The Spirit Thief Review

Book Details

Title: The Spirit Thief (The Legend of Eli Monpress)
Author: Rachel Aaron
Genre: fantasy
Page Count: 320
Publishing Info: Orbit, October 1, 2010

My Review
Why I read it: kept seeing it reviewed all over
The Plot: At first glance this sounds like a lot of other books I've read.  A thief who is so good that he can do anything and get out of any scrape?  It sounded a bit like The Thief (The Queen's Thief, Book 1) or The Lies of Locke Lamora.  I mean, in The Thief, we start out in pretty much exactly the same place--with our hero locked up figuring out how to escape.  But there's an interesting magic system here that makes it different.  Every single thing has a spirit, from trees to sand to doors, and wizards can hear and talk to the spirits.  So, our main character, Eli is looking for a way to increase the bounty on his head, and the fastest way he knows how to do that is to kidnap a king, and he's able to sweet talk just about any spirit into doing whatever he wants.  Craziness ensues.
The Characters: At first I was pretty sure I wouldn't like Eli.  He seemed a little too good at everything.  But it turns out that Eli wasn't quite as strong as I first suspected.  He had weaknesses and flaws, which made him a better character, and surprisingly, I really liked him.  Yes, he was snarky and a little full of himself, but he was also funny and interesting.  I also really liked Josef, the swordsman who is a part of Eli's gang, and would like to know more of his backstory.  There really aren't very many characters in this one, but that's part of what makes it nice.  You never get confused about who is who. 
The Setting: The story takes place in the fictional kingdom of Mellinor, and never really goes beyond that.  We start out in the castle, and the whole story takes place within a few miles of it.  It never feels stagnant though, and the scope feels broader than what we're given.
Who Should Read This? Fans of fantasy, especially lighter fantasy that includes humor.
Final Thoughts: I was a little leary of this one at the start, but it turns out that I really liked it and thought it was a lot of fun.  I'm glad that the second and third books are already out so I don't have to wait to continue on with the series.
Grade: A-
Cover Thoughts: The cover for this one is a bit deceiving.  It looks like it might be an urban fantasy or something, not the fun adventure fantasy that it is.  If you're turned off by the cover, ignore it and give this one a go anyway. 
 

Curse of the Spider King

Book Details:
Genre: YA Fantasy
Page Count: 384
Publication Date: Nov. 3, 2009
Why I read it: have 2nd one for review
Grade: A-

Cover thoughts:
I really like the cover for this one. The picture is pretty cool, the font is good--it's all good. Plus it's a hardcover, without an annoying dust jacket; the picture is right on the cover. I really like that.

About the author:
Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper are joint authors of this one. I've never read anything by either of them, but they've both got other books out that I will be looking for.

The plot:
Curse of the Spider King introduces us to seven young elven lords. The thing is, none of them know they are elves from another world, Allyra. They're all just living normal 13 (or nearly 13) year old lives when we are introduced to them. But, because they have reached the age of reckoning, they are all starting to display certain powers (they all have different powers), and will soon be hunted by the enemies of the elves. Luckily, there are sentinels that were sent there to look for, and protect them. But now they all must return to Allyra. There is a great website for the Berinfell Prophecies here.

Characters:
This would be a great book for a pre-teen/younger teen to read, because there is someone here for everyone to like. We get to know lots of different characters, and young people will connect with them. Some of the characters were much more present than others. But they're all interesting and varied.

Setting:
The flashbacks throughout the book to the world of Allyra were probably my favorite part. Otherwise, the world was pretty much just like ours today, except for the addition of these elves hiding out. I'm excited to read more of Allyra in the second book.

Read this if you're in the mood for: a young adult fantasy that isn't your typical paranormal love story. I'm really sick of those, so if you are too, this one is different. It does have the formula of a young person (in this case, people) finding out that they're not human, they're something more, but the rest of the book is pretty different from the standard formula. Also, as this is written by Christian authors, it's very clean.

Continue or part ways? I'll definitely continue on with the series, especially since I have the second one on my bookshelf waiting for me to read and review it.

Everlasting

Title: Everlasting
Author: Angie Frazier
Genre: YA Historical Fantasy
Page Count: 336
Why I read it: ARC Tour
Grade: A-

Synopsis:
Sailing aboard her father’s trade ship is all seventeen-year-old Camille Rowen has ever wanted. But as a girl of society in 1855 San Francisco, her future is set: marry a man she doesn’t love, or condemn herself and her father to poverty.

On her final voyage before the wedding, the stormy arms of the Tasman Sea claim her father, and a terrible family secret is revealed. A secret intertwined with a fabled map, the mother Camille has long believed dead, and an ancient stone that wields a dangerous—and alluring—magic.

The only person Camille can depend on is Oscar, a handsome young sailor whom she is undeniably drawn to. Torn between trusting her instincts and keeping her promises to her father, Camille embarks on a perilous quest into the Australian wilderness to find the enchanted stone. As she and Oscar elude murderous bushrangers and unravel Camille’s father’s lies, they come closer to making the ultimate decision of who—and what—matters most.

My review:
I really loved this book. Way more than I expected to when I read the synopsis. It was wonderfully paced. Some books have action scene after action scene, without giving you any time to even catch your breath. This one definitely has action, but there are also some scenes where the reader can get to know the characters and the setting.

And I loved the characters. Camille is a great heroine, and I was really feeling the romance between her and Oscar. Oscar felt like a man, rather than the boys I so often read about in YA novels. Which makes me question why I read YA so often, since it's quite understandable that the male leads would still be boys. But it's nice to come across a more mature, manly character every once in awhile.

I never got bored while reading, or felt that the story started to get slow or tiresome. The only problem I had with it was that most of the action was packed into what felt like a very rushed ending. As I was nearing the end of the book I kept wondering if there was going to be a big cliffhanger or something, because with the amount of pages left, there's no way the author was going to wrap up everything that needed to happen. But she did, and sadly, it felt incredibly rushed. Everlasting seems like it could be the first in a series, but it stands on it's own as well.

I will definitely read more by Angie Frazier, and would highly recommend this one to fans of YA.

City of Glass

Title: City of Glass
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: YA fantasy
Page Count: 541
Why I read it: third in a series
Grade: A-

Synopsis:
To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters -- never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.
As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadow-hunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadow-hunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her new found powers to help save the Glass City -- whatever the cost?

My review:
I thought the first book of this series, City of Bones, was just okay.  The second one was better, and now I think Cassandra Clare must have just found her groove, because this one was great.

The story is very intense, and although there are times in the plot where things slow down a bit, it never gets boring because the characters were so great.  There were even times when they were downright funny, and I laughed out loud, and I don't remember that in the previous books.  Either the author has really grown as a writer, or I'm just relaxing my standards as a reader.  Whatever the case, I had a hard time putting City of Glass down.

There is a lot going on in this book, and the POV switches back and forth between characters quite often, which is a great tool for creating suspense.  It seems that all the foreshadowing in the previous book comes to a head here, and we are given all the answers (or so it would appear, but since I see there is another book forthcoming, who knows?).  The ending was quite the happily ever after type, which isn't a bad thing.

I would recommend this one to fans of YA fantasy.  As I've said, I really didn't care much for the first one, so if you don't like that one, don't give up.  I truly think the series gets better as it progresses.

Series Reading order:
City of Bones
City of Ashes
City of Glass
City of Fallen Angels (out in 2011)

Twenty Boy Summer

Title: Twenty Boy Summer
Author: Sarah Ockler
Genre: YA Fiction
Page Count: 290
Why I read it: looked good
Grade: A-

Synopsis:
According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy ever day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie---she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

Beautifully written and emotionally honest, this is a debut novel that explores what it truly means to love someone and what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every single moment this world has to offer.

My review:
I didn't expect my reaction to this book.  I thought it would be one of those light, fun YA books, with a little bit of emotional depth thrown in for good measure.  Instead I found a beautiful novel that brought back emotions I haven't felt since I was a teenager.  First love, hope, the feeling that life is going to be wonderful from now on, but also the sadness of growing up and moving on.  I put the book down with teary eyes, and then found myself actually crying a little bit about ten minutes later.

I was just so touched by Anna's story.  I felt her emotions leap from the page.  Her descriptions of the ocean, her friendship with Frankie, her reactions to both Matt and Sam; it all felt so real and authentic.  Frankie was a good counter-balance to Anna.  Troubled, broken-hearted, and just wanting to be noticed and loved.  The characterization was excellent!


One of my favorite lines from the book was, "Let someone else have a lucky day."  It was something Matt would say to Anna when they saw a penny on the ground, and left it there for someone else to pick up.  When Anna said it later in the book, it just about melted my heart.

I would definitely recommend this to fans of YA, and will probably read this again sometime in the future, when I want to remember what it feels like to be young again.

The Farwalker's Quest

Title: The Farwalker's Quest
Author: Joni Sensel
Genre: Juvenile Fantasy
Page Count: 372
Why I read it: wanted to
Grade: A-

Synopsis:
Ariel has always been curious, but when she and her best friend Zeke stumble upon a mysterious old telling dart she feels an unexplained need to figure out what it means. Magically flying great distances and only revealing their messages to the intended recipient, telling darts haven’t been used for years, and no one knows how they work. So when two strangers show up looking for the dart, Ariel and Zeke realize that their discovery is not only interesting, but very dangerous. The telling dart and the strangers lead them on a journey more perilous and encompassing than either can imagine, and in the process both Zeke and Ariel find their true calling.

My review:
The Farwalker's Quest was a Cybils Awards Nominee for Middle Grade Fantasy and Science fiction in 2009, which is where I first heard of it.  It started off a little slow, and I was afraid it wasn't going to be my cup of tea, but things picked up a bit, and I quite enjoyed it.

It's pretty much your typical quest story.  There was a lot of walking and camping and questing, but it was very well done.  I found Ariel a bit petulant and annoying, but I had to remind myself that she was young, and going through trying times, and that it was okay.  And once I could get past that, I really loved the story.  There were some interesting elements, and some that I've read before (Naming Day at age 13, or the like, has been done already), but none of it felt like it was just a copy of previous books.

Looking on Goodreads, I see that this is the first of a series, or at least that it has a sequel, which is nice because I'd like to re-visit this world.  I would recommend this one to fans of YA or juvenile fantasy.  It deserved to be nominated for the award, even if it didn't win.

I'm So Sure

Title: I'm So Sure
Author: Jenny B. Jones
Genre: YA Christian chicklit
Got it from: Library
Why I read it: Second in a series
Grade: A-

Synopsis:
Bella Kirkwood is finally situated in her new hometown, but she's not ready for the whirlwind of randomness that takes place next. When her stepdad enters a new wrestling reality show, Bella is pulled along for the ride as her life goes on display for all the world to see. When the cameras roll, Bella must solve a prom-queen mystery, deal with her returning ex-boyfriend, and keep her cool as she works alongside the hot but irritating newspaper editor Luke Sullivan.



My review:
I've been waiting for this one to come out for awhile, after really liking the first book in the series.  These books are perfect when you just want some nice, light, fun reading.  This one was a little predictable--okay, maybe a lot, but it was fun to read, and I love the writing.  I would recommend this to fans of YA or chicklit.

REVIEW - Oracle's Legacy: Shadows of Fate

Title: Oracle's Legacy: Shadows of Fate
Author: R.B. Holbrook
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Got it from: the author
Why I read it: received a review copy, 2nd in series
Grade: A-

Synopsis:
This is the second in the Oracle's Legacy trilogy.  I don't want to say more, because I want to avoid spoilers, and there's no way to describe this book without doing so.

My review:
This took me longer to read than I would have liked.  That happens when my husband has a four day weekend and things get busy.  Most everything I would want to say about this book, I said in the review of the first book.  All the things I loved about the first one were here.

But, this book suffers from what I'll call second book in a trilogy syndrome.  By that I mean it's a bridge between an action packed first book, and (what I believe will be) an action packed third book.  There's more information than action going on here.  And that's not necessarily a bad thing.  The world building in this story is still incredible.  I can't imagine how much time the author must have spent coming up with all the details.  Sometimes, as a reader, it's hard to keep all those details and the characters straight.  I almost feel like I need to take notes. :)

And even though this book was more information oriented than action oriented, there were still some really cool action scenes.  One in particular I would love to see play out on a big screen, because I can just picture the magnitude and the awesomeness.  In fact, sometimes while I'm reading I almost feel like I'm reading a movie script, because I think this story would work really well as a movie.  But then, I'm really a sucker for superhero movies.

I'm very excited to read the third book when it comes out, and see how it all ends.  I just hope it has a happy ending, because I'm not sure I could take a sad ending to this trilogy.  I want it to end well.  Again, I would recommend these first two books of the trilogy.  This is a new author to keep an eye on, for sure!

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

I finally finished Mistborn this morning. This book took me a really long time to read, and I think part of that was because it wasn't one that I couldn't put down. There are some books that, when I'm reading, I have to go on to the next chapter to see what happens. But with this book, I never had that problem.

That being said, it was a great book. There were parts that were a little more detailed than I like, but that was mostly at the beginning, and I think the author was just trying to explain how things worked. Mistborn was different than any other fantasy I've read. That's one thing I like about Brandon Sanderson--that his books are not the normal fantasy fare. I'd compare his writing to China Mieville in it's originalitly.

When I was around 200 pages in, I wasn't sure if I was going to continue on with this series right away. But as soon as I finished this morning, I wanted to start reading the second book. The problem is that I don't have the second book, and I also have a few other books I need to finish this week for reading groups. Overall, I would give Mistborn an A-. For a description of the book, check out the Amazon link here.