Me on Beware the Wild

Title: Beware the Wild
Author: Natalie C. Parker
Release Date: October 21, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen

It's an oppressively hot and sticky morning in June when Sterling and her brother, Phin, have an argument that compels him to run into the town swamp -- the one that strikes fear in all the residents of Sticks, Louisiana. Phin doesn't return. Instead, a girl named Lenora May climbs out, and now Sterling is the only person in Sticks who remembers her brother ever existed. Sterling needs to figure out what the swamp's done with her beloved brother and how Lenora May is connected to his disappearance... and lonely boy Heath Durham might be the only one who can help her.

Beware the Wild is a haunting, atmospheric tale, one about memory, about family, about change, and about the lengths we will go to to save our siblings.

Sterling is afraid of a number of things, but she's determined to save her brother from the swamp. She won't let anyone stop her from finding him, from rescuing him, from finding out who Lenora May is and what she's suddenly doing in her house. Phin is so much of her life, she won't dare let him die. Even if he's going off to college soon. Even if she doesn't want him to leave. Nothing will stop her from saving him.

As strong as Sterling is in some ways, she's weak in others. Her fight with Phin changed things. The idea of him leaving frightens her. Why does he have to go? Why can't he stay at home? Why can't things stay the same? Change is one of those complicated things we want and don't want at the same time. We want to move on, we want to experience new things, we want to meet new people, but we're already comfortable with the way things are. If it's not broken, don't fix it, right?

Secrets and memories, remembered and forgotten, circle this story. How are we supposed to know which we're supposed to remember? What if we forget them? How are we supposed to remember them again? What if the biggest forgotten secret is something fenced off, hidden from everyone's eyes? What if it's right there for everyone to see?

I found this mysterious and hypnotic, the Southern summer heat from the swamp winding its way through the town. Small towns have secrets, things everyone knows not to talk about without remembering why. But Sterling isn't like that. She moves the story along, she asks questions and goes searching. Without her, it wouldn't be long until everything was forgotten. Recommended for those who like haunting mysteries, secrets hidden away in swamps, and fans of The Replacement and Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff.

(I received an advance copy of this title to review from HarperCollins Canada.)

Me on Winterkill

Title: Winterkill
Author: Kate A. Boorman
Release Date: September 9, 2014
Publisher: Amulet Books (Abrams imprint)

Emmeline knows the woods outside her settlement are forbidden. The mysterious enemy that wiped out half her people lurks there, keeping them isolated in an unfamiliar land with merciless winters. Living with the shame of her grandmother's insubordination, Emmeline has learned to keep her head down and her quick tongue silent. When the settlement leader asks for her hand in marriage, it's a rare opportunity to wash the family stain clean, even if she has eyes for another. But before she is forced into an impossible decision, her dreams urge her out to the woods, where she finds a path she can't help but follow. The trail leads to a secret that someone in the settlement will kill to protect. Her grandmother went down that path and paid the price. If Emmeline isn't careful, she will be next.

Winterkill is atmospheric and chilling, secretive and haunting. It's a journey of discovery and self-discovery, what's beyond the walls out in the woods and what is inside Emmeline. What is she capable of? What will she discover? And how will the Settlement react?

Emmeline is curious. She has a number of questions about her life in and around the Settlement. Other people have questions as well. What are her plans? What does her future hold? Will she stay on the right path, or will she turn Wayward like her grandmother did? But Emmeline's questions go further. What's beyond the Settlement? Where are the Lost People? She wants to know more about what else is out there, she wants to know the truth, but no one else is interested in that. The Settlement is safe, so why would anyone leave or break the rules? She has moments of strength and weakness, moments of doubt and conviction. But she never gives up on searching for the answers to her questions.

Discovery is one of the main tenants of the Settlement, yes, but only the right kind of discovery. Only the kind that benefits everyone, the kind that will keep them alive during the long winter months. Not the kind that asks questions about the past. Nothing good comes from remembering old hurts and scandals. But sometimes you just have to know what else is out there.

As with most books I was intrigued by the world-building. It has a very pioneer/old-fashioned pre-electricity feel, the way they live off the land in a village-style of settlement, but it also felt like it could be set in the distant future, after civilization as we know it has crumbled. Also the mix of English and French spoken by the villagers was interesting. The book has a very historical feel with hints of an old world kind of magic. I found the setting to be chilling and suspicious, perfect for the story.

Going in, I wasn't sure if there would be more to follow. Then I found out this is the first in a trilogy and was instantly excited. I found that the story moved slowly, but it was the good kind of slowly. The right kind. I felt rushed when Emmeline felt rushed, when she was running, searching, panicking about what was chasing her and who would be waiting for her when she got back. I would definitely recommend this to fans of Sorrow's Knot by Erin Bow and The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan.

(I received an advance copy of this title from the author.)

Me on The Girl from the Well

Title: The Girl from the Well
Author: Rin Chupeco
Release Date: August 5, 2014
Publisher: Sourcebooks

A dead girl walks the streets. She is a lonely soul. She has wandered the world for centuries, freeing the spirits of the murdered-dead. Once a victim herself, she now takes the lives of killers with the vengeance they're due. But releasing innocent ghosts from their ethereal tethers does not bring her peace. Still she drifts on. Such is her existence, until she meets Tark. Evil writhes beneath the moody teen's skin, trapped by a series of intricate tattoos. While his neighbors fear him, she knows the boy is not a monster. Tark needs to be freed from the malevolence that clings to him. There's just one problem: if the demon dies, so does its host.

The Girl from the Well is disturbing and dark, an atmospheric horror story. With its unconventional narrator, its unique story, and the mythology it draws on, this book certain sets itself apart from others inhabited by dangerous ghosts and aging secrets.

The ghost, the spirit, the dead girl. She is a rather interesting and unexpected narrator. She's observant, very observant. Rational without being devoid of emotion. Very intelligent. Rather strong, physically (if ghosts have a physical strength) and mentally. But she is somewhat detatched from the story. She is relating what she sees, only getting involved when she wants to, needs to, desires to. When she finds someone who must be punished, a murderer of the young and innocent. Few things happen directly at or to her. Most happen to Tark or his cousin, but she is drawn to them for inexplicable reasons. And so, simply but so complexly, she becomes part of their lives. (She does reveal her name, but I'm not saying what it is to keep the mystery going a bit longer.)

I imagine hers is somewhat of a traditional Japanese ghost story, or that her story has been greatly inspired by them. In some ways, she is pushed by vengeance. She gets revenge on behalf of the dead, on behalf of those brutally murdered. On purpose, by accident, it doesn't matter to her. She drifts in and out, finding those with the dead leashed to them, unable to escape their captor, and kills them. Ghost stories like this, like hers, highlight the power of emotion and intention. How we can desire something, care for something, hate something so strongly that it transcends death. That our strong emotions could keep us with the living instead of moving on to wherever we go after we die, tragically or not.

I found this book to be descriptive and atmospheric. Narrated by the girl, by the ghost, she's both part of the story and not part of it. She observes the world around her, relating to the reader certain events. At times the line between first person and third person blurs and there were moments when I forgot that she was telling the story. It's such an interesting way of telling the story. She knows and sees so many things that the others don't, but she doesn't know everything. I would certainly recommend this book to readers looking for a different kind of ghost story and to fans of Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake.

(I received an e-galley of this title to review from Sourcebooks through NetGalley.)

Me on Extraction

Title: Extraction
Author: Stephanie Diaz
Release Date: July 22, 2014
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (Macmillan imprint)

Clementine has spent her whole life preparing for her sixteenth birthday, when she'll be tested for Extraction in the hopes of being sent from the planet Kiel's toxic Surface to the much safer Core, where people live without fear or starvation. When she proves promising enough to be "Extracted," she must leave without Logan, the boy she loves. Torn apart from her only sense of family, Clem promises to come back and save him from brutal Surface life. What she finds initially in the Core is a utopia compared to the Surface—it's free of hard labor, gun-wielding officials, and the moon's lethal acid. But life is anything but safe, and Clementine learns that the planet's leaders are planning to exterminate Surface dwellers—and that means Logan, too. Trapped by the steel walls of the underground and the lies that keep her safe, Clementine must find a way to escape and rescue Logan and the rest of the planet. But the planet leaders don't want her running. They want her subdued.

Extraction is tense and dangerous, very secretive and rather deceptive. Clementine thinks she's going to a better place, thinks life in the Core will be easier, but she has no idea what awaits her. Or how hard she'll have to fight back in order to survive.

Clementine grew up, if you could call it growing up, in a harsh environment. It was more like sixteen years of surviving, struggling, existing. All for a chance to be "Extracted" to what she sees as a better place. But it's not better, as she discovers. It makes her question a lot of things, like why some people are valued more than others. Why the tests push her further than she wants to be pushed. Why everyone seems rather compliant at times. I was confused by her character, though. Her willingness to to whatever it took to escape and make it down to the Core, her willingness to survive, seems to be at odds with her unwillingness to give up on Logan. Then technically she's not willing to do whatever it takes. She's willing to do anything that doesn't mean hurting or killing him.

This felt reminiscent of so many other dystopian YA novels and trilogies, like Inside Out, The Testing, The Hunger Games, Divergent, The Forsaken, and Glow. The premise sounded interesting. A poisonous moon? Acid spilling down through space towards the planet? Now that's different. But somewhere along the way it fell flat for me, it all felt too familiar. If you're a fan of dystopian novels, of any of the titles listed above, then by all means give this a read. The tension grows and I was surprised as a few secrets were revealed. It just didn't stick with me.

(I received an e-galley of this title to review from Macmillan through NetGalley.)

Me on Hexed

Title: Hexed
Author: Michelle Krys
Release Date: June 10, 2014
Publisher: Doubleday Canada (Random House Canada imprint)

If high school is all about social status, Indigo Blackwood has it made. Sure, her quirky mom owns an occult shop, and a nerd just won't stop trying to be her friend, but Indie is a popular cheerleader with a football-star boyfriend and a social circle powerful enough to ruin everyone at school. Who wouldn't want to be her? Then a guy dies right before her eyes. And the dusty old family Bible her mom is freakishly possessive of is stolen. But when a frustratingly sexy stranger named Bishop enters Indie's world, she learns her destiny involves a lot more than pom-poms and parties. If she doesn't get the Bible back, every witch on the planet will die. And that's seriously bad news for Indie, because according to Bishop, she's a witch too. Suddenly forced into a centuries-old war between witches and sorcerers, Indie's about to uncover the many dark truths about her life, and a future unlike any she ever imagined on top of the cheer pyramid.

Hexed is mysterious and intriguing. High school isn't just about cheer practice, popularity, and boyfriends, as Indigo soon discovers. Sometimes it's about witches and sorcerers and running for her life. This debut is filled with growing tension and clever dialogue.

Indigo is a number of things when it comes to being the main character. She's sharp, clever, curious, and she's filled with snark. Her biggest weapons at times are her sharp tongue, quick wit, and attitude. She's not bossy but she's serious. She's determined. She needs to know what's going on and what she has to do to fix the massive problem that's fallen into her lap. Her verbal battles with Bishop were the best parts, sparring with words with a guy who looks slick and acts like a child with a smart mouth and no filter.

The witches and sorcerers and their ongoing war certainly add suspense, secrets, and shadows to Indie's normal high school days. She suddenly has bigger things to worry about than cheerleading and Bianca's popularity pressure. She has people coming after her with the heartless intent to hurt and quite possibly kill her. That sure puts things in perspective. And Indie does get scared. It's okay for her to be scared, for her to cry and scream for someone to save her. It's also okay for her to take charge and work her own plans if it doesn't look like anything else will work out.

This book does for me with witches what Kathleen Peacock's Hemlock did for me with werewolves. There's lots of intrigue and suspicion, a lot of teenage attitude, and good chemistry between Indigo and Bishop (even when they're arguing). It's an intriguing mix of contemporary with its high school teen angst and paranormal with some sudden secret magic and some bad guys hellbent on getting their revenge. I'm really looking forward to the next book.

(I received a finished copy of this title from Random House Canada.)

Me on Illusive

Title: Illusive
Author: Emily Lloyd-Jones
Release Date: July 15, 2014
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (Hachette Book Group imprint)

When the MK virus swept across the planet, a vaccine was created to stop the epidemic, but it came with some unexpected side effects. A small percentage of the population developed superhero-like powers. Seventeen-year-old Ciere Giba has the handy ability to change her appearance at will. She's what's known as an illusionist. She's also a thief. After a robbery goes awry, Ciere must team up with a group of fellow super-powered criminals on another job that most would consider too reckless. The formula for the vaccine that gave them their abilities was supposedly destroyed years ago. But what if it wasn't? The lines between good and bad, us and them, and freedom and entrapment are blurred as Ciere and the rest of her crew become embroiled in a deadly race against the government that could cost them their lives.

Illusive is an intense thriller, an action-packed adventure, a series of events and car wrecks that come together over and over in a battle between cops, criminals, and a secret that could change the world if it falls into the wrong hands.

One of the first things about Ciere that I like is she's an illusionist, she can create any kind of illusion, can trick anyone into seeing someone or something that is or isn't there, but she's bad at it. Just because you have superpowers doesn't mean you're perfectly skilled. Because she's not, she's foolish and reckless, she's frightened and frail and useless in a fight. She's jumpy and impulsive. But she's still trying to fix her problems.

Ciere's world is a curious one. So familiar because it's Earth, but because time has passed, because of the MK virus and its vaccine, it's not exactly the same. And so there are some differences, some advances in technology. Some new groups and new crimes. New labels and reasons to fear people.

What's interesting about books with thieves and crime syndicates and government agents, books like this, is that the lines between good and evil are blurred beyond all recognition. It's not about good and evil anymore, not about right or wrong. Instead, it's a fight for survival, for freedom. Ciere has committed crimes, and she's done that in order to survive. She was pushed to the edge of the cliff and found the only escape route that guaranteed her living one more day. Technically, almost every character has committed one crime or another, but would all of them be considered evil? And what about the FBI agents? They don't exactly have the best motives when it comes to people like Ciere.

A book like this certainly humanizes thieves and criminals. There is always a reason why crimes are committed, why a person steals priceless works of art or robs a bank. Why a person works as a bodyguard for a crime boss. It's certainly an interesting look into a different world, one where you're constantly looking over your shoulder, constantly running, constantly hiding. A world where safety is just an illusion.

This book has a lot in it. Criminals and superpowers, running scams and schemes, government agents, truth and lies, plots and plans, secrets and suffering. And it all works together. There's a high level of tension running throughout the book, spiking when things go wrong and bullets start flying. A fair amount of the dialogue from Ciere and her group was witty and clever. I can see where there would be a sequel, where there are questions left unanswered and secrets still waiting to be unleashed, and I can see where this story as a whole ends. Knowing there will be a sequel makes me excited.

(I received an advance copy of this title to review from Hachette Book Group Canada.)

Me on Midnight Thief

Title: Midnight Thief
Author: Livia Blackburne
Release Date: July 8, 2014
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Growing up on Forge's streets has taught Kyra how to stretch a coin. And when that's not enough, her uncanny ability to scale walls and bypass guards helps her take what she needs. But when the leader of the Assassins Guild offers Kyra a lucrative job, she hesitates. She knows how to get by on her own, and she's not sure she wants to play by his rules. But he's persistent, and darkly attractive, and Kyra can't quite resist his pull. Tristam of Brancel is a young Palace knight on a mission. After his best friend is brutally murdered by Demon Riders, a clan of vicious warriors who ride bloodthirsty wildcats, Tristam vows to take them down. But as his investigation deepens, he finds his efforts thwarted by a talented thief, one who sneaks past Palace defenses with uncanny ease. When a fateful raid throws Kyra and Tristam together, the two enemies realize that their best chance at survival, and vengeance, might be to join forces. And as their loyalties are tested to the breaking point, they learn a startling secret about Kyra's past that threatens to reshape both their lives.

Midnight Thief is mysterious and intriguing, a curious tale of secrets, plots, and plans. A tale of one girl trying to fix her mistakes and save lives before even more are lost. A girl who discovers there's more about the world, and herself, than she thought possible.

Kyra spends her days and nights trying to survive. She has friends, those who would support her, but she's mostly alone in the city of Forge. She struggles to steal and scrape together enough coins to eat and sleep and be safe. When James comes along with his offer, she's wary but she's interested. There's looking a step ahead, and there's looking three or four ahead of that. Some can't see that far, can't piece together situations that quickly, and so Kyra falls in with people far more dangerous and ruthless than she expected. But she tries to make it better, she tries to fix her mistakes. She's foolish, stubborn, but not careless. She cannot be faulted for giving up, for stopping and going back to fix what's gone wrong.

Tristam, by contrast, is a loyal by-the-book knight, intelligent and straight-forward. Maybe he's a little more soft in the heart than some, a little more compassionate. Those traits are at odds with each other, the caring and the following orders with a cool head, but he's still trying. He believes in the old ways, the old methods, the basic codes of conduct and behaviour. It's just too bad that people have their own motives and with push the rules around in the mud.

Kyra's world feels familiar in that it's a fantasy world with knights and thieves, palaces and taverns, orphans wandering the street looking for scraps of food, and hints of magic here and there. Even out in the forests it feels familiar, but it's the characters that set it apart. Their motives and plans, their decisions. Their encounters with the Demon Riders and their wildcats.

This book reminded me of a Tamora Pearce fantasy novel. Hints of magic and intrigue, characters with shadowed pasts and evil plans, a slowly moving tale. There is tension and action, yes, but it doesn't necessarily happen that quickly. There's no rush for Kyra to discover the truth behind her missions for the assassins, no rush for Tristam to stop the Demon Riders and their repeated attacks. Well, there is somewhat of a need for those things, but it feels like they were given time to figure things out as opposed to being rushed into a dangerous situation. After how this book ended, I'm very curious as to what will happen to Kyra in the next book, what other secrets she might discover about herself.

(I received an e-galley of this title to review from Disney-Hyperion through NetGalley.)

Me on One Man Guy

Title: One Man Guy
Author: Michael Barakiva
Release Date: May 27, 2014
Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux (Macmillan imprint)

Alek Khederian should have guessed something was wrong when his parents took him to a restaurant. Everyone knows that Armenians never eat out. Between bouts of interrogating the waitress and criticizing the menu, Alek's parents announce that he'll be attending summer school in order to bring up his grades. Alek is sure this experience will be the perfect hellish end to his hellish freshman year of high school. He never could've predicted that he'd meet someone like Ethan. Ethan is everything Alek wishes he were: confident, free-spirited, and irreverent. He can't believe a guy this cool wants to be his friend. And before long, it seems like Ethan wants to be more than friends. Alek has never thought about having a boyfriend, he's barely ever had a girlfriend, but maybe it's time to think again.

One Man Guy is light-hearted, humourous, and fun. The summer starts with Alek predicting boredom and disaster, but it slowly becomes anything but, an adventure into both the city and himself.

Alek seems to have reached the stage where he's trying to figure out who he is, and it pushes against the boundaries of how his traditional Armenian parents have raised him and his older brother. It's not that he hates them or his life, he wants to know what else the world has to offer a fourteen-year-old guy. All the excitement that other teenagers get to experience. Like taking the train into New York City, or shopping somewhere more interesting than the Gap.

I found the relationship between Alek and his parents to be rather interesting. They're traditional, steeped in Armenian culture, and Alek sort of straddles the line between them and 21st century America. It's a bit like the past and present coming together. But not in a hateful or spiteful way, I never got that feeling while reading. There wasn't any cruelty, any disdain. A lot of this book is about understanding, about family and love, and I thought this was a great glimpse into Alek's life, into a culture I rarely see represented in books, TV shows, and movies.

I can see this as a coming of age story, but not necessarily as a coming out story. It's all one story, it's all Alek feeling out of place at the beginning and slowly chipping away at the space he's been given so he fits into it better. It all worked together in a way I don't often see in LGBTQ YA. Alek and Ethan just felt right, it wasn't a grand production, it wasn't surrounded by hatred or fear, it was two teenagers maybe sort of falling in love the way teenagers do.

So much of this book is about family and understanding, about acceptance and love. Alek is pressured by his parents to advance at school, to be the best, but as serious as they are they're also supportive. This was a refreshing and fun read, and if it hadn't ended I would've hoped for more.

(I received an advance copy of this title to review from Raincoast Books.)

Me on Waiting on Wednesday (178)

Waiting on Wednesday is a bunch of weekly fun hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. :)

Title: Winterkill
Author: Kate A. Boorman
Release Date: September 9, 2014
Publisher: Amulet Books (Abrams imprint)

From Goodreads:

Emmeline knows the woods outside her settlement are forbidden. The mysterious enemy that wiped out half her people lurks there, keeping them isolated in an unfamiliar land with merciless winters. 

Living with the shame of her grandmother's insubordination, Emmeline has learned to keep her head down and her quick tongue silent. When the settlement leader asks for her hand in marriage, it's a rare opportunity to wash the family stain clean--even if she has eyes for another. But before she is forced into an impossible decision, her dreams urge her out to the woods, where she finds a path she can't help but follow. The trail leads to a secret that someone in the settlement will kill to protect. Her grandmother went down that path and paid the price.

If Emmeline isn't careful, she will be next.

Slightly cheating because Kate was wonderful and send me a review copy, but I wanted to feature this because it's only sort of described in Kate's guest post from yesterday.

This sounds rather haunting and creepy, and I'm really curious as to what Emmeline will come across. It sounds a bit like Sorrow's Knot and a bit like The Forest of Hands & Teeth but I don't know what the dead people quotient will be.

Me on Far From You

Title: Far From You
Author: Tess Sharpe
Release Date: April 8, 2014
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Sophie Winters nearly died. Twice. The first time, she's fourteen, and escapes a near-fatal car accident with scars, a bum leg, and an addiction to Oxy that'll take years to kick. The second time, she's seventeen, and it's no accident. Sophie and her best friend Mina are confronted by a masked man in the woods. Sophie survives, but Mina is not so lucky. When the cops deem Mina's murder a drug deal gone wrong, casting partial blame on Sophie, no one will believe the truth: Sophie has been clean for months, and it was Mina who led her into the woods that night for a meeting shrouded in mystery. After a forced stint in rehab, Sophie returns home to a chilly new reality. Mina's brother won't speak to her, her parents fear she'll relapse, old friends have become enemies, and Sophie has to learn how to live without her other half. To make matters worse, no one is looking in the right places and Sophie must search for Mina's murderer on her own. But with every step, Sophie comes closer to revealing all: about herself, about Mina and about the secret they shared.

Far From You is an emotional journey. Rough, painful, and unflinchingly honest, it's a story of searching. Searching for the truth, searching for acceptance, searching for memories. Sophie's struggle is real, so very real, and she'll be lucky if she makes it out alive.

Sophie has a fair number of problems. Some are her fault and some aren't. Some can be fixed and some can't. Some can be accepted, moved on from, and some will always be there. She's already climbed her way out of one hole, she's clean, working every day to stay clean and away from the drugs that almost ruined her life. But that won't fix everything, and it won't bring Mina back.

This book alternates a chapter at a time from the now, Sophie returning home after rehab and her investigating Mina's murder, and the then, the years before that start with the car accident that introduced her to Oxy. Because of the back and forth the reader sees two sides of Sophie, the recovering not wanting to let go of Mina but wanting to know the truth side and the in pain and a drug haze side. As the book progresses, the reader sees how Sophie changed, why she changed, and why there are secrets she still keeps.

In the fog brought on by the pills, Sophie can forget all about her pain. Everything is better there. Nothing hurts anymore. Whatever went wrong can be forgotten. But only for a little while. The drugs won't erase her pain, her scars, the lies she told, and the truth she hides. Those will always be there, drugged out or clean and sober.

On top of high school, friends, family, college plans, job plans, other thoughts about the future, teens are figuring out who they are as people, and that includes their sexuality. Bisexuality doesn't come up a lot in LGBTQ YA novels (the most recent ones I can think of are Adaptation, Inheritance, and Coda) but it should. It's important that it's talked about, that it's brought up in this book, but it's not the whole story. That's not all Sophie is. She's bisexual but she's also a drug addict, a liar, a gimp (as she calls herself), a daughter, and a friend.

There are so many layers to this book, I can only imagine how painstaking the crafting of this story was to Tess Sharpe. Sophie's voice is clear and determined. She's afraid, she's still mourning, but she won't give up. I couldn't put this book down, which means I'll certainly be reading whatever Tess Sharpe writes next.

(I received an advance copy of this title to review from Hachette Book Group Canada/Disney-Hyperion through NetGalley.)

Me on Stolen Songbird

Title: Stolen Songbird
Author: Danielle L. Jensen
Release Date: April 1, 2014
Publisher: Strange Chemistry

For five centuries, a witch's curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined. Cécile has only one thing on her mind after she is brought to Trollus: escape. Only the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time, wait for the perfect opportunity. But something unexpected happens while she's waiting. She begins to make friends. She begins to see that she may be the only hope for the half-bloods, part troll part human creatures who are slaves to the full-blooded trolls. There is a rebellion brewing. And the prince, Tristan, the future king, is its secret leader. As Cécile becomes involved in the intricate political games of Trollus, she becomes more than a farmer's daughter. She becomes a princess, the hope of a people, and a witch with magic powerful enough to change Trollus forever.

Stolen Songbird is magical, a unique fantasy where a promised miracle fails to happen and the girl who was the promised savior must learn to survive inside a mountain.

Cécile is willful, at times afraid and clueless, but nothing special. She acknowledges that there's nothing that important about her, even though the trolls initially believe otherwise. Afterwards, they're stuck with her, and she is stuck with them. She wants to leave desperately, but any attempt to escape could mean death. But, as she learns, so could staying. But so could asking questions, getting involved, trying to make things right. But so could doing anything.

Tristan is extremely complicated. And extremely secretive, but he has to be. If he wasn't then too much attention would be on him, and enough attention is already paid to him, but that's what happens when you're the heir to the troll kingdom. In Tristan there's a middle ground between attractive prince and hideous monster troll. Cécile acknowledges that he has an appealing face but knows without question that it's not a human one. I do wish there were more chapters from his point of view, though. Compared to hers, his were few and far between.

I like that their relationship began with hatred and distrust. There was nothing magical about it, their "marriage" didn't make them suddenly attracted to one another. They have an odd forced together relationship that slowly builds up to tolerance of the other because they discover they can use each other, and friendship when they realize there are similarities between them.

The underground/under a mountain world of the trolls is creative and different in terms of the description and the social hierarchy. Trolls living in a mountain or underground is nothing new, but this world is. The varying appearances and heights of trolls, the differences in their magic, the many personalities and quirks and leanings. The supposed architecture of the inside of the mountain sounds complex and rather detailed.

I don't read a lot of epic fantasy, mainly due to the length and how often it feels like little happens in those 500+ pages, but I'm glad I read this. I enjoyed this. Cécile comes off as something special, but when things stay the same, prophecy or not, both she and the trolls have to cope with the fact that she's there. She can't leave. They can't just kill her. So, what's next? As much as I'm not a fan of endings like the one in this book, it makes complete sense, and so I'm really looking forward to what will happen next to both Cécile and Tristan.

(I received an e-galley of this book to review from Strange Chemistry through NetGalley.)

Me on The Story of Owen

Title: The Story of Owen
Author: E.K. Johnston
Release Date: March 1, 2014
Publisher: Carolrhoda Books

Listen! For I sing of Owen Thorskard: valiant of heart, hopeless at algebra, last in a long line of legendary dragon slayers. Though he had few years and was not built for football, he stood between the town of Trondheim and creatures that threatened its survival. There have always been dragons. As far back as history is told, men and women have fought them, loyally defending their villages. Dragon slaying was a proud tradition. But dragons and humans have one thing in common: an insatiable appetite for fossil fuels. From the moment Henry Ford hired his first dragon slayer, no small town was safe. Dragon slayers flocked to cities, leaving more remote areas unprotected. Such was Trondheim's fate until Owen Thorskard arrived. At sixteen, with dragons advancing and his grades plummeting, Owen faced impossible odds armed only with a sword, his legacy, and the classmate who agreed to be his bard. Listen! I am Siobhan McQuaid. I alone know the story of Owen, the story that changes everything. Listen!

The Story of Owen is entertaining, unique, and Canadian to the core. The dragons may come flying out of fantasy but this book is very present and relevant in a real world setting, a small down with real and intelligent people trying to protect it, a group of characters that can't help but make you laugh and cry and listen intently to the tales of their heroism.

Owen and Siobhan are both interesting in their own ways, Owen and his dragon slaying, his knowing that he will be a dragon slayer like his parents and his aunt before him, his acceptance and strength, and Siobhan with her understanding, her support, her attitude. It's a curious friendship they have, one that began because of proximity and continued through tutoring and her acceptance to become a bard. To tell the tales of Owen and his dragon slaying.

This story is told in such a compelling way, in a style befitting a bard. I couldn't turn away from this book, it was almost as if I could hear Siobhan recounting the tales of Owen and his father and aunt as she saw them, calling out to the good people of the town and sharing tales of bravery and fortitude. Or about how he was failing algebra and she was brought in to tutor him. Siobhan also provides historical backstories on the dragons, the men and woman that slay them, and the countries that try to protect their people and carbon emissions.

Because of the dragons, history as we know it has been altered, tweaked and played with. Dragons are seamlessly woven into our world until it becomes Siobhan and Owen's world. A world where dragons set barns and houses alight so they can feed off of the charred remains. A world where dragon slayers are recruited to do battle for their country, to face off against sharp teeth and burning flames.

While I knew this would take place in a small town, I didn't expect to get so involved in Trondheim and the politics of dragon slaying in a small town. It lead to the comparison of small towns and large cities, how both are important but the towns are often overlooked because of the needs of the cities. But it doesn't mean those small towns aren't important.

This book is so Canadian when it comes to humour and character, a little easy-going but practical and thoughtful. Almost every Canadian or Southern Ontario reference made me laugh, including the mental image of a dragon flying straight into Toronto during a hockey game. It's certainly an intriguing look at what it's like in a small Canadian town when everyone comes together to protect it, protect their homes. It's so Canadian, with the small-town hero and the people around him, and the one to tell his story (while being involved herself). I want more of this town, more of these characters, and more from this author. What an adventure.

(I received an e-galley of this title from the author through NetGalley.)

Me on Alienated

Title: Alienated
Author: Melissa Landers
Release Date: February 4, 2014
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Two years ago, the aliens made contact. Now Cara Sweeney is going to be sharing a bathroom with one of them. Handpicked to host the first-ever L'eihr exchange student, Cara thinks her future is set. Not only does she get a free ride to her dream college, she’ll have inside information about the mysterious L'eihrs that every journalist would kill for. Cara's blog following is about to skyrocket. Still, Cara isn't sure what to think when she meets Aelyx. Humans and L'eihrs have nearly identical DNA, but cold, infuriatingly brilliant Aelyx couldn't seem more alien. She’s certain about one thing, though: no human boy is this good-looking. But when Cara's classmates get swept up by anti-L'eihr paranoia, school suddenly isn't safe anymore. Cara finds support in the last person she expected. She realizes that Aelyx isn't just her only friend; she's fallen hard for him. But Aelyx has been hiding the truth about the purpose of his exchange, and its potentially deadly consequences. Soon Cara will be in for the fight of her life, not just for herself and the boy she loves, but for the future of her planet.

Alienated is entertaining, fun, and a quick read. As exciting as this book is, I also found it to be a curious look at fear hatred, love, and the other. Aliens are coming to Earth, to learn and to live, and not everyone is pleased at the news, but some learn to accept them and will have to stand up for them when others try to stop them.

Cara is intelligent, opinionated, and passionate, and she's a bit unsure about the exchange program. She sees the pros and cons, how it means she could essentially pick any college she wanted to attend, but she's not sure about having a stranger in her house, an alien from another planet with no emotions. But Cara's one of the most open-minded characters. After a rocky start she genuinely wants to know more about the L'eihrs and their planet, their customs. She doesn't understand why the hatred that's slowly grown in parts of the human population exist.

Aelyx is extremely intelligent and extremely distant. He's reserved, rather emotionless, but he's an alien. His world is not Earth, it's muted in terms of colour and emotion. He doesn't really want to be on Earth, neither do any of his friends, his fellow L'eihr exchange students, and so they have a plan to leave as quickly as possible. But when he sees Cara's circle of friends dwindle to nothing he's there to support her, even if it feels strange to him. And he's been keeping some secrets from her that could destroy their growing relationship.

This book seems to have two sides, the exchange student Cara and Aelyx side and the fear of the other side. There's a slowly growing group in this book that are vehemently against the L'eihr and anything to do with them. They fear them, hate them, because they are different, because they assume the L'eihr are going to take over Earth and make it their own. This group assumes the worst and responds the same way, with hatred, abuse, bullying, and violence. Those moments left a bitter taste in my mouth.

I found this to be a fun, quick, entertaining read, science fiction with some real world contemporary issues. At times it reminded me of Adaptation by Malinda Lo. As fun as it was there's a darker side, a dangerous side, that can't be overlooked. It adds weight to the book, makes it so it's not just a simple exchange student romance kind of story. I hope the second book doesn't have what I don't like that appears in most second books, because I really like this first book.

(I received an e-galley of this title to review from Disney Book Group through NetGalley.)