Nov 18 2013
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Top Ten Books I Recommend to Nonreaders! (11/18/2013)

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Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

 For avid readers like myself, there is no end to the number of great books just waiting to be added to our colossal TBR piles. For nonreaders, however, it can be really difficult finding quality reading if you’re not immersed in the book world. It has been my experience that most nonreaders select their next books based solely on word of mouth and personal recommendations.

 Because they are not familiar with many of the subgenres of speculative fiction, I always try to get them started on “gateway” novels – ones that aren’t too intimidating for the casual reader but are good enough that I can recommend them confidently to a wide range of people. As a side note, I consider anyone who reads fewer than five books a year to be a nonreader. These recommendations also work for avid readers looking to explore other genres.

Top Ten Books I Recommends to Nonreaders!

   Now keep in mind that I wouldn’t hand any of these titles to people who only like creative nonfiction or biographies. They have to be interested in these genres to begin with, and I do a lot of brain picking before I throw my heart and soul into a recommendation. I actually have a list of about five titles per genre that I mention to an interested person, but tried to pick the best from each one to represent here. Would any of these make your list?

by Niki Hawkes

Nov 18 2013
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Book Review: Champion by Marie Lu

ChampionTitle: Champion

Author: Marie Lu

Series: Legend #3

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Rating: 4/5 stars

The Overview: June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps Elect while Day has been assigned a high level military position. But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them once again. Just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything he has. With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu’s bestselling trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion.

Champion

The Review:

Every time I pick up the conclusion to a trilogy I wonder if it’s going to live up to the expectation’s I’ve been harboring for the months leading up to it. Luckily, in Champion, most of the things I loved about the first two books were as amazing as ever: smart and relatable characters, immersive world-building, and wonderfully heart-wrenching moments.

I’ve always appreciated the multiple societies Lu introduced in the first two books, but enjoyed them even more in this novel when she expanded it to a global level. For the first time we really got to see how other countries function in this world and the roles they play regarding the Republic and the Colonies. I particularly loved the Antarctic society where a virtual point system “game” was created. It was evidently responsible for the high levels of national productivity and low crime rates. I found it really fascinating and would love to see an entire book written from a Antarctican’s perspective. Just think, it could be like Ender’s Game meets popular dystopian… I’m just saying.

I always enjoy reading books that are provoking, so long as they’re still fun. Champion, much like the first two in the series, drew me into the conflicts emotionally to the point where I caught myself dwelling on them long after I put the book down. While Legend seemed mostly centered around June in my eyes, Champion seemed much more focused on Day (or, at the very least, he had the most compelling conflicts). Most of his passages were vibrant and evoking, really making the story pop. June, on the other hand, had some good moments but I occasionally found myself zoning out during her POV. Overall, the emotional conflicts in this final book were outstanding in all regards… except for one: the love story.

There seemed to be a great deal of prolonged, almost senseless turmoil surrounding June’s and Day’s relationship. What’s more, it all stemmed from each character’s internal dialogue that the other person either deserved better, didn’t feel the same way, or whatever other stupid reason they could find not to be together. It’s the only thing I found dissatisfying about the story, especially considering how brilliant their analytical skills are supposed to be (which, incidentally, was my favorite element about the first book). You would think they would have been able to figure out a way around their issues somewhere along the way. Love is not that blinding. Anyway, I found it tiresome after a while, and it made me care a whole lot less whether or not they wound up together in the end.

So, despite the fact that Champion lost that consistent, strong characterization that made the first book so special for me, I still enjoyed it. In every other regard, it was truly a satisfying conclusion.

Recommended Reading: I always hand Legend to people who have read Hunger Games and Divergent and are looking for their next amazing dystopian. It’s a fast-paced, exciting trilogy that remains among the ones I recommend the most.

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Nov 14 2013
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Book Review: False Sight by Dan Krokos

4.0.1Title: False Sight

Author: Dan Krokos

Series: False Memory #2

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

The Overview: All Miranda wants is a normal life. She’s determined to move past the horrible truth of her origin as a clone so she can enjoy time with her boyfriend, Peter, and the rest of her friends at school. But Miranda quickly learns that there’s no such thing as normal – not for a girl who was raised to be a weapon. When one of her teammates turns rogue, it begins a war that puts the world in jeopardy. Now Miranda must follow her instincts – not her heart – in order to save everything she’s fought so hard to keep. with the image of a terrible future seared into her mind, what will she have to sacrifice to protect the people she loves?

4.0.1

 The Review:

Even though I finished this book almost a month ago, I’ve had a difficult time figuring out how to review it. There were a lot of cool aspects within this story, and a handful more that left a little to be desired… at least for me. The trouble is, the things I considered borderline deal breakers probably wouldn’t bother most people, so I’ve been struggling to separate my personal preferences from the actual quality of the story. Let’s start with the positives:

This is one of those fast-paced series that barely slows enough to let you catch your breath before pulling you into another wild ride. It was incredibly action-packed, but what I loved was that it also had plenty of inner conflict and character development. I felt like I could really get behind and root for these characters and they, above all else, will be what convinces me to read the final book.

The issue I had with False Memory was essentially the same one that kept me from reading the conclusion to the Maze Runner series: I just got tired of not knowing what was going on. Ever heard the phrase “jumping the shark?” Well, I feel the concept totally applied here, as Krokos continually jumped beyond the rules and parameters of this world as I was made to understand them. Every time I sort of wrapped my brain around what was going on, he smashed my theories and threw them out the window. Pretty soon, I just gave up trying, and that’s when I lost interest. I just needed something concrete to latch onto so I could feel more involved, rather than just grasping at vanishing threads.

Overall, this wasn’t one of my favorites but I do think that was solely a preferential thing rather than any fault with the author. For what he was going for, he executed it quite well even though I couldn’t fully appreciate it. I am still a fan, however, and look forward to reading the next book in his The Planet Thieves series.

Recommended Reading: I will hand this book to anybody who says they enjoyed The Maze Runner – these have similar concepts and story arcs, and I’m pretty sure Dashner fans will love them.

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Nov 12 2013
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Coming Soon: Hunted by Maggie Stiefvater

Spirit animalsTitle: Hunted

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Series: Spirit Animals #2

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

Release Date: January 2014

Series Overview: Spirit Animals is set in the world of Erdas, where children go through a coming-of-age ritual to determine if they have a “spirit animal,” which represents a bond between human and beast that bestows each with great power. The story centers on four children from different cultures who undergo the ritual and discover they have been chosen for a greater destiny.

Spirit animals

Hosted by Breaking the Spine

As my favorite middle-grade author since J. K. Rowling, Brandon Mull never fails to deliver amazing stories that take you on adventures and make you feel like a kid again. Wild Born was the first book launched in this multi-platform series and although different authors are taking the reins for the rest of the books, he is the outlining mastermind behind them all. Wild Born was so much fun to read that I am eagerly awaiting this sequel, taken on by Maggie Stiefvater (known for Raven Boys and Shiver). I haven’t read her before, but with all the excitement surrounding her other books, I’m confident she’ll do a good job with this one.

What book are you waiting on?

by Niki Hawkes

Nov 12 2013
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Top Ten Tuesday – Top Ten Book Covers I Wish I Could Redesign! (11/12/2013)

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 Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

 Let’s face it, despite the old saying, most of us always consider the cover when deciding whether or not to pick up a book. I’ve always been a firm believer that the cover can tell you quite a bit about a title. Often times, publishers award the most desirable covers to the books they think are going to make them the most money. Even though it’s not a foolproof method, you could say that books with beautiful covers usually deserve a second look. That doesn’t mean a good book can’t have a crappy cover, as quite a few of my redesign selections today are among my all-time favorites. So without further ado:

 Top Ten Book Covers I Wish I Could Redesign! 

Interestingly enough, three of my ten covers were illustrated by the same person… I guess it’s safe to say his work just doesn’t speak to me. I’ve also included two Richelle Mead books because, as my favorite, I need covers that will help entice people to pick them up. There’s nothing worse than handing a customer a book with the disclaimer “don’t let the cover throw you off, it’s excellent!” The added visual really does help me get people excited to try new series. I realize a few of these actually have been redesigned, but I include them on my list anyway because I still don’t like how they were done.

  I love covers, so as a bonus I decided to include my:

Top Ten Favorite/Least Favorite Cover Redesigns:

Favorite Changes – Before:

Favorite Changes – After:

 Least Favorite Changes – Before:

 Least Favorite Changes – After:

 I liked the old designs better… I’m almost embarrassed to hand the Dawn Cook series to anybody now – it’s one of my favorite Dragon stories, but you’d never know it from the new covers.

I hope you enjoyed the extra mile I went this week. What book covers would you like to redesign? 

Nov 11 2013
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Book Review: Perdition by Ann Aguirre

PerditionTitle: Perdition

Author: Ann Aguirre

Series: Dred Chronicles #1

Genre: Urban Sci-Fi

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

The Overview: The prison ship Perdition, a floating city where the Conglomerate’s most dangerous criminals are confined for life, orbits endlessly around a barren asteroid. Life inside is even more bleak. Hailed as the Dread Queen, inmate Dresdemona “Dred” Devos controls one of Perdition’s six territories, bordered on both sides by would-be kings eager to challenge her claim. Keeping them at bay requires constant vigilance, as well as a steady influx of new recruits to replace the fallen. Survival is a constant battle, and death is the only escape.

Of the newest convicts, only one is worth Dred’s attention. The mercenary Jael, with his deadly gaze and attitude, may be the most dangerous criminal onboard. His combat skill could give her the edge she needs, if he doesn’t betray her first. Unfortunately, that’s what he does best. Winning Jael’s allegiance will be a challenge, but failure could be worse than death…

Perdition 2

The Review:

All I have to say is, Ann Aguirre has definitely become one of my favorite authors. She consistently delivers highly entertaining books, Perdition being no exception. I have now made my way through at least one book of her four different series and it amazes me how different they are from one another. She just knows how to tell a good story, whether it’s about an orphan living in underground ruins (Enclave) to a psychically gifted space traveler (Sirantha Jax), she makes everything fresh, exciting, and highly entertaining!

The Jax series has become one of my all-time favorites, so you can understand why I was especially excited to read a spinoff from the same universe. With its amazing characters and an awesome storyline, Perdition takes place exclusively on a giant, unguarded prison. It reminds me of that one Stargate episode where the team ends up on a planet that’s been similarly converted to a orbiting prison. You know, the one were they meet that crazy lady… Anyway I love the concept of that episode, and Aguirre presented her twist on that idea in a way that was interesting and new (figuratively speaking, of course… it is a prison after all).

In my mind, there is a difference between atmosphere and setting. I have had minor issues with this author’s settings in the past, but have always loved the mood and feel she gives us with what she does describe. In this novel she did a great job balancing the two which made the world-building my favorite element of the story.

This was followed very closely by how much I enjoyed the characters, especially the main protagonist, Dred. She was one badass chick. I loved her because she had to find and maintain an inner strength well beyond what normal human beings have to endure, and only seemed to get stronger from it. The side characters were all just as memorable, with that hint of mystery surrounding them promising fun discoveries in the future. I’ve always said I love how Aguirre creates relationships, and not just the one surrounding the love story. She manages to form a deep connection between characters every time, which makes me care for them that much more. That is the one consistency in all her works that I most love and appreciate.

Overall, this was an excellent first novel to a new series, and I sincerely hope it develops into a five-star one like the Jax series did once it gained momentum.

Recommended Reading: of course I’m going to geek out about this one to anybody who has already read Sirantha Jax, but I would also feel comfortable pitching it as a standalone series. I would mention it to anybody who enjoys either urban fantasies or space operas (doubly so for those who like both). Readers of her Enclave series would probably like these too, provided they don’t mind a little more, shall we say “adult” content.

by Niki Hawkes

Other books you might like: