Uncommon Magic by Michelle Scott

Uncommon Magic by Michelle Scott

Kindle edition, published 2011. Apparently 232 print pages.

I'm not sure where I heard of this book, but I had a sample on my Kindle, and I finally got around to reading it. I read the sample in the morning, bought the book around 5pm, and finished it that night!

The book has an intriguing premise. Copied and pasted from Goodreads: In Mira Meadowmarsh's world, Magicians have complete control over ordinary people like herself. Magicians rule with iron fists, levying taxes, seizing property, and meting out harsh punishment to those who break the rules. But while the un-magical commons cannot defend themselves against the Magician's magic, there is one thing that Magicians fear: inventions. So when rumors spread that the un-magical are building machines and planning an uprising, the Magicians retaliate with even harsher laws.

At first, all of this means nothing to Mira who doesn't give a fig about politics. She's in love, and life is sweet. But when she discovers that her brother is an inventor who's suddenly the most wanted man in the country and that the boy she loves, her companion since childhood, is really a Magician, Mira finds herself in the middle of a brewing revolution.

It's an interesting setup! Very creative. Personally, I would have liked to see more magic, but the focus was on the commons most of the time, not the Magicians. It was a really nice read; I didn't want to put it down until I was done. the writing flowed really well; it wasn't full of action every page, but something made me want to keep reading.

I liked Mira. I thought she could have been a little bit more active. Throughout the whole thing, she was mostly the girl on the outside of everything that was happening, but it was kind of a coming-of-age story for her. She grew up, she made some hard decisions. Some of them, especially towards the end, I was thinking, "No! No, don't do it!" But it played out pretty well. It was almost too simple, and I wanted it to keep going. I wanted the author to explore Mira's relationships with Quentin and Jess, but I'm sure it wouldn't have made a very good book. The main conflict was over, I get that. As a reader, though, I was loving the story and the characters and dying to know more about them! Especially the boys and Liam, who I felt weren't explored well enough.

Other small things: I'm sure it was the translation from .doc to .html/.mobi, but there was a lot of words that were missing spaces. Likethis. Some typos or weird sentences, but it didn't stop me from finishing it and enjoying it! I'd recommend it to people who like fantasy stories that aren't too complex and would like a fun read.

Fire by Kristin Cashore

Fire by Kristin Cashore.

Hardback, published 2009, 461 pages. Library copy.

I picked up this book after reading Graceling and enjoying it. I read bits and pieces of the beginning, then read nearly 300 pages last night, and finished it today.

Fire is a monster in the Dells. She has bright red hair and looks that make monsters and men attracted to her, sometimes dangerously so. Fire becomes involved in the political moves of the royal family of the Dells when they realize her mental capabilities to get information she needs. Honestly, the book doesn't have one single plot but rather a collection of subplots, all intriguing.

The main difference between Fire and Graceling is the pace. Though both are fairly slow-paced compared to most YA fantasy I've read, Fire has a slower pace than its counterpart. It has more focus on the politics of the Dells: the king who left behind a messy kingdom and the two Lords rebelling against him. Fire also has much of the shame that Katsa had from her ability and also from her father, who ruled the past king with cruelty. Fire feels like an object and refuses to be used for malicious means. Unlike Katsa, however, Fire rarely physically defends herself. She relies on her mind and her control over other people's minds. It would have been nice to actually see her not get rescued, but she kept getting into pretty horrific situations and she was not physically strong aside from her bow and arrow.

Fire goes through a lot in the book. In the beginning of the book, she's very solitary with about as many friends as she has fingers on one hand. Later when she travels to the King's City, she's faced with the reality of her blood. Monsters hunt her, some men want to overpower her, others want to marry her. She slowly rises above this shame to help the royal court with the spies and forms special relationships. Ultimately, it's a story of her development as she uses her powers for good, comes to accept who she is, and forgives herself for things she's done in the past.

Overall, I really liked Fire, but I wished more could have happened. The romance was so underplayed compared to Katsa and Po, and I kept thinking, "When are they going to get together??" I can't deny the politics were very interesting, but I'm left hoping more could happen with the characters I've grown to love.

Note: I read the hardback with the above cover, but isn't this one beautiful??

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver.

Hardback, 2010, 470 pages. Library copy.

In this book, Samantha Kingston dies. She then relives her last day on earth six more times. Through the week, she learns new things about her friends and her school, she talks with people she never would have before, and she changes from a mean girl to a happier, more accepting person.

This is such an interesting premise. Seriously, how did she think of this? I know that's kind of a lame question because when people ask me the same questions, I don't have an answer. The human mind is just so creative, and Lauren Oliver has loads of creativity and talent. You'd think that Sam living one day over seven times would get boring, but the author really takes the characters and shakes them around. Something new happens each day, and as Sam struggles to find closure, you can see her changing.

I loved the varying characters in this book. There are a lot of minor characters, and occasionally I couldn't tell them apart, but for the most part, they're all unique and interesting. Sam's friends, too. I think Oliver fell into that "high school royalty vs. everyone else" stereotype a few times in this book. I only went to a public school for one year, and while there are obvious differences, popularity levels, and cliques, I really don't think it's this extreme. I have other people who would agree, but it's a setting that works in many novels, including this one. It still makes you think about your actions, about the way you treat other people, about the reasons behind your attitudes and behaviors.

After reading this book, I still felt like there was something missing from the story. It took me a while to realize it, but when I read a review on Goodreads, I realized it was Sam's friends and their redemption. Slight spoilers: Though Sam goes through a transformation from the beginning to the end of the book, Sam's friends are kind of left as mean girls. Yes, we see some of their motivations, and Lindsay is definitely more explored than Elody and Ally, but I was still left wondering if they realized the wrong of any of their actions. I don't think people change quickly, though. I like how the author didn't make Juliet's story simple, and I know if Sam's friends were to change, we wouldn't see it within a week. Maybe that's the point, that this is Sam's story. But I still would have liked to see someone other than Juliet call out Lindsay. End of spoilers.

Lauren Oliver has a great way with language, especially with repeated metaphorical images such as birds in flight. This was the type of book where I was reading it so quickly to get to see what would happen, and I had to force myself to slow down to enjoy the beautiful language of it. I highly recommend it and I will definitely check out Delirium. I put a hold on it at the library already!

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

I read a hardback copy with the right cover, but I LOVE the left cover. I checked this book out from the library.

Graceling is set in a world where certain people are born with Graces. The Grace of deception, the Grace of fire, and more. Katsa's Grace is killing. She found out about it at a young age when she accidentally killed a man trying to touch her, and her uncle King Randa soon began using her as a thug. This is Katsa's story as she grows into her own woman, investigates a mysterious kidnapping, and falls in love.

I've seen this book around, but when I saw it at the library, I decided not to put off reading it anymore. I really liked it. I haven't read a lot of stand-alone fantasy novels, so it was nice to see one. It doesn't have the constant action and adventure I was expecting, but it is a thrilling read. The story was fascinating, especially Graces and the Council. I'd like a sequel about the Council's doings around the seven kingdoms, but Bitterblue will do.

The romance was just right. I like how compatible Katsa and Po are from the beginning. At times, I thought Katsa was too invincible. The fact that she could survive absolutely anything brings down the suspense. But I enjoyed reading about her inner turmoil as she was used by her uncle, as she decided to step away from him, as she was falling in love with Po. I wasn't a huge fan of the anti-marriage, casual sex attitude, but I understood Katsa's point of view.

I'm looking forward to Fire, which I put a hold on at the library. I'd like a more vulnerable female character, but I guess young adult literature (and literature in general) has plenty of those. For every Katsa, there are a thousand Bellas. And no, the similarity between Katsa and Katniss was not lost on me. ;)

Gone by Michael Grant

Gone by Michael Grant

Published in 2008, read on my iPhone, purchased through iBooks for only $1.99!

In this book, everyone over fourteen disappears in the blink of an eye. Kids are left in Perdido Beach by themselves. Luckily, the power plant still works, but everything else: internet, phones, school, and everything the adults controlled is gone along with the adults. The place recalls themselves FAYZ: Fallout Alley Youth Zone. The disappearance isn't the only thing amiss. Kids are developing powers, coyotes can speak, snakes are growing wings, and there's a barrier encompassing them in a twenty mile radius. The kids have to figure out how to deal with each other as well as dangerous new circumstances.

I give this book 3 stars for writing, 4 for story. It was a very interesting story - only kids left, new powers, a power struggle between Coates kids and townies. I read the last two thirds of it all in two days, and it's a pretty hefty book (about 575 pages in print). I didn't know what to expect next. It feels like anything can happen in the FAYZ. There's some "Darkness" trying to take control of everything and even though we know the cause of the FAYZ by the end of Gone, we don't know the cause of the mutations or the origin or purpose of the Darkness or where the adults went. I guess there are six in the series, and the last two haven't been published yet.

The 3 stars for writing is just because the book feels very spread out. It's a huge cast of characters and hard to keep track of all of them, plus the author throws in everybody's POV. But I still really enjoyed it and I will check out the sequel.

Sidenote: These covers are hilarious. Are they supposed to be FOURTEEN? You're not fooling anyone. HarperCollins. . .

Bossypants by Tina Fey

Bossypants by Tina Fey

Hardback, published 2011, friend's copy.

I borrowed this book from my husband's cousin. It's Tina Fey's memoir, but. . .it's not really a memoir. It reads more like a series of comedic essays. I don't read many memoirs, though, so I'm definitely not an expert. I'm actually watching her interview on David Letterman, and she admits it's not really a memoir, but a collection of essays. I think the publishers marketed it as memoir and had a certain expectation.

It was so funny, though. I read it one day, I couldn't put it down. I kept saying, 'Okay, I'll finish this chapter and then start editing. . .okay, next chapter!' It was extremely entertaining. Tina Fey has so many awesome stories, and she puts such a funny spin on them. I like her a lot more after the book - not that I didn't like her before, I liked her, I just didn't know much about her.

I really enjoyed what she had to say about female comedy writers or comedians. It came up in a few different spots, referencing Amy Poehler who didn't care about being unladylike, an old comedy leader who said no one wanted to see two women in a comedic skit, how women in comedy skits were sometimes typecast, and everyone asking her "what's the difference between men and women comedians?". She keeps the conversation grounded but funny while making it clear "we don't ****ing care if you like it." I loved the fact that the skit with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler as Sarah Palin and Hilary Clinton was one of the most popular, and she said something along the lines of, "So, I guess the guy who said no one wanted to see a skit with two women can go shit in his hat."

Entertaining read, I gave it 4 stars.

Book/Movie Comparison: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1)

This is long, just so you know. Deathly Hallows is my second favorite book in the series, and it is currently my favorite movie of the series. I had to cut a lot of gushing out and remind myself what this post is actually about - analyzing how well the film version carried out the story of the book. I'll look at: Setting, Characters, Theme, What was Gained from Film Adaptation, and What was Lost from Film Adaptation.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the seventh and last book in the Harry Potter series. Published in 2007, it follows Harry, Ron and Hermione’s quest to find the four remaining Horcruxes, which are magical artifacts which hold pieces of Voldemort’s soul. It also chronicles the final battle between Voldemort and Harry.

The movie came out in 2010, and it is the first of two parts, the second coming out in July (oh, happy day!). Adapted to screen by Steve Kloves and directed by David Yates, it stars Daniel Radcliffe as Harry, Rupert Grint as Ron, and Emma Watson as Hermione.

Obviously, the first movie only covers the first part of the book: their search for the locket and its subsequent destruction, the falling out between Ron and Harry, the beginning of the discovery of the Deathly Hallows and Dumbledore’s involvement with them, and the confrontation with the Snatchers, who take them to Malfoy Manor when they realize they might have Harry Potter.

(Many, many spoilers ahead, for both the movie and book!)

Setting
In the book, the trio returns to 15 Grimmauld Place and they also infiltrate the Ministry under Polyjuice Potion. They visit Godric’s Hollow for the first time, but much of the rest of the book is set during their camping trips as they try to stay under the radar and search for Horcruxes.

I thought the semi-apocalyptic setting was great for the story. The destroyed motor homes, the snowy forest after Godric’s Hollow, the stretching fields. Malfoy Manor was so intimidating, and I can’t wait to see more of Shell Cottage.

It’s too bad we couldn’t see the trio shacking it up in Grimmauld Place with Kreacher waiting on them. I just think that would have been so cool to see Kreacher making them dinner and stuff. Definitely not necessary, though, so I’m glad they took that out instead of something else.

Great way to tell the Deathly Hallows legend. I was wondering how they were going to do that - just have her read it? Summarize it? Beautiful imagery!

I think it was a good idea to focus solely on the trio instead of trying to also squeeze in everything that was happening at Hogwarts. Rowling can juggle multiple story lines flawlessly (well, mostly) in her writing, but that’s a book. A movie needs to be a little more focused, and it was a good decision to stick with the trio and their problems. I think we’ll hear more later about what happened at Hogwarts. Maybe leading up to the battle.

Characters
I needed more Kreacher and more Regulus. They both really redeemed themselves in this book, but we get two sentences about Regulus. Kreacher was pretty cool, though, retrieving Mundungus Fletcher.

It’s also weird how the movies try to squeeze stuff in, but it comes off kind of half-assed. Like Bill’s scars, or Tonks about to make the announcement that they were going to get married and/or they were pregnant. It’s like they do it just to throw the readers a bone, but people who haven’t read the books probably have no idea what’s going on. Same thing happened with Fenrir Greyback in the sixth movie. I don’t know what to think, like part of me is “All or nothing!” and part of me is like, “Well, at least they referenced it!”

As for the more major characters, I LOVE RON. I feel like they are finally getting him right. I hated, hated, hated when they gave Hermione Ron’s line in Prisoner of Azkaban - “You’re going to have to kill us first.” But I wasn’t really mad when Ron was the one who noticed RAB haha, I think I’m biased. But seriously Rupert Grint is amazing, and I think he played Ron brilliantly in this film. Talking Harry out of leaving, getting angry, seeing his insecurities, and then fighting for Hermione at Malfoy Manor. I did want to see some screaming and bellowing in the cellar when Hermione was being tortured.

Speaking of which, that torture scene was amazing! I really feel like the three of them are growing as actors. The other movies I can’t even take seriously because Emma and Dan botch up the serious lines (and Rupert hardly ever had serious lines, he just pouts). But they have really improved, and I think the torture scene was proof of that. I cried all three times I saw it! I love Harry and Hermione’s friendship, and I think the screenwriters and directors are finally not trying to shove them on us (even with the Horcrux kissing scene). The dancing scene was awkward at first, but now it’s one of my favorite scenes in the movie.

Emma Watson was great as Hermione: her romance with Ron, her cleverness, etc. And Daniel Radcliffe. . .oh, my goodness, he’s really becoming how I picture Harry. Like sometimes when I read the books, I still have my own pictures of Hermione and Ron, but I almost always picture Dan when reading about Harry. Plus his acting was brilliant in the scene with seven Harrys. He was playing eight different characters in that one scene! Loved it.

The Ron and Hermione romance is great, but the Ginny and Harry stuff - not so much. That kiss in the kitchen was so stiff, but George dropping in makes me laugh every time.

What I’m really looking forward to, though, is Harry finding out more about Dumbledore. His family, his involvement with Grindelwald, his quest for the Deathly Hallows. That was a big plot point in DH, and I want to see more of it. I want to see Harry doubting Dumbledore and I want to see him considering the Hallows instead of the Horcruxes.

And of course, it will be interesting to see how they reveal Snape’s true allegiance. The Pensieve scene in the fifth movie was underwhelming, so I’m hoping they do a good job with that.

Theme
The movies usually do a great job with the themes of Harry Potter: love, friendship, courage, good versus evil. At the same time, I think since this is the first part, they didn’t have a chance to have a big “lesson” like the last movies. It’s just building up the story; it’s getting us ready for the finale. We still saw a lot of love (Ron and Hermione!) and good (the wedding, Neville sticking up to the Death Eaters) and evil (Voldemort killing Charity Burbage), but I think the second part will be way more intense.

What was Gained from Adaptation
I love seeing these scenes visually. Some people complained that the seventh book dragged, that the camping parts were too long, and this film condenses it. I hear some people complaining that the movie dragged, too, but I thought it balanced a fast pace and the hopeless feeling that the trio felt while realizing they don’t know where to find the Horcuxes.

What was Lost
I really wanted to see the sign at Godric’s Hollow. I know it’s such a small thing, but it really encouraged Harry when he needed it. You know that Remus had to have been the one to put it up, and the one to bury James and Lily. (Remus! I don’t want more people to die!)

Summary
I’m going to be a complete wreck the next movie. I’m going to bring a box of tissues and I won’t even be ashamed of sobbing when all my favorite characters die. Oh, JK Rowling, what you do to me. . .

Links

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 on IMDb

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on Goodreads

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on Better World Books

JK Rowling's Website

The Alchemaster's Apprentice by Walter Moers

The Alchemaster's Apprentice by Walter Moers

Hardback, 2009, Library copy.

This is the second book I’ve read my Moers. I picked up The City of Dreaming Books after seeing the awesome cover and liked it so much I found this one!

In this book, an animal called a Crat (which is very much like a cat except for it can speak every language possible) lives in a city called Malasia, where disease is a part of everyday life. This Crat, Echo, finds himself homeless and starving in the beginning of the book. He’s forced to make a deal with Malasia’s dangerous Alchemaster Ghoolion to survive. The Alchemaster will feed him and take care of him for a full month in exchange for Echo’s life. At the full moon, he’ll use Echo’s fat to bring himself immortality. The book is about Echo’s adventures with Ghoolion and his quest to find a way out of their contract.

Like Dreaming Books, this book moves slowly. It took me about a month to finish it, even though it was probably in about five or six readings. I think that’s just his style. It’s not a “I-can’t put this book down, it’s so addicting” type of read, but it’s the type of book where I can just get lost in the world. There are so many creative inventions. How does he come up with so many different creatures and ideas? I want to know what goes through this guys’ head as he’s walking around grocery shopping and stuff. I can just picture him picking up a nut and being like, “Hmm, this could be the food that imparts visions and knowledge to Echo in my book!”

So, yes, a very enjoyable read. I get lost in Zamonia and I love reading about Moers’ crazy inventions. I think it’d be cool to have them on e-readers, but then we’d be without his cool illustrations.

In My Mailbox #2

I'm going to do another of these. . .I don't have any pictures of my beautiful face because they're mostly on Kindle. Have some cover art instead!

Shatter (The Children of Man) by Elizabeth Mock
This book was a free download from Kindle, and I'm really surprised. It's really good writing for free, and I'm about halfway through. I keep wanting to finish it, but I can't find the time! It's the first of a series, and I'm assuming she'll be selling the next one. It has the prophecy/fantasy quest style, but it centers around a large group of people. It's kind of an ensemble cast, which I'm not too used to, but she does it really well.

Gone by Michael Grant
I downloaded this on my new iPhone! It was only $1.99 and it's been on my Goodreads "To Read" list. It's about the disappearance of everyone over fourteen and how the kids react. Some of the kids actually have powers, and different groups are formed in the FAYZ (Fallout Alley Youth Zone). It's counting down to the main character turning fifteen. I think they're going to figure out what happened to the adults eventually.

After the Leaves Fall by Nicole Baart
This was a free read on Kindle, too! It's a coming-of-age novel about a girl who lost her father. It seems kind of short, maybe 50K? But I like it so far, it has a Christian slant and it's been a while since I've read ~inspirational~ fiction.

That's what I've got for now! :)

The Other Side of Dawn by John Marsden

The Other Side of Dawn by John Marsden

I don't remember the edition - it was hardback, first published in 1999. Library copy.

This is the seventh and last book in the Tomorrow series by John Marsden. The series follows a group of Australian teens who go on a camping trip the same weekend their country is invaded. They do what they can to survive and thwart the plans of the enemy soldiers. In this book, Ellie Linton and her friends are put on a last mission while the New Zealand troops attack the enemies with all they have.

I liked Ellie's character development. A couple times she was in one on one battles and she knew she'd have to kill to save herself. It's crazy because in the first book, she was wondering what was wrong or right, if she could do it, etc. A year and a half has passed, and she's come to the point where she realizes she has no choice. Not to stay she became ruthless or anything like that, she's just changed. At the same time, I think her internal monologues sometimes slow down the prose. She's always thinking back to the farm and stuff. I realize this is how people think in real life, but it was kind of a disjointed narrative.

I'm so sad that this series is over! I really loved it. This book I read in less than twenty-four hours even though I had it for a couple weeks from the library. I was expecting something a little more climatic, though, I felt like the second half was kind of a letdown. I think that's a cool thing about this series, though; he decides on realism instead of entertainment. War is uncontrollable and so is the violence that accompanies it. I also think it was kind of neat to see the prison camp because you can't deny that dehumanization happens in war. It's sad to think this is happening all over the world and has happened for years and years. It makes me think about why we value certain things and what we're willing to do for land and resources.

I'm going to check out the Ellie series, but I don't know whether to have low expectations or not. Not too many great reviews on Goodreads. I really like his writing, and everything goes so fast, so I probably will if the library has it.