Mar 19 2013

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2013)

Top Ten Books I HAD To Buy…But Are Still Sitting On My Shelf Unread

(aka, story of my life)

You’ll notice that a lot of these titles were on last week’s Top Ten Tuesday (Books at the Top of my Spring 2013 Reading List). This is no accident because, dang it, I’m tired of not picking up the books I’m the most excited about. Often, I stall because a part of me wants to wait because the longer I hold off, the less wait I’ll have before the next one comes out. This makes no sense, as I’d probably do the same thing to the next release. #firstworldproblems

: Eve and Adam by K..A. Applegate and Michael Grant

: TheIndigo Spell by Richelle Mead

: Fragments by Dan Wells

#1 Bard’s Oath: I blame the author for this one. I finished the first two books in 2002 (and loved them), then spent the next ten years thinking Bertin had fallen off the planet. I am so stoked she decided to finish the series, but now I have to go back and reread the first two because I don’t remember a single detail about them.

#2 Frost Burned: Best urban fantasy ever! The only reason I haven’t picked this one up yet is because I feel the need to finish the Alpha and Omega series first.

#3 Sword-Bound: I really enjoyed this series, and I honestly thought it was over. As soon as I found out about this release I was tickled. It’s one of those stories that I don’t think I’d ever mind reading more of.

#4 Eve & Adam: Co-written by K.A. Applegate and her husband, I simply had to own this to show support to the woman who inspired my love of reading (the Animorphs series, 1996, Scholastics book ordering form = my life has never been the same).

#5 Elfhome: Conclusion (I hope) to Tinker and Wolf Who Rules, this is a series long overdue for another book. Left with a cliffhanger, I was terrified she’d never finish. As with Bard’s Oath, this is another one I have to reread because it’s been so long. The cover art is a bit frightening this time around, though. lol

#6 Reached: I bought this the day it came out, and I haven’t even read the second one yet. Don’t worry, it’s on my list….

#7 Indigo Spell: Richelle Mead is my favorite author. I am shamed that I didn’t drop everything and devour this book the moment it came out. I lose like a thousand “loyal fan” points.

#8 Dragon Fate: There’s starting to be a pattern here. This is yet another title that stalled well over two years before releasing. As the last in the series, I definitely want to read it. I just can’t remember enough of the small details to make it worthwhile. Here comes another reread! (grumble..)

#9 Omen Machine: I loved this series, thought it ended well, and felt completely satisfied with where things left off. I really want to know what happens next, but it feels like a shame to stir the pot.

#10 Fragments: Partials was my favorite read book published last year. I raved about it in the review, and geeked out when we finally got it in (it was late). I will be picking this one up soon, I’m sure of it! ;)

There you have it – my shameful list! I should make a pact or something that April will be all about enjoying these titles. Hmmm….

What books are on your list? :)

Mar 18 2013

Your Pick for Nik! – April’s Nominations!

To cast your vote, just leave a comment indicating your chosen titles (up to 3) – and may the best book win!

It’s that time again for us to pick our next book!

Voting starts today (March 18, 2013) and you’ll have all the way until Sunday the 24th to choose your favorites (Remember: YOU CAN VOTE FOR MORE THAN 1).

For those of you new to the book club, Your Pick for Nik! is a monthly feature where I turn over control of my reading list to you!

Here’s how it works: I will nominate titles from my TBR list and YOU will choose which one gets featured. It can be one you’ve already read and want to discuss, one you want to read but wish to see my feedback on first, or – and this is my favorite part – you can read it along with me!

Depicted below are my 10 nominees for March. Simply vote for your favorite, and let the best book win! At 10:00 am (MST) on Monday the 25th I will announce the winner. Come the end of April, I will post a thorough review of the chosen title – and hopefully find out what you thought of it as well!

This month, I included a few popular selections from last month as well as two titles that I want to reread.

March’s Nominations:

Title: Dualed

Author: Elsie Chapman

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Overview: The Hunger Games meets Matched in this thrilling high-concept YA where citizens must prove their worth by defeating the other version of themselves—their twin.

Two of you exist. Only one will survive. The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage—life.

Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep shakes West’s confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer certain that she’s the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her.

Title: You Suck

Author: Christopher Moore

Genre: Fiction

Overview: Being undead sucks. Literally.

Just ask C. Thomas Flood. Waking up after a fantastic night unlike anything he’s ever experienced, he discovers that his girlfriend, Jody, is a vampire. And surprise! Now he’s one, too. For some couples, the whole biting-and-blood thing would have been a deal breaker. But Tommy and Jody are in love, and they vow to work through their issues.

But word has it that the vampire who initially nibbled on Jody wasn’t supposed to be recruiting. Even worse, Tommy’s erstwhile turkey-bowling pals are out to get him, at the urging of a blue-dyed Las Vegas call girl named (duh) Blue.

And that really sucks.

Title: The Dragon’s Path

Author: Daniel Abraham

Series: The Dagger and the Coin #1

Genre: Fantasy

Overview: All paths lead to war…

Marcus’ hero days are behind him. He knows too well that even the smallest war still means somebody’s death. When his men are impressed into a doomed army, staying out of a battle he wants no part of requires some unorthodox steps.

Cithrin is an orphan, ward of a banking house. Her job is to smuggle a nation’s wealth across a war zone, hiding the gold from both sides. She knows the secret life of commerce like a second language, but the strategies of trade will not defend her from swords.

Geder, sole scion of a noble house, has more interest in philosophy than in swordplay. A poor excuse for a soldier, he is a pawn in these games. No one can predict what he will become.

Falling pebbles can start a landslide. A spat between the Free Cities and the Severed Throne is spiraling out of control. A new player rises from the depths of history, fanning the flames that will sweep the entire region onto The Dragon’s Path-the path to war.

Title: Beyonders: A World Without Heroes

Author: Brandon Mull

Series: Beyonders #1

Genre: Young Reader

Overview: Jason Walker has often wished his life could be a bit less predictable—until a routine day at the zoo ends with Jason suddenly transporting from the hippo tank to a place unlike anything he’s ever seen. In the past, the people of Lyrian welcomed visitors from the Beyond, but attitudes have changed since the wizard emperor Maldor rose to power. The brave resistors who opposed the emperor have been bought off or broken, leaving a realm where fear and suspicion prevail.

In his search for a way home, Jason meets Rachel, who was also mysteriously drawn to Lyrian from our world. With the help of a few scattered rebels, Jason and Rachel become entangled in a quest to piece together the word of power that can destroy the emperor and learn that their best hope to find a way home will be to save this world without heroes.

Title: The Darkest Minds

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Series: Darkest Minds #1

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Overview: When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.

Title: Geist

Author: Philippa Ballantine

Series: Book of the Order #1

Genre: Fantasy

Overview: Sorcha, powerful protector of the Empire against malevolent hauntings, is called to a small settlement. But more is occurring there than “geist” activity. It’s a conspiracy of evil that reaches back to her own Abbey. Even if she survives, what hell would she be returning to?

Title: Mila 2.0

Author: Debra Driza

Series: Mila #1

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Overview: Mila was living with her mother in a small Minnesota town when she discovered she was also living a lie.

She was never meant to learn the truth about her identity. She was never supposed to remember the past—that she was built in a computer science lab and programmed to do things real people would never do.

Now she has no choice but to run—from the dangerous operatives who want her terminated because she knows too much, and from a mysterious group that wants to capture her alive and unlock her advanced technology.

Evading her enemies won’t help Mila escape the cruel reality of what she is and cope with everything she has had to leave behind. However, what she’s becoming is beyond anyone’s imagination, including her own, and that just might save her life.

Title: Fragments

Author: Dan Wells

Series: Partials #2

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Overview: Kira Walker has found the cure for RM, but the battle for the survival of humans and Partials is just beginning. Kira has left East Meadow in a desperate search for clues to who she is. That the Partials themselves hold the cure for RM in their blood cannot be a coincidence—it must be part of a larger plan, a plan that involves Kira, a plan that could save both races. Her companions are Afa Demoux, an unhinged drifter and former employee of ParaGen, and Samm and Heron, the Partials who betrayed her and saved her life, the only ones who know her secret. But can she trust them?

Meanwhile, back on Long Island, what’s left of humanity is gearing up for war with the Partials, and Marcus knows his only hope is to delay them until Kira returns. But Kira’s journey will take her deep into the overgrown wasteland of postapocalyptic America, and Kira and Marcus both will discover that their greatest enemy may be one they didn’t even know existed.

The second installment in the pulse-pounding Partials saga is the story of the eleventh hour of humanity’s time on Earth, a journey deep into places unknown to discover the means—and even more important, a reason—for our survival.

Title: Matched

Author: Ally Condie

Series: Matched #1

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Overview: Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander’s face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham’s face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. The Society tells her it’s a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she’s destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can’t stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society’s infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

Title: The Last Dragonlord

Author: Joanne Bertin

Series: Dragonlords #1

Genre: Fantasy

Overview: Dragonlord Linden Rathan, last-born of a race of immortal weredragons, has spent six hundred years alone, searching for his soultwin while his fellow Dragonlords watch over humanity’s Five Kingdoms. When the Queen of Cassori dies mysteriously, Linden and the other Dragonlords are called upon to prevent civil war as two human claimants vie for the regency.

As the battle for Cassori rule escalates, Linden becomes the target of the Fellowship, a secret society of true-humans who could actually destroy his immortal life. Then he meets a beautiful young ship captain named Maurynna who may be the only one who can help Linden bring Cassori back from the brink of chaos.

Mar 14 2013

Out This Month! (Noteworthy Releases March 12th – 31st)

Here’s a look at what’s coming out between now and the end of the month! I meant to post this at the beginning of the month. In any case, there are some really good books on the horizon!

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Mar 12 2013

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Top Ten Tuesday! (3/12/2013)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish book blog. Since I love lists and talking about my favorite books, I decided to join in the fun. This week’s topic:

Top Ten Books At The TOP Of My Spring 2013 TBR list!

(drumroll please)

: Pure by Julianna Baggott

: #2 Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs

: Eve & Adam by Michael Grant and K.A. Applegate

: #5 Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb

: #6 The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

: #7 Kushiel’s Scion by Jacqueline Carey

: #8 Beyonders by Brandon Mull

: #9 The Spirit War by Rachel Aaron

: #10 Stardoc by S.L Viehl

#1 Pure: I came across this book by accident while researching upcoming releases (I found the second one, Fuse, and was intrigued). Now I can’t wait to read it, and am hoping it’s as good as it sounds.

#2 Frost Burned: for as long as I’ve been blogging about the release date for this one, I should dang well be reading it soon. I just have to finish Fair Game first….

#3 Fragments: Partials was one of my favorite reads last year, and I am stoked to pick up the next one. I have no excuse why I haven’t read it yet.

#4 Eve & Adam: K.A. Applegate is the reason why I am so passionate about books. I was so enthralled with her Animorphs series as a kid that its sparked the obsession that I’ve built a career off of. Grant is her husband and the author of the popular Gone series, so I’m sure it’s going to be an amazing book (I hope).

#5 Dragon Keeper: The ending of Fool’s Fate was so profound that I needed a few months to let it sink in. Now that I’m done reeling, I’m finally ready to begin Hobb’s latest series. This is going to be so, so good!

#6 The Way of Kings: No matter what circle I’m in of book lovers, they all seem to agree that this is by far Sanderson’s best novel. Having read everything else he’s got (and loving it all) I am super eager to see for myself what all the hype is about. I have been recommending this to people without having actually read it – that is a mark of my confidence in my peers’ reviews.

#7 Kushiel’s Scion: Kushiel 1-3 knocked my socks off, and this second trilogy following Imriel is going to be just as good – I can feel it! I tend to pick these up only when I need that guaranteed good read fix (this is why I am so far behind).

#8 Beyonders: I admit I tried this one already and put it down. Although Fablehaven is my favorite young adult series (besides HP), I just couldn’t get past a hippopotamus’s mouth as a magical portal. I’ve resigned to overlooking that the second time around.

#9 Spirit War: I loved the first three books in this series, and remember every detail vividly over a year later. These characters, this magic system, and this author are amazing!

#10 Stardoc: I find the idea of intergalactic medical care oddly fascinating, and I’ve been trying to get this one picked for my monthly Your Pick for Nik! feature. Alas, it hasn’t received a single vote, and I’m pretty sure I’ve nominated it the most times (figures). Come on, people! It promises so much world-building awesomeness how can you resist?

Of course, making this list I remembered half a dozen other books I really want to read… oh, the hardship. What about all of you out there? What are your top TBR books?

Mar 9 2013

Coming Soon: The Tyrant’s Law

Title: The Tyrant’s Law

Author: Daniel Abraham

Series: The Dagger and the Coin #3

Genre: Fantasy

Release Date: May 14, 2013

The Overview: The great war cannot be stopped.

The tyrant Geder Palliako had led his nation to war, but every victory has called forth another conflict. Now the greater war spreads out before him, and he is bent on bringing peace. No matter how many people he has to kill to do it.

Cithrin bel Sarcour, rogue banker of the Medean Bank, has returned to the fold. Her apprenticeship has placed her in the path of war, but the greater dangers are the ones in her past and in her soul.

Widowed and disgraced at the heart of the Empire, Clara Kalliam has become a loyal traitor, defending her nation against itself. And in the shadows of the world, Captain Marcus Wester tracks an ancient secret that will change the war in ways not even he can forsee.

Nik’s Notes: I haven’t even read the first two books yet, but I can tell you with certainty that I will be purchasing Tyrant’s Law when it comes out. Having read (and loved) the Long Price Quartet I am convinced that anything this author does is worth my time and money. It was one of those novels that I picked up to skim and ended up cancelling plans to finish (alas, the woes of befriending a book nerd). Writing, characters, world-building – everything was there, and I can’t imagine this series being anything less than awesome!

Mar 1 2013

Your Pick for Nik! – February’s Review!

Title: The Drowning City

Author: Amanda Downum

Series: Necromancer Chronicles #1

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 2/5 stars

The Overview: Symir — the Drowning City. home to exiles and expatriates, pirates and smugglers. And violent revolutionaries who will stop at nothing to overthrow the corrupt Imperial government.

For Isyllt Iskaldur, necromancer and spy, the brewing revolution is a chance to prove herself to her crown. All she has to do is find and finance the revolutionaries, and help topple the palaces of Symir. But she is torn between her new friends and her duties, and the longer she stays in this monsoon-drenched city, the more intrigue she uncovers — even the dead are plotting. As the waters rise and the dams crack, Isyllt must choose between her mission and the city she came to save.

The Review:

I tried… I really did.

I made it 3/4 of the way through, but just couldn’t bring myself to finish this one. It probably didn’t help matters that every other book I picked up this month was truly fantastic. Authors like Richelle Mead, R.A. Salvatore, Veronica Roth, and Kim Harrison to name a few. So a book would really have to shine to keep my attention with so many other heavy hitters on my reading list.

It wasn’t a horrible read, by any means, and under normal circumstances I might have give it a “decent” rating. It just took far to long to get going, and even once it did, I couldn’t find any substance to keep my attention. I was really looking forward to the necromancy involved in the story (after all, it is part of the Necromancer Chronicles) but found that aspect to be a very minor note. Aside from what was on the back of the book (which I would’ve been totally lost without) I couldn’t decipher any overall motives within the story – it all felt sort of meaningless without a main story arc. I kept waiting for that inciting moment to tell me what they were working towards, but it never showed up. Also, the main protagonist (Isyllt) had the least compelling story of all the characters involved, putting me off that much more.

Note for writers: In my opinion, your main character should almost always have the most interesting story. Unfortunately, the main gal in this book didn’t really do much more than act as a facilitator to learn more about other characters and the world around them. It’s a shame, really, because in the authors notes Downum indicated that Isyllt has been a characters she’d been developing since childhood. I feel like she let go an opportunity to let this obviously well-planned character shine. She might have fallen into the trap of assuming her reader already knows how great Isyllt is because she herself is so aware if it. She knows how the character feels but didn’t convey that into action or purpose.

Another issue was the naming and presentation of the characters. I don’t know if I was just being dense, but they all seemed really similar to one-another, in name and personality. I would begin a new section, get confused, then realize I had been thinking of the wrong character. It required a great deal of extra focus, and was probably the biggest reason why I couldn’t get my head wrapped around the story. I find that incredibly sad, as a little renaming could’ve made all the difference.

One very good thing to Downum’s credit was her world-building. Drawing on inspirations of the marshy swamps of Southeast Asia, the world really came alive. She did a great job at providing a convincing atmosphere, and it was my favorite element of the book. Along with its unique qualities, the setting also played an active role in the story – a great writing technique that helps immerse readers into your world.

There were some really neat points to this book, but overall I wish the story had been more clear-cut and defined. I am bummed that I didn’t like it enough to finish it, but I decided not to long ago that life is too short to read books you don’t like. Something to consider: my mom, best friend, and I (who all enjoy the same types of books) had a book club for about a year. It always amazed me how differently we rated each book even though we all like the same stuff. Each person looks for something different when rating a book, so even though this novel didn’t work for me, I am sure others out there would enjoy it.

Now it’s your turn: what did you all think of this month’s selection?

by Niki Hawkes

Here’s a list of other books that also applied great world-building techniques: