The Library at Mount Char

The Library at Mount Char Scott Hawkins 4/5	Published 2015 First Sentence "Carolyn, blood-drenched and barefoot, walked alone down the two-lane stretch of blacktop that the Americans called Highway 78."
Publisher's Description: Neil Gaiman meets Joe Hill in this astonishingly original, terrifying, and darkly funny contemporary fantasy. Carolyn's not so different from the other human beings around her. She's sure of it. She likes guacamole and cigarettes and steak. She knows how to use a phone. She even remembers what clothes are for. After all, she was a normal American herself, once. That was a long time ago, of course—before the time she calls “adoption day,” when she and a dozen other children found themselves being raised by a man they learned to call Father. Father could do strange things. He could call light from darkness. Sometimes he raised the dead. And when he was disobeyed, the consequences were terrible. In the years since Father took her in, Carolyn hasn't gotten out much. Instead, she and her adopted siblings have been raised according to Father's ancient Pelapi customs. They've studied the books in his library and learned some of the secrets behind his equally ancient power. Sometimes, they've wondered if their cruel tutor might secretly be God. Now, Father is missing. And if God truly is dead, the only thing that matters is who will inherit his library—and with it, power over all of creation. As Carolyn gathers the tools she needs for the battle to come, fierce competitors for this prize align against her. But Carolyn can win. She's sure of it. What she doesn't realize is that her victory may come at an unacceptable price—because in becoming a God, she's forgotten a great deal about being human.
Dear Reader, Let me start off by saying how STRANGE this book is. It reminded me a little of how confused (in a good way) I was when reading "John Dies at the End" by David Wong. I liked this one ten times better, though. Scott Hawkins is now in my pocket, categorized under "must read horror - on release date". Hopefully, this guy is planning on doing more. Recently, I have been pleasantly surprised by two upcoming Authors in the horror genre, this one and Josh Malerman who wrote "Bird Box". Anyways, back to this book. I finished this almost a month ago, so this is going to be difficult to review, but I'll try. What did I love so much about this book? Not only is it UBER strange but freakin hilarious. I can't even count how many times this book had me chuckling, most of it very random. The characters in this book grew up away from society, under extremely odd circumstances. Each child was "selected" to become a librarian (very loose term - not the type we think of), where they learn a specific topic and ONLY that topic. They aren't allowed to talk about their topic extensively to the others. The leader is a pretty messed up dude who doesn't treat them like children but more like minions. This is all very hard to explain. The point I'm getting at is this... because they don't know much about the world outside of the "library", they look at things from a humorous perspective. For example... "In the corner was a box called a "television" or "teevee" that could show moving pictures, but you couldn't step inside it or touch things." I loved getting to know these characters, even though they were unlikable gremlins. I love books that show things from that perspective... the evil one. As much as I hated the main character, I loved her too. I think the comedic relief helped with that. But before you think the only thing the book offers is humor... you would be VERY mistaken. I would not recommend this one to Arianna (squeamish), the blood and gut scenes even made me a little queasy. I felt terrified of certain characters in the book, reminiscent of "Hellraiser". If you love that kind of stuff, I would highly recommend checking this one out (with an open mind). This was a unique style of the horror genre and I'm glad to have come across it. Happy Reading, AmberBug P.S. - I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

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The Buried Giant

The Buried Giant Kazuo Ishiguro 3/5	Published 2015 First Sentence "You would have searched a long time for the sort of winding lane or tranquil meadow for which England later became celebrated."
Publisher's Description: "You've long set your heart against it, Axl, I know. But it's time now to think on it anew. There's a journey we must go on, and no more delay..." The Buried Giant begins as a couple set off across a troubled land of mist and rain in the hope of finding a son they have not seen in years. Sometimes savage, often intensely moving, Kazuo Ishiguro's first novel in nearly a decade is about lost memories, love, revenge, and war.
Dear Reader, I'm going to have trouble with this one, writing the review and trying to piece together the puzzle my brain is in. Ishiguro is well known and I've been wanting to read something by him for a long time now. I thought, 'hey, why not this one?', well... I now I have an answer to that question. I made a mistake and realize I need to read one of his more well known books, "The Remains of the Day" or even "Never Let Me Go" with a little hesitation. Am I the person for Ishiguro? Maybe I'm missing something? I hate being left out! For those of you who don't know, this is Ishiguro's latest novel and was hyped up because of his fanbase and past success. I've heard through the grapevine that many of his fans felt let down by this book, which has me breathing a sigh of relief. Maybe there is nothing magical to get in this one? Or maybe it is SO subtle that it flew right over my head (which is much better than not being able to understand). The book was stuffed full of anecdotes and ponderings over memory. I pretty much took away that this book was dealing with memory and loss of memory in its entirety. The setting of the story (although exciting and fantastical) gave the story too much pull in the wrong direction for me. I wanted more adventure, more excitement, less of the boring bits. The characters are losing their memories little by little throughout the book, when they finally figure out why... we get fascinating interaction between the two (trying to remember and yet learning to fill in those gaps). This book did make me reflect on how much would change if certain memories were plucked from my brain. I love this concept and felt very strongly to it while watching, "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" but for some reason, when you add dragons, woodland creatures and King Arthur, the last thing I want is to overly think about psychology or the brain (fascinating as that is). Now, I love me some fantasy and this hit many of those itches - the boatman of death, King Arthur, dragons, lore... but the story held back a little. I remember thinking that maybe Ishiguro wanted to create a story set in this land but of the normal folk, the boring folk... then they introduced another group of characters and that ruined that theory for me. I was much more attached to the older couple than any of the others. I wish it would have stayed with them throughout the story. I'm going to stop here because I'd rather not give too much away but I do want to mention how charmed I was listening to this audiobook and hearing the husband call his wife "princess" all the time, it gave me girly butterflies. Happy Reading, AmberBug

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Get in Trouble

Get in Trouble Kelly Link 2.5/5	Published 2015 First Sentence "Fran's daddy woke her up wielding a mister.
Publisher's Description: She has been hailed by Michael Chabon as “the most darkly playful voice in American fiction” and by Neil Gaiman as “a national treasure.” Now Kelly Link’s eagerly awaited new collection--her first for adult readers in a decade--proves indelibly that this bewitchingly original writer is among the finest we have. Link has won an ardent following for her ability to take readers deep into an unforgettable, brilliantly constructed fictional universe with each new story. In “The Summer People,” a young girl in rural North Carolina serves as uneasy caretaker to the mysterious, never-quite-glimpsed visitors who inhabit the cottage behind her house. In “I Can See Right Through You,” a middle-aged movie star makes a disturbing trip to the Florida swamp where his former on- and off-screen love interest is shooting a ghost-hunting reality show. In “The New Boyfriend,” a suburban slumber party takes an unusual turn, and a teenage friendship is tested, when the spoiled birthday girl opens her big present: a life-size animated doll. Hurricanes, astronauts, evil twins, bootleggers, Ouija boards, iguanas, The Wizard of Oz, superheroes, the Pyramids...These are just some of the talismans of an imagination as capacious and as full of wonder as that of any writer today. But as fantastical as these stories can be, they are always grounded in sly humor and an innate generosity of feeling for the frailty--and the hidden strengths--of human beings. In Get in Trouble, this one-of-a-kind talent expands the boundaries of what short fiction can do
Dear Reader, I heard there was a fan club for Kelly Link? I love hearing that, I enjoy seeing a group of readers binding together from great feelings a book or Author emits. I wish I could say "Get in Trouble" grabbed me into the conga line, shaking my hips with excitement. Nope. I missed that bus. Maybe this was the wrong book to be introduced with? Short stories are probably the weakest books to try and capture my attention. You have to REALLY fascinate me, resonate with me or give the collection an overall theme to get me hooked. Before I go into which stories gripped me (I did love two of them) and give a little love to the Author, I want to discuss a major gripe with audiobooks. I don't understand WHY a book is broken down poorly into chapters that don't make any sense. Worse than that? When you are listening to a group of SHORT STORIES and the chapters don't get broken down that way. Not only can I look to the index of a physical or digital book for the chapter (story) titles, but I can't even determine how long a story is if the audiobook doesn't piece them out that way! I love short story collections on audiobook for the simple reason that I can look at my audible app and see how long a certain story will take and pick which one I should listen to based on the length of my drive. I felt very disjointed while listening to this, many times finishing up a story in the middle of a drive and hardly completing the next one, so they merged in my mind, watering down the effectiveness. I would like to fault whoever is responsible for the publishing but I really don't know who does what. On another note, the audiobook did have a complete cast, which was a great change. I loved certain narrators over others and maybe that also played into the likability of specific stories over others. The first story about the "Summer People" sticks out in my mind (even though it was the first one) as really gripping. I almost wish "Summer People" could evolve into a novel, that would be so much fun to read. My favorite story of them all was the third one, about a teen who goes to a hotel (hosting a dental and superhero convention) to meet up with a guy she met online in an MMORPG. Kelly Link has a wicked imagination and I can definitely see why people cling to her newest release and shriek with excitement, I'm hoping to go back and read a much loved book of hers to feel that same magic I did in those two stories. I know it's there! Happy Reading, AmberBug

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Red Queen

Red Queen Victoria Aveyerd 4 / 5	Published February 10, 2015 First Sentence "I hate First Friday."
Publisher's Description: The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers. To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change. Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control. But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?
Dear Reader, I thought I was YA-dystopia'ed out. And I think I still kind of am. I wouldn't have picked this one up necessarily, had the ARC not arrived on my doorstep. First of all, the packaging it came in sold me right off the bat: Borrowed from https://twitter.com/verobooks since they took a way better photo than I would! (This is the box the book arrived inside of.) Plus, the cover design is incredible: very simple and yet so arresting. I don't think I would have necessarily cracked the cover on this one, though, if I hadn't at first thought it was somehow related to Alice in Wonderland. But I started to read, not really knowing what I was getting myself into, and then found myself drawn in. People say this world concept has been done before - the idea of the color of your blood (something which can be kept hidden) determining your social status. I know it's not a new concept, but I do like how Aveyard worked with it. The silverbloods in this world are all X-Men type mutants, each born with one of several types of abilities (usually related to manipulating the elements, although some can read or control minds). Mare is born with red blood - which means she is not "special" - but discovers she, too, has an unexpected power. The story unfolds from there, as the only life Mare has ever known is whisked away and replaced. She must learn to live among people whom she has always hated, people who have repressed her own kind for centuries. What I loved most about this book is that it kept kicking the wheels out from under me; I was glad to be surprised again and again! What I feel happens with YA dystopian fiction is that you kind of expect that yes, the protagonist will end up fighting against all odds but will ultimately succeed. This book allowed the reader to doubt, and kept throwing wrenches in the works. Just when you thought things were going to be okay, the story veered somewhere else entirely. That made this book move from "okay" to "good" in my mind! I also like being reminded when reading fantasy that imaginary worlds are just that, and you can give them any characteristics you'd like. It makes me think maybe I could write a book, after all, too. I am always daunted by the idea of "defending" my plot and setting to others, because it feels as if there is so much prep an research that must go into a book. However, those who write in surreal genres are able to suspend disbelief, since whatever worlds they create are theirs alone. While I think there are still certainly rules that any book must follow, I do love the freedom that fantasy affords an author. It's always interesting to see what writers can imagine up. Yours, Arianna

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Faerie Blood: Song of the Lark

Faerie Blood: Song of the Lark Tal Good - Author 4/5	Published 2014 First Sentence "Thin fingers hovered over piano keys like dragonflies unsure of their watery landing."
Publisher's Description: In the aftermath of her parents' abrupt separation and her father’s failing health, Olivia Grey’s innocent night on the town takes a sinister turn when she is caught in the crossfire of an ancient blood feud between immortal races, exposing a dark world of magic that she has unwittingly been a part of since her birth. Creatures from myth and legend wage war in the dilapidated buildings of suburban New York and dark corners where mortals fear to tread. Olivia Grey, a seemingly ordinary teenage girl from a broken home, is violently thrust into this world when she is marked by a deadly curse, and her fate becomes entwined with the intrigues of immortals. Learning that the stories of her childhood are all true, Olivia embarks on a quest to find the creature who cursed her lest she succumb to a fate worse than death. But, she is not alone in her quest, as a motley crew of faeries, werewolves, mages, and friends rise to meet the challenge with her. Can Olivia embrace her birthright and stave off the darkness that threatens to devour her and the world?
Dear Reader, Faerie Blood is a debut series from a talented writer, Tal Good. I don't normally get involved in series but I can respect those who live off them. For those of you who flock to the supernatural series, this is a perfect edition to your bookshelf. I'll start out explaining some of the main characters that stood out to me. We have Olivia, the smart but somewhat shy goth girl with a strong, firm grip on what she believes in, she's the one you can relate to. Her best friend, the wishy-washy but beautiful headstrong girl, she's the one you want to BE best friends with. I loved Taro, the fae pretty boy who has a reckless side to him but is gentle at heart. He calls Olivia his "lark", such an adorable nickname! He also brings out the comedic gold with some of his antics, like when he thought humans have wings and offered to help Olivia fly since she "broke her wing". That's the kind of stuff that sucks me into a story, those little quips and small details. The main plot line follows Olivia through this dark and twisted world searching for the "vampire" who infected her. She is slowly turning into a "ghoul" after being attacked by one. Her search is aided by a quirky bunch, which gives some intended comedic relief to a darker story-line. One of the things I love about upcoming authors is the freedom to try something new and jump into that black area nobody has touched before. I think Tal has accomplished that with the small details to familiar fantasy creatures, such as faeries having trouble birthing twins, giving two of the characters a special feeling. I also like that she captured the true side of the goth culture, something not depicted often unless you turn to anime and comics. Another nice touch was the liberties taken with spelling to give you the feel of an accent, which was done quite well. Each chapter starts out with a quote that relates pretty darn well, giving the chapter a well appointed title. Clearly, research has been done for this book, with details such as how magicians used opium to entice the audience to believe. Want some nostalgia? How about references to that old time classic movie "Labyrinth"? Yep, this has that as well. All that aside, I think the best part of this book has to be Olivia and her strength to overcome this terrible fate she has been faced with. Tal does an excellent job conveying the terror Olivia has to go through. I don't want to give anything away, so I'll leave it at that. Happy Reading, AmberBug

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Alistair's Grim's Odditorium

Alistair Grim's Odditorium Gregory Funaro 4 / 5	Published January 6, 2015 First Sentence "The odd was the ordinary at Alistair Grim's."
Publisher's Description: This cinematic, action-packed middle grade fantasy adventure set in Victorian London brims with fresh magic and has the cozy feeling of a classic. Grubb, age twelve (or thereabouts), has never known anything beyond his miserable existence as a chimney sweep, paid only in insults and abuse by his cruel master. All of that changes the day he stows away in the coach belonging to a mysterious guest at the inn that he is tasked with cleaning. Grubb emerges from Alistair Grim's trunk and into the wondrous world of the Odditorium. Fueled by a glowing blue energy that Grubb can only begin to understand, the Odditorium is home to countless enchanted objects and an eccentric crew that embraces Grubb as one of their own. There's no time for Grubb to settle into his new role as apprentice to the strange, secretive Mr. Grim. When the Odditorium comes under attack, Grubb is whisked off on a perilous adventure. Only he can prevent the Odditorium's magic from falling into evil hands-and his new family from suffering a terrible fate. Grubb knows he's no hero. He's just a chimney sweep. But armed with only his courage and wits, Grubb will confront the life-or-death battle he alone is destined to fight.
Dear Reader, Simply adorable. Perfectly Disney, this book was. Which is to say, full of underdog adventure, and very family-friendly. There are the good guys and the bad guys. The main good guy being Grubb, a young orphan boy who is mistreated by his adoptive father, a severe chimneysweep for whom Grubb apprentices. When the boy sees the chance to escape his miserable, tormented life, he takes a chance...and finds himself in a magical new place. Luckily, he is quickly adopted into the Oddotorium's...well, odd lifestyle, and befriends many magical creatures as he begins to figure out his new home. While he is still fairly new, he is swept up in several exciting adventures which take him through the streets of London, into the wilds of America, and even to a castle in the sky. Grubb manages to keep his head the entire time, and in fact uses his noggin several times to escape from tight scrapes. That is probably what I loved most about this book: there are several clever characters, the majority of whom are females. There is even a female Japanese warrior, who definitely kicks butt! And Grubb is endearing, even in his obliviousness. He has an innocent and wholesome charm which the reader will latch onto. Even the magic and the fantastical adventures, which don't always appeal to me unless they are done well, really flourish in these pages. Funaro has a wonderful way of making the unbelievable believable. All you want to do is join in on the fun of the Odditorium and befriend its wonderful, wacky, endearing characters. And while the book ties up neatly, there is certainly room for more adventure! Yours, Arianna P.S. I feel as if the publisher's description above really can't be beat for getting everything spot-on.

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Bird Box

Bird Box Josh Malerman 5/5	Published 2014 First Sentence "Malorie stands in the kitchen, thinking."
Publisher's Description: Most people ignored the outrageous reports on the news. But they became too frequent, they became too real. And soon, they began happening down the street. Then the Internet died. The television and radio went silent. The phones stopped ringing. And we couldn't look outside anymore. Malorie raises the children the only way she can; indoors. The house is quiet. The doors are locked, the curtains are closed, mattresses are nailed over the windows. They are out there. She might let them in. The children sleep in the bedroom across the hall. Soon she will have to wake them. Soon she will have to blindfold them. Today they must leave the house. Today they will risk everything.
Dear Reader, I just want to gush all over this book, and I probably will, reader be warned! Everything I love about creepy, scary books is hidden inside this gem. It reminded me of "Blindness" (which I just read and reviewed) mixed with a King novel (or something along those lines). I loved that it didn't follow the regular formula and how the story was broken up in two parts; essentially working back and forth through a timeline. Bird Box delivers a chilling future of darkness and paranoia, with particular attention to the main characters unique storyline, delving into even more horrific circumstances of an already twisted world. To be clear, there is something out there. This something has the ability to cause massive havoc with a glance, you can't open your eyes because if you do... you'll see one of these "things" and kill yourself and anyone around you. To counter this, some survivors have determined to live life hidden indoors with the windows boarded, venturing outside with blindfolds only. As I was saying earlier, the Author went a little further and decided to make the main character pregnant! The survivability of a woman going through birth and then raising kids in this new world!?? A fantastically chilling concept. It worked.The part that had me freaked out the most was related to the title of the book, BUT... I really don't want to say too much about this book because I think you have to experience it for yourself. So... Although this review is short, it by no means reflects any negativity towards Bird Box. I'd love to discuss this book with those who've read it, so if you've delved into this one, please let me know what you thought. And for those of you looking for the next book to prickle your skin, this is the one I would pick up. I dub this one of my favorite books of 2014! Happy Reading, AmberBug

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Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

Dead Until Dark By Charlaine Harris 4 out of 5 stars	Published 2001 First Sentence "I'd been waiting for the vampire for years when he walked into the bar."
Publisher's Description: Sookie Stackhouse is a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. She's quiet, keeps to herself, and doesn't get out much. Not because she's not pretty. She is. It's just that, well, Sookie has this sort of "disability." She can read minds. And that doesn't make her too dateable. And then along comes Bill. He's tall, dark, handsome--and Sookie can't hear a word he's thinking. He's exactly the type of guy she's been waiting for all her life.... But Bill has a disability of his own: He's a vampire with a bad reputation. He hangs with a seriously creepy crowd, all suspected of--big surprise--murder. And when one of Sookie's coworkers is killed, she fears she's next...
Dear Reader, For me the book vs the show; is an issue that has to be addressed. I was a fan of the HBO show and I am a fan of Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse book series. That being said, the HBO episodes do not invoke the same imagery or character development. I prefer the book-Sookie in the book series because the stories are told from her perspective and I usually agree with her thinking and actions. The Sookie portrayed by Anna Paquin is a irritable, fickle and not nearly as admirable. Book-Sookie never gets magical fairy-ball powers but still manages to be tough when it comes down to the battles as they arise.     Harris's writing style is easy to listen to and I love the voices that the audible-book reader is able to create.  Book-Bill is quiet and hard to read in this book. Show-Bill is honorable, more stable and tough throughout the tv series. I'd also like to point out that Jessica was added to the tv series and made her a starring role while in the book Bill never makes a child. Book-Jason ends up a half were-panther and in the show-Jason stays human and remains relatively the hot-boy-comical relief. In the book his character develops in maturity after some hard life lessons. Quinn the were-tiger, who is an important lover for Sookie, is nowhere in the tv series. Having bought all 13 audio Sookie Stackhouse books and finished listening to them a few years ago, recently I decided to re-listen in order to give a fresh review for ShelfNotes. Knowing what's going to happen next is like watching a favorite tv show in my head as I listen to the characters emerge and interact with our heroine. I never was bored listening to the books because the plot has a general mystery with twists and plush details. Charlaine Harris manages to make a fantasy world seem realistic by the believability of her character development. With some reflection, I realize that over time the reader gets to learn about the perspective of the modern southern woman.  As a New Englander,  I would never had this. It's a genuine perspective since the author is from Louisiana. Dead Until Dark is the first in a series that is addicting. Yours, Marsha

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The Name of the Wind

The Name of the Wind Patrick Rothfuss 4.5 / 5	Published 2007 First Sentence "It was night again."
Publisher's Description: Told in Kvothe's own voice, this is the tale of the magically gifted young man who grows to be the most notorious wizard his world has ever seen. The intimate narrative of his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-ridden city, his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, and his life as a fugitive after the murder of a king form a gripping coming-of-age story unrivaled in recent literature. A high-action story written with a poet's hand, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that will transport readers into the body and mind of a wizard.
Dear Reader, I am kind of stunned that I am finally done with this book. You'd think that once I got really close to finishing the 28+ hours of audiobook (!),I'd be anxious to speed through it, wouldn't you? Well, I started getting scared of having to write this review, and so I put off the last half hour for a few days! (Well, that and I also the files I downloaded from Audible had gotten a bit wonky, so I had to listen on my tablet - because I dropped my phone down a storm drain a few days ago - and that was awkward and difficult to deal with. But! All that is a story for another day....) In any case, I think I was so scared to review this (and yet so eager to read it) because this is one of the highest-rated books I've ever encountered on Goodreads. The highest-rated with hundreds of thousands of reviews, I should add. That means something. When you get a book with that many reviews, you tend to see a lot of love vs. hate in the reviews, but a 91% rating is almost unheard of for most books with more than a few readers! Needless to say, I had to check it out. (Apparently, Troy had also recently read & loved it, but...I had no idea at the time I picked the book out for myself.) Maybe I should actually talk about the book in this review, huh? (See how I'm putting it off?!) Well, it was a very solid, well-told fantasy story. I liked the strong weight it had on reality more than fantasy; the fantastical parts which came from Rothfuss' imagination were seamlessly written into the story, so that the reader never felt jarred by anything odd or out there. If someone ever wanted to be introduced to the fantasy genre, I think this would be a great stepping stone. A very beautifully woven story. Kvothe (the narrator) is not necessarily likable, and can often be annoying in his arrogance, but his biography rings true and his circumstances believable. From difficult beginnings and loss at an early age, the start of his life story (which this book encompasses) is full of adventure and uncertainty. It was an enjoyable book to read, despite its length. I think I would, however, have preferred to read it than listen - the narrator wasn't the best I've ever encountered, although he did a very good job with voices and accents and strange pronunciations. In any case - I actually don't really know WHAT to write about this book. I can recommend it, but I honestly don't have much to say about it. Perhaps that's because I've been so engrossed in it for over a month. Perhaps I need to step back a bit before I can really assess the book. I think I'll do that. I will try to come back to this review, I promise. When I've had a little time. 18 November 2014 Okay, I am giving this another go. Let's see - I have to say I really enjoyed the parts of the story which took place in Cote's tavern; they framed the story well and gave the reader a nice "breather". I also thought the story of Kvothe's idyllic childhood was quaint and charming. His parents seemed perfect, which of course they were in a young child's eyes. His work with Ben and how quickly he learned everything was an enjoyable diversion. I suppose that I felt the story itself kind of went south when Kvothe's life did, but I don't know why. I didn't enjoy the narratives of Kvothe dealing with the Chandrian or surviving in the big, bad city. I didn't love how he entered the university, nor how cocky and self-assured he could be. I was, however, charmed by the people he encountered and all of his stories regarding the taverns and his attempts at earning the Pipes, as well as his back-and-forth with Ambrose. Overall, I DID think the book was quite good; it was a comprehensively strong story and there were almost no parts which I tired of reading (the only one that comes to mind are the sidebar sagas which relate the stories of the gods - I didn't yet understand their importance in the grand scheme of the story). There was just something that kept me from LOVING it wholeheartedly. I wonder if that would change were I to continue reading the story in the sequel; perhaps as more things become fleshed out and connected to one another, I could really see the whole picture. I'll have to see... Thank you for your patience with me, Reader! Yours, Arianna

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Heraclix & Pomp

Heraclix & Pomp: A Novel of the Fabricated and the Fey Forrest Aguirre 4/5	Published 2014 First Sentence "Heraclix's view of his own creation as a birth was much more than idle Romanticism, though this was the zeitgeist that had then begun to take hold of Europe."
Publisher's Description: Heraclix was dead and Pomp was immortal. That was before Heraclix’s reanimation (along with the sewn-together pieces and parts of many other dead people) and Pomp’s near murder at the hands of an evil necromancer. As they travel from Vienna to Prague to Istanbul and back again (with a side-trip to Hell), they struggle to understand who and what they are: Heraclix seeks to know the life he had before his death and rebirth, and Pomp wrestles with the language and meaning of mortality. As they journey across a land rife with revolution and unrest, they discover the evil necromancer they thought dead might not be so dead after all. In fact, he might be making a pact to ensure his own immortality . . .
Dear Reader, How did I come across this book? Well, a recent "Goodreads" friend of mine wrote this book. I'm grateful I found him on goodreads because he writes some fantastic reviews and so far his presence on my Goodreads homepage has greatly entertained me. So when I realized this new "Goodreads" buddy has written a book, I had to jump at the chance to read it. Boy, was I glad I did, this man can write! Not only write but he can tell a great story. Forrest should be placed in that pool of Authors with the capability to envelop us in a new world, essentially creating a new fairy tale, which is always refreshing from the mash-ups we've been inundated with lately. Heraclix & Pomp certainly stands on two solid legs (maybe flying with wings would be a better analogy). After the first few chapters I fell in love with both Heraclix (the enormously adorable golem) and Pomp (the first introspective fairy I've encountered). Heraclix meets Pomp during the beginning chapters where they team up and travel together to solve the mystery of existence (on an individual level and as a whole). Those are some BIG themes for a fairy tale, which is the perfect way to bring that magic to adults. Unsure about life? Don't know why people do the things they do? Just read this book and you can be taken through the mind of a fairy who is learning about mortality for the first time, or stand beside the golem as he reflects on what makes him human (or not). The depth of each character struggling to find themselves is pretty fascinating when set within a fantasy world. Reading this gave me that same feeling of elation I used to get while watching The Dark Crystal as a child. If only Jim Henson could rise from the grave, read this book and option it for a movie! How great would that be? The adult language and some situations would probably have to be altered a bit or maybe just target that audience who grew up with all those books/movies. I'm waiting for a comeback on that style, it was so prevalent in my youth and I miss it so much. Reading books like this brings back that feeling. I have to applaud anyone with enough magic in their hearts and talent in their minds to elicit THAT kind of feeling. I'll be talking about this book and probably using it as a comparison for others for a long time. It deserves to be read and should be done with a sprinkle of magic dust in the air. Happy Reading, AmberBug

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Glory O'Brien's History of the Future

Glory O'Brien's History of the Future A. S. King 4/5	Expected Publication: October 14th 2014 First Sentence "So we drank it - the two of us."
Publisher's Description: In this masterpiece about freedom, feminism, and destiny, Printz Honor author A.S. King tells the epic story of a girl coping with devastating loss at long last--a girl who has no idea that the future needs her, and that the present needs her even more. Graduating from high school is a time of limitless possibilities--but not for Glory, who has no plan for what's next. Her mother committed suicide when Glory was only four years old, and she's never stopped wondering if she will eventually go the same way...until a transformative night when she begins to experience an astonishing new power to see a person's infinite past and future. From ancient ancestors to many generations forward, Glory is bombarded with visions--and what she sees ahead of her is terrifying: A tyrannical new leader raises an army. Women's rights disappear. A violent second civil war breaks out. And young girls vanish daily, sold off or interned in camps. Glory makes it her mission to record everything she sees, hoping her notes will somehow make a difference. She may not see a future for herself, but she'll do anything to make sure this one doesn't come to pass.
Dear Reader, Okay, can I first just gush about how beautiful that cover is!!! I'm adding A.S. King to the list of "must read the day the book comes out" Authors. She is excellent! I don't read very much YA but I'd fit her somewhere between the boundaries of contemporary literature and young adult. This book won't be published until October but after reading the blurb, I knew I needed to start this one right away. Glory O'Brien is a reclusive girl with a "convenient" best friend who lives on a commune across the street. Glory lives with her father and they both seem to be trapped/stuck in this small bubble, Glory's mother passed away (suicide) when she was five and both of them haven't taken the appropriate grieving steps (they haven't taken ANY grieving steps). To make matters worse, Glory's "best friend", term used very loosely, is so self centered that she she can't see anything going on in her friend's life. Glory even made up a [laugh track] for whenever her friend says something selfish, which had me giggling throughout the book. There is a dark humor here, and that is my FAVORITE kind of humor. The Author took this really, really strange concept (another thing I love) and created a beautifully sad story that opens up to the bigger picture of growing up under dark circumstances. Let's talk about the strange concept, I think it's worth mentioning that the story revolves around Glory and her friend deciding to drink a petrified bat which leads to giving them the power to see people's history and future. I think that needed to be said, mostly because I know a few people wouldn't want to get past that and try to see the bigger picture and the beauty behind her writing. I love that King uses this strange premise, but I'm not everyone. I adored the chapter titles, each one named after something insignificant that happens in that particular short chapter. The titles are truly that, titles. Glory names the photos she takes similarly and each one has this glimmer of brilliancy that shines beneath it's boring facade. Titles such as: Am I Making Any Sense?, Ripping Meat From the Bone, Everything Tasted Like Radiation, It Was the Nineties. After Glory gets powers to see the past/future, the Author adds a chapter from the journal Glory starts making, this sheds a little light into what she sees. This part of the book isn't the important part, or even the truly good part. The side of Glory recognizing the things she needs to move on into adulthood, that is what makes this story amazing. The realizations Glory comes across, those pieces we learn along the way of life... things like, "I don't HAVE to be friends with that person", "I don't HAVE to be boy obsessed", "I don't HAVE to take the same path as everyone else". That is where the beauty lies in Glory O'Brien's History of the Future. Happy Reading, AmberBug

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Annihilation (Southern Reach Trilogy #1)

Annihilation Jeff VanderMeer 3/5	Published 2014 First Sentence "The tower, which was not supposed to be there, plunges into the earth in a place just before the black pine forest begins to give way to swamp and then reeps and wind-gnarled trees of the marsh flats."
Publisher's Description: Area X has been cut off from the rest of the continent for decades. Nature has reclaimed the last vestiges of human civilization. The first expedition returned with reports of a pristine, Edenic landscape; all the members of the second expedition committed suicide; the third expedition died in a hail of gunfire as its members turned on one another; the members of the eleventh expedition returned as shadows of their former selves, and within months of their return, all had died of aggressive cancer. This is the twelfth expedition. Their group is made up of four women: an anthropologist; a surveyor; a psychologist, the de facto leader; and our narrator, a biologist. Their mission is to map the terrain and collect specimens; to record all their observations, scientific and otherwise, of their surroundings and of one another; and, above all, to avoid being contaminated by Area X itself. They arrive expecting the unexpected, and Area X delivers—they discover a massive topographic anomaly and life forms that surpass understanding—but it’s the surprises that came across the border with them, and the secrets the expedition members are keeping from one another, that change everything.
Dear Reader, This has been a book on my radar this year and I finally broke down and got myself a copy (probably after reading the umpteenth glowing review). I can't say I was super impressed after reading it but I also wasn't really that disappointed either. For the most part, It'll all come down to the series as a whole collection I think. I almost wanted to wait reviewing the books until I've finished them all, but thought giving my initial reactions might help other readers relate if they find themselves feeling the same way. The first book doesn't have many answers and throws out question and question which leaves you hanging off a cliff once you've finished it. Maybe that was the point, to hook the reader into running out and getting the second installment? Well, it worked. I had no plans on reading the books back to back (especially since I have a long list of required review books on netgalley and other galleys coming up in October). So I shake my fist at VanderMeer and blame him for putting off books given to me to review. Now I just have to read MORE and play WOW less... but the expansion is coming out soon and I still need to get my reputation up with SO many factions. Okay, so now you see where I'm going with this right? VanderMeer has me gripped, even though I wasn't entirely in love with this first book. So what exactly wasn't I happy with? I didn't like that I couldn't tell the sex of the characters (especially the main character). It's not that it doesn't get mentioned, it does, many times and the Author even throws in some background with the main character's "husband". I'm still not sure why I couldn't get my mind wrapped around the fact that this was a bunch of women undergoing this trip to Area X and it bothered me quite a bit. The Author made very little progress with the characters as a whole and I'm pretty sure this is due to the fact that the first book is super short. I'm hoping that this changes throughout the series. Despite all that though, the book was very intriguing and kept me tuned in the whole time. No commercial breaks here! Instead of giving you ANY information on the plot-line, I think it would be better if you experienced that yourself, I just wanted to give you my thoughts. The first book is so short that I can't not recommend those curious to definitely pick it up, but be warned... you might find yourself being dragged into the rest of the series, which has happened to me. Happy Reading, AmberBug

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The Killing Moon

The Killing Moon N. K. Jemisin 4/5	Published 2012 First Sentence "In the dark of waking, a soul has died."
Publisher's Description: In the ancient city-state of Gujaareh, peace is the only law. Upon its rooftops and amongst the shadows of its cobbled streets wait the Gatherers - the keepers of this peace. Priests of the dream-goddess, their duty is to harvest the magic of the sleeping mind and use it to heal, soothe . . . and kill those judged corrupt. But when a conspiracy blooms within Gujaareh's great temple, Ehiru - the most famous of the city's Gatherers - must question everything he knows. Someone, or something, is murdering dreamers in the goddess' name, stalking its prey both in Gujaareh's alleys and the realm of dreams. Ehiru must now protect the woman he was sent to kill - or watch the city be devoured by war and forbidden magic.
Dear Reader, This book was included in Book Riots Quarterly Box 3 (BK03), the theme was "Expand Your Reading Horizons". I love that they sent books to change reading habits up a bit. I do like fantasy and sci-fi so this particular book wasn't TOO far out of my comfort zone but I don't devour the genre like some. The Killing Moon is a great selection for those to expand their "reading horizons" because it's unlike any fantasy/sci-fi book I've ever read. It doesn't take place in Medieval times (thank dog), but in a world of it's own... one that the Author has developed on a grandiose scale. The beginning of the book is hard to get involved with, imagining and connecting with a entirely made up world can be daunting for a reader. Once you start feeling the flow, it was smooth sailing and hard to put the book down. Jemisin has a fantastic imagination, wheweee, one you clearly become engulfed in from the beauty and awe inspiring scenes she weaves. I feel this world truly exists, out there somewhere... and since this book is all about dreams, I'll go cliche and say I wish it existed outside of my reading dreams. I'd like to give you a great synopsis of the book but I think it would come out as mumbo jumbo due to the complicated world built around it. I can try though... feel free to laugh, I'm sure this will be funny. So... there's this group of people called the "Gatherers" who worship this idea of a goddess sun called "Hanajan" (I hope I got that right), and these "Gatherers" are kinda like priests. They gather magic dreams from corrupted people in their sleep, this stuff they gather is known as "dreamblood". Which they then store this "dreamblood" away for use to heal those injured citizens of Gujaareh. On the other side of this world (well maybe not that far) there lies a group of people who have detached themselves from the Gujaareh, believing that letting people live out their life and die naturally is better. The reader gets to follow both groups with their ideals and learn about some controversial topics that delve into life, death, pain, mercy. I enjoyed and could agree with both sides of the argument and found it really interesting that the Author was able to take this topic and bring it into her make believe world. So... that's a good enough background for you. I think many people could read this, even the ones who don't think fantasy is something they'd like... this is a good one to use as a test. The storyline, characters and world is completely out of the box and different, making this book hard to place into a specific genre. I'd love to hear what you think. I'd also like to thank Book Riot for expanding my horizons, I don't know if I would have picked up this book otherwise. Happy Reading, AmberBug

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