Reading Rain-bow: The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

I think we've made it pretty clear that we are in love with the Iron Fae series by Julie Kagawa. Leigh and I both loved The Iron King, so we were more than happy to read advance copies of The Iron Daughter. (And when I say 'more than happy,' I mean 'we danced happy dances and squeed aloud.') We wanted to wait until the book was available to tell you all about it, so you wouldn't have to wait one minute to go order your copy.




Once again Julie Kagawa delivers an exciting, fun, and of course swoon-filled story with The Iron Daughter. I think the reason I'm so drawn to The Iron Fae series is the basic idea that the fae are conjured by our imagination. I know, that's an old tale, but the way Julie weaves it with the modern-day is just about perfect.

The fact that I'm so invested in this series is proof of Julie's talent, because (and don't hate me) I'm actually not a fan of most fairy stories. They're mean, selfish, and aloof. I usually end up just wanting to slap or squash them, depending on how large the author makes them. *grin*



Well I LOVE fairy stories, but I especially love these fairy stories. And I have really grown to love Meghan. In the first book, The Iron King, Meghan was discovering herself and growing as a character. In this book she is forced look outside of herself, and make some difficult decisions. Her relationship with both Ash and Puck are explored (#TeamPuck), and I found Meghan's inner turmoil to be spot on. Even I was a little confused (clearly since I am finding myself on the "wrong" team... maybe).


Now, I have to be honest here, I was all sorts of irritated with Meghan in the beginning of this book. I wanted to shake her because of her insecurities, but then she goes through a very obvious transformation of spirit and I loved it. It was gratifying to watch her mature. So, if you're not quite sure about her in the beginning, just trust me on this and keep reading. (I'm looking at you, Picksee77.)


I think my favorite part of this book is when Meghan is forced to confront her past. I won't give anything away, but Meghan has to return to her school (back in the human realm) and has the chance to show off a bit to her peers who think of her only as the Swamp Girl. I'm a big fan of the whole "I'll show them," thing happening in books, and although Meghan wasn't exactly thinking that way, it was quite a moment for her.

And one last thing - the characters get even better in The Iron Daughter. You learn more about the Winter Fae and Ash's family, which was fun because his mother is a perfect Ice Queen. And, my new favorite fae character, Iron Horse was fabulous. I think he stole the show, personally.

Oh, Iron Horse, how I love his character. And Julie Kagawa was nice enough during a recent chat to give us the PERFECT voice to imagine while reading his part: Michael Clarke Duncan. Can you see it??




He is Iron Horse to me now! He really is perfect!

So, if you haven't rushed out to get your copy of The Iron Daughter - GO! And if you haven't read the series, get to reading! We have it on good authority that even more amazing things are in the works for Meghan, Ash, and Puck, so you don't want to miss out!

PS - Don't forget you can get a free download of Winter's Passage - the short novella that takes place in between The Iron King and The Iron Daughter - at Julie's website!

AND, since Stacie had to throw in a #TeamPuck, I feel the need to shout out #TeamAsh. If you've read, who are you rooting for?

WriteOnCon: Humor, Drama, and Pies

Some of you may have seen us tweeting and discussing an amazing online writer's conference that's taking place right now, called WriteOnCon. What you may not realize is that even though this is a conference by industry pros and geared toward YA writers, a lot of our favorite authors are contributing really insightful posts. Since the conference is free and open to all, we thought you might want to know about a few of the highlights involving some of our favorite authors.

Rachel Hawkins, author of Hex Hall, wrote a brilliant post about using humor in a novel (and how the humor in Hex Hall took her by surprise.) You can find the post here: http://writeoncon.com/2010/08/bringing-the-funny-by-author-rachel-hawkins/

Rosemary Clement-Moore, author of the Maggie Quinn: Girl vs. Evil series, posted a very funny vlog about understanding character reactions. The fact that she did it with pie is what makes it so entertaining. Even if you're not a writer, you should totally check it out. (Also? Mmmm.... Pie....) You can find it posted here: http://writeoncon.com/2010/08/pie-in-the-face-how-characters-react-to-situations-by-author-rosemary-clement-moore/

Now, I admit that I'm a little biased because I have GIANT girl-crushes on both of these lovely ladies, but I think you'll agree with me. Even if you aren't a writer, be sure to check out the other posts and events on WriteOnCon.

As Stacie and I were watching a webcast from the conference last night, she messaged me and said: "This is such geek porn to me." Yup. It really is that awesome.

Lazy Book Club for August: Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Hello everyone! Summer if FINALLY winding down, which means that busy blogging moms (aka US) will soon get some of our precious free time back! It also explains why we're later than usual with the LBC pick, but you know us, we're whimsical. *winks*

This month's book is Graceling by Kristin Cashore. Stacie and I have both read this book and were intrigued by the very different reactions we had to it. We both loved it, but we felt very differently about some of the characters are really looking forward to finding out what y'all think!

You can find Stacie's original rec of the book here.
You can find the author's website here.

As usual, click the link on the sidebar to comment or click the box below.

Happy reading!!

Lazy Book Club: Shiver and Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

It's TIME! We're discussing The LBC Books for July: Shiver and Linger by Maggie Stiefvater! Here goes the usual warning: SPOILERS ABOUND! We're DISCUSSING the books which includes plot points and characters. Don't read THIS if you haven't read the books!

One of the first things that you notice about Shiver and Linger is Maggie’s writing. It’s lush and lyrical. I think if she lived ages ago she would’ve been a bard or poet. It makes something fantastic, like a story of werewolves, feel like a youthful romance instead of a gothic horror. I think it takes an incredible amount of talent to do that. If I read something supernatural, I’m usually reading it FOR the supernatural aspect, but in Shiver (and Linger), I’m reading FOR Grace and Sam. The fact that Sam is a werewolf is secondary.

I couldn’t agree more. Her writing scenes memorable because they are so lush and lyrical, as you say. For example, on Shiver, Ani said, “I liked that they had "grown up" together and the inexplicable bond they had, even though one was in wolf form for the majority of their time together." I think Maggie’s writing style made this work. Grace’s fascination with the wolves, Sam (as a wolf) always watching, and the scene where Grace and Sam first make contact in the woods behind Grace’s house. They were made all the stronger because of the way Maggie wrote these scenes. I said before that I could almost feel Grace’s hands buried in Sam’s fur (when he first allows her to touch him). That remains one of my favorite moments of the series.

Right. The way she interwove scenes and memories together to illustrate shared experiences was wonderful.

Which leads us to one of Maggie’s true talents - Character Voices. In Shiver, Sam’s voice and Grace’s voice are distinct but fit together perfectly. You feel them falling in love, but with the history behind it for them both. And then we get to Linger and I’m just blown away. We have Grace’s POV, Sam’s POV, and then we get Isabel and Cole’s point’s of view. What I love is that they’re so very different from one another, but it never once feels unnatural. It doesn’t feel like some woman in Virginia is trying to sound like a brooding rock star. It sounds like a wounded boy thrust into a rock lifestyle. I’m amazed. And Cole... Oh, Cole.

One of our readers summed it up: “In Linger, we meet Cole, who is seriously an amazing character from start to finish. His relationships with Isabel and Sam are really well drawn and amazing. We see more of Isabel, who is a fantastic character in her own right.”

Which is true. You want to hate Cole because Sam doesn’t trust him. But then you get to understand him and you realize you can’t hate him. And Isabel is so hard and focused, but we see why and so we understand her a little, too.

I feel the same way. At first I was a little hesitant about hearing the other voices, because I wasn’t ready for it and I wanted to get back to Sam and Grace. I remember thinking, “Who is this Cole? I don’t want to know him!” (Okay, yes, I was pouting a bit.) But, I got over it pretty quickly once I started to get into the other characters. And it was easy to “get into” the characters because, as you say, Maggie is so brilliant with switching voice.

Our reader Tiffany agreed with you: “I didn't think that I would like the new character insights, but I did. Cole was a fun addition. :) I was torn between liking him and hating him, but in the end....he was leaning towards the good guy ;) so what's not to like? :) I actually enjoyed Isabel's perspective too. She added some nice sass to the book.”

I think one of the neatest things about these alternating POVs was the ability to see how a character viewed themselves and then contrast it to how others saw them. Isabel and Cole’s perceptions of Grace and Sam’s relationship struck me in particular. Like this quote:

"Sam came over behind Grace's chair and slid a hand onto her neck. It was a simple gesture that didn't say possession so much as connection. Isabel's eyes were on that hand, the same way I guess mine were." - Cole, Linger, p. 332

I feel like the alternate POVs actually added quite a bit to our insight on Grace and Sam. The book would’ve been less without them.

Oh that's a good point! It does make their relationship seems so much stronger in light of how it is seen from the outside. Except as it is seen by Grace's parents in Linger. I'm surprised that none of our readers brought up their sudden interest in actually being parents.



I don’t know what to say about Grace’s parents. That I hate them? That they’re terrible people who probably never should’ve had a kid, but that I’m glad they did since I like Grace? Sadly, I don’t think they’re that far off the mark for a lot of parents of teens today. I’m sure there are lots of kids who can identify with feeling abandoned emotionally because their parents are too busy to participate in their lives.

I was surprised at how ANGRY I was at them. Honestly, it was like being a teen all over again. I was also proud (and maybe did a few fist-pumps) when Grace finally stood up to them. It never did sink it with them, which was unfortunate, but it made me somewhat happier that Grace finally expressed how she’s been feeling all these years. In Shiver you see her try to pretend their neglect doesn’t affect her, but in Linger we see that it does (especially in comparison with their sudden “interest” in her life) and she finally finds her voice to tell them so.

I think the biggest bombshell in Linger wasn’t much of a bombshell at all. We all saw it coming, and that’s not really a bad thing, but the way it took place made it feel clinical for me.

One of our readers agreed: “But the flip of Grace becoming a wolf was a little predictable. We see it coming from the first book, and I kept hoping she'd surprise me and not do it. I also felt a lot of the plot elements were convenient, like Cole being a super genius, or just unbelievable, like Grace not telling anyone she was sick or Sam not noticing the fever earlier when he was cuddling up with her nightly.

The focus on the science of the changes strips away some of the magic we felt, like when Sam took Grace to the golden clearing, or the idea that they could communicate through thoughts, even when Grace was human.”

Now, I don’t mind Grace’s transformation. Like I said, you could feel it coming from the start. But the science of it makes it seem less special, somehow. I’m torn because of course I want Grace and Sam to live happily ever after. But making werewolf-ism a disease is kind of like scientifically explaining why Santa isn’t real halfway through Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. It just feels out of place with the magic that permeated Mercy Falls in Shiver. I was left feeling sad and missing that mystical element.

In terms of Grace becoming a wolf, I felt sad, but only because of Sam being left behind. I was actually happy for Grace in a way.

But I differ with you and our reader on the point of magic vs. science. I kind of like how science/logic stand in contrast with the magical, as well as with the lyrical quality of Maggie’s writing in these books. Linger, especially, seemed just so rational at points. Whereas the whole feel of the book is decidedly not rational.

I understand that, and I didn’t dislike it as much as the reader did, but I still can’t help but feel that there are some things that I don’t want a rational explanation for.




Ah - interesting. But at the same time, you WANT the cure, right? You WANT Sam and Grace to be together - human together. So, it's a conflict.





But if becoming a werewolf is magic then there’d be a magical way out of it. Can’t I have both?





Not in these books. *grins* Or at least not yet. Maybe Maggie has magic in store for Forever?

What about you all? We'd love to hear your thoughts on Shiver, Linger, and what you think might happen in Forever. Do you think magic or science will prevail? Will Grace and Sam end up together somehow? (Please say yes.)

Paint It (anything but) Black

Hello readers! We thought we'd start occasionally talking about how a book LOOKS, not just how it READS. Because, honestly, we all DO sometimes judge a book by it's cover. So, today, we're tackling the Red, White, and Black elephant in the room: the Twilight-inspired trend in book covers. I just feel like they're all out of some wanna-be-1950's Diner.



Ah, the "Paint It Black (and Red and White.)" Twilight started the trend but please, oh please, can it stop now? I mean, it's all fine and great but do you have to recover the classics in this style?

Photo credit: www.truetwilight.com

Oh, that reissue cover made me throw up in my mouth a little. I'm torn between thinking "Well, maybe now some teens may discover a classic..." and thinking "What the hell ever, I 'discovered' that classic on my own WITHOUT Bella and Edward mucking it up!" I wonder how many teens WON'T read it now, simply because of it's association with Twilight? I know for a fact that I avoid anything with the big "Oprah's Book Club!" sticker simply because I feel like it's being shoved at me.

Ah, *happy sigh* now ::THIS:: this is the Wuthering Heights version, I prefer. Sorry Edward and Bella and thank you, anthropologie:

Ooooh - pretty! I would read that again, just for the cover! (Even though I truly detest WH. Yeah, I said it.) And why does everything on the anthropologie site make we want to whip out the credit cards? *smacks own hand*





I think the What's-Black-and-White-and-Red all over re-issues of classics are the ones that drive me crazy. Imagine the shock of someone opening up Pride and Prejudice and realizing Mr. Darcy is not a vampire?!? Oh wait, there is that book -- Mr. Darcy, Vampire. When will the Twi-comparisons end so we can move on gracefully???


Uh, I'm pretty sure gracefully was a few reprints ago. How about just moving on?





There are SO many books out there that are using that color scheme and I always sigh and think, "Original much?" I actually pass books up sometimes that have covers in that style.





Well, just browse Amazon or Barnes and Noble's "New and Noteable" Teen Reads sections and you'll come up with a ton of books that fit this subject. See? I even screencapped it! That doesn't mean I don't love, or WOULDN'T love, these books. It's just that it's getting hard to tell them all apart.



The other day I couldn't find a book in my bookcases. Don't laugh! My bookcases are black and so are most of my book spines. I have them categorized in my own haphazard Dewey Decimal way -- no, there's not a shelf for Hot Boys with Swords, not yet -- but it took a while to find the book. I'd love to sort my books by color like in the anthropologie catalogue but, yeah, black would dominate. Hey, publishers, can we "paint with all the colors of the wind"? Please?

Oooh! Do you categorize them based on supernatural creatures too? What? I do!

I think this whole cover controversy is why I was so excited to get Linger. I could have ordered the iBook (as I am now loving reading books on my iPad), but I just HAD to have Linger's amazing cover in my hands. And green font? Hello, beautiful. I think all the books (so far) in the Shiver series are amazing in their simplicity. They are so far from the red/black/white, and that makes them all the more attractive. That being said, the Italian cover of Shiver did not stray from that theme. And neither did the UK - for both Shiver and Linger. This time, I think the US version is by far the best.

Well, I think there's this trend right now towards minimalist covers, as well. Some people seem to equate that with the Red/White/Black theme, but the US Shiver/Linger covers illustrate a way to do minimalist but still stand out.

I agree. *frowns at UK Linger/Shiver covers*

*hugs her green-covered-Linger close* So, readers, what do you think? Are you over the Red-White-Black-Minimalist covers, or do you think we're being nitpick-y? Let us know!

Reading Rain-bow: The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

You all know I'm a big fan of the Percy Jackson series, yes? (If not, go here for the rec!) I finished the last book while en route to Africa, and it was a perfect ending to the series - loved it. I also watched the movie ("The Lightning Thief") on the plane - and loved that too!

Okay, moving on to today's topic... Since I enjoyed the Percy Jackson series so much, I thought I'd give Rick Riordan's new book The Red Pyramid a try.




Synopsis from Goodreads:

Since their mother’s death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane.

One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives.

Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them--Set--has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe--a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family, and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs

Just like with the Percy Jackson series, The Red Pyramid (or the Kane Series) is rooted in mythology. But, this time it's Egyptian mythology - which was great fun for me, as I'm kind of clueless when it comes to that. (I should mention that I've read a goodreads review that goes OFF on Riordan's lack of knowledge on Egyptian Mythology, so perhaps don't take the book too seriously.)

I loved the characters in this book. Sadie and Carter, who alternately tell the story, are siblings who don't know each other all that well. In fact, they don't even look like siblings. One of my favorite things about this book is that the main characters are from a mixed-race background. Their mom was white, their dad black. Carter looks like his dad, and Sadie her mom. (And here is where I get a little self-indulgent...) Having kids who look nothing like me (and I often get questioned whether I'm their 'real' mom), I loved reading about a family facing the same kinds of issues. I think Riordan did an excellent job. Also, YAY! for a minority main character in a YA book! Leigh and I often discuss that there are not many, and why... oh, but that's a whole other post.

Okay, back to why I love the characters. Sadie is a total smart-ass and she made me giggle throughout. Her brother is much more serious and reserved, but he begins to loosen up as the book progresses. I like how this book is just as much about their relationship as it is about the action. Seeing the two of them learn from each other, and about one another was a high point for me.

And, the action. Riordan knows how to write action scenes. I love LOVE the crazy creatures, the new and amazing abilities Carter and Sadie have, the scary villains, and the drama. Just like the Percy Jackson series, this book was FUN. I laughed, even cried a little. It's a great summer book! Have you read it yet? Are you planning on it? Let me know what you think!

P.S. I also want to give a shout-out to our friends over at Mystical Lit Lounge! I won one of their fun contests recently and they sent me a big old box of great stuff - including an Eclipse poster. I'm already thinking of creative ways to use it for the Eclipse DVD Release Party. Pin-the-Wig-on-the-Bella perhaps? Thanks ladies!!

Reading Rain-bow: Impossible by Nancy Werlin

Okay, I'm excited about this book. Maybe because I just (just) finished it. Or maybe because I finished it in one day. Yes, even with a new baby and a three year old, I finished Impossible by Nancy Werlin in ONE DAY.






Synopsis:

Inspired by the ballad "Scarborough Fair," this riveting novel combines suspense, fantasy, and romance for an intensely page-turning and masterfully original tale. Lucy is seventeen when she discovers that the women of her family have been cursed through the generations, forced to attempt three seemingly impossible tasks or to fall into madness upon their child's birth. But Lucy is the first girl who won't be alone as she tackles the list. She has her fiercely protective foster parents and her childhood friend Zach beside her. Do they have love and strength enough to overcome an age-old evil?

For me, this was one of those suck-you-in books, but it didn't happen right away. I really wasn't even aware it was happening until I realized I had read 200 pages in the span of 12 hours (which included 6 hours of interrupted sleep), which is not normal behavior as of late. What I loved about it was the mystery of it all. From the prologue, the reader has a basic idea of what is going on before the main characters do, but it doesn't give too much away, so I was desperate to find out more. I found myself racing through to find out whether or not the tasks could be completed, and if Lucy would succeed.

The other thing I liked about this book is how it never strayed from the real world. I know I normally love being sucked into faery-land, but I liked how this book stayed grounded in the real world, while dealing with the Other Weird Things. That being said, I would have loved to hear more from the evil Elfin Knight. The few glimpses we get into his mind are fascinating and it would have been fun to see more of that, because we all love a good villain.

One of the unique things about this book is that it is based on the ballad "Scarborough Fair." Not exactly Simon & Garfunkel's version, but the Scottish ballad traced back to 1670. For you folklore lovers out there (and I'm totally a folklore nerd), this will only make the book that much more interesting. And real.

And the characters! I loved Lucy, although not so much in the beginning. I mean, braids on prom night? With high-top sneakers? But, it was after the tragic turn of events that occurred on prom night that I began to love her. She is forced to grow up much too quickly and take responsibility for her own future, as dire as it seems. She does this with a strength and tenacity that is admirable and beautiful to watch. And then there's Zach. Sweet, adoring, strong Zach. There's a love story mixed in here, and while I'm not going to give away how or why it comes about, I will say that I was moved by it (even the sappy moments).

I had not heard of this book before I randomly picked it up, and I'm wondering how I missed it until now. I definitely recommend reading it - and let me know what you think!