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Top Ten Topics on my Reading Wishlist!

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 Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

 I’ll admit I was a little unsure of this week’s topic at first… Then I got to talking about it with Charlotte over at Apathy and Rhetoric and she convinced me it could be a fun one. Although it took me ages to compose, I actually think this may be my favorite TTT within the last couple of months. It’s essentially a wishlist of topics I’d like to see authors writing more about (and a celebration of those who have already done them well). Please enjoy:

 Top Ten Topics on my Reading Wishlist

#1 Dragons:

Dragons represent everything I love about fantasy. I read anything I can get my hands on and in fact have never read a dragon story I didn’t like at least a little. Many are among my all-time favorites.

 #2 Schools:

I will go out of my way to read anything involving a school of some sort – especially if they are studying something exotic like dragon riding or potions.

#3 Competitions:

From football to dog shows, I’m a sucker for any sort of competition… What can I say, I just want to see who wins, and I will give almost any novel a try that has this element. I have to say many of the ones I’ve been reading recently have come up short (excluding the books above, of course).

#4 Cool Magic Systems:

People doing extraordinary things through an intrinsic or learned (preferable) ability? Sign me up!

#5 Epic World Building:

I love books that transport me to new and exotic places – especially if they also have complex storylines and amazing characters like the books above.

#6 Space Operas:

This is a genre I haven’t fully appreciated until the last year or so. To me, they read like urban fantasies set in space – the characters are fun and cheeky and the possibilities are endless. I also think there a lot more fun to read than traditional, serious science fiction because the extra focus on characterization makes them more accessible.

#7 Elves: 

Elves are seriously underutilized in my opinion. I love their cultures and would gladly welcome a few new novels surrounding them.

#8 Profound Love Stories:

I crave the kind of epic love story that you’d cross oceans to find… provided it’s not the only aspect of the story. I’d also like plenty of world building and a complex storyline to go along with it. Not too difficult, right?

#9 Ocean Life:

Okay so this is the only truly bizarre one on my list. I just want to read a few books exploring an ocean world without involving mermaids. I feel like there’s so many opportunities for creativity here – heck, I’d even take a retelling of Atlantis. Even the titles above are a bit of a stretch – a good deal of them take place on the surface of the ocean rather than below it. I think it would make a cool concept for a high fantasy… Maybe I’ll write one.

#10 Series with Good Endings:

I want loads more good endings… Preferably of the happy sort, but I would just settle for greatness at this point. Several books that I’ve read lately could’ve easily ended up in my favorites category had they not had such sucky endings. A good ending will make me cherish a series far longer than an ending that is “non-cliché” or “non-realistic”.

So there you have it – my top ten book cravings! A real winner usually contains two or more of the items on my list and many of my all-time favorite novels have at least five of the items… I definitely know what I like to read about!

 What are your wish lists topics? Do any of these appeal to you?

By Niki Hawkes

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Escape Reality Book Club – January’s Selection!

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Hosted by your’s truly and Charlotte at Apathy and Rhetoric

Your votes have been counted and the results are in!

January 2014’s official book club book is:

AbandonTitle: Abandon

Author: Meg Cabot

Series: Abandon Trilogy #1

Genre: Teen Romance

The Overview: Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can’t help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she’s never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back. But now she’s moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid. Only she can’t. Because even here, he finds her. That’s how desperately he wants her back. She knows he’s no guardian angel, and his dark world isn’t exactly heaven, yet she can’t stay away . . . especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most. But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld.

 So what happens now?

If you missed the Escaped Reality Book Club launch post, click here for more details.

Otherwise, you are all invited to join in the fun!

We will be reading Abandon from January 20 – 27 and geeking out about it on our official Facebook group page and on twitter at #escaperealitybc.

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Introducing: The Escape Reality Book Club!

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That’s right – a book club! Hosted by yours truly and Charlotte over at Apathy and Rhetoric.

Why start a book club?

Well, we decided it would be a lot of fun to read the same book at the same time and geek out about it – doubly so if we can get others to join in the fun!

 What kinds of books will be read?

Even though we both appreciate all categories under the speculative fiction umbrella, this book club is dedicated to Young Adult novels.

How does it work?

Once a month, one of our members will nominate five or six YA titles.

Each of us will vote for our favorite book.

A winner will be announced and we will all read the chosen book over the course of a single, designated week.

Charlotte and I will be hosting a spoiler free Twitter conversation throughout the designated week where those reading the book (and even those who have already read the book) can join in the fun. #escaperealitybc

How do you join?

It couldn’t be easier – just click here to be redirected to Escape Reality Book Club’s official Facebook page and ask to join the group.

Anybody can participate in voting, reading, and Tweeting about the book, but only those who join the Facebook group and participate regularly will have a chance to nominate titles.

January 2014

February 2014

March 2014

April 2014

May 2014

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Book Review: Sky Raiders by Brandon Mull

sky raidersTitle: Sky Raiders

Author: Brandon Mull

Series: Five Kingdoms #1

Genre: Middle Grade

Release Date: March 11, 2013

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

The OverviewCole Randolph was just trying to have a fun time with his friends on Halloween (and maybe get to know Jenna Hunt a little better). But when a spooky haunted house turns out to be a portal to something much creepier, Cole finds himself on an adventure on a whole different level. After Cole sees his friends whisked away to some mysterious place underneath the haunted house, he dives in after them and ends up in The Outskirts.

The Outskirts are made up of five kingdoms that lie between wakefulness and dreaming, reality and imagination, life and death. Its an in-between place. Some people are born there. Some find their way there from our world, or from other worlds. And once you come to the Outskirts, its very hard to leave. With the magic of the Outskirts starting to unravel, its up to Cole and an unusual girl named Mira to rescue his friends, set things right in the Outskirts, and hopefully find his way back home before his existence is forgotten.

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The Review:

What a fun new series from Brandon Mull! Sky Raiders had everything I’ve come to expect from this author: truckloads of imagination, epic adventures, and characters who are so relatable they take you back to your childhood. Aside from JK Rowling, Mull is definitely my favorite middle grade author and I’m excited to see every new book from him get stronger and stronger.

As an adult, I definitely enjoyed Sky Raiders because the kids were quick-witted and the overall plot was complex enough to keep me engaged. It’s one of those books that gets interesting right away and really doesn’t let up until the end – perfect for kids who have a difficult time focusing long enough to read. While Fablehaven will always be my all time favorite from Mull, I’m thrilled that I now have another solid story to hand to kids looking for next great read.

As I’ve mentioned, Mull always has a great deal of imagination in the books he writes. I have found that, especially in children’s books, too much imagination can make the story a little too far-fetched and silly for my tastes. In this case, however, Mull created a new world where wacky, random things can be made real through a particular magic called “shaping.” Because this world had a solid set of rules, all the fantastical creations became feasible even if they were sometimes a bit random. Was it still a bit too much? For me, maybe a little; for a  ten-year-old (i.e. the target audience) it was perfect.

Overall, I really enjoyed Sky Raiders – it had many neat elements that I’m sure we’ve only scratched the surface of at this point. It’s one of the main reasons I’m eager to read on in this series – I can’t wait to find out more about the Five Kingdoms!

Recommended Reading: I would be eager hand this book to any kid who enjoys books with magic – especially ones who loved the Beyonders series by the same author. It’s definitely geared towards a younger audience, so I would probably only hand it to an adult if they mention they like middle grade titles.

Other books you might like:

Thank you Edelweiss for the chance to read and review this title!

by Niki Hawkes

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Coming Soon: The Lascar’s Dagger by Glenda Larke

lascar's daggerTitle: The Lascar’s Dagger

Author: Glenda Larke

Series: The Forsaken Lands #1

Genre: Fantasy

Release Date: March 18, 2014

The Overview: Saker appears to be a simple priest, but in truth he’s a spy for the head of his faith. Wounded in the line of duty by a Lascar sailor’s blade, the weapon seems to follow him home. Unable to discard it, nor the sense of responsibility it brings, Saker can only follow its lead. The dagger puts Saker on a journey to distant shores, on a path that will reveal terrible secrets about the empire, about the people he serves, and destroy the life he knows. The Lascar’s dagger demands a price, and that price will be paid in blood.

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 Hosted by Breaking the Spine

 While there are many authors that I love, there are few that I’m more passionate about than Glenda Larke. I’ve read everything she’s ever had published including a series I had to pay top dollar to have shipped over from Australia. Everything she writes is golden and I am STOKED that she has another series in the making (The Lascar’s Dagger being the first book). If you like high fantasies like Goodkind, Sanderson, and even Hobb, this author should definitely be added to your list!

What book are you waiting on?

by Niki Hawkes

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Top Ten Debut Novels I’ve Been Meaning to Read!

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Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

 I had to modify this week’s topic (Top Ten Debuts I’m Excited For) because when it comes to looking ahead, I’m usually only excited about books continuing series. There are a handful of new authors I’m interested in, but I usually wait until the books come out before deciding if I’m going all fired up about them. Because this post is rather similar to my Top Ten Books on my Winter TBR list, I’ll get straight to the point:

Top Ten Debut Novels I’ve Been Meaning to Read!

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 Yes, they are all young adult books, and yes, there are a couple of unread ARCs in there that I got back before the series were published… Fail. I think of all of them, I am most excited to read Under the Never Sky because of all the hype surrounding the final book. I will say that one of the awesome benefits of not having read these yet is that I don’t have to wait very long for the conclusions.

What books are you looking forward to? Any thoughts on which one of these I should read first?

by Niki Hawkes