Title: The Unwritten Rule

Author: Elizabeth Scott

Genre: YA / Romance

Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: March 17 2010
Hardcover: 224 pages

Stand alone or series: Stand alone

Everyone knows the unwritten rule: You don’t like you best friend’s boyfriend.

Sarah has had a crush on Ryan for years. He’s easy to talk to, supersmart, and totally gets her. Lately it even seems like he’s paying extra attention to her. Everything would be perfect except for two things: Ryan is Brianna’s boyfriend, and Brianna is Sarah’s best friend.

Sarah forces herself to avoid Ryan and tries to convince herself not to like him. She feels so guilty for wanting him, and the last thing she wants is to hurt her best friend. But when she’s thrown together with Ryan one night, something happens. It’s wonderful…and awful.

Sarah is torn apart by guilt, but what she feels is nothing short of addiction, and she can’t stop herself from wanting more…

Why did I read the book: I have seen great reviews of Elizabeth Scott’s books and I thought this was a good place to start to reading her books.

How did I get the book: I requested a review copy from the publisher.

Review: (Warning: a few spoilers)

“There are a million rules for being a girl. There are a million things you have to do to get through each day. High school has things that can trip you up, ruin you, people smile and say one thing and mean another, and you have to know all the rules, you have to know what you can and can’t do. And one of them is this: You don’t kiss your best friend’s boyfriend. You don’t do it once. You certainly don’t do it twice.”

The unwritten rule: you don’t fall for your best friend’s boyfriend. Even if you liked him first. Even if you have liked him for years. Even if he likes you back. Except that we are all human beings and therefore flawed and there are some things that one simply cannot avoid: like irrevocably being in love with your best friend’s boyfriend.

A simple love story complicated by unfortunate circumstances: Sarah has loved Ryan forever but never acted on it for a series of reasons. But now, he is dating her best friend Brianna and being that much closer to him is making things even worse. It does not help that things don’t seem to be working that well between Ryan and Brianna and that Ryan and Sarah have so many things in common. And then one night, they kiss. And oh boy, it is everything she always wanted and more but what about Brianna, her best friend since kindergarten? She seems to love Ryan too – what can Sarah do?

I read The Unwritten Rule in one sitting and thought it was lovely although not without its problems. On the positive side, Sarah is a relatable character with a quirky voice, real emotions including the love for her cool parents, her love for art which she shared with Ryan and her friendship with Brianna which is a mixture of co-dependency and love. And Ryan is an absolutely a-do-ra-ble dork who so obviously liked Sarah as well.

On the not so positive side, even though the book is on the short side with just over 200 pages, there was still a feeling that the story was being unnecessarily dragged. As much as I had sympathy for Sarah and Ryan’ plight (if we can be so dramatic) and I felt the author did really get the psychological aspects to leap from the pages (I felt Sarah’s guilt as much as I felt her need to be with Ryan and his to be with her, you just can’t help but to root for the two of them) , it was also very clear that all was a matter of a simple conversation to be had. It was very, very frustrating to see that Ryan was so obviously not interested in Brianna at all and yet, why was he with her in the first place? It just didn’t compute with the fact that he was clearly a nice guy.

One of the most interesting things about the novel is how it is narrated by Sarah (first person, present tense with a few flashbacks) and how her narrative is tempered by her own view of things which are so evidently biased: not only by her own self esteem issues but also by her love for Brianna. For the reader though, who is not biased, and can see the other characters for who they really are, Sarah’s emotional journey is undermined by the fact that the reader absolutely knows where it is leading. And that is the greatest shortcoming of the novel: Sarah might have been blind to Brianna’s manipulative ways but the reader is not; and that removes from the equation what could have been the novel greatest strength: a true sense of friendship and guilt. Because the author takes the easy way out, by making Brianna the friend who is not really the good friend, therefore making it easier for the reader to side with Sarah and for Sarah to make a stand. Had it not been that way, the book might have been a great book, a fantastic book, with a real earth-shattering ending for all involved including the reader. As it stands it is a great coming of age for Sarah because Sarah does go through all the uncertainty of not knowing, of having to make a choice, of knowing that what she feels is both wrong and right but in the end I was left disappointed and with a sour taste in my mouth. At the beginning of the novel Sarah makes an astute observation that the sidekick best friend is always referred to in movies and novels as the loser or the funny friend. It is ironic how in the end the roles were reversed and the other best friend ended up with the role of the Bitch so that the sidekick could come up on top. Surely, we can have two good girls in one book, none of them stereotypes, both deserving happiness?

Rant aside, overall I actually enjoyed the novel, the chemistry between Ryan and Sarah and I thought the writing was first rate:

“Thanks,” I said, although I’m betting it sounded more like “Geratyuhrh,” and then I reached for the book and he gave it to me, his hands touching mine for a moment.
And then he said, “Sarah,” and touched my hand again. I looked down. My fingers were spotted with the dark green my father had wanted the garage painted, and his hands were spotted too, white and yellow, and the book slid to the floor as he did more than touch my hand. He held it, he slid his fingers into mine.
Our palms pressed together, and all I could think of was a line I’d read somewhere, about palms pressed together like a kiss, and he was still looking at me and then we were standing up, still holding hands, and he was close, so close and he was leaning in and I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, could only watch and wait, hoping and breathless as he moved close and closer and –

I definitely want to read more by Elizabeth Scott.

Notable Quotes/ Parts:

I am caught in a huge tangle I don’t know how to get out of. I want Ryan, but I don’t want to lose Brianna.

I open the door. Maybe it really can all work out. People have been to the moon and cured diseases and found ways to inject cream into snack cakes.

But that stuff doesn’t involve love. Or how you have to open the door to your crying best friend and know that you love her, you want to be there for her – but that you’ve done something that would make her cry too.

Additional Thoughts: Elizabeth Scott seems to have an interesting backlist – a mixture of light romance novels and more hardcore dramatic ones:

Everyone thinks their parents are embarrassing, but Hannah knows she’s got them all beat. Her dad made a fortune showing pretty girls–and his “party” lifestyle–all over the Internet, and her mom, who was once one of her dad’s girlfriends, is now the star of her own website. After getting the wrong kind of attention for far too long, Hannah has learned how to stay out of sight…and that’s how she likes it.

Of course, being unknown isn’t helping her get noticed by gorgeous, confident Josh, who Hannah knows is her soul mate. Between trying to figure out a way to get him to notice her, dealing with her parents, and wondering why she can’t stop thinking about another guy, Finn, Hannah feels like she’s going crazy. She’s determined to make things work out the way she wants….only what she wants may not be what she needs.

Lauren has a good life: decent grades, great friends, and a boyfriend every girl wants. So why is she so unhappy?

It takes the arrival of Evan Kirkland for Lauren to figure out the answer: she’s been holding back. She’s been denying herself a bunch of things (like sex) because staying with her loyal and gorgeous boyfriend, Dave, is the “right” thing to do. After all, who would give up the perfect guy?

But as Dave starts talking more and more about their life together, planning a future Lauren simply can’t see herself in– and as Lauren’s craving for Evan, and moreover, who she is with Evan becomes all the more fierce–Lauren realizes she needs to make a choice…before one is made for her.

Have you read any of Elizabeth Scott’s books? Do you like them? Which should I read next?

Verdict: This book has some lovely writing and a sympathetic protagonist and a couple with real chemistry to root for. It is a shame that the tension of the main plot is moot and undermined by a cop-out.

Rating: 6 – Good

Reading Next: Scarlett Fever by Maureen Johnson

Title: The Difference Engine

Author: William Gibson and Bruce Sterling

Genre: Science Fiction / Steampunk

Publisher: Spectra (US) / Gollancz (UK)
Publication Date: 1992 / 1996 (First published: 1990)
Paperback: 448 pages / 384 pages

The computer age has arrived a century ahead of time with Charles Babbage’s perfection of his Analytical Engine. The Industrial Revolution, supercharged by the development of steam-driven cybernetic Engines, is in full and drastic swing. Great Britain, with her calculating-cannons, steam dreamnoughts, machine-guns and information technology, prepares to better the world’s lot . . .

Stand alone or series: Stand alone

Why did I read the book: It appears in every single Steampunk Essentials lists and one of the best examples of Steampunk. I just had to read it.

How did I get the book: Bought

Review:

The Difference Engine seems to be universally praised as one of the core Steampunk titles and it makes pretty much every single list I came across whilst reading about the genre in preparation for this week. Since this is hailed as required reading for anyone interested in Steampunk, I obediently added it to my reading list.

Thus, here I stand after reading a seminal work of Steampunk, completely conflicted about the novel.

The novel is set in 1855 but an alternate 1855 where British inventor Charles Babbage actually succeeded with his idea of a Difference Engine – an early computer. This alternate world is mostly a consequence of this invention with all of its political, economical and sociological implications and the authors use real life figures as well as literary characters to inhabit their world and to live their story. Thus, Britain is a much more powerful potency who is at peace with France (and Manhattan is a communist island led by Karl Marx) ; Lord Byron (perhaps the alternate bit that was harder for me to believe in) is the Prime Minister of an England led by the Radical Party (or Rads) , with computers being mass-produced and there are even hackers or “clankers” in this world.

But this is only the setting and it is obliquely referred to in the course of the novel. There is hardly any info dump about what happened before 1855 and how things came to be – the reader must catch up as the story proceeds. And no, the book is not about the Difference Engine per se – at all.

Centre stage is a story divided in three parts with three main characters: Sybil Gerard, a prostitute and daughter of an infamous Lud leader ; Edward Mallory, a “savant” , a palaeontologist; and Laurence Oliphant, travel writer to cover his work as spy – the three of them are linked by a set of computer Punch Cards which change hands throughout the book and almost makes it a mystery novel – what are they? What are they for? Who do they really belong to?

Almost because, it is clear that the punch cards are not the point of the novel – just like the Difference Engine.

Rather, the novel it is a tour de force about the possible consequences of engine’s creation and as such it is an interesting, even fascinating read. However, this is mostly done subtly in the background, submerged in threads, in the recounting of the day-to-day life as the characters walk around sometimes talking to themselves as the narrator describes their surroundings. Mallory, for example who often muses about how the dinosaurs were extinct , but also about his role in dealing with political problems in America and his economical situation. He is caught in the middle of the overarching plot that brings together everything in the book, including the Great Stink and the last of Luddites rebels resurfacing in London but perhaps not as tightly as many would certainly prefer.

My conflict about the novel stems from two points. One, the fact that if one goes into the book blind, ie without any knowledge about its setting or any historical knowledge about England and France circa 19th century chances are, one will be inevitably lost or reaching for Wikipedia every two pages or so (as was my case).

The second point is that even though, intellectually I can certainly appreciate the genius of the idea and the premise, as well as the mind-blowing effort of bringing together that many characters and events together in an interesting and certainly fascinating manner, I will just be honest and admit that I was bored out of my mind for most part of novel and I had zero emotional connection with any of the characters. The most interesting ones were Sybil and Oliphant and their chapters were the best ones, however they were also, the shortest part of the novel and the Mallory chapters dragged and dragged and dragged. I never read anything else by either author but I am almost sure that one wrote the Sybil/Oliphant parts and the other wrote the Mallory one – I just can’t pinpoint which.

To conclude, I am happy to have read the novel, I think it was a worthwhile experience which I hope never to experience again. Even if the ending was superb : a one letter word. One word and I was like, OMFG, genius. But then I remembered the Mallory parts.

BUT IS IT STEAMPUNK? Oh yes. It is the most quintessential Steampunk I read this week. It is the perfect balance of all its classic elements, but is not an easy ride.

Notable Quotes/ Parts: The moment it really hit home to me, that this was indeed an alternate history more than anything else in the book:

Up Knightsbridge and past Hyde Park Corner to the Napoleon Arch, a gift from Louis Napoleon to commemorate the Anglo-French Entente.

The fact that there the famous Wellington Arch is NOT there because Wellington was considered a tyrant in this England made me jump out of my pants.

Additional Thoughts: It is impossible to read this book without checking some facts online – at least it was for me. The most fascinating of those to me: the computer punch cards that were mentioned several times.

According to Wikipedia, punched cards

is a piece of stiff paper that contains digital information represented by the presence or absence of holes in predefined positions. Now almost an obsolete recording medium, punched cards were widely used throughout the 19th century for controlling textile looms and in the late 19th and early 20th century for operating fairground organs and related instruments. They were used through the 20th century in unit record machines for input, processing, and data storage. Early digital computers used punched cards as the primary medium for input of both computer programs and data, with offline data entry on key punch machines

But that is not what makes it fascinating to me. It is the process of discovery.

For example: Joseph Marie Jacquard invented the Jacquard Loom. This loom is controlled by those punched cards with punched holes , each row corresponding to a row in the design – this simplifies the process of manufacturing textiles.

Now, here is the deal:

The Jacquard loom was the first machine to use punch cards to control a sequence of operations. Although it did no computation based on them, it is considered an important step in the history of computing hardware. The ability to change the pattern of the loom’s weave by simply changing cards was an important conceptual precursor to the development of computer programming. Specifically, Charles Babbage planned to use cards to store programs in his Analytical engine.

How amazing. Don’t you just love science?

Verdict: This epitome of Steampunk is a difficult read with some very rewarding parts if you stick to it – I recommend it – with reservations – for fans of the genre.

Rating: /strong> This is a most difficult question. I will have to be conflicted about this as well.

8 – Excellent : For its undeniable contribution to the genre and the sheer genius of the Big Idea behind it. The plotting and the amount of history that goes into this is mind-blowing.

6 – Good : Because in spite of all the above, the book can drag and only a couple of the characters are really minimally interesting and moving (although one can argue that this is not a book about characters – to which I will reply, ergo why I didn’t really care for it) .

Reading next: Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

Title: The Bride and the Buccaneer

Author: Darlene Marshall

Genre: Romance, Historical

Publisher: Amber Quill Press
Publication Date: December 2009
Paperback : 254 pages

‘Lucky Jack’ Burrell’s quest for revenge against Sophia Deford will have to wait until he discharges a debt. He has to help her find the fabled pirate treasure Garvey’s Gold, then he can wring her dainty neck. Sophia has no intention of sharing anything with anyone. She will have all of Garvey’s Gold, no matter how much Jack’s lean-muscled body makes her want to get to know him just a little bit better before she gets rid of him. As the two adversaries squabble their way across Territorial Florida following the clues on their treasure map, they know that before they’re through they’re either going to kiss each other, kill each other, or both…

Stand alone or series: Stand alone novel

How did I get this book: Review Copy from the author

Why did I read this book: When the author offered me a copy of the book, I read an excerpt and I liked what I read so I said yes. Plus, I like High Seas adventures.

Review:

It’s been quite a while since I read a Historical Romance ( a few months actually) and The Bride and the Buccaneer was a good reminder of the things I love about the genre -the emotional punches and the character-driven stories- whilst at the same time cementing in my mind, in a very broad, sweeping generalisation, what I see as its weaknesses: the less than careful attention to some details and the reliance on contrivances and coincidences to further the plot.

It begins a few years in the past when Jack Burrell after losing some money to a Lord Whitfield decides to recuperate his losses by robbing his carriage and stealing his gold. He also happens to kidnap the man’s ward, Sophie Deford as a means to prevent being followed, a girl he thinks is a timid young lady. What he did not know is that Sophie is anything from timid and finds this is the perfect opportunity to get away from her lecherous guardian. She proceeds to dupe Jack, rob him of his gold and his clothes, leaving him tied and naked in a cave, fleeing with the money to open her own business.

Cue to five years later. A Captain friend of hers is about to leave on a journey and before he does, he leaves a letter on her hands to be delivered to, you guessed right, Jack (whom at that point, Sophie did not know was her highwayman) in Florida along with instructions to find a long lost pirate’s treasure in case something happens to him in this journey. Before I even have time to blink, the man is dead, Sophie cries for about one paragraph, then embarks to Florida. Just like that. Then, her ship is stopped by a privateer’s ship, captained by the …very same Jack Burrell, the man she met so many years ago, and the man she is actually looking for! Oh my, what are the odds? (One in a trillion?).

The overwhelming rapidity in which this all happens is mind-blowing. It felt as though the author wanted to get the pesky business of setting the plot in motion out of the way quickly, in order to get going. And for that it didn’t matter how it was done. In all honesty, I had to make myself to keep reading at this point but I am glad I did because once thing did get going, it cannot be denied that there was much fun to be had with the romance between Jack and Sophie.

Working together to find the treasure, disliking each other to begin with (well, given their past, given Sophie’s need not to be attached to anyone) and then falling in love, bickering all the way through.

Regardless of how things were engendered, the characterisation was pretty strong. Jack was a genuinely nice man, who loves his life a privateer and the one who falls in love first (one of my favorites tropes, by the way). Sophie, meanwhile is the hardened one who needs to be convinced to open up for an emotional connection. She is no silly girl, she is sexually aware and an overall strong female character and I liked her very much.

With regards to the setting: I don’t think I ever read a book set in early 19th century Florida and that was pretty interesting. Although, it called for some serious suspicion of disbelief when they went traipsing into the wild countryside and did not meet any really dangerous situation. I am no expert but really? Nothing? Fauna, flora, or Human? Nada? Instead, they happen to meet a friend who happened to be hiding in the same side of the woods. Okay.

Overall I did enjoy the book, and I finished it with a silly smile after the decidedly wonderful last lines of dialogue.

Notable Quotes/Parts: From the excerpt:

Off the coast of Spanish Florida–1817

He held her gaze a moment longer, then his lips curled up. The smile made Sophia want to take a step back – all the way back to England – but she held her ground and donned the face that saw her through many a late-night game of cards.

“John Burrell, I presume? I have a letter for you.”

“What?”

“If you are John Burrell of St. Augustine, East Florida, I have a letter for you from England,” she repeated, speaking slowly and distinctly. “It is with my belongings, and I will fetch it.”

He stared at her, and she could see a host of expression in his green-tinged eye, none of it boding well for her.

“A letter,” he said softly. “You have a letter for me you have brought all the way from England. Do you know, Miss Deford, in all the many daydreams I had over what I would do to you if we ever met again, your acting as postmistress did not enter into a single scenario? But that is neither here nor there. Right now, I have a ship to plunder.”

“When you see the contents of your letter, you may feel more pleased about seeing me again,” Sophia brazened out.

“I doubt that. I doubt that very much, Miss Deford.”

“Crawford!” He called to a passing pirate. “Keep this woman under guard until I can deal with her. Do not let her out of your sight.”

The sailor looked startled by these orders, but only said, “Aye, sir,” and took up a stance next to Sophia as Burrell stalked off. When she started slipping closer to the passageway, Crawford said, “Please don’t do that, miss. I don’t want to hurt you, but I have my orders.” He looked regretful, but he also looked as if he was willing to do whatever he was ordered to, and Sophia stood still. The sun beat down on her, exposed on the deck, as she watched the busy activity of the ship’s cargo being stolen.

“May I at least go stand in the shade while your captain decides my fate? ”

Crawford nodded, and took her arm to lead her over to a coiled cable shaded by an awning where she sat down to watch the activity unfolding around her.

The privateers attached bumpers to their ship and brought the Jade alongside the Primrose, and Burrell and his crew removed boxes, crates, and parcels with the efficiency of men who had done this task many times in the past. The last item to be brought above was a strongbox from Captain Starke’s quarters, but when Starke protested, Jack Burrell only looked at him and said, “You have some of your cargo, Starke, and a ship. Do not push your luck.”

Starke’s protests subsided, but he still looked unhappy.

“There is one more piece of unfinished business I have to deal with, Captain Starke,” Burrell said. He walked over to Sophia and leaning down, took her by the arm, pulling her to her feet. “Let us fetch this mysterious letter, Miss Deford.”

“Here now,” Starke protested. “Unhand that lady, Burrell!”

“This lady is an old acquaintance of mine, Captain Starke,” Jack said, not taking his eye off of Sophia while he spoke.

Captain Starke started to protest again, but Sophia put her hand out.

“Let me go with him, Captain Starke. Burrell. . .”

“Captain. Burrell.”

Sophia looked at the pirate and then back at Captain Starke.

“Captain Burrell and I do know each other, Captain Starke. And as he says, we have unfinished business.”

Burrell manacled his hand around her upper arm and pulled her alongside him, but preceded her down the ladder to the lower decks.

Sophia wished her ankles weren’t on display before the pirate as she climbed down herself, but there was nothing for it. He waited at the bottom of the ladder, watching her.

And there was no patch over what appeared to be a perfectly fine eye.

“What happened to your eye?”

“My eye is none of your concern. Which cabin is yours?”

Sophia led him to her cabin and he followed her in, ducking his head beneath a deck that gave her plenty of clearance, but left him close to stooping.

“Where is this letter, Miss Deford?”

Sophia thought of stalling, but did not think it would accomplish much. She went to her small trunk, the one with her personal items, and under his watchful eye pulled out a document sealed with red wax. On its face was the same bold, black handwriting that covered her letter from Erasmus Tanner.

Burrell broke the seal, read the letter, ground out a string of words that would have earned him a clap on both ears from Annie Johnson, and then looked at Sophia.

“Give me the document Captain Tanner gave you, and I will let you go unharmed.”

Sophia took a deep breath. Now was the point where she leapt into the unknown.

“I cannot do that. You can meet with me in Florida and we will talk there.”

In a move so fast Sophia barely saw the gleam of metal, a knife whizzed past her ear and thudded into the bulkhead behind her. She locked her knees and hoped he was not carrying another knife.

Verdict: Despite some flaws, plot-wise, the romance is genuine and warm and the characters are interesting.

Rating: 6 – Good

Reading Next: My Soul To Save by Rachel Vincent

Title: Impact

Author: Douglas Preston

Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller

Publisher: Forge
Publication Date: January 2010
Hardcover: 368 pages

Wyman Ford is tapped for a secret expedition to Cambodia… to locate the source of strangely beautiful gemstones that do not appear to be of this world.

A brilliant meteor lights up the Maine coast… and two young women borrow a boat and set out for a distant island to find the impact crater.

A scientist at the National Propulsion Facility discovers an inexplicable source of gamma rays in the outer Solar System. He is found decapitated, the data missing.

High resolution NASA images reveal an unnatural feature hidden in the depths of a crater on Mars… and it appears to have been activated.

Sixty hours and counting.

Stand alone or series: Stand alone novel (although a protagonist from this novel has been seen in a prior Douglas Preston novel)

How did I get this book: Review Copy from the publisher

Why did I read this book: I’m sticking to my vow to read more of different genres, and this sci-fi thriller was a good way to continue fulfilling that resolution. It’s a pre-apocalyptic type story about some crazyass gamma rays being beamed at Earth. How could I NOT be excited about this book?

Review:

One starry night in a small Maine fishing town, a meteorite races across the dark sky in a brilliant streak. The newspapers theorize that the meteorite hit somewhere in the Atlantic, and while a physically stunning event, is nothing more than another mundane space rock falling to earth. Abbey Straw, an intelligent, enterprising young woman, however, has other ideas. Out photographing the Andromeda Galaxy with her new Celestron six-inch Cassegrain telescope, she captures the meteroite on film – and using that image, she extrapolates the meteroite’s impact location, which was not in the ocean, but on a small island off the coast. Eagerly, Abbey sets out to find the meteroite, with the intent to sell it to the highest bidder. On the other side of the globe, ex-CIA agent Wyman Ford signs on for a contract job to Cambodia to find the whereabouts of a mysterious new mine, responsible for flooding the international market with new, and extremely deadly, gemstones called “honeys.” Meanwhile, an ambitious and intelligent scientist named Mark Corzo has just received a promotion to head a division of the National Propulsion Facility’s Mars Mapping Orbiter project, following the professional demise and murder of his former mentor. When Corzo receives a package in the mail from that same mentor, sent just days before his death, Corzo becomes consumed with shocking new data concerning gamma rays – originating from Mars. Abbey, Ford and Corzo’s lives are on a collision course, with one of the most important and most dangerous discoveries in the history of mankind.

I hadn’t had the chance to read any of Douglas Preston’s work – neither on his solo work nor his popular co-authored books with Lincoln Child (I have, however, seen and loved Relic). Impact marked my first exposure to the bestselling mainstream thriller/speculative fiction author, and, while I’m not jumping out of my seat, I generally had a positive experience with this novel. The prose is clean (if somewhat simple), and the story fast-paced and easy to keep straight, following the standard separate characters whose fates eventually merge storytelling technique to build tension. What I liked the most about Impact – what caught my eye in the first place – was the premise (unidentified object falling to earth) and the overall idea for the story (well, at least the science fiction element). Rather than being another meteorite/asteroid/comet on the way to decimate life on earth as seen in many apocalyptic works (see Additional Thoughts below for a list), Impact takes a slightly different, unexpected route. The object seen streaking across the Maine sky is no mere clump of ancient space rock, but something infinitely more sinister. While the SF and actual science on the whole is more than a little wobbly (e.g. the open acceptance of miniature black holes rampaging through our solar system and more than a few questionable applications of astrophysics), it’s not really that big a deal as Impact is far more of a summer blockbuster movie than hard science fiction tome. Which is perfectly cool by me.

With the good, however, comes a lot of the mediocre. The characters are decidedly flat and really stretch the limits of credulity. Abbey, the small town adventurer girl, is also a pre-med Princeton dropout (forced to leave after losing her scholarship when she failed Organic Chem) who “took a few astronomy classes” and knows how to calculate the origin and trajectory of any body from outer space (amongst myriad other technical and scientific skills), in addition to being a master sailor and intrepid adventurer. Then there’s Ford, the ex-CIA op who is your typical Jason Bourne-grade badass (with a heart and troubled conscience) – smart, dashing, dangerous, unbeatable in hand to hand combat, etc, etc, etc. There’s also a huge plausibility problem in terms of timing (how did the gem mining in Cambodia become so lucrative in such a short period of time, just days after the meteorite strike?), in the chain of command seen at the NPF (the fictional equivalent of JPL) and in the US government in general. There are more than a few Jerry Bruckheimer-esque scenes involving the president and policy makers -heck, the whole book is very Armageddon! Which isn’t always a bad thing, but unfortunately it just did not work for me here in book form because…well, the thing that disappointed the most with Impact was how there was so much time spent on mindless and almost completely unnecessary action scenes, with barely any focus on the only true interesting part of the book (that would be the science fiction element). The questions that the gamma ray analysis raises, the implications of these scientific findings are brushed away in a few scant conversations, replaced instead with car chases, flooding boats, and bar shootouts. It’s just not really my thing, and I found myself getting impatient with each chase scene.

That said, I should mention that I loved the ending – which was a bit anticlimactic, but in a good way (at least in my opinion). While I was disappointed in the disproportionate nature of the book, with the interesting parts only filling about a third of the final product, the writing is solid and I can understand why adrenaline junkies or more action-craving readers would be thrilled with Impact.

Notable Quotes/Parts: From Chapter 1:

The trick would be to slip in the side door and get the box up the back stairs without making a sound. The house was two hundred years old and you could hardly take a step without a ?urry of creaks and groans. Abbey Straw eased the back door shut and tiptoed across the carpeted hallway to the landing. She could hear her father puttering around the kitchen, Red Sox game low on the radio.

Her arms hugging the box, she set her foot on the ?rst step, eased down her weight, then the next step, and the next. She skipped the fourth step—it shrieked like a banshee—and put her weight on the ?fth, the sixth, the
seventh…. And just as she thought she was home free, the step let out a crack like a gunshot, followed by a long, dying groan.

Damn.

You can read the first two chapters online HERE.

Additional Thoughts: Though Impact doesn’t really qualify, there are quite a few books and films that embrace the ‘celestial bodies slamming into the Earth’ (or the Moon, or some Earthly neighbor) apocalypse. If you’re looking for some books in this, I highly recommend Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle’s Lucifer’s Hammer (comet slamming into Earth).

Other books worth checking out are “The Conversation of Eiros and Charmion” by Edgar Allan Poe (short story again about a comet), When Worlds Collide by Philip Wylie and Edwin Balmer (death of Earth by rogue planet), and of course, one of my personal favorites, YA novels Life As We Knew It and the dead and the gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer (in which an asteroid hits the moon and changes its orbit, unleashing disastrous, apocalyptic effects on Earth).

Verdict: Great premise and original idea, but somewhat lacking in the execution. Still, I enjoyed some parts of Impact and recommend it to any thriller fans looking for a light dose of science fiction.

Rating: 6 – Good

Reading Next: Blackbringer by Laini Taylor

Title: Need

Author: Carrie Jones

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA / Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Publishing date: December 2008 / February 2010
Paperback: 320 pages

Stand alone or series: Book 1 of ongoing series

Why did we read the book: We have had our eyes on this book for a while now…

How did we get the book: Review Copies from the respective US & UK publishers

Summary: (from amazon.com)
Zara collects phobias the way other high school girls collect lipsticks. Little wonder, since life’s been pretty rough so far. Her father left, her stepfather just died, and her mother’s pretty much checked out. Now Zara’s living with her grandmother in sleepy, cold Maine so that she stays ’safe.’ Zara doesn’t think she’s in danger; she thinks her mother can’t deal.

Wrong. Turns out that guy she sees everywhere, the one leaving trails of gold glitter, isn’t a figment of her imagination. He’s a pixie – and not the cute, lovable kind with wings. He’s the kind who has dreadful, uncontrollable needs. And he’s trailing Zara.

Review:

First Impressions:

Ana: I will be completely honest and say that I approached Need with caution since “official” reviews (like Publishers Weekly’s) and the promotional material we received from the publisher clearly pointed it to being similar to Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. I was a bit concerned that I was embarking on another journey to a paranormal world with a bland heroine, a strong and brooding hero, a love triangle and a not so interesting plotline. I was proved wrong. In fact, I think the comparisons to Twilight, do this novel a disservice as nearly nothing in Need can be compared to Twilight (except if being in the same genre counts). From the very beginning I fell in love with the heroine and her narrative voice. I did have a few mishaps throughout (which Thea and I will refer to later) but despite those, I ended up firmly on the “I love it” team. Firmly. You hear me, Thea?

Thea: I had my eye on Need for a very long time – I think since back last year, when I saw Angie of Angieville’s review of the book. The cover is very pretty, and I like the idea of killer pixies. Yeah, they glitter just like vampires of today, but it’s pixies. That’s pretty interesting stuff. And, for the most part, I found Need to be a solidly enjoyable novel. I actually disagree with Ana – I do think there are a lot of similarities between Need and Twilight, at least in terms of writing style. I actually liked the Twilight books (until Breaking Dawn ruined everything), in a guilty pleasure, I know this isn’t good for me but it’s so damn readable way. Both Stephenie Meyer and Carrie Jones have an ability to keep a reader glued to a book by some strange word-welding/storytelling voodoo. I call it voodoo because despite the fact that Zara commits myriad Too-Stupid-To-Live (“TSTL”) offenses, despite the mediocre writing, despite the ‘don’t-scrutinize-too-hard-or-the-story-falls-apart’ plot holes…I somehow, inexplicably found myself truly enjoying this book. I cannot explain it. It simply is.

On the plot:

Ana: Since the death of her beloved step-father, Zara has been depressed and not feeling like herself. In an attempt to get her out of her shell, her mother sends her to live with her step-grandmother in Maine. She starts school straight away and almost immediately strikes a friendship with quirky-girl Issy and finds a love interest in resident bad boy (although, not really), Nick. If being grief-stricken around the town her father grew up was not enough, a strange man keeps falling her around (and apparently all the way from Charleston) trying to lure her into the woods; and then kids start to disappear. It is clear that there is an element of paranormal happening but just exactly what is not disclosed to Zara or the reader till later on.

First things first: I quite liked the way the story evolved and the mood the author set from the opening lines. The prose was absolutely effective in conveying the grief and the cold that Zara was feeling. Then little by little, Zara starts to realise that not only the town she inhabits is different, the world she lives in is not what she thought it was. I felt the suspense of the story and even though I could certainly guess quite a few things (just what Nick was for example with all the growling and the “alpha” behaviour) but others, I was pleasantly surprised with. The beginning and the ending were fabulous in my opinion. So fabulous, I closed the book and I thought: how awesome.

Then, I started to think about the details. And this is when things went a little bit awry, because there are is a certain amount of details that do not add up (in order to not spoil important plot points, I will go back to this point later on). However, it says a lot that overall, despite any misgivings, I actually think the book is damn good and well worth a read and that is because of not only the atmospheric writing, the unpretentious romance, the presence of Killer Pixies but mostly, because of how cool and awesome, the main protagonist Zara, was.

Thea: I thoroughly enjoyed Need. I found the novelty of killer pixies to be ingenious. I too loved the snowy, otherworldly atmosphere that Ms. Jones gives to her small Maine town (and I also loved the heavy Stephen King name drops throughout). I enjoyed the central conflict to the story (a Pixie King is stalking Zara, young males are disappearing from the town, and Zara and her friends are dedicated to stopping the threat). I thought the use of phobias to introduce chapters was an ingenious touch too, adding to the magic of the book. And yet…how can I properly convey my experience with this book in a spoiler-free way. Hmm. The best comparison I can think of is:

Need is a lot like 28 Days Later.

Not because Need is overrun with humans infected with some deadly, instantly transmuted virus or anything like that (although, wait a second, Pixie-ism is pretty easily transmuted and quickly infectious…). Rather, both have a similarity in manner of plot. It’s easy to get caught up in both of these stories and rush through them, enjoying yourself the whole while. But there’s always that niggling knowledge during and after – the intellectual knowledge that the story just doesn’t add up. Such is Need.

I found myself noticing these holes while I was reading, but in spite of my disbelief, I was still able to finish the book and enjoy it. And that’s sayin’ something. (Although the more I scrutinize the plot, the most unstable the whole thing seems – but that’s fodder for later in the spoiler version of the post)

On the characters:

Ana: Despite committing at least two counts of serious Too Stupid To Live moments and having one or two moments that caused me perhaps want to strangle her, I really did like Zara as a protagonist and a narrator and the reason behind is that Carrie Jones infused her with a thing called A PERSONALITY. She is very keen on helping others (she even opens a chapter of Amnesty International), something she learnt from her step-father and which does not come without a struggle. At one point, she is asked what would she do if someone attacked her friends, she says she thinks she would not react violently but this is something that might change – because nothing is set in stone. I like that she stands up for herself, she fights for what she believes in. And she has this one quirky trait that I loved: she likes to learn about phobias and recites them to herself in times of stress.

Phobophobia
Fear of phobias

Everybody has fears, right?
I’m into that.
I collect fears like other people collect stamps, which makes me sound like more of a freak than I actually am. But I’m into it. The fears thing. Phobias.
There are all the typical, common phobias. Lots of people are afraid of heights and elevators and spiders. Those are boring. I’m a fan of good phobias. Stuff like nelophobia, the fear of glass. Or arachibutyrophobia, the fear that you will have peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth.
I do not have the fear of peanut butter, of course, but how cool is it that it’s named?

This means that Zara exists outside the sphere of her family, her friends and her love interest.

But going back to the TSTL moments. Yes, she did have quite a few. But you will notice I am not moved to mock or hold it against her. Because I understood the motivations and the reasoning behind them and above all I liked the way she reacted to the eventual repercussions (“OMG I am such an idiot”) .

As for the other characters: there are a mixture of stereotypes (the annoying bad girl at school for example) or the cool grandmother. I quite liked Nick, the love interest. But even though Zara insisted in thinking of him as bad boy I saw zero evidence (in fact all the grandmothers in town TOLD her how much of a good boy he was) of that. As a were, his job was to protect and that came naturally to him and not without some vulnerability as well – he is gruff and big and he never kissed anyone before Zara, endearing him to me almost instantly.

And then there is the Pixie King and the Need. But saying more is to seriously spoil the plot.

Thea: I have a thing against TSTL heroines. By definition, they are stupid, and incredibly annoying. However, in spite of Zara’s MANY (I counted at least 4 TSTL grievances) moments of incredible stupidity, I still, inexplicably, liked her as a character. I think this is because of the reasons Ana lists – because Zara has a personality, she knows that she’s making really bonehead decisions, and she chides herself for them. She doesn’t learn from them, which is incredibly irritating but believable (hey, that’s human nature!). I loved her quirk of reciting phobias; I loved her dedication to Amnesty International; I loved her pacifistic take on life and how naive and believably teenager-ish she is.

What irritated me more than anything with regard to Zara’s character, however, was how sloooooooow she was to put two and two together when all the evidence is clearly in front of her. To be fair, this is a plot device that many authors use (Richelle Mead most notably does this in her Vampire Academy and Georgina books – and I usually let it slide) – the “everyone knows what’s going on except the heroine and this will be protracted as long as humanly possible” technique. Zara is supposed to be an intelligent young woman, and yet she cannot piece together two very elementary clues to solve a puzzle? Come on. It’s belittling to the character, and even worse, it’s annoying to the reader. (Sorry for the mini-rant, it’s just a huge pet peeve of mine)

As for the other characters, there are some stereotypical appearances as Ana has mentioned (hip grannie, hot bitchy blonde popular girl), but I think the secondary cast works to Need’s favor. I loved Zara’s friends, especially Isi and Devyn. Even more importantly, they exist beyond the realm of “being Zara’s friends,” (a common pitfall in the YA genre that Ms. Jones nicely avoids). Nick is a little predictable, but sweet too, and the romance between him and Zara is undeniably fun.

The only deficiency in characters (besides Zara’s TSTL moments) lay in some character motivations, and a lack of explanation especially where Pixies are concerned. But, those are spoilery, and for later.

Final Thoughts, Observations and Ratings:

Ana: You will probably have noticed by now that Need is a novel I enjoyed immensely but it was “in spite of” and not “because of”. I do think this series has a lot of potential (plot-wise and character-wise) and I plan on reading Captivate as soon as possible.

Thea: What Ana said. I really enjoyed Need and eagerly dove into Captivate after finishing the first book. But I can recognize that the book has it’s fair share of issues. I’m willing to overlook them and encourage all readers to do the same (because it is such a fun book to read), but know that they are there…

Notable Quotes/Parts: From the official excerpt:

“So . . . ,” I say. “You guys were going to tell me about the man outside the cafeteria. Have you ever seen him before?”

Devyn swallows. “I’m not sure. He creeped me out, which is not manly, I know.”

“You are totally manly,” Is announces in a way that makes both Devyn and me blush. She stops twitching. “Devyn looked up some stuff. You are probably going to have a hard time believing this.”

I wait. “Uh-huh . . .”

“You want to tell her?” Issie asks.

Devyn sticks the spoon in the ice cream carton. It stands up straight. He toughs out the words, “We think he’s a pixie.”

You can read the full excerpt online, HERE.

Also, you can check out the (disney-abc-family-esque) book trailer out below:

Rating:

Ana: 6 – Good ( I wavered between a 6 and 7 until the last minute)

Thea: 6 – Good. (It would have been a 7 based on pleasure alone, but I cannot justify that rating, given how many problems there were with the story)

Additional Thoughts:

What you saw above is a clean version of our opinions about Need after we settled down and thought about and discussed the book like two adults. But we decided, for the first time ever, to disclose what really goes on behind the curtains when we read a book. For an unabridged version of our conversation by emails, complete with spoilers, silly smilies, swearing words and a glimpse of the true nature of the smugglers’ dynamics, all you have to do is carry on.

(more…)

Today, we give you an urban fantasy double-shot of goodness, in the spirit of Smugglivus! Now, we take a look at the first two books in UF author Adrian Phoenix’s The Maker’s Song series, A Rush of Wings and In the Blood. And later today, Ms. Phoenix will be stopping in to answer YOUR burning questions – plus you’ll have a chance to win one of TWO autographed sets of the books.

A Rush of Wings (Book 1 of The Maker’s Song)

Publisher: Pocket (Simon & Shuster)
Publication Date: January 2008
Paperback: 416 pages

Summary: (from Simon&Schuster.com)
HIS NAME IS DANTE.

What Heather does know about Dante is that something links him to the killer — and she’s pretty sure that link makes him the CCK’s next target. Heather must unravel the truth behind this sensual, complicated, vulnerable young man — who, she begins to believe, may indeed be a vampire — in order to bring a killer to
justice. But what Heather doesn’t know is that Dante’s past holds a shocking secret, and once it is revealed not even Heather will be able to protect him from his destiny…

Review:

Heather Wallace is a Federal Agent on a mission – to stop and capture the “Cross Country Killer” from striking again and ending another innocent life. Her investigation has taken her to New Orleans, to the scene of the CCK’s latest murder outside of a nightspot called Club Hell. The CCK’s modus operandi has changed ever so slightly, but Heather cannot shake the gut feeling that this latest murder is his – and she’s determined to figure out the cryptic message he has left behind. When she attempts to question the owner of Club Hell, band front man Dante Prejean, however, she’s met with a stubborn refusal to cooperate. Turns out, Club Hell is not only a happening nightspot for goths and vampire wannabes, but an actual haven for supernatural creatures – at least, that is what they tell Heather. Dante insists that he is nightkind, that is, a born vampire. His entourage and circle of friends also are creatures that aren’t exactly mortal, both vampire and fallen (as in fallen angels) alike. It soon becomes clear to Heather that Dante is the focus of her suspect’s murders, and she attempts to protect him only to meet strange resistance at the FBI – someone doesn’t want her poking around Dante Prejean, or the CCK. But Heather won’t rest until she gets to the bottom of the mystery, even though it takes her down a dark and dangerous road.

At first glance, A Rush of Wings sounds like countless other entries in the Urban Fantasy genre – one unbelievably sexy (and promiscuous, and french-speaking, and leather wearing) vampire meets one attractive yet totally competent badass officer of the law (with a heart of gold) and try to overcome sizable obstacles together. But, despite the familiarity of the character tropes and subject matter, A Rush of Wings manages to distinguish itself enough from the myriad sexy-vampire/cop books to make it a worthwhile read. From a plotting and writing standpoint, this debut novel from Adrian Phoenix has a distinct style and complicated, well-conceived world. The idea of nightkind, of True Bloods and Fallen may be a tad familiar, but are enhanced by the new terms and concepts Ms. Phoenix creates (and there’s a handy glossary in the back of the book to help readers sort out exactly what certain things mean). The plot, unfortunately, is somewhat uneven as the novel starts strong but crumbles under the complicated side-plots and shadow conspiracies (for example, the involvement of the government in a super secret project to create sociopaths seems a tad over the top – in any case, it’s hard to suspend disbelief as the novel progresses). Ms. Phoenix does manage to make ends meet by the conclusion of the novel, but the road there is rocky.

Though the plotting isn’t the most sure-footed, Ms. Phoenix’s characters are the true standouts that make A Rush of Wings worthwhile. The archetypes for Heather and Dante are standard fare, but Ms. Phoenix manages to give these protagonists complicated and unique backstories that add layers of realism to the characters. Dante Prejean is much more than just a promiscuous, leather-clad vampire; he’s also an orphan with a dark past, and, in a wonderful twist, is only 23 years old (and acts like it). He’s beautiful and self-assured, but he also struggles with some truly horrible inner demons – if there’s any vampire that deserves to wallow in self-disgust, it’s the sociopathic Dante. Ms. Phoenix also gives him a distinct voice with his creole french interspersed in his speech (in a kind of Gambit-esque way), that feels very real, if a little cheesy at first. Even more impressive, however, was heroine Heather Wallace. Though her FBI-procedurals are a bit shaky and unconvincing, as a character, Heather is a firmly grounded and mature woman. I loved that she is the older, more experienced one in the relationship (31 to Dante’s 23), and her determination to do her job at all costs is an admirable trait. The secondary characters too – particularly Dante’s more-than-friend Lucien DeNoir, one of the fallen and strangely protective of young Dante.

Overall, I enjoyed A Rush of Wings – enough so to continue with the series. There’s a lot of potential in this first novel, and as it was Ms. Phoenix’s first, I had high hopes for her subsequent work.

Notable Quotes/Parts: You can read chapter one online HERE.

Verdict: Despite an uneven plot, the characters were enough to salvage the novel and keep me engaged. Definitely recommended for those looking for a sexy, paranormal read with complexity.

Rating: 6 – Good

In the Blood (Book 2 of The Maker’s Song)

Publisher: Pocket (Simon & Schuster)
Publication Date: January 2009
Paperback: 480 pages

**PLEASE NOTE: The review of In the Blood (including the synopsis below) necessarily and unavoidably contain spoilers for the first book, A Rush of Wings. If you have not read book 1 and wish to remain unspoiled, stop reading now!

Summary: (from Simon&Schuster.com)
DANTE LIVES.

Shadowy government forces have pledged to eliminate all loose ends from Project Bad Seed — and Heather and Dante are at the top of the list. Elsewhere, the Fallen gather in Gehenna, intent on finding their long-awaited savior, the True Blood nightkind whom Lucien DeNoir would die to protect. And a damaged and desperate adversary, with powers as strange and perilous as Dante’s own, plots to use Dante as a pawn in a violent scheme for revenge. But only one of these lethal forces holds the key to Dante’s past — a key that could finally unlock the secret of his birth and the truth of his existence…or destroy him completely.

Review:

What a difference a book makes! While A Rush of Wings was a strong character novel with a shaky plot, In the Blood shows more of what Ms. Phoenix is really capable in terms of writing. The plotting has grown stronger and more assured, the mythology of her Maker’s Song universe more intense and layered – and add to that her already solid characterizations, and you’ve got a strong sophomore effort on your hands.

The Bad Seed project has been terminated, E destroyed, and Dante and Heather have gone their separate ways. Dante still struggles with his migranes and the darkness that bubbles beneath the surface, a legacy of his Bad Seed days and his not quite restrained alter-ego, S. But though the primary doctor of the experiments is now dead, Bad Seed has even deeper roots in the FBI and government, and those in charge are not so easy for Heather and Dante to avoid. A nefarious plan ensues to “trigger” Dante and to control Heather is set in action, and once again the two must team up to get to the bottom of the powers threatening them both. Meanwhile, Lucien finds himself embroiled in a power struggle between his fallen brethren in the alternate plain of Gehenna – he must protect the identity and very existence of his son Dante, lest Dante’s unique powers as a creawdwr (an extremely rare and powerful creator) are discovered and claimed by the other Elohim.

Once again, Ms. Phoenix has an ambitious undertaking with In the Blood – the plot involves two parallel locations (the more earthly Seattle and otherworldly Gehenna), and multiple side characters hungry for a piece of Dante’s power, each fueled by different motivations. The storytelling is less confusing and more believable this time around, though the police procedurals and government conspiracies still feel somewhat forced. The additions to the Maker’s Song universe, are more than enough to make up for any shortcomings in terms of plotting – Dante’s uniqueness, the role of Lucien and the other Elohim are fascinating as well. And, as with the first book, the true strength of In the Blood lies with Ms. Phoenix’s characterizations – which are expanded and built upon in this second book. Dante – vampire, crazed sociopath, uncontrollable, and incredibly powerful creature – is a risky choice of hero. He’s both familiar (as the French speaking sexy vamp) but unique (he’s got issues, brainwashed and conditioned from his bad seed days). Heather, as in the first book, is an irresistible heroine with her levelheadedness and her devotion to her job and those she loves. In In the Blood, we learn a lot more about Heather’s colored past – the shaky and mistrustful relationship she has with her father, the truth of her mother’s murder, her manic depressive and manipulative younger sister Annie. Lucien too gets much more attention in this novel, which is a welcome addition as he is one of the more fascinating characters from the first book, and the history of the fallen and his brethren add an extra dimension to this novel. Too, the new additions to the cast are complex and layered – from the “cleanup” crew vampire Caterina, to the twins Alexander and Athena, to Heather’s sister and father, to the nefarious Wells himself.

Overall, I was much more impressed with In the Blood than I was with its predecessor, and I eagerly await the release of book 3 in the series, Beneath the Skin.

Notable Quotes/Parts: You can read chapter one online HERE.

Verdict: A much stronger novel than its predecessor, In the Blood has enough action, mystery and character to satiate any fan hungry for a dark and sexy Urban Fantasy read. Recommended.

Rating: 7 – Very Good

Make sure to stick around for a chance to ask Adrian Phoenix your own questions, and for a chance to win an autographed set of all the books in The Maker’s Song series!

Title: Beautiful Creatures

Author: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Genre: Fantasy, Gothic, Romance, Young Adult

Publisher: Little, Brown (Hachette)
Publication Date: December 2009
Hardcover: 576 pages

Stand alone or series: Book 1, with a sequel underway

How did we get this book: Review Copy from the Publisher

Why did we read this book: Even though it was just released this month, Beautiful Creatures is making its way on numerous best-of 2009 lists – and everyone from authors and bloggers alike are singing its praises! And thus, we Book Smugglers had to check it out before the end of the year…

Summary: (from amazon.com)
There were no surprises in Gatlin County.

We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.

At least, that’s what I thought.

Turns out, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

There was a curse.

There was a girl.

And in the end, there was a grave.

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she’s struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town’s oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

REVIEW:

First Impressions:

Thea: I’m torn when it comes to Beautiful Creatures. I started the book with high hopes, ready to immerse myself in a southern gothic – and it was a kind of uneven experience. I found myself enthralled at parts of the story, but skeptical and disengaged for large chunks of the novel. I liked the idea of Beautiful Creatures, but the execution was somewhat lacking. Still, the atmospheric nature of the novel and intriguing premise made it a worthwhile – albeit slightly disappointing – read.

Ana: I experienced a wide range of emotions while reading Beautiful Creatures. I started out extremely excited, with high expectations given the amount of universal praise it received ( I even thought it could make my top 10 of 2009) but as soon as I started to read I felt an overwhelming feeling of annoyance which I believe, came from recognition – where did I read this plot before? It didn’t last long though, as the story proved to be quite original. I then proceeded to alternate between being mildly bored and extremely intrigued. I really liked the mystery and the setting but at the same time I did not connect with the characters. Such fluctuation in my reading experience, is I believe, a reflection of an uneven book with both good and …not so good points.

On the Plot:

Ethan Wate has lived in small town Gaitlin for his entire life – and though Gaitlin runs through his veins, he feels a dissatisfaction with his life as it is, and longs for escape. Then, when new girl Lena Deschannes moves to town, everything changes. Lena, a beautiful girl who refuses to try out for cheerleading and defies Gaitlin “cool” classification, is unlike anyone that Ethan’s met before. And it gets even stranger – she also happens to be the girl that has been haunting his dreams and nightmares for weeks. Lena and Ethan are inexplicably linked, and as they grow closer, they must work together to fight jealous classmates, suspicious guardians, and an age-old curse that threatens to destroy them.

Thea: In my opinion, the plotting is the strongest part of this novel. Though the pacing is uneven – far too little time spent on actual action versus far too much time spent on separation angst – the actual mystery surrounding Lena and Ethan is expertly conceived and tantalizingly executed. At face-value, Beautiful Creatures is a normal boy meets supernatural girl story, with a Romeo and Juliet sort of separation sensibility. But there’s also another layer to the story – the nature of the attraction between Ethan and Lena, and the curse that plagues them. I loved the rich history in the book, how the story would jump from present day to supernatural flashbacks, and the family saga of hurt and dark secrets for both the Wates and Duchannes’/Ravenwood families.

So far as worldbuilding is concerned, the novel also shines. Gaitlin is such a flawed yet completely believable small town, steeped in its own core values and quirks, filled to the brim with its own secrets. The Civil War reenactments, the Southern Pride, and the scenes in which the town stands solidly against anything and anyone who poses a threat as “different” are all resonating, powerful images.

Also I loved the idea of “casters” and mortals, and the spin that in this book the supernatural one is the girl, and the underpowered mortal narrator the boy. It may seem insignificant, but there are so many stories on the YA market told from the mortal girl (see Stephenie Myer’s Twilight) or superpowered girl (see Aprilynne Pike’s Wings) perspective – and this choice of narrator allows Beautiful Creatures to stand out in a sea of homogeneity.

But…there were significant problems, especially in terms of pacing and believability. The high points were enough to keep me reading, but the dragging fifty-plus page chunks on teen “does she like me too?” angst really threw a wrench into my reading experience. Then, there’s the problem of narrative voice and some questionable writing choices (in particular, Lena’s lyrics were pretty ham-handed/super-cheesy)…but more on that in the next section.

Ana: The plotting and the setting were definitely the highlights of the novel. The former was gripping and left me guessing and interested to the very end and the latter provided the excellent atmosphere, with a Southern feel that I could almost touch. The small town framing to the novel was very well done and I felt suffocating along with Ethan, a feeling that only grew in a crescendo as he got to know his neighbours better. There is the rich story connected with the Civil War, and which appeared in the book via current day town enactments and flashbacks to the past and I really enjoyed reading that. As for the plotting, it reads a lot like a Mystery novel with the suspense behind the curse that plagues Lena’s family and Lena herself. I liked how Ethan and Lena combined to investigate the reason behind the curse and to find a way out of it.

Another thing that I absolutely adored was the fact that there was not a vampire or fallen angel in sight ( I am honestly burnt out) and I loved the mythology surrounding the Casters and their powers which was definitely original.

My overall impression surrounding the plot and the execution of the story is a very positive one. I was very impressed with the final pages and the conclusion (for now) of the storyline – I particularly liked how things played out in the end with the idea of consequences to one’s actions and decisions being present and with the authors following through with the high stakes as expected. I felt there was no coup out here and for that I am grateful.

It is a shame that for all that there was good about the plot and the setting, I did not connect with any of the characters.

On the Characters:

Thea: This is where I struggled the most with Beautiful Creatures. The most glaring flaw in the novel is the inconsistent narrative voice – that is, Ethan’s voice. This is supposed to be a sixteen year old male, but there is NOTHING about this character that feels or reads like an adolescent boy. He’ll spend hours cuddling and chastely kissing Lena, admiring her ethereal beauty…but never once does pop a stiffy or even think about sex. Which, for anyone that has lived through adolescence, can probably deduce is a load of crap – especially from the male perspective. The level of chastity in the book is eye-roll inducing, and its attempts to completely circumnavigate any level of sexuality are painfully obvious, and even a little insulting to the target audience (read: teens aren’t sexless. They can handle it. Trust me).

Beyond the lack of sex, the other issue I had was how off-kilter all the character reactions seemed. WHY would these families keep such secrets from their children, when clearly keeping them in the dark isn’t helping anyone? Why would Ethan let his best friend date someone that is truly, heinously evil without warning him? Why, why, why!? I found myself increasingly frustrated with how dense and insulated these characters could be, none moreso than Ethan and Lena themselves.

Ana: This is where the novel did not work for me in the end and explains the way I felt reading it. Part of me was really interested in what was happening but at the same time I was feeling strangely unresponsive to Beautiful Creatures – for I did not really care for the characters and what would ultimately happen to them.

When I read a book I want to be able to at least understand the characters’ actions even if I might not agree with them. I want to be able to relate or to like or even dislike a character intensively. But I felt oddly detached and I think it comes from poor characterisation.

Take the narrator for example. The book has such rich descriptions of the town and life in small town however, I cannot tell you what Ethan looks like. I have no idea. I know he has emo hair and wears old t-shirts and is tallish but other than that – he is sort of non-descript.

Furthermore he is a 16 year old boy but I had a hard time believing he was a teenager OR a boy. Thea is spot on on her assessment of the weird chasteness of the book. We are talking about a BOY who is making out with a girl he thinks is the epitome of HOTNESS and there is one scene where they are under the covers kissing ONLY for what seems to be hours and yet there is not a mention of a hard-on or frustration. Am I to believe this? I can believe if he chooses not to act upon these feelings for any number of reasons but I can’t believe that the physical aspect, the physical, normal reaction was not even mentioned. Nada, niente. That just reads wrong to me and unbelievable.

I also had a hard time buying some of the character’s actions. I did several double takes, quite a few times whilst reading the book. I couldn’t believe how Ethan just didn’t do anything when his best friend went away with someone he KNEW was EVIL and possibly conspiring to kill his girlfriend. His reasoning was that Link wouldn’t believe him: yes, because that trumps his best friend possibly being in DANGER by going out with a lunatic! In the beginning, before Ethan knew anything, before he even knew Lena, he has these nightmares and he wakes up with mud in his hands and he doesn’t think much of it? doesn’t talk to anyone? Isn’t that weird? I would be SO FREAKED OUT if I woke up from nightmares with the mud that was in the dream now stuck in my hands.

I also didn’t understand how everybody in this town and in Ethan’s life were so meddlesome and yet, no one, no one was concerned about his father who spent his days in pyjamas, and closed in his study and nothing was done about it until it was too late.

Plus, some things were way too convenient. Like Marian, the librarian being Someone Important who OH NOES, could not really help them.

I don’t feel like I really know any of the characters including Lena and her uncle Macon who were the characters I felt had a lot potential and yet I thought were unfortunately underdeveloped.

And I am not going to mention the way the adults kept the kids in the dark in a LIFE AND DEATH situation because in that way lies madness.

Final Thoughts, Observations & Rating:

Thea: Uneven, but not without its high points. Even though there was a problem of believability and off-kilter pacing, Beautiful Creatures still was a compelling read that’s memorable enough to recommend to fans of YA supernatural romance of the Twilight variety.

Ana: Despite my problems with the characters, I felt compelled to read on in order to know more about the history of the families and the overall mystery. I think there were quite a few good ideas in this book although the characterisation needs working. Perhaps in the sequel?

Notable Quotes/Parts:

The Middle of Nowhere

There were only two kinds of people in out town. “The stupid and the stuck,” my father had affectionately classified our neighbors. “The ones who are bound to stay or too dumb to go. Everyone else find a way out.” There was no question which one he was, but I’d never had the courage to ask why. My father was a writer, and we lived in Gatlin, South Carolina, because the Wates always had, since my great-great-great-great-granddad, Ellis Wate, fought and died on the other side of the Santee Rover during the Civil War.
Only folks down here didn’t call it the Civil War. Everyone under the age of sixty called it the War Between the States, while everyone over sixty called it the War of Northern Aggression, as if somehow the North had baited the South into war over a bad bale of cotton. Everyone, that is, except my family. We called it the Civil War.
Just another reason I couldn’t wait to get out of here.
Gatlin wasn’t like the small towns you saw in the movies, unless it was movie from about fifty years ago. We were too far from Charleston to have a Starbucks or a McDonalds. All we had was a Dar-ee Keen, since the Gentrys were too cheap to buy all new letters when they bought the Dairy King. The library still had a card catalogue, the high school still had chalkboards, and our community pool was Lake Moultrie, warm brown water and all. You could see a movie at the Cineplex about the same time it came out on DVD, but you had to hitch a ride over to Summerville, by the community college. The shops were on Main, the good houses were on River, and everyone else lived south of Route 9, where the pavement disintegrated into chunky concrete stubble – terrible for walking, but perfect for throwing at angry possums, the meanest animals alive. You never saw that in the movies.
Gatlin wasn’t a complicated place; Gatlin was Gatlin.
The neighbors kept watch from their porches in the unbearable heat, sweltering in plain sight. But there was no point. Nothing ever changed. Tomorrow would be the first day of school, my sophomore year at Stonewall Jackson High, and I already knew everything that was going to happen – where I would sit, who would I talk to, the jokes, the girls, who would park where.
There were no surprises in Gatlin County. We were pretty much the epicentre of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that’s what I thought, when I closed my battered copy of Slaughterhouse-five, clicked off my iPod, and turned on the light on the last night of summer.
Turns out, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.
I never even saw it coming.

You can read an extended excerpt online HERE, or check out the audio excerpt HERE.

Additional Thoughts: For another, completely different opinion check out Kate Garrabrant’s review.

Rating:

Thea: 6 – Good

Ana: 6 – Good

Reading Next: It’s our Feats of Strength! Ana reads Naamah’s Kiss by Jacqueline Carey, and Thea takes on Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James

Today, we give you a supernatural double-shot of goodness, in the spirit of Smugglivus! First up, it’s the lyrical stylings of Ryan Mecum, followed by a zombified version of a holiday classic from Adam Roberts…

Vampire Haiku by Ryan Mecum

Publisher: How
Publication Date: August 2009
Paperback: 144 pages

Summary: (from amazon.com)
You hold in your hands a recently discovered poetry journal – the poetry journal of a vampire. William Butten was en route to a new land on the Mayflower when he was turned into a vampire by a fellow passenger, a beautiful woman named Katherine. These pages contain his heartbreaking story – the story of a vampire who has lived through (and perhaps caused) some of America’s defining events. As he travels the country and as centuries pass, he searches for his lost love and records his adventures and misadventures using the form of poetry known as haiku.

Read along, and you just may find a new appreciation for – and insight into – various events in American history. And blood.

Review:

Earlier this year, Ana and I read and reviewed Ryan Mecum’s delightful Zombie Haiku – and we liked it so much, we of course responded with alacrity when he invited us to review his new poetic book, Vampire Haiku.

Like Zombie Haiku, Vampire Haiku is written entirely in a series of haiku (that’s a three line poem, with 5-7-5 syllables per line), but tells an overall story. This novel is the poetic journal of a man named William Butten, a translatlantic passenger on the good ship Mayflower in 1620. En route, William meets a lovely married woman named Katherine – who isn’t exactly what she seems, as becomes clear to William when she drinks his blood and turns him into a vampire. Over the next few centuries, the vampire William documents his adventures, his conquests, and his love for Katherine in his journal (all in haiku form, of course).

And what can I say? Mr. Mecum does it again with his winsome Vampire Haiku, capturing a slightly different interpretation of American history through a vampire’s eyes. This slim, glossy book comes in a cool package – the interior of the book, the accompanying illustrations, photographs and blood spatters are gorgeously composed – and the haiku are as fun as ever. A few favorites:

The syllable count
for “vampire” is confusing.
Two? Three? I’ll guess two.

Blood tastes like cherries
mixed with a lot of copper
and way too much salt.

When a mosquito
pierces my neck and drinks blood,
is that irony?

I just saw Twilight.
It’s labeled a vampire film,
but I don’t know why.

These were not vampires.
If sunlight makes you sparkle,
you’re a unicorn.

Even better than the humor, though, is the unrequited love story between William and his Katherine over the ages – it adds a touch of bittersweet heartache to the book.

Though I think I still prefer Zombie Haiku (as a zombie fan first and foremost, this is a – pardon the lameness of the pun – “no brainer”), Vampire Haiku is a wonderful little book, and another solid entry from Ryan Mecum. Perfect for a stocking stuffer, or for someone looking for a quick, quirky pick-me-up. Definitely recommended.

Rating: 6 – Good

I Am Scrooge: A Zombie Story for Christmas by Adam Roberts

Publisher: Gollancz (UK)
Publication Date: October 2009
Hardcover: 160 pages

Summary: (amazon.com)

Marley was dead. Again. The legendary Ebenezeer Scrooge sits in his house counting money. The boards that he has nailed up over the doors and the windows shudder and shake under the blows from the endless zombie hordes that crowd the streets hungering for his flesh and his miserly braaaaiiiiiinns! Just how did the happiest day of the year slip into a welter of blood, innards and shambling, ravenous undead on the snowy streets of old London town? Will the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future be able to stop the world from drowning under a top-hatted and crinolined zombie horde? Was Tiny Tim’s illness something infinitely more sinister than mere rickets and consumption? Can Scrooge be persuaded to go back to his evil ways, travel back to Christmas past and destroy the brain stem of the tiny, irritatingly cheery Patient Zero? It’s the Dickensian Zombie Apocalypse – God Bless us, one and all!

Review:

Since the wild success of Seth Grahame-Smith’s Pride and Prejudice and Zombies earlier this year (reviewed HERE), the taking of an established classic work of literature and zombifying it has become something of a trend. Adam Roberts’ I Am Scrooge: A Zombie Story for Christmas takes Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and twists it into something a little more…silly (and by “silly” I mean bloody, gorey, and brains-y).

The basic story is thus: Ebeneezer Scrooge, the miserliest of misers, he of the “bah humbugs,” turns out to be the only person in the world immune to the encroaching zombie plague (which he discovers after a re-animated Marley bites him on his backside). On Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by three spirits (Present, Future and Past) for a specific purpose – to see the extent of the zombie plague, and to give him the motivation to stop it (by putting the maniacal mastermind behind the zombie outbreak to a preemptive death).

If you buy I Am Scrooge, you already know what you are getting into. This is a silly book that isn’t really about zombies as metaphor for human failings. It’s not George A. Romero. It’s not Kim Paffenroth or Robert Kirkpatrick. But, for what it is – a good, healthy dose of the ridiculous followed by a serving of Christmas Puddi-er-Brains – I Am Scrooge is wonderful. Mr. Roberts does not make the awkward mistake of trying to ape Charles Dickens’ prose (as Mr. Grahame-Smith attempted with Jane Austen), nor does he rely on A Christmas Carol too much. Instead, he takes the basic premise of the novel and writes a wry, brisk, slip of a book (it’s only 150 pages), that involves time travel, some famous author cameos, and the strategic location of Australia.

Seriously.

Add to that a sometimes-narrator that has fun with the english language, i.e:

‘Brains!’ moaned the beast, its arms flung wide as if in greeting. It writhed, slowly, jerkily, upon its wooden-knob of impalement. Of its impaling. Its impaleness. Of its Impellor.

Of its being impaled. Yes, I think that’s the right one.

…and you’ve got a party. I Am Scrooge is absurdism at its best – the final showdown will have you rolling your eyes, and yet strangely delighted. At least, I know I was delighted. I appreciated how off-the-wall silly this book was, and devoured it in a single sitting. It’s not War and Peace (or even A Christmas Carol) – but then again, it’s not meant to be. And for what it is, it rocks. Recommended, if you’re looking for silly, fast, and escapist. With brains.

Rating: 6 – Good

Reading Next: Raiders’ Ransom by Emily Diamand

Title: Spellspam

Author: Alma Alexander

Genre: Fantasy, Speculative Fiction, Young Adult

Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication Date: March 2008
Hardcover: 480 pages

Stand alone or series: Book 2 in the WorldWeavers trilogy

How did I get this book: Review copy from the author

Why did I read this book: I recently read and really enjoyed Gift of the Unmage, the first book in the Worldweavers trilogy by Alma Alexander. So, when Ms. Alexander graciously offered us copies of the full series (plus agreed to an interview and giveaway of her books), we were more than happy to accept!

Summary: (from HarperCollins.com)
What do you get when ordinary e-mail spam becomes infused with magic? Spellspam—and it’s not supposed to exist. As far as Thea and her friends know, computers are meant to be inert vehicles for storing magic spells, not magical processors themselves. But all that seems to have changed as students at Wandless Academy find themselves the victim of practical jokes—with magical consequences—simply by opening an e-mail.

This sequel to Worldweavers: Gift of the Unmage ups the ante on a fantasy world that is rich and nuanced, like our own, but with a core of wildly original magic.

Review:

It has been a few months since Thea has discovered her unique ability to use magic through the medium of a computer, finally proving (at least to herself, friends and intimate family) that she does have magical ability, fulfilling her destiny as a Double Seventh. But Thea is still remains at The Wandless Academy, hiding her talents from the outside world for fear of the Alphiri – a race of elven-like creatures who bargain for what they want tirelessly, and who will stop at nothing to gain Thea’s unique abilities to weave worlds for their own if she is exposed. Things seem to be going well at the Academy during the school year until a rash of spam emails prove exceptionally harmful. Instead of just clogging up inboxes or causing computer viruses, these spam emails put spells on unsuspecting users – one glimpse of the email, and the poor user is afflicted with any number of spells and curses, from lycanthropy to tricksy faele wishes (which anyone whose ever read about the fey or genie wishes knows never go according to plan). The “spellspam” is wreaking havoc in not only the Wandless Academy, but also out in the wider world – but even more disturbing, especially to Thea, is the revelation that someone else can use computers to perform magic. Thea is not alone – and the Alphiri know it. Enlisted by the Federal Bureau of Magic (the FBM), Thea and her good friend, the computer genius Terry, are determined to get to the bottom of the spellspam epidemic, to find out who is behind the emails, and determine what he or she wants before the Alphiri do.

When I started this series with Gift of the Unmage, I wasn’t really sure what to expect – and that first novel was so refreshingly different. I loved it. So, I had some lofty expectations for Spellspam, as Thea grows into her powers while she builds her friendships. Spellspam left me with some mixed feelings. For one thing, the novel begins somewhat awkwardly. It beings shortly after Thea and her friends have banded together to defeat the Nothing, and throws us right back into the mix as Thea witnesses spellspam at work. But there’s little in the way of reintroduction to the characters or memory jogging (I never thought I’d say this, but I miss the repetitive re-introductions! I’m not saying it has to be Sweet Valley Twins style – “Elizabeth was born 4 minutes before Jessica, and they were identical from their size 6 figures down to the dimples in their left cheek” or whatever – but a little recap helps!). Even more jarring, though, was how Spellspam barely referred to Thea’s Anasazi learnings and magic at all in the early chapters, focusing instead on a new forum of magic through technology. In itself, this isn’t a bad thing, but the technology Ms. Alexander uses feels incredibly simplistic. I love the concept of truly deadly, malicious spam as a means of conveying deathly curses, but I wish there was more technical know-how in the execution of this idea. Even Thea’s magic, as she uses a computer to create alternate realities and worlds boils down to something so simple as a few sentences in a word doc, which isn’t very convincing.

Still, despite these misgivings, Spellspam manages to pick up by about midnovel, switching back to the spirit magic from the first book. By integrating those older elements with the new email-heavy story, Spellspam finally gets going, and pulls together in a smart, enjoyable way. In terms of characters especially, Thea grows incredibly from the first novel. No longer the sullen, depressed girl who hates how much she disappoints her parents, Thea has some room to become a young woman. As a heroine, this is incredibly endearing – it’s a rare thing to find characters that truly grow and change as a story progresses, and in this Worldweavers trilogy, Thea comes a very long way. Yeah, there’s a whole lot of Harry Potter to her (lonely, magically marked, ever-devoted to her friends and those she cares for), but this is a good thing. Though there’s less time spent on her close crew of friends (Magpie, Tess and Ben hardly get any screen time), we do get to know Terry much more in this book, which is cool (especially since he’s my favorite of the bunch, besides Thea!) – there’s also a bit more Cheveyo and Grandmother Spider, as well as that trickster Corey. Also, there’s a bevy of cool new secondary characters and new elements that we are introduced to, compensating for the lack of older ones. Harvey May from the FBM in particular is a mentor-character that is one to look out for. I also very much enjoyed the aristocratic de los Reyes family and their strange elemental house. The second act of the novel is much stronger than the first, and as Ms. Alexander delves into family histories and the buried secrets of the de los Reyes home, I found myself transfixed.

Though Spellspam has its share of weaknesses and beings slowly, it picks up all of that slack by the latter portion of the book – and I ended it wanting more. And isn’t that the ultimate test of a good book?

Notable Quotes/Parts: From Chapter 1:

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The first hint of serious trouble came, as trouble always does, unlooked for, stealthily, catching everyone by surprise. It was the day that LaTasha Jackson suddenly turned into an Anatomy Teacher’s Aid.

Things came to a head during a free-study hour, individual work done in the comfortable, plush silence of the school library, each student to his or her own cubicle, doing whatever work felt most pressing or pleasing. For some, that meant finishing homework due for the very next class; others were reading college textbooks on chosen subjects, way beyond what the Academy was supposed to be covering. Still others sat furtively hunched over their desks, with loose hair covering contraband earphones, trying to hide a music-player-shaped bulge in their pocket. One or two, bored, drew cartoons or wrote snatches of deathless prose which they fondly imagined would turn into a novel someday. The incorrigible chatterboxes found a way to whisper and giggle softly to one another from adjoining cubicles, or pass notes with the occasional rustle of tearing and a scritch of pencils on paper.

But, on the whole, everything was quiet, and Thea liked it that way. She wasn’t doing anything particularly scholastic, but that wasn’t because she was goofing off—she usually managed to have most of her work done in reasonable time, and hardly ever needed to resort to trying to write an essay five minutes before it was due. What she used her free study periods for was simply reading. She would meander down the library stacks at the beginning of the hour, pulling out a book here and there to check it out as a title caught her eye, and finally settle on something that interested her. Her reading tastes were wide-ranging—the books that found their way to her cubicle ranged from almost pristine art history hardcovers to dog-eared fat fantasy novels that had passed through many hands.

She was engrossed in a book about the social customs of chimpanzees when a bloodcurdling scream rent the air from the coveted north corner of the library, where the bank of library computers slated for student use were situated. Thea jumped, dropping her book on the desk with a thump and losing her place, pushing her chair back on its castors to peer around the edges of her cubicle. Dozens of other heads were popping out from other cubicles, and they were all in time to watch in appalled horror as something ghastly leaped back from a computer screen, overturning the chair and sending it flying into a bookcase which staggered under the impact, and raced down the length of the library and out through the double doors at the far end.

You can read the first NINETY pages of Spellspam for free online, thanks to Harper Collins’ awesome “Browse Inside” feature:

Verdict: Perhaps Spellspam is not as memorable or unique as Gift of the Unmage, but it is still a strong novel, very much worth reading. Recommended for those who want something different in their YA fantasy!

Rating: 6 – Good

Reading Next: Cybermage by Alma Alexander

Giveaway Details:

We are giving away ONE AUTOGRAPHED copy of Spellspam to a lucky winner! The contest is open to residents of the US, Canada & UK, and will run until Saturday, December 5 at 11:59 PM (PST). In order to enter, simply leave a comment here! One entry per person please – duplicate and/or multiple entries will be disqualified. Good luck!

Title: Gateway

Author: Sharon Shinn

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Publisher: Viking Juvenile (Penguin)
Publication Date: October 2009
Hardcover: 288 Pages

Stand alone or series: Stand alone novel

How did I get this book: ARC from publisher

Why did I read this book: My reasons are twofold: 1. I love Sharon Shinn’s fantasy novels, especially those with a YA sort of bend (Summers at Castle Auburn is one of my favorites), so when I learned of Gateway, I immediately searched far and wide for an ARC; and 2. As the good majority of fantasy novels – especially of the YA persuasion – deal with almost exclusively white characters and the western European pantheon, when I learned Gateway had a Chinese-American protagonist and set in a fantasy land akin to an alternate China, I was ecstatic. There’s a whole lot of diversity out there, and it’s shocking how underrepresented non-white ethnicities are in mainstream fiction.

Summary: (from amazon.com)
As a Chinese adoptee in St. Louis, teenage Daiyu often feels out of place. When an elderly Asian jewelry seller at a street fair shows her a black jade ring—and tells her that “black jade” translates to “Daiyu”—she buys it as a talisman of her heritage. But it’s more than that; it’s magic. It takes Daiyu through a gateway into a version of St. Louis much like 19th century China. Almost immediately she is recruited as a spy, which means hours of training in manners and niceties and sleight of hand. It also means stealing time to be with handsome Kalen, who is in on the plan. There’s only one problem. Once her task is done, she must go back to St. Louis and leave him behind forever. . . .

Review:

Adopted by caucasian parents, Chinese-born Daiyu has lived a loving, full childhood. On the edge of adulthood, Daiyu works tirelessly at her summer internship, saving money for college. But, when she stumbles across a vendor selling a beautiful black ring at the St. Louis Fairgrounds, Daiyu feels a compulsion to spend a little of her hard earned cash to buy it. The strange vendor tells Daiyu that the ring is for her and her only – the material it is made of even translates to her name, “Daiyu” or black jade. Reluctant to let the opportunity pass her by, especially considering the bargain price the vendor offers for the sense of rightness that the ring emanates on her finger, Daiyu purchases the trinket – and soon finds herself transported to another world after she walks under the Gateway Arch. This new world’s rules are different from Earth’s – Daiyu discovers that while the social hierarchy and history shares some similarities to the America she left, there are some drastic differences. The dominant culture is that of the han, similar in appearance and custom to Earth’s Chinese people (of whom Daiyu resembles with her own Chinese birthright), whereas the working, lower-classes are comprised of cangbai (caucasians) and heiren (black men and women).

In this strange new land, a young cangbai man comes to Daiyu’s aid immediately, introducing himself as Kalen, and he whisks Daiyu away to meet a heiren named Ombri. Daiyu soon learns that the world she has seemingly stumbled into is not due to mere happenstance – she’s the last valuable piece of the puzzle that Ombri and his wife Aurora need to stop a great catastrophe from occurring. For Ombri and Aurora are not mere humans like Daiyu or their servant Kalen; they are beings that can travel between iterations and create magic objects – like Daiyu’s ring – to transport others too, and they have a mission of dire importance that only Daiyu can accomplish. A handsome, persuasive man named Chenglei – a being like Ombri and Aurora – has insinuated himself in this new iteration as the most powerful man in the world, and is set on abusing that power to his own ends. Ombri insists that Chenglei has destroyed whole worlds before, and unless they can get close enough to place a magical bracelet on his arm, transporting Chenglei back to his own iteration, this version of the world is in great peril. And this is where Daiyu comes into the plan – as a han and one who has travelled between iterations, she has the ability to come close to Chenglei in the upperclass han society. Close enough, that is, to put the magicked bracelet on Chenglei’s arm and send him back to his own world.

But though Daiyu wants to believe everything Ombri tells her, she remains uncertain. Is she simply dreaming, like Dorothy in her trip to Oz? Even if she isn’t, is Chenglei really so terrible that she is willing to fight someone else’s war at great mortal peril on her part? As her friendship deepens with Kalen blossoming into romance, and as Daiyu’s memories of her own world fade each day, does she even want to leave this new world?

Gateway is a quiet novel with its tender romance and engaging fantasy/science fiction elements. Ms. Shinn explores the possibility of parallel worlds, a familiar trope, but takes a softer, more folklore-based approach (as opposed to a technical, science fiction route). And, for the most part, her explanations are well thought out, intriguing and believable. The world of Jia, this new land that Daiyu has stumbled into, is at once familiar and alien – taking elements of early twentieth century western european civilization (automobiles putter about, but horse-drawn carriages are still the norm), its firm class boundaries (with marriages made for wealth and power, and social standing influenced by lineage and connections), blended with a Chinese slant on traditions and fashions. In terms of plot though, Gateway runs a bit thin. The most glaring deficiency is that the immediate looming danger that Omni and Aurora impress upon Daiyu (and the readers, by proxy) is never really apparent. While Chenglei is a charming and untrustworthy character, he doesn’t ever seem EEEVIL – certainly not evil or destructive enough to warrant the life or death high stakes that are stressed earlier in the book. As such, Daiyu’s mission in Jia seems less central and urgent than perhaps it should. Also, similar to its almost afterthought of a plot, the system of magic in Gateway is simplistic and disappointing – only a few characters can create magicked objects, and even when they do so, it’s completely off-screen. I’m all for character-centric novels, but Gateway’s lack of determination and direction in so far as Daiyu’s purpose in the book and the role of these different universes and magical objects prevented me from truly engaging with the story.

Though the plotting left me wanting, the real draw to the novel lies with the relationship between Daiyu and Kalen, and the romantic angle of the story. I truly did enjoy Daiyu and Kalen as they interacted, but I can’t help but feel that their falling in love happened too quickly, too predictably. From the first appearance of Kalen, readers know he is Daiyu’s intended love interest – and though there are some wonderful conversations between the two characters, they move so quickly from friends to being head over heels in love, that I felt like I had reader-whiplash. To be fair, this is a complaint I have in many young adult novels that employ a true love romance – there’s a lot of simply saying that two characters fall in love without ever really showing why or how, and to me it feels like…well, cheating. In the scant 300 pages of Gateway, I simply wasn’t convinced that Daiyu and Kalen were so incredibly in love – though other readers may feel differently!

As a heroine on her own, Daiyu is a compelling and admirable heroine. She agrees to do this task for Omni and Aurora, but does not blindly follow their instructions – which is a very, very cool thing. Instead of simply taking someone else’s word for how evil a man Chenglei is, Daiyu forms her own opinions and examines her own conscience each step of the way. Can she fight a war based only on someone else’s volition? It’s an intriguing moral dilemma, and one I think Ms. Shinn handles beautifully in this novel. So far as the secondary characters go, Kalen is a charming counterpart to Daiyu, but somewhat lacking her dimension. The others, from Daiyu’s “adoptive” han aunt to Omni and Aurora are all similarly flat as characters. In fact, more so than Kalen, I found myself most intrigued by Chenglei himself as a character, or the secondary love interest, Quan (another han noble, set up to be Daiyu’s future husband should she stay in Jia)! Again, though, this could simply be a matter of personal reading tastes – the “bad guys” are so much more intriguing than the good ones, or at least they are when it comes to fiction.

Despite these shortcomings, I did enjoy Gateway and would recommend it to Sharon Shinn fans – the ending in particular is well-executed. But, I can’t help but wish there was a little more substance to this fluffy story.

Notable Quotes/Parts: There’s no posted excerpt for the book, so you’re out of luck in that department! But, in terms of writing awesomeness, I don’t think it gets any better than the last chapter of the book. Alternately heartwrenching and heartwarming, Gateway finishes with everything I love about Sharon Shinn’s work.

Additional Thoughts: As I mentioned above, there’s a dearth of non-white young adult fiction. But, if you look hard enough, there are many fabulous titles worth exploring, particularly in the Asian YA fantasy/speculative fiction realm. Here are a few titles I have read and enjoyed, or have on my radar for future reads:

Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pom, Across the Nightingale Floor (The Tales of the Otori series and a really dark, heartwrenching one I recommend only to the staunch of heart) by Lian Hearn, Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman (one of my favorite reads of 2009), The Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale (a bit more Middle Grade, but still a lovely book), and Guardian of the Spirit (Moribito) by Nahoko Uehashi.

Any other recommendations?

Verdict: A readable novel recommended for Sharon Shinn fans, though it isn’t one of her better works. Still, there’s enough to make Gateway worth the investment, especially if you’re looking for a lighter, less substantive romantic fantasy read.

Rating: 6 – Good

Reading Next: Spellspam by Alma Alexander