Shadow and Bone

Title: Shadow and Bone
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Pub: 2012; Henry Holt
Pages: 358
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Series

First lemme be honest and up front.  I read this book in a day.  I didn't MEAN to read it in a day, much less in two sittings...it just happened that way.  Which, sure, it's not the first...but it IS a first where the book is filled with world-building and unpronounceable hierarchies.   Normally fantasy scares me because of that reason alone.  My mind tends to wander if there's not enough scaffolding done and my control-freak nature has a hard time of letting things go and flow until my brain catches up and goes, oh yeah, that's what they do.

So here it is: Alina and Mal were orphaned children who ended up in the same home causing them to end up lifelong friends.  The world they live in, Ravka, is in turmoil.  After they were tested for abilities (what appears to happen to all children) and they come up normal, Alina & Mal grow up and become a part of the Second Army.  Their world has been split in the middle by the Shadow Fold, this creeptastic darkness that looms in the middle of their territory.  I immediately associated it with the Nothing of The Neverending Story.  What's even more terrifying is the Fold is home to these creatures that fly and chow down on human flesh.  The onslaught is absolutely hideous.  But I'm kinda jumping around all the place, aren't I?

I mentioned abilities....and this is partly where fantasy books (or historical books with hierarchies) leave me confused.  I forget character names in television shows that I watch religiously, so learning of a new Order just muddles my mind.

The Darkling is the highest in this Order; he is feared and for obvious reasons - his ancestor created the Fold.  Underneath him are an elite group of warriors with magical powers (they vary from healing to destroying).  Only higher to the Darkling is the King of Ravka.  Like I said, there is a lot of time spent on developing this story.  And whereas it would usually make me run for the hills, I couldn't help but devour it.

Alina is an amazing character.  She's in love with Mal, her best friend, but refuses to tell him because he's such a player and she's kinda mousy.  Still, her mousiness doesn't stop her from having a quick wit and a wee bit of defensive attitude.  Her depth grows when her gift is revealed: she's doubtful, frustrated, and definitely petulant at times.  And yes, it probably wouldn't be a YA without a bit of a love triangle (the Darkling is evidently a bit dreamy and mysterious) but it WORKS because she's separated from Mal and spends so much time with the Darkling and she's a teenager, which for me, in this situation, means easily swayed by the environment that surrounds her. 

There's a lot of emotional manipulation going on here.  And the swaying of political power.  Also, what is HUGE for me was the characterization.  There weren't any stereotyped individuals, like no one was completely evil or completely good.  The motivations of most characters made sense.

Definitely one of the best reads in 2012 for sure.

The Brides of Rollrock Island

Title: The Brides of Rollrock Island
Author: Margo Lanagan
Pub: David Fickling Books; 2012
Pages: 320
Genre: Fantasy, Legend, Fairy-talish,
Etc: props up to the publisher and NetGalley!

There are very few books where I fell NO URGE whatsoever to explain what they're about and instead just skip along and singsong "Read this! Read this!".  Because here's the thing, I could tell you that it's about this secluded island where the men marry seals, but that wouldn't make sense would it?  Because everything in my head, if I heard that statement, would say "Whoah, that's a little too far-fetched for me right now..." So if that IS what you've heard, ignore it.  Seriously.  Get one of those sponges and wipe that spot away from your memory.

This book is magical.  Lanagan cleverly shares tidbits of the legend through various narrators, each one gliding you closer to the big picture.  There's moments of depression, of vengeance, and utter despair.

The beauty of the story is in the unravel.

Shiver (Audio)

Title: Shiver

Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Narrator: Jenna Lamia & David Ledoux
Pub: Scholastic Press;2009
Pages: 392
Audio Length: 9 hours and 44 minutes
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance, Series, Young Adult

I am not a big werewolf fan.  I can totally get into the vamp scene.  After all THEY'RE sparkly.  But werewolves are right up there with zombies.  ESPECIALLY if we're talking romance.  I mean...animals or the undead?  No thank you.

So. I had no desire whatsoever to read the Shiver trilogy.  (1) It's about wolves and (2) it's a trilogy.  But then I listened to The Scorpio Races which moved me from a horse-hating fool who ended up eating her own words and adoring it and I figured if there was anyone out there who would convince me that werewolves don't suck, it would be Ms. Stiefvater.

And I guess she sorta did.  There is a huge truth in the fact that Stiefvater researches her folklore and then takes those amazing stories and turns them into her own.  Because of THAT, I utterly dig the 'behind the scenes' of these weres, their mythos was pretty okay.

Still.  She didn't sell me enough to necessarily want to finish the trilogy.  I'm pretty okay with how the story ended in the first book and although it's not as though life is resolved, I can walk away from it peacefully.

And the narration? Definitely a winner.  I enjoy the two narrators for alternating chapters. I don't think it would have been as fantastic without that element.

Scorpio Races (Audio)

Title: Scorpio Races
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Narrator: Steve West & Fiona Hardingham
Pub: 2011; Scholastic
Pages: 409
Length: 12 hours; 6 minutes
Genre: Young Adult; Fantasy; Adventure

How a book began a 1 star and moved to a 5-er OR how audio books can sell even the most who-cares-story.

I checked out Scorpio Races from the library because EVERYONE raved about it last year.  "Ohemgee this is the best fantasy book in forever"  I shrugged shoulders and moved on.  But then, I was browsing through audio downloads that were available immediately because I desperately needed some company in the car and whadoyaknow this popped up.

I guess for a Young Adult book it's pretty lengthy at 400 pages (are the words big?) and I'm going to tell you something that will probably shock the pages outta you.  I disliked this book until maybe the last 100 pages (1).

So why the meh attitude and how did it change?

If you aren't familiar with Scorpio Races, in a nutshell, islanders tame vicious water horses once a year for a grisly race down the island.  The winner receives money and the losers are thrilled to be alive.  Seriously.  These water horses are vicious, they seem to love human flesh.

Sean has been the winner for the past several years and this race proves to be the most meaningful one yet - he'll get his financial freedom AND his horse.

Puck is one of the competitors, coming in as a first year.  And oh yeah.  Puck's a girl AND she's going to ride a horse NOT a water horse.  There's some family drama going on that makes it nearly impossible for her not to race.

So we have competition.  We have female-powerfulness.  We DON'T have romance (initially)!  So far three things that should make it a winner.  BUT...folks I have a confession.

I d.i.s.l.i.k.e. horses.  Like seriously DISLIKE.  I don't get it.  I don't understand people who go all ga-ga over the beasts.  I don't think they're cute, pretty, svelte, beautiful, [insert any other adjective here].  Nor do I think they're especially loveable (although I have friends who swear by it).

Why did I continue listening then?  The audio version of this book is fantastic.  Ahmayzing.  The narrators are wonderful and engaging and they have accents.  I truly felt as though I was listening to their side of the story while the book was going on.  They were THAT engaging.  Plus all of the other characters were kinda interesting.

So I ignored the horses.  Which was terribly difficult to do considering they were EVERYWHERE.

And then something happened.  I can't remember really when my opinion shifted, but I do know that I'd leave working out and make it home just to sit in my driveway to listen longer.

By the time the book was over, I found myself rating it five stars.  Although I admit, I don't know if I would have continued reading if I wasn't listening.


___________
(1) 100 pages is merely an estimate since it was an audio book.

Chime (Audio)

Title: Chime
Author: Franny Billingsley
Narrator: Susan Duerden
Pub: 2011; Dial
Length: 10 hours 13 minutes
Pages: 361
Genre: Young Adult; Fairy Tale; Fantasy




This book.  THIS BOOK.  I spent the first half (maybe more) wondering what in the world was going on.  I seriously had a moment where I thought about looking for some homemade sparks notes version.  And then the book just came together in this big WHOOSH and my mouth was hanging wide open and I was sitting in my car in my driveway waiting for a perfect spot to stop the audio.  BUT THERE WASN'T ONE because it was SO FREAKIN' good and instead I just sat there, listening longer.

Franny Billingsley really stepped up her game.  It is hard  for me to admit this, but man did this book manipulate me, you know...in that I'm feeling frustrated but I'm still going to come back for me.  (I've read other reviews and this seems to be a trend).

So what is this book about?  Geez.  I can't even go there.  It's about a young girl named Briony who is a TOTAL unreliable narrative in this brilliant way.  I mean she just loathes herself and the whole time you're gonna be sitting there scratching your forehead because it just doesn't make sense why she would.  Oh and then there's Rose, her slow sister, who just rocks my world.  Rose will always be a favorite character because her personality was full and complete and Real.  It's impossible to tell what Rose's ailment is, and it's presented that she fell from a swing and hit her head, not making her right.  But she's amazing and brilliant and I'm gushing, I know.

Then there's Eldric who comes from the city and quickly becomes a good friend of the sisters AND OF COURSE there's FEELINGS on Briony's part

And there's Old Ones and Magic and this villainous bog spirit who is causing strife.  There's legend and a Moon Child, even if she's not really a child.  There's a father who's a priest who can't see what's in front of him and a dead stepmother who still controls Briony's thoughts.

WOW.

Have you not read this yet?  Get to it.

Thoughts on the Audio Version

I cannot exclaim enough how the narrator, Susan Duerden, really made this book.  Because this is a fantasy novel, albeit contemporary fantasy (is that what you would call it when it mixes current world with fantastical?) and Duerden creates the atmosphere perfectly.  She will transfix who ears, tickling them with individual character voices, all with their own charming accent.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone (audio)

Title: Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Author: Lani Taylor
Narrator: Khristine Hvam
Pub: 2011; Little Brown
Pages: 418
Audio Length: 12 hours; 32 minutes
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Series

There once was a girl with blue hair
Raised by monsters in a teeth lair
Secrets of her identity
Kept relentlessly
Until, finally, hope prevailed.

 THIS BOOK!  It was freakin' amazing.  Seriously.  I remember the hype forever ago and I was all - *shrug* *shrug* - I'll pass.  After all I need another new YA series to follow like I need another grey hair.  But then, I was looking for an audio (which ROCKED and I will get to that in a jiff) to pass the time driving to workout and viola.

I don't really even know where to begin and feel that no matter what I say it will not do this novel justice.  If you haven't read it, you just need to quickly run out and find it.

Our main character, Karou, is a fantastic female protagonist.  She's an art student in Prague with blue hair and a mysterious "other" life.  Her family are monsters and she keeps this hidden from her best friend, Zuzana (who btw is such a fun secondary character; she really pops!).  Brimstone, her monsterly father figure, is a wishmaster and he does so through the collection of teeth.  Karou's partial identity is through these otherworldly endeavors of running Brimstone's errands.  BUT whenever Karou gets a little too inquisitive about what Brimstone does with these teeth, he shuts her down.

And then there's this angel - Akiva, who is determined to shut down the portals of Brimstone's world and the human world.  I admit, I was reluctant when I first found out one of the characters was an angel.  I just could never jump on the winged bandwagon (give me vamps any day).  But he was so different, and Taylor's world building and mythos created with the Seraphim and Chimaera was fantastical.

I cannot believe how emotionally vested I became with ALL of the characters..  I don't read much fantasy because I have a hard time connecting with both the imaginary creatures and otherworldness but this story unraveled in a magical way that I felt I apart of of it.

The Audio Aspect

It is safe to say that the narrator, Khristine Hvam, has impressed me so much I've become a HUGE audio advocate.  I never thought listening to a book could pull me in the way Hvam's voice and Taylor's storytelling did.  And although I know I would enjoy The Daughter of Smoke and Bone on its own, the masterful of voice made it extra special.

Hvam changes her voice for each character, but not over the top, because it doesn't take away from the story, but only adds to it.  There's this fallen angel, Rasgud, who you picture to be creepy and viscerally unappealing, but then to HEAR Hvam speak for him, it's - well - trance worthy.

There were no extra sound effects but whatever Hvam could produce and she did it beautifully.  I cannot repeat how I want to find all of her narrations and climb in them.

Finally, AudioSync is offering The Daughter of Smoke and Bone for free here August 2 - August 8. 

Quick.  Go there and get it.