Review: Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy #3) by Richelle Mead

  

Synopsis: Rose knows it is forbidden to love another guardian. Her best friend, Lissa - the last Dragomir princess - must always come first. Unfortunately, when it comes to gorgeous Dimitri Belikov, some rules are meant to be broken...

Then a strange darkness grows in Rose's mind, and ghostly shadows warn of a terrible evil drawing nearer to the Academy's iron gates. The immortal undead are closing in, and they want vengeance for the lives Rose has stolen. In a heart-stopping battle to rival her worst nightmares, Rose will have to choose between life, love, and the two people who matter most...but will her choice mean that only one can survive?

Date Published: November 13, 2008

Published By: Razorbill

Number of Pages: 443

Rating: 4/5

I'm going to start this review off by saying that I genuinely do like reading the Vampire Academy series. It's light, fluffy vampire lit that's not meant to be taken too seriously. But there were a few things in this installment in the series that irked me that I just have to get off my chest. As a result, this review will probably come across as negative but that doesn't mean that I'm not enjoying this series. It just means that I'm being nitpicky and overanalytical and bitchy. But I'm still entitled to my opinion.

So let's start off with what I did like about Shadow Kiss. First, I liked how the world was expanded when Rose, Lissa, and co. had to travel to see Queen Tatiana. We got to see the inner workings of the vampire Court (and, also, a vampire court) and it was a really compelling part of the story. I also loved the interaction between Rose and the Queen. It was so cool to see Rose stand up to this major bitch. Not sure it was the wisest decision, but it was badass to read about nonetheless.

Also, I'm loving Adrian's character. (More please!) He's a Bad Boy but in a sarcastic, funny way not in a dark, brooding way. As far as I am concerned, he is criminally underused in this story. I'll admit I like him a little bit more than Principle Love Interest Dimitri Belikov. Adrian's just so much more fun.

And that's one of the problems I wanted to talk about - the romance between Rose and Dimitri. I don't know if it's because I'm over the whole 'forbidden love' trope or what, but I am not really invested in their relationship. Like, at all. More and more, it's starting to feel a little bit 'Twilighty' to me. I get it, you guys are so in love with each other, and you'll die without each other and blah, blah, blah but honestly? I cannot figure out why they like each other. I mean, Dimitri doesn't seem to have much of an actual personality. Besides the fact that he's stoic and responsible (except he's not) and he likes cowboy novels. But Rose is all like 'oh, he's such a badass' and 'OMG he's so hot' and 'oh, I cannot possible love anybody else.' And I'm still trying to figure out how she appeals to him. 

So, these two are inexplicably in love and it all builds up to the Cabin Scene. If you've read the book, you'll know what I'm talking about. If you haven't and don't want to know, stop reading because SPOILER ALERT!

Rose and Dimitri have sex. And it is the most boring thing ever. 

I understand that it's Young Adult and, typically, sex in YA is only alluded to or written in very vague terms. But, come on. I've read kissing scenes that were hotter. This is an actual line that was used: 'I wish I had the words to describe sex, but nothing I can say would really capture how amazing it was.'

Well, try, honey, because right now, I am drier than a bone. 

So that's my rant about the romantic aspect of Shadow Kiss. A couple of other quibbles:

-Rose starts to see ghosts - but she doesn't tell anybody at first because she thinks people won't believe her. Seriously? In a series about vampires and magic and the undead, ghosts are unbelievable? I'm sorry, but that's stupid. I felt like it was just something added in to stretch out the plot.

-the Strigoi are the most boring evil vampires I've ever read about it. They don't seem that scary and, even though they are considered so dangerous that Moroi have to be guarded throughout their entire lives - apparently they're not that hard to kill.

Let me end this review with something positive. I liked the twist at the end and I'm really glad Richelle Mead made a bold choice as to what direction to take the series in. I think the next few books will only get better. At least, I hope so. 

Sorry for being so bitchy. Feel free to argue with me in the comments. 

Review: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

 

Synopsis: Maurie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure's reclusive great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum's most valuable and dangerous jewel. 

In a mining town in Germany, the orphan Werner grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments, a talent that wins him a place at a brutal academy for Hitler Youth, then a special assignment to track the resistance. More and more aware of the human cost of his intelligence, Werner travels through the heart of the war and, finally, into Saint-Malo, where his story and Marie-Laure's converge. 

Date Published: May 6, 2014

Published By: Scribner

Number of Pages: 530

Rating: 5/5

I have got to stop reading these stories set in World War II. They all end up breaking my heart! First, The Book Thief and now All the Light We Cannot See.

I will say that I found some striking similarities between the two books. Both take place during World War II, both feature children coming of age during the war, and both are written in a lyrical, poetic style. But All the Light We Cannot See has a vastly different plot from The Book Thief and so is not in anyway a ripoff.

I think I knew within the first 30 pages or so that this book would break me. Do you ever get that little stutter of emotion in your chest when you read something that moves you in some way? This happened to me a few times while I was reading this book and by the time I got to the ending, I was completely devastated. I knew there wasn't going to be some fairy-tale ending, but when I got to the climax of the book, I almost couldn't stand to go on, it was so heartbreaking. 

I fell in love with this book. I fell in love with Werner and Marie-Laure and their way of seeing the world. I loved seeing their sense of wonder and curiosity about the world around them and it was horrifying to see how the war stripped them of their innocence. I think this book showed one of the more devastating consequences of war. It's not just about the lives lost or the environmental destruction: it's about how people, both civilians and soldiers alike, lose the sense that there is goodness in the world. 

This book isn't a total downer. There is a sense of hope and optimism throughout, even if it's subtle. I think one of the themes of the book is that we choose how we see the world, either with wonder or cynicism, hope or pessimism. It is completely up to us, no matter what the circumstances are. 

I cannot praise the writing style enough. The details are so vivid, the metaphors so descriptive and original that I had no problem picturing the story in my head. Anthony Doerr has said that it took him ten years to write this book and I can believe it - each sentence is crafted to perfection, each word carefully chosen so that the reader is left with the same sense of awe and wonder that the character's have in the story.

This book is a masterpiece. And I don't use that world lightly.

Highly, highly recommended to everyone, particularly if you enjoyed The Book Thief.

Review: East by Edith Pattou

  

Synopsis: Rose has always been different. Since the day she was born, it was clear she had a special fate. Her superstitious mother keeps the unusual circumstances of Rose's birth a secret, hoping to prevent her adventurous daughter from leaving home...but she can't suppress Rose's true nature forever.

So when an enormous white bear shows up one cold autumn evening and asks teenage Rose to come away with it - in exchange for health and prosperity for her ailing family - she readily agrees.

Rose travels on the bear's broad back to a distant and empty castle, where she is nightly joined by a mysterious stranger. In discovering his identity, she loses her heart - and finds her purpose - and realizes her journey has just only begun.

Date Published: September 1, 2003

Published By: HMH Books for Young Readers

Number of Pages: 507

Rating: 4/5

East is a retelling of East of the Sun, West of the Moon, a kind of Scandinavian version of Beauty and the Beast. I love how this book blends historical fiction and fantasy, grounding the magical elements in reality.

East is so wonderfully descriptive that you really get a sense of 'cold' when you're reading it. Pattou doesn't just describe the cold, she gives the reader the sense of being cold. It was these vivid details that transports the reader to a land of ice and snow. So you might want to bundle up while reading it.

What I found less vivid were the characters. I didn't really get a sense of Rose's personality. Yes, she has personality traits like being adventurous and independent and having a love for weaving and sewing but I just felt I was being told who Rose was instead of shown who she was. I just couldn't connect with her.

I was not invested in the romance between Rose and the White Bear at all. I didn't really get a sense of any sort of developing relationship between them, so when the White Bear is taken away by the Troll Queen, it feels like Rose only goes after him out of a sense of duty, not because she cares about him. And even when she did realize that she had feelings for him, it was just like 'okay, if you say so.'

Apart from these problems, East is a really good adventure story with lots of historical details and vivid description. Is it the best fairytale retelling I've ever come across? No. But it's certainly not the worst one, either. 

Review: Edinburgh by Alexander Chee

 

Synopsis: As a child, Fee is a gifted Korean-American soprano in a boys' choir in Maine. Silent after being abused by the director, he is unable to warn the other boys or protect his best friend, Peter, from the director's advances. Even after the director is imprisoned, Fee continues to believe he is responsible, and while he survives into adulthood, his friends do not. In the years that follow, he struggles to bury his guilt and grief, until he meets a beautiful young student who resembles Peter, and he is forced to confront the demons of his brutal past.

Date Published: November 9, 2002

Published By: Picador

Number of Pages: 212

Rating: 4/5

Edinburgh is a poetic, sensitively told story about a boy who faces horrific abuse at the hands of his choir director and the resulting guilt he deals with well into adulthood. Chee doesn't indulge in graphic depictions of the abuse for shock value. The allusions to the abuse and the traumatic aftermath are horrifying enough to instill the reader with a sense of horror and revulsion.

The writing is lyrical and abstract, beautifully done, but, as a result, I sometimes felt the characters were a little vague and hard to connect with. 

There is a little bit of a twist to this story that I didn't see coming but once the revelation hits, it feels inevitable, bringing the story to its devastating conclusion.

Edinburgh is a sad story with little hope of a happy ending. But it is an important story and it deserves to be read. 

Review: The Master Magician (The Paper Magician #3) by Charlie N. Holmberg

  

Synopsis: Throughout her studies, Ceony Twill has harbored a secret, one she's kept from even her mentor, Emery Thane. She's discovered how to practice forms of magic other than her own - an ability long thought impossible.

While all seems set for Ceony to complete her apprenticeship and pass her upcoming final exam, life quickly becomes complicated. To avoid favoritism, Emery sends her to another magician for testing - a Folder who despises Emery and cares even less for his apprentice. To make matters worse, a murderous criminal from Ceony's past escapes imprisonment. Now she must track the power-hungry convict across England before he can take his revenge. With her life and loved ones hanging in the balance, Ceony must face a criminal who wields the one magic that she does not, and it may prove more powerful than all her skills combined. 

Date Published: June 2, 2015

Published By: 47North

Number of Pages: 200

Rating: 4/5

The third and final installment in The Paper Magician series is easily the best one. Ceony is practicing different types of magic in secret, an ability long thought impossible. Why is she doing it? Simply because she wants to and because she can. It's fascinating to see Ceony go from a reluctant paper magician's apprentice to an apprentice dabbling in all sorts of magic that even fully qualified Magicians can't do - not at the same time anyway. I love that Ceony is curious and willing to experiment with different kinds of magic while being wise enough to keep the secret to herself until the right moment. 

The relationship between Emery and Ceony has evolved to the point where they're an established couple - but this being the Victorian era, not much happens besides a few chaste kisses and sleeping in the same bed together one night when Ceony had a nightmare. So they're sleeping together but not sleeping together. Not yet, anyway. 

The plot is essentially the same as it was in the first two books - Ceony must hunt down a dangerous magician who is threatening her loved ones. However, the baddest of the villains was saved for this last book which makes for an exciting chase and a thrilling conclusion. I also liked the other part of the plot where Ceony must study for her final exam with a rival of Emery's who absolutely detests him and, by extension, her. It's fun to see Ceony go toe-to-toe with the stubborn Folder, who is determined to remain unimpressed by her, no matter what she does. 

All in all, I was quite satisfied with the ending. This is a nice, light fantasy - there's not a lot of angst, which is nice if you're tired of epic fantasies where your favorite characters are killed off every other chapter. (Nothing against those types of books - I'm just saying this series is nice if you're looking for something different.)

Review: The Glass Magician (The Paper Magician #2) by Charlie N. Holmberg

  

Synopsis: Now well into her apprenticeship with magician Emery Thane, twenty-year-old Ceony Twill is continuing to discover the joy of paper magic. She adores bringing her spells to life in surprising ways, from learning the power of distortion to creating a beloved paper dog. And she secretly hopes that the romance she foresaw blossoming between her and the peculiar yet strikingly handsome Emery finally becomes real.

But when one magician with a penchant for deadly scheming believes Ceony possesses a secret, he vows to discover it...even if it tears apart the very fabric of the magical world. After a series of attacks target Ceony, and catch those she holds most dear in the crossfire, she knows she must find the true limits of her powers...and keep her knowledge from falling into wicked hands.

Date Published: November 4, 2014

Published By: 47North

Number of Pages: 211

Rating: 4/5 

The second installment in The Paper Magician series has just as much magic and whimsy as the first book did - and with a touch more romance.

You can clearly see the relationship developing between Ceony and Emery - and not just on Ceony's side. Even though the book is mostly told from Ceony's perspective, it's obvious to the reader through Emery's actions towards Ceony that he is starting to fall for her. You see him becoming more attentive, more protective of her -and it's not just Ceony that notices this. Ceony's budding romance with Emery is met with stern disapproval from people who might just have enough influence to tear them apart. 

I will admit that the plot is very much like the first - Ceony takes it upon herself to go after an evil magician in order to protect those she loves most. But it's still a fun read, especially since we get to delve into different types of magic and how it's used. Glass magic is featured prominently (hence the title), along with fire and rubber magic. It was cool to see how glass magicians use mirrors to teleport themselves to different places - a plot device that is used throughout the novel, thanks to Ceony's friendship with another apprentice who specializes in  glass. 

Like in the last book, Ceony uses her magical abilities and quick thinking to avert disaster. Sadly, she finds that, despite her best efforts, she cannot save everyone. 

If you enjoyed the first book, I definitely recommend continuing with the series and reading The Glass Magician. 

Review: The Paper Magician (The Paper Magician #1) by Charlie N. Holmberg

 

Synopsis: Ceony Twill arrives at the cottage of Magician Emery Thane with a broken heart. Having graduated at the top of her class from the Tagis Praff School for the Magically Inclined, Ceony is assigned an apprenticeship in paper magic despite her dreams of bespelling metal. And once she's bonded to paper, that will be her only magic...forever

Yet the spells Ceony learns under the strange yet kind Thane turn out to be more marvelous than she could have ever imagined - animating paper creatures, bringing stories to life via ghostly images, even reading fortunes. But as she discovers these wonders, Ceony also learns of the extraordinary dangers of forbidden magic.

An Excisioner - a practitioner of dark, flesh magic - invades the cottage and rips Thane's heart from his chest. To save her teacher's life, Ceony must face the evil magician and embark on an unbelievable adventure that will take her into the chambers of Thane's still-beating heart - and reveal the very soul of the man.

Date Published: September 1, 2014

Published By: 47North

Number of Pages: 222

Rating: 4/5 

The Paper Magician is a whimsical fantasy set in Victorian London that features a delightful and creative magic system, a strong female heroine and a little touch of romance. 

The magic system is established within the very first chapter. Magic can only manipulate man-made objects, like glass, paper, metal, and rubber. A magician must 'bond' to a certain type of object and then are able to manipulate it in a variety of different, interesting ways. It was such a treat to read about the different ways magicians manipulated paper. Two of my favorites were when Ceony learned how to make a scene from a book come to life just from reading aloud and when Magician Thane animated a little paper dog for Ceony that acted just like a real one. Ceony called him 'Fennel' and he became one of my favorite characters in this series. 

I wasn't just fond of Fennel, though. I love the main character, Ceony, and you know why? Because she is a strong female character who is able to think for herself and take action - while remaining feminine! Ceony has many traditionally feminine traits like modesty, a sense of decorum, and she knows her way around the kitchen. Yet, she is still able to speak her mind and rescue the guy in the end by relying on her wits and her gut instinct. This is so refreshing to see because sometimes I feel like too many people who write strong female characters (both in books and on screen) think that strength = masculine so they just give a female character masculine traits and call it a day. It's the 'Dude in a Dress' trope and it's getting a little tiresome. So I love that Ceony is an example of a strong, yet feminine, female character. 

The plot was interesting and moved along at a rapid pace (which is understandable considering the book is only 222 pages.) I liked the developing relationship between Thane and Ceony. I, personally, love student-teacher romances although the one in The Paper Magician is very chaste indeed. There's only a small hint of a romance developing later in the series. No kissing, no nothing - which is totally fine as it suited the story. 

The Paper Magician is great for readers of all ages looking for a light, whimsical fantasy.