Future Release Review: The Diviners by Libba Bray

Title: The Diviners

Author: Libba Bray site

Format: ARC, 578 pages

Release Date: 9/18/2012

Publisher: Little, Brown BYR

Source: Borrowed from a librarian

“Do you believe there are ghosts and demons and diviners among us?

Evie O’Neil has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City--and she is pos-i-tute-ly ecstatic. It’s 1926, and New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, Broadway plays, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfeld girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is that she has to live with her uncle Will, curator of the Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult—also known as the Museum of Creepy Crawlies.

Will is haunted by the occult, and Evie worries he’ll discover her darkest secret: a supernatural power that has only brought her trouble so far. But when the police find a murdered girl branded with a cryptic symbol and Will is called to the scene, Evie realizes her gift could help catch a serial killer.

As Evie jumps headlong into a dance with a murderer, other stories unfold in the city that never sleeps. A young man named Memphis is caught between two worlds. A chorus girl named Theta is running from her past. A student named Jericho hides a shocking secret. And they will soon discover something dark and evil has awakened… ”

-Book Jacket

Characters:

In The Diviners, in its many chapters we see from the point of view of many characters. Too many to write about. So I’m going to focus on the two most featured characters, Evie and Memphis.

Evie is a modern girl in a modern world. She’s no stranger to a drink, and loves to party late into the night like any flapper. She loves attention, and will go to just about any means to get it, many of them selfish. Though she has good intentions, things never quite seem to work out the way she plans. Evie starts out as not very likable. But she did grow on me. It’s not that she get less selfish/attention getting, but it gets to be more understandable. I still wouldn’t want her to be my best friend, but she does have good intentions.

Memphis is a black number runner for the local numbers game (local lottery), and writes poetry by moonlight in the local cemetery. Both of his parents are out of the picture and he’s just trying to take care of his younger brother who, like Evie, is developing supernatural powers. Memphis actually didn’t leave a huge impression on me. I liked him well enough, but I’m not  sure how I feel about him yet in the series.

And just something else I wanted to mention, I loved that there are some LGBT characters thrown in the mix of characters. It’s unfortunately rare in historical fiction. (Although it should be said that Libba Bray’s other historical fiction/fantasy series “A Great and Terrible Beauty” also had an LGBT character. Go Libba!)

Plot:

This book should not be mistaken for a murder mystery. It’s not a story about a spunky girl with supernatural powers solving crimes as the book jacket suggests. As the reader, it made pretty clear for the start who/what the murderer is. The book is much darker than that. The parts with the killer are just downright spooky and creepy. Real goose bump and heebie jeebie producers. The Diviners is of a slower pace than I’m used to and its about 600 pages, so it felt and read like a long book.

Another adjective I would use to describe The Diviners is “introductory”. Even though there is a lot of book here and there was definitely a plot and plenty of suspense, it feels like we only get a glimpse of the characters and of what is to come in the series. It’s almost like a “calm before the storm” or “here it comes” kind of feeling.

Overall:

I just love Libba Bray. She’s not only one of my author gods, she always weaves a damn good story. I know my review is already very long so I’ll keep it short and sweet. I give The Diviners 4.5 of 5 stars. If you like historical fiction or just good fantasy, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy.

Future Release Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Shadow and Bone

Author: Leigh Bardugo site

Format: ARC, 358 pages

Release Date: 6/03/2012

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (Macmillian)

Source: Received from publisher for review

“Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.”

-Goodreads

Basic Synopsis:

Alina and Mal have been best friends since they were very young, orphaned by a centuries old war. Although she wishes they were more, Mal is oblivious to her feelings. In an emergency situation she accidentally reveals the power she didn’t know she had. She is the long awaited Sun Summoner, a Grisha. The only one who can destroy the Fold. She is whisked away from Mal and taken to the King’s Palace to live with the other Grisha and learn to use her power.

Characters:

Alina was very likable. She’s witty, humble, and self confident with a strong moral compass. She’s just trying to find her place in the world, trying to find where she belongs. Alina and Mal were really funny together. The banter between them was actually believable, not the usual obviously scripted repartee.  

Plot and Story:

For awhile it looked like this book was going to be imaginative, but predictable. All of the pieces were fitting together into the assumed puzzle when BOOM! Out of the blue, there’s a really big twist that I didn’t see coming. Huge game changer. It totally knocked my socks off. (Not that I was wearing any) And basically right there and then, my liking of this book went from 3.5 stars to 5 full blown freaking stars.

What really sets this book apart from other fantasy novels is the superb world building. I was instantly immersed in this fantasy world that could be set in the very distant past or future. And it was incredibly easy to understand what was going on. I really liked how the language and terms were drawn from foreign languages such as Russian.

Overall:

I honestly wasn’t expecting to love this book so much. I didn’t even request the ARC, I just ended up on a bulk mailing list and got it by surprise. I had it sitting on my shelf for a long time, and then realized it was going to be released soon and thought I should get to it. I wish I would have read this book months ago! It was really a splendid read! I have no hesitation giving it 5 of 5 stars. I highly recommend checking it out from your local library or going to your local indie bookstore and picking up a copy.

Future Release Review: Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Title: Born Wicked

Author: Jessica Spotswood site

Format: ARC, 326 pages

Release Date: 2/07/2012

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Source: Received from the publisher

** I personally think that parts of this synopsis give too much away. Reader beware**

“A Great and Terrible Beauty meets Cassandra Clare in this spellbinding fantasy 

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave. 

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word . . . especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra. 

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.”

-Goodreads

How it starts:

Set in an altered past, run by a dystopian society where men are in charge and women are oppressed at every opportunity, Cate Cahill has six months before she is forced to declare her intentions to the Brotherhood, the male organization that overthrew the witches 20 years ago. Women are only given two options, join the Sisters or get married. The decision tortures her, how can she keep her promise to her late mother, to look after her sisters. She must protect their secret, lest Cate and her sisters be discovered as witches. The situation is made worse when their nosey neighbor, Mrs. Corbett, convinces their too absent father to get them a governess. When she arrives, Cate can’t shake the feeling that Lena (the governess) is up to something besides teaching French. What are her real motives?

Characters:

I loved pretty much all of the characters in Born Wicked. There was a very well balanced cast. My only hesitation was for Finn, who may have a little PCD* though I haven’t seen enough of him to really tell.

Plot and Story:

“A Great and Terrible Beauty meets Cassandra Clare” really does perfectly describe this book. I love the concept of witchery set in the nineteenth century, and the altered past gave the story an extra twist that made Born Wicked irresistible. It was a really hard book to put down. You’re always left wondering who can really be trusted, what are the characters true motives. All of the twists and turns were timed perfectly. And there are always unanswered questions that will leave you on the edge of your seat in anticipation.  My only complaint is that the timing of Cate and Finn expressing feelings for each other didn’t really make sense to me. It seemed a little forced by the author.

Overall:

Born Wicked is one of the few books that is deserving of it’s hype. All the different aspects from the characters to the plot just meshed together so well. I could see myself recommending Born Wicked to fans of lots of different genres. (i.e. fans of historical fiction, fantasy, dystopians, ect.) I ate it up, and can’t wait for the sequel. I foresee this series is destined for greatness. May it rise up the Bestseller’s list! I give it 4.5 of 5 stars! I can’t wait to see more from this debut author.

Emma-isms:

*PCD stands for Perfect Character Disorder. I usually use this term when a character is portrayed as unrealistically perfect. (i.e. always understanding, handsome/beautiful, without fault, ect.)

Review: Quest of the Demon by M.L. Sawyer

Title: Quest of the Demon

Author: M.L. Sawyer site

Format: Ebook

Published: 1/28/2011

Publisher: Smashwords

Source: Received from author for review

“Darci is a popular sixteen-year-old girl who plays basketball and lives in an ordinary country town. But her life is changed forever when she is accidentally transported to the land of Nahaba by a young apprentice wizard called Taslessian.

Within hours of her unexpected arrival, both teens are thrust into a dangerous journey to the cave of Grisham the Great in the hope that he would be able to send her home.

Upon reaching the cave, however, Darci quickly discovers that there is no such thing as accidents, and that their journey is only just beginning. 

The Quest of the Demon has begun”

-Goodreads

How it starts:

Darci wakes up in the middle of the night feeling as though something’s wrong, someone is in the house. Armed with only an old hockey stick she begins to investigate. Though she finds no one there, another world has appeared just outside of an open window. This portal transports her to the strange land of Nahaba, a whole other world filled with dragons, wizards, knights and other unfamiliar beings. All Darci wants to do is get home, but she did not arrive here by accident. Will she be able to win in an epic battle between evil and the light?

Characters:

I want to start by saying I’ve haven’t read a book with such strange names for characters since reading Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely series. Taslessian, Maledorian, Defyance, Fritrence, Demolish, Trolog, and Domati are all featured in Quest of the Demon.

It took about 70 pages for the characters to take on form. It was a lot like trying to connect with characters from a fairy tale, you’re told what they are like but they don’t seem real. The characters began to come to life as the book progressed, but I still felt like I was viewing them from a distance.

Plot:

Having a group of characters go on a medieval quest is very unusual in YA today. But I’m glad to say that M.L. Sawyer pulled it off pretty well. The plot of Quest of the Demon did have some unique plot twists. I especially liked how original the ending was. That being said, there are a few over used clichés and some plot holes. There are a few parts of the book, specifically parts having to do with elves, which are rather reminiscent of Lord of the Rings.

Point of View:

Quest of the Demon is written in the Third person omniscient POV (“all-knowing; can include thought and perspective of all characters” *definition found here).

Overall:

Thought it got off to a rather slow start, I ended up enjoying Quest of the Demon. It’s classic medieval fantasy style was an interesting change from the normal YA fare.  I’m giving it 3.5 of 5 stars. 

Future Release Review: Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Before I go any further, this book's title put a song in my head throughout my reading it. Just listen as far as the chorus to see what I mean. (1:10 minutes in) 

Title: Every Other Day

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes site

Format: Ebook

Release Date: 12/27/2011

Publisher: Egmont

Source: Netgalley

“Every other day, Kali D'Angelo is a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She goes to public high school. She attends pep rallies. She's human.

And then every day in between . . . She’s something else entirely.

Though she still looks like herself, every twenty-four hours predatory instincts take over and Kali becomes a feared demon-hunter with the undeniable urge to hunt, trap, and kill zombies, hellhounds, and other supernatural creatures. Kali has no idea why she is the way she is, but she gives in to instinct anyway. Even though the government considers it environmental terrorism.

When Kali notices a mark on the lower back of a popular girl at school, she knows instantly that the girl is marked for death by one of these creatures. Kali has twenty-four hours to save her and, unfortunately, she'll have to do it as a human. With the help of a few new friends, Kali takes a risk that her human body might not survive . . . and learns the secrets of her mysterious condition in the process.”

-Goodreads

Every Other Day is set in a world very similar to ours. The big difference is that instead of Darwin discovering evolution when he set out on the Beagle, he discovered preternatural creatures (hellhounds, zombies, basilisks, ect.). And so the hunting Kali is compelled to do is very illegal, what with hellhounds being an endangered species and all. Through the whole book, Kali is wondering who she is; not her personality, but what species. As far as she knows she’s one of a kind.

Characters:

There weren’t any characters in this book I had problems with. I didn’t find anything about Kali I disliked; I just had a hard time relating to her for whatever reason. She has the whole “kick ass heroine” thing going on, and she’s easy to root for. She was just a little 2D personality wise.

Again, nothing liked or disliked with Zev. Although he’s the romantic interest, he doesn’t play a major role in this book. Perhaps we’ll see more of him in the sequel.

The real money is in the supporting characters. All the banter between Skylar and Bethany was so funny I almost peed my pants. (I always seem to like the funny characters the best. Never noticed this before.)

Plot:

This book has a great plot. Every Other Day is action packed, with a few tear-jerking moments and plenty of twists and turns. Some that even I didn’t see coming. (This, unfortunately, doesn’t happen very often.) And a cliff hanger ending completes the package that, hopefully, promises a sequel.

Overall:

I really enjoyed this book and found the concept (especially what species she turns out to be) very unique. It was well paced and I was never bored. I really hope there will be a sequel. Every Other Day gets 3.5/5 stars from me. I can see this book being a big hit!