Review: Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

From Goodreads:
When Dashti, a maid, and Lady Saren, her mistress, are shut in a tower for seven years for Saren's refusal to marry a man she despises, the two prepare for a very long and dark imprisonment.
As food runs low and the days go from broiling hot to freezing cold, it is all Dashti can do to keep them fed and comfortable. But the arrival outside the tower of Saren's two suitors--one welcome, and the other decidedly less so--brings both hope and great danger, and Dashti must make the desperate choices of a girl whose life is worth more than she knows.
With Shannon Hale's lyrical language, this forgotten but classic fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm is reimagined and reset on the central Asian steppes; it is a completely unique retelling filled with adventure and romance, drama and disguise.

***

I am a sucker for a good story and beautiful writing.  Shannon Hale provides both in this retelling of a Brothers Grimm Fairytale.  Her language is poetic and musical.  This was a book that I wanted to slowly digest, word by word and relish the taste of each one.  

The characters developed beautifully over the course of the story.  Both Dashti and her mistress, Saren, grow and change over the course of their companionship.  I loved Dashti dearly, and cheered for her constantly.  There was more romance than I had expected in this story, but I was glad of it.  I was also glad that the story wasn't only about romance.  I love books with a story to tell, and this one filled just about everything on my "must have" checklist.  

I borrowed it from the library when I read it, but I just purchased the Kindle Edition.  It's only $0.99 right now, so if you've ever been curious about Shannon Hale or this story in particular, it is the perfect time to try it out.  

Happy reading!

Reading level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens; First Edition edition (September 18, 2007)
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Review: Fame, Glory, and Other Things on My To Do List by Janette Rallison

From Goodreads:
A PC school principal turns West Side Story into a comedy of errors.
Sixteen year-old Jessica dreams of Hollywood fame, and when Jordan moves into her small town, she dreams of him too. He’s a movie star’s son, and hey, he’s gorgeous to boot. Jordan has always wanted to get out from the shadow cast by his superstar father, but now that he and his mother have moved so far away from LA, how can he get his divorced parents back together? Jessica convinces Jordan the way to get his father to come for a long visit is to be a part of the school play. And if she’s “discovered” in the process, all the better. Things go wrong when she lets Jordan’s secret identity slip, and grow even more disastrous when the principal tries to change West Side Story into a gangfree, violence-free, politically correct production.
In the same romantic and sharply witty spirit of Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Free Throws, Janette Rallison delivers another comic gem that teen readers are sure to love.

***

After reading so many sci-fi and paranormal books, I really wanted a break from so much end-of-life-as-we-know-it plots and go for something lighthearted and fun.  This was absolutely perfect.  It was a breath of fresh air, and I found myself laughing out loud several times.  

The last few chapters were absolutely hilarious and I was laughing so hard I had tears coming out of my eyes.  My husband kept sending odd looks in my direction and my kids tried peeking over my shoulder to see what I was laughing at.  

The main character, Jessica is lovable and funny.  She is a pretty girl that wants to be an actress, but has to learn a few lessons along the way.  Of course, she must learn these lessons in the funniest way possible.  The level of romance was perfect for the story and the age group it's intended for.


Hardcover: 192 pages
Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers (August 11, 2005)
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Review: Clockwork Prince (Infernal Devices) by Cassandra Clare

From Goodreads:
In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.
With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.
Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?
As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

***

If it is possible to love the second book in a series even more than the first, then I have found it.  This was a story full of black magic, demons, and romance.  What's not to love?

In this book we are taken deeper into the mystery of the Magister and find out more information about him.  We also discover more about Will and his history.  Jem is more developed as a character but his past still remains vague.  We do get to see a little more of Magnus Bane, a character I absolutely adore. 

The encounters with automatons were not as frequent as in Clockwork Angel, so I rarely had problems sleeping.  The romance was so thick and beautifully written.  Maybe I am a glutton for disappointment, but whenever I read a book with a love triangle, I am always rooting for the wrong guy.  (I was Team Jacob, in case you are wondering.) The action scenes were fantastic and not so frequent that I got tired of them.  There was a nice pace throughout the story that kept things moving without it getting boring or going too fast.

I don't know if I will be able to wait for another year before the final book comes out!


Reading level: Ages 14 and up
Hardcover: 528 pages
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Book
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Review: Clockwork Angel (Inernal Devices) by Cassandra Clare

From Goodreads:
Magic is dangerous--but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by--and torn between--two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

***

 I saw this book on the Amazon bestsellers list and I had to try it.  The cover is so enticing.  This is one of those books where the story actually lives up to the cover.  The plot was so intricate and the characters so fascinating.  I loved Tessa as the heroine.  I cried with her, loved with her, and laughed with her.  Jem and Will add a very interesting dynamic to the whole love triangle charade.  They are so different and yet so close.  Will is mysterious and bitter while Jem is sweet and very ill.  I fell in love with both of them. 


I had only two complaints about this book.  The first is that it is the first in a trilogy of prequels to the series "The Mortal Instruments".  I did not know that before I started reading and I felt a little lost for the first few chapters.  The second is that the characters were always covered in blood.  I don't think it is humanly possible to lose that much blood all the time without passing out or dying.  However, the characters in this book are not entirely human, so maybe my complaint is unwarranted.  


I got so engrossed in the story that I could not read it before going to bed. If I did, I would lay awake, thinking of automatons and swearing that I could hear the whir, click of them coming to get me.  It was a definite page turner full of action and romance.  I can't wait to read the next one!

Reading level: Ages 14 and up
Paperback: 512 pages
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
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Review: Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series by Rick Riordan

From Goodreads:
Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school... again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus' master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.

Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus' stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

***

Some books just have it, and the Percy Jackson series is one of them.  I had a tremendous amount of fun reading this series.  Rick Riordan created a humorous and exciting set of stories.  I couldn't put the books down.  As soon as I finished one book, I grabbed the next one.  


I've seen a lot of reviews comparing it to Harry Potter, and for a good reason.  It takes an ancient theme (Greek mythology) and brings it into modern times, with modern characters and modern problems.  The entire series engrosses you into the modern world of the ancient Greek Gods.  Percy Jackson was the perfect hero for the series.  He was a little stubborn and spontaneous, which only added to his likability.  No hero can be absolutely perfect, and Percy was just the right mix of passion, adolescence, and wit.  


I loved many characters in the books, and hated the ones that I was supposed to.  It was surprising how much back-story there is in Greek mythology and how many different Gods and monsters they have.  It was fascinating to learn about the ancient civilization and their beliefs while enjoying a good adventure. 


Reading level: Ages 10 and up
Paperback: 1824 pages
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH
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The Gentle Let Down.

I feel like my book is pretty successful. I mean, I'm no Stephenie Meyer, and I doubt I ever will be. Let's be honest for a second: I don't want to be her. Even though there is a ton of Twilight Love (myself included), there is a whole stinkin' lot of Twilight hate! I wouldn't want to hear all that bad stuff about my work.

Moving on.

Even though I sell a few copies of The Gifted every month, both Kindle and paper copy, I feel like there is no where to go but up. Being published on Amazon gives me access to readers across the world! In fact, I got my first international payment today, and that felt pretty darn good.

Even though readers practically everywhere can get their metaphorical hands on The Gifted, I still feel like there is so much potential that I'm missing out on by not having my book in stores. Namely Deseret Book, Costco, Seagull Book, Border's, etc.

So, just print off some books and drop them off, right?

Wrong.

Most big name book stores get their inventory from a distributor. The distributor has a contract with the book store, they take care of inventory and pricing and whatever. It's easier that way for everyone.

I sent in my book to a distributor that a lot of authors had personally recommended. I felt like this was it. I didn't even bother shopping around because I just knew this company would read The Gifted and know I was their next best-seller.

After seven weeks of silence on their end, I finally broke the rule and called. You never call! But I called. I should have just known before I called that the answer would be no.

It was a polite no, but it was still a no. They tried to make me feel good about it, but the sting of rejection didn't care how "successful I am on my own."

Now I feel like I'm back to square one. It's OK. I'm just disappointed. I will be moving on though and trying to find a distributor. If I don't find one, I'll just keep writing and maybe someday someone will say, "Hey, this is pretty good. We ought to put this in our store."

Wouldn't that be the dream?

I keep reminding myself that I don't write to make money and become famous (though my neighbor says I'm a celebrity at their house). I write because I have stories that deserve to be told. Pin It

Review: Witch and Wizard by James Patterson

From Goodreads:

The world is changing: the government has seized control of every aspect of society, and now, kids are disappearing. For 15-year-old Wisty and her older brother Whit, life turns upside down when they are torn from their parents one night and slammed into a secret prison for no reason they can comprehend. The New Order, as it is known, is clearly trying to suppress Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Being a Normal Teenager. But while trapped in this totalitarian nightmare, Wisty and Whit discover they have incredible powers they'd never dreamed of. Can this newly minted witch and wizard master their skills in time to save themselves, their parents--and maybe the world?

***

I wanted to like this book, and to tell the truth, I almost did.  I read the sequel, "The Gift", and I attempted to read the one after that, "The Fire".  This book graces a list on Goodreads called "Books You Hate but Read Anyway."  That pretty much sums this series up for me.  By the time I got to the third book, I was just disappointed that I had sat on the library waiting list for 4 months.  It was really not worth the wait.  

The first book was okay.  The story was just getting started and so it was mildly entertaining and interesting.  I quickly got tired of the predictable action scenes where Whit and Wisty get caught in the cross-hairs of The One and manage to narrowly escape.  The main characters, bother and sister wizard and witch, don't seem to have much of an agenda.  They just run around as catastrophic things happen, all the while shouting sarcastic remarks at everyone.  


Teenagers have been given a stereotype of being edgy, cranky, and sarcastic.  This series took that stereotype to the extreme.  While most teenagers do harbor these characteristics, they tend to surface on occasion, not every minute of every day.  I got very tired of the continuously poor attempt of an author trying to connect with a much younger audience.

But by all means, if you have nothing else to do with your time, give this series a try.  You might love it.

On a side note, I absolutely love the covers for the entire series.  They make the books look much better than they are.

Reading Level: Ages 10 and up
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
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Holy ketchup. I mean catch-up.

Hey everyone!

First of all, my deepest apologies to anyone who still reads this blog. I've been wrapped up in life the last few weeks. We've had some tragedies in the family and in our neighborhood. Then I went out of town for a week. It's not like there wasn't internet way out in the middle of sunny Utah, but I just didn't feel like blogging while spending time with my awesome sister-in-laws. That's right. Us girls got together without our husbands. Now that's real sisterhood.

Now I'm back and I'm crackin' my knuckles, ready to get back to it.

We've had two giveaways end here on Deborah's Books.  All of the winners have been contacted and have responded. If you weren't contacted, you did not win. I'm sorry I didn't do a big announce post. I hope the winners enjoy their prizes. Don't forget to leave reviews on Goodreads or Amazon.

And there are a few of you out there who still haven't read The Gifted. Am I condemning you? No way! I'm just sayin' you might want to get on it. If you really think about it, I'm just looking out for you. I don't want your TBR pile to reach the ceiling, then topple over on you in your sleep. You might get a concussion and have to go to the ER. So I'm trying to keep you healthy. To make that goal a little easier to obtain:) , Amber at Jade Louise Designs is giving away THREE copies of The Gifted. A paperback copy and two Kindle versions. That makes this an international giveaway. Head over, check out her awesome review, and enter to win a copy of The Gifted.

In the mean time...has anyone else been sucked into the Pinterest vortex? I just barely clawed my way out, and I'm now down to spending about 15 minutes on Pinterest a day. That's saying something, considering part of the reason I haven't been around for the last month is because I got lost in there. Wow.



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