Maelstrom

In which Medeia and Aella say goodbye

2009-05-23T13:19:00.000-07:00

Dearest Readers,

This is long overdue. For that I apologize.

Firstly, I would like to take the time to make it officially known that we of the Maelstrom are resigning. Handing in our keys and tossing our nametags in the bushes. If that wasn't perfectly clear from the months of review drought that we've put you through, then let me say it a bit louder We're leaving for good. Yes, really and truly this time. I know I know, we've done this before and always come back, but seriously. Leaving. Right now. *sound of door opening and closing* ... *sound of door opening again* Well I do need to finish this post. But I assure you that after this is posted I am never coming back.

Secondly, thank you. Our readers and fellow bloggers were what made the Maelstrom more than just a swirling vortex of bookish craziness for us. So, we wish you all the best of luck in your (made of awesome) future endeavors (and book bloggery, if you're the book blogging type).

Finally, as a parting gift, I have made this (alphabetized) list of every single review we have ever done, including the ones currently in the clutches of our ferocious kraken (just kidding, you can click the link, he won't... suck your face off or anything... no really, do it).

Best wishes from the Whirly Girls,

Medeia & Aella

· Airhead by Meg Cabot [6 out of 7]
· Airman by Eoin Colfer [6 out of 7]
· Blade of Fire by Stuart Hill [7 out of 7!!!]
· Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce [6 out of 7]
· Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer [???]
· Chains by Laurie Halse Andersen [Awesome out of 7]
· Chanda's Wars by Allan Stratton [6.5 out of 7]
· Chasing Windmills by Catherine Ryan Hyde [7 out of 7!!!]
· Cybele's Secret by Juliet Mariller [6.7 out of 7]
· Daughter of Statues by Phil McGrail [5 out of 7]
· Deadly Little Secret by Laurie Faria Stolarz [5 out of 7]
· Death by Bikini by Linda Gerber [6.7 out of 7]
· Death by Denim by Linda Gerber [6 out of 7]
· Death by Latte by Linda Gerber [6 out 7]
· Devilish by Maureen Johnson [6 out of 7]
· Dingo by Charles DeLint [4.5 out of 7]
· Dragon's Keep by Janet Lee Carey [5 out of 7]
· Evermore by Alyson Noel [4 out of 7]
· Genesis Alpha by Rune Michaels [6 out of 7]
· Gone by Michael Grant [5.5 out of 7]
· Graceling by Kristin Cashore [6 out of 7]
· Head Games by Mariah Fredericks [5.7 out of 7]
· Heavy Metal and You by Christopher Krovatin [4 out of 7]
· Hero-Type by Barry Lyga [7 out of 7!!!]
· How Not to Be Popular by Jennifer Ziegler [6.7 out of 7]
· How to Be Bad by E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski, and Lauren Myracle [7 out of 7!!!]
· I Can't Tell You by Hillary Frank [2 out of 7]
· Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr [6 out of 7]
· Lamplighter by D.M. Cornish [7 out of 7!!!]
· Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer [5 out of 7]
· Little Brother by Cory Doctorow [7 out of 7!!!]
· Lord of Misrule by Rachel Caine [4.5 out of 7]
· Marked by P.C. and Kristin Cast [3 out of 7]
· My Swordhand is Singing by Marcus Sedgewick [6.7 out of 7]
· Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan [5 out of 7]
· Need by Carrie Jones [3 out of 7]
· Newes From the Dead by Mary Hooper [4.8 out of 7]
· Nobody's Princess by Esther Friesner [5.7 out of 7]
· Ophelia by Lisa Klein [6 out of 7]
· Peeled by Joan Bauer [3.5 out of 7]
· Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock [5.7 out of 7]
· Project 17 by Laurie Faria Stolarz [5 out of 7]
· Prom Queen Geeks by Laura Preble [3 out of 7]
· Revelations by Melissa Delacruz [4.5 out of 7]
· Road of the Dead by Kevin Brooks [4 out of 7]
· Runemarks by Joanne Harris [1.5 out of 7]
· Secret of the Sands by Rai Aren and Tavius E. [4.5 out of 7]
· Shelter Me by Alex McCauley [3.5 out of 7]
· Siberia by Ann Halam [4 out of 7]
· Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before by David Yoo [5.5 out of 7]
· Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson [6 out of 7]
· Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge by Kathryn Reiss [5 out of 7]
· The Alchemyst by Michael Scott [5 out of 7]
· The Anatomy of a Boyfriend by Daria Snadowsky [3.5 out of 7]
· The Compound by SA Bodeen [6 out of 7]
· The Cry of the Icemark by Stuart Hill [7 out of 7!!!]
· The Foreshadowing by Marcus Sedgewick [6 out of 7]
· The Humming of Numbers by Joni Sensel [2 out of 7]
· The Hunter's Moon by O. R. Melling [4.5 out of 7]
· The Latent Powers of Dylan Fontaine by April Lurie [6.5 out of 7]
· The Luxe by Anna Godberson [5.7 out of 7]
· The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart [4.5 out of 7]
· The Red Thread by Roderick Townley [3 out of 7]
· The Sea of Shadow by Fuyumi Ono [6.5 out of 7]
· The Secret Story of Sonia Rodriguez by Alan Sitomer [5 out of 7]
· The Shadow Thieves by Anne Ursu [5 out of 7]
· The She by Carol Plum-Ucci [6 out of 7]
· The Taker by J.M. Steele [6.5 out of 7]
· The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima [6 out of 7]
· The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean [6 out of 7]
· The Wizard Heir by Cinda Williams Chima [5.5 out of 7]
· Truancy by Isamu Fukui [4.7 out of 7]
· Undone by Brooke Taylor [7 out of 7!!!]
· Unwind by Neal Shusterman [6 out of 7]
· Violet in Private by Melissa Walker [5.5 out of 7]
· Wake by Lisa McMann [4.5 out of 7]
· When We Were Saints by Han Nolan [5.5 out of 7]
· Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Mariller [5.5 out of 7]

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Andersen [6.5 out of 7]

Also, interviews:

P.S. DFTBA

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

2009-05-13T14:36:00.000-07:00

Wow. It's been quite some time since I have written a review over here. But you all know how life gets. Complicated, busy, and occassionally dragged down by the world-suck. It's the books that suffer. But today, on my birthday, I have had the time to sit down and for once in a long while, update you as to a review. Awesome.

It appears to be a fiesta of Laurie Halse Anderson over here, because the title I most recently devoured was by her as well (Medeia having recently reviewed Wintergirls). And devoured is the most appropriate word.

As the Revolutionary War begins, thirteen-year-old Isabel wages her own fight...for freedom. Promised freedom upon the death of their owner, she and her sister, Ruth, in a cruel twist of fate become the property of a malicious New York City couple, the Locktons, who have no sympathy for the American Revolution and even less for Ruth and Isabel. When Isabel meets Curzon, a slave with ties to the Patriots, he encourages her to spy on her owners, who know details of British plans for invasion. She is reluctant at first, but when the unthinkable happens to Ruth, Isabel realizes her loyalty is available to the bidder who can provide her with freedom. -- (Summary from Goodreads. Thanks Goodreads!)

I have never read anything by Anderson that I have not loved and was struck especially by Speak when I read it in sixth grade (oh. so long ago), but this book has completely revived why I love her books so much. Isabel's character was a fantastic narrator, with all of the emotions from growing older paired with the severity of her situation and tactfully intertwined. She gave a different view on the Revolution than I have ever read and I was completely caught up in the changing moods of loyalty as she learned about the bigger war surrounding her. But that didn't leave her personal battles unattended. Oh no. My heart was with her every step of the way.

Don't think because it's a historical fiction that it was at all short on action either. There was plenty. Spying and secrets and battles and fires and imprisonment and running away and and and... just so good. I was not bored at any point and I read this entire novel this afternoon.

I also loved how educational it was (EWwwww... Educationalllll. I can hear your thoughts, because I generally share them). But it was kind of refreshing to see the Revolution taken on from a different POV, no more the gung-ho patriot that we've read a million times. There is nothing wrong with the Johnny Tremains of the book world, just that there are soooo.... many.... of them....

So find yourself a copy! It's worth the read and *drum roll please* there is going to be a sequel in 2010!

Celebrating a birthday by books,

Aella Siofra

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

2009-04-16T06:35:00.000-07:00

Cassie died. Alone. After calling Lia thirty-three times. After Lia refused to answer thirty-three times. She died in a motel room. The papers hint at a drug overdose, but no one has a definitive answer. Lia lies to herself. She's fine. Not broken and sad and stuck like everyone thinks she is or thinks she should be. She lies to the scale, with her belly full of water and quarters in her pockets. The scale lies to her stepmother. 107.00, it says. No reason to worry. Lia's getting better. Don't send her back to that hell, New Seasons, where they stuffed her full of butter. Empty is strong. Why can't she just eat like everyone else? Empty is strong. Just one cupcake would be heaven. Empty is strong. But one cupcake would turn into two and three and four, until she got back to where she started. Empty is strong. Fatuglystupid, must not eat. Empty is strong. Cassie understood.

This book... this is what I was looking for. Something different and engaging and chilling and wonderful. The writing style was beautiful, to say the least, and made the book memorable. This is definitely not one of those books that you forget a week after you've read it. The fact that it was a gorgeously written novel made it seem absolutely creepy. I say creepy in the best way possible here. It just reached right down into me and made me care. I wanted to yell at Lia and make her eat something. I wanted to scream at her mother and father, for just letting her slip away. Most of all, I wanted to give Emma a hug.

6.5 out of 7 pomegranate seeds (ohhhhh... just got the Persephone reference) for Wintergirls.

Wishing the sun would come out,

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

2009-04-14T06:36:00.000-07:00

Some are Graced with dancing, some with weaving, some with story-telling. Not Katsa. Katsa possesses the despicable Grace of killing. To her uncle Randa, King of the Middluns, she is a mere tool. The perfect assassin, who can not only kill quickly and quietly but one that can also be paraded in front of his rivals at dinner. Intimidating even in silks and jewels. Not one (or even ten together) of his elite guards can best her in a fight. The only person who comes close to matching her skills is a visiting Lienid prince, Graced with fighting. Po seems to know what she is going to do before she even makes a move. Training with Katsa provides Po with the perfect excuse to stay in the Middluns while he searches for the person who kidnapped his grandfather. And that's how it begins. Katsa's life changes in ways she never expected as she accompanies Po on a journey to investigate this mysterious occurrence.

Katsa's struggle with humanity, trying to prove that she isn't just a monstrous killer, was excellent. The characters were three-dimensional and intriguing. The world that Cashore created had the flavor of other fantasy realms that I've encountered, but was different enough to distinguish itself from the I've-read-this-before abyss that many novels are falling into these days. My only qualm concerning this book was that it was the tiniest bit predictable. Only in a few instances, though. Overall, I liked it very much. I'd like to bestow 6 out of 7 oddly-colored eyes upon Graceling and add that I am looking forward to Kristin Cashore's future exploits in the YA realm.

In need of something chocolate and delicious,

Wake by Lisa McMann

2009-04-12T06:23:00.000-07:00

Janie, like most 17 year-olds, finds high-school a very hellish place. Unlike most 17 year-olds, she wishes that everyone would just be awake while they're there. I mean, really. All of the dozing students may be just another part of the background for you, but for Janie they're like little whirlpools, devouring her and throwing her into naked-during-the-big-history-presentation nightmares or falling-but-never-hitting-the-ground dreams or sex-with-the-hottest-girl-in-school fantasies.

Needless to say, it's all getting a little old. And inconvenient to say the least. Having to be ultra careful of the streets she drives on (ever since she almost totaled her car for the second time when she was caught in a nightmare) and sleepovers...hah. She tried that once, and after a peek into her friends' disturbing nighttime adventures, she's not thrilled about trying it again. Something she is thrilled about? Her former-druggie neighbor's transformation. It's shocking enough that everyone at school thinks he's a new student. But he's just the same old Cabel...isn't he? His dreams say otherwise...

Wake was... alright....I just could not identify with Janie at all. I mean, her situation is difficult, but the way she lets her mom treat her is just... *throws hands in the air* ugh. And the fact that she is able to hide this dream thing for so long (and that she chooses to tell no one) and thinks that she's the only one to ever have to deal with something like this... The whole Miss Stubin thing really reminded me of what's-her-name in the third Midnighters book.

4.5 out of 7 snickers bars for Wake. And for those who are interested in the sequel, Fade has been released now, too.

Yawning,

P.S. Speaking of dreams, I just finished Volume One of The Sandman by Neil Gaiman. Absolutely reeking of awesome! It's one of those "How have I not read this before?" moments.

Twilig-- I mean, Evermore by Alyson Noel

2009-03-29T16:40:00.000-07:00

I find it amusing (and disappointing) that so many novels these days just seem very... similar. I am often able to describe whatever it is I'm reading by mixing multiple books together. This one, for example, is sort of a mixed up Twilight without the vampires (or werewolves for that matter) and a distinct Deadly Little Secret flavoring.

Ever, a car accident survivor, is pretty normal. Well, as long as your definition of "pretty normal" includes having the ability to hear the thoughts of those around you and frequently chatting with your 12 year old sister... who is dead. If your definition of normal does not allow for that sort of thing... well 1.) you haven't read as many fantasy/sci fi/mixes of fantasy and sci fi books as I have and 2.) you might (like Ever's high school classmates) label her "freak" instead. But not to worry, Ever does have some friends, namely an attention-seeking goth chick and the generic gay best friend. Yay for stereotypes. So, basically there's this new guy in school (I believe the word smoldering is used more than once) who everyone from the aforementioned generic gay best friend to the aforementioned goth chick seems to be falling in love with. Ever attempts to avoid him, but when she finally makes contact she (stares creepily at him for a few minutes and) notices something strange about him. He is the only person, aside from her dead sister, who lacks the ever present swirling aura that only she can see.

Even the blurb on the back of the book recalls distinct phrases from Twilight. "...she has no idea just who he really is-- or what he is. The only thing she knows is true is that she's falling deeply and helplessly in love with him." *exasperated sigh* Oh, ye gods of YA lit, I'm sure I've begged this favor of you multiple times but could I pretty please have a (fawesometastic) supernatural romance that doesn't stink of every book I've ever read in my life... okay, slight exaggeration there. But honestly, aren't any of you feeling the same way? I just want something different and amazing. Is more awesome too much to ask for?

A mediocre 4 out of 7 for a not-very-impressive novel.

Fanatically following The Logbook of the Ketty Jay,

Ophelia by Lisa Klein

2009-03-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

Ophelia starts off as an ugly duckling with a conspiring lout of a father and an older brother that she loves very much but could never dream of being equal with. But her world changes when she comes into the service of Queen Gertrude of Denmark. Suddenly she has her mind full of the deceptions of court and her eyes full of the image of the handsome young Hamlet, heir to the throne.

Her world is turned around when the prince returns her longing and they fall in the purest of loves. But something is rotten in the state of Denmark (I'm sorry. I couldn't help it) Hamlet falls into a melancholy when the king dies and a plot is uncovered. This is the classic story of Hamlet (and then some) through the eyes of Ophelia.

So. Beautiful. I had never bothered to really think of Ophelia in this way and see her as a strong heroine, despite the many times I have read Hamlet. But the writing gave her this incredible character and these fantastic layers. She was such a real narrator, not to mention the brilliant speech in which she relayed her story. It was Shakespeare for n00bs.

The love she described was brilliant. Passionate without being lewd. Young without being immature. I completely admit to crying in this book. It was just. that. well. written. Here's the downside.

If you don't like Shakespeare, you probably will not like this piece. It has all the tragedy and much of the language. And understanding of Hamlet is not required, glory be, so I can recommend this with confidence to anyone willing to take the chance on a very straightforward tale of love, hatred, deception, evil, and growth. Ophelia is one of my favorite narrators. Maybe in the top 20. Top 15 even. The only part I did not enjoy was the first 20 pages or so. After that, it picked up in a matter of paragraphs.

6 out of 7 rapidly flowing rivers. Yay Lisa Klein for writing this. So good. A literary work of art.

Checking out this fantastic author,
Aella Siofra

So I'm a failbat. What else is new?

2009-03-23T13:37:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. I've had Bloodhound for...uh.... ever. Here's the shiny review that I should've written... uhm... forever ago. It's funny, because I was really motivated and excited when I first saw it on Aella's bookshelf. My thought process went something like this as I perused her collection for the millionth time: Hmmm.... meh.... oooh pretty cover... wow that book sucked, why does she have that?.... that looks inter---OH! I hope that what I think--- YES! IT IS! *mental happydance*

And here, straight off the shelves of Goodreads, a summary of Bloodhound:

Beka thinks she may be falling for Rowan, but she won't let anything--or anyone--jeopardize her mission. Beka Cooper is finally a Dog--a full-fledged member of the Provost's Guard, dedicated to keeping peace in Corus's streets. But there's unrest in Tortall's capital. Counterfeit coins are turning up in shops all over the city, and merchants are raising prices to cover their losses. The Dogs discover that gamblers are bringing the counterfeit money from Port Caynn. In Port Caynn, Beka delves deep into the gambling world, where she meets a charming banking clerk named Dale Rowan. As she heads north to an abandoned silver mine, it won't be enough for Beka be her usual "terrier" self. She'll have to learn from Achoo to sniff out the criminals--to be a Bloodhound....

*thanks the Goodreads deities*

For all of you who have come to expect awesomeness from Tamora Pierce, you will not be disappointed with Bloodhound. I enjoyed the second installment of the Beka Cooper books because the new setting introduced just enough... new-ness (redundant? who me?) and also showed more of Beka's personal side. Be sure to grab a copy of this one when it comes out on April 14th. 6 out of 7 *lightning-y and thunderous sounds effects*

Off to review something else (...no... really... I will... don't give me that look...),

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie isthisreallynecessarytotypeout Meyer

2009-03-21T09:43:00.000-07:00

Oh wow. Getting a little behind on the reviewing, aren't we? But never fear! The Maelstrom has resolved to fix this readingfail as soon as humanly possible. Then again this isn't so much a review as a "Aella-is-not-a-fangirl-but-still-wishes-to-express-her-giddiness-after- (finally)-completeing-normally-fangirlized-novel" moment.

Short and to the point methinks. This was definitely my favorite Twilight book. It felt very different from the others and I loved how the bond between Edward and Bella became so much more concrete. It didn't feel like a flighty teenage romance anymore and that sort of made me go YESSSSSSS.

Also? Renesmee = love. I have no idea how Stephenie Meyer makes a six month old child so easy to read for and interesting to watch develop as a character. I like the cover just as much as I did when it was first revealed. Some of the buildup for the end conflict was monotonous, but I really liked how everything unfolded right there at the conclusion. It was one of those "Take that _____ insert antagonist here ______" moments. Even if the Volturi do still have a special place in my heart as for awesome villains.

Otherwise? Jacob is still pretty awesome. Edward is mkay. I guess. Jasper needs to not be in lurve with Alice so that I can haz him (creeper moment). All the new vampires were fun to learn about (Kate? Shocking powers? wth?). I still like the Host better. I think that pretty much sums everything up. Now to review something for real. *full month later...*

How do you rate this? It's not brilliant, but it's not bad, but I can't really measure it. No rating. Just draw your own conclusions I suppose.

Fondly,
Aella

PS: Then again, according to my English class (yes. even the teacher), I am the last-person-lyk-everr to get around to reading this.

PSthe2nd: Comment with what you thought overall, especially if you don't agree.

Shelter Me by Alex McCauley

2009-03-06T16:03:00.000-08:00

I'm really not sure how much of this book to give away in the summary so....
*unsurreptitiously stealz from Goodreads*

Maggie Leigh just wants to be a normal teenager, but when German bombs tear apart London during World War II, her ultra-religious mother sees the destruction as divine punishment. She sends Maggie to a remote boarding school in coastal Wales, supposedly to keep her safe, but also to keep her in line. The school is creepy, the headmistress is a lunatic, and the students range from spoiled rich girls to speechless trauma victims. But when a tragic accident happens on the beach, Maggie and three friends are forced to flee the school, plunging into the nightmarish world of Europe during wartime. Now every decision Maggie makes is fraught with danger, and living to see another day depends on how quickly she can think and act...and how far she's willing to go.

Thank you Goodreads.

The plot in this book was... incredible. When Maggie and her friend met the Nazi pilot who coincidentally crash lands on the beach next to the convent I was like "Oh... okay. That could happen." When Maggie returns to the beach only to find that her friend has killed the Nazi pilot, I gave a skeptic eyebrow-raise. When Maggie and her friend proceed to inspect the remnants of the crashed plane and find a box with a baby in it I stopped expecting something plausible from this book and just enjoyed laughing at the increasingly unbelievable plot twists. Oh no it doesn't stop there. From bizarrely warped nun conspiracies to out of the blue lesbian lovers to random army deserters stabbing themselves on trains, this book has it all.

3.5 out of 7 strangled teddy bears for Shelter Me.

Tracking down a good faerie book,

Medeia

The Foreshadowing by Marcus Sedgewick

2009-02-25T06:44:00.000-08:00

Back in the day when we were at the Charybdis (aaah, to reminisce) I read and reviewed My Swordhand is Singing by the fabulous Marcus Sedgewick. I finished the post with the words "Inter-Library Loaning Every Other Sedgwick book I can find". Lo and behold, I followed through *cough* three months later *cough*! Here is the result!

Sasha is from a good, wealthy, patriotic family in England. Or so it appears. With World War I looming and the young men of her world disappearing to the front, conflict begins in her family. Brother Edgar wants to be a commander. Brother Thomas wants to avoid the call. Father Fox is furious with Brother Thomas and Brother Edgar doesn't help much with that. But Sasha has bigger problems. She can see the future in glimpses, where people are going, where they are, how they will die. Of course, as Cassandra of the ancient Greek stories, no one believes her or they shut her out in fear. But when her brother Edgar dies and she sees a horrifying vision of Thomas's fate, Sasha must find the courage to shed what society demands of her and save her brother against all the powers of destiny and fate.

Beautiful. The writing was beautiful, the characters were beautifully executed (erm... not literally), the settings were gorgeous and it felt very poignant. I put so much will into Sasha's search that I was actually tired when I finally put the book down (two in the morning) to go to sleep. And no, it wasn't just the fact that I was up until two in the morning to finish reading it. So many desperate moments and fantastic descriptions. Agh. But I'm gushing.

The negatives. As with My Swordhand is Singing, this is the sort of book and writing style that you either love or hate. But I recommend trying it. You may find that you love it like I did. And if you're interested in war time writing and historical fiction, there is alot of fact put into the plot that will pique your interest.

6 out of 7 lightnings! BOOMKAZAMPOW! Wow, I missed that rating system. Give this book a try. I can't guarantee you'll love The Foreshadowing, but I can guarantee it will be worth the shot.

Still hunting for Sedgewick,

Aella Siofra

2009-02-09T13:45:00.001-08:00

Dear gods of the publishing industry,

please do not make me finish In Too Deep of the Elite novels. I'm not sure I can survive another chapter of this. Set me free to do more constructive things such as reading the new Luxe novel with that amazing cover or building paper mache dinosaurs. Instruct me in the ways of rubbing off the aggressive vapidity and *sparkles*.

Thank you for hearing me out,

Aella

I Can't Tell You by Hillary Frank

2009-02-06T16:32:00.000-08:00

D0 you haz a pencil?

I haz a pencil.

Do you likez teh girl?

Yes. I likez teh girl. But she hatez meeeee... *sad scribbling*

riting notez be fixing n0?

The above is an Aellafied example of basic conversation in this book. Or lack therof. Jake is in love with his friend Xandra, but due to the recent epic battle with his best friend, the future is looking shaky. And all because of a few misplaced, mistimed, misspoken words. So he decides that the world would just be a better place if he no longer spoke at all. I Can't Tell You follows him through e-mails, notes, writing on walls, and in the margins of science notebooks as Jake looks for the resolution to life, love, and a crazy messy tangle of a friendship breakup that will not let him move on.

I could not remember that this book was about college students. The entire work felt very junior high-high school transition emotionally. So frustrating, because there was so much potential for the very awesome format of this book. But once I got over the awesomosity of reading someone's ever-so-secret confessions of lurrrrve, I realized that it was a recycled plot with no spine that had been shoved into a cooler mold.

So many sexual references. Unnecessary ones that filled in what might have been a place for some quality humor. Ugh. Irritating. Also, it was like all Jake could think about was sex. It seemed almost condescending to males as his thought process was Twilight movie reminiscent, "SexSexSexSex...new pencil.... SexSexSexSexSex". Ugh x2. It kind of killed how much I could have cared for the protagonist and the people that surrounded him.

Overall, kind of a frustrating book with a clever format that could have. been. so. awesome. Note general lame book grumpiness. And that's two negative reviews in a row. Perhaps we should break it up with Paper Towns. That review will be up in two days time! Hint = John Green did not f.t.b.a.

2 out of 7 Confessions of Adoration (eeeeh... February....). Do you haz good book?

Rereading the Year of Secret Assignments,

Aella

Need by Carrie Jones

2009-02-04T14:05:00.000-08:00

I stared at this one for a while before picking it up. I thought to myself "It's going to be about vampires, just leave it alone." based on the title and cover (which reminds me of the one for Revelations). But it was just so shiny in all its newness... so I took it home and read it and laughed.

What was cool: I learned the names of a bunch of different phobias.... that I have now forgotten.

What was decidedly NOT: It was pretty much Twilight, but with pixies. In fact, the pixies here strangely resembled the vampires of Twilight. Which I find sad. *laments yet another disappointing faerie book* And really, what is it with authors stealing mythical creatures and demeaning them by making them SPARKLE? The only time I have seen sparkling gold dust used awesomely was in Poison. Oh and the faery drugs from Valiant. *applauds Holly Black and Chris Wooding*

3 out of 7 rousing renditions of that song from Peter Pan that's stuck in my head now.

Regretting that her ipod is all the way over THERE,

Medeia

Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

2009-01-27T06:06:00.001-08:00

I am a self-professed Nick and Norah's junkie. I have read it multiple times and have no idea how it took me so long to pick up Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List. But really... how does one measure up?

Naomi loves and is in love with Ely, and Ely loves Naomi, but prefers to be in love with boys. So they create their "No Kiss List" of people neither of them is allowed to kiss. And this works fine - until Bruce. Bruce is Naomi's boyfriend, so there's no reason to put him on the List. But Ely kissed Bruce even though he is boring. The result: a rift of universal proportions and the potential end of "Naomi and Ely: the institution." Can these best friends come back together again? (Summary from Goodreads)

It absolutely kills me when best friends break up. Even in books. And being familiar with the pain of that situation, this book was all the more poignant for me. The characters felt incredibly real. I would not doubt the existence of Gabriel, the oh-my-fey-he-is-so-beyond-beautiful doorman or Bruce 1, jilted high school lover and bloomingstalker type. I doubt other authors could have made them so human and believable, while maintaining a quirkiness that kept me caring.

The plot had a good deal of the unexpected. Even though it was short I found myself doing a lot of this: "No he didn't. Oh oh oh he did! And what about.... *gasp* ack! the elevator! I can't even believe...." while my study hall looked on in amused/frightened silence. Not to mention a great deal of laughing out loud (no. kill the acronym. kill it.).

But now for the disappointing factors. Unfortunately, they existed. When the story is written in Naomi's voice there are these really irritating little figures in hearts and spiders and eyes that take the place of real words. Frustrating. It's like trying to have an IM conversation with someone who can only think in pictures and leaves you dying under a flood of emoticons. Thankfully, her voice was not the only POV. Secondly, I was a little upset with unanswered questions. There would be all this build-up and then one resolving scene that kindasorta explained things, but left a lot of emotional character baggage to deal with itself. Meh.

So ultimately... 5 out of 7 reserved Starbucks seats. Not as awesome as Nick and Norah's *bookswoon*, but still solid. I will always look forward to Rachel Cohn and David Levithan writing together.

Hunting for Fluffy,

Aella

I'm getting really sick of this whole vampire thing

2009-01-18T09:33:00.000-08:00

Warning: I have not read any of the previous Morganville Vampire books. Though not for lack of trying. Just wanted you to know that all I know about this series is what the (strangely convenient) synopsis in the front told me.

Synopsis of the synopsis (for those of you, like me, who didn't know there was a difference between the Vampire Kisses and Morganville Vampires series... until just now when I told you): The story's about a girl named Claire who's apparently some sort of prodigy. Her parents wouldn't let her go straight to MIT, she's only 16 after all, so they shipped her off to a smaller university in the middle of Texas. That happens to be infested with vampires. Good call, guys.

And now there's a war going on between two vampire groups. One (Claire's side obviously) wants to keep things the way they are and not eat humans (... well, for the most part) and the other wants to make them the prime food source (as opposed to donated bags o' blood... yumm).

I wasn't enthralled by this one. I just didn't get any of that"This is so damn COOL" feeling where you want to just devour the book. It was more of the "I don't have any books to read... oh wait... there's that one with the vampires" kind of deal.

Speaking of books I wasn't enthralled by, theres a new... what was that series again? Oh right Blue Bloods. It's called Revelations and it has the best cover in the whole series. But that's really all I can say for it. Which is saddening. Basically if you loved/hated the first two Blue Bloods novels, then you'll love/hate the third. Nothing really new here. 4.5 out of 7.

What I'm finding about vampire books is that they have to be either really hardcore vampire-centric (real I'm-going-to-reach-into-your-chest-and-tear-out-your-heart vampires) or a new and completely innovative approach (like Peeps and The Last Days), in order to make an impression on me anyways. The middle ground is just disappointing.

Re-reading Poison 'cause faeries pwn vampires anyway... and so does Chris Wooding for that matter,

Medeia Senka

Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before by David Yoo

2009-01-11T15:01:00.000-08:00

Albert is a loser by choice. During his freshman year of high school, he realized that there was no chance of him ever becoming remotely "cool" so he just... opted out. He doesn't really do much other than watch TV and play games with the neighborhood whippersnappers who worship him as a god. When summer rolls around, his parents give him the choice between taking more classes than he did during school to prepare for college or getting a job at the local inn. It's at the inn that he meets Mia for the first time.

Mia is the typical girlfriend-of-jock-king.

Or...maybe not. For one thing, she broke up with Ryan Stackhouse at the beginning of the summer. For another, she doesn't seem to mind talking to Albert, unlike most other people on the planet. Mia draws Albert out of the glass bubble he's put himself in since freshman year and he helps her get over her boyfriend of three years. And then the near-impossible happens! They hook up and go back to school as a... something. Things seem to be going pretty well for Albert... until Ryan Stackhouse is diagnosed with cancer. *girlfriend-stealing ensues*

This book was another one of those laugh-out-loud funny types. At times it felt like Yoo laid it on a little too thick, but for the most part I was cracking up over this one. Here we run into another protagonist that is unique and endearing. It reminded me of a book I read once, Someday This Pain Will Be Useful To You by Peter Cameron, but I liked it MUCH more. Five and a half enormous frogs. In jars. Oh yes. Wait, half a frog is kinda icky...

Looking for a better rating system than partial frogs,

Medeia

Death by Denim by Linda Gerber

2009-01-04T00:00:00.000-08:00

I don’t think that I will ever get tired of this series. So forgive me for sounding a little bit repetitive as I review the third title in the Death By books.

SPOILERALERTSPOILERALERTSPOILERALERT FOR THE FIRST AND SECOND BOOKS!!!

Aphra is back. Erm… Again. And hiding out in France with fake papers. Seth Mulo, her secret lurrrver, is off and away at a separate, mysterious location. All is well aside from their being apart. Until Aphra and Natalie (Aphra’s mother) find out that they are being followed once again. They must flee to Paris to meet with one of Natalie’s contacts. But when the contact is found dead in the river, a riddle-like message in his mouth, Aphra must decide whether to finally go after “The Mole” herself or to sit around waiting for her world to fall apart all over again.

Like the previous books, I loved the characters. And while development has pretty much been set by this point, there were still some curious revelations and changes in how they related to each other. The romance between Seth and Aphra gets even more heated and more adorable (ack!), even sappy in a few moments. Even though I sensed a little bit of scandal with Agent Ryan McAwesome (anyone else, or am I just crazy?). The action also accelerated, with some scenes that were way more heart pumping than in the previous books. Definitely an improvement, for alternate reality adrenaline junkies like myself.

Ultimately, a short review, but a positive one. Definitely look for this title- out on May 14th of 2009 (Oh! Hey! That's this year!). It is worth the wait.

Linda Gerber’s humor is progressively more awesome and her writing as well. 6 out of 7 Skull-Patched Jean Skirts!!! And has anyone heard news about a 4th novel? *crosses fingers*

Hoping and Thankful to Ms. Gerber,
Aella

Deadly Little Secret Laurie Faria Stolarz

2009-01-01T10:24:00.000-08:00

It was a dark and stormy night... wait, no. No it wasn't. It was just dark. Clichefail. And, what book does Medeia choose off of her (growing) pile of books? Well, if you read the title of this post then you know it was Deadly Little Secret. If you've read any of Laurie Faria Stolarz's other books, then you also know that reading one of them at late o' clock at night when you're alone in the house is a BAD IDEA.

This one starts out eerily Twilight-esque. Camelia is walking along, minding her own business, when suddenly a car comes hurtling out of nowhere! *cue dreamy grey-eyed stranger* In a very Cullen-ly move, he pushes her out of the way of the speeding vehicle of death and then they stare into each other's eyes for a while. Camelia doesn't catch his name before he races off (to save more damsels in distress or something) and before she could thank him for saving her life.

{Fast forward three months}

There's a new kid at school who (allegedly) pushed his girlfriend off a cliff. Guess who it is. Just guess. Yeah, it's the dreamy grey-eyed stranger. Camelia tries to thank him, but he waves it off and says that she's probably mistaken him for someone else. As Camelia tries to get closer to Ben (aka grey-eyed stranger) she starts to find pictures in her mailbox. Of her. With increasingly hostile messages written on them.*shudder* Who could be stalking her? Is it the kinda creepy boss at the pottery studio where she works, who's given her an invitation to come in any time? Or could it be the super yummy star jock who keeps running into her? Or... is it Ben, who keeps touching her and can't seem to let go?

I repeat: bad idea to read this at 11 at night. What really freaked me out were the passages written by Camelia's stalker interspersed every couple of chapters. Halfway through I had to switch to Wildwood Dancing. Though some of the the elements of this piece of scary seemed recycled, they still combined to form a chilling read, which is something that we've come to expect (and love about) Laurie Faria Stolarz. Deadly Little Secret gets a 5 out of 7 from yours truly.

[side note: I had to read through the first fifty or so pages of this one before I was 100% sure Ben wasn't going to turn into a vampire. This is what Twilight similarities do to me.]

Closing all the curtains and hunting up a blanket (make that several blankets),

P.S. The winner of the Fiercely Fawesome First Contest is posted below.

So this is the new year....

2008-12-31T16:11:00.000-08:00

And we bring tidings of great contesterie! Yes, yes the Fiercely Fawesome First Contest has drawn to a close and now we (meaning Aella) have written all of the names on little slips of paper and we (meaning Medeia) put them into the Fedora of Awesome, now subject only to Fate.

Aaaaaaand the winner of this fabulous contest iiiiiiiisssssssss:

Holly of Writer's Block Reviews

What does she win, you ask?

A copy of Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson, Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr, a UK copy of Artemis Fowl, a Maelstrom-irriffic mix of music, and a bookmark Aella brought back from Ireland!!!

So, now we'd like to offer our congratulations to Holly and offer the rest of you fawesome-tastic people our best wishes for the new year.

Cybele's Secret by Juliet Marillier

2008-12-29T11:22:00.000-08:00

I wasn't planning on fixing up a review for this particular book, because it was a sequel/companion story. But it really does deserve a place of its own. I loved Wildwood Dancing the second time through, but adored Cybele's Secret from the first experience of readage.

Recalling the Jena/Tati conflict of the previous book, it was refreshing to focus on Paula, everyone's favorite scholarly sister. Due to her knowledge of languages and persistence, Paula is permitted to accompany her merchant father to Istanbul, a city full of secrets and danger. The prize is Cybele's Secret- a cult idol for an ancient earth goddess. But there is more to the simple figurine than meets the eye.

Upon arriving in the city, they discover that the previous owner has been brutally murdered. Paula is immediately put under the care of a bodyguard. But even he cannot protect her from pirates, ancient mysteries, and the darkness of the Other Kingdom. She must use her love of knowledge and growing knowledge of love to survive the cult of Cybele.

Okay. Shevraeth moment. As in, I completely and utterly fell in love with the male characters of this book. Stoyan, the bodyguard, was that excellent and almost familiar stoic type while Paula's other interest, a piratey (word?) rogue was fawesome as well. Le swoon. Okay. Recovered.

I loved the progression of the mystery. There were so many elements that I never guessed at and the twists were extremely... uhhh... twisty. And there were alot of them. You'd get settled into the rhythm and then BAM something crazy and unexpected occurred and threw you for one huge fictional loop. Also, the character development was great. Everything fit together. I may have even enjoyed Cybele's Secret more than it's predecessor. All the same, Juliet Marillier's writing is stunning!

6.7 out of 7 evil priestesses! Highly recommended! Plus, there are all sorts of little things in the cover art that correspond to the story. Look for them as you read through.

Hoping for a 3rd Wilwood Dancing story,
Aella Siofra

The Secret Story of Sonia Rodriguez by Alan Lawrence Sitomer

2008-12-26T12:43:00.000-08:00

Sonia is like our very own Cinderella. She cooks and cleans while her ama watches telenovelas all day. Her papi is the only one who understands Sonia's dream to be the first in her family to graduate high school, but with him always working one of his jobs the only people around are her ama, her drunk of an uncle, and her useless brothers who all insist that familia is everything. When Sonia has had enough of doing absolutely everything for the family and decides to put her studies first, her ama is outraged. Consequently, Sonia is shipped back to Mexico to learn some life lessons from her grandmother.

The Secret Story of Sonia Rodriguez was engaging and enjoyable. Sonia is one of those characters that you really care about. When Sonia chooses to go back to school despite the strain this decision puts on her already exhausting life, I just wanted to give a "WOOT!"... I'm pretty sure I did, actually. And the chili-eating contest was -- well, you'll see. The only thing that seemed out of place was Sonia's secret romance with Geraldo. It just felt superfluous.

I give The Secret Story of Sonia Rodriguez 5 out of 7 *crrrracklecracklekaBOOM* lightning bolts.

Craving salsa,

Festively Yours

2008-12-25T16:50:00.000-08:00

You know, if you celebrate christmas or any holidays that occur now-ish. If you don't... we're working on the contest, so you'll (hopefully) have something to celebrate as well.

OOH! OOH! Over here!

2008-12-21T10:21:00.000-08:00

So we (Medeia and I) have decided to extend the fiercely fawesome first contest to December 25th. We received more entries than we thought we would, but we would like to give the newly holiday vacationed people a chance to get in their two cents. Spread the word, please? We'll toss in an extra entry if you update people on this contest and of course, it would be sooo appreciated.

In other news:

I am addicted to Goodreads. Friend us!
Has anyone heard of the new movie for The Little White Horse? Check out the trailer! What is this madness? It looks beautiful, but has pretty much completely changed from the book. And it's the director of Bridge to Terabithia! w000!

I sold my soul to Jacob Black all over again. Forgive me, Medeia. *sob*

Also there is a review under this post that I would love if you checked out!

Road of the Dead by Kevin Brooks

2008-12-21T10:07:00.001-08:00

Don’t be frightened by the bottom rating. Read on.

Ruben feels things that others can’t. Emotions and character, glimpses of events before or even as they occur, even if he is many miles away. So when his sister Rachel is attacked and killed on a lonely moor road, his mind becomes haunted with her last frightened moments and the face of the Dead Man, her murderer. But what is the word of a frightened and grief-stricken gypsy boy to the law?

Ruben and his brother take off to discover the mystery behind their sister’s death by going to the very place where it happened. But the ghost town of Dartmoor isn’t quite ready to tell them everything it knows. The brothers quickly make enemies, discover underlying mysteries, and find friends in unusual ways. And while they remain focused on the goal of retrieving their sister’s body, they find themselves completely wrapped up in the darkness of Dartmoor’s impending future.

Intense. That is the most accurate word to describe this book. I was sucked in right from the very first line:

"I knew the Dead Man had killed Rachel".

I could hardly stand putting it down without figuring out each development and hoping against all evidence that the brothers could pull it together and honor their sister. The mystery, although developing a little late in the book, was well formulated and believable. Completely suspenseful. This novel completely “plumbed the depths” so to speak of the capability for evil in humans. And it felt so incredibly real.

Unfortunately (I hate that word), there was a lot going against this book for me as well. I understand the use of violence in describing the murder of Rachel and then later as the excitement mounts. But there was a lot. I’m hardly opposed to violence in books, but woahwoahwoah there is a point where enough is enough. The last 50 pages were definitely the most difficult in that respect and I probably would not have finished if I wasn’t so involved in the story by that point. Also, there were a few questions unanswered that are still poking at the edge of my mind.

So, what can I say? If you have difficulty with an intense CSI episode, I would not recommend this for you. But if you are willing to battle through some pretty graphic and striking scenes to get to the redemptive qualities of a totally engrossing read, then I would definitely put this up as an option. 4 out of 7 gypsy caravans for Kevin Brook’s harsh read. Comfortably in the middle of a rating system.

A little stunned,
Aella

Suggestions Anyone

2008-12-18T14:07:00.000-08:00

So, with the more hectic parts of my year over, I'm hoping to dive right back into blogging. But I'm not sure what the readers want to see. If we have any readers left that is *big eyes*. So are there any suggestions out there? I listed a few of the things I was thinking about below. Check yes or no (awful country song allusion right there):

Participating in one of those weekly things. Like Waiting on Wednesdays or Teaser Tuesdays or whatever they are called. I'm awful with names.

Having a contest sidebar

Posting more often

More reader interactive posts. Like this one! But, you know, more fun...

An author guest blog (I know that a lot of blogs do these so I don't want to seem like a copy cat. But I always enjoy reading them!)

Being more active on the myspace

Being more active on other people's blogs. If you want us to read yours, just leave a comment! I lurve new bloggerzzzz...

Any more posts from our fab Maelstrom meetings?

So those are a few of the things I was pondering. Any ponders of your own? Or comments on the ones I have up there? Or should we just keep trucking along like we have been?

Hoping for lots of replies,
Aella

BS (Blog Script)- That last question solidified my fears that my use of euphemisms has officially mirrored my grandmother's.

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

2008-12-17T00:00:00.001-08:00

Reynard Muldoon, Constance Contraire, The Great Kate Weather Machine, and Sticky (George) Washington. An unlikely foursome to save the world.

Reynie is an orphan with an exceptional mind. So when a newspaper advertises tests for talented children he is gung ho to take them and broaden his opportunities. But he isn’t suspecting the strange form of exams that they are, each having some sort of secret to them, and some with tests within the tests. But he passes, along with three others and is brought into the mysterious world of Mr. Benedict, Number 2, Milligan, and Rhonda.

They have discovered that a local institute is broadcasting mind control waves to the people of the world. But something far worse is on the way. And only such unusually enlightened children as those that form the Mysterious Benedict Society can stop it.

This was a very cute book. Cute illustrations, cute plot, cute characters. But it was still completely enjoyable. I t was almost reminiscent of Series of Unfortunate Events but, you know, cuter. The humor was light and eccentric, often involving minute details that just completed a scene. Most of the funny parts were in the characters themselves. They were unexpectedly odd and felt caffeinated through the entire book. Not to mention creative. And cute. Did I mention they were cute?

So, if not a deep and introspective read to answer all of life’s questions as to life the universe and everything (the answer is 42, by the by) , it was definitely worth the time. Even if it was rather lengthy for its purpose. 4.5 out 7 secret societies for a mysterious society indeed.

Fetching the sequel,

Aella

Undone by Brooke Taylor

2008-12-14T07:55:00.000-08:00

Serena and Kori have one of those friendships; one of those, you-are-everything-to-me-sisters-forevah kind of friendships. And to think that it started with a chance encounter in the eighth grade in a school bathroom.

Serena is quiet and subtly rebelling against her distant, Stepford-esque mother. Kori is the one with the guts and the voice. Serena is convinced that her friend can do absolutely anything, including tempt fate. This is where the list is born- a list of five things that Kori must do to tempt fate. But when something completely unexpected happens and tears the girls apart, it is up to Serena to fulfill the five simple goals of her best friend, all alone.

This was pretty much amazing. I was so excited when it came in to the library that I returned two unread books, JUST to circumvent my current five-books-at-a-time ban *sob* and take it out. I loved the characters from the beginning, their multilayered fexcellence and attitudes. They felt like my friends, just more tragic. Serena was such a familiar person, in that “Wow-this-author-is-freakishly-accurate-when-it-comes-to-writing-real-people” way. Her insecurities were completely believable and you root for her the entire book.

Plus plot. I liked the unexpected intersections of the character’s lives as they work through trauma. Plenty of unexpected “WOAH” moments and bitter surprises along the way. I don't think I've been so invovled in a realistic fiction since Chasing Windmills. And despite the sadness and darkness of the story, there was a great deal of humor involved as well. Snarky and very adolescent, which gave me even more proof that the author has that unique talent where she doesn’t lose her view of teenagerdom along the way to adultdom. Don’t you love that?

So, definitely 7 out of 7 Pearl Jam songs. Highly recommended! Also, don’t forget about the contest. That is the post directly beneath this one. There are six days left!

Fond-of-hyphens,
Aella

Fiercely Fawesome First Contest

2008-11-22T17:17:00.000-08:00

So to appease the gods of switching blogs *cough* again *cough* we have decided to hold a contest. Actually, it is for a second reason as well. AKA: The ONE YEAR anniversary of MAELSTROM!!! A full of year of having the best partner in bloggery and crime that the world has ever known. A full year of procrastinating with ARCs. A full year of dancing whenever we received a comment (oh yeah. It never gets old.)

Either way. Here are the rules of ze contest. Medeia and I have compiled personal mini lists of our top five books that have been reviewed here on Maelstrom or Charybdis since November 23rd of 2007. Not all are double 7s, but looking back we have seen what we truly enjoyed the most. Here's the deal.

1. Pick one book from Aella's list that you would potentially like to win.

1.5. Pick one book from Medeia's list that you would potentially like to win.

2. E-mail us at maelstrombooks (at) gmail (dot) com with your choices or comment with them.

3. Advertiseadvertiseadvertise. We would be greatly honored if you would tell the world about the anniversary contest. For every different place advertised on you will receive an extra tag in the magical fedora of contest-dom, and two tags if it is a legit blog post.

4. Link us proof in comments or in your e-mails. We love to hear about them either way.

5. Have everything in by December 20th, when we will leave it all to the magical fedora of choosing.

This an all or nothing style contest. IF you win we will supply:

both books of your choice

mix of music from our uber-fab Maelstrom meetings

random bookmark I brought back from Ireland
UK copy of Artemis Fowl from a small, yet fawesome, shop in Killarney

Aella's List

1. Cry of the Icemark by Stuart Hill

2. Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

3. Chasing Windmills by Catherine Ryan-Hyde

4. Suite Scarlett by Maureen J0hnson

5. Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Medeia's List

1. Hero-Type by Barry Lyga

2. Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr

3. Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

4. Airman by Eoin Colfer

5. The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams-Chima

I think that pretty much covers it. Anyway, we hope that you will continue to read us, even though we have ever so inconveniently moved twice now. And with no further ado, welcome back to Maelstrom! 1 year in the posting!

A-contesting we will go,
Aella Siofra

A Fond Farewell

2008-08-07T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hello hello to those brave folk who still read us. We are so grateful to you guys for the links in your blog rolls, the comments, the page hits, and most of all... the fact that you are the brave folk who still read us. So it is now that I say with great sadness and hidden distress that we are departing from the Maelstrom. *collective gasp* And you will never ever see us again.

NOT.

Although we are departing from the Maelstrom, we certainly hope you will take the time to see us again. We have moved our ragged wind-blown selves to a mysterious location, which can only be reached by a mysterious link in this mysterious post. We have been planning this for quite some time due to icky legalities with our current name (which also happens to be the name of a minor publishing house that we didn't know existed). And while nothing of any consequence occurred, we wished to avoid conflict. So on this momentous occasion of 8-8-8, we hope that you will follow us and continue to consider us as reading material (haha...play on words...haha...nevermind.) in your precious time. Farewell blogger. Perhaps we shall meet again someday.

Violet in Private by Melissa Walker

2008-08-03T08:48:00.000-07:00

If you haven't read the two books previous in the Violet on the Runway series, then I pity you greatly. They are marvelous. But to bring you up to speed: (SPOILERS! DON"T READ ON UNLESS YOU ARE PREPARED FOR SPOILERS!!!!) Violet is your home-town girl with a home-town future before she is snapped up by Tryst models and thrown headfirst into the high fashion world of the backstabbing and beautiful. She has to keep her head above water without losing herself and her possible career. (Second book now) When Violet scores a huge Brazilian bathing suit campaign, she doesn't expect to be so attracted to the designer. Can she juggle a high profile relationship while resisting the eating disorder lifestyles of the couture models? And when did her friendships become so complicated?

Now we come upon Violet as the newest celebrity attendee of Vassar college. She's left modeling behind forever and is in pursuit of a healthy lifestyle. But it seems like her glamorous past won't leave her alone. Angela is still calling and leaving persistent messages. A huge campaign (her last) has just been launched. And maybe Violet isn't ready to sink back into the background. But all of that seems unimportant next to her newfound feelings for you-know-who (HA! Spoiler hunters, you have been foiled again!). With a whole new cast of friends and some refreshing scenery, this was my favorite Violet yet. Not the most creative series on the market, but definitely and completely begging to be read.

I continue to loooove how the fabulous Melissa Walker presents her characters and their growth. I wouldn't think it would be able to relate to the beautiful faces that decorate tabloids and Cosmo, but this series has made it completely possible. Violet is likable and surprisingly vulnerable. There are sometimes when you just want to reach through the page and hug her. And as for background characters, they are all perfectly executed. I am especially fond of Kurt, a new addition to the awesome friends that make up Violet's most important fan base.

The new background really spiced up the series for me. This particular book was more introspective and gut-wrenching than the others. Which is definitely okay with me. There was no slam-bang model action, but plenty of intensity on the "home front".

My only complaint was with Violet's relationship with Oliver. I feel like she has been this place before. In book 1 and 2. Just change the name and the setting. Maybe I'm wrong, he just seems so...familiar? Anyway.

Violet in Private is ready and set for sale tomorrow, August 5th. The buzz is true! This is a great series that reaches beyond superficiality and celebrates the face of strong and independent girls everywhere. 5.5 out of 7 lightnings!

Dying for the Fourth Violet,
Aella

Blade of Fire by Stuart Hill

2008-08-01T15:41:00.000-07:00

You might think that a book full of warring kingdoms, magic, fierce battle cries, and crippled children being sent away to foreign lands (and coming back at the head of massive armies, of course) would be made of awesome. Allow me to say that you'd be right.

Blade of Fire an impressive follow-up to The Cry of the Icemark. Who would've thought that it could get any better? Blade of Fire takes place 20 years after Thirrin (with a few of her trusty friends) fought off the continent-conquering Polypontian Empire. Needless to say, Scipio Bellorum didn't take that well. He's returned with his two sons (also brilliant generals) and a burning desire for revenge. Add to this, the fact that Bellorum now knows the Icemark's strengths and weaknesses and there are no more allies to be found without crossing the lands under Polypontian control.

Oh, what is a proud barbarian queen to do? Send her youngest child across the sea to make friends with the fearsome desert-dwellers, obviously. But Thirrin and Oskan didn't count on the interference of a mysteriously powerful witch. Would they ever suspect their darling daughter Medea (when I say darling, I mean reclusive, arrogant, and malicious)? Of course not! Hm, wait... Medea... can create raging storms... sounds vaguely familiar... Who, me? ha ha... how absurd *shifty eyes*.... aaanyways...

This newest adventure in the Icemark chronicles was absolutely fantastic. The battles just get more and more exciting as the story progresses and the characters don't disappoint. And did I mention the battle cries? They're really cool... almost makes you want to stand on a chair and yell them... not that I would do that....

Do I even need to say it?

7 out of 7... in case you couldn't figure that out on your own.

From the Shadows,

~Medeia Senka~

Airhead by Meg Cabot

2008-07-28T19:51:00.000-07:00

I had no clue what was going on for the first 65% of this book. And then it all started coming together in a rush of "wow thisseemsreallyimpossiblebutisstilltotallyawesomeofanide." I was prepared for some pretty intense character development awesome that always comes from the marvelous Meg Cabot. And (surprisesurprise) it happened.

Emerson Watts is a girl with a boy's name who doesn't know what to do with herself. She can't (or won't) live up to her sister's shallow expectations. She has completely fallen for her best friend, Christopher, and doesn't have the confidence to tell him. And her opposition to big-name and big-business isn't supported by anyone close to her. So when her younger sister Frida wants to go the grand opening of the Stark Mega-Store in their SoHo neighborhood, their is no escape for a reluctant Emerson. And when Frida goes off in pursuit of the store's top model for an autograph, her sister is forced to pursue.

A plasma screen television detachs from the ceiling and begins to fall. Emerson lunges to save her sister, a solitary few feet from the shoes of Nikki Howard, the Stark model. Next thing she knows she is waking up in a hospital bed, being abducted by people who seem to have mistaken her for Nikki, and coming to the realization that maybe- just maybe- Emerson Watts is no more.

I was suitably confused for most of this, but was still pretty devoted to finding out what was going on. The mystery of the connection between Emerson and Nikki was completely engrossing. And through the constant discoveries you see more of Emerson coming through. She isn't just your average we-have-read-this-all-before, politically active, who-cares-what-they-think teen girl. She struggles with the things that most people do, which makes her much more easy to relate to. Plus, Meg Cabot has a very particular talent for writing emotions.

The main plot twist was very...err...twisty. At least, I didn't see it coming at all. People of greater intelligence and discernment probably will figure it out before I did, but its still a HA! moment. It also opens up space to a whole new level of character interaction that is really hard to find in "realistic-fiction", even though I'm not sure if this really qualifies for that particular genre title.

I am actually extremely eager for the second book (I won't reveal the name here because it practically tells all) and I can say with confidence that this is my favorite Meg Cabot book so far. Once again, she shows herself flexible and extremely capable of branching into the unexplored nooks and crannies of female-targeted realistic fiction (Has anyone read Jinx?).

I give Airhead 6 out of 7 lightnings. And am pleased that it has opened the door to reading science-fiction once again. Oops. Have I said too much?

Hoping that I Haven't,

Aella

Genesis Alpha by Rune Michaels

2008-07-25T15:52:00.000-07:00

You know those books that you see all the time and think to yourself in a slightly distracted manner, "Oh, that looks interesting" and then *BAM* out of nowhere you see the shiny new cover of that book that you've been dying to read forever and it jumps off the nearest library shelf into your arms?... Well that might happen to me more often than most people seeing as I practically live at a library... anyways... Genesis Alpha is one of those books. No, not the jumping off shelves kind, but more of the sitting patiently for well deserved attention variety. I swear I've looked past this book at least fifty times before deciding to pick it up and actually... you know... read it. But I'm glad I did.

Jack adores his brother Max. Max is exactly the type of person Jack wants to be when he gets older. He's smart and cool and totally kicks ass at the popular (and addicting) online game called Genesis Alpha. They get together almost every day (Jack in his room afterschool and Max from a computer lab on his college campus) to quest across the land exterminating all kinds of foul beasts and evildoers and such. One day, during the game Max's character kind of freezes up and turns into a statue, something that happens when the person playing just shuts off the game without logging off. A while later, Jack finds out why. Max has been arrested, suspected of brutally murdering a young woman named Karen. Jack's first reaction is one that most of us would have, to assume that it's all been some awful mistake... but... when Jack meets Karen's little sister Rachel (when I say "meets" I mean, finds her in the cat shed hell bent on getting revenge) he starts to question his brother's innocence, and finds clues to what really happened in some...surprising places.

This book was quite short (less than 200 pages *gasp*) but it's brevity didn't seem lacking in any way. I found Genesis Alpha both twisted and gripping. It certainly left me with more questions than answers in a good way (food for thought, not nasty plot holes) and a bit of suspicion of those people who go to the library to use the internet instead of... you know... books. Seriously... some of those laptop users... sitting in their corners... hissing if I get too close (kidding, they haven't done that... yet). As I digest this leftover feeling of paranoia, I give Genesis Alpha a well earned 6 out of 7 lightnings.

From the Shadows,

P.S. I really want to call this book Dark Genesis. Honestly, I've had to backspace over that typo a ridiculous amount of times. And I have no idea why I keep calling it that.

How to Be Bad by E Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski, and Lauren Myracle

2008-07-23T12:00:00.000-07:00

Now I know that if you are a blog-hopper like myself, you have probably seen about 976 reviews for this particular book (even one of them on this site, although that was written by a different set of bloggers-who just so happen to be amazzzzing). But let's make it 977 as I say that the reason you have seen so many reviews is because it is so totally awesome (or because the people who are handling the publicity are wizards). Could we expect any less from the likes of E Lockhart (The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks makes me want to fan-girl scream), Lauren Myracle (Rhymes With Witches- creepy girl clique pwnage), Sarah Mlynowski (confession- I have no idea who this is- but I am determined to find out), and E Lockhart?

Jesse has just discovered an earth-shattering secret about her mother. And its changed her whole perspective. Suddenly, she's gone gung-ho for religion and is so obsessed with keeping the revelation silent that she is building walls between herself and her best friend, Vicks. But Vicks is having troubles of her own. Her boyfriend has moved on to college and left her loveless in no-where-ville, Florida. And then there is Melanie Fine. New to Florida and missing Canada, she can hardly stand living in her hyper-critical wealthy household. Solution for all of the above problems? To steal Jesse's mom's car and drive down to seek out Vick's boyfriend at college, of course. But our three heroines could never have predicted the adventures and (cough) experiences, that wait for them on the road.

I really loved this book. The characters were fabulous and all had their own unique voice through the combined creativity of writing styles in every chapter. I loved watching them grow, throw hissy fits, break into museums, overcome fears, and find/lose/find love. And it was all done with hilarity thrown throughout. There were many moments I found myself laughing, only to be stared at strangely by the people on my porch. But it wasn't all fun and games. The sad things were handled as well and excellently. Those times gave a lot more depth to the backstory and the unpredictable plot line.

I supremely hope that these three authors will write together again some time in the future. And I will miss the protagonists of How to Be Bad as well. And I think alot of the charm in their story was because they were written so well and felt just like your friends. That mixture you adore and would go on a road-trip with in an instant. It was really great how HTBB wrapped up the feeling in 321 pages.

7 out of 7 lightnings. woahwaitwhat? 7? yes. 7.

Finding Sarah Mlynowski Books,

Aella

Peeled by Joan Bauer

2008-07-21T08:31:00.000-07:00

Aaaah. The country homesy feeling. The apple trees swaying in the wind. A town ghost. A small-time newspaper. For some reason, this entire novel felt like Little House on the Prairie goes upstate New York. And I couldn't shake the feeling.

Hildy Biddles father is dead. But she can remember him through the art of journalism that he loved so well in life. So when the town ghost starts acting up more than usual (knocking small people off of their bikes, appearing in windows, leaving sharpied signs on the front lawn, etc.), she knows she must report the truth for the good of the town. Unfortunately, she only has access to the school newspaper and who would ever take her word over that of the illustrious Pen Piedmont of the town newspaper, The Bee? Is there more to the town ghost than meets the eye? Or has it simply been blown out of proportion and propagandated to sell papers? It seems as if it is all up to Hildy to find out.

I read many positive reviews of this novel and was eager to get started reading it. And when I saw the cover, I was even more intrigued (yes yes. I am one of those people who has an initial reaction based on the cover of a book -sigh-). So I took it out and started. The beginning was alright and I read on. But that was it. It was just alright. I had trouble finding anything that really inspired me or interested me to a point beyond meer polite attention span until the last few chapters. And by that point it was already too late.

I found Hildy to be something of an unbelievable character. She seemed so perfect and obsessed with the legacy of her town. Think Trixie Belden or a younger Nancy Drew. No serious flaws, just some fluff to carry out a plotline. And the characters around her weren't much better. I felt they just weren't any deeper than the page they were on. And I have loved Joan Bauer's work in the past, which made this read all the more disappointing for me.

The plot seemed uncreative and overused. A discarded (or re-run) episode of the Waltons (which I happen to think is a great show). And I say with great sadness that I was wanting so much more overall.

Still, the way the town banded together against the evils of big-city ideals was classic and fun to read at times. It seems that tons of books these days are vampire-slayer-zombie-werewolf-evil faerie- slam bang- alchoholics- suspense- crazy romance fiction. Reading Peeled was almost refreshing in its aura of "sweetness". So I would save it for a rainy afternoon when it's just sitting on the shelf, not expecting (or desiring) more than the quaint, back-country tale it is.

I give this book a 3.5 out of 7 lightnings.

Ze end.

Aella Siofra

Secret of the Sands by Rai Aren & Tavius E.

2008-07-14T18:16:00.000-07:00

Well, isn't this one for the record books, I reviewed two times in a row *crowd gasps*. Here it is, the review for Secret of the Sands by Rai Aren and Tavius E.

Secret of the Sands introduces us to Mitch and Alex, two archaeologists excavating a site near the Sphinx. Alex quite literally stumbles over what could be the key to lifting the veil on the Sphinx's mysterious origins. She trips over a chest long buried in the sands. When she and Mitch open the chest, they find two strange cylinders inside, made not of stone but a puzzling metal that they find (thanks to Jack and Bob, their lab-dwelling sidekicks) isn't a known element. Inside the cylinders they find scrolls written in an unknown form of glyphs. Alex and Mitch try to decode their findings while attempting to evade the prying eyes of the conniving Professor Dustimaine.

Alternating with the view of the two Egyptologists is the story of Traeus, a King from the time that the metal cylinders were first made. He struggles to maintain peace, keeping his brother and over-ambitious wife from undermining his work, and finishing the Amsara project (a massive monument to their god-lion).

Keeping in mind that this book was written by a pair of debuting authors, I have to say that I found the book entertaining. However, the dialogue felt awkward at times and there were points where the story didn't really hold my attention. It wasn't awful or anything, but it wasn't spectacular either. I think though, that these authors will improve with time and I look forward to reading more from them (maybe the sequel, Destiny of the Sands). I'm giving Secret of the Sands a solid 4.5 out of 7 lightnings.

From the Shadows,

Lamplighter by D.M. Cornish

2008-07-13T11:15:00.000-07:00

This is the second novel in D.M. Cornish's Monster Blood Tattoo series (the first is called Foundling). We find our hero, Rossamund (a young man constantly made fun of for possessing a girl's name), beginning his training to become a Lamplighter in the Emperor's service. On one of the training patrols, the division of Lamplighters in training is attacked by a group of monsters in pursuit of a carriage of calendars (women dedicated to fighting monsters). It is during this attack that Rossamund first encounters Threnody, a young wit who has yet to master her newly acquired abilities. The combined efforts of the Lamplighters and calendars prove sufficient to turn back the beasts and the Lamplighters are able to return home. They take Threnody with them, who wishes to become Lamplighter, more an as act of rebellion against her mother than out of a desire to serve the Emperor.

Threnody becomes a companion of Rossamund's, mostly because he is the only one who puts up with her arrogant and condescending nature. Rossamund also encounters friends, old and new, on his adventures. Among them are Sebastipole the leer, Doctor Crispus, Numps, and of course Europe (also known as the Branden Rose). They are some of the only ones who can help him when he starts to experience odd happenings around the barracks. Rossamund takes part in nighttime pig deliveries from the intimidating kitchen mistress to the creepy, attic-dwelling surgeon as well as helping Numps the slightly crazy seltzerman repair lanterns.

Rossamund comes to find that not all men in the Emperor's service are as noble or trustworthy as they ought to be and tries to puzzle out his own opinions on teratology. Dangerous opinions that may lead to his being branded a sedorner (monster-lover *gasp*).

This second installment in the Monster Blood Tattoo series did not disappoint. Though it is a long one (over 600 pages), the book never lagged or wanted for action. Just at the times when I thought it was going tame on me there was a monster ready for battle right around the corner. I loved that some of the characters from the first novel returned and became real before my eyes. This fabulous tale earns the full 7 out of 7 lightnings *zing-kapow-zap, etc.*

From the Shadows,

P. S. Did you know that D.M. Cornish not only wrote this novel, but illustrated it as well? Click here to find out more.

The Compound by SA Bodeen

2008-07-06T05:20:00.000-07:00

This book gets a prize for extremely short plot summary that still intrigued me enough to take it out from the library. The inside cover summarizes the suspense and sheer awesome of how it is executed throughout the pages. The following five sentences are the courtesy of the inside flap:

Eli and his family have lived in the Compound for six years.
The world they knew is gone.
Eli's father built the Compound to keep them safe.
Now, they can't get out.
He won't let them.

Eli has everything anyone could wish for. A never ending music collection, a billionaire father, his own personal gym, and a family of virtuosos in their own right. But (excuse the cliche) there is trouble in paradise. Especially the fact that it is all underground. Eli hasn't seen any human being other than his family members for six full years and there are still nine to go until the time lock will release on the doors of the Compound. Even worse, his twin and grandmother were caught "up top" when the nuclear bomb fell. And however much his father tries to deny it, food supplies and morale are getting low.

When Eli finds the laptop, all his pent in doubts come rushing to the surface. Is it possible that there is still a human remnant in the world outside? Is it even possible that there was never any cause for hiding away in the first place? And what of the Supplements, the young children held captive in the mysterious yellow room? Eli can't bring himself to love them, but could never bear using them to further his survival. The choice seems clear, but if he plans on helping anyone, he'll have to surmount his own personal issues and explore the truth behind the deranged mind of the father that has become a madman.

I haven't read such a twisting suspense novel in a long time. Even if it clocks in at 245 pages, there was enough material to confuse and then delight any mystery fan. I was rooting for freedom the entire time, even when the characters seemed ready to give up. And yet, at the same time, I wanted to figure out what was going on in the Compound for real before anyone else (Inner Aella: Don't look on the last page...don't...don't, Outer Aella: B-but, I gotta know *whining*) The ending was exciting enough to cover the interesting events leading up.

My main complaint about this book was in Eli. At times, he was irritating, mean spirited, cowardly, and rebellious. But then again, perhaps that was what made the entire novel so believable. He was a very real character, though I feel this could have been accomplished with a little less emphasis on the protagonist flaws. This was redeemed by the well-thought out plot and intricacies of the characters he interacts with.

It was very difficult for me to believe that SA Bodeen was a first time author and I reallyreallyreally hope that she will write more books. CRACK-ZING-BAM! 6 out of 7 lightnings!

Expect more reviews than ever before in the coming months,

Dragon's Keep by Janet Lee Carey

2008-07-03T07:10:00.000-07:00

Rosalind was born into an ancient prophecy. Merlin had predicted that one day a "21st queen would end war with a wave of her hand". So it seems a cruel trick of fate when the 21st queen in question is born with a dragon's talon as the fourth finger of her left hand. And after years of insane treatments from every sage, witch, wizard, sorcerer, seer, and wise person in the kingdom it seems that there will be no hope for Rosalind's future as anything other than a witch-marked mistake of birth. At the same time she must deal with her mother's increasing obsession with the secret in relation to the dragon attacks of Wilde Island (their kingdom).

But all of that fades when she is kidnapped by the last dragon and taken to the island of Dragon's Keep to raise his eggs as a sort of governess. Abused, hated, exhausted, and still cursed, Rosalind begins to see the repercussions of her mother's own personal secrets and the treachery on both sides of the Dragon/Human War.

I had read a negative review of this book a few months ago and was prepared to not enjoy it, which isn't really a great way to go into reading a book. Sure enough, the heroine was cowardly, whiny, and in denial for a good half of the book (granted- she goes through more than I could ever imagine). But I can still see how that would turn off a few readers (understatement). Due to my love of dragons, I read on and began to note huge changes in Rosalind, although they came almost too late. Close to the end, the writing and plot really picked up as well. Still, the writing was really very beautiful from the beginning. It just got more beautiful in progression. It all felt very Fairytale-y-ish and Grimm-esque. And as you might have noticed, I am obsessed with the Grimm-esque.

Taking the above into consideration, I would have to give Dragon's Keep a 5 out of 7 Lightnings. Hesitant Readers Beware, Dragon-o-philes Enjoy!

Hunting For Carey Books I Haven't Read,

P.S. Even if I wasn't particularly fond of this Janet Lee Carey book, I really enjoyed the Beast of Noor! It was exceptionally fawesome. Wenny Has Wings was fabulous as well. OHOH! And she has a blogger account and blog!

Newes From the Dead by Mary Hooper

2008-06-29T09:32:00.000-07:00

This novel by Mary Hooper tells the tale of Anne Green, a convicted murderess sentenced to hang. Want to hear the twisted part? Anne is found to be alive many hours later (after being declared legally dead) on a doctor's dissection table . The best part? It's based on the true story of Anne Green's hanging in 1650.

While Anne hangs in a state of unconsciousness, completely unaware that she is alive, her life (forgive the cliche) flashes before her eyes. Well, not her entire life, specifically the events leading up to her being accused of infanticide and hearing her family's screams as she met her end (or so she thought) in the hangman's noose. As Anne remains in a place close to death, the doctors have abandoned their original intent and rally to bring her back from the other side. All the while, they stave off attempts by parties of questionable innocence to bring her back to the noose.

I felt that this was an interesting read. I enjoyed the author's take on a 16th century event through Anne's perspective and that of the doctors who revived her. However, I found Anne's character grating at times. She was quite easily swayed and had an inability to hold to her principles even after this trait gets her into trouble of the worst sort. It was out of my usual reading genre, and it really was a decent book. Not exceptional, but a good book nonetheless.

I give Newes From the Dead 4.8 lightnings [insert flashing light and various sounds of a thundery nature here]

From the Shadows,

GASP Plenty of Paper Hiatus Odyssey Continues...

2008-06-27T13:25:00.000-07:00

Perhaps you have figured out a clue and discovered the magical link to lead you to the following Plenty of Paper review. Or perhaps you are unaware as to why the Whirlwinds appear to be stealing someone's review (Explained here). Either way, please enjoy. The girls of POP are fawesome and the Maelstrom is honored to be helping them out with this! What follows is an all Plenty of Paper, all awesome fiesta of reviewage for How to Be Bad:

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How To Be Bad

(e. lockhart, sarah mlynoski, lauren myracle)

Mels, Vicks, and Jesse don't really have much in common. Vicks is the rebel with the dyed-black hair, cursing complex, and boyfriend who has just gone off to college and apparently forgotton her (one text. Stay cool). Jesse is an uber-Christian whose mother has just been diagnosed with cancer: breast cancer, after winning a wet tee-shirt contest. Clearly, a punishment from God. Mel is the new rich girl from Canada who nobody really likes. The only things that these girls are sharing? A weekend, a car, a hotel room, Mel's mom's credit card, and the road trip of their lives.

They will visit landmarks (the world's tiniest police station). They will meet a boy (sexy Marco). They will engage in several illegal activities. They'll fight and bond and get attacked by an alligator and learn, each in their own ways, how to be bad. And at the end of it all, they just might be best friends.

This book is a really great read. I was curious about getting my hands on it becasue of the multiple authors: I'm a huge fan of E. Lockhart's, but I had mixed feelings about Sarah Mlynoski's Bras and Broomsticks and I despise chatspeak far too much to have enjoyed Lauren Myracle's TTYL series. The writing here was excellent, though. The voices were distinct, but they blended together nicely. The styles of the three authors meshed very well.

How To Be Bad is very much a character story, and it's an extremely good one. Jesse, Mel, and Vicks were all believable characters with distinct personalities. I loved how none of them were stereotypical, despite any implications given by their immediate labels. Jesse, for instance, is the Christian girl, but she's also the meanest and cattiest of the trio. One of my favorite things about the book was that each of the characters had tons of their own struggles and problems to worry about, but the story continued to center around the girls as a whole, and their journey together.

Also, it was completely hilarious. All three of the authors worked in plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, even within the most tense parts of the story. There was a lot of verbal comedy, but much of the humor was situational as well.

My only complaint about this book? The drawbacks of carrying around a novel entitled How To Be Bad. Why that gets seven questions per day and my "Free Alan Rickman" tee-shirt gets none is beyond me, but it did. Go figure.

Four cups and a half for How to Be Bad!

-Caroline

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Hey everyone (Aella again)! I have not received a hint from the fabulous crew, and I'm not sure if this is a glitch or no. Perhaps there will be something on their page? (*whispering* but don't take my word for it). Have a great rest of POP Hiatus!

Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

2008-06-24T10:12:00.000-07:00

Princess Ben was, in a word, surprising. After reading the Dairy Queen series by Catherine Gilbert Murdock, I was thrown completely by the very fresh character found in Princess Benevolence. And yet, she was so incredibly different from the protagonists of earlier Murdock books.

Princess Ben of Montagne leads a life almost untouched by the difficulties of her land. That is, until her parents are mysteriously assassinated and the neighboring kingdom of Dragonsbett is the most likely aggressor. The princess must suddenly learn a great deal in order to assume the throne, all the while cringing beneath the gaze of the current regent, Queen Sophia. She must survive torturous dance lessons, near starvation, table manner education, and a stressful move to the tallest tower of the palace. It seems hopeless. And then a great mystery is uncovered in the palace. Ben discovers a secret passageway into the wizard's room of the tower and finds herself with a knack for magic and learning spells. But will the abilities to make mud from nothing and call up fire be enough to save her from the scheming and oh-so-full-of-himself Prince Florian of Dragonsbett? And on a base closer to home- are Queen Sophia's intentions honorable or is there more than simply training Ben for reign on her mind?

I have mixed feelings about this particular Murdock creation. The main character was feisty and fun to relate to, but still had some qualities that set her apart from every other feisty and fun to relate to princess we've read about before. She was strong despite her physical appearance and managed to have grace when her country demanded it of her. By the penultimate pages, I really respected Princess Ben, and that is something I don't often say about a character in a book.

The writing was fun and antiquated to match the medieval world that Ben resides in, but drifted into being weighty or even too formal on occasion. So Princess Ben actually read quite a bit like an old Grimm story, rather than a modern young adult novel. And it was familiar as one of those bed-time stories too. You could predict most plot twists, except those concerning the development of the characters. There were some really great surprises to be discovered in that. Especially Queen Sophia.

So- this book teetered on an edge for me. But even after all the things found that frustrated me, I still look back and can say I really enjoyed this novel. Perhaps it was the nostalgia of an old-fashioned fairy tale or maybe the wit. But I found it really interesting and fairly fawesome that Catherine Gilbert Murdock did something so incredibly different when she already has a good reputation for another style of writing. Brave and creative.

5.7 Lightnings out of 7. w00t!

Going on a few days of non-bloggery,

Devilish by Maureen Johnson

2008-06-17T08:08:00.000-07:00

Have you ever read one of those books that just seems so incredibly bizarre from the front flap description and then manages to make complete sense as soon as you've actually started reading?

That completely describes Devilish.

Jane Jarvis is a genius out of place in St. Theresa's School For Girls. Not that you'd know her brilliance just to look at her. Ever since the horrific end to her relationship with Elton (the perfect boy), Jane has allowed herself to spiral out of control. Now she's accumulating a record as a troublemaker that might harm her chances of getting into a college worthy of her incredible brain. But college is the last thing on her mind when her best friend's sanity is in danger. Ally is a misfit of the highest degree and only serves to aid her descent when she throws up at an annual school event. After that, everything changes.

Ally comes into school with a new haircut, a new attitude, and apparently, new friends. Jane can't be sure of her sudden drop on the importance list until she goes on one fateful train ride. Where Ally and Elton are (insert my reaction here __NOOOOOOOO__) making out. Enter Jane's freshman stalker, who won't stop trying to convince her that Ally's new friend is really a soul stealer of the corporations of Hell. And it isn't long until Jane believes him. She must quite literally deal with the Devil and find a way to save her best friend, and possibly the world, before it is too late.

I really enjoyed this book. And ever since the suggestion of a few people, *cough* Plenty of Paper girls and Reese *cough* I have been completely hooked on everything Maureen Johnson. Even her blog. It seems that Nerdfighter authors hold a certain intrigue for their fellow warriors/minions. Anyway, back to reviewing. Devilish went by too quickly and was full of Miss Johnson's incredible wit and trademark creativity. I loved all of the characters. Even Ally, when she was being a backstabber. Plus, the demon girl was amazingly written. One of those villains you adore hating. The struggles were convincing on both a physical and mental level, sometimes even spiritual.

All the same, I did not enjoy this particular work as much as some of the other Maureen Johnson books I've read. That is the only thing keeping it from the revered 7 rating. But still...

CRASHBANGSLAMWACHING! 6 Lightnings out of 7! And I highly recommend everything else by her as well!

Reading the Bermudez Triangle,

FYI

2008-06-12T17:58:00.000-07:00

My blog's not dead. Sorry, if it appears to have crawled into a hole and expired, but I promise it hasn't. I've just been working on a bunch of different things that haven't shown up there yet.

Click on the link to my personal blog (if you dare) and you'll find a couple of surprises.... The good kind, not the kind where you turn a corner in the library and find a Casper-like boy leering at you.

~Medeia~

Daughter of Statues by Phil McGrail

2008-06-11T14:37:00.000-07:00

I'd received $20 from a friend for my birthday and decided to troll around for a few relatively un-heard of books that I could review here on the Maelstrom. The one I discovered that looked most interesting was Daughter of Statues by new author Phil McGrail. Thus, with a rather unsettled feeling I purchased it and had it sent in. After completion and contemplation, it appears that my fears were really all for nothing.

The story begins with Kae, a little girl who is content to live a quite life near the forests with her parents and her grandfather. Until one day when the crazed king of her land bursts from the horizon and confuses everything she thought she knew.

Suddenly, her grandfather is revealed as a magician who will do anything to protect his secret from the abuses of the king. Kae watches in horror as the trusted man transforms her parents and himself into statues, all the while signaling for her to escape. She runs into the forest and there her adventures begin. She must follow a string of clues and legends to a near-mythical castle on the edge of the sunset, where the secret of her family's liberation is waiting to be discovered. But at what cost?

This novel read very much like an old-fashioned fable (as the cover suggested), with familiar lessons and fantastic creatures. This is accompanied by quaint-ish writing and some fun dialogue. But creative worlds within worlds and challenges separated it from many stories in the fantasy/legend genre. It is obvious that the author put a great deal of work into the many details of his new universe, known as Lanofar. The main character, Kae, is a constant surprise and very well developed. I look forward to reading her further adventures in the next couple of books, which I will be looking out for.

While it is apparent that this self-published author is new to the scene, I expect good things in the future. I think that there is a lot of promise in the story of Kae and I hope that he acts upon it.

I bestow... 5 out of 7 lightnings. KRACHASHAW! Not too shabby.

Glancing Warily at Rocks,

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

2008-06-08T09:23:00.000-07:00

Woah.

Marcus/w1n5t0n is one of the decades most promising hackers. Too bad he can't come up with anything more interesting than jamming the school so he can play his favorite game with friends. But that all changes when his beloved city, San Francisco, is attacked by terrorists and Marcus and crew are found in the wrong place at the wrong time. They are rounded up by the DHS (Department of Homeland Security) and taken away to a secret headquarters, where they are brutally questioned and their rights are violated. When our hero is once again released into the city, everything has changed. Everyone is a potential terrorist and subject to a loss of privacy. Marcus realizes the power of the DHS as corrupt and must struggle with the complete faith of some citizens as well as the mindless rebellion of others.

Finally putting his skills to good use, Marcus constructs an entire society using a version of an X-Box Live. In the new underground resistance, M1k3y (Marcus) begins to take down the DHS from the inside out. And soon, he has started something that will change all the people involved forever.

Cory Doctorow is a relatively new voice in young adult fiction. And I certainly hope that he continues to write the equivalent of Little Brother. Although, I'm not sure the quality and sheer awesomeness of this book is even reproducible. I COMPLETELY loved it. Allow me to tell you why.

The characters are fantastic and three dimensional, their actions acting complexly together to create a web of coincidence and occurrence. If Joe has a secret, Suzy has a bigger one that could potentially endanger Joe. This novel went head on with split loyalties and double-agents, as well as discerning between righteous anger and adolescent rebellion. The protagonist struggles with basic problems (girls, friends, parents, etc.) while creating a new society, almost single-handedly. Plus, he is humorous and extremely likable (especially because the book is in 1st person).

What to say for the plot? It was one of the most creative and intriguing/intense things I have read in a very long time. It wasn't shy to use the very real fears of today and turn them into a possible future. Think the 1984 of 2008 (Wait? You haven't read 1984? Gogogo!). Mystery and suspense combined with lots of very cool tech-talk, plus a slight bit of romance.

What else to say? I really loved this book. Completely typhonic. I grant 7 out of 7 lightnings! (+ Far too many sound effects to count).

Reading it again *sheepish*

Interview with the Amazing Melissa Marr

2008-06-01T06:09:00.000-07:00

Recently I had the opportunity to interview Melissa Marr, author of Wicked Lovely and Ink Exchange. My comments are in red. *Note* Ignore the weird box thing above, I can't get it to go away. *yells at Blogger... Blogger cowers and promises to be good*

1.) Forgive me for asking the generic interview question, but what got you interested in writing?

I've been interested in writing since the 6th grade when my English teacher, Sister Elaine Peters, gave me a poetry journal and told me to go write. I wrote poetry through college (mostly just for myself) and then set it aside in graduate school to focus on teaching. I was afraid to pursue it as I heard how impossible it was to make a career of it, so it wasn't until I was about 30 that (with my spouse's continued encouragement) I decided to take a couple years and give it a try.

2.) I hear that you like tattoos. How many do you have? Are you planning on getting any more? Do you have a favorite tattoo artist?

I have three. One is in progress (my backpiece). Another (the first one, a vine with flowers that encircles my torso) is being re-coloured & extended further. Yes, I'm planning on continuing to get art when it feels right. Currently, my artist is Paul Roe (owner and founder of BritishinkDC), but there are other artists whose work find enthralling. I adore Paul, and he's the right person for the art I'm doing right now. . . just as Hunter was the right man for my first art.

3.) What does your dream house look like?

Ugh. I don't want a house. Ever. We move regularly, & every time we discuss buying a house but the idea of that sort of anchor fills me with terror.

4.) Do you own many books? Which ones are your favorites?

I own an obscene number of books (much to my movers dismay every few years). I go through the shelves every year and donate a few boxes, but I still have piles and overflowing shelves. My favourites are 1) a copy of classic poetry my mother gave me when I was in middle school (held together by a rubberband), 2) a book of fairy tales from my Gramma (printed in 1902 and inscribed with her name by her hand when she was a child) and 3) a book of Aesop's Fables that my uncle gave me when I was about 6 years old. Those don't get boxed up. I carry them with me when I move.

Mmm, good idea... wish I owned books with that much history.

5.) If you weren't writing YA fantasy, what would you be doing?

I suspect that I'd be teaching lit and language at university. That's what I did before this, & I miss it a lot. Teaching is an amazing experience. There are other things I'd like to try too, but right now, I'd be teaching if not for writing.

6.) Did you base your characters off of anyone you know?

Aside from Grams, all the characters are straight-up fiction. In retrospect, I can see fingerprints of different people I've known on some characters, but that wasn't intentional. Grams, however, very intentionally has some of my grandmother's personality . . . bc I think she's the coolest woman I've ever known and I wanted other people to get a glimpse of her.

7.) What was the last book you read? How was it?

Well, I won't do "Most recent" as I only own up to reading a book if I enjoy it. The past few haven't done it for me, so I'll go with the most recent I've enjoyed. I read Charlaine Harris' latest Sookie novel just recently, and I enjoyed it a great deal. I've been a fan of Harris' Sookie books (& her earlier mystery series) for years. I love how she's not just one genre, and of course, the Southern atmosphere continues to thrill me. . . and the worldbuilding.

In YA, my two most recent reads that I'd put in the favourite list is THE FOREST OF HANDS & TEETH by Carrie Ryan (out in 09) and I WANNA BE YOUR JOEY RAMONE by Stephanie Kuehnert (out in July). Very different books, but both were ones I'm still raving over. I'm pre-ordering these for friends, & I'm giving away copies of IWBYJR on my blog.

Hmm... *makes mental note to check that out*

8.) I'm sure you've received numerous good reviews. Are there any that particularly stick out in your mind?

The books have had some very sweet reviews (including starred reviews), but I'm less concerned with reviews than with readers' responses. I don't write for reviewers. A reader in Texas came to my signing & said something that made every fear and doubt about the books vanish. That's the important thing for me. Readers like her. The other part is nice, and I am grateful that so many reviewers have "got" the books. . . but all the reviews in the world don't equal the readers whose books these were meant to be.

9.) What do you do to overcome writer's block?

I don't believe in writer's block, so I'm not sure how to answer. There are times a story needs to simmer, and there are times it flows. Both are part of the process. I just try to let my muse do her thing.

10.) Tempests, whirlwinds, or typhoons?

Hmmm. My favourite storms are rainshowers. The other sorts can cost lives, so I'm not particularly keen on them. If I could have the edge of a Tropical Storm without loss of life (ocean animal or human), I'd go with that. I walked along the beach during the early winds of a Tropical Storm & it was amazing. The air was alive; the sand had teeth. Very very exciting . . .

11.) So… Wicked Lovely, Ink Exchange…. what's next?

Harper bought 4 more novels. The third one (which was called Enthralled but is tentatively re-titled to Fragile Eternity) comes out in 09. It's a sequel to WL (yes, that means more Seth). I have some other things coming out too. In Fall 08, I have a story in the LOVE IS HELL anthology (supernatural romance stories). In 09, I also have my first manga (DESERT FEY) and a story in an adult short story anthology.

Oh yay! I'll have to keep my eye out for those.

It seems we have come to the end of another delightful interview. I would like to thank Ms. Marr for taking the time to answer my questions.

From the Shadows,

Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr

2008-06-01T05:37:00.000-07:00

I was overjoyed when I learned that our almost pathetically limited library was shipping in Ink Exchange, the newest novel by Wicked Lovely author, Melissa Marr. It was worth borrowing from Aella to read and review (how she always gets on the hold list before me I will never know...).

First of all, Ink Exchange is not the sequel to Wicked Lovely though it does take place in the same world and shares characters with the novel. However, I would like to recommend reading Wicked Lovely first. It's much easier to understand what's going on in Ink Exchange that way.

Ink Exchange tells Leslie's story. Haunted by the past, Leslie tries to maintain the facade of familial perfection, even when that means paying the cable bills out of her own pocket or "helping" her brother when he gets low on drug money. When she isn't working or at school she often lurks around Rabbit's tattoo shop, Pins and Needles. The one thing that Leslie thinks will help her reclaim her body and sense of self is the perfect tattoo, which comes in the form of an intricate winged eye design. Rabbit warns our heroine that tattoos can change people more than she ever thought, but Leslie plunges forward, now the test subject of an Ink Exchange with Irial, King of the Dark Court.

Throughout the novel, I felt Leslie's aversion to drugs of all sorts and was sickened when she became the drug. The dark fey were wonderfully malicious and intrigued me to no end. Their shadowy ways and interesting source of sustenance was a far cry from the Summer Court, which seemed almost tame in comparison.

Ink Exchange is awarded 6 out of 7 lightnings *insert sound effects here* for being a deliciously intoxicating read.

From the Shadows,

The Taker by JM Steele

2008-05-26T15:48:00.000-07:00

If Aella Siofra were to read the back of a novel entitled The Taker at the library and find it interesting, then take it home for the process of reading, would she find said novel:

(a) interesting and funny
(b) overblown and depressing
(c) clever and fast-paced, while including the attributes of (a)
(d) dull and unconvincing

Answer: (c)

Carly Biels is a legacy. At least she will be if she makes it into Princeton, the college of her dreams. And why wouldn't she? Her grades are excellent, her father has influence, and her social life is blooming. But all that comes crashing down when her mental block towards test-taking catches up with her in the most important exam of her high-school career. The SAT. After having tanked the most highly regarded college entrance assessment in the United States, Carly is desperate and will do almost anything to restore her position on the fast-track to Princeton. So when she receives a mysterious message signed by a shady figure known only as "The Taker", she agrees to his terms. He'll get her within 150 points of perfect on the exam... if she does exactly what he tells her.

One part of the agreement is that Carly continue to study. That way, it will look less suspicious when her score climbs 500 points in a few short weeks. It seems the only way to carry on is to hire a tutor. EVEN if it's the school geek, Ronald Gross (rhymes with "floss"). EVEN if said school geek is completely in love with her. EVEN if that might call forth complications with her boyfriend, the captain of the school lacrosse team. But through the weeks of interactive learning, Carly discovers there is more to Ron/Ronnie/Ronald than meets the eye. With his help, she is rapidly and visibly improving. But when there is no need for The Taker any longer, getting out of the pact is harder than she had expected. Even impossible. And as the search for The Taker is stepped up, Carly begins to wonder- will the desperation of her past keep her from having any future at all?

I really enjoyed this novel. The plot moved along quickly and in a perfectly plausible fashion. And if you've been through high school (or are still in it), you can completely relate to the emotions and stresses of Carly's every day life. JM Steele encompassed every element of life, including (but not limited to): friends, boy/girlfriends, stress, tests, road blocks, expectations, failure, and secrets. Carly dealt with her problems through humor and quick thinking, although she sometimes found herself saying or doing things she didn't mean to. This was a surprisingly human and excellent part of her character. I really cared about how she would end up, and was crossing my fingers that the repercussions of The Taker (the character) wouldn't be too horrible.

Not to mention the continuous plot twists. The ending was one big firework of ????WHAT???? And that's really all I can say to keep from ruining the story. My one complaint is that Carly stayed with her imbecilic, Neanderthal boyfriend for as long as she did. It made me lose a little bit of respect for her, if it was ever so small an amount. All the same, I would recommend this book as a great beach read, anytime read, or fast paced in-the-car/on-the-bus on the way to school/work read (might take a few of those to finish it - and please don't read and drive at the same time).

6.5 out of 7 for an intriguing and clever YA novel that should be more popular than it is.

Looking for Other JM Steele books and Still in Ending-Shock,

Siberia by Ann Halam

2008-05-22T19:02:00.000-07:00

Sloe is hardened, bitter, and completely alone in the world. But things weren't always that way. Once, she was Rosita- a happy and curious child entranced by the chill and rustic appliances of the Settlement plains. But the final part of that hopeful little girl died when her scientist mother disappeared/was arrested. The woman's sudden missing status catapults 13-year-old Sloe into a world of anger, fear, fairy tale, and a forbidden science her mother has made her swear to protect.

She must make a difficult and arduous journey and escape from a vile academy, the slave trade, a traitorous angel, and everything she has allowed herself to become. Lugging a lab kit and years of Siberia grown shell, Sloe ventures bravely across the ices and into a conspiracy much greater than herself. Can one person protect a world-changing secret, even against the all-seeing eyes of the government? And the fragile creatures growing in her portable chemistry kit... are they beings of science or magic?

I knew by page 150 that there was no longer any hope for me. The plot was complex to a point where it descended into near complete confusion. My brain spent so much time trying to use the descriptions of animals and things and give them manifestation in the real world, that it could barely focus on the struggles of the characters. Due to Sloe's hard exterior, I had nearly given up on her by the page mentioned above and was very pleased to see her soften and learn just shortly after. But it was almost too late. After completing the story, I am satisfied with the character development, but not truly happy.

All the same, there was great redemption to be found in Ann Halam's beautiful writing. I knew that from the Prologue. Her descriptions of "Siberia" are brilliant and the landscape is laid right before you as you read. For this fact I both completed the novel and reconsidered my rating.

4 out of 7 Lightnings. Square in the middle, I believe. And that's where this novel sat. It wasn't bad or all that disappointing. Nor was it excellent and laudable. It was good. Just good.

Pleased? and Still Trying to Comprehend,

An Interview with the Incredibly Fantastic, Chris Wooding

2008-05-16T18:41:00.001-07:00

I got to interview one of my favorite authors, Chris Wooding! He has written (in case you haven't read them... if you haven't then I command you to go pillage a bookstore... or plunder a library... honestly, just get them) The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray, Poison, Storm Thief, The Braided Path, and others. I might have commented occasionally.

1.) Where do you get your inspiration for the various, fantastic worlds you have created?

I don't think anyone knows where their inspiration comes from, really. I don't need to go looking for inspiration: it's always there, I just have to channel it into something that I can create. I suppose I was inspired to write because I was so colossally bored throughout most of my childhood that making things up was more interesting than dealing with what was there. I just like the process of putting worlds and stories together and making them work.

2.) Are you ever tempted to write more about your characters like Rail and Moa, or Poison?

Not really. Once I've told the story of a character it's easier to make up a new one than to find something interesting to say about one that already exists. I generally don't rule out sequels but every one I've done so far has been planned from the start.

And I think I can speak for all of us readers when I say we appreciate it. There's nothing quite as unpleasant as an unplanned series... except maybe swallowing a porcupine.

3.) Who were your favorite authors as a kid?

I guess the usual ones: Stephen King, Terry Brooks, Tolkien, that sort of thing. It wasn't till I got older that I started finding books that weren't already bestsellers.

4.) If you could own any vehicle, what would it be?

Hmm. Something fast, with front mounted rocket launchers and a chameleon ability. And it has to have a toaster in it. I like to have English muffins while I'm sowing havoc on the roadways.

Who doesn't?

5.) Do you ever run into fans in weird places?

Usually it happens at conventions. Conventions are weird places, so yes!

6.) Read any good books lately?

Just finished Augusten Burroughs' Dry, and before that it was J.R. Moehringer's (sp?) The Tender Bar, which was brilliant. Both memoirs about alcoholism, oddly. I'm in a memoir-reading phase at the moment. I read so much fantasy and SF as a kid that I find it quite hard to read nowadays unless it's utterly amazing or really original.

7.) *inner artist fights way into interview* Out of all of your books, which one do you think has the best cover?

Of the UK covers, I'd say probably The Weavers Of Saramyr. I really liked that one. Although I really love The Fade too. I just got a Russian copy of Storm Thief that had a superb cover; I wish we'd had it for the UK one!

Argh, I did try to find pictures of those, but I can't tell which ones are which... and now blogger won't let me un-italicize this...

8.) *shamelessly steals question from Aella* Have you ever done anything absurd to procrastinate writing?

Nothing too absurd apart from the usual stuff (you know, talking to sthingys, drinking a thousand cups of coffee and getting the jitters, creating random playlists on iTunes etc). I'm pretty strict with myself when it comes to writing, I don't let myself mess around. If I was your boss, you'd hate me.

9.) Do you have any favorite words?

Abscission is right up there. I'm dying to work it into a book without sounding pretentious.

Wow, that's a good one. You do use some other great words in your books, too *coughmaelstromcough*

10.) Maelstroms, tempests, or whirlwinds?

Maelstroms. I always used to imagine them as a whirlwind of letters and parcels when I was a kid, so I'm quite fond of them.

Excellent choice.

11.) Are you writing anything exciting right now?

I'm about halfway through The Ace Of Skulls, which is the first of a new series of adult SF/fantasy books. It's tons of fun so far. I'm also working on a fledgeling television series with a couple of producers, but that's all hush-hush for the moment.

--------------------

Alright, well that's another splendid interview. I am so glad that all of these amazing authors can take the time to talk to us. *cries* Thank you!

From the Shadows,

Death By Bikini by Linda Gerber

2008-05-14T17:43:00.001-07:00

Before I begin, I must add a great big HAPPY RELEASE DAY!!!- to The fabulous Linda Gerber, author of the book reviewed here. So everyone be sure to check out her blog for all sorts of release day news (*whisper* and book give-aways). So with no further gilding the lily or further ado... I give you the Maelstrom review of Death By Bikini.

Aphra Behn is your not-so-average teen girl. She lives with her father on a tropical island resort in the middle of nowhere and serves prolific celebrities every day. Everything is on the hush-hush on the island, from new and famous romances to messy breakups. But the arrival of the Smith family is oddest. They don't appear to be registered and have been placed in a villa still under construction. All is not well in paradise. To make matters worse, a visitor has just been discovered on the beach, bikini strings fastened too tight around her neck and stone... cold... dead. Aphra's father may blame the macabre event on the unpredictable surf, but our heroine knows better. And she'll go to great lengths to find out the why of the Smiths, the who of the killer, and the mysterious identity behind the mother she thought was lost.

This novel was a great beach read. The characters were almost as intense as the plot and they all had secrets. From the very beginning, I was as determined as Aphra to figure them out. Aphra was an excellent character, with completely real emotions and a fantastic deductive mind. I don't think I predicted one plot twist through the entire thing and was surprised at every turn. It made my plane ride go by so quickly I could barely comprehend that it was over as we landed. Ms. Gerber's humor is quick and every so often the person sitting next to me would look over with a mask of concern at my outbursts of laughter. My only major complaint on this entire read is that it ended so abruptly and I can not imagine how I will survive the wait until the release of its sequel, Death By Latte (September 4th!). So what are you waiting for? Death By Bikini comes out today! Gogogo! Get a copy!

6.7 for this escape of a suspense novel! KWASHAAA!! zap.

Never Wearing a Two-Piece Again,

Chasing Windmills by Catherine Ryan Hyde

2008-05-08T18:44:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you've all read the sort of book that makes your chest feel tight with unspent breath in light of a character's plight. But this entire novel made me feel like that, tapping into emotions I hadn't used when reading a book for quite some time. And that's only one of the many things that made Chasing Windmills brilliant.

Sebastian's father is deeply disturbed. He has kept his only son fenced in the apartment for years, even going as far as to home school him for protection. But Sebastian has come to an age where he is not to be cowed any longer. He dares to risk the outside world and the friendship of an old woman in the neighborhood, while exploring the Big Apple on the dark subways at night. It's on those very tracks that he meets the sad and beautiful Maria.

Maria has problems of her own (although they exist as a very different sort). She's in her early 20s with two small children, no job, and a boyfriend who has yet to marry her, despite a veeeery long engagement. But when that same boyfriend becomes abusive, she is tested to her limits in order to choose a better life for herself and her children. It takes a horrible injury to bring her to see sense. But even through the pain of her betrayal and ribs she is still mulling over the mysterious and charming boy from the subway. Could he heal her and clear the distorted version of affection she has lived for so long? And if he offers her liberty, all the way across America, will she have the courage to take it?

The protagonists of Catherine Ryan Hyde's novel were beautiful and remarkably layered. I felt the individual pains and challenges of both as strong as their friends and family who, unlike many books, were more than supporting characters in their reactions and depth. Maria's story- a particularly heartbreaking one- brought tears to my eyes on several occasions. Even as someone watching from the outside, it was difficult and yet all too easy to remember the abuses exacted on many every day. Maria was the manifestation of those helpless ones, and held a beacon of hope throughout the story. The constant message of freedom was there and hugely impacted the entire experience.

Another splendid thing about this story (other than Ms. Hyde's positively brilliant writing) was that it was familiar and new at the same time. Like Romeo and Juliet or West Side Story, it was a tale of "star crossed" lovers and the tragedies that pursued them. But presented in such a modern way, the entire story was much easier to follow and just as epic.

I highly recommend this novel with the very rare, very elusive...*Drum roll* 7 out of 7 lightnings! ZIIIIING! SHOOM! CRACK!

In Pursuit of Odyssey,

An Interview with the Marvelous Cinda Williams Chima

2008-05-06T16:07:00.000-07:00

In case the title didn't spell it out for you, I recently interviewed Cinda Williams Chima, author of The Warrior Heir, The Wizard Heir, and The Dragon Heir (which I can't wait to read). Aella reviewed The Warrior Heir, and I reviewed The Wizard Heir a while ago. Well, I don't want to keep you waiting or anything. Here it is:

Note: I may have inserted occasional comments.

1.) What was your first published piece of writing?

I published an essay about my son’s love of sports in the Plain Dealer (Cleveland newspaper). The first fiction I published was The Warrior Heir!

2.) Did you have a favorite book as a child? Do you have one now?

That's like choosing among my children. I remember loving Old Yeller and Charlotte's Web and Beverly Cleary books when I was really small. My parents had friends with teenage daughters that had shelves and shelves of Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys and I used to borrow them by the sack. Later, I loved Lord of the Rings. That was my first fantasy hit.

*Cheers* Lord of the Rings!

3.) What do you do when you’re not writing?

My husband would say I’m always writing. I read. Sleep. Work my day job (I teach at a university, but I’m leaving to write full time.) I also like to garden and weave and hope to get back to that.

4.) Do you have any favorite quotes?

There’s one from Tolkien that I use in presentations that says that stories grow out of the leafmold of the mind.

5.) Have you ever thought about writing a Wikipedia entry?

No, I don’t really understand how to do that. Someone has posted about Warrior Heir, which is great, but there’s a big spoiler in there and I wish someone would go in and take the spoiler out (and leave the entry). Maybe I’ll figure it out after I leave the day job.

I've often wondered who actually writes the entries for Wikipedia...
6.) Are there any books that you strongly feel people should read?

The Warrior Heir, The Wizard Heir, and the Dragon Heir. 
It’s hard to make a general statement because there are so many books and so many different appetites for reading. True fantasy fanatics should read the LOTR because Tolkien created the archtypes for so much of what we see in fantasy today.

Mmmm, the Lord of the Rings is on my list, too. Right next to Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams and the Dark Elf Trilogy by R. A. Salvatore.

7.) Out of all the guilds (Enchanter, Sorcerer, Wizard, Warrior) which would you be if you had the choice?

I’d have to be a wizard, because wizards shape magic with words.

8.) Which of your books do you think has the best cover art?

I love them all, but I’d have to say The Dragon Heir. I love dragons.

I would have to agree with you. It's quite fabulous.

9.) Ok, multiple choice time *shamelessly stolen from B*
What should you get when you divide zero by zero?
a) 0 (Zero over anything is zero.)
b) Undefined (Anything over zero is undefined.)
c) 1 (Anything over itself is 1.)
d) 42 (The answer to the ultimate question is 42.)

Excuse me?

I'm confused by that too... but the scifi geek in me screams "42"

10.) Typhoons, hurricanes, or cyclones?

Typhoons. They sound so exotic and dangerous.

11.) Want to tell us a little about The Dragon Heir? Please?

The main viewpoint characters this time are Jason and Madison. But all the other characters have major roles onstage. There is a massive battle scene at the end. One of my favorite characters dies.
Also, if you haven’t seen it, the first chapter is posted to my Website. www.cindachima.com

In other news, I’ve signed a contract with Hyperion for a new fantasy series, first book tentatively titled The Demon King. There’s some info about that at my site.

I haven't actually seen the first chapter yet. I'll have to go check that out. I'm so glad that Jason is one of the main characters this time, he's amazing.
-------------------------------------------------

Well, I would like to extend my thanks for the interview and I hope that everyone enjoyed reading it.

From the Shadows,

Dingo by Charles de Lint

2008-05-04T17:53:00.000-07:00

Charles de Lint paved the road for contemporary/urban fantasy. And his most recent novel, Dingo, received the World Fantasy Award. My only question is...why?

Dingoes are wolf-dogs that are native to Australia. But that is the last piece of trivia on Miguel's mind when the beautiful and sun-swept Lainey walks into his dad's music shop. All Miguel can think about is "why in the world would a girl like this be flirting with a guy like me." His shock is enough to carry him through a whirlwind three days of she likes me-she likes me not mind games. And when his infatuation turns into loyalty he must test the boundaries of his belief to the supernatural world and back. Because Lainey has a sister named Em. And Em is a dog (technically, a dingo). Surprise surprise. Lainey is TOO! *collective gasp from crowd* On the run from a creepy ancient sacrifice requiring their blood, they can only be saved by betrothal. And Miguel is Lainey's lucky man.

Dingo was very short, the sort of book you might overlook as a juvenile read. But it most certainly is not. Random acts of swearing pop up here and there, as well as some crude comments (mostly about women) from a bully protagonist. But those weren't really my major complaints with the story. Miguel and Lainey fell for each other too fast, the action was too quick, and all the history and details seemed to be crushed together to allow for time. To synopsize: Sprintaroundindizzylove... stop/fight ancient creature.... sprintaroundsomemoreindizzylove...The end. I honestly feel that this book could have been much more enjoyable if prolonged and am somewhat disappointed in Mr. de Lint's latest creation.

4.5 out of 7 Lightnings for this light, afternoon read.

Perusing the local pound,

The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean

2008-05-01T12:31:00.000-07:00

Another intense novel. Wow. Two huge impact books with Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings sandwiched in with my reading time between. I am obviously humor starved.

Me: Whatever shall I do?

Inner Aella: Why, write a review and get that cloying tensity outoutout.
Me: AH! Of course!

Sym has an imaginary friend. So what if she's 14 years old? Titus is the only steady thing in her life. She can depend on him and his past to stay the same. For once, Titus, better known as Captain Scott of the Shackleton Expedition, almost made it to the southerly most point of the world. Unfortunately, the endeavor failed and he died, only to return as the comforting (and 125 year old) figment in a broken girl's mind.

So when Sym's genius of an uncle (Victor) proposes a trip to Paris, who is she to turn him down? And when her mother's passport mysteriously disappears, who is Sym to question how it occurred? But there is more than meets the eyes to Victor's day ride into France. Oh no. Soon Sym finds herself on a trip to Antarctica with celebrities, scientists, and a very attractive Viking-boy. There, her bond with Titus grows and is sorely tested when everything goes awry (or maybe they were meant to go awry *eyebrow raise*). Dead captain or no, she must keep her wits about her in the barren land that has come to be known as the Ice. And even when surrounded by the mirages of ice and sun that blur the edges of her focus, the choice is clear. Fight for her life above all else. Or die.

The White Darkness received the Printz award this year and was completely engrossing on a psychological level. Sym's character is complex, bearing enough originality to maintain my attentions through the entire first-person work. And yet, at the same time, I was struggling to believe her sanity. Why does she not notice her Uncle is a nutter from the very beginning? At times, I was worried that perhaps I wouldn't be able to enjoy her character because she wasn't giving the appearance of being especially bright. But at the conclusion of the novel, I was happy I had stuck with it. I realized her ignorance is the product of mental blocks she has developed to preserve herself.

Ms. McCaughrean's novel is excellently researched and at times, chilling (no pun intended). Her descriptions of the poles are dark and beautiful and the experiences of the explorers as they succumb to the blinding white of the snow and the killing cold are written realistically. It seems almost as if the author herself had experienced such things in an earlier time.

But if you're looking for a swashbuckling adventure story, this isn't it. An afternoon of quiet time will be needed to absorb every element. And, like what lies beneath the ice of Antarctica, there is much more to the story than meets the eye. Some key elements are easily missed if the reader so much as skips a page. But I don't think that will be a problem. You'll want to read every piece of the incredible description and startling twists.

I bestow upon this novel a 6 out of 7 lightnings (and a prize for longest review)! Expect more reviews than ever from the Maelstrom in the months to come.

In Pursuit of Odyssey,

P.S. Has anyone read any exceptionally humorous books lately? As I said before, my mindset is in a constant shade of gray from the sort of reading material I have been consuming of late. Comment Away!

sings It's the end of the world as we know it

2008-04-26T17:07:00.000-07:00

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer is a story about a normal girl with normal high-school problems. Well, not really, but that's how it starts. Miranda has a lot to deal with (*ominously* or so she thinks...). She has to convince her mother to let her take up ice-skating again, the sport that she loves. Her Dad wants her to be the godmother of his second wife's baby. She tries not to let her two best friends (Sammi who has a new boyfriend every week and the disturbingly god-obsessed Megan) drive her crazy. On top of that, she has to bring up her failing math grades. All while listening to the repetitive ravings about the meteor that will hit the moon in a short time. It's all anyone can talk about, and frankly, Miranda is sick of it.

However, this event quickly transforms from the harmless, tell-your-grandchildren moment to a disaster. The meteor hits the moon, but in the process, knocks it closer to Earth. This sets up for tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanoes world wide with no end in sight. Everything has become complete chaos. Gas prices skyrocket to around $12 a gallon (if you can get it at all). Food is scarce and soon the temperature starts to drop drastically. Miranda and her family soon learn that to survive they have to work together and put family above all else. Even then, they might not make it through...

I have to say, even though I don't usually go for the diary-style of writing I found this book really easy to get into. It was written very well and actually affected me. When I had to put it down to eat lunch, I got to the table and thought "woah, we have food". It even got to the point that I felt really cold. As in, it was 80 outside and I was sitting in my living room covered in a blanket, reading this book.

All in all, I give Life as We Knew It a 5 out of 7.

From the Shadows,

Chanda's Wars by Allan Stratton

2008-04-25T08:59:00.000-07:00

A more serious review from the Maelstrom for a more serious novel. After reading Mr. Stratton's book I have gained a precious insight into the trials of a nation and time torn by poverty and internal abuses.

Six months have passed since the untimely death of Chanda’s mother. Alone, but for a misfit group of friends on her street, she must raise her siblings (aged 5 and 6). All the same, motherhood is a difficult occupation and it isn’t long until she must run to the family that once betrayed her when she had need of them most. But there are more dangers out in the bush than relational dystrophy. Rwanda is split down the middle by a horrific civil war. When the cruel general Mandiki kidnaps Chanda’s brother and sister, she must summon all of her bravery and courage to save them from a horrific life as child soldiers in the rebel army.

Chanda’s Wars was written with a great deal of passion. And truly, that is the only way to write a novel dealing with such enormous (and real) issues. While not among the best-written books I have ever read, the story it tells is important enough that it should be read to educate if not to entertain. Some scenes of graphic violence (many involving children) may be found disturbing. But the ultimate redemption of this novel was in Chanda. This character is unforgettable in her strength and drive and her simple, bold understanding of complex matters is inspiring.

I bestow 6.5 lightnings on this novel and encourage you to find and read it at the earliest convenience.

Somewhat Subdued but Inspired,

*Aella Siofra*

*Edit- It appears that there is a book preceding this in Chanda's story, known as Chanda's Secrets. I was not aware of its existence when reading the sequel and believe anyone to be fully capable of reading Chanda's Wars without first reading Secrets. Sorry for any inconvenience.*Aella*

The She by Carol Plum-Ucci

2008-04-17T13:36:00.000-07:00

I first picked up this book because it looked creepy. Even the title foretold shudders. And who doesn't want to read a good suspense novel when they're sick? But, once again, Carol Plum-Ucci surprised me with her mind bending approach and multi-layered plot.

Evan is just getting over the death of his parents and beginning to push the mysterious occurrences surrounding the event to the back of his mind. And his big brother (now guardian) is helping. Eight years of repressing memories and avoiding belief in a sea man's superstition known only as "The She". But one school project has the power to change all that. When Evan must help a mean girl of the first degree he discovers that they might have more in common than he'd thought and that there might be more to the disappearance of his parents than anyone had ever dared admit.

This book was written with suspense and a great deal of emotion. By the core of the story I felt that I was relating very well to nearly all of the characters and could focus on the twisting plot. And the ultimate mystery at the end was simply the perfect conclusion (but shhh... I can't tell you anymore). My one complaint with the novel came near the end with a plot event that didn't really feel necessary or all that pertinent to the bigger action going on at the time.

6 out of 7 lightnings. BANG ZAP KACHING! And a resounding cheer for the first MySpace review from the Whirlwinds. (*Note* This review was first published a few days ago on the new Maelstrom myspace page)

Studying up on sea superstitions (there certainly are alot of them),

*Aella*

The Wizard Heir

2008-04-12T13:07:00.000-07:00

Seeing as Aella is recovering from a disease that is fondly known as The Plague, I'm reviewing a book. Said book is called the Wizard Heir (sequel to the Warrior Heir, which Aella reviewed a while ago... *scrolls through numerous pages* a really long time ago) by Cinda Williams Chima.

Seph grows up, well, kind of all over the place. Canada, Europe, you get the picture. It's not that Seph and schools don't get along... ok, yes it is. He occasionally (by which I mean quite frequently) has outbursts of a strange and often devastating nature. Yes, Seph is a wizard, big surprise. When he accidentally burns down a local hangout, his guardian (mysterious unknown type of guardian) has to call in the lawyers to get Seph off the hook. Seph is then sent to a private school in Maine.

At first everything seems ok, until Seph notices that all of the students are terrified of the headmaster, Gregory Leicester. The no-eye-contact-ever-do-what-you're-told-without-complaint kind of terrified. When Seph refuses to join a secret cult of Alumni led by the headmaster, he learns why everyone lives in a state of perpetual fear.

The first part of the novel was great. The creepy, everything-is-out-of-my-control eeriness is fawesome (reminded me of Raven's Gate, kind of), but once that feeling was gone I lost interest a little. Just a little. All around it was a wonderful book, and I give it 5.5 out of 7 lightnings *thunder crashes*

{Imagine magnificent flashing lightning graphic here, it's done I swear... I just have to configure it for blog usage}

From the Shadows,

~Medeia Senka~

The Red Thread by Roderick Townley

2008-04-09T18:14:00.000-07:00

Dana has terrible nightmares. Dark dreams of tombs, betrayal, and a sneering man. Her only release from a constant terror of sleep is photographing everything in sight, even if her artistic talent isn't registered on every elitist's scale (*cough* cruel school girl *cough*). And the night is only one of her problems. She also has to deal with a paralyzed brother, a confusing relationship, and a psychotherapist who might need professional help of his own. But then sleep begins to leak into day and visions pursue her from the streets of Portsmouth, New Hampshire to the cobbles of London. People she once knew. Happenings she once was present for. And a murder she might have committed.

I am very sad for this book. The plot and characters had so much potential, but fell short of my expectations. But suspenseful moments peppering the storyline were enough to keep me from putting this novel down. Also there were nagging questions, some of which continued unsolved even after the last page turned. But the protagonist is difficult to like and important plot points are skimmed over with juvenile writing style and inconsistencies. Chase and Dana appear to be friends in the beginning and suddenly they are kissing. Crippled Ben goes from mature and intelligent to not understanding anything in the least. Another great flaw was found in the detail of place. The cities of Portsmouth and London are described by streets and landmarks that make no sense to the casual reader who has not visited the places or seen a map of them (myself included).

Ultimately, I would not recommend this novel unless there was truly nothing of value to read in the general vicinity. 3 out of 7 lightnings for the book that tried and failed on most levels.

Reading Up on Calvinism,
Aella Siofra

National Poetry Month

2008-04-05T09:49:00.000-07:00

An epic challenge! A valiant cause! Seek this link to the ends of the earth and accept thine reward. One of fuzzy feelings and a deep sense of accomplishment!

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

2008-03-28T07:06:00.000-07:00

Third person present. Third person present. I had great difficulty getting used to this perspective, but the novel in question proved well worth the effort. Creepy, suspenseful, and thought provoking, Unwind by Neal Shusterman was a surprise from an author I have never taken the time to be particularly familiar with.

In an age not very far along from now, the teens that no one wants are harvested for their organs. Rebellious, deformed, or simply not good enough, they are sent to the infamous Harvest Camps, to be dismembered for the "good of mankind". Connor is a financial liability and his parents sign the forms of release. Risa is a foster home kid with a future in classical piano, but maybe not as much of a future as the next virtuoso. Lev believes firmly in his unwinding, honored by his religion as a Tithe. But their fates collide when Connor shoots his transport (with a tranquilizer) and helps save Lev in the process, Risa pursuing in her interest. Together and apart they find their way through the hazardous days in between them and their 18th birthdays, the age of neutrality.

I really enjoyed this novel. Reminiscent of a futuristic perversion, there were secret hide outs, crazed revolutionaries, and demented medical staff. Connor is a hero in his own right, but his mistakes are glaring reminders at his humanness, while Risa is piecing out what she means to her world. Probably the most fascinating character in the book was Lev. He betrays, kills, searches, and saves at different points, his growth increasingly more involved as the pages turn. Some parts of the story were particularly disturbing, common in a dystopia novel of this subject matter. But a fantastic plot and writing handled inquiries about the value of life and the meaning of death in a sensitive and clever way.

6 out of 7 lightnings. BOOM ZAM SCHWA!

Futuristic Culture Defiant,
*Aella Siofra*

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

2008-03-23T09:56:00.000-07:00

Jenica (Jena for short) and her four sisters are desperately trying to hold the family together in their father's absence. The only escape in a monotonous existence of disappearing funds and vile, power hungry cousins is their monthly adventures in the enchanted groves of the forest that protects their castle. But when the beautiful Tatiana (the eldest) falls for a mysterious Night Person named Sorrow, events begin to spiral out of sensible Jena's control. Father might be dead. Cousin Cezar is slowly but surely gaining control and spreading his radical ideas of destruction. Not to mention her pet frog Gogu's odd behavior. Secrets. Magic. Dark forests (it does take place in old Transylvania) and Disappearances. All elements amount to an artistic fairytale of a novel based on the Grimms' tale of the Twelve Dancing Princesses.

Written in first person, Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier seemed true to the spirit of bedtime stories with its often antiquated speech. But the plot was creative and the characters passionate enough to make you feel overjoyed, dizzy, or repulsed in turns. And every so often a plot twist was thrown in just to pull your feet out from under you in record time. It even tackled important issues, keeping its distance from the danger of becoming a "fluff" book. What is true love? Does it even exist? What would you sacrifice? Sexism and the fear of the unknown (in the form of cousin Cezar) are also prevalent and beaten with sticks until submissive to Jenica's moving character. Unfortunately, some scenes with great promise are weighted down by that great beast after Dickens' own heart... over-description. A shudder passes through the masses.

So I must now set upon this book a 5.5 out of 7 lightnings. Very Good, but not quite excellent. Despite this, I plan on reading the sequel (Cybele's Secret) when it arrives on September 9th of this year. After reading the brief summary on Amazon it looks as if it may even prove to be more interesting than its predecessor. Plus, the cover art is equally pretty.

I Hunt for Covers of Promise,
*Aella Siofra*

'Tis Swordy...

2008-03-11T12:38:00.000-07:00

When the first two pages of a book have to do with rabid animal-types and the cover shows a focused warrior you know that you’ve picked up a sword book. I am perhaps a little obsessed with sword books. These are the novels that have saber/rapier/broadsword/general Drizzt typhonicism. And to add to the brilliant, it was just one element of the first novel in The Twelve Kingdoms series, entitled the Sea of Shadow by Fuyumi Ono.

Thankfully the novel lived up to both cover and sword. Yoko is a somewhat normal Japanese girl (other than that crimson hair), haunted by dreams beyond her comprehension and perfectly satisfied with playing the innocent daughter and gifted schoolmate. But then a strange man arrives, shoves a sword in her hand, touches her foot to his head, and implodes the windows of the teacher’s conference room with a storm of glass shards that leave her hardly scratched. Things will never be the same again.

Yoko finds herself battling it out with demons and transported to a world she doesn’t understand. A world where 12 kingdoms (no. really?) exist that haven’t even heard of Japan and blame the recent destructive storms on Yoko’s arrival. The people appear to speak her language but are decidedly not Japanese in features and want nothing more than to deliver her to the nearest magistrate for a fate worse than death. No one can be trusted. As intrigue builds around our heroine and she seeks out the truth in a universe where children grow on trees, she unknowingly enters into a glorious destiny.

The culture built by Fuyumi Ono is detailed and spun with silver thread into the lore of China and Japan. Impressive fight scenes abound, beautifully described creatures crawl from every page corner, and the heroine develops admirably through the upheaval. Originally written in a manga-like form there is that constant underlying sense of the epic legend, accompanied by fantastic inked drawings that appear every now and again. Happily, the sequel comes out *checks calendar* TOMORROW! If it counts for anything, I am quite eager.

KRRRRRACK! SWHOOM! 6.5 Lightnings out of 7! Cheerz...the sound effects are back!!

I wantz a sword,

*Aella Siofra*

No longer quite so secret...

2008-03-08T16:11:00.000-08:00

I know that you've just been dying to know what the SAP actually is.... Well, I'm actually going to tell you. Ok, not everything, but enough so that you can go find out for yourself. It is no longer called the SAP, but Invictus Verbum (IV for short). They have a forum and a blog *crowd ooh's and aahh's*. IV is run by Kiri, Kyoko, Shizuka, and Aletheia (personal friends of mine and all around fantastic people). It's really very exciting, so you must scurry over and give my regards (and view the artwork... wonder who did that beautiful title banner.... heheh).

Well, I'm not going to tell you everything, go check it out yourself! Oh, wait, you'll need a link won't you...

Click here to see the wonderful Invictus Verbum

From the Shadows,

~Medeia Senka~

P.S. You might even be able to post your own reviews... or so I've heard

And the Next Page Is...Still Boring

2008-03-04T13:45:00.000-08:00

The summary inside seemed promising. As did the [insert small number here] positive reviews to be found on Amazon. Norse gods. The Good Folk. Glimmering Runes. Unfortunately they were promises like those of a big brother. "If you will do my chores for the day I won't invade your bookshelf and de-alphabetize them for at least a week." Now we all know that is a lie. And so was the summary of Runemarks by Joanne Harris. A "romp" it may have been. But your feet barely lift from the mire of bore as you attempt to frolic.

Maddy thrives on magic, a forbidden thing for her time. It is 500 years after the apocalypse-like rise of Chaos and anything unknown is simply ignored. Goblins there may be, but the good folk of Maddy's orderly town refuse to acknowledge the fact. Blame it on the rats. But when Maddy meets a traveler, a mysterious man (?) named One-Eye, her isolated world changes. He teaches her the way of the ancient runes and the legends of the Old People. And when he asks her aide in seeking out the mysterious Whisperer, there can only be trouble awaiting should she even survive the World Beneath to seek her prize.

Maddy's adventures are disjointed and her motives unclear. Is she out for adventure? to seek this Whisperer out for a reason other than One-Eye's cynical ramblings? or simply to get out? Characters appear and disappear in a frustrating display of meaningless and thread-thin connections . Even the protagonists aren't especially interesting and sacrifice depth for half-hearted attempts at wit. Plus (worse and worse), the gods are petulant and weak. I would be personally offended if Loki had been included in the facade, but impact was minimal. This flaw is forgiven. The only interesting part of this 544 page endeavor into the plot-less and vague was the quaint speech of the goblins and their trademark malicious behavior, wreaking havoc and supporting Chaos everywhere they go.

It is quite unlike me to be so very abusive to any novel. But this deserves it. Trust me. It does. 1.5 lightnings and no sound effects to boot.

With the Rare Expression of Disgust,
Aella Siofra

An Interview with drum roll.... Jaclyn Moriarty

2008-02-28T17:11:00.000-08:00

Hello, everyone. Now I get a turn to interview another charming author for your viewing pleasure. Read on (if you dare) and you will find the 10 questions that Aella and I asked the lovely Jaclyn Moriarty.... and some occasional commentary from yours truly (that's in red).

1.) Did you enjoy writing any of your books more than you did the others?
Sometimes, particular characters' voice seem to rush onto the page, surprising me with the things they say. So, that makes writing more enjoyable. That's what happened with the Emily-and-Charlie sections of The Year of Secret Assignments, and with most of Bindy Mackenzie. Also, I wrote four different versions of The Spell Book of Listen Taylor (an earlier version is published as an adult book called I have a Bed Made of Buttermilk Pancakes), and it always seemed to take me into a kind of dreamworld. I loved writing every single draft.
But I think my favourite is going to be the one I'm writing at the moment. Its working title is Shadowgirl, and, so far, I'm having the best time I've ever had writing a book. (Superstitiously speaking, that's a dangerous thing that I just said.)

Oh yeah, you'd better knock on wood, or throw salt, or something!

2.) What do you think is the real reason that most teens don't read for leisure very often?

Their minds work faster than pages turn.

Well, some of them do... but some don't... *points out passing girls who giggle and shriek "OMG lyk this PURSE!"*

3.) What was the most intense thing you ever did to procrastinate novel work?

Have a baby.

Ok, you win.

4.) E-books. What say you?

Okay. But I don't want to read them myself.

5.) Growing up on those rainy days when there wasn't anything to do but read from the collection on your shelf (library's closed), what would you have picked up first?

Any of the Mary Poppins books; and The Phoenix and the Carpet by E. Nesbitt.

6.) What did you want to be as a kid? Were you always on the tracks to being a novelist?

The first thing I wanted to be was an author. Then I wanted to be a school teacher, a flight attendant, an astronomer. For a while I wanted to be a concert pianist, but I have absolutely no ear for music, no sense of rhythm, and I almost failed all of my piano exams. So I became a lawyer.

7.) Okay. Choice making time. Maelstroms, tempests, or whirlwinds * jeopardy music plays lightly *?

That depends. Am I watching the maelstrom/tempest/whirlwind from somewhere safe, or am
I right in the middle of the maelstrom/tempest/whirlwind? If the latter, how powerful is the maelstrom/tempest/whirlwind? If very powerful, I think I would be safest in the middle of a tempest. I could take cover somewhere, whereas, if I was in the middle of a maelstrom/whirlwind, I would be in trouble.

You're right, getting in the middle of any type of big storm (from blizzards to sandstorms) is not a good idea and we here at the Maelstrom would never encourage anyone to seek out said storms and try to harness their energy as a component in a world domination plot... not that I've done that or anything *shifty eyes*

8.) Do you have any wisdom to impart upon the aspiring authors who doth be reading this?

Try not to over-analyse things, the way I did with question (7).Try not to write in the style of
question (8). Try not to show your writing to people who tear it to pieces. Try not to fret if you find you are always changing directions in your writing. I think changing directions is a good thing.Try not to fret about getting published. You have plenty of time. Try to read unusual things such as poetry and science books and biographies. Try eating grapes and peaches while you are writing.

Yumm... grapes and peaches are delicious....

9.) If you could be any kind of animal, what would it be?

Well, I think I would choose a bird of some kind because then I would be able to fly. I think I would like to be some kind of colourful parrot that flies around chatting with other parrots and eating berries and nuts. To be honest, I would do a lot of research, if this was a serious option, to make sure I chose precisely the right kind of bird (eg not one that people are likely to shoot; one that has a beautiful song rather than a squawk; not one that eats worms).

10.) Have you heard of the Super Awesome Project? Shhh.... It's a secret.

And yet, here you are referring to it in a question.

Good answer. Oh, by the way, said Super Awesome Project is no longer known as the Super Awesome project...but it's still fairly secret....

Thank you very much for answering our questions Ms. Moriarty, and I hope you all enjoyed the interview.

From the Shadows,

~Medeia Senka~

Shiny covers...

2008-02-26T09:52:00.001-08:00

I admit it. And not without some level of guilt on my part. I originally picked up this book because the cover was shiny. There. It’s out in the open and I feel positively wretched about the entire thing.

The Hunter’s Moon was a surprise to say the least. I opened it under the impression that I would be finding one of two things. Either the underlying angst of an urban fantasy or the archaic wording of a modern novel trying too hard to bring back a feeling of the past. But O.R. Melling’s book did neither. Instead, it carefully took the oldest legends of the “Good People” and attached a razor.

Cowardly Gwen is more than eager to see her cousin Finndahbair (pronounced Finn-a-veer) in Ireland and begin their planned road trip. But for both girls there is an underlying mission and that is to experience the lore of the Emerald Isle for themselves. Little do they know that the strange occurrences following their travels will lead up to Finn’s kidnapping by the Fairy King. Gwen must pass several devious tests placed before her by the conniving court of Sídhe and form allies both immortal and human to bring her to the ultimate understanding of her task as the sacrifice of the Hunter’s Moon.

The description and writing in this book was beautiful, and in turns, humorous. The glimpse behind the veil is told in simple speech that envelops all time and romanticizes even the most modern of minds. But details such as a crazy driver of a leprechaun and clever allusions to familiar myth balance the story. Another thing greatly enjoyable is the character development, primarily in Gwen. There is certain strength in her character that relates to the capabilities in everyone.

Sadly, there were some instances of cliché young lurve that marred the last 50 pages or so of the story, even in the face of epic battle with the Hunter himself. There is also the chance that some will not attempt to soldier their way through a mire of product placement and irritating “girl talk” found in the very beginning.

So, shiny cover and all, I set upon this novel 4.5 out of 7 Lightnings. Despite its shortcomings I will risk the other books in the series and see if the pitfalls in The Hunter’s Moon can be repaired. Wish me luck.

Somewhat nervous,

*Aella Siofra*

Creepy Glass Eyes...

2008-02-14T13:14:00.000-08:00

After reading this, I doubt if I will ever be able to look at a doll without shuddering somewhat. Although not one for scary books ,I thoroughly enjoyed the eerie sensation of reading this. Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge by Kathryn Reiss never sacrifices quality for blood-baths and sufficiently surprises throughout its plot. Enough so to cause its nearly untimely death when my pulse needed a break. I had to put it away... in a sack... in a drawer... in a different room.

Isabel Thorne, more commonly known as Zibby, can't quite put her finger on what frightens her about the new doll house. Perhaps its the strange way she came by it, marked at the exact price she had in her pocket and sold to her by a woman no one recognizes. All the same, once she has signed on the contract of sale, the beautiful creation and its accompanying set of dolls are hers forever. Quite literally. Always accompanied by the eerie doll in the gray dress, danger begins to follow the Thorne family. For the scenes of play are warping into reality and the greatest disaster of all has yet to occur.
In the early 1900s, Primrose Parson is too grown-up for her beloved nanny and is turned over to a governess. Mean-spirited and controlling, Sweet Miss Honeywell demands obedience and an end to Prim's pranks and tricks. But the girl is indomitable and snarky (new favorite word), taking out her frustrations by playing with the custom doll house given her by inattentive parents. And when Honeywell's domineering actions become too much, one prank will end a life and begin a nightmare to last more than a century.

With plenty of unexpected occurrences and happenings, Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge did not disappoint. Even the vile governess has more to her than meets the eye, the novel outlining her loves, clouded past, and the twisted result. With all the darkness, stormy nights, and history of a good ghost story it unfolds to provide a tale that will make your palms sweat at either noon or midnight. You'll also think twice before you laugh on the next time you think your stuffed animals just moved.

BANG!ZAP!KACHOW!! 5 out of 7 lightningz.

Shivering and Packing Away My Porcelain Dolls,
*Aella Siofra*

Her Fearsomeness, Esther Friesner

2008-02-04T13:56:00.000-08:00

What is this?!? What is this, you may inquire? Why, it's an interview! A shiny, exciting, joy-inducing interview right here on the Maelstrom. Now to you foolish mortals unfamiliar with Ms. Friesner I would have to ask you to scroll down a bit and read our review on Nobody's Princess. Surprise surprise, she wrote that book, and the sequel which is coming out on April 22nd (a bit of shameless advertising). So without further pomp, circumstance, or mindless rantings I give you our review with that Spartan glory herself, Esther Friesner (plus some victorious occasional commentary by Aella).

When you were growing up did you have a particular heroine, either fictional or no, who you looked up to?

I don't think I had -one- particular heroine I looked up to when I was growing up, though I did have a number of these. I loved Pippi Longstocking because she was unique, independent, and even though she had to take care of herself, she didn't let the day-to-day chores get in the way of having fun. I always enjoyed the fantasy novels of E. Eager like HALF MAGIC and KNIGHT'S CASTLE, which includes all of the girls in those books.

I love Anne from ANNE OF GREEN GABLES and Eloise from (of course) ELOISE and the sequels, but for some reason I did not discover these books until I was in my late teens! It only goes to show you that just because something is called a "children's" book does not mean (-way!-) older readers can't enjoy it.

In real life, my mother was most definitely a heroine to me. She was a teacher in the New York City public school system for decades, getting her job during the Depression when times were hard and competition for the few available teaching positions open was fierce. She treated others with kindness, fairness, and insight. If I turn out to be half as good a person as she was, it will be my greatest achievement.

2. E-books (*cough* scourge *cough*). What say you?

I like deadtree books better than e-books, but I know lots of people who prefer e-books. It's a matter of taste and preference, which is always a great Mystery. (Really, it is. I mean, were you aware that some people don't like -bittersweet chocolate?!- More for me, but still. . .go figure.)

I find it more easy on my eyes to read a book than to read text off a screen. I also feel much better knowing that if I lose a book I won't berate myself as much as if I'd lost an expensive e-book reader. And some books are simply beautiful works of art.

My choice: traditional books. Everyone else, make your own choices.

One more thing: Whether you prefer traditional books or e-books, always obtain your reading matter legally and ethically. It's like old Miz Higginbotham's Homemade Pies, the best pies ever in the history of the universe: If you filch them instead of buying them, old Miz Higginbotham is going to -stop making them- altogether because old Miz Higginbotham can't cover the mortagage, the taxes, and her health insurance payments if no one -pays- for those pies! And then where will you be? Pieless. And up to your nostrils in bad karma.

Karma is a tricky tricky thing *nods sagely*. Don't mess with karma. Example A: It is sure to be a major karma slap-down if you read e-books. There.

Currently, do you read any YA novels? Is there a particular author who you enjoy?

This isn't the best time to ask me about reading other YA authors' works. I'm so busy working on three new novels of my own that most of my reading time is devoted to research. (Though I admit to enjoying -manga- when I get the chance for a work break).

Manga is fun. Bleach, Death Note, Emma, Full Metal Panic, Clover, Yotsuba&!, Azumangah Dioh *ramble*...

After your success with Nobody’s Princess, can you tell us what it was like to get your first good review? Or your first bad one, gods forbid?

I've been publishing stories since 1983 and novels since 1985, so it's hard to remember what it was like to get my first good review. It was probably a major "You LIKE me! You really LIKE me!" moment. I'm just happy that the first was not the last. Who doesn't like to have her work appreciated?

Where do you find inspiration for your work? The Himalayas? Your basement?

Inspiration is -everywhere-. Including during a dentist appointment. And sometimes, believe it or not, from typos. That's where I got the idea for another of my YA novels, TEMPING FATE. (I tried to type the phrase "tempting Fate," missed typing the second "t," and a book was born!

The only good thing I can recall about dentist appointments is those little disc-like floss containers. You can tie things very securely with that waxen tooth tool *suspicious grin*...

Choice time! Sparta or Troy (is that even a fair question)?

It. . .must. . .be. . .SPARTA!" (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.)

Have you done anything crazy to procrastinate work on either your first title or its follow up (mark your calendars folks) Nobody’s Prize?

I am not very good at procrastinating because I work on more than one writing project at a time. That way, while I'm procrastinating work on one book, I'm doing work on another.

However fan-girl-esque (ugh) this may appear we have to inquire. Will there be a third book on Helen’s exploits? Or is there something else brewing in Friesner-land?

NOBODY'S PRINCESS and NOBODY'S PRIZE (which is coming out in April 2008) are it for Helen's story, but the good news is I am now writing two more YA novels for Random House about young Nefertiti! No titles have been decided on for these books yet, however I'm also writing a YA historical novel for Penguin Books called BURNING ROSES.

Nefertiti goes hand in hand with Egyptian lore. Which is almost as fearsome as Greek myth.

Maelstroms, tempests, or whirlwinds?

I'm going to say "tempests" because you can always fit one in a teapot and I like tea.

Have you any wisdom to impart upon us before you go *weep*? On writing, life, gorgons, or anything else you see fit.

Advice? Here's a sample:

Never confuse snarkiness with real wit.

Never forget how to laugh, especially at yourself. It will get you through some really rough patches.
If you want to become a professional writer, make sure you keep your eye on practical matters as well as on the writing itself. You -will- need a day job. You -will- need health insurance. You -will- be able to write more if you are not frantically worrying about having enough money for necessities, and the more worry-free time you have for writing, the better your writing will become.
If you're going to pay someone else to publish your work, you might as well just take your work to the local photocopy shop and hand out copies on your own. It's cheaper. Or you could just remember the mainstay rule for professional writers (and those who wish to become professional writers) namely:
Money flows TOWARD the writer.
Getting your writing to come out right will not always be easy, but working on -getting- it right will be satisfying. If it isn't satisfying, maybe this isn't something you want to be doing.
Believe it or not, there are people out there who want to be published but who don't want to do what it takes to be writers. It doesn't work that way unless you are major paparazzi-bait.
It's possible to be serious without being grim. It's possible to to enjoy a dose of silliness without being completely inane. And--I do not care how mushy this may sound--it's possible to enjoy life but it ought to be -mandatory- that we do something, however small, to make life just a bit more enjoyable for others.

My grandmother used to tell me to "Stop being, snarky." So that's what it means...hmm...

Say you had the opportunity to push someone off of Olympus and take his or her or its spot as a god or goddess. Who would you choose?

I'm feeling lazy, so I'm going to say I'll pick Hebe. She's the cupbearer of the gods, which means all she has to do is keep pouring the nectar. That's a pretty cushy job! I'll bet she gets to listen in on all kinds of -really- divine gossip. She's also married to Herakles (Yes, Disney got it wrong. What were the odds?) which must make her immortal life -very- interesting, to say the least.

I knew something was wrong about that whole "animated" version. Meg just wasn't cool enough for Herakles. Nowhere near it.

The end.

Thank you again for deigning to speak with us, Ms. Friesner. 'Twas an experience never to forget. Of course I must rate this interview at a 7 out of 7 Lightnings (How very appropriate.)!! Expect more tempestuous excitement from the Maelstrom soon. How could you expect less?

Constructing a Toga

and From the Shadows
*Aella Siofra*
and ~Medeia Senka~

A Review from Medeia.... you're shocked, I know

2008-02-02T13:07:00.000-08:00

So, finally Aella has convinced me that reviewing a book for our book-reviewing blog might be a good idea. So here it is a review for The Alchemyst by Michael Scott.
The Alchemyst tells the story of twins Sophie and Josh Newman, typical teens who have gotten themselves some typical jobs at a typical coffeshop and a typical bookstore. So this is where things get un-typical. Sophie is working in the typical coffeeshop when she smells something strange. Rotten eggs and mint. Disgusting. She notices a black car pull up in front of the shop and a bunch of creepy looking guys step out. One of them looks straight at her and walks into the bookstore across the street, where her brother works.
Josh returns from the basement of the shop only to find four intimidating men glaring at the owner, Nick Fleming. Josh is also hit with a wave of the vile mix of sulfur and mint. Suddenly he finds himself in the middle of a magical battle between Nick Fleming and these strange men. The men are looking for a book called the Codex and Nick does not want them to find it.
Sophie and Perenelle (Nick's wife who was in the coffeshop at the time of the fight) rush into the bookstore. Nick manages to escape his attackers with Sophie and Josh, but Perenelle is kidnapped and the Codex (save for the last two pages) is lost.
Now the twins are hurled into a world that they do not understand. They discover that Nick Fleming is actually the famed Alchemyst Nicholas Flamel and that he has been alive for hundreds of years. They meet one of Nick's allies, Scathach ( a vampire-like member of the Elder Race) who is a fearsome warrior. Sophie and Josh also find out about a prophecy told in the Codex concerning twins of the sun and moon who could either save or destroy the world.
Now, they rush into danger on their way to Awaken Sophie and Josh's powers. They encounter many mythical creatures and a few goddesses as well (Hekate of three faces, the wicked crow goddess Morrigan, and the terrifying Bastet of Egyptian mythology) while also trying to escape Dr. Dee (the leader of the weird guys in the bookstore, who works for some mysterious forces).
I enjoyed reading this book and especially liked the integration of the mythology of various countries. I would have to give this book a comfortable 5 out of 7 lightnings *thunder crashes in background*

From the Shadows,

~Medeia Senka~

P. S. What is it with all of the book pictures being on the left?

Nobody's Princess

2008-01-23T14:57:00.000-08:00

Many grow up on Greek mythology and Homer’s epics if they’re from a household of bibliophiles. I was one of those little girls who stood in front of my mirror and pondered, will I ever look like Helen? Cinderella was ever the afterthought. But as I grew out of my princess phase I maintained a fascination with all things Greek and with the immortal creatures of legend, whether made that way by birth or beauty.

Nobody’s Princess by Esther Friesner is the excellent antithesis to Helen’s centuries of girly-girl portrayal. The Spartan princess is shown as stubborn, fierce, witty, and awkward. This novel gives an insight to the background of a girl far from perfect and sometimes, far from beautiful. Helen begins her story in Sparta, an attractive child hemmed in by life with her spiteful twin and a society that doesn’t allow women to rise to great heights unless on the wings of gods or marriage. Through her own youthful cunning, the Spartan princess discovers her good looks and a fierce determination to provide a great queen to her people. Her self-discipline carries her to places that even a princess would not usually dare go. And what better way to rule Sparta than by the sword?

But all plans for such domination are forgotten when the opportunity arises to accompany her sister to the land of Clytemnestra’s betrothed. This move pushes Helen into a whirlwind of gender prejudices, court politics, and the ever-strong fear of the gods. All the same, our undeniable heroine battles through to conquer and walk the fine line between her gawky adolescence and a destiny that would bring cities to their knees.

Nobody’s Princess is written with brazen ferocity and impeccable research. The characters are likable and real and the setting is well detailed. Greece and all its conflicts lay at your feet with this novel. The flaw most prevalent is that the plot would probably prove difficult for a short time to readers unfamiliar with basic Greek histories and mythology. My only other complaint is that it ended far too fast. Now I have to wait until April 22^nd for the next. * le sigh *

All in all, I was quite satisfied with this book and how it portrayed Helen. So I doth be bestowing upon it a 5.7 out of 7 LIGHTNING STRIKES *insert sound effects here* (first time with the new rating system. Deepest thanks to all our valiant voter-types). Now someone just needs to write a book focusing on Cassandra of Troy and come up with an equally grr... cover.

Being fierce and applying for citizenship to Sparta,

*Aella Siofra*

2008-01-09T06:22:00.000-08:00

I confess now before this jury of bloggers that I am not a big reader of realistic fiction (go right ahead and frown you Meg Cabot lovers). And a title like Head Games with a cover practically screaming relational dystrophy was the pinnacle of wary-making. But it was suggested *sigh* and thus I read it. And thus I was surprised.

Head Games is written from the point of view of 15-year-old, Internet gaming obsessed Judith Ellis. Her greatest goal in life is to defeat the homicidal player known only as Irgin the Headcase. But if virtual reality becomes as unfair as the world outside you bedroom what kind of escape is to be found? A string of events bring Jude to drop her game and, surprisingly, Irgin does as well. In real-time Jude struggles with witchy ex-pals, the bad-reputation kid from the screaming family across the hall, a girl with 200 brain cells short of a boxer, and the secret of what happened one night at 58 Seventy-first Street. Tension heightens as she discovers that the mysterious Jonathon, afore mentioned bad-rep boy, is the true persona of Headcase Irgin. But his intentions are as unclear in New York City as they were in the game-o-verse. Judith discovers her own boundaries breaking down as she learns that reality doesn’t always qualify for a C- and sometimes you have to play the game twice to figure out how it works.

Head Games offered many the surprise and sleight of mind. Judith finds solace in the unexpected and danger in those things closest to her, leaving the lingering sensation of alertness for the reader to experience. I read this in about an hour of fluorescent book-light-beneath-covers stunt work. So don’t think of the cover- focus on the plot and excellent writing and you will discover a realistic-fiction novel that borders on the most in-depth of sci-fis.

5.7 out of 7 of whatever the polls decide.

Internet-ing, Avoiding On-line Gaming,

Aella Siofra

Now that the Poll is over...

2008-01-04T14:48:00.000-08:00

Why don't you scurry on over to my blog and see how it turned out?

~Medeia Senka~

2008-01-03T13:39:00.000-08:00

Snow Leopards. A Vampire Court. Were-folk. Magic. Amazon-esque archer women. Tree people. Intensely awesome dialogue.

The above list should be enough, but I suppose it isn’t. All the same, just from that, does this not seem ideal for those readers who cling to the ever-dying light given off by true grand novels?

The Cry of the Icemark by Stuart Hill begins in the company of a young princess with fire in her soul and eyes who is just starting to understand life outside the boundaries of her beloved capital, Frostmarris. But when the threat of war becomes real and her legendary father must fight for the defense, Thirrin Freer Strong-in-the-arm Lindenshield finds herself having to make good of shaky alliances suggested with the ancient and wonderful beasts of the hidden lands of the Icemark. 14-years old, she brings her new friend Oskan Witch’s Son and her aging tutor to the Hypolitan city, reigned over by an elite society of warrior women. After a council of war, Oskan and Thirrin set out to the Vampire and Were-folk courts and learn of the incredible creatures hidden at the Hub of the World. The massive, elegant, and beautiful Snow Leopards, who happen to be beyond explanation of cool. Thirrin must use every bit of her gifts of diplomacy and her bearing as the monarch of Icemark to gain respect among creatures that have warred with her kind for years. The sharp wit and mind-numbing efforts made in the bitter winters of the North finally come to a head in an unforgettable confrontation against the greatest force on earth in the form of the Polypontus Empire.

This is probably one of my new favorite books. I had looked at it with a sense of foreboding on my shelf, feeling inclined to spend my afternoon and evening reading the volumes I had already started and not the 500-page novel gone untouched. But when I did make the effort and the first chapter was about werewolves I knew there was no hope for those books previously begun. The characters were brilliant and yet flawed, relying on each other for friendship. Every deal struck had dizzying consequences if it should go wrong and every battle would decide the fate of the Icemark. Whip-quick dialogue and a complete understanding of the dark and wild setting furthered the sheer epic-ness of this powerful book. I think you can already guess this rating.

No? It’s a 7 out of 7 of whatever the poll decides so go vote and then read this book. + There’s a sequel!

Thanking Stuart Hill for writing again and hunting down book 2,

2007-12-31T08:49:00.000-08:00

Here we are. Another year over sigh and a whole list of books to be released in 2008. So if you weren’t looking forward to this year, don’t despair. For there will be novels to brighten your dark days. I have been compiling. It’s a short list, but is still happy-making (credit to Mr. Westerfeld). Expect much more from Maelstrom in the months too come as the year turns. New graphics, more hits * calls out to all those who haven’t read this blog yet *, reviews, interviews (that’s right), and multiposts of great joy and joyness. We might even have a poll or two * wink wink *. So make sure you’re coming back, because Medeia and I certainly will be. Mosey on over to Aella’s blog for a list. So here’s to books and blogs and book-blogs and also to all those who engage in them. We wish everyone a Happy New Year (unless you happen to be Chinese and we can’t do that... yet.)

Giddy for 2008,

Aella Siofra

Jacob or Edward?

2007-12-28T16:46:00.000-08:00

So, I recently completed my Twilight collection and I want to know... Jacob or Edward? (The poll is on my personal blog)

I tried to make this post as non-spoilerful as possible (though if you haven't read these books, go do it NOW)

After the poll closes, I'll tell you who gets my vote

Feel free to fight over the two in the comment section,

From the shadows,

~Medeia Senka~

2007-12-28T08:36:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. You can hardly escape from my tidal wave of reviewing. So here’s another. Winter vacation is a splendid time to be reading. Although not better than most times right?

There is a certain joy to absorbing 1 good, 1-halfly great, and 1 great book in the course of two days. The Luxe by Anna Godbersen was my halfly great endeavor. And that’s saying a bit as it is quite outside the things I usually read. But. I think the plot speaks for itself.

Elizabeth Holland is the perfect bargaining chip. She belongs to one of Manhattan’s most revered high society families and is the well mannered, elegant opposite of her younger sister Diana. Her best friend and greatest rival is the equally chic Penelope Hayes. But she is not perfect as the newspapers project her. For Elizabeth Holland has a secret that could ruin her family, already struggling in silence to make up financial losses from the girls father’s death. She has fallen for the coachman (ironically enough the fixation of her servant girl’s affections) *gasp*.

On the outside, playboy Henry Schoonmaker finally meets the end of the road as to very public shenanigans. He must marry or be cast into the street. But in 1899, good marriages are created and love is a helpful aside. Henry finds himself promised to Elizabeth, but completely fallen for 16-year-old Diana, while avoiding the infatuated and venomous Penelope. While their feelings rise, Manhattan can only see the promise of the greatest marriage of the century in Elizabeth and Henry. But beneath the surface Penelope is scheming. And the passions come to height in the cataclysmic death of New York’s most favored daughter.

This story may sound like the twenty billion or so adult romance novels, but its not. The characters are deliciously multi-layered (however much that makes them sound like cakes). Even the pristine Elizabeth has a triple face. Every note and word is carefully crafted to incite and suggest. The writing is very elegant and easily shifts from a high-money ball to the darkest slum of turn-of-the-century New York. And a wonderful extra element is the absolute brilliance of the cover. Look closer at the girl's face. She carries the very air of cunning.

The Luxe, for descending into random scenes of kissing, does not quite gain its ideal 6 rating. But in the name of deceit and ferocious backstabbing, is the recipient of 5.7 out of 7.

Dancing a foxtrot (or whatever it was they danced),

A ella Siofra

The Warrior Heir

2007-12-27T14:43:00.000-08:00

I hug myself for doing so well with posting. Maybe too well *ponders*. But the point is that I have written another review. And this book was better even than the last one I read!

The Warrior Heir by Cinda Chima begins with a young boy swearing vengeance as marauding wizards burn down his home and his sister is taken captive. 100 years pass and a child is born a wizard. But after a risky surgery to save his precious life he is given the stone (a magical article that gives people their magicality) of a warrior. This crosses all boundaries of the five guilds (enchanters, sorcerers, wizards, warriors, and soothsayers) and provides new life to a war between the guilds that had begun during the War of Roses.

16 years later, Jack Swift does not take his medicine. And odd things begin to happen. A strange burst of energy temporarily paralyzes a bully on his soccer team and the aunt he sees only occasionally appears. When Jack goes on a short trip with his aunt and friends to study his family’s genealogy they are attacked by a man with blue fire at his hands. His arrival unlocks a flood of family secrets. Jack is a warrior, one of a dying breed and his beautiful aunt an enchantress. Wizards have put themselves above the other guilds and several factions are on the hunt for Jack so he can serve as entertainment in the evil gladiator-like “Game” that has existed for centuries.

At the same time Jack must push away an old girlfriend in hopes of wooing a certain Ellen from homeroom and learn how to handle a mystic sword known as Shadowslayer without decapitating himself.

The Warrior Heir is fast paced and creative. Chima manages to provide an entire world of background and then weave it into the familiarity of present day earth. Her characters are easy to relate to and I almost found myself falling for Jack. Plus the plot twists abound! Ah, such is a good book. I bequeath upon this book a 6 out of a 7 and command ye all to go and read it. There’s even a sequel *skips giddily about with great abandon* called the Wizard Heir.

Reading the sequel,

Aella Siofra

The Shadow Thieves

2007-12-26T14:05:00.000-08:00

A review! A review! After many posts of a non-review persuasion I am finally seating myself to do some real live type-it-up critiquing.

There has been a rash of Greek mythology publications lately, probably spurred by the Percy Jackson series *cheers from a far-off crowd of adoring Percy fans*. The Shadow Thieves intrigued me though. Being the first novel of the Cronus Chronicles it outlines the eruption of an exhaustion plague, an exiled half-blooded shade, and the descent of Hades from cool, furiously flaming overlord to wimpy, not deserving immortality, love-sick businessman.

Our story begins with a frustrated female lead named Charlotte, whose own endearing cynicality redeems her. She is an underachiever, a brilliant liar, and appears unphased by the news that her cousin Zee will be coming from England to live with her family. But when the boy in question arrives he drags a mysterious illness with him which soon infects Charlotte's school and everyone she holds dear. Meanwhile, in the Underworld, Hades has banished a rabble rouser by the name of Philonecron, who goes by even the more ominous title of Phil.

Once exiled to the barren plains of the creatively named land of Exile, Phil (diabolically) begins to raise an army of shadow children to overtake the Underworld knowing fully that it is only by the blood of Zee, Charlotte's cousin, that the shades can be commanded. Sapping the boy's strength whilst Zee is unaware, Phil begins the chain of events that leads to a secret mall passageway, harpies, and a frustrated Charon (ferry guy for the River Styx).

I was, admittedly, confused by the writing style, which is a rather unique form of narration involving "audience" participation. But the humor proved humorous and did not fall flat (nothing like a bad joke to ruin your afternoon). The characters develop spines through the course of events and you find yourself actually liking them despite first impressions. Unfortunately, it rides its humorous tone for far too long and takes up half of its precious pages with background information. All the same, the second half of the book is the novel equivalent of forgiveness.
The verdict is in and I rate this as a strong 5 out of our up to 7 scale.

Dreaming about slaying harpies,
Aella Siofra

We've Been Posted...

2007-12-18T11:15:00.000-08:00

I have finally found it in me to not run about joyously with great abandon. Thus I can sit and post. It is with great glee that I proclaim that the 3 Evil Cousins, celebrities of book-blog-dom have mentioned, nae, recommended us, on their blog. So go and read their amazingness and then come back and read ours.

With heel-clicking mood set in place (not so much Medeia),
Aella Siofra

Changes, changes, and some more changes...

2007-12-13T14:10:00.000-08:00

At this time of site reconstruction, there are some things that stay the same. A sensation of normality, if you will, on a spinning globe. These things that remain the same are books. And how good some of them are. So in the spirit of a coming New Year I am compiling a list of books with amazing peoples that undergo great changes, like a website, but not.

Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith

If Mel had never changed her mind about the Marquis what would have happened? I shudder to think.

Peter and the the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

Without a little faith, trust, and pixie/star dust millions of children would never have thought happy thoughts and jumped off their bedposts in hopes of flying.

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

After Dustfinger recovered from his wussiness he returned to help. Hold breath and sigh contentedly.

The Circle of Magic Series by Tamora Pierce

Tris had been giving off some negative vibes, but her transformation by friendship made her much more likeable. Shiny eyed moment.

Pendragon Series by DJ MacHale

Loor- awesome Amazonian princess, Courtney- suburbia volleyball queen, lets weigh them against Bobby's affections and...does this need any more explanation.

So I feel very empowered and trusting in the power of change, if a little melodramatic. Enjoy our new uber complexities.
*Aella Siofra*

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hate change...but in this case, since I was added to the site...obviously change can be a very good thing...for you...aren't you lucky.
~Medeia~

The New Name

2007-11-23T09:33:00.000-08:00

As you may have observed, the title of this fantasticamundo location has changed drastically. Somehow, Book Sweep (as I shudder at my own lack of imagination), hardly brought justice to the kinds of novels I talk about. Therefore, because of, in light of changes, I have created Maelstrom *insert maniacal laughter and screaming mermaid*. The title is a little more fitting and I am excited by its connotations. And no books were water-logged in the process of this christening.

Sincerely,
Aella Siofra

Surplus Spy Stuff

2007-11-13T15:16:00.002-08:00

I love Alex Rider and Young James Bond as much as the next person who comes along, but where does it end? There are so many spy books out right now I don't know which one to pick. Catch me if I'm wrong, but do 50% of these not include a plot line that goes something like this:

Confused protagonist is shocked to discover that the elite boarding school they just received acceptance to is really a spy academy *uber gasp*. They are either super smart or super gifted and most super villain plans have to do with bio-engineering or bombing India.

Am I right? So for a little bit of time I have shunned young adult spy novels (not to mention anything even resembling a "chick lit" *shudder*) altogether, only to find I was missing out on the great and fantasticamundo Gallagher Girl novels. Girls are portrayed cattier than ever, but it all seems so much less vapid when they sort things out with Tae-Kwon Do and firearms. Sure the premise is an A+ example of the plot mentioned above, but its almost like they created it. I don't know what it is, but Ally Carter manages to bring new life to Mission Impossible theme music! These books make me stand in long hallways with my fingers creating a mini-gun and cause the first of my thoughts on entering a room to be either I'm in or Check for bugs. So try them out. They're pretty good. I mean, where else are you going to find a book called I'd Tell You I Love You, but Then I'd Have to Kill You(Scroll over for the incognitoness) ? After a title like that everything else just seems like a poser.

Humming James Bond,
Agent 1-5-12-12-1 Siofra

Maelstrom

In which Medeia and Aella say goodbye

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Wake by Lisa McMann

Twilig-- I mean, Evermore by Alyson Noel

Ophelia by Lisa Klein

So I'm a failbat. What else is new?

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie isthisreallynecessarytotypeout Meyer

Shelter Me by Alex McCauley

The Foreshadowing by Marcus Sedgewick

I Can't Tell You by Hillary Frank

Need by Carrie Jones

Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

I'm getting really sick of this whole vampire thing

Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before by David Yoo

Death by Denim by Linda Gerber

Deadly Little Secret Laurie Faria Stolarz

So this is the new year....

Cybele's Secret by Juliet Marillier

The Secret Story of Sonia Rodriguez by Alan Lawrence Sitomer

Festively Yours

OOH! OOH! Over here!

Road of the Dead by Kevin Brooks

Suggestions Anyone

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

Undone by Brooke Taylor

Fiercely Fawesome First Contest

A Fond Farewell

Violet in Private by Melissa Walker

Blade of Fire by Stuart Hill

Airhead by Meg Cabot

Genesis Alpha by Rune Michaels

How to Be Bad by E Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski, and Lauren Myracle

Peeled by Joan Bauer

Secret of the Sands by Rai Aren & Tavius E.

Lamplighter by D.M. Cornish

The Compound by SA Bodeen

Dragon's Keep by Janet Lee Carey

Newes From the Dead by Mary Hooper

*GASP* Plenty of Paper Hiatus Odyssey Continues...

Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Devilish by Maureen Johnson

FYI

Daughter of Statues by Phil McGrail

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

Interview with the Amazing Melissa Marr

Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr

The Taker by JM Steele

Siberia by Ann Halam

An Interview with the Incredibly Fantastic, Chris Wooding

Death By Bikini by Linda Gerber

Chasing Windmills by Catherine Ryan Hyde

An Interview with the Marvelous Cinda Williams Chima

Dingo by Charles de Lint

The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean

*sings* It's the end of the world as we know it

Chanda's Wars by Allan Stratton

The She by Carol Plum-Ucci

The Wizard Heir

The Red Thread by Roderick Townley

National Poetry Month

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

'Tis Swordy...

No longer quite so secret...

And the Next Page Is...Still Boring

An Interview with *drum roll*.... Jaclyn Moriarty

Shiny covers...

Creepy Glass Eyes...

Her Fearsomeness, Esther Friesner

A Review from Medeia.... you're shocked, I know

Nobody's Princess

Now that the Poll is over...

Jacob or Edward?

The Warrior Heir

The Shadow Thieves

We've Been Posted...

Changes, changes, and some more changes...

GASP Plenty of Paper Hiatus Odyssey Continues...

sings It's the end of the world as we know it

An Interview with drum roll.... Jaclyn Moriarty