Beauty by Robin McKinley

Beauty 
by Robin McKinley

Read: March 23-26, 2017
Published: June 30, 1993
Genre: Fantasy





Beauty has never liked her nickname. She is thin and awkward; it is her two sisters who are the beautiful ones. But what she lacks in looks, she can perhaps make up for in courage.

When her father comes home with the tale of an enchanted castle in the forest and the terrible promise he had to make to the Beast who lives there, Beauty knows she must go to the castle, a prisoner of her own free will. Her father protests that he will not let her go, but she answers, "Cannot a Beast be tamed?" (Goodreads)



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Why did you read this book?
I had just seen the new live-action Beauty and the Beast and I just needed more. This is one of my favorite fairy tales and I love reading retellings of it, even though I have yet to find one that I love as much as the animated Disney version. The only one that's come close so far is the live-action film.

What did you like about this book?
I liked that Beauty's family wasn't vain and heartless like they are in the original fairy tale. Her sisters were just as kind as Beauty and it was clear they were all close to one another. I think this created more of an emotional impact when Beauty made the decision to take her father's place at the Beast's castle. The reader is able to see exactly what she is giving up to save him. I also like how, instead of having furniture come to life, the servants are merely invisible. It fit the world better than singing candelabras and dancing cutlery would have. The way the book was written also seemed very fitting. It read like a classic fairy tale with much more descriptions than dialogue. I think one  of my favorite things about this book was that the Beast asked Beauty to marry him every night, to which she denied him every night. Not that I like seeing the Beast get shot down night after night, but this is the only retelling I've read so far that's included this part of the original.

What didn't you like about this book?
I really wanted to like this book, especially after I was riding the magical waves of the new movie (which was just fantastic), but I found myself rather bored with it. While I do appreciate it's similarity to the original fairy tale, I found this retelling to be a little to similar to actually be a retelling. There was no twist in the story to make it different, more exciting than the original. The only real differences were that Beauty was actually plain and not as beautiful as her sisters (which is brought up so much it felt like I was reading Twilight), and that her family was nice to her. And one of her sisters had a tragic love story that wasn't all the important to the actual story. As a retelling, I just felt that it fell kind of flat. The story didn't hold any of the magic of any other retelling I've read or the film versions and the characters were just as bland.

Bottom-Line:
I highly doubt that I'll be reading this one again. The only thing that held my interest was the fact that it was Beauty and the Beast.




"I found that the only way I could control this sorrow was not to think of it at all, which was almost as painful as the loss itself." -Beauty by Robin McKinley

Matched by Ally Condie

Matched
by Ally Condie

Read: March 10-13, 2017
Published: November 30, 2010
Genre: YA Dystopia

         

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 with complete certainty that 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.





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Why did you read this book?
I've actually read this one before, years ago, but I never finished the series. My sister has been asking me to read them for quite awhile, so I've finally decided to just do it. Also, I was going on Day 4 with no power and needed some entertainment.

What did you like about this book?
I liked the use of poetry in this book, especially Dylan Thomas' 'Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night'. It's one of my favorite poems (along with 'Desiderata' by Max Ehrmann). I was probably first introduced to Thomas' poem when I first read this book and it's one of the few things I remembered from it. The idea that poems outside of the One Hundred Poems are precious and that there are still people trying to remember them really appealed to me. The very last chunk of the book was my favorite. From the moment we find out what the red tablet does to the end of the book was easily more exciting than the rest of the book. The pacing was at its best here and I felt like that was where the plot really kicked in. Unfortunately, that's also where the book ended.

What didn't you like about this book?
This book didn't lose me with the mediocre world building. It didn't lose me with two-dimensional characters or writing meant for a younger audience. It didn't even lose me with the fact that it's nearly a carbon copy of The Giver. No, it lost me when it became a book about a love triangle. I don't mind a love triangle if it's done well (and realistically) and as long as it's not the center of the plot. The one featured in this book failed on both fronts. It reminded me of The Selection, where the story can be dwindled down to the main female character thinking about which boy she should choose--the best friend she's always known or the mysterious new guy? Spoiler: they always pick the new guy. This book just felt very shallow with nothing to back the love triangle.

If you liked this book, you might also like:
The Selection Series by Kiera Cass
Delirium Series by Lauren Oliver
The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins
Divergent Series by Veronica Roth

Bottom-Line:
This book was really boring. However, I will read the next two because I want to give the series a chance. Also because I promised my sister that I would. But holy cats, this book was boring. I really hope the series improves.



"Growing apart doesn't change the fact that for a long time we grew side by side; our roots will always be tangled. I'm glad for that." -Matched by Ally Condie

The Song Rising by Samantha Shannon

The Song Rising 
by Samantha Shannon

Read: March 7-9, 2017
Published: March 7, 2017
Genre: Adult Fantasy

Following a bloody battle against foes on every side, Paige Mahoney has risen to the dangerous position of Underqueen, ruling over London's criminal population.

But, having turned her back on Jaxon Hall and with vengeful enemies still at large, the task of stabilizing the fractured underworld has never seemed so challenging.

Little does Paige know that her reign may be cut short by the introduction of Senshield, a deadly technology that spells doom for the clairvoyant community and the world as they know it...(Amazon)





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Why did you read this book?
I have read both The Bone Season and The Mime Order  and this is the third in the series. I have been waiting for this book to be published since about March 2015 and I pre-ordered it in January 2016. It is one of my favorite series to date and there was no way I could just not read it.

What did you like about this book?
Oh, where to start? This book was just fantastic and well worth the wait. I'll start with the protagonist, Paige. She goes through so much over the course of the first three books and my heart hurts for everything that she will have to go through in the next four books. Paige is a character that has become very precious to me, not because she's a 'strong, female character', but because she's very human. She struggles, she fails, and she is broken. Despite that, she has a fierce love and loyalty to her friends. Her vulnerability and uncertainty with Warden is a breath of fresh air from other romances. I love their connection and the almost inseparable bond that they share. I'm very excited (and nervous) to see how their relationship will progress. I was also very pleased with the character development we saw with Nick and Eliza. I'm glad they had more page time than they did in previous books. I also liked reading about other minor characters, like Tom and Maria. Especially Tom and Maria. Another thing I liked was that this book started right where the last one left off. The whole series has been like that so far and I really appreciate that. The writing in this book also seems to be a notch above the first two. It's beautifully written and there is one scene in particular (near the end) that was written so well it just broke my heart. It was just so good. I liked the end of this book more than the other two. The first two books felt like they ended in the middle of the action, whereas this end felt almost like a beginning. The main focus of the book had been resolved and now the characters are going forth to continue with the overarching story.

What didn't you like about this book?
There were very few things that I didn't like, the first being that it started rather slow. As excited as I was to read it, it took me a long time to actually get into it. I also wish the Rephaite had featured a little more in this book. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad for the page space given to Warden, but I would have liked to read more about Alsafi and Terebell and even Nashira. The Rephaite fascinate me and I'm eager to know more about them. I also felt like the absence of Zeke and Nadine was told rather than felt. They felt a little like an afterthought. I don't particularly care about Nadine, but I want to know what happened to Zeke, for Nick's sake. Also, I wouldn't have complained if the book was longer...

Bottom-Line:
I was really impressed with this one. I fell in love with the clairvoyant world when I read The Bone Season and it just keeps getting better. Paige and Warden are some of my favorite characters of all time. I would wholeheartedly suggest this series. Please, everyone read it so it can get the love and attention it deserves.


"'You have risen from the ashes before. The only way to survive,' he said, 'is to believe you always will.'" -The Song Rising by Samantha Shannon

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Caraval 
by Stephanie Garber

Read: March 2-3, 2017
Published: January 31, 2017
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Whatever you've heard about Caraval, it doesn't compare to the reality. It's more than just a game or a performance. It's the closest you'll ever find to magic in this world...

Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett's father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.

But this year, Scarlett's long-dreamt of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval's mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season's Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval...beware of getting swept too far away. (Amazon)

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Why did you read this book?
I found this book on Amazon while I was searching for books similar to The Night Circus. I'm a big fan of circuses and while the premise of this book doesn't necessarily center around a circus, it was close enough for me. It intrigued me enough to buy it anyway. Also, I'm a sucker for a pretty cover.

What did you like about this book?
First off, I really enjoyed the world building of Caraval itself. It was so easy to forget that there was a world outside the game...and the fact that it was, in fact, a game. The descriptions in this book are just fantastic. One thing that confused me, but I actually really liked even though I didn't understand it was the use of color in Scarlett's emotions. Whenever she feels anything, it's described as a color. For example, when she's afraid it's usually plum colored. The color thing was never really explained, but I liked it anyway. I hope that gets expanded upon in future books. One big thing I loved about this book was the romance. It was a slow burn that you could see coming a mile away, but that just made me more excited for it to finally happen. And the book wasn't about the romance, which I appreciated. It was about Scarlett trying to find Tella before the five nights of Caraval ended. The romance was just an added bonus. The novel's pacing was also very excellent. It didn't start too slow and the tension built with increasing intensity throughout the book, which of course left me speed reading by the last quarter of the book just to find out what was going to happen.

What didn't you like about this book?
As fantastic as the world building was, the characters were a little lacking in comparison. Scarlett and Julian saw the most character growth, presumably because they got the most page time. Scarlett and Tella's father was a very flat character. He seemed to be evil for the sake of being evil without any real purpose. I hope is story is developed further in future books. The other thing that kind of turned me off to this book was the juvenile writing. I understand that it is a YA novel, but I don't feel like that should be an excuse for not expecting more out of an author. The plot was good, the world building is great, I didn't hate the characters, but the writing overall was just kind of...meh. It's difficult because I automatically compare it to The Night Circus, which is definitely more mature and for a more advanced reader.

Bottom-Line:
I really did enjoy the book. It was one of those books that I just wanted to read in one sitting...and I would have if my schedule had allowed it.  Unfortunately for me, this book left us with a killer cliffhanger and I have to wait for the next book to come out. So if you're as impatient as I am, I'd suggest maybe waiting until the next one is out or almost out before you read the first book.



"She imagined loving him would feel like falling in love with darkness, frightening and consuming yet utterly beautiful when the stars came out." -Caraval by Stephanie Garber

The Cardturner by Louis Sachar

The Cardturner
by Louis Sachar

Read: February 20-March 1, 2017
Published: October 11, 2011
Genre: YA Fiction



The summer after junior year of high school looks bleak for Alton Richards. His girlfriend has dumped him, he has no money and no job, and his parents insist that he drive his great-uncle Lester, who is old, blind, very sick, and very rich, to his bridge club four times a week and be his cardturner.

But Alton's parents aren't the only ones trying to worm their way into Lester Trapp's good graces. There is Trapp's longtime housekeeper, his alluring young nurse, and the crazy Casteneda family.

Alton soon finds himself intrigued by his uncle, by the game of bridge, and especially by the pretty and shy Toni Castaneda, as he struggles to figure out what it all means, and ultimately to figure out the meaning of his own life. (Amazon)




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Why did you read this book?
I found a hardcover version of this book without a dust jacket while used book shopping. It was very plain, dark blue book with the title in bronze on the spine. What really caught my attention was that the 'a' in Cardturner was the spade symbol. As someone who grew up playing cards, I was naturally drawn to it. I didn't know what it was about, but I wanted it. I actually bought it a few months ago and finally got around to reading it.

What did you like about this book?
I ended up liking this book much more than I thought I would. I found the story to be very compelling. I wanted to keep reading and I wanted to see Trapp play in the nationals and I wanted Alton to earn Trapp's respect and I wanted Toni to see that Cliff is an idiot. I love when I become fully invested in the lives of the characters. Sachar wrote the book in a way that was dry and kind of self-deprecating, but also in a way that was undeniably human. These characters were frustrating and lovable and funny and moody. This book is definitely character and relationship driven, and I loved that. Something that might attribute to that is that it is written in second person. Alton is telling the story to you and it's easy to feel like you actually know him. Another one of my favorite aspects is the fact that this story is intergenerational. Most books that I have encountered in the Young Adult genre feature groups of teenagers with little to no adult presence (which I think is just unrealistic). I really enjoyed the relationship between Alton and Trapp, as well as Alton and Trapp's bridge friends.

What didn't you like about this book?
Bridge. There was so much bridge. While the summary book would like you to think this book is about multiple people competing for an old man's inheritance, that's a lie. This book is about bridge. While it was interesting, the rules and theories and lingo got to be overwhelming at times. Alton was very helpful at indicating when the heaviest bridge instructions appeared in the book, but the whole story was saturating with bridge. I got around it by not trying to understand the many rules and just accept the fact that I wasn't going to learn how to play bridge by reading this book and if I wanted to enjoy the story, I'd just have to skim those parts. Don't get me wrong, it was interesting at first, but there's only so much bridge you can handle when you don't understand it. It was like half of the book was in another language. Also, in the previous paragraph I mentioned intergenerationality. While I loved the portrayal of Alton's generation and Trapp's generation, I found Alton's parents' generation to be lacking. Those characters were very flat and less human than the others. They didn't breathe life into the pages.

Bottom-Line:
I really did enjoy this book. I even enjoyed some of the bridge parts. At the very least, it made me interested to learn how to play bridge. I wouldn't, however, recommend this to anyone who isn't an avid reader or doesn't have a basic knowledge of how to play cards (Setback or euchre, at least). Even though this was young adult and the story wasn't that difficult to read, the amount of bridge can be daunting to someone who isn't fully committed to reading it. Regardless, I enjoyed it and will probably read it again.



"Life will deal me many different hands, some good, some bad (maybe they've already been dealt), but from here on in, I'll be turning my own cards." -The Cardturner by Louis Sachar