Hi Birds!
Just wanted to post a quick roundup of the books I read in August. I read nine books. I've already talked about The 5th Wave and Inside Out so I'll just skip over those.
Magic Knight Rayearth by CLAMP ~ B+
- This manga reminded me of Sailor Moon because it's about three young school girls with magic powers, special weapons and color-coordinated outfits. Hikaro is my favorite. She's a shorty like me and I love that she meets the adventure head on. The villians were easy to escape which I expected because it's the first volume and they don't know how to fight or use their magic. I enjoyed the artwork. It was excellent.
Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger ~ A-
- This is the second book in the Finishing School series. The first book is Etiquette & Espionage. The main character Saphronia is fun and smart. I love all of the trouble she gets into. She's like a teenage James Bond in petticoats. The world is so playful and quirky. I can't wait for the next book to come out.
The Selection by Kiera Cass ~ A-
- I wasn't really sure I would like this series because of the Bachelor-like plot line but I was pleasantly surprised. I like America. She's feisty and speaks her mind. The prince is a pretty cool dude too. Love triangles are usually a pet peeve of mine in YA fiction but I think it really works in this first book. I'm interested to see who she picks and what happens with the rebels.
Nightschool: The Weirn Books by Svetlana Chmakova ~ B+
- I enjoyed the first volume in this manga series. Alex is a young witch with amazing powers. When her sister is wiped form existence she must infiltrate the Nightschool to figure out who is responsible. There are a lot of secondary characters which was kind of confusing. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of Alex's abilities.
Bone: Out from Boneville by Jeff Smith ~ C-
- I had high hopes for this graphic novel but it didn't live up to the hype for me. It wasn't as funny as I was hoping and what I did find funny was juvenile. I don't understand why they're bones either. Does that have anything to do with the story? Fone Bones crush on Thorn was kind of cute. I will not continue this series.
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Tucholke ~ C
- I have mixed feelings about the main character but the plot was strong enough to give it a C. Violet has horrible taste in guys. She knows River is a horrible person but she lets him control her. She should have kicked him to the curb fast. The 'real' bad guy Brodie seems to have been added just to take the spotlight off of how crappy River really is. Why would you continue to let this guy, who is a stranger, continue to live with you after you have learned he is a straight-up murderer? I will not continue this series.
Everneath by Brodi Ashton ~ C
- This retelling of the Persephone myth fell flat. The idea was better than the execution. The characters were boring and the story was very slow paced. For someone with only six months left on Earth, Nicki sure takes her sweet time trying to figure things out. The love story was very sappy and slowed the plot even further. I will not continue this series.
LEAVE A COMMENT! Have a suggestion for a good manga series? Let me know in the comments below.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Author Interview: Anne Bishop
Hi Birds!
I thought it would be fun to share with you part of an interview my husband, art blogger Brian Sherwin, and I did with my favorite author Anne Bishop a while ago. Bishop is the author of the award-winning Black Jewels trilogy. Check out Anne's website at www.annebishop.com.
Interview
Brian: Anne, your books are known for meshing themes of
sensuality and violence - The Black Jewels series is a perfect example. What do you think attracts readers to these extremes
within the context of your novels?
Anne Bishop: I can’t speak for other people, but sensuality and violence were not an unusual mix in the historical romances I was reading twenty years ago. So for someone who liked fantasy, horror, romance and “women‘s fiction,” putting elements of those genres together to create a violent, sensual, gritty world wasn’t that big of a jump. I think the attraction is being able to take a ride with powerful, dangerous characters in a place that exists only in imagination--the supreme exotic locale. It is writing about the play of human emotions--the joys and triumphs as well as the heartaches and failures--in an otherworldly setting that intrigues me. Perhaps that is the same reason readers are drawn to the stories.
Tonya: What do you think attracts readers to the fantasy genre in general? Why do people need fantasy within their lives?
AB: Fantasy contains boundless possibilities. It contains the delight--and the fear--of things that are Other. In a background where anything can happen, the things we fear can be given tangible form and be defeated (sometimes). We also have a chance to explore the human heart without the constraints, and pain, of the real world. Wonder exists within the boundaries of the genre, and that makes it fun.
She hit the nail on the head with this answer. I love the fantasy genre because it can go in so many directions and touch so many different people. Check out my husband's blog at www.theartedge.faso.com/blog. For the entire interview, click here.
I thought it would be fun to share with you part of an interview my husband, art blogger Brian Sherwin, and I did with my favorite author Anne Bishop a while ago. Bishop is the author of the award-winning Black Jewels trilogy. Check out Anne's website at www.annebishop.com.
Interview
Brian: Anne, your books are known for meshing themes of
sensuality and violence - The Black Jewels series is a perfect example. What do you think attracts readers to these extremes
within the context of your novels? Anne Bishop: I can’t speak for other people, but sensuality and violence were not an unusual mix in the historical romances I was reading twenty years ago. So for someone who liked fantasy, horror, romance and “women‘s fiction,” putting elements of those genres together to create a violent, sensual, gritty world wasn’t that big of a jump. I think the attraction is being able to take a ride with powerful, dangerous characters in a place that exists only in imagination--the supreme exotic locale. It is writing about the play of human emotions--the joys and triumphs as well as the heartaches and failures--in an otherworldly setting that intrigues me. Perhaps that is the same reason readers are drawn to the stories.
Tonya: What do you think attracts readers to the fantasy genre in general? Why do people need fantasy within their lives?
AB: Fantasy contains boundless possibilities. It contains the delight--and the fear--of things that are Other. In a background where anything can happen, the things we fear can be given tangible form and be defeated (sometimes). We also have a chance to explore the human heart without the constraints, and pain, of the real world. Wonder exists within the boundaries of the genre, and that makes it fun.
She hit the nail on the head with this answer. I love the fantasy genre because it can go in so many directions and touch so many different people. Check out my husband's blog at www.theartedge.faso.com/blog. For the entire interview, click here.
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