Mar 26 2013
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Top Ten Tuesday! (3/26/2013)

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Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature that helps book lovers like myself connect with other bloggers as we list the books we love. This week’s topic:

Top Ten Books I Recommend The Most!

This is a great topic for me, as I spend most of my day recommending books both online and at the bookstore (I usually end up catering my suggestions to each person’s needs, often giving them a book I think they’ll like the most, not necessarily the one that I liked most). The books I’ve chosen for the list are my personal favorites spanning multiple genres and starting points for every conversation beginning with “So, what’s a good book?” to which I reply “Have you read this yet?”

#1 Fablehaven: Let’s face it, everybody who was going to read Harry Potter has already done so at this point, so recommending that is redundant. I’ve discovered that not everybody has read the Fablehaven series, however. I always start with this one in the children’s department because it’s my favorite. If the person has read it and liked it, I know we’re going to get along.

#2 Partials: This is a fun one to recommend because it hasn’t had a chance to catch on quite like Divergent or Matched yet. As this was my favorite book published last year, I can always sell it with confidence (but only to people who respond “yes” to “did you like the hunger games?). Read full review

#3 Survival: This author is by far my favorite science fiction writer. Her books are witty and creative, and I always come away feeling like I want to reread them right away. The only reason I picked them up initially is because my favorite artist painted the covers (Luis Royo). I figured any writer who was good enough to convince the publisher to splurge for Royo cover art was worth my time!

#4 Graceling: My favorite teen love story, I just adore this book. It’s a sweet read and not too much for people new to the fantasy genre to handle. If the customer doesn’t like dystopian or paranormal novels (thereby limiting my recommending power in half these days), I hand them this book. Read full review

#5 Moon Called: One of the best urban fantasies out there, Briggs is not quite my favorite, but she’s close. She does happen to be the author that I think a lot of people will like, which is why she passed up Keri Arthur and Kim Harrison in my recommending repertoire. She has great characters, great adventure/paranormal encounters, and an excellent love story without being too gushy.

#6 Magician Apprentice: I’ve mentioned before that when I take someone to the fantasy section, I always ask the question: “have you read Feist?” He’s been my go-to for so many years, but I’m starting to find that most people have already read him. For those who haven’t I find it a hard sell. Not because of story, or anything related to the content. Nope, the reason I have a hard time with this one now is the colossally boring cover. The one featured here is actually the first edition cover, and I dont’ know about you, but it made ME want to pick it up. Covers are a lot more important than people think when selecting a book, so I sincerely hope the next edition is more compelling. Read full review

#7 Joust: One of my favorite dragon books, and one that I throw in with any recommendation spiel to see if it sticks. My all-time favorite dragon book is Dragon Weather by Lawrence Watt-Evans, but I recommend these first because they are my second favorites and more accessible to the average reader. They’re a lot like Eragon but I enjoyed them so much more.

#8 Succubus Blues: I geek out whenever I find a customer open to the more, say, risky side of urban fantasy. These are by no means clean books, so I have to be careful to preface that when talking to customers. They are, however, some of the best books I’ve read, and part of the reason why Mead is my favorite author. The story, the humor, the romance –  they have everything I expect out of a good book.

#9 The Name of the Wind: This book is another one I read last year that I’m raving about. It has everything I hope to find in a book adventure, humor, characters development, education (I love it when characters learn things) and a love story. To top it all off, it’s written beautifully. I will be rereading this for years to come! Read full review

#10 Assassin’s Apprentice: Hobb is my go-to author for when I just need a guaranteed good read. I can devour 50 pages in a sitting, then not pick it up again for weeks but can still get right back into the story as if no time elapsed. The’s aren’t the quickest of reads, but they are powerful. The end of Fool’s Fate (which is book 9, chronologically) is partially responsible for inspiring this blog. It was amazing. Read full review

Mar 25 2013

Your Pick for Nik! – April’s Selection!

a9Thank you all for your votes!

This month’s winner is… Fragments by Dan Wells!

It was a really close one this month, as Fragments just barely edged out Darkest Minds (which will be included in next month’s nominations). I am so passionate about the first book that I can’t imagine the second one being any less spectacular. Great choice this month, people!

A thorough review and discussion for this book will take place on April 26th, so there’s plenty of time to pick it up if you want to participate. For more information on the Your Pick for Nik! book club,  click here. 

**Don’t forget to tune in Friday March 29th for the review and discussion of March’s Selection: Hounded by Kevin Hearne.**

“If you think reading is boring, you’re doing it wrong.”

Mar 24 2013

Book Reviews: Animorphs – The Invasion #1 / The Visitor #2

c1Title: The Invasion

Author: K. A. Applegate

Series: Animorphs #1

Genre: Young Reader

Rating: 5/5 stars

The Overview: Sometimes weird things happen to people. Ask Jake. He may tell you about the night he and his friends saw the strange light in the sky. He may even tell you about what happened when they realized the “light” was only a plane — from another planet. Here’s where Jake’s story gets a little weird. He and his friends are told the human race is under attack, but they’re given the chance to fight back. Now Jake, Rachel, Cassie, Tobias and Marco have the power to morph into any animal they choose. And they must use that power to outsmart an evil that is greater than anything the world has ever seen…

The Review:

I am so passionate about these books, I feel it would be a shame to run a book blog without paying homage to the series that sparked my love of reading. I read the first twenty so many times as a kid that I talked my mom into buying replacement copies because I was afraid I’d wear them out (as eventually I did). Anyway, I’m 27 now and finally ready to read through them all again. Every couple of weeks, you’ll get an update of my progress, and humor me as I reminisce about how each of these books affected me.

As the first book in the series, The Invasion offers adventure, humor, and creativity, making it a perfect read for ages 8 – 12 (and your geeky older students like me). I originally picked it up because I love animals, and the idea of kids being able to turn into them sealed the deal. While shapeshifting plays a critical role in the story, it was only a side benefit to all the great things Animorphs has to offer. I laughed, I cried, I fricken loved these books.

c1Title: The Visitor

Author: K.A. Applegate

Series: Animorphs #2

Genre: Young Reader

Rating: 5/5 stars

The Overview: Rachel is still reeling from the news that the Earth is secretly under attack by parasitic aliens known as the Yeerks. And that she and her friends — five kids who, purely by chance, stumbled onto a downed spacecraft and were given the power to morph into any animal they touch — are the planet’s only defense. But Rachel’s always been something of a daredevil. So when it’s suggested that they infiltrate the home of their assistant principal, Mr. Chapman, who also happens to be a human host of the Yeerks, she volunteers. But what she finds inside may be more than even she can handle.

The Review: 

This happens to be the first Animorphs book I ever read (when you live three hours from the nearest bookstore, you sort of take what you can get). It has all the things that made the first book amazing, but focuses more on character and story development than grand adventure.

Side story: when I was 11 years old, I typed up this entire book while trying to learn how to use a keyboard. Odd as it sounds, it actually worked. I showed up two years later to my 8th grade typing class an expert (as far as one can be) and spent the semester reading, you guessed it, Animorphs. While I felt pretty full of myself back then, my 27 year old self would like to go back and slap that child for that early induction of carpel-tunnel.

Anyway, I it’s safe to say I know this story well, and have probably read through it the most times of any of them (we’re talking 20+). Although Rachel is not my favorite Animorph, the books from her perspective are great (my fav. in the entire series was with her in book #12: The Reaction).

by Niki Hawkes

Mar 23 2013
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Coming Soon: Allegiant

a3Title: Convergent (I think)  Allegiant

Author: Veronica Roth

Series: Divergent #3

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Release Date: October 22, 2013

The Overview: What if your whole world was a lie?
What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

Nik’s Notes: Who else is as excited as I am for this release? I’ll admit the first book took about 100 pages to get going, but once it did, I couldn’t put it down for anything! The characters, specifically their relationships with each other, was my favorite element. The overall creativity of the world-building and structuring was also a strong point, and I’m looking forward to solving all the mysteries in the final book. I earnestly hope this book doesn’t end up on next year’s “Top Ten Books I HAD To Buy…But Are Still Sitting On My Shelf Unread” list.

New to this series? Check out my reviews of #1 & #2 – perhaps these are the perfect books for you!

Book Review: Divergent (book #1)

Book Review: Insurgent (book #2)

Mar 22 2013
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Book Review: Shadow Heir by Richelle Mead

a1Title: Shadow Heir

Author: Richelle Mead

Series: Dark Swan #4

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Rating: 3/5 stars

The Overview: Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham strives to keep the mortal realm safe from trespassing entities. But as the Thorn Land’s prophecy-haunted queen, there’s no refuge for her and her soon-to-be-born-children when a mysterious blight begins to devastate the Otherworld. . .

The spell-driven source of the blight isn’t the only challenge to Eugenie’s instincts. Fairy king Dorian is sacrificing everything to help, but Eugenie can’t trust the synergy drawing them back together. The uneasy truce between her and her shape shifter ex-lover Kiyo is endangered by secrets he can’t—or won’t—reveal. And as a formidable force rises to also threaten the human world, Eugenie must use her own cursed fate as a weapon—and risk the ultimate sacrifice. . .

The Review:

Mead is my favorite author, and I loved the adventure aspects of this book (great change of settings and all), but I felt like this particular book was missing something. Mead usually has a way of creating a giant snowball effect as a series comes to an end that has you glued to the pages, downright anxious to see what happens. As Shadow Heir is most assuredly the last novel in this series, I was left feeling like there should have been more. In fact, had I not known this was the last book, I definitely would not have been able to tell from the plot.

It did not help matters that I did not care for either of the potential love interest for personality and behavioral purposes, and that’s enough to take the wind out of any romantic’s sails. I’m certain others would find them appealing, I just couldn’t bring myself to root for either one. Come to think about it, that is probably why I didn’t find the end to be super climatic because I wasn’t emotionally invested in one of the main arcs of the story. You have to understand, her leading men in two other series are by-far my favorites of any genre (hello – Dimitri Belikov and Seth Mortensen) so to not have a love story I could personally get behind left me wanting.

Not that there was any problem with the characters themselves, I’m just picky when it comes to men (as it should be). Mead is a master of creating great characters. I love that between all the stories I’ve read, her leading ladies all have distinct and unique personalities (and they all can kick some serious butt). It would be easy for Mead to take the same cookie-cutter model for a heroine and transfer it into each series. The fact that she doesn’t speaks to her strength of an author and gives us readers something new to look forward to each time.

Overall, the book was worth reading and it does provide some sense of closure; however, if you’re never read a Richelle Mead book, start with either Vampire Academy or Succubus Blues. A warning to the wary: these books contain a great deal of sensuality, language, and violence.

Other books you might like:

(I realize I did the classic “if you like Richelle Mead… read Richelle Mead! But since I made such a big deal about her other series, I couldn’t help myself)

by Niki Hawkes

Mar 21 2013

Dragon Obsession – The Visual Files

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Book Covers 101

Illustrated by Michael Whelan, this images appears on the cover of Skybowl by Melanie Rawn (Dragon Star #3). For the longest time, it was my favorite book cover, and I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve tried to recreate it; colored pencil, acrylic, watercolor – you name it (they all sucked lol). It wasn’t until recently that I noticed the dragon looks a bit like the giant cockroach alien on Men in Black… Takes away a little of the appeal, know?

For what it’s worth, this is the final book in a fairly decent series of two trilogies (overall 3/5 stars). The first book is Dragon Prince, and I think they’re worthwhile reads provided you’ve already read the other excellent dragon titles out there (see Niki’s Best Book Bulletin: Dragons!).