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 .

Along for the Ride

Sarah Dessen does it again! All of the books that I've read written by here should all be in literature and writing classes. This one is no different.

Unlike many of the young adult books out there who don't touch on relationships other than within themselves and with a boyfriend or girlfriend, Sarah Dessen explores--in this book especially--troubles with parents. I've noticed that Sarah Dessen talks about and explores divorce between parents, which is so very prevalent in our world today, a lot more than what is common among young adult novels. Let alone the aftermath of divorce.

Auden just graduated from high school looking at practically nothing but her studies. Her mom and dad divorced a few years back. While her dad remarried and is now having another baby with his new wife, her mother is married to her work as a college professor and her little parties she throws with some of her grad students. Everything is about studying and getting into the best college at Auden's home with her mother. But on the spir of the moment decision she takes a summer trip down to live with her dad and new wife, Heidi, and their newborn, Thisbe (what a name right?). Both Auden's mom and dad are rather manipulative, it seems they are consciously unaware of it. Getting Auden to do exactly what they want and making her thing that it is her idea or always getting the last word in.

Auden arrives finding that Heidi, who is normally so happy-go-lucky is completely worn out with her new baby who is constantly screaming, wailing, and not sleeping. Her dad has been no help with the newborn at all, constantly writing and needing his "nine hours of sleep" otherwise he doesn't function (and somehow he had two other kids--Auden and her brother). He's neglecting his wife and child and doesn't realize it.

Auden starts helping out, not only studying all the time for her college classes. She gets a job at Heidi's shop on the beach to get away from the screaming newborn. Here she is surrounded by squealing, giggling girls that are also preparing for college/life after high school. She also meets a boy riding on a bike in the middle of the night, a night she was helping quiet the baby down by taking her on a stroller ride by the beach. Of course, more relations bloom and they do so realistically.

That is something that I've truly loved about her books. The relations are all realistic. The problems are realistic. And the characters deal with their problems in ways that would actually work in this situation.

If I can be a writer like Sarah Dessen... They are magnificent books.

Her use of time, where there is a scene and where there is a summary, is masterful. There is one part where you know some hanky panky is going on, but she doesn't hang out there. Enough detail is given that you know what happened, but nothing is truly described (like some of the other YA/Adult books).

My only other warning is some of the foul language they use. It is sparse, but it is there. But that is really my only complaint. I love the way Sarah Dessen writes.

Fallen Kingdoms

Fallen Kingdoms let me down. I had been waiting eagerly to read this book for months now and by the time I got half way done with it, I was dreading reading it. And what is really sad is that this isn't just a debut novel. Morgan Rhodes is a pen name for Michelle Rowen and she has lots of different books (paranormal romance stuff that I'm not touching). I was extremely disappointed.

The idea behind it was a good one, but it was executed extremely poorly in my opinion. The cover art is pretty and is what has drawn me into these books. But who is this guy in the white cloak? There is no reference or anything about him.

The characters I believe were developed poorly. Many of them died throughout the course of the book and I didn't care. The major love interest in the book was weak (which is sad from the paranormal romance novelist). It happened so quickly and, as I said, weakly. There was no twitterpated feeling in my chest for the characters. I didn't care for the guy at all, he was actually kind of annoying. It feels like there was no reason why they were in love to begin with except for the guy to kill him and maybe feel bad about it later (which I don't actually think he does.) Then there is the whole brother loves sister (who isn't really his sister) thing which I was done with when I read City of Bones. The idea that I love her but can't have her but love her.... Ugh... I even was able to call who the next love interests will be (taking a sneak peak at the coming books on their blurbs on the back of the books).

The dialogue between characters was childish. They may be sixteen to eighteen years old, but they are royalty where they are taught, supposedly, how how to act nobly, it is not shown here. Not in the least bit. I think their bantering is supposed to be witty and... something, but it's just not. It's juvenile, even for YA. There is no change of voice between characters. It's all the same, flat, monotone "witty" bantering from one character to the next. And what's worse is that everyone of the characters has the same dry wit. It got boring really fast, but just kept going.

There was also a lot of bedroom talk. Not steamy stuff, but "come into my bedroom," or "his lover," "her lover," "let me give you more experience." Again, childish dialogue.

The setting was faulty and was lacking.

The book was very predictable and not in a good foreshadow kind of way. We knew what was going to happen long before any of the characters did. It took adults forever to realize they were being had and were about to be betrayed. Like knife had already cut into his throat before he realized.

And don't get me started on the throats/necks that were cut. If Rhodes described anyone getting killed it was always gorey, in-your-face---er---neck. Knives, daggers, and swords constantly in their neck with blood spraying on your face or the characters decapitating the enemies. There are other ways to kill people you know, even if they have armor on. I think this could be a close rivalry between J.R.R.Martins books for who's going to die next--except I've heard that his you can't predict nearly so often.

I don't think I'm going to read any more. If I do, it will be a long time from now when I have nothing better to read. (I have lots of better stuff to read.)

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.

Persepolis

Persepolis is a biography in epic graphic novel form. Persepolis is about a girl, our author Marjane Satrapi, and her early years living as a girl in Iran in the 1980's and '90s. She was around before it was mandatory for women to wear the now stereotypical "Islamic garb" like the head scarves and covering every part of their body but their faces.

Marjane shows us the fears that she had as empires fell, Iraqis invade Iran, and war tromped through her peaceful life. She was part of this time in history that I knew nothing about and tore down a lot of the stereotypes that have resided in my mind because I didn't know better. Everyone sees these women covered from head to toe and we instantly "know" who they are, but we don't. Marjame makes it very clear that many people (men and women) rebel against what their government has forced upon them. She mentions Nazi's and control, and I found a lot of similarities between her descriptions of the Iran government in the '80s and '90s and what I know of Nazism.

In her story, Marjane, due to her boisterous and "I'm going to tell you how I feel weather you like it or not" kind of attitude, is sadly told to move to Austria for a time so then her words/attitude won't get her killed. We see her loving and very political family. We see how sad it is for them to let their daughter flee to another country. In here we get her experiences, love, drugs, friends/lack thereof, as she grows from being a 14 (?) year old to 18 when she decides to come back home to her family whom she misses dearly. She would rather be annoyed by the demands of her government than be completely alone in a country that doesn't care for her.

I found it eye opening (I thought I was open minded, but gladly things have really opened my mind more than I thought I needed to--which is probably the case for most people), just how rebellious so many of these women are. I, unknowingly, thought they stayed in their scarves and full length clothes all the time, in or outside, but every time Marjane stepped into the privacy of her home/not in public they were wearing tube tops/mini skirts or regular/"western" clothes. They threw parties and dumped their alcohol down the toilet when the cops showed up. She smoked. All things "normal" people do, because they are normal people.

This book greatly tumbles down the stereotypes that haunt that area and somewhat-forced culture. There are many things that are beautiful that come out of such a war torn country, this book and Marjane's family as a few.

I greatly recommend this book to everyone over the age of 15. There are a few swear words and suggestive scenes that may, hopefully, go over the heads of younger kids. But this is a story that needs to be seen, not just read. I thank Marjane Satrapi so much for creating us a beautiful piece of art and being willing to share her story. She does a beautiful job breaking down barriers and stereotypes and enlightening me to an era that doesn't get talked about in schools here in the U.S. (Check out my other blog on what I think about our education system.).

I really liked this book. There are so many things in it that people should have questions about. They should search and find the answers that this book brings up. This story has so much that it explains meaningful and helpful for those who may not understand much, which in most cases is all of us.

Please, read, understand, and enjoy. (Also comment please. I would love to hear your thoughts. :D )

Lock and Mori

Lock and Mori is a modern-day retelling of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyal. However there are many twists, the biggest one being that it is told first person through the eyes of James Moriarty. Oh, and James Moriarty is a girl. WHAT!? Yeah, weird right.

In modern London, Mori runs into Sherlock Holmes in all his analogical personality. Mori, much like Prof Moriarty in the original stories is a mastermind as well. She has all of her assignments done months in advance and corrects her teachers. She runs into Sherlock (Lock as a nickname later) and finds him very much annoying. After she goes home and stops her abusive father from hitting her brothers again, she runs out to the park to get some air. Here she meets Lock and their game begins. A murder has happened and they can easily see how the police are messing it up. The game is afoot.

But soon this murder, and others they find are connected,  hit to close to home. Mori must figure it out.

Then, as any good young adult novel would, love is in the air. This was really odd for me. Moriarty and Holmes kissing and whatnot? WHAT?! yeah, weird right? But the way Heather W. Petty has created the characters works well and is believable enough for a YA book.

I spotted whodunnit fairly straight off, but it's not so much finding out whodunnit but how she deals with it. The bigger mystery for me was her mother. There were so many illusions to who she was but not enough to have a conviction. That is what kept me reading for the last half of this small, 200 page book. The surprise was an interesting one. There are also a few ways that you can take some of the happenings in the story, how a certain piece of evidence presents itself in the story for example, in which Mori asks herself--therefore us, the reader--questions that she doesn't give us clear answers too. So we, as good readers, can make our own conclusions.

There were a few things I need to warn younger readers/parents of young readers. There is a scene with F bombs dropped and other scenes (not graphic in the least bit) where it is implied they slept together, more than just falling asleep which happens too.

The only other complaints I have are the lack of Watson (though he makes a few brief appearances) and Sherlock only appears to be in there to kiss and be annoying. There is also an Alice that comes into the picture, but she doesn't stay long. There is build up for her, but I feel the climax for this character was lacking.

Oh, I also don't really care for the front cover. Not to be rude to the guy who is supposed to be Sherlock, but he doesn't look like a young Sherlock too me. Too much Benedict Cumberbatch, I guess. :D

But there is another book out called Mind Games, and I am interested in reading it to find out what happens next. Don't read the back/jacket cover of Mind Games before you read Lock and Mori, because it has spoilers for this book.

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.