Frostbite by Richelle Mead

Book:  Frostbite (Vampire Academy #2) by Richelle Mead, 2008 by Razorbill, 327 pages.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose...

It’s winter break at St. Vladimir’s, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy’s crawling with Guardians—including Rose’s hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand-to-hand combat with her mom wasn’t bad enough, Rose’s tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason’s got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa’s head while she’s making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy’s not taking any risks... This year, St. Vlad’s annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price...

My Thoughts:
I'm really enjoying this series - it is well written and fast paced and fun to read. 

Frostbite takes place soon after Vampire Academy, with Rose pining over Dimitri and Lissa and Christian are together.  The Strigoi, or bad vampires, are out to kill the Moroi, or good vampires.  They are targeting entire families and have put the whole vampire community on alert.  Everyone at the Vampire Academy goes to a ski resort for Christmas for maximum security, and this is where most of the action unfolds.

The friendship between Rose Lissa isn't as developed in this book and sometimes it annoyed me how much Lissa didn't seem to notice how her best friend was feeling.

I like Rose, even though she goes off on tantrums and acts without thinking sometimes.  However, it is interesting that she is aware of her bad behaviour, but acts anyway.  She is young and impulsive.

There were some great new characters introduced.  The storyline between Rose and her mother was good.  Tasha and Adrian are fun additions.

I like these books because even though they are about vampires and romance, there is more to them than that.  I recommend these books, though there is some drinking and talk about sex.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Book:  Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #1) by Maggie Stiefvater, 2009 by Scholastic Press, 392 pages.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Grace and Sam share a kinship so close they could be lovers or siblings. But they also share a problem. When the temperature slips towards freezing, Sam reverts to his wolf identity and must retreat into the woods to protect his pack. He worries that eventually his human side will fade away and he will be left howling alone at the lonely moon. A stirring supernatural teen romance.

My Thoughts:
 The writing in Shiver is just beautiful.  I love how Stiefvater uses words and conjures up images.  There is a richness to her writing which is certainly worth reading.

And then there is the story.  To tell you the truth, this one was a little too much romance for me, but then, I'm not a huge romance fan.  The story did take me in and kept me reading, though I was happy when the pace picked up at the end.  I think I found it hard to buy the instant romance at the beginning.

This is the story of Grace and Sam, with chapters told by each of them from a first point of view. Luckily each character has such a unique voice that this didn't become confusing.  They have a doomed to fail romance, though neither is willing to give up on it - it is almost a star crossed lovers scenario.  Grace is very independent and capable while Sam is good looking, reads poetry and plays guitar.

I liked Stiefvater's explanation for werewolves and their history.  This was original and seamless, and tied together well with the temperature changes in the book.

I would recommend this book to young adult romance fans, especially those who like a paranormal twist.

White Cat by Holly Black

Book:  White Cat (Curse Workers #1) by Holly Black, 2010 by Margaret K. McElderry Books, 320 pages.

Synopsis from Goodreads: 
Cassel comes from a family of Curse Workers - people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all criminals. Many become mobsters and con artists. But not Cassel. He hasn't got magic, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail - he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.

Cassel has carefully built up a facade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his facade starts to crumble when he finds himself sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he must unravel his past and his memories. To find out the truth, Cassel will have to out-con the conmen.

My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed reading this book!  It is about Cassel, a boy who lives in a family of curse workers and con artists.  Though he is not a curse worker himself, Cassell has certainly learned the art of the con.  

The book is told in first person by Cassel, and it is interesting to have a boy's point of view - Black does a great job of this.  I found that I liked Cassel and was rooting for him, even though he isn't always portrayed in a favourable light.   It is interesting how Black's characters are not always easy to like or how they represent segments of society we don't always read about in books.

Pulling cons on people was a big part of this book and one which Black obviously researched well because it was convincing and compelling.

I'd recommend this book for both boys and girls, in fact, my teenaged son took this one off me when I was finished so that he could read it. There is something for everyone here:  some romance, action, mystery, and tension.  I can hardly wait to get my hands on Red Glove, the next book in this series to see what Cassel does next.  


Here is the book trailer from YouTube:

The Last Guardian by Eoin Colfer

Book:  The Last Guardian (Artemis Fowl #8) by Eoin Colfer, 2012 by Hyperion Book CH, 328 pages.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Seemingly nothing in this world daunts the young criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl. In the fairy world, however, there is a small thing that has gotten under his skin on more than one occasion: Opal Koboi. In "The Last Guardian," the evil pixie is wreaking havoc yet again. This time his arch rival has reanimated dead fairy warriors who were buried in the grounds of Fowl Manor. Their spirits have possessed Artemis's little brothers, making his siblings even more annoying than usual. The warriors don't seem to realize that the battle they were fighting when they died is long over. Artemis has until sunrise to get the spirits to vacate his brothers and go back into the earth where they belong. Can he count on a certain LEPrecon fairy to join him in what could well be his last stand? 

New York Times best-selling author and comic genius Eoin Colfer will leave Artemis Fowl fans gasping up to the very end of this thrilling finale to the blockbuster series.

My Thoughts:
I've loved the Artemis Fowl series for a long time - and we had to wait for so long for this last installment.  That's right, The Last Guardian is the 8th and last book in the Artemis Fowl series. 

I really enjoyed the book and catching up with all of the characters again.  Artemis has shown so much growth in this series, but still has his brilliant aptitude for masterminding plans.  He has a great relationship with Holly and Butler and it is great to see them all together again.  Then there's Foaly, doing his lovable computer geek thing and saving everyone with technology.

The danger is bigger and more perilous than ever - Opal Koboi has engineered a plan to kill all humans and take over the world.  She is deadly and psychotic, but in a genius sort of way.

The beginning and the end of this book are especially exciting, with the middle being the slowest.  However, I think most kids, especially those who already know and love Artemis Fowl, will be eager to read this one and will be sad when it's over.  If you haven't read this series, I highly recommend it.

Here is the book trailer from YouTube:

Winner in Back to the Books Hop

Thank you to everyone who stopped by and entered in the 

Back to the Books Hop!

And thank you to I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & 

Burried In Books for organizing this hop.

The winner is:

Michele O. for her Facebook entry.

 She has won $20 CDN of books from The Book Depository.

I have contacted Michele by email.  She has 2 days to get back to me or a new winner will be chosen. 

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Book:  Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth, 2012 by HarperTeen, 525 pages.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
One choice can transform you--or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves--and herself--while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable--and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

"New York Times" bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian "Divergent" series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

My Thoughts:
Insurgent is the second book in the Divergent trilogy.  I loved Divergent and couldn't wait for the second book to come out, nor could my teenaged son.  We both enjoyed Insurgent, and thought it was great, but also found that it was difficult to get into - it took us each about 100 pages.

One of my major criticisms is that Insurgent takes place immediately where Divergent leaves off, but Roth provides no back story or explanations.  She did write a blog post to catch people up if it's been awhile since they read Divergent (you can read it here), but it would have been better to put this in the beginning of the book, or maybe to provide a summary.

Once I did get into the book, it was hard to put down.  I liked the relationship between Tris and Four, even when they were fighting. Tris was a bit frustrating at times, especially with some of the decisions that she made, but maybe these were typical of a teenaged girl.

There are some great twists and turns that keep the excitement level high.  There is also action and a fair amount of violence.  However, we get to meet new characters from other factions and catch up with the ones we got to know in Divergent.  

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to fans of Divergent and the first person style of dystopian books.  It is worth sticking through the slow start and getting to the heart of the book and the great cliff hanger ending.

Here is the book trailer from YouTube:

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

Book:  Bitterblue (Graceling Realm #3) by Kristin Cashore, 2012 by Dial, 563 pages.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
The long-awaited companion to New York Times bestsellers Graceling and Fire

Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck's reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle--disguised and alone--to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past.

Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck's reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn't yet identified, holds a key to her heart.

My Thoughts:
What a great third book in this series!  On the cover it says Sequel to Graceling and Companion to Fire, which is true, but all three of the books has a different, strong heroine, one who is coming to terms with her power and who she is.

In Bitterblue, young queen Bitterblue is trying to rule her kingdom as best she can after 35 years of her father's maniacal rule which left the people wounded and confused.  She wants answers to her questions and the truth about what has and is happening.

I liked Bitterblue, and certainly felt for her.  She is confused and hurt, but is also strong and passionate, though she doesn't always realize this herself.  She grows up and finds herself in this novel.

This book is different in many ways from the other two.  Even though I wouldn't call it slow, it was not as action oriented.  Bitterblue is strong, but in a different way than Katsa and Fire.  She doesn't have any special powers and though she does fight to protect herself, this isn't the focus of the book.  She has to become mentally strong, as well as responsible because she has a kingdom to rule.

It is also nice to meet up with characters from previous books, especially Katsa and Fire.  I enjoyed seeing how they were doing and where their lives had taken them after the last books.


Here's the book trailer for the Graceling Realm series from YouTube:

Back to the Books Giveaway Hop

I love the time of year, the fresh new school supplies and back to school clothes, the books full of possibilities...

Welcome to my stop in the Back to the Books Hop, graciously hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Buried in Books.

 I am giving away a book (or books) of your choice up to $20 CDN from The Book Depository.  This giveaway is international, so long as The Book Depository ships free to you (you can check here).

To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below, then check out all of the other great blogs participating in the hop.
Following is appreciated but not mandatory.

The giveaway runs from September 1-7 and I will announce the winner on September 8th.  The winner will be announced on my blog and I will email them.  They will have 2 days to respond to my email or I will pick a new winner.  I am not responsible for books lost in the mail.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Tithe by Holly Black

Book:  Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale (The Modern Faerie Tales #1) by Holly Black, 2004 by Margaret K. McElderry Books, 331 pages.

Summary from Goodreads:
Sixteen-year-old Kaye is a modern nomad. Fierce and independent, she travels from city to city with her mother's rock band until an ominous attack forces Kaye back to her childhood home. There, amid the industrial, blue-collar New Jersey backdrop, Kaye soon finds herself an unwilling pawn in an ancient power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms - a struggle that could very well mean her death.

My Thoughts:
I enjoyed this book, even though it was not what I was expecting  Black is a great writer who knows how to keep the reader turning the pages. 

I liked the realistic portrayal of the main character, Kaye, her life and how the fantasy played into that.  She is definitely not the middle class girl that we find in many young adult books.  Kaye's reality is much harsher.  In Tithe, this means that there is swearing on nearly every page.  This may be difficult for some readers.

Then there is the dark fantasy and the whole faerie underworld, which was terrific.  Black had this whole world set up so well that it all felt plausible and I would love to read more.

This book will not be for everyone.  There is swearing, drugs, drinking, talk about sex, etc.  However, I also think these are things that teens are thinking about or dealing with and I like how matter of factly the author presents them.  If you are looking for a darker book about faeries in an industrial urban setting, I would recommend this book.

Bedtime Story by Robert J. Wiersema

Book:  Bedtime Story by Robert J. Wiersema, 2010 by Random House Canada, 448 pages.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Following his bestselling debut, Before I Wake, Robert J. Wiersema returns with this exquisitely plotted blend of supernatural thriller and domestic drama.

For novelist Christopher Knox, getting up early every morning to write isn’t bringing him the sense of fulfillment it once did. It’s been ten years since his first novel was published, to some acclaim, and he’s hit a wall in trying to write his next. His marriage to Jacqui isn’t doing much better, and it’s been months since he’s slept anywhere but his office above the detached garage.

The part of Chris’s life that is going well, and brings him easy joy, is his relationship with his eleven-year-old son, David. While Chris may not make it to all of his son’s ball games, their nightly ritual of reading together at bedtime not only helps David overcome his struggles with reading, but is a calm within the storm for them both, when their days are so full of challenges. And what better way for a novelist to connect with his child than through their mutual love of books, and a bedtime story routine as unwavering as Chris’s love for his son.

When Chris comes across a book by one of his favourite childhood authors in a local used bookstore, he knows it will be the perfect gift for David’s birthday. To the Four Directions is not one Chris has read before, but he knows that Lazarus Took’s adventurous, magical stories of young heroes and other realms would be just the thing for David, as they were for him. David is less than thrilled to receive a book he’s never heard of before, however – he’d been hoping for The Lord of the Rings – and Jacqui is quick to see it as yet another sign of Chris’s detachment from David’s life.

But once they start reading the novel together, David is completely enthralled, to the extent that he truly cannot put the book down. The story, of a young peasant boy who is plucked from his home by castle guards and sent on a quest for a mysterious Sunstone, makes David feel like he is right there, in the action. Even after his parents have to take the book away from him, he can’t help but sneak it back to his room. As David is reading alone that night, he suffers an inexplicable seizure and falls into a state of unconsciousness. Doctors perform a barrage of tests, but cannot determine what’s wrong. And as David’s seizure recurs every night, his father learns that only one thing will calm it: being read to from his strange new book.

True to his nature, as someone with an inherent belief in the power of words, Chris becomes convinced that the secret of David’s collapse lies within the pages of To the Four Directions. After failed attempts to find out more about Lazarus Took from his estate, Chris traverses the continent in search of the truth. Meanwhile, David wakes up within the story he has been reading – as the boy he has been reading about – and finds himself facing perils unimaginable, in a world that he soon realizes was created to capture the hearts and souls of children like him. Because he’s not alone as he takes over the hunt for the Sunstone, but accompanied by those boys who have come before him. And as the quests of father and son lead them toward a fateful collision of worlds, David realizes that while he’s not the first to fall victim to the book’s horrific spell, perhaps he can prove himself strong enough to be the last.

My Thoughts:
What a great book!  There was something so different about this one, with its book within a book set up, as well as the mystery and fantasy, that I could hardly put this one down.  The story was cleverly designed and executed.

The relationships in this book are realistic and compelling.   I really felt for Chris, a struggling writer in the middle of a marriage that is breaking down and a tenuous relationship with his son, David.  He finds that he connects with his son by reading to him at night and when he finds a previously unknown book by his favorite childhood author, To the Four Directions, Chris is eager to read it to his reluctant son.

But then David has seizures and goes into a strange unconscious state.  His father figures out that he has actually gone into the book and will stop at nothing to save his son.

Then there is the great fantasy and magic.  I love the imagination of literally drawing people into a book.  I also happen to love young adult fantasy so enjoyed the To the Four Directions book that was told within the overall book.

I recommend this book if you are looking for something different and easy to read.