The Book Thief

 Death is an interesting narrator. 

During WWII Death was busy carrying souls to "the great conveyor belt in the sky." For Liesel , she was adopted by a German husband and wife in a small German town. Death visits her only a few times throughout her life to take the people around her and finds her own story and curiosity gets the better of him. Liesel is not only dealing with the death of her brother and the abandonment of her mother, not being able to read, and simply growing up, but her new family agrees to hide a Jew in their basement and the air raids start.

As I said before, Death is an interesting narrator. He gives us a different kind of impending doom and anticipation throughout the story because he already knows his schedule of dates with everyone. He tells us on occasion that this person is going to die, or s/he doesn't live very long after this or that. The narration is exceptional at humanizing the world in the story and making me cry. (PSA: Don't try running while listening to the ending of the book, you won't be able to breathe, which is needed when being on a treadmill. 

Characterization is on point and we easily love most/if not all of the characters in the story. Upon reflection, I do wish Liesel herself had a little bit more going for her besides liking books, stealing, and being against Hitler. Just a quirk or two. Everyone else seemed to be so well thought out (not that she wasn't, I just suddenly want more from Liesel). 

WWI/I stories are always hard. Maybe because it's so "fresh," we know so much about it, and there is more of a human element  because photographs and videos and documentation are so easy to come by. And if people are "lucky," they still have soldiers and family members who were witnesses so are still alive--though the number of living WWII vets is dwindling as the years go on. There are monuments, there are museums, there are very prevalent stories of people who were there. That being said, I become very picky about the WWI/I stories that I read because I know I will cry my eyes out and that is an emotional rollercoaster that is simply exhausting. This is one of the few books about that time period that I'd willing read over again. The characterization and the love I have for them, hits well and hard. 

I saw a review for this saying that Death is ridiculous and his narration style is obnoxious. He has a very flowery use of metaphors and similes, it is true. I happen to enjoy his descriptions. They are different, but Death is different from everyone else. So I give it to him.

I very much enjoy this book, but can only read it occasionally (this time it was an audiobook and that was fantastically read!). The movie is pretty good, but they take Death out of it all together, which made me sad and turned it into "just another WWII story." 

Perfect Scoundrels

Perfect Scoundrels is the last in the Heist Society novels by Ally Carter and can I say that this is the perfect ending for the series. I would wish with a large portion of my heart that she would do a sequel series to this, because it was just amazing.

It starts off with Hale ditching Kat and the rest of her crew while on a heist with no explanation. Slightly irked at her boyfriend, Kat finds out that Hale's great-grandmother passed away and in her will gave everything to him. This boy of 15 (?) has now inherited his family's entire billion company. Overwhelmed by the death of his only relative whom he actually liked and liked him back as well as this new responsibility, Hale becomes distant from Kat and the rest of her family.

Then suddenly Marcus, the ever present and always watching manservant to Hale, gives Kat a job. The will that gave Hale the entire fortune is a fake. So Kat and the rest of her crew have to find the real one and the person behind it. There are sinister things hidden in all the Hale's closets and we soon find out many of them.

This book was fantastic. As I said, a perfect ending to the series. In the previous books we were given bits and pieces of Kat's whole family, and there are a lot of them. It is her biggest heist yet and needs everyone in on it. It was fun to go back and visit the London and the same museum they stole from in the first book along with other small heists throughout the story to get to the ending with the biggest con of them all.

Her characters have been consistent throughout the whole of the series, which is really good considering I've read a few where characters personalities change from chapter to chapter. While consistent, they do grow as the stories have progressed. Their are real arguments and debates on whether Kat and Hale will stay boyfriend/girlfriend. They show emotion and at one point almost had me in tears. I love the way they banter back and forth, giving amazing names to different styles of heists that they could use to accomplish their end game. They all have their own different personalities which keep the book alive.

I do wish there was more setting. I'm a sucker for a good bit of imagined setting or fun descriptions about the places they are in. But what it lacked for in setting, it made up for in a fantastic heist story that constantly had me turning pages. It lit up my very grey week with its humor and characters while still keeping it within the realm of reality.

It also weighs heavy on family. The importance of family and sticking together. Also that sometimes the best families are the ones you don't share blood with, though other times blood relations are just as amazing too.

I'd recommend this series to anyone who is looking for an upbeat, fun book.

Shadows of Self

Can I just say "Poor Wax, can't the guy get a break?" The things writers put their characters through--I'm guilty as well in this.

Shadows of Self is the sequel to Alloy of Law. In the Mistborn: Era II series by Brandon Sanderson, we follow Wax and Wayne, constables in the large city of Elendal as they hunt down a mysterious figure who killed many more than a handful of corrupt Lords and Ladies. But as they continue on in this investigation then kandra make their debut and change things dramatically in their hunt, though Wax feels more like the prey because their villain is always three steps ahead of them.

I loved this book. The characters are so well developed and Sanderson takes us back, in reference, to other characters that have long since died but were part of the first Mistborn series. Harmony is funny and I'm glad he's been able to stick around from the first series because I always enjoyed seeming him progress. If he can progress as Harmony too, I'd be really interested to see that. They are all so human. They have their quirks; they have their ticks; they have their faults. And I love them all. Well maybe not Steris at this point, but I've been told that I will love her. So we will happily go to book three as soon as I can get my hands on one. :D

It is so hard to go from reading a Brandon Sanderson novel to anything else. It all seems to so childish and unfinished, not quite as polished--even those authors who have written many books and have the experience.

Uncommon Criminals

Uncommon Criminals was a well written heist story in the Heist Society by Ally Carter. I've come to enjoy them and the "what's going to happen next" alongside the "I'm not going to tell you the plan" atmosphere that makes it fun.

Kat, Katarina, Bishop is walking a fine line. Previously she tried to step away from her life as a thief but after being pulled back into it and that job finally being done, she doesn't know where to go. She's still running, or everyone is telling her. She does jobs but they are return jobs--stealing a KGB painting and giving it back to their rightful owners and the like.

But what has been driving her friends up the walls is that Kat does all of these heists alone. She takes risks and is always by herself.

When mention of the famed Cleopatra Emerald needs to go back to its rightful owner, she jumps at the idea and actually manages to steal it. It would be a short book if that was it. But there is more to this "rightful owner" than Kat origionally thought.

I did put this down for a while (because I accidently left it at my parents house) so the progression seemed slow. She is constantly running around the same thoughts in her head. That she didn't want anyone hurt, that she has to do it alone, that.... blah, blah, blah. That kind of angst stayed throughout most of the book. I that got a little too much for my liking. But by the end Kat learns things by seeing herself in the con-artist they are trying to find.

I really like Maggie. A very deep character that could have a lot of promise. I also like the fact that Nick was there too. I'm team-Hale, but Nick is pretty cool too.

While the main focus of the book was Kat and her internal progression, I wish there had been more of the other characters and their story arcs. They have a lot of potential, but they seem fairly stagnant.

Overall, it was good. I wish there had been more development for the others, but setting was good as was the plot--of course. I am excited for the next one.

Alloy of Law

Another Brandon Sanderson because his writing calls to me. Seriously!!

Alloy of Law is the first book in the Mistborn Era 2 (AKA Wax and Wayne novels). After the happenings of Hero of Ages, three hundred years of progress and change has happened. The metropolis Elendel is thriving, the original religion that Kelsier started has has fragmented into multiple religions with a plethora of believers, lords and ladies still reign (though who really "rules" is still unclear to me, I may have missed it though), and the Steel Inquisitors don't exist so there are official lawmen who patrol the city to keep the peace.

Enter Waxillium (Wax). Not liking the city scene, he stays in the Roughs for 20 years leaving his House to be run by his uncle. His uncle dies in an accident, but he just can't bring himself back to the city. When his girlfriend dies in front of him *cough cough*, the grief is too much and he returns. But the city isn't as easy going as it he remembered. Parties and appearances need to happen, the family name and reputation needs to be mended and he's finding the lawman in him isn't appreciated in the company of the elite of society around him.

Bad guys are still out there it seems  when he gets word of phantom railcars, hostages, and allomancy metals disappearing. He can't help but let the lawman in him out, but then he finds he's gotten himself into more trouble than he though--nearly getting killed 3+ times in one day is a lot for any man.

His deputy (equivalent) out in the Roughs, Wayne--a wiz with accents and can get anything from anyone--joins him in this hunt to save the hostages and figure out what is going on. Only by the end do they realize how much over their heads they are in.

It's been a great read. With a hint of seasonal depression on my hands, reading this was much needed. I smiled every time they mentioned Vin, Elend, Spook, Marsh, and especially Sazed. Oh, Sazed. The references made me happy because I knew those people! But the atmosphere was bright and , even though they almost died a bunch of times.

Wax was a good main character. We saw most of the novel through his eyes, but his little quirks were fun. Wayne is a riot. I almost expected him to be bouncier, though he was composed. The banter between Wax and Wayne game them a brotherly feel that was a lot of fun. Marasi (very similar to Mare--Kelsier's wife--to me; so I'm making believed she's named after Mare, though it's probably not) is the cousin of Wax's "fiance"--who gets herself kidnapped--and assists Wax and Wayne in their search for the badden's. The makeup of this little troupe brings me joy because they work so well with each other.

Allomancy is still a big thing in this book (series of books) and plays a vital role in the fights that happen. I love the way the Allomancy has progressed through time. Coinshots (which Wax is) and non-Steelburners can use rifles and guns. Now that more people have Allomancy and can marry most anyone they want, Feruchamy (like what Sazed had) abounds too. And the chance of having a child that does both is much more common too. There are so many different types of people that make this world rich.

It was a great read, short--comparatively--but the next two novels are out; we are simply waiting until next year (probably) for the last one. I'm very much excited to read Shadows of Self.

Edit for a Second Read through!!:

I love Ironeyes. I miss Breeze, I miss Kelsier and Dox and Vin and Elend!! I'll be reading Mistborn again soon. This world is amazing.

Way of Kings

Brandon Sanderson is probably my favorite author.  There are very few authors that I tell my friends and patrons, at the library I work at, that they need read. While fantasy isn't everyone's cup of tea, which I understand, Sanderson takes a lot of elements from other genres and makes masterpieces. The Way of Kings is probably the best example of this.

If you're not up to reading a thick book, I'd suggest finding another one of Sanderson's books to read. The Way of Kings is a little over 1200 pages long, with its sequel being even longer. You will get captivated and mesmerized by the world and characters Sanderson has created here.

The story revolves around four or five main characters, depending on how you want to define "main." Kalladin, a former soldier turned slave has found himself in the useful death row; he's a bridgeman for Lord Sadaes on the Shattered Plains. No one lasts long as bridgeman, but somehow he does. This windspren won't leave him alone; is he going crazy? Maybe. But everyone around him is dying, just like they have before, and he's the only one that stays alive.

Brightlord Dalinar, who in his younger years was a warlord and combined the surrounding Principalities into a great nation with his brother--who was assassinated six years previously, has suddenly become a philosopher of the older ways. Before warfare and soldiering wasn't the highest Calling you could have, the philosophies he's listening to speak of peace and unity. But this is not the way of his people; his fellow Brightlords and his sons watch him lose his mind especially now that he is having visions of the past? Of the Future? What are they? Can he still save his family, his name while still pursuing these strange ideals?

Shallan, a naive, little red head comes to the big city looking to be a ward to the heretic Jasnah--sister to the new king and niece to Dalinar. But becoming a ward is not the only thing she is searching for. She's found herself in the position of amatuer thief that Jasnah has in order to save her family from ruin.

All of these characters, plus a few that world jump from other of Sanderson's stories (Hoid being one of the favorites), mingle, fight, banter, and survive through strange means that are beautifully woven and deeply understood as the story progresses. The reader crosses the world, slipping from character to character in interludes and main plot lines, and discovers interesting cultures that are so very different from each other. The cultures make you want to learn more, even by themselves.

The Stormlight Archive, with the first book being the Way of Kings, is a masterpiece. The reader can tell that Sanderson has spent years thinking, rethinking, writing, and rewriting these books and their connection to the Cosmere (Warbreaker, Emperor's Soul and Elantris, Mistborn, Well of Ascension, and Hero of Ages and the sequel series Alloy of Law, Shadow of Self, and Bands of Mourning, White Sand, and a bunch of short stories that you can find at the Coppermind Wiki for all of Brandon Sanderson's stuff). There is so much going on in these books that you have to go back and reread them again--this is my second time through Way of Kings and I caught things I definitely didn't the first time around.

I think my favorite part of Sanderson's writing is the detail he takes to help the reader understand the magics, cultures, and characters that he has created. There isn't so much detail that you get  bogged down too much (this book is 1200 pages so there is a lot of detail there), but there is enough for us to understand what is going on.

My only sad comment is that you have to make sure you have the time to sit down and read it. My first time through Way of Kings took me a week of nonstop reading and probably neglecting  my family. This time it was three weeks of fairly consistent reading. But I know that if you read slowly, you will have to dedicate a lot of time and effort into reading and finishing the novel. You may have to give it a few tries, but keep your bookmark in it. Come back to it. Don't give up entirely because it is a fantastic book.

The setting is amazing. The characters are wonderful. The writing is excellent. If you want to be consumed into a novel, read Way of Kings.

Crooked Kingdom

Crooked Kingdom is the continuation of the Six of Crows series. And boy is it good. There are so many things going for this series. The twists and turns as well as the characters are my favorite.

Kaz, after being swindled by Jan Van Eck in the last book, comes up with a plethora of new schemes to get the money they were owed. Finding ways to get The Wraith back as well as kidnapping a few people along the way is just the beginning. There are many plots and ploys that go awry and a brilliant overarching job that gets it done.  Some of these tricks and jobs, as well as the little details that set the whole thing right, might be seen as magician tricks that Leigh Bardugo slipped in because she needed a way to make things work; I disagree. Leigh Bardugo gives us enough of the amazing Kaz to make the "long game" believable. He kind of has a Sherlock Holmes kind of feel to him in that his mind races and thinks of so many things. He knows the people he's conning, inside and out.

Not only is Kaz amazing, but I also love Inej, Jesper, and Nina. All of these characters in this book are given time for their backstory to develop and us to truly love them. So much so that when the tears start rolling, it becomes a waterfall. I really enjoyed the progression each character had; they all had their own character arches that gave the readers a reason to love them.

I also enjoyed the world that Leigh Bardugo created. I'm really excited to read some of the other books that take place in this work.

But can I just say how amazing the artwork is! Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom have the most amazing cover art and map art that I've seen. Really, it's beautiful.

I honestly don't have much to say bad about it. For some people, they may be a little set off by the, slightly, unexpected homosexual couple in the book. (I didn't see it in the first one. *shrugs*) But all the romance, for whomever it was for, was tactfully done. In some ways beautifully done. I really love the relationship between Kaz and Inej. They have an odd relationship and is fun to explore. Kaz can be so hard headed and cold shouldered but he has a soft spot for Inej that makes him seem really sweet. When Kaz's gloves are off and he tries to face his demons.... Very different and very interesting relation to explore. And it was explored well.

Leigh Bardugo, in her acknowledgments, gives a resource to help stop human trafficking (something that is dealt with in the book). If we want more information to help stop this awful thing from occuring, check out GAATW.org .

Heist Society

The Heist Society by Ally Carter is a suspenseful YA novel thievery, art, history, and awesome characters. I greatly enjoyed this book is all of it's awesome-ness.

I began to read this book a few years ago, but the audio CD I was listening to it on was skipping and I had to return it to my library (Support your local library! Free books, I mean, come on. Best thing ever.). And all of the copies they had were out. So I had to wait and I was finally able to get back to it. I'm so glad I did.

Heist Society is about Kat, on the fence of whether she should remain a thief like she's been since she was three or go to high school and find a very different life that could lead to more places. But when she is abruptly expelled from the Ivy League school and told her father is in trouble, she has to get back in the game.

I really enjoyed the characters, all of them. They were all different and made for a great team. I can't wait to see how they develop in the next few books.

Ally Carter made good suspense throughout the story. Stopping at just the right moment for us to say "OH NO, what is going to happen next." She gave us just enough information to have our suspicions but there were surprises that I didn't see.

I also really enjoyed the cliffhanger at the end when this mystery man, the true man (or women, we don't really know) behind these crimes, leaves his calling card. It leaves it open for a great series that I am very interested in continuing.

Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant / The Kings Shilling

Delilah Dirk is one of the funnest graphic novels I've read in a long time. Full of action, awesome characters, and beautiful illustrations, Delilah Dirk is a brilliant adventure. 

I love Delilah. She is a witty thief/adventurer who can do amazing feats and always gets out of trouble. On a chance encounter in a Turkish prison, Mr. Selim finds out her backstory and tells the Sultan he works for. But the Sultan comes to think that they are in on her theft together and orders him executed. After escaping from her cell, she finds Mr. Selim and rescues him in her flying ship. Thus their adventures start. There is much more to this story that is fantastic and must be seen.

The second book, starts out with Mr. Selim and Delilah in Portugal where they find one Major Merrick. He sets Delilah up as a spy for the French, who are at war with the English at this time, and sullies Miss Dirk's good name. She can't have this and is forced to follow the Major back to England. Mr. Selim is all too happy to see England which he has only heard the best of. But he is poorly disappointed when England isn't all it was brought up to be.

I had to read more. These were fantastic books and Delilah reminded me of a character one of my friends created. So it hit home.

Anyone who loves Indiana Jones or swashbuckling Jane Austen will love these books. They are good for all ages, boys or girls.

Check out Tony Cliff's website because there are short stories and little featurettes for Delilah that are just as amazing.

Lies of Locke Lamora

The Lies of Locke Lamora seemed like an intriguing book with an interesting premise when I first picked it up. It was a recommendation from Goodreads, but it wasn't to my liking.

I didn't finish this book and, sadly, didn't get too far into it either. It had too much swearing and vulgarity for my taste. I gave it about 30 pages, but then had to put it down. I don't need any more swearing in my head. It's hard enough to get out when people around me are saying it.

So it is a DNF for me.

Setting the stage for the story is one thing, but too much is too much. Setting can be developed in different ways that are more tasteful in my opinion.

Sadly, I was interested in where it was going. :(

Six of Crows

The Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo is a fantastic read and I can't wait for the next one to come out. But the sad part is, right now, it's fairly fresh off the press.

Right now I love most everything about this book. The world is new and so inventive--though I have found out that there is another series that takes place in this world that Ms. Bardugo has written. This world is about to be thrown into more chaos that it already is because a new wave of super drug is about to be unleashed. It heightens the powers of the Grisha to be able to do the impossible. But it also sucks the Grisha in with a crazy craving that practically consumes life, either driving them crazy if they don't get it or whittling them down to a zombie if they until they die.

The heroes of this story are a bunch of thieves in it for the money. They are contracted to perform a jailbreak to get the maker of this new drug out of possibly deadly hands. Easy enough right? Wrong. The prison they have this scientist in is the most guarded complex in the world. It's easy enough to get in; getting out is the impossible part.

Bardugo takes us through this story in all six characters points of view, though it's nicely in third person. While it can be hard keeping track of all six of these thieves, it is cleanly done. I found a deep love for the characters especially because Bardugo takes the time to explain back stories. While some might find the time jumping disconcerting, I found that it gave so much more to the characters and their roles in the story. We understand where they are coming from even though some of them aren't very likable characters at the beginning. I found a love for all the characters in this book and my heart wrenched when I thought they would die--and it happened on more than a few occasions.

All of the characters seemed real, too. I mean to say that none of the main six were flat through I would like more from the "bad guys." We got a little at the end of a potential bad guy, at least someone who will have to be dealt with, but I would have liked a little more from the other antagonists.

I guess my only other thing that I didn't care too much for, though at the end of the book I didn't mind, was that we simply get thrown into this novel. There are lots of places and sayings and meanings that were completely foreign to me and it felt like I was drowning in this world for the first while. But as you keep reading (or if you've read the previous series--the Grisha series: Shadow of Bone, Siege and Storm, and Ruin and Rising) you might fare better. But so long as you're a good reader and pay attention, you'll get it.

Again, I can't wait for the next book. Kaz, Inej, and Jesper, you've all stolen my heart.

"No mourners."
"No funerals."

Please don't die.