A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Title: A Monster Calls

Author: Patrick Ness

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Rating: 4-and-a-half stars


Conor O'Malley has nightmare and he's afraid the monster from his nightmare will come to him in real life and the nightmare turns into real. So when a monster shows up, he's not afraid at all. That until the monster interferes in his life and shows him what's hidden under his nightmare.

Patrick Ness did it again! That's the first thing I had in mind after I finished reading this book. In my opinion Patrick Ness is one of the authors who aren't only good at creating loveable and believable characters but also good at create engaging plot. A Monster Calls shows exactly a great author he is. It might be short but it's deep nonetheless. There are stories written for more than 300 pages and you can't still feel the connection with the characters and there are stories written only 100ish pages and you feel in love with the characters since the first chapter. A Monster Calls fall into the later.

Conor is a poor kid; his mother is sick and has been through many treatment with barely a result. I've experienced what he experiences in this book and it wasn't easy for me, who undoubtedly an adult and has many people supported me. Conor on the other hand, is alone and has to deal with all those stuffs by himself. He doesn't have friend at school because everyone pities him, and it doesn't help him at all. And that's why the monster comes to him. The monster comes to tell him a story and after that, Conor must tell him his story, the story in his nightmare.

It's great story with a great message. It's also beautifully written. It's a must read for anyone had experienced loss in his/her life.

Lynossa

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann

Title: The Unwanteds

Author: Lisa McMann

Publisher: Aladdin (Simon & Schuster Imprint)

Rating: Two and a half stars

In the land of Quill, once in a year, thirteen years old kids must face Purge, to decide whether they're Wanted, Necessary, or Unwanted. Alex Stowe is Unwanted while his twin brother Aaron is wanted. That meant Aaron will stay in the society and Alex will be sentenced to death. Or so he thought, until he and other Unwanted kids arrived in Artime where he was allowed to draw, spoke what was on his mind, and snacked in the middle of the night. But Alex missed his twin brother and wanted to contact him. Would he do it even though it might jeopardize Artime?

In the beginning, I was a bit annoyed because there's no explanation why the world turned out like that. For me good dystopian has to have a logical reason why the world became that way. But I decided to keep reading in case the explanation is located in the end of the story. It did have explanation, but it made me think this isn't supposed to be called as dystopian...

Anyway the plot was interesting and idea was great. basically the stoy is good enough to keep me reading until the end; the kids with creative traits were banished from tight and strick society? twins separated and must fight against one another? I'm on it. Plus the strange creatures are amazing as well, I like Simber a lot.

The characters, however aren't so interesting for me. Alex is okay, Lani is a bit bratty, Megan and Samheed a bit typical. Mr. Today also just okay, remind me a bit about Dumbledore but definitely not as awesome as him.The romance part was weird and it just didn't click at all; it felt a bit forced for me.

Then in some parts of the story there are several sub chapters where the narration voice shifted uncomfortably, at least for me. For example there's one that shifted from Alex to Samheed even to Mr. Today while it was supposed to be from Alex POV or another sub-chapter where the narration shifted from Alex to Samheed to Lani. Seriously, it's annoying and confusing. How Alex could possibly know what's Samheed or Mr Today's thought?

So overall the story is good and worthy to read although a bit predictable but the characters were just okay and narration was a bit annoying.

Lynossa

The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann

The Floating Islands by Rachel Neumeier

Title: The Floating Islands

Author: Rachel Neumeier

Publisher: Random House

Rating: three and a half stars

They flew as geese fly in the fall, in a formation like a spear point. At first the shape the winged men made was stark as a rune against the empty sky, but as they approached the ship, they broke their formation, wheeled, and circled low. The morning light caught in the feathers of their glorious wings, crimson as blood, except for one man whose wings were black as grief.

Trei had just lost his family in a terrible disaster and had to seek for a new place in The Floating Islands when he saw the Kajurai, the flying men swam at the air. Trei knew that's the one thing he ever wanted to be. The only person who understood his feeling is Arenai, his newly-found cousin. Being a woman in The Floating Islands meant you have to prepare to be a good wife and that's it. But that's not what Araene wanted. Both of them tried hard to be what they wanted but danger lurked in when Trei's old country decided to attack The Floating Islands. Will they able to be what they wanted to be? And where would Trei's loyalty lies?

The Floating Islands is a very interesting story; I enjoy reading it. Not only that but I also like Trei and Araene for being bold and fearless in pursuing what they wanted. However the other characters aren't so interesting. I guess on of my problems with this book is the conflicts aren't deep enough. Most of the characters are very good and helpful. Trei managed to fit in with the other kajurai apprentices without much problem (I would love to see a bit of clash in there), and the same thing also happened to Araene. Most of the characters are good and they rarely showed their bad side, which I would prefer to see more instead of the good-goody two shoes kind of characters. So for me it's lack of deep conflicts, either between characters or in plot, but overall it's pretty good.

I would recommend it for fantasy and middle-grade lovers.

Lynossa

The Floating Islands by Rachel Neumeier

Faeries: Glimmerglass (Faeriewalker #1) by Jenna Black

Faerie is a race in Celtic Mythology. This race lives in Otherworld but they're able to come to our world on certain times; Samhain night is considered as one of those times. Some people use the term faerie for any mythical creatures, but some use this term for more ethereal creatures.
Several scholars consider the origin of faeries is actually Gods/Goddesses in Celtic Mythology, but when Christian entered land of Britain, one of the way to reduce human's believe toward these creatures' power was by changing them into faeries; Lugh became the cute green-hatted leprechaun, for example.
In Faeriewalker series by Jenna Black, Faeries live side by side with human in a city called Avalon. This city is the only city in the world where Faerie and human can live together. But the balance within this city is disrupted when powerful faeries are fighting among each others for power.

Title: Glimmerglass (Faeriewalker #1)

Author: Jenna Black

Publisher: St. Martin Griffin

Rating: 3 and a half stars

Tired of dealing with her constant drunken mother, Dana Hathaway decided living in Avalon with his Fae father might be a good idea. The moment she set on her foot in Avalon, she discovered that it was actually a bad idea. Chased by Fae and humans, trapped in the middle of Fae politics and had to deal with handsome Fae teen, she found out that she actually a Faeriwalkers, a person who can walk in both human and Fae's world. In order to survive, Dana had to know where she could place her trust and decided which side she choose.

In my opinion Glimmerglass is very interesting. I'm not a huge fan of Fae, honestly, there's something about the too-handsome and too-powerful creature that irks me. But Glimmerglass is surprisingly acceptable for me. Even though there were some damsel-in-distress moments, I still can stand it. I enjoyed Ms. Black's writing style; it flows naturally. The characters are interesting; some of them seemed to follow stereotype but after awhile, I found out that they were more than meet the eyes.

Overall Glimmerglass is very interesting, although I'm not fascinated by the characters , I enjoy reading it and surely I will read the second book in near time and hope Dana has grown some backbones!

Lynossa

This month is the release month for the third book in Faeriwalker series; Sirensong. Mr. Black had kindly agreed to giveaway a copy of Sirensong to one lucky winner. This is an international giveaway and all you need to do is fill the form HERE!

Faeries: Glimmerglass (Faeriewalker #1) by Jenna Black

Celtic Warriors: The Raven Queen Preview + Giveaway

As Jules Watson said in her post yesterday, Celtic has many interesting legends on its warriors. Those warriors are not only male, but also female. One of the most popular is... Maeve; wife of King Conor of Ulaid, a strong powerful woman who had the determination even greater than most men.

Title: The Raven Queen

Author: Jules Watson

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Teaser: Breathing hard, she pulled her sword free and knelt before him. "I triumphed against those who opposed me, and won the loyalty of lords and warriors. The long dark was mild, and leaf-bud early. The crops are abundant, the flocks and herds swelling. All is fertile and unfurls with life."  p218

I haven't finish read this book due to work and my country's crappy post service but I've got to tell you so far I'm enjoying it. It got the action, the romance, and all that jazz. I'm going to post my review as soon as I finish reading it.

One lucky winner will be able to obtain a signed copy of The Raven Queen by Jules Watson. All you have to do is fill this FORM et voila, you're done!

Celtic Warriors: The Raven Queen Preview + Giveaway

Jules Watson on Celtic Myth

During the writing of my five Celtic novels, I received emails from places as scattered as Panama, India, Malaysia, Germany, Spain and Romania. These readers say they always had a "thing" about Celtic legends. So I began calling us all "The Lost Tribe". Since the Celts believed in rebirth, I say maybe we lived in Celtic lands once, and now are dispersed across the globe! True or not, Celtic myths are popular worldwide. But why?

Well, perhaps it is because they celebrate nature, with divine “spirit” held in every animal, tree, and stream. They include a mysterious Otherworld that lies just beyond our fingertips. In this fast-paced, technological world, we yearn to connect to nature, to know there might be “more” out there…realms where magic exists.

Celtic legends are peopled by noble heroes and fiery maidens, and in their stories, the Celts risk everything for honor, courage, and passion. We also long to be swept away by love, to see ourselves as honorable and brave, to “live free or die”. Unlike the intellectual Romans, the Celts were all about emotion. It may have doomed them, but we react to the glory and tragedy in their stories. It’s a more stirring world than the one we often find ourselves in.

My favorite Celtic myth is about the Irish hero Cuchulainn. He is the poster boy for Celtic honor and nobility – pure of heart, despite being deadly with a sword. Although not the central character, I tell his story in my most recent novels, The Swan Maiden and The Raven Queen. As often happens in Celtic myths, Cuchulainn’s fate is sealed by the greed and selfishness of others. He ends up having to fight his best friend and soulmate, Ferdia, to the death. It is Celtic tragedy of epic proportions. I loved writing it!

My books The Swan Maiden and The Raven Queen are based on Irish myths. The Swan Maiden is about the tragic heroine Deirdre, imprisoned by the ageing King Conor. She runs away with the warrior Naisi, and is chased by Conor’s knights, including Cuchulainn. Cuchulainn loves the fugitives, and his efforts to keep them safe while not betraying his honor, and Naisi’s efforts to stay free without betraying his honor, are very moving.

For The Raven Queen, I tackled the legendary warrior-queen Maeve, who was the force behind the great Irish heroic epic, the Cattle Raid of Cooley. Described in early stories as promiscuous and a brutal war-mongerer, she was too fascinating for an author to ignore!

Both these books involve the sidhe, the magical beings of the Celtic Otherworld. The sidhe appear in most Celtic myths as semi-divine warriors and maidens, kings and queens, and mischief-makers. I made them more elemental beings of spirit.

Birds and other animals are important in Irish myth. Maeve is associated with ravens. Ravens invoke prophecy and the Otherworld, a perfect totem for a warrior-queen who must call on the spirit world to defeat her enemies.

Deirdre, alone in Scotland, begins sensing the sidhe and also learns to “see” through water and fire – becoming almost a nature spirit herself. So I made her totem the swan, because in Celtic legends swans were also messengers of the Otherworld. Deirdre transforms into a spirit swan many times during her life.

My earlier historical fiction series, The Dalriada trilogy, is set in Scotland. The Romans are trying to conquer Britain, with my plucky band of Scottish Celts trying to stop them. Like in Marion Zimmer Bradley’s The Mists of Avalon, I made my heroine a Celtic priestess. Although the books are adventure romances, this meant that I could weave in hints of real Celtic legends - an Otherworld of unseen powers who transform from animal to spirit; the rebirth of souls; our sixth sense; and the ability to foresee the future.

Though this trilogy is based on history, I found I could not resist the song of the Celtic Otherworld, either!

Ms. Watson had agreed to giveaway a copy of The Raven Queen to one of the lucky reader. The detail will be given tomorrow along with my preview of The Raven Queen! Visit her HERE!

Jules Watson on Celtic Myth

Review: The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron Daughter
Author: Julie Kagawa
Series: Iron Fey #2
Pages: 359 Pages (Paperback)
(Goodreads)

Release date: August 1st 2010
Published by: Harlequin Teen

Summary:

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.

Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

Review:

The Iron Daughter picks up where Winter’s Passage left. Meghan is trapped in the Winter Court because of the deal she made with Ash in the first book. While I loved Ash even more in this book than in the first one, I found myself wanting to strangle Meghan even more in this book than in the first one. I don’t know what happened to the part of her brain that held the memory of their ‘talk’ in Winter’s Passage because in the first few chapters of book two, that part of her brain is obviously wandering off somewhere. Sorry if I offended you, Meghan, but you were really being stupid. There was Ash, being handsome and lovely, but there you were, being stupid and annoying. I would’ve smacked you if I could. But I still heart you. Partly because you have a poster of Escaflowne in your room ;P

But all’s well, ends well! Okay, not really. Meghan regained herself when she and Ash fled from the Winter Court. Puck has woken up from his deep slumber and joined the adventure. Still as faithful to Meghan as ever. He still annoys me but I like him more in TID than in TIK. And Ash decided that he had to find the scepter in his own way. He’s still keen on the law against romance between a Summer and Winter fey. I had to pity Meghan several times. Also, Puck had had his chance on Meghan in this book.

If you loved The Iron King, you will absolutely love The Iron Daughter! You’ll probably love it even more than the first book. The Iron Daughter is packed with more action and adventure. You’ll also get to meet new characters and some characters mentioned from the past. And if you’re an Ash x Meghan fan, you will also definitely, definitely love the last chapter!

Review: The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Review: The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron King
Author: Julie Kagawa
Series: Iron Fey #1
Pages: 363 (Paperback)
(Goodreads)

Release date: February 1st 2010
Pubished by: Harlequin Teen

Summary:

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny—one she could never have imagined…

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

Review:

I was never a fan of faeries until The Iron King. Faeries seemed overrated to me. Not that weres and vamps are not but still, they don’t appeal to me that much. But when I started reading The Iron King, I was immediately sucked into the world of faeries. I even kind of regretted it that I only took notice of faerie books now. They are such awesome amusing creatures. I totally admire their whole being.

The Iron King intertwines adventure, romance, mystery, friendship and more adventure. That, combined with an awesome writing style and superb characters is something all you, young adult fantasy book lovers MUST not miss. The first half of the book reminds me of Alice’s adventure in Wonderland with Grimalkin as the Cheshire Cat. But they’re not really alike. And The Iron King is packed with more breathtaking adventure, awesome characters and romance.

Also, this book is where I found a new love. Ash. Ash is this cool, calm and collected dark-haired, silver-eyed fey with a swoon-worthy small smile who is so cool, I fell in lust with him even before I read the book. Well, this, coming from a girl whose heart belongs to over 50 fictional guys ...and one cat. Because Grimalkin is the most awesome thing next to Ash in this book.

The third most awesome thing, of course, is Meghan. I'm somewhat in heart with her too in a BFF/sisterly sort of way. She's currently my most favorite female character. I can connect to her in so many ways. She's a strong-willed character. Impulsive, yes, like any other YA female MC. But there's something about her that I can't quite put my finger on, but it's what makes her different from any other characters.

And then Puck. Most Iron Fey fans like this guy. I like him too but his cockiness annoys me. Sometimes, he gets too cocky for his own good. I feel like wiping that stupid big sarcastic grin on his face. Though you can't also shake the fact that it's really funny whenever he gets on Ash's nerves.

Review: The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

The Damned Busters by Matthew Hughes

Title: The Damned Busters (Hell & Back #1)

Author: Matthew Hughes

Publisher: Angry Robot

Rating: Three stars


It's a funny story about a mild-mannered actuary, Chesney Arnstruther, who lead up a normal boring life until he accidentally summoned a demon. Refused to sell his soul, he caused a strike in Hell until finally managed to come up with an agreement with the Satan. Maniac of comic-hero, Chesney decided he could use his agreement with Hell for good cause and transformed himself into a superhero, The Actionary.

I have to admit I'm not a fan of superhero stories at all, especially those who wander around in tight clothes. That's why it took me awhile to finish this story, but put that aside, I enjoyed the funny and hilarious moments in this book. It got Tom Holt's feel in it; a somewhat nerdy main character who accept his role as background suddenly become the highlight of the story. At first it all seemed to be simple; chased the bad guy and save damsel in distress, but soon Chesney got caught up in politics and - like most comic hero - met the villain of his story.

You won't find deep and profound characters - the women are quite one-dimensional and the men are stereotypical. As matter of fact, don't expect something deep in this story, it basically just a story to entertain you. To make you laugh or if you're a fan of superhero, to make you imagine what if you got the same chance as Chesney did.

Wacky and hilarious, fans of superhero will enjoy this book.

Lynossa

The Damned Busters by Matthew Hughes

Seven Sorcerers by Caro King

Title: Seven Sorcerers

Author: Caro King

Publisher: Querqus

Rating: 3 and a half stars

For Nin, Wednesday is the worst day of a week but she learned a whole new dimension of worst when on one Wednesday her little brother Toby was gone and no one in her family remembered him except her. Tried to discover the mystery, she realized that whatever took Toby is planning to kidnap her as well. Managed to escape from the bogeyman but everyone is her family lost their memories about her, hid in Drift with the help of Jonas, a stranger who experienced the same thing with her, Nin discovered a lot of new things including the history of this world. Learned the truth about this world and the Seven Sorcerers that once ruled it, Nin set on a journey to save Toby, but can she make it when Drift posed so many dangers such as Hound, tombfolk, and of course the same bogeyman who wont let her go easily.

 I enjoyed this book a lot. It was nice and fun book to devour in one night (if you're not too busy with work). The character develop nicely in this book, when the first time Nin arrived at the Drift, she was almost helpless and relied on Jonas everytime something happened. But eventually she became stronger and understand the power she has and gained confident in what she was doing. The changes also happened to the bogeyman, I wont say anything that will spoil the fun of you, but he's one of the most interesting character in this book, although my favorite character is Jik, I have a thing with quirky-out-of-the-ordinary creature (like the hob in The Crowfield Curse and Dobby in Harry Potter), beside Jik is so cute (if more than two-meter tall mudman can be considered as cute).

The story is quite predictable in some parts but it doesn't mean it's not fun to read. However the ending was too quick and too abrupt. I was still enjoying the book and felt the tense of their adventure and suddenly, it ended and I was like, 'huh?'. Apparently there's a second book, Shadow Spell, and I've decided that I'm going to find this book. I recommend it to Middle-Grade readers who like fantasy.

Lynossa

Seven Sorcerers by Caro King

Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis

Title: Kat, Incorrigible (US)/A Most Improper Magick (UK) (The Unladylike Adventures of Kat Stevenson #1)

Author: Stephanie Burgis

Publisher: Antheneum Books

Rating: 4 stars
 
Kat is the youngest daughter of Stevenson family. Witty and never concern about how a lady should behave, Kat is a handful for her Stepmama and her two older sisters. Then she found out she was born to be a Guardian with powerful magic, part of an Order to protect Society, and her life gets merrier! Planning to runaway to London so she could get a job and free her sister from marriage arrangement, help a love-struck guy who pretend to be highwayman to kidnap the girl he loves, or disguise herself to be the woman she hates the most, Kat always find a way to do something. But finally she realize what is the meaning of helpless when she meet a strong opponent, who willing to sacrifice Kat's family for his own benefit.

Kat, Incorrigible is a light-reading; something you read after a hard day full of work/school so you could feel relax and perhaps laugh a little bit. Set in Yorkshire, England 1803, this book offer a taste of Jane Austen's book with more enthusiast (or should I say unladylike) main character. Kat is definitely the star in this book. Although other characters are quite interesting, I found them quite predictable as well, unless probably Mr. Gregson. Kat's sisters, Angelina and Elissa are a bit similar to Austen's characters as well. Elissa remind me a bit of Jane for Pride and Prejudice. It doesn't mean Stephanie rip them off though; not that similar.

The conflict is typical of Jane Austen books; love, marriage arrangement, scandal in Society, and how to behave like a proper lady with a twist of magic. Kat inheritance the ability to do magic from her late mother; magic that so powerful that makes her eligible to be part of the Order of Guardian. But Kat doesn't really want it because all she wants is protect her family (and have a little fun while doing it). The fantasy element in this story is perfect; not too much to make you feel overwhelmed with it but enough to make the story more interesting. Even though Kat is powerful, she's not untouchable. Especially because her magic is still raw, she often did mistakes doing it. I prefer a realistic character, not someone too perfect, and Kat is quite realistic. Overall it's not a story that you have to take time to digest it; you just need to get along with the story and enjoy the ride.

With this book I declared that I favor middle-grade more than young adult. I like this kind of book; with a witty character who wont waste her life being angst and mooning over a super handsome guy. Don't get me wrong, I like YA but sometimes the lovey-dovey in YA is just too much for me to tolerate. But middle-grade offer more excitement and broader conflict for me compare to YA.

Lynossa

Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis

The Crowfield Curse by Pat Walsh and Interview

Title: The Crowfield Curse

Author: Pat Walsh

Publisher: The Chicken House

Rating: 4 stars

‘Very well. We will talk again.’ Jacobus Bone lifted a hand in dismissal. The cuff of his long sleeve slipped back just far enough to reveal part of his hand. Or what was left of it. William stared at the stumps of two fingers and a thumb and caught his breath in shock.
Jacobus Bone was a leper.

Shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Fiction Prize 2010, The Crowfield Curse set in year 1347. Fifteen-year-old Will, an orphan boy, lives at Crowfield Abbey. Sent into the forest to gather wood, he rescues instead, a creature from a trap - a hob, who shares with Will a terrible secret. Somewhere in the forest behind the abbey where he lives, is a grave. And buried deep in the snow is an angel. But how can an angel die? What has it to do with the monks of the Abbey? When two hooded strangers arrive at Crowfield asking questions about the angel's grave. Will is drawn into a world of dangerous Old Magic.

I like this book! I like the characters, I like the story, the plot the setting, everything! It's not an epic fantasy in another realm, it's a world beside our normal world. The world where fays live and Old Magic lingers in the corner of dark forest. I really like the hob, Brother Walter. I think he's cute; especially when he's hanging on Will's shoulder while they were running. The other characters weren't so impressing as the hob but I quite like William, Brother Snail, and Shadlock. Despite his fate, William is a normal kid who wishes for warm food and less work. He's not super handsome or super awesome; he's average yet there's something about him that makes him special. I felt attached to him especially after reading how he felt toward the death of animals. I love animals and I can understand the hopeless feeling he felt.


I think this book will appeal to children from 8-15 years old, and also adults who enjoy middle grade book (like me). It's easy to like, fun to read, and very enjoyable. The only downfall I can think of is that in the beginning this book lack of action. But I think the events which happened during the first part of the book built the tension until it reached the climax in the end so it was okay for me. Now I can't wait for the second book to come!

********

I received e-copy from the author. I requested it because I was intrigued by its cover and description and she kindly sent in to me. After I finished the book, I email her to ask some questions. Here are those:

The Crowfield Curse by Pat Walsh and Interview

The Ring of Solomon by Jonathan Stroud

Title: The Ring of Solomon

Author: Jonathan Stroud

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Rate: 4 stars

The dust clouds slowly settled. Side by side we sat there, wedged into the ground like broken teeth or titling statues. Several of us were gently steaming. Our heads were half-buried in the dirt, our legs sagged in the air like wilting steams.
I spat out a pebble. "I think he forgives us, Farqual," I croaked. "Look, he's smiling."
"Remember, Bartimaeus-we're upside-down."
"Oh, right."

It is 950 B.C.E and King Solomon rules Jerusalem with a steely hand; a hand on which gleams a magic ring of immense and unforgiving power. He assigned one of his magician Khaba to oversee the construction of his temple. The workforces are a bunch of ill-behaved djinns including Bartimaeus, our favorite sarcastic djinn. But after a silly joke - including dressed as pygmy hippo in skirt - Bartimaeus and the rest of Khaba's djinns were kicked from the construction and forced to hunt a group of bandits in the desert. Here he crossed path with Asmira, a loyal and devoted captain to Queen Sheba who was assigned on a deadly task to kill Solomon. Bartimaeus has no intention to help her, until she makes him an offer he can't refuse...

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE BARTIMAEUS!

Ok, enough with the fangirlsm. Yes, I go fangirl over a sarcastic djinni who enjoy himself by mocking everybody and bragging about his past glory - including his record in eating his past masters. I just love everything about Bartimaeus; his mockery, his sarcasm, and his occasionally melancholic state of mind. I always love a character that has much depth that what it seen from the surface and Bartimaeus is just like that. The first time I knew him in the Bartimaeus Trilogy - he seemed to be a typical djinn - if there is typical djinn - but it turned out he was different from the rest.

The Ring of Solomon didn't affect me the way other Bartimaeus Trilogy books did; perhaps because it's too short or the other character did not appeal to me the way the characters in Bartimaeus Trilogy did. Don't get me wrong, I like them but not as much as I like Nathaniel or Kitty (if you'd read Bartimaeus Trilogy, you know them). King Solomon is quite interesting, he's also more than what he appeared to be in front of the mass. Asmira just okay, she's your typical delusional warrior who willing to sacrifice everything for her Queen even though she doesn't understand a thing. Farqual... as usual fighting with Bartimaeus, although it's nice to see them chatted like civilize djinn for awhile.

This is a very nice reading for those of you who miss Bartimaeus. It wasn't as epic as Bartimaeus Trilogy but it's good enough for you to laugh at his mockery and once again to understand his point of view about life. I just wish it was longer so I could read  more about Bartimaeus...

Lynossa

The Ring of Solomon by Jonathan Stroud

Life, Liberty, and The Pursuit of Sausages (ARC) by Tom Holt AND Giveaway!

Title: Life, Liberty and The Pursuit of Sausages

Author: Tom Holt

Publisher: Orbit Books

Publish Date: February 2, 2011

Rate: 4 stars

"Angry; he was furious. A lifetime of rational thought. A lifetime dedicated to the twin goals of reasonable, logical explanation and doing as little work as possible, and now he discovered that there was magic in the world. It was insulting. It was how Columbus would have felt if he'd sailed two days beyond the Azores and found himself falling off the edge."
Polly is a real estate solicitor. She is also losing her mind. Someone keeps drinking her coffee. And talking to her clients. And doing her job. And when she goes to the dry cleaner's to pick up her dress for the party, it's not there. Not the dress - the dry cleaner's. Don is Polly's brother who dedicate his life in making tunes and work as little as possible. And now he has to find Polly's dress or Polly wont let him live in peace. But when he found it, he also found other things as well, and get tangled up in the middle of chaos involving strange pencil sharpener, mysterious dry cleaner, a man without past, missing coffee, chickens (lots of chickens) and a pig.

I was so enthusiastic when I found this ARC in NetGalley, I was practically jumping around. Tom Holt is one of my favorite authors; okay, I have lots of favorite authors but Tom Holt is my champ in Humor SF/Fantasy. He has been a master in combining fantasy with reality for years; not in Harry Potter way, or any other fantasy story way, but in his own way. Approach without expecting anything but laugh is the best way to start reading Tom Holt’s books. Plunge into the world that Holt created is like walking to your office in a mundane day and found a unicorn inside your cubicle but instead of being cute and awesome and tell you that you have a destiny to fulfill, the unicorn scold at you for staring at him too long. He combines the cynical of human regarding fantasy and anything unusual with a quirky magical stuff unlike any other had even presented before and stashes a heavy dose of sarcasm and British slang. LOVE IT!

It was a bit hard to give the usual review. You know the drill, characters, plot, setting, etc. For me the characters were funny and quirky and sometimes can be annoying. They weren't lovable in the way you might love characters that so-you. But you might love them because of their quirkiness. The plot is even more difficult to explain because half way through the book while you've met several characters, you might still unable to see the connection and sometimes in the middle of reading you felt lost because the sequence kinda jumping around. But when you finally able to see the connection, you'll understand the story and you might shout 'Ah! so that's why!'. Well, at least I did that.

While reading this book, I smirked, chuckled, and laughed even in the middle of the train (which resulted with some people stared at me as if I'm losing my mind). It's not the mind-blowing-so-touching-it-almost-rip-your-heart-out story. It's a funny story that will make you laugh; for me its a refreshing detour from the usual The Chosen One or Fullfil Your Destiny's kinda fantasy. Although I must say not everyone will be able to see the fun side of Tom Holt's book. Only those who enjoyed sarcasm and able to understand British slang.

*****

Because I love Tom Holt so much, I contacted Orbit Books and they kindly agreed to giveaway copies of Life, Liberty, and The Pursuit of Sausages by Tom Holt for dear fellow readers. Now you can experience the fun and quirky world of Tom Holt in printed copy!

How to enter?
1. You must be a follower to enter! submit your entries
2. One entry per person per household.
3. Read our giveaway policy before you enter it!

Extra entries:
+2 leave meaningful comment on this post
+2 tweet about this giveaway
+2 blog post about this giveaway

This giveaway end on midnight Jan 31, GMT

Lynossa

ps: I forgot to tell you this important thing! How stupid am I! The prize will be one copy for international follower and one copy for US follower. Cheers!

Life, Liberty, and The Pursuit of Sausages (ARC) by Tom Holt AND Giveaway!

The Fallen Blade by Jon Courtenay Grimwood (ARC) + Giveaway

Title: The Fallen Blade, Act I of Assassini Trilogy


Author: Jon Courtenay Grimwood


Publisher: Orbit Books


Rate: 3 and a half stars


Out of the darkness came an Assassino, his sword already drawn back to take the dying man's head. Blood pumped in a fountain and fell like rain. The battle was ferocious after that. Beasts and men hacking at each other. And then men lay dead in the dirt. Most in riveted mail, a few naked.


Venice in the early fifteenth century is at the height of its power. In theory Duke Marco commands. But Marco is a simpleton so his aunt and uncle rule in his stead. Within the Serene Republic, their word is law, but for all their influence, Venice's fate still lies in other hands . . .
Lady Giulietta is the Duke's cousin. She enjoys greater privilege than many can even dream of, but her status will demand a terrible price.
Atilo Il Mauros is head of the Assassini, the shadow army that enforces Venice's will - both at home and abroad.
Prince Leopold zum Bas Friedland is the bastard son of the German emperor and leader of the krieghund - the only force in Venice more feared than Atilo's assassins.
And then there is Atilo's angel-faced apprentice. Only a boy, Tycho is already stronger and faster than any man has a right to be. He can see in the dark, but sunlight burns him.  It is said that he drinks blood.

*********

 A warning must be presented for the misleading cover; this is not YA books or urban-fantasy. This is historical fiction with a twist of fantasy. This book is closer to Pillar of the Earth by Ken Follet or Imperium by Thomas Harris rather than Vampire Diaries or Mortal Instruments series. You'll find political intrigues, betrayal, conspiracy, and of course power struggle between Prince Alonzo and Duchess Alexa which affected every character in this story as they have to chose side to stay alive.


There are several things I like the most about this book; this isn't a clear-cut story. It's not a story where you can predict the ending. Lets face it, most vampire stories these days, no matter how awesome or complicated the stories were, usually ended up with Happy Ending (yes, I purposely write that with capital). In The Fallen Blade, it's hard to guess where the story with take you. In one scene after Tycho meets Prince Leopold, I thought they will bond together and do some kick-ass payback action. But it doesn't work that way, and more twist and turn were presented, keeping my eyes glued to my netbook screen.


Other thing is the way the author combine the beauty and bleakness of Venice in year 1400s. Venice with all the buildings and sculptures is consider as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, but its just in the surface. While reading it you'll find many layers of Venice and not all of them have pretty face and it was true; brothels managed by patricians, young girl from rich family sold into a wedding for even more rich or powerful man, children roaming on the street used according to the needs of powerful parties. Those things really happened in the past and the author cleverly mixed it with fantasy and legend.

Overall there's nothing I dislike about this book although it doesn't make me think about it all the time. It's well-written story with interesting characters and events. This is gory, savage, bloody, sad and can be frustrating at times. But it also grand and awesome in various level. It will capture the fans of historical fiction whose not afraid of a little blood (okay, maybe not so little...).


GIVEAWAY! Check this post to enter our The Fallen Blade giveaway! Comment on this review for extra entries!

Lynossa

The Fallen Blade by Jon Courtenay Grimwood (ARC) + Giveaway

How To Be A Pirate by Cressida Cowell

Title: How To Be A Pirate by Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III

Author: Cressida Cowell

Publisher: Little Brown (UK)

Rating: 3 and a half

"Who shall fight Dogsbreath?" repeated Gobber the Blech.
Ten of the boys stuck their hands up with cries of "Ooooosirmesirpleasechoosemesir," wildy excited at the thought of being smooshed into a pulp by Dogsbreath the Duhbrain. This was predictable. That's what most Hooligans were like.

The second adventure of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, the heir of Hooligan Tribe. His previous success doesn't guarantee that everyone suddenly love him, I mean after all they're Hooligans. So when Hiccup and Fishlegs found a coffin with a writing 'Do Not Open and telling everyone Not to Open it, it doesn't mean they listened to him. A man emerged from inside the coffin and claimed to be a honest farmer who got stuck inside the coffin and told tale about Hiccup ancestor's treasure. Soon the berk island was busy with the preparation of treasure hunting. What would Hiccup do? Will he joined in excitement?

I love this series, although How to Be a Pirate isn't my favorite among the 8th books but I'm still loving it. The same with first book, the author manage to present the goofy and silliness in a very nice way. The dorky drawing add more to the humor. It's a fun light reading that kids will surely enjoy it. Even adult would enjoy it as well as a break from heavier books. Although it seems like a no-brainer book, but underneath it all there's a hidden message inside of this series about kindness, and having treasures doesn't mean it will guarantee happiness. And this message is subtly written without making it seems like preaching.

Lynossa

How To Be A Pirate by Cressida Cowell

Freefall (Tunnels #3) by Roderick Gordon & Brian Williams

Title: Freefall (Tunnels #3)

Author: Roderick Gordon & Brian Williams

Publisher: The Chicken House

Rating: 3 and a half stars

There were four wooden benches in a row against the side of the tunnel. Resembling something one might find in a butcher's shop, they were sturdily built, their legs and tops made of thick pieces of timber. This impression was further enhanced by the fact that they were bloodstained and covered with what seemed to be scraps of old, dried meat, in some places several centimetres deep.

This is the third part of Tunnels series. If you haven't read it and don't want to be spoiled, stop reading right now. You can find the first book, Tunnels, review in here and the second book, Deeper, review in here.

Descend even deeper than ever, Will, Chester, and Elliot land on the Pore, the place equal (if not more) dangerous as the interior. Spider-monkey and Bright are roaming around looking for victims. Luckily they stumbled upon Martha, a soloist renegade who lives in the Pore and take them to her save haven. But after awhile, they starting to wonder about Martha's mental condition and going restless. But will Martha let them go? And what about the twins? Without Will and Chester knowing, they also landed on the Pore and now looking for a way out of the Pore so they could finish their evil plan to kill all Topsoil and take over the world.

This is my favorite among three books in Tunnels series I've read. Why? Finally I see character development! Not immediately as half part of the book still pretty much similar to the previous books (in term character development) and I even get frustrated with Will's naivety. But then as the story goes and he sees and experienced a lot more, Will finally grew up from that little boy who just wanting to be reunited with his father. Other characters such as Chester also changed a bit - not as much as Will though, and Elliot - my favorite character - spent half of the book lying unconsciously only to return with a bang, literary. That is so Elliot. Almost similar with the first and second book, there are some parts where I feel bored. But I didn't stop reading and things get pretty excited and intense again with a cliffhanger ending that makes you wanting for more.

Lynossa

Freefall (Tunnels #3) by Roderick Gordon & Brian Williams

Logic of Demons by H.A. Goodman + Interview

Title: Logic of Demons

Author: H.A. Goodman

Publisher: AuthorHouse

Rate: 3 stars

There she was, 30 feet away, a monster of sorts, sitting behind her desk looking straight at Devin with a razor-sharp stare, cold and motionless. Her eyes beamed with a red glow. Devin recoiled; he couldn’t help it. Like every other area in this office world, there was no way to see anything clearly. One could barely make out the antique furniture and large paintings throughout her office. However, a small lamp on her desk was located close enough to highlight every one of her grotesque features.

What would you do if the love of your life was murdered by a deranged killer? Would you become a vigilante and seek retribution? And would this revenge affect those you care for in the afterlife? LOGIC OF DEMONS The Quest for Nadine's Soul takes you on a journey inside the psyches of men and women forced to deal with the spiritual consequences of their decisions. Through the lives of a demon, two Angels, and a mysterious teenage girl, a plethora of politically and socially relevant issues ranging from the roots of genocide and sex trafficking to child conscription and religious fundamentalism are addressed in this fantasy thriller.

Logic of Demons by H.A. Goodman + Interview

Deeper (Tunnels #2) by Brian Williams and Roderick Gordon

Tittle: Deeper (Tunnels #2)

Author: Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams

Publisher: The Chicken House

Rating: 3 and a half stars

Will and Chester raced down the avenue after Cal, not thinking, not caring, where they were going as long as they got away from the onslaught of airborne monsters. They were driven by a single thought, almost a primordial fear: to escape from these screeching, oversized beasts.

This is the second book of Tunnels series. If you haven't read the first book, I suggest you to stop reading this now. I have the review for the first book, Tunnels, in HERE.

Escaped from Colony and the fierce grip of Styx, Will, Chester, and Cal going deeper underground searching for Will's father. But the underworld is much more sinister and cruel that topsoil; plenty beasts and Styx's limiters roaming around. Not only that, Will also discovered Styx plan to destroyed human race above the earth and to rule the world. A dream that seems so impossible but if you're accustomed with dictator maniacs, you know they always want that. So now not only make sure his father still alive, dodging Styx, escape from mortal dangers, Will and his friends have to find a way to save humanity!

I've discovered that in some series, especially trilogy, the second book usually the least interesting among the others. That's not what happened with Deeper; as far as I have read this series is being consistent. Surely it has the similar slow-pace-kinda-boring moments, but it still bearable. There we some surprises; I thought I was used to it by now but there were few times when I leafed the pages while reading casually, absolutely expect nothing and then something happened and my jaw dropped few inches. My thought at that time, "What the hell just happened? I didn't see that coming!!!" and the story manage to capture my interest again.
Not only that but there were some changes in Chester and Will friendship, especially after they met Drake and Elliot - two renegades who wandered at the Deep, hiding from the Styx while occasionally destroying their facilities. We also get to know more about the twins and Will's mother from several chapters which presented from Sarah Jerome's point of view.
Personally I'm not a fan of first person POV, and this book use third person POV which is my favorite POV in stories. For me it was one of the strong point of this book. Other points were  the rich description of the Deep - I can picture it very well in my imagination - and the suspense and surprises in every layer. Sadly, it lacked on character development. I think the authors were focusing more on the plot and story development, which was awesome, but character development is important, especially for series.
If you're looking for awesome main character who seems to be either super cool, super handsome, or super you, this is not the book you want. But if you're looking for epic adventure with rich and vivid description and to get lost in the dark underworld, you'll enjoy this series.

ps: My Tunnels book is UK version but my Deeper book is US version. I will suggest you to buy UK version because not only the cover is glossy, the paper quality is better. This is based on paperback version.

Lynossa

Deeper (Tunnels #2) by Brian Williams and Roderick Gordon

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Title: The Graveyard Book

Author: Neil Gaiman

Publisher: Harper Collins Children (US)

Rating: 4 Stars

There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife.
The knife had a handle of polished black bone, and a blade finer and sharper than any razor. If it sliced you, you might not even know you had been cut, not immediately.

 Nobody Owens lived and grew up in the graveyard, raised by ghosts and well-guarded by mysterious man who belong to neither the world of living nor dead. Graveyard isn't a safe place; there are plenty dangers and adventures. But for Bod that is his beloved home, especially when outside the graveyard a dangerous man named Jack still looking for him, the same man that killed his family...

The excerpt was the opening passages from The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Despite the horror opening, this is a children book. Gaiman is well-known for presenting horror into children situation without forgetting the innocent and the fun that became a signature in every children book. Similar to Coraline, this is a terrific story presented in a very delicate way that glued my eyes to those pages. This is one of the books I read over and over again without getting bored. I like everything about this book; I like how it was written, I like the characters, I like the cover, and I like the illustrations (I read the hardcover version).
The main character Bod was believable; even though he grew up in Graveyard. He experienced all the things just the same as any other kids; having friends, play hide-and-seek (sometimes inside a tomb), and dealing with bullies. But he was special also; not only he could see and talk to the ghosts, he has the ability to fade so people couldn't see it, and plant nightmares into people's mind. Other characters such as Silas, Bod's ghost parents, and Jack the Man were also believable. Gaiman didn't explain them in long detailed paragraph but I could picture them quite easily. Some authors can be over the top with character description but lack in describing ambiance and surrounding situation, that's now what happened with this book. Every little thing about this book makes me love it and I hope Mr. Gaiman will write another adventures of Nobody Owens!

Lynossa

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman