is about to have children. Told with Nawat’s voice, the story illustrates how difficult it was for the crows-turned-human to integrate their crow society into human society and how their animal instincts still cause them to do animal things like Nawat’s nesting and pestering of Aly before she gives birth. After the children are born Nawat is faced with a horrible choice, and the result is heart-rending no matter how you look at it. I will be nominating this story for a Hugo.

The Dragon's Tale: This was one of my favorite stories in the book. It is hard to remember that Kitten, Daine’s baby dragon companion, is a sentient being that just cannot communicate vocally yet. This story took Kit’s voice, which Pierce crafted as delightfully shrewd and yet playful, just the personality a baby dragon should have. I loved watching Kit work out how to accomplish her task, and although the end ing was a little deus-ex-machina it left me smiling.

Lost: This is the story of a girl with a gift for math. I liked how Pierce used the Tusiane society to parallel some of the things that girls face nowadays when they decide to put serious study into the maths and sciences. The introduction of new Darkings is also a delight as always.

Time of Proving: This story shows a great logic fallacy that I’ve always found funny: why does a rampaging dragon want virgin sacrifices anyway? In a funny story about a cloth merchant Pierce explores this common fairy tale trope with a fun new twist.

Plain Magic: I loved the premise of this story: who in the world thought that dragons needed a virgin sacrifice, and how stupid is that? Tonya is a great girl, and in the tradition of Pierce’s female leads she knows what she wants and figures out how to get things out of the way so she can have it. The old peddler, Lindri, also had me smiling with her practical manner and her kind demeanor.

Mimic: I thought this was one of the few so-so stories in the book. Perhaps that is because I didn’t really have a clear indication of where the book was set. It seemed to be in Tortall, but the dragons didn’t work in the same way, which confused me the whole way through the story (I had almost convinced myself that Mimic was a basilisk). It didn’t end badly, but my confusion left me feeling less than favorably about it.

Huntress: I downright disliked this story. The premise was nice: a scholarship teen tries to fit in with her rich private school classmates and is saved from bullies by the goddess her family worships. The way it worked, though, with kids killing homeless people and the goddess killing them in turn, seemed really unnecessary. It was too violent for my liking.

Testing: I’ve met Tamora Pierce. She is very short, very soft-spoken, and yet has very strong opinions and looks like she can be tough-as-nails when she needs to be. She reminds me very much of my grandmother who was also short, soft-spoken, and yet willing to wrestle a 3’ snapping turtle when necessary (yes, there’s video). This made the story Testing a lot more interesting to me. I could imagine the reactions to the mischiefs of the girls and see the twinkle in Pierce’s eye as she got them to come around. In all this book was great. I love seeing Pierce’s craft applied to shorter snippets of work. I also really liked getting some stories in a male voice, something I think Pierce does well but has been scarce in her book series. As I said above I was absolutely delighted with Nawat and I think it is one of the best stories to come out this year. I suggest this book to anyone who is a fan of Pierce’s work or to someone who has heard of her and wants to taste her writing style.

Liar’s Moon by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Prisons, poisons, and passions combine in a gorgeously written fantasy noir. As a pickpocket, Digger expects to spend a night in jail every now and then. But she doesn't expect to find Lord Durrel Decath there as well--or to hear he's soon to be executed for killing his wife. Durrel once saved Digger's life, and when she goes free, she decides to use her skills as a thief, forger, and spy to return the favor. But each new clue only opens up new mysteries. Durrel's late wife had an illegal business on the wrong side of the civil war raging just outside the city gates. Digger keeps finding forbidden magic in places it has no reason to be. And for a thief in a town full of liars, sometimes it doesn't pay to know the truth.

Once again we are back with Digger, and her life keeps getting more and more interesting. Having left the Decath family she’s back in the capitol city surviving, stealing, and watching. As she spies on the city more and more bad things happen to her, and she once again entangles herself with the Decaths as Durrell is arrested for killing his wife and he asks Digger to prove his innocence. Thus begins a tale of adventure and intrigue that Digger has to unveil and put together. Although this book has a classic who-done-it plot, it doesn’t read as much like a mystery as Starcrossed did. Instead, Liar’s Moon seems a lot more like traditional medieval fantasy, with its Kings and Queens and plots against the throne and sorcerers and magic users who are fought by a populace afraid of magic and what it can do to them. Although she became a pretty solid figure in Starcrossed Digger develops more in this book, from a household maid figuring things out for her family to a full-on spy working alone to help her friend and her country. The sub-plot of magic users being reviled, condemned, and even murdered gives the non-magic users a little more power, and Digger exploits all of them to find out who the real murderer is. I can’t tell you much more of the plot without spoiling it, but suffice it to say that it will keep you reading the book long after you meant to stop for the day. I love how engrossing Bunce’s work can be, and I look forward to another Digger story soon because there are still many things left unexplained in Digger’s world, and plenty more trouble for Digger to get thrust into :D

Luminous by Dawn Metcalf

As reality slips and time stands still, Consuela finds herself thrust into the world of the Flow. Removed from all she loves into this shifting world overlapping our own, Consuela quickly discovers she has the power to step out of her earthly skin and cloak herself in new ones-skins made from the world around her, crafted from water, fire, air. She is joined by other teens with extraordinary abilities, bound together to safeguard a world they can affect, but where they no longer belong.

When murder threatens to undo the Flow, the Watcher charges Consuela and elusive, attractive V to stop the killer. But the psychopath who threatens her new world may also hold the only key to Consuela's way home.

Although this book turned out good it got off to a rocky start. The author rather dumps you from the "real" world into the Flow, and I felt very disjointed and confused over what was happening and where we were. I think it was done to emphasize the disorientation and confusion of Consuela, but it isn't done in a way that made me identify with the character. Instead I wanted to put the book down. It was just too fast, plopping us into the fantasy world without explanation or reason, and the contrivance is only emphasized by Consuela’s placid acceptance rather than questioning of the issue.

I endured, though, and as the author got around to explaining what happened and why I started to enjoy the world and the characters, although I never really felt as if I understood it or them. In order to maintain the mystery of the plot the characters all have hidden agendas and ulterior motives, and you're always questioning why they're doing what they're doing, but you're also questioning why you care. There are a lot of characters that seem to be put in place so that they can die to amplify the plot, but because you didn't ever identify with them it doesn't work as well as it could.

However, even with these major flaws there is something about the book that is absorbing and makes you want to keep reading despite all the incertainty and confusion. Perhaps it is the artful dealing with the subject matter: what happens when we die, and what about people who seem to be *dead* but are still functionally alive? What do they experience? What do they feel? Add in an overlay of murder mystery and a dash of romantic subplot and the question is very deep as well as entertaining. This gift extends even beyond the ending, turning an ending that is simply ambiguous into a cliffhanger mystery that keeps you thinking about the book even after you're done with it. Although this book wasn't altogether my cup of tea I can see many people who would be able to look past its flaws and fall completely in love with the great existential mystery that is presented in this book.


I received this book free from Librarything as an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.