In Dreams We May...

Strange the Dreamer
By Laini Taylor

Magnificence. Wonder. Heartbreak.

Lazlo is a nobody. An orphan as a baby, raised by monks, and when tasked to go to the library he arrived and never left. Since then he's surrounded himself with myths, fairy tales, and folk tales that others ignore. He longs for a city without a name, one that's been long forgotten that it's become a legend, folklore, 'not real' - he calls this city Weep.

One day a convoy from Weep arrives. Lazlo is stunned and begs to be taken to this remarkable city. From here, our tale unravels.

Sweeping sentences, lovingly crafted - Laini Taylor is an extraordinary writer. Her words drip with emotion. She paints a magnificent world of wonder that I did not want to leave.

The story is slow. Do not expect a fast-paced thriller. It takes time to seep into your mind. Burrowing in and making a nest for itself. So much so, that upon rereading a few passages I was brought to tears (even though the first time reading I didn't cry). Longing to be a part of the world again. It was not a place I wanted to leave.

For the most part, I enjoyed the characters. Normally, I hate hate HATE books about gods. They never seem to have enough at stake. It's hard to do with immortal, all-powerful creatures. Laini Taylor does it! She made me feel for gosh-darn gods. For that I applaud her. Yes. I think I will only read books by her about gods. That's my limit.

Do read this if you don't mind a slow unravelling story. If you enjoy descriptive, poetic writing. If you enjoy scenes of dream-logic. Sense, but not. Confusion, clarification, more confusion, a little clarification, ...

Magical.

5/5 STARS

A French Summer: Gold, Green, and Amber

The Greengage Summer
By Rumer Godden

The five Grey children have frustrated their mother until she decides they should spend a summer in France to learn a lesson.  Instead, their mother becomes sick and they stay at a Hotel while mother gets better in the hospital. The next two months become a child's paradise - ripe fruit in the orchard, swimming in the river, basking in the sun, and growing up.

Goodreads recommended this to me for reading (and rereading) one of my favourite books "I Capture the Castle" by Dodie Smith. I had no idea this wonderful this book would sink into my heart. Truly it reminds me of "I Capture the Castle" in the best ways - the narrator is a girl on the verge of womanhood, she misinterprets many events because of her innocence, and in the end, has revelations when looking back at an older age.

It can be read by young readers and by adults, each gaining very different meanings. In essence, it's about a summer and its golden paradise, each day feeling like a year. Every child's dream to suddenly be allowed to do whatever they want - their mother being removed because of illness.

The hotel itself is peppered with characters that begin to influence each child differently - Monsieur Joubert the famous painter who takes Joss (the eldest) under his wing; Paul the boy-help who fights with Cecil (second oldest and narrator) and becomes the catalyst to much mischief;  Madame Zizi the jealous and elegant woman attached to Eliot the oddly placed English Gentleman who promises mother to look after the children.

Eliot is our biggest influence, doting on the children, allowing them expensive experiences, and encouraging their whims becoming an almost reverent figure in their eyes.

The best part of each character is that we never gain a full understanding of who they are. Cecil cannot grasps the minute details and therefore we are left with many gaps in our understanding. It adds to the charm. We the reader are thus just as innocent to the goings on.

The French atmosphere is divine and Godden immerses us in an English child's view of what it is to be 'French'. The descriptions are like a delicate desert, deliciousness to be savoured, and nibbled in tiny bites.

Upon searching multiple bookstore sites, this book is hard to find. I recommend, that if you find it, read it. It will bring you back to the cusp of childhood when anything was possible.

5 STARS

Magical World

The Paper Magician
By Charlie N. Holmberg


Ceony arrives at the cottage of the Paper Magician, Emery Thane, her new mentor. Unlike most magicians when they graduate, Ceony is forced to choose paper magic. She'd rather be a smelter - working with metals and weapons. As far as she can tell, paper is a useless material.
Almost instantly, I knew this would be a favourite book of mine.
This book, literal paper magic, has wedged itself firmly into my consciousness. Something reminiscent of Harry Potter mixed with a little Abhorsen (Garth Nix), this world is lovely and dangerous.

Magician Emery Thane is tailor-made for you to love him at first sight. Ceony is too busy lamenting the loss of being a smelter than to notice how enchanting Emery is. I cried in chapter 2 for Heaven's sake.

Ceony begins as a driven character. She's hardworking, which makes her sadness completely understandable. She's studied and worked so that she can do what she wants. It's taken away. When she begins to turn around on paper magic, it's something wonderful. She's powerful and the potential is captivating. The reader wants her to succeed. 

Now, I distinctly remember flipping the book around to read the synopsis and feeling betrayed at the spoiler. Fair enough, it's at the beginning of the book. But I would have rather it come as a shock.

Let's just say, there's another magician who practices the dark magic that uses flesh as the material. No further shall I go. You need to discover that on your own.

It goes in a surprising direction - almost abstract, kind of philosophical - exploring what it is to be a person. Very meaningful.

Enjoy. It's lovely. I cannot wait to continue this trilogy.

5/5 STARS

Burning End

Prairie Fire: The Story of Owen, Book 2
By E.K. Johnston

As this is book two in a duology, this review will be as spoiler free as possible.

See review for book 1 here. 

Return to the parallel universe where dragons exist and they are pests on a grand scale. Siobhan McQuaid is our narrator/bard and Owen Thorskard is our dragon slayer. Together they join the Oil Watch (the branch of military that focuses on dragon maintenance protecting oil rigs).

LOVE this universe. Wouldn't love to live in it. Love reading about it.

Again, I am floored by how tailored this book seems to be for me. Of course, that'd be highly narcissistic - I'd still like to think so.

Siobhan is dealing with injuries sustained from last book - living the nightmare any musician would live: the fear of being unable to play. Johnston does an excellent job of incorporating the hurt that a musician could suffer, but Siobhan's bard-heart refuses to let her stop hearing the music. Interwoven are her descriptions of how she'll interpret scenes or what instruments she'll use to represent people.

Owen remains our stoic hero, and thankfully, not the romantic interest of Siobhan. Too many times in YA there are male/female friendships that inevitably become romantic. I hate that. It's overplayed and it's too easy. The friendship between these two is strong and believable.

There is a dragon in this book that is the Kraken of this dragon world. Let me tell you. Shivers. Chills. Oh, it is glorious and terrifying.

For making a world that I could dive into again and again and not be disappointed:

5 STARS



The Gripe: 

Passing through reviews on this series is that it's titled "The Story of Owen" and this book focuses mainly on Siobhan. My question is: Was it ever really about Owen?

Isn't it about the creation of the story? Siobhan is the author, the chronicler who tells the story. It's as if we are witnessing an author write a best seller. In this case, a composer creating music around a tale that will be passed around.

The title is clever. I refuse to believe that Johnston didn't know exactly what she was doing. To simply expect it to be about Owen, when being told by Siobhan, is a shallow interpretation.

A Retelling?

A Court of Thorns and Roses
By Sarah J. Maas

Feyre's family has fallen into poverty after her father loses the family's money with a bad financial decision. The youngest of three, and perhaps the most responsible, she teaches herself how to hunt to keep her family fed. On one of her hunting trips she kills a giant wolf. As it turns out, that wolf was a faerie - a fearful creature from beyond the mysterious borders that keep humans out. Because of an age-old truce, Feyre must pay for killing the faerie by going across this border with one of these terrifying creatures.

Sold as a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, I immediately picked this book up. I am also a huge fan of Maas's writing style, so I knew this would be good.

Think of a faerie. Now erase that and think of the elves from Lord of the Rings and you'll get the image of the faeries in this book. You might ask: But they are attractive and isn't this supposed to be a retelling of Beauty and the Beast? Yes. It is retold very loosely. The bare bones of the story at least. Instead of being a beast, Tamlin, the elf fae who takes Feyre, is a hot-damn-warrior. The beast part is that fae are considered dangerous, murderous, and terrible.

Maas knows how to write a world that can EASILY be made for fangirls/boys. Much smoldering. Much chiseled abs. Much golden frollicking and sexiness.

And even with this, there's one hell of a story. The first part moves slowly building toward an action-packed, wow-holy-wham-bam-I-did-not-see-this-turn ending.

Is it without flaw? No. It's still incredibly enjoyable. Look past the flaws and find the moments of wonder.

Are the characters compelling? Yes. Feyre isn't your typical protagonist and some might not enjoy reading from her perspective. But her development is compelling. Tamlin is the golden boy - figuratively and literally. Lucien (Tamlin's second-in-command) is as devious and moody with biting humour as he is witty and loyal. There are many more characters of the like.

Are they frustrating? Sometimes. If characters always did what we wanted them to, they'd be perfect and boring.

How about the world? There are creation holes, however, I am fully on board for the world to expand and be explained in the following books. Yes, there will be two more (at least).

I really REALLY liked this. But it is not for everyone. Keep in mind, Beauty and the Beast is a tale about a beauty falling in love with a beast. There is romance. If you like that, read this. If you like fairy tales with a twist, read this. If you like Sarah J Maas. READ THIS. Otherwise, find something else.

5/5 STARS

Dragons, Maps, and Quite an Adventure

Here, There Be Dragons
By James A. Owen

A dark and stormy night, three men are brought together, reeling from an unexpected murder. Adventures comes calling when a strange man comes to tell them they are now the caretakers of the Imaginarium Geographica - a large book filled with maps of imaginary lands. Soon after they are persued by shadowy figures and are forces to board a ship that proves the imaginary lands are anything but.

Having been on my radar for a long while, mainly because of the dragon element, my best friend started reading this and announced I must immediately do so as well.

Every chapter there was a new twist, a new character inspired by age-old stories, and of course, a cliff hanger ending at every end. It is impossible to stop reading this delightful story. Action packed with compelling main characters and hilarious dialogue, I recommend to anyone who wants an old-fashioned, fairy-tale adventure story.

Owen rips off a multitude of stories and, surprisingly, I was bothered not one iota. The author gives us reasons for it and I fully accept them. Because of this reconfiguring of tales I was given that cozy, bed-time story nostalgia feeling the entire time I was reading it. The kind of feeling where you could hear yourself being read to by a beloved family member, curled up under a fluffy blanket, perhaps by a roaring fire.

John, our main protagonist, is fresh from The Great War (WWI) and is plagued by self-doubt and the memories of his fallen comrades. Jack, the youngest, is bright-eyed and energetic ready for any adventure. Charles is our constant - steady and unchanging, quiet and unassuming, but none-the-less important.

Most importantly, this book never lagged. Each chapter was an adventure unto itself. The story is bursting with borrowed and original creativity.

I was lucky enough to read the edition with illustrations, by the author himself. They added that charming old-world element like the old books with illustration plates. 

As I read this I thought, this book is perfect for older readers as much as it is perfect for the younger. The older reader can read this and experience the nostalgic feeling as they encounter much-beloved characters and hints at borrowed plot lines from a host of legendary stories. For a younger reader, this may be the first time they are meeting these characters or stories, thus when they encounter the original they might experience a backward nostalgia for this book from their childhood. That is the magic of this tale.

Bring on book two.

5/5 STARS

THERE ARE DRAGONS!

Blue Mysteries

Bitterblue
By Kristin Cashore

A sequel to Graceling, a companion to Fire - though one could read this as a standalone - we follow Princess Bitterblue, now queen, as she struggles to bring order to her kingdom after her father's 35 year tyranny. For years she's been struggling, nothing seems to be changing, and what's worse is that mystery upon mystery begin piling up and confusing her decisions. 

There is something enchanting about the worlds that Cashore creates. I will never not read a book by her and enjoy it thoroughly. Books like these are the reason that I'm a reader. It took me to another world that I wanted to be in. I want to know the people. I want to visit the castle and the city and see the architecture that Cashore describes. I want to see the art that forms a huge part of the plotline.

It is a hefty book, at 563 pages, but I was engrossed the entire time. I do believe you could read this without having read the other two, though having read Graceling will help in the background of a few reappearing characters.

I really, really liked Bitterblue. I got over the weirdness of her name within the first few chapters. She behaved exactly like I would in her position, though, I do not envy her at all. Imagine having to put an entire kingdom back in order after the chaos of a king who not only brainwashed his entire kingdom, but cruelly kidnapped and tortured children, women, and animals. This king was not a nice guy, far from it. In fact, the things he does is sickening. Cashore tackles the darkest corners of humanity carefully.

Po is still one of my top fictional boyfriends. He's funny, loyal, dependable, perceptive, and very intelligent.

Now comes the difficult task when people ask, "Which one was your favourite?" Looking at other reviews, most say they liked this one least. I cannot say that I like it the least, for I was as engulfed in the world, invested in the plot and characters, and was extremely satisfied with the ending. No less than the other two. I loved how mystery upon mystery stacked up - that is the most distinct difference between this story and the other two.

So, instead, I will say that it did not disappoint. And, that I would recommend the entire series. For all young adult fantasy lovers, read read READ this series. It is a must.

5/5 STARS

Lush Prince of Palmares Tres

The Summer Prince
By Alaya Dawn Johnston

Probably the best dystopian, future-society book you'll read in today's YA.

Set in a fictional city named Palmares Tres, Brazil, June wants to make art and be the best artist in the city. Political intrigue and high tech surround the world she lives in. Then she meets Enki, the charismatic and lush Summer King. He explodes with life itself and reinvigorates the city with raw passion. At the end of his short reign, he will die. Which makes their team up to make an artistic statement to the citizens all the more poignant.

While reading, listen to some Brazilian music to get you in the mood. Bossa Nova perhaps?

I finished this a few days ago. I needed time to gather my thoughts and steady my emotions. There is no doubt this will be on my Top 5 for 2015.

The thing I liked the most about the characterization was that you could never quite figure out the characters. They were so multi-dimensional. No one seemed cardboard. Not even Bebel (June's rival at school) who at first was cardboard became more complex as the story went on.

One downside, this world took a while to get into. Like any sci-fi or fantasy, there's always a hiccough stage where the author is trying to reveal slowly the completely new world and in a way that's not overwhelming. Once I got about 70ish pages in, the story began to flow.

I realized its wonder and devoured it slowly. Sipping each description, breathing it it.

June's relationship with the Summer King, Enki, is something more than romance. Romance seems like a juvenile word to describe what their connection is. In a sense, this book is full of romance, but it's not your typical heart-pounding, swooning kind.

LUSH. That's a good word to use to describe the story, characters, and world. It had me wanting to find out more. Johnson does this wonderful hinting at other places in the world, but never gives you enough to sink your teeth into. It's great! Some people might find this annoying - those people don't understand that sometimes the mystery is greater than being told outright. Unknown might seem like the author was lazy and didn't want to tell us more, but we have to be intelligent readers. We can't be handed things on a silver platter a la Divergent explain-ese. Trust your imagination.

I wept. No shame. The last 30 pages promptly took my heart out and put it back in. I couldn't breathe. For a story to do that is a great undertaking. It spoke to me on a human level. Isn't that what books are meant do. 

5 STARS

When you finish the book, listen to the song that Bebel sings at the end. It adds another dimension to the story. If you need some reference.Translated to English.

Classroom: Please note, sexuality is discussed in an open manner. Recommended for 16+.

Waves Crashing, Mermaids Swimming

Of Triton
By Anna Banks

Back in the mermaid world for book 2! I enjoyed this book last summer ( Of Poseidon), so I decided to kick off this summer with the sequel. It is a trilogy. And after reading this one, I will most definitely finish off the series this summer.

Emma's mom has kidnapped her and they're on the run from the mermaid royals. The book starts with a pretty awesome chase scene. Then it gets complex.

I was reading this in bed and at about 11pm I thought, "One more chapter and then lights off." Next thing I know it's after midnight and I've finished the darn thing. Little did I know that the chapter I was to read kicked the story into full gear. IT WAS GRIPPING!

Same hilarious characters, great story weaving and mythology building - ultimately a great summer read. Fast paced and never dull. Recommended if you read 'Of Poseidon' first. 

I liked this one more than the first.

5/5 STARS

Words Fly on Wings of Magic

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender
By Leslye Walton

Ava Lavender was born extraordinary. Born with a pair of wings, no one knows why. We read the history of her family, 3 generations of foolish love and magical realism, to tell her poetic story.

About a week ago, I finished this book in three days. It kept me up at night until my eyes were drooping, unable to read any futher. I'm still thinking about it. No words that I can put down will capture what it made me feel. It is an esquisite debut novel.

It starts with the introduction to Ava, then abruptly jumps back in time to her great grandmother and grandmother's time. I thought I'd be bored with this sudden change, however, I quickly fell in love with the style of writing and peaceful kindness in the story telling. The story flows smoothly and gently. It allows you to contemplate and absorb the characters and their journeys.

Each character is unique and completely, even with slight magical elements, human. No one is without their flaws and no one is without their perfections. Leslye Walton captures humanity at its worst, at its most tragic, its most sorrowful, and its most beautiful.

It is haunting and it made me weep with relief and melancholy. And yet, it is uplifting.

Truly, this book is made of magic.

5/5 STARS

Dragons Be Everywhere

The Story of Owen: Dragon Slayer of Trondheim

By E.K. Johnston

In a parallel world, one like our own, there are dragons. With dragons comes dragon slayers. Tales are told of these brave men and women by loyal bards, sung in halls, passed down through the generations. Present day, the dragons are threatening the normalcy everyday living especially in rural Ontario, Canada. Here, our story teller, bard-in-training, Siobhan tells the story of Owen Thorskard, Dragon Slayer of Trondheim.

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH, PERFECT! ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!

Picked this one up at the library, completely random, excited for a story about dragons. Boy, what a find. Incredible. Honestly, I swear this book was written for me - music, dragons, Canada, history with a twist.


If I could pick one problem, the choice of calling the main character Siobhan. Constantly I had to remind myself that it was Chev-onne not Sie-Oh-Ban. How many people are familiar with this name. And there's no pronunciation guide.


A potential problem, that I really, REALLY enjoyed was the alternative history lessons. Think you knew WWII, think again. A book like this I savoured and didn't mind these stops in action.


LOOOOOVED it. And, the writing was impeccable. It was like a rich dessert, one that you love but have to eat slowly to savour it. I recommend this book to ANY dragon lover, young adult or adult.


Canada represent!


5/5 STARS


Classroom: Probably not... that won't stop me from recommending it to everyone!!!

Neon Monsters

Fire

By Kristin Cashore

Fire, the name of the main character, is a monster. Monsters are animals, but with unusual bright colouring. Fire's hair is bright, bright red. Both loved and hated, she can control the minds of those around her – human and animal. Instead of abusing her power, like her father, she controls it and hides it to protect innocence being harmed. But when the King calls on her to aid in spywork, she is torn between using her abilities and harming those she loves.

A companion novel to Graceling, one can read this book without having read the first. At first, I was disappointed not to follow the characters from book one, however, I grew to love this new cast equally. Cashore has an ability to create loveable, yet complex, characters.

For the first third, I was confused. Fire's mind is difficult to understand at first because of her monster nature. The world took a while to wrap my head around. However, I devoured the book in two days.

I enjoyed the different worlds Cashore creates as well as a brief cameo by a character from the first book. Spoiler: It's not Katsa as I so wanted it to be.

5/5 STARS

Classroom: Definitely not. Recommended for the fantasy reader.

3 for 1: Eagle Glenn Trilogy

Eagle Glen Trilogy

By KC Dyer

Seeds of Time (1)

After an accident that claims Darrell's foot and her father, she's struggling to find herself again. Her mother enrols her in a summer school, Eagle Glen. The teachers encourage self-exploration, developing each students' talents and expanding their interests. Darrell is immediately taken by the history classes – then suddenly she finds herself taken back to Medieval Scotland at the time of the Black Plague.

Time travel, mystery, and history. Loved it! Darrell is a relateable character. She's going through a hard time, but she is surrounded by people that want the best for her. She is curious as well as quick thinking.

4/5 STARS

Secret of Light (2)

Darrell has found a group of friends who embrace all her flaws. Deciding to spend the year at Eagle Glen while her mother is participating in Doctors without Borders, she encounters time travel once again. This time she meets someone she idolizes, Leonardo DaVinci... as a teenager.

While I liked this story, I didn't like it as much as the first. DaVinci was grating, understandably for the time period, and his views that women can't be artists angered Darrell. It brings out good discussions.

3/5 STARS

Shades of Red (3)

By far, the best of the three. Darrell and her friends find another portal in time that takes them to the time of the Spanish Inquisition and the court of Henry VIII. Entwining many issues materfully, Dyer is able to bring up religion and beliefs in a non-alienating way. It's historical, however, she makes it human.

When revealed the reason for the title of the book, I cried. The story was compelling and real. Incredibly recommended.

5/5 STARS

Classroom: I would push this series. I might read it out loud during the year. All three. They would tie in nicely in grade 6-8 social studies and current events. And, supporting a West Coast Canadian author!

Cyborg-ella

Cinder: Lunar Chronicles I

by Marissa Meyer

Cyborgs, androids, and Cinderella – smash 'em all together, you get Cinder. Reworking the fairy tale, Cinder is a gifted mechanic and a cyborg. In this society, any machinery is deemed second class, they are not human, and that includes humans that have replacement limbs or minor body repairs. A mysterious plague ravages the city of New Beijing, where Cinder lives. And, of course, there's a prince – soon to be emperor.

The story lures you in and takes you away. It's a face paced read that you can knock off in a day at the beach. The main character of Cinder is delightful, loveable, sarcastic, and thoroughly confused. Her step-mother and older step-sister make life practically unbearable. Cinder supports the family with her mechanic business and her step-mother makes her feel guilty for her father's death.

The only glimmer of hope is the relationship she has with her younger step-sister, Peony. I loved Peony. I loved Cinder. Meyer also improved the character of the prince. Cinder and Prince Kai actually interact well before the famous ball. And it's definitely not love at first sight.

I am certainly intrigued by the world. Little detail is given, only hints. There has been a World War IV – no details. Gasoline cars are antiquity, but somehow still around and functioning. A colony has lives on the moon (hence Lunar Chronicles), for hundreds of years, and have somehow flourished and evolved into ethereal, manipulative beings. Think Tolkien elves only sinister.

The next book, Scarlet, is Little Red Riding Hood; the third, Cress, is Rapunzel; and the last (coming soon), is Winter, The Snow Queen.

I am a huge fan of a fairy tale retelling. Done right, they make you think differently about the original. Add depth or unexpected motivation to otherwise unexplained actions. I gobbled this one up and I highly recommend it.

5/5 STARS

Classroom: One could use this in the classroom – sparking debates on how much human qualifies humanity and how much robot defines machinery. Topics of treating people with disabilities differently. Many “what if” questions. However, because of the romantic aspect, I would suspect this would only be a hit with the girls and very few (if any) boys.

Angels Aplenty

Angelfall

By Susan Ee

Angels. Those damn angels.

Penryn lives with her mentally unstable mother and physically disabled little sisiter, just trying to survive. The world was attacked by Angels and any semblances of man's civilization is crumbling. Why they attacked, no one knows for sure. Day to day living is rough, but Penryn is a survivor. 

She's keeping her family together, until she meets Raffe. Attacked by fellow angels, he falls from the sky in front of her. When the attacking angels see her try to help him they fly off with her beloved, defenceless sister. In order to get her sister back, she must ally with the angel, Raffe, for only he knows where her sister's being taken.

Action packed. The lulls are few and far between. From page one, things are happening and they just keep coming. Supernatural beings are overdone for me and rarely do I find myself wanting to read stories about them. Well, here. This one. Pick this one.

Penryn is strong, sarcastic, loyal, and takes charge. She never feels sorry for herself, she keeps on trucking. A disaster happens, she thinks, “Ok, what do I need to do now”. Her mother is incredibly scary. You can never tell when she's acting rationally or not. And the beautiful, glorious, angel Raffe is an enigma. He lets nothing show and it frustrates Penryn, as it does the reader.

Susan Ee's writing is beautiful and detailed. You never misunderstand what she's describing. It's clear and concise, a mix of poetic descriptions and driving dialogue.

I will definitely pick up the sequel, and the next, and the next. (5 total projected in this series)

5/5 STARS

Classroom: Nah. Keep this one for a weekend to read on your own.

What's your Grace?

Graceling

By Kristin Cashore

Genre: Fantasy

Kick-butt female character. Swoon-worthy companion. Saving a kingdom from an evil ruler. YES, PLEASE!

Katsa has been gifted with a grace. In the kingdoms where she lives, a grace can be any talent – cooking, sewing, fighting, and in her case, killing. The king, her uncle, has put her grace to his own use. But Katsa doesn't want to be the king's personal assassin. Refusing to do his work, she runs away with a new friend, Po to solve a series of mysterious rumours coming out of a neighbouring kingdom. When there, they find that their troubles have only just begun.

How did I go past this book for six years?! My favourite type of story is one where a girl is fighting to keep a kingdom from falling apart. So if you like those stories, pick this book up definitely. I am now putting the next two books in the series on my “to be read” list.

Can we just talk about Po? Po has to be my favourite character in a long time. In fact, he's a new favourite book boyfriend. But really, he's the only person in the kingdom that can spar with Katsa without her having to hold back. In fighting, they are evenly matched. He is intriguing, exotic, intuitive, and hilarious.

Yes, yes, I liked Katsa too. She didn't have it all figured out, but damned if she wasn't going to get her way. The world built slowly. I want more.

5 STARS

Classroom: Not for classroom. Somewhat descriptive romance scenes. 13+

Ancient Witches

Witchlanders

By Lena Coakley

Genre: Fantasy

After the death of his father, Ryder is struggling to harvest enough food for his family – two younger sisters and a mother that's obsessed with predicting the future by casting bones. They are Witchlanders, white-haired and pale-eyed, governed by a coven of witches that Ryder mistrusts. A generation ago, the Witchlanders were at war with the dark-haired Baen across the mountains. Ryder's world changes when the village is attacked and his mother predicts an assassin Baen living in the mountains, itching to start the war again.

A shot in the dark, I picked up without knowing too much before reading. I am so glad I found this book, it has easily become a new a favourite on my shelf. The world was rich; characters relateable and believable; and there was always something at stake. The reveal of the depth to this world is mind-boggling and expertly crafted.

The first third of the book burned slowly, giving us a “slice of life” for the main character Ryder. The second third gave us more questions than answers. And the last third flew by with gripping action.

Overall, the atmosphere was ancient and mysterious. It reminds us there are no sides, and that sometimes, traditions lose their original meaning.

Highly recommended for the fantasy lover.

5/5 STARS

Classroom: The topic of religion is constant and may not be suitable for classroom use, unless you are wanting religion-based discussions. Other discussion-worthy issues are war, familial duties/expectations, tradition for the sake of tradition, substance abuse, obsession, and racial judgements/stereotyping.

The Darkest Plague

The Darkest Minds

By Alexandra Bracken

Genre: Dystopian

A dark, dark world where there is little hope we meet our main character Ruby. A plague has ravaged America, killing most of its children between the ages of 8-14. Some of those children survived, and for some reason those survivors have been gifted with incredible powers (think X-Men). However, scared of these children, the government has gathered all the children into internment camps.

Before reading this book, know that it is not the happiest of books. Ruby deals with poor treatment and torture in the camp she was sent to. She meets friends, Liam, Chubs, and Zu, who are all running from various organizations bent on using their powers for their own agendas. Without giving too much away, the story revolves around Ruby and these friends running, finding sanctuary, and having it ripped from them again and again. The heart of the story is how they deal and how they stick together.

Truly, I enjoyed this book. It is dark, it is heart-wrenching, but it is good. Ruby has such a fantastic character arc, that she's fast becoming a favourite character of mine. It reminds us of how easily we can mistreat the people that we do not understand. We've seen it in history - World War II, with Hitler's “Death Camps”, and in Canada, the Japanese Internment camps.

One itty-bitty complaint comes from not being American. The whole novel it talks about the plague in America, but rarely (if at all) does it give us a glimpse at what is happening with the rest of the world. I want to know how the world is dealing with this plague. I find it highly improbable that it would only strike American-born children. Understandably, Ruby has no way of knowing about the rest of the world, but outside non-interment-prisoner characters could easily give us little tidbits or brief tv news casts.

In this series, book 1.5 “In Time”(a novella), book 2 is “Never Fade”, and the concluding book 3 is coming out this year, 2014.

 5/5 STARS

Classroom use: This novel is lengthy (488 pages) and is therefore not practical for classroom use. However, for students interested in dystopian, I would recommend this one for sure.

Cover Note: I love the cover. Before reading the book it was only ok. I read the book, it's perfect. The trident on the front is symbolic.

Wings as Drifted Snow, Eyes as Flame*

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

By Laini Taylor

Genre: Fantasy

Dive into a world of chimera and angels so real that you want to visit. Excellent writing. Excellent world building. Fantastic characters. It is like reading a complex fairy tale.

Karou is our main character, blue haired, sixteen, and attending art school. She fills her sketchbooks full of unreal creatures, chimaerae they are called – frightening, macabre, and the only family she's ever know. She struggles to balance her life in the human world with that of her chimaerae family's. Then she meets Akiva.

Taylor's incredible world building brought me in and kept me there. I want to purchase wishes so that I can tour the apothecary shop where Karou grew up with her family. Though, I could easily travel to Prague, where the art school that Karou attends is located. For the world alone, I recommend this book.

Then there's the characters. Ah, the characters. Akiva, the angel. Zuzana, the best friend. Brimstone, her foster father. Even Kazimir, the ex-boyfriend. They all are so well crafted, they felt like people (or otherwise) you might meet. Most of all, Karou. I was expecting to dislike her. But the mysteriousness of her existence and her own questioning really drew me in. In the end, I love her.

There is a romance. It drives the story. But an unusual romance. One where it doesn't quite sit right until it makes sense.

The story is woven together so complexly that there's hints along the way of what's to come, but not so much that I never really guessed as to the meaning of it all. I had inklings. Those inklings were all wrong. Even better. A story where you can't guess the ending is the best of them all.

Recommended. Hands down.

5/5 STARS

Classroom: Skip this one.

*Note on the title: In reading the description of Akiva, my mind kept going to the description of an angel from the Basque Christmas carol "Gabriel's Message", wherein, to look upon an angel is both calming and terrifying.

Celestial Shades

Shadows Cast by Stars

by Catherine Knutsson

Genre: Sci-Fi

Drawn to the beautiful title and cover, and then to its setting, this was find of the year. I read the back, then the author's bio and was sold. From my Christmas gifts, I was most excited to read this one.

Set in the future, on the West Coast of Canada, on an island very much like Vancouver Island, we are introduced to a world where a plague ravages the people who have survived land-destroying earthquakes. Cassandra, a Métis, lives in the Old Way with her twin brother, Paul, and her father. There is something in the blood of aboriginal people that protect them from the plague and the government actively searches them out to harvest (for lack of a better word). They escape to the island where they must integrate with a Band that is also in hiding. Here they are met with challenges of social order, personal struggles, and the ever present fear that something is wrong with the Spirit World.

Knutsson drew me in with her poetic descriptions of the landscape and everyday life on the island. She wove intricate myths and tales into the fabric of this story in a delicate and relateable manner. As Cass learns to be a medicine women, she travels further and further into the Spirit World. Here is where reality blurs and I loved it. Honestly, I wish there were more books out there like this. Finally, a Canadian author that I want to recommend to friend after friend. Beautiful.

The beginning is a little slow, but soon after Cass and her family arrive on the island it picks up and runs. Believable and complex characters, you get the sense that something else is going on with everyone that you meet. Nothing is as it seems. Some secrets never get revealed completely and that's like real life isn't it? We never truly know a person to their core.

Because I know Vancouver Island well, I felt a personal connection with this novel. My nagging fear of an earthquake surfaced. And Cass can see people's totems, or Spirit animals. I wonder what mine would be?

5/5 STARS

In the Classroom: Individual or Literacy Circles. There are many serious topics and cultural issues to discuss. Perfect jumping board to discuss West Coast aboriginal myths. Recommended for age 14 and up.