Book Review: Kings of Ruin by Sam Cameron

Posted by leeanna on April 4, 2013

Info:
Title: Kings of Ruin
Author: Sam Cameron
Release Date: March 19, 2013
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Source: Bold Strokes Books/NetGalley
Series? Unknown
Genre: YA, LGBT, Adventure, Contemporary, Supernatural, Science Fiction
Page Count: 193
Rating: [4/5 stars]

Summary:

Danny Kelly cares only for rock ‘n’ roll and fast cars. Too bad he’s stuck in the capital of country music and he’s banned from driving until he turns twenty-one. Plus he likes other boys, a secret that he’s vowed to keep until he graduates high school. When his stepdad’s new truck roars off on its own, Danny discovers a secret that is endangering cars and drivers across America. It almost kills Danny, too, until he’s saved by seventeen-year-old Kevin Clark. Kevin’s gay, handsome, and confident, but working with his dad’s secret government organization has left him lonely. It’s going to take a weekend of car chases, fiery explosions, and country-western singing to save the citizens of Nashville from certain death—but can Danny protect his heart and secrets as well? (summary from goodreads)

My Review:
KINGS OF RUIN is a compelling mix of contemporary and the supernatural. I sat down to read a few chapters and before I knew it I’d finished the whole book. I was that into the story and the characters.

Danny and Kevin are teenagers with one big thing in common: they each lost someone they loved in a car crash. Otherwise, they have some differences. Danny won’t admit that he’s gay, and has a girlfriend to keep up appearances. He doesn’t know the truth about how his father and brother died. Kevin is proudly out but single because of his job — he and his father are part of a team from the Department of Transportation who hunt down Ruins all over the U.S. Kevin’s mother died in a crash caused by the Ruins. Think of Ruins as malevolent spirits that take over cars because they like killing people and creating chaos.

The characters were one of my favorite parts of the book. Aside from Danny and Kevin, there’s the rest of the Ruin hunting team, and I got the feeling they all had interesting back stories of their own. In particular, I liked Mrs. Morris, and the way Danny thought about her when she fills in for his physics teacher: “She was easily the most beautiful woman Danny had ever seen. If it weren’t for the whole gay thing, he might have fallen a little bit in love with her right then and there (p. 17, ARC).”

Some of the other characters that shined were 2KEWEL, FIREBUG, and CHOPR. I don’t know if they would appreciate being described as cute, but they were! The author infused personality into the toy cars and helicopter, and they were an important part of the story even though they couldn’t talk.

I had fun reading KINGS OF RUIN, and I hope there will be another book to continue Danny and Kevin’s story. As you can probably guess, a spark pops up between the two boys. I liked how meeting Kevin made Danny re-evaluate keeping his sexuality a secret. And, although both boys are gay, KINGS OF RUIN isn’t a coming out story. It’s just part of who they are.

I only wish the book had been longer. I thought there could have been more explanation about the Ruins, as I had some questions about them (how does the government know about them? what happens to Ruins after they’re zapped? etc.), and I would also have liked to see some more romance between Danny and Kevin. However, the hints of romance in the book were realistic, and I was happy that they didn’t fall instantly in love and ride off into the sunset together.

KINGS OF RUIN is a well-written YA book full of adventure. I’d recommend it for guys, because there’s a lot of car talk and both main characters are guys, but I think anyone would enjoy it.

Socialize with the author:
Sam Cameron:
Website

– leeanna

Blog Tour Review: Luminosity by Stephanie Thomas (and giveaway!)

Posted by leeanna on November 7, 2012

Today I am one of the stops on the tour for Luminosity by Stephanie Thomas. This tour is hosted by Shane @ Itching for Books.

Info:
Title: Luminosity
Author: Stephanie Thomas
Release Date: November 13, 2012
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Source: Publisher for blog tour
Series? The Raven Chronicles #1
Genre: YA, Post-Apocalyptic, Fantasy, Romance
Page Count: 296

Summary:

My name is Beatrice. When I was born, I was blessed with the Sight. I was immediately removed from my parents and enrolled in the Institution. At the age of twelve, I had my first true vision, earning my raven’s wings. And when I turned seventeen, one of my visions came true. Things haven’t been the same since.

The Institution depends on me to keep the City safe from our enemy, the Dreamcatchers, but I’m finding it harder to do while keeping a secret from everyone, including my best friend Gabe. It is a secret that could put us all in danger. A secret that could kill me and everyone close to me.

But the enemy has been coming to me in my dreams, and I think I’m falling in love with him. He says they’re coming. He says they’re angry. And I think I’ve already helped them win.

My Review:
I took part in the cover reveal for Luminosity and ever since then, I wanted to read it. I jumped at the chance to be on the blog tour, because I wanted to read it before everyone else.

The cover of the book is what drew me in first, along with the blurb. I wanted to know more about the mysterious wings on the girl’s eyes. To my pleasure, the raven’s wings were explained immediately at the start of Luminosity. I LOVE when there’s a connection between the cover and the text — yes, I know authors don’t have much control or say in their covers, but it always makes me happy when it occurs.

I read Luminosity in one sitting. I was hooked as soon as I learned that the main character, Beatrice, was taken away from her parents as a baby because she is a Seer. I’m a sucker for anything that’s dystopian or post-apocalyptic, and combine that with special powers? Win!

Stephanie’s writing is very easy to read, and almost always flows smoothly. There are some heavy information dumps, but that’s inevitable, and I’m the type of reader who likes to know as much as I can about a world and its history. However, I didn’t feel like I knew the whole story at the start, which would have spoiled the book. So there was a good balance between information and action.

The concept of Seers (see into the future) and Dreamcatchers (see into the past) is a neat one. I liked how the Dreamcatchers came about — I definitely didn’t expect that explanation. And the glimpses we get of the Dreamcatchers, through Beatrice’s Visions, are intriguing. I can’t wait to find out more about them.

I’m looking forward to the next book, Evanescence! Luminosity is a great debut, and I’m sure book two in the trilogy will be good.

Rating: 4 owls

Socialize with the author:
Stephanie Thomas:
Website
Twitter @stephthomasbook

Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

– leeanna

Review: The Assassin’s Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke

Posted by leeanna on August 30, 2012

the assassin's curse Info:
Title: The Assassin’s Curse
Author: Cassandra Rose Clarke
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Source: Strange Chemistry & NetGalley
Series? The Assassin’s Curse #1
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Adventure, Speculative Fiction
Page Count: 320

Summary:

Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an allying pirate clan: she wants to captain her own boat, not serve as second-in-command to her handsome yet clueless fiance. But her escape has dire consequences when she learns the scorned clan has sent an assassin after her.

And when the assassin, Naji, finally catches up with her, things get even worse. Ananna inadvertently triggers a nasty curse — with a life-altering result. Now Ananna and Naji are forced to become uneasy allies as they work together to break the curse and return their lives back to normal. Or at least as normal as the lives of a pirate and an assassin can be. (summary from goodreads)

My Review:
I’m ashamed to say it took me a while to start The Assassin’s Curse, but once I did finally start reading, I couldn’t stop until I finished it. This is the book for you if you like pirates, assassins, and magic — and even if you don’t, I still encourage you to check it out. You’ll find out why so many of us like pirates, assassins, and magic.

Ananna is one of the most unique heroines I’ve met this year. How many girls run away from an arranged marriage ON THE BACK OF A CAMEL THEY STOLE? Ananna doesn’t sit around and wait for others to change her destiny — she does it herself. She is impulsive, and often lands herself in more trouble, but she goes ahead anyway.

Ananna doesn’t want to be a pirate captain’s wife, she wants to be the captain, with a ship of her own. After running away without a plan, she’s suddenly in even more trouble when her intended husband’s parents send an assassin after her. Hell hath no fury like a pirate scorned?

I have a thing for kick ass heroines, and Ananna more than qualifies. Her skills, from weapons to thievery, are believable, as she grew up on a pirate ship, one of the crew from an early age. She definitely has some flaws, including the impulsiveness I mentioned, but she’s also extremely loyal, and usually tries to do the right thing, even if may not always be the smart thing to do. Also cool about Ananna — she’s not your typical gorgeous girl character. In fact, she doesn’t trust beautiful people, because:

“Beautiful people, things are too easy for ‘em. They don’t know how to survive in this world. Somebody’s ugly, or even plain, normal-looking, that means they got to work twice as hard for things. For anything. [...].” (Chapter 9)

Naji, the assassin sent to kill Ananna, is just as interesting as she is. He’d be next to the definition for “mysterious” in the dictionary, as he never explains anymore than necessary, and sometimes not even that. I can’t wait to find out more of his secrets, because I know there have to be a lot of them.

When a twist of magic binds the two together, they set off a journey to end the curse, which exposes us to more of their world. It sounds fascinating, and I really wanted to learn more about it. There’s a Pirate Confederation, different types of magic, mythical creatures, ASSASSINS YOU CAN HIRE (if you have enough money), and so on. In one way, not getting a lot of information about the world in The Assassin’s Curse is good, because there aren’t page long info dumps, but on the other hand, I’m greedy and wanted to know more.

The writing is a joy to read. Usually it bugs me when authors try to make dialogue realistic — using “ain’t” or improper grammar, for example — but Cassandra Rose Clarke pulls it off flawlessly. There’s also a lot of humor in the writing, and this was one of my favorite parts:

“So are you here to kill me or to rob me?” the old man said. “I generally don’t find it useful to glow when undertaking acts of subterfuge.” [...]
You know, that pissed me off. [Ananna] (Chapter 18)

The ending is somewhat disappointing, because it … just ends, without any real resolution, as if this book is mostly set up for the next one. Fortunately, The Assassin’s Curse is part of a duology, so the next book, The Pirate’s Wish, should finish the story. Unfortunately, The Pirate’s Wish won’t be released until 2013.

I also had some trouble believing the romantic aspect, but to go into that would spoil too much. The summary for the book itself is pretty spoilerish, but even so, The Assassin’s Curse is an enjoyable read.

Rating: 4 owls

Socialize with the author:
Cassandra Rose Clarke:
Website
Twitter @mitochondrial

Review: The Peculiars by Maureen Doyle McQuerry

Posted by leeanna on August 14, 2012

Info:
Title: The Peculiars
Author: Maureen Doyle McQuerry
Release Date: May 1, 2012
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
Source: Library
Series? No
Genre: YA, Steampunk, Fantasy, Romance, Adventure
Page Count: 354

Summary:

This dark and thrilling adventure, with an unforgettable heroine, will captivate fans of steampunk, fantasy, and romance.

On her 18th birthday, Lena Mattacascar decides to search for her father, who disappeared into the northern wilderness of Scree when Lena was young. Scree is inhabited by Peculiars, people whose unusual characteristics make them unacceptable to modern society. Lena wonders if her father is the source of her own extraordinary characteristics and if she, too, is Peculiar. On the train she meets a young librarian, Jimson Quiggley, who is traveling to a town on the edge of Scree to work in the home and library of the inventor Mr. Beasley. The train is stopped by men being chased by the handsome young marshal Thomas Saltre. When Saltre learns who Lena’s father is, he convinces her to spy on Mr. Beasley and the strange folk who disappear into his home, Zephyr House. A daring escape in an aerocopter leads Lena into the wilds of Scree to confront her deepest fears. (summary from goodreads)

My Review:
Described as a mix of adventure, fantasy, steampunk, and romance, The Peculiars has some big shoes to fill. Unfortunately, the only big shoes filled are Lena’s.

To start, that was one of my big gripes with the book. I don’t need to be constantly reminded of the size and oddness of Lena’s hands and feet. Yeah, I understand that they embarrass her, and make her stick out in a society where people are constantly on the watch for Peculiars. However, I don’t need to be reminded over and over again. My memory of the first few chapters: Lena hiding her hands. Lena hiding her feet. Lena hiding her hands. Lena hiding her feet. Lena’s hands itching from her gloves. Lena’s feet hurting from her shoes. There was a robbery on the train, but I barely remember that.

So why are Lena’s hands and feet so important? They are an indicator that she has goblin blood, and is therefore a Peculiar. Humans are extremely racist towards Peculiars, claiming that they don’t have souls, and are good only to work in the mines of Scree. Lena straddles both worlds — she isn’t sure if she is a goblin, and The Peculiars is a coming of age story of her journey to find the father who abandoned her and the truth about herself.

The book had potential. It just wasn’t delivered on, for me.

The pacing is slower than a steam-powered turtle. I almost put the book down several times because nothing was happening. I kept pushing through, though, because I hoped it would be worth it, but it wasn’t. The ending fizzled, as did almost all of the action scenes.

I will say that for once, I didn’t mind the romance. It’s not too heavy, which is refreshing, and Jimson is a cute guy in a geeky sort of way. I liked his excitement over books and inventions.

Lastly, I think the cover is misleading. This isn’t the author’s fault, but I wonder at the decision to put a supporting character on the cover instead of Lena. I guess wings are more eye-catching than goblin hands.

Rating: 1 owl

Socialize with the author:
Maureen Doyle McQuerry:
Website
Facebook
Twitter @maureenmcquerry

Book 177: Harry Potter 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (again)

Posted by leeanna on July 4, 2010

Harry Potter #7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by J. K. Rowling (again!)

First review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

As I wrote in my second post on “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” I’ve gotten quite into the HP online fandom. And I’ve inevitably decided to do some writing for it, and have been reading the later HP books to review some information for myself.

And, too, because how could I not read “The Deathly Hallows” after finishing “The Half-Blood Prince?!” Snape…I love his character so much. The end of this book has some of my favorite scenes ever, I think.

Every time I finish “The Deathly Hallows,” I’m reminded of just how well-crafted the Harry Potter series is. Every single book reflects on every other book; I could wax poetic about it forever. And I definitely have been, lately!

5/5.

Book 176: Harry Potter 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (again)

Posted by leeanna on July 4, 2010

Harry Potter #6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, by J. K. Rowling (again!)

First review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

So, in my quest of all things Harry Potter, I’ve recently discovered the fandom online. It’s huge! I can’t believe I didn’t get into it earlier, honestly. I’m a bit miffed with myself – I think I missed out on some great things.

As you may have seen me mention before, I’ve gotten slightly obsessed with fanfiction, and have been reading a LOT of it over the past few weeks. And now I’ve decided to write my own…heh heh.

So I needed to re-read “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” to get some scene-setting information for my first fic, and also because I finally watched the movie – and LOVED it. I had been watching a movie a night, and I wasn’t impressed by the first few, but the last three really blew me away. Especially “Half-Blood Prince;” I think it is one of my favorite movies now. I had to read the book after watching it, because I was trying to figure out why the scene of Bellatrix burning the Barrow was put in the movie. I still don’t know why, but I think that “Half-Blood Prince” is also becoming one of my favorite books. Narcissa and Bellatrix sum it up for me!

I said in my first review that this book just gets better and better each time I read it, and I echo that this time around.

5/5, again.

Book 169: Star Wars: Boba Fett 4: Hunted

Posted by leeanna on June 20, 2010

Star Wars: Boba Fett #4: Hunted, by Elizabeth Hand

“Hunted” is the fourth book in a six book series on the life of young Boba Fett. In “Hunted,” Boba Fett flies to Tatooine to find the crime lord Jabba the Hutt.

Jango Fett, Boba’s father, had left instructions for his son to go to Jabba to learn knowledge. But Boba runs into problem after problem on Tatooine, first losing his father’s Mandalorian helmet to a street gang, to having no credits to buy water – a necessity on the desert planet.

Will a trip to Jabba’s palace teach young Boba the knowledge necessary for a bounty hunter?

As with the other books in this series, I’m not entirely thrilled with the writing. I do understand that they are written for younger readers and I’m over the intended age, but I wish Star Wars had kept up the quality a little better. The passage of time in this series isn’t clear – the first three books seemed to take up only days, but this book is apparently set months after the event of book three, “Maze of Deception.” At least the story in “Hunted” was better than the previous book.

2/5.

Book 168: Star Wars: Boba Fett 3: Maze of Deception

Posted by leeanna on June 20, 2010

Star Wars: Boba Fett #3: Maze of Deception, by Elizabeth Hand

“Maze of Deception” is the third book in a six book series on the life of young Boba Fett. In this installment, Boba and Aurra Sing journey to Aargau, the banking planet of the galaxy. Similar to Coruscant, Aargau is a layered planet; the lowest levels are the most dangerous, full of the scum of the galaxy.

Aurra Sing, a very dangerous bounty hunter, takes Boba to Aargau to get half of Jango Fett’s fortune. Boba, naturally, isn’t keen on splitting his inheritance with her, and makes a dangerous escape to keep the entire fortune for himself.

But can a young, inexperienced boy really avoid all the pitfalls a planet like Aargau holds?

I found “Maze of Deception” to be an okay book in the Boba Fett series. A week after reading it I’ve already forgotten most of it, so it’s not that memorable. Younger readers will enjoy Boba’s exploits on Aaragu, and his gradual evolution into the great Boba Fett of Star Wars Legend.

2/5.

Book 165: James and the Giant Peach

Posted by leeanna on June 13, 2010

James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl

As is common in many of Roald Dahl’s books, James is a child stuck in a horrible situation. Orphaned, he’s living with two nasty aunts who use him as manual labor and don’t ever let him have fun.

But someone is looking out for James, and a mysterious little man gives him a bag of green magic crystals…only…he drops them. But his chance at happiness isn’t lost, because the crystals are dropped beneath a peach tree. The tree, formerly barren, suddenly produces a peach that grows larger by the minute, until it’s the size of a house. Inside the peach are a variety of common garden insects, such as a centipede and a grasshopper, each as large as a human because they too ingested some of the magic crystals.

James and his new friends take a magical journey on the gigantic peach, as journey only the imagination of Roald Dahl could produce. I’ll never look at rainbows or hail the same way again, or seagulls!

4/5.

Book 164: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Posted by leeanna on June 13, 2010

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl

Charlie Bucket’s story touched my heart the first time I read “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” when I was much younger. I still like to pull it out from time to time and relive the magic of Willy Wonka’s amazing chocolate creations, and the humor of the four nasty children who got what they deserved.

Charlie is a poor child, and lives with his four grandparents and parents in a little ramshackle house. The family barely has enough money to buy food, and survive mostly on cabbage. Mr. Bucket, Charlie’s father, works screwing toothpaste caps on full tubes. The only bright spot in their lives are Grandpa Joe’s stories, particularly the ones about the mysterious Willy Wonka.

Wonka’s factory has been closed to the public for over a decade, but when he puts five Golden Tickets in candy bars, five lucky children have the chance to enter the factory, as well as win a lifetime supply of goodies. Charlie’s desperate for a ticket, but his family can only afford one candy bar a year, and he isn’t lucky. But as readers of Dahl’s works know, good children get their due, and Charlie and Grandpa Joe find a Golden Ticket…

What can I say about “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?” It’s one of my favorite of the author’s works, and I tend to reread it every few years. If you’ve never read anything by Roald Dahl, this book is a great place to start.

5/5.