Book Review: Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley

Author:  Maria Dahvana Headley

Genre: Young adult, fantasy

Publisher: Harper

Publication Date: April 28, 2015

320 pages, hardcover

Check out the full synopsis on Goodreads.

Aza Ray has never been able to breathe correctly. She’s struggled her whole life, and she even has a disease named after her, though she’d much rather call it Clive. But one day, she sees a ship in the sky and someone calling her name. No one believes her except her best friend Jason, who tells her stories of similar happenings from long ago and a magical place called Magonia. Soon after, Aza is lost to our world but returned to Magonia.

This book, you guys. WOAH. Magonia is so unbelievably unique, creative, and absolutely stunning. I’m still pretty speechless over it and I’m not sure how to write a review that isn’t just READ IT READ IT READ IT. It’s fantasy, but also reminded me quite a bit of magical realism because I sometimes forgot all of the things weren’t actually happening. Maria Dahvana Headley’s writing is gorgeous and poetic and beautiful. Like, she describes the sound of a boat coming: “The sails are made of hum and speed (ARC 252).” How perfect is that?

Aza Ray is a bit of a smartass, but I love her. She’s accepted her disease and lives with it. She’s…strange and sarcastic, which is pretty much exactly what I love in a character. I also loved the dual POVs of Aza and Jason. Jason’s POV was sad, distressing, and so very smart.

Magonia was incredible. I could feel the atmosphere and world all around me as I read. I devoured this world and these pages. This book is just…mad and weird and strange and so very good. I will say that I don’t think this book is for everyone, but it was most definitely for me.

The bottom line: 

Had a dream I was really from #Magonia & my inhaler gave me shots of Magonian air to survive. Love when books invade my dreams @MARIADAHVANA

— Stefani (@StefaniSloma) April 1, 2015

-- Stefani
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Want this book to invade your dreams too? Find Magonia on the CMRLS catalog and check it out!

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Staff Book Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

I thought after Amber'sreview of A Court of Thorns and Roses went up yesterday, I'd post my review too, so you could see both sides of the feelings towards this book. Amber didn't like the romance; I LOVED the romance. Read both of our reviews, and then check the book out and see what you think.

TITLE: A Court of Thorns and Roses

AUTHOR: Sarah J. Maas

PUBLISHED: May 5, 2015

416 pages, hardcover

Read the full synopsis on Goodreads!

Want to read A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES and see what you think? Find it on the CMRLS catalog and put a hold on it!

Can you say SEXY? I mean, goodness, I was not expecting this book. I’ve got to start with romance in ACOTAR because it’s…seductive. I don’t want you to think that the whole thing is full of sex or anything; it’s just that those few scenes are hot hot hot. Tamlin will make you SWOON. But he isn’t the only character who you’ll fall for. There’s plenty of sexy characters to completely fall in love with, including our kick-butt heroine, Feyre (what an awesome name!).

The world building is stunning, as was expected. The fairie courts and world are so interesting and well-done that I could’ve pictured the land without the addition of the map (though I’m a sucker for a book with a map). I hope we get to see even more of this world in the next book (WHICH NEEDS TO COME OUT TOMORROW!). I just LOVED this world of fairies, beasts, flowers, art, magical eyes, darkness, beautiful manors, Tamlin, Rhys, and magic magic magic. Quick little shout out to our weirdly attractive anti-hero Rhys. I won’t go into much detail here other than to say GET READY.

You may or may not know that this is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Because of it, it’s obvious what is going to happen from the beginning. You know who Feyre’s going to fall in love with, but the path getting there and what happens after is so absolutely amazing, different, and cool that it doesn’t matter. The world, the characters, the magic are all unique, but it definitely still feels like a fairy tale.

The bottom line: Incredible world. Fantastic retelling. Beautiful magic. Awesome characters. SEXY times. Well-deserved hype. I NEED more.

-- Stefani

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Our Teens Review Books: The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey

Title: The Girl at Midnight

Author: Melissa Grey

Published: August 28, 2015

357 pages, hardcover

Read the full synopsis on Goodreads!

This is a debut novel. When it comes to debut novels, things may go a little weary, or somewhat lackluster within the beginning. Other times, a debut novel could introduce the author with high quality in his/her writing, and reveal to the audience what they're capable of. 

Melissa Grey shows us the world of Avicen, a fantasy world within the human realms of New York City. Avicen is mystical, magical and special, but hidden within the shadows...- or preferably, shadow dust. Two worlds held together, but the power of magic conceals everything. To the bird-like creatures of Avicens to fiery human hybrid dragons called Drakhari(s), these main species been at war with each other for centuries. How did the war start? Who knows, the reason's been long gone, yet both party continues to battle without hesitation, blind by ignorance and unquestioned hatred. The war will increase by bloodshed, hatred and fury, and will corrupt all civillians. Unless there's an ultimate resolution: Obtain the firebird.

The world is quite whimsical in its own way without being out of touch. Descriptive, but too descriptive if I might say, and the flowery paragraphs can become overbearing. I enjoyed the Avicen world, but I felt the human world should've been touched, too. Besides the worlds, the Avicen bird/human hybrids are interesting. They're not abnormal creatures, in fact, they respond and act like every other human being, so, suppose it's a good thing? I would like to say the same for Drakhari(s), but unfortunately, the dragon creatures weren't mentioned nor developed as I hoped for. 

Characters? They carry high potential being intriguing, well developed characters. There's quirks in each character that makes them stand out, and then the dialogue what shines in the character's development. The main character, Echo, is a snarky, feisty girl who take first, then ask questions later. I find Echo funny and I do appreciate her get-it-done attitude. Other characters? Well, as I previously stated, they have these 'quirks' that makes them stand out, but I feel like they're relying on that one trait as their core personality. Like, (spoiler?) there's feisty girl, nerd, jock... But they don't have anything else besides that, and it becomes somewhat dull. 

Not much action, but rather scenarios of hide and seek. 

Reading the book is entertaining to a degree, but what stopped me from completing is the cliches. There's many cliches within the story, and I don't have a deliberate issue with cliches, it's just the execution is predictable and in your face, which I cannot bring myself to continue reading. It's like I already knew what's going to happen, and then it happens. I knew who's going to become 'The Chosen One' since the very beginning, knew who's going to be rejected, what's the result ETC. There were plot holes that confused me, and then I wished certain areas were further explained instead of simply appearing within the story. 

As of general, I didn't take this story very seriously. On another note, this is the author's first novel, so I not going the rips the story to shreds because it isn't a bad novel, but it's not top notch, either. If I had to rate it, I'll give it a 3.0/3.5 in rating. I say, read it for entertainment or if you have a knack for modern fantasy and description, like, flowery description. 

-- Amber

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Want to check out The Girl at Midnight? Find it on the CMRLS catalog and put it on hold!

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Mini reviews: The Young Elites and The Rose Society by Marie Lu

One of my favorite series is The Young Elites by Marie Lu. The second book, The Rose Society, was recently released, so I thought I'd share a short review of the first and second books to get you interested! 

Author: Marie Lu // Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers // Genre: Young adult, fantasy

THE YOUNG ELITES

Check out the full synopsis on Goodreads.

This book is freaking incredible. I kept having to put it down and take a break because it was just that good. I’ll start by talking about my favorite part: the world building. Even 25 pages in, I already had a pretty clear picture of what everything looked like, and as the book went on, the little details became clearer.

All of the character have a purpose in this book. No one is just there. It’d probably be pretty difficult to discuss them without giving away the twists and turns in this book, of which there are several. So I’ll just say that everyone is awesome.

I could probably talk about this book forever. I am so impressed with it.

THE ROSE SOCIETY

Check out the full synopsis on Goodreads.

I struggled to find the words to describe how much I loved this follow up to The Young Elites. It’s rare that I read a sequel that I find to be completely up to par with the first book, but this was. Plus, it’s darker and more devious and delightfully delicious. I devoured it.

This book will break your heart and make you crave more of it. And that ending. No spoilers, but it’s both deliciously satisfying and slightly enraging in that I NEED MORE NOW. I’m so pumped that my teens chose The Young Elites for our November book club read at the library.

Even though I was obviously obsessed with this one, this one felt more slow-burning than The Young Elites which was packed to the brim with action. I liked the focus on Adelina’s mental state, but I think TYE was a little more intense, if that makes sense.

The bottom line: READ THIS SERIES. You won't be disappointed. In fact, you're probably going to be completely enthralled, put under a spell that you won't want to break.

-- Stefani

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The Young Elites is in the CMRLS catalog here, and The Rose Society will be available soon, but you can go ahead and place a hold on it here!

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Our Teens Review Books: White Space by Ilsa J. Bick

Author: Ilsa J. Bick

Publisher: Egmont USA

Number of Pages: 560

Rating: 7 out of 10

Synopsis (taken from Barnes and Noble): 

Seventeen-year-old Emma Lindsay has problems: a head full of metal, no parents, a crazy artist for a guardian whom a stroke has turned into a vegetable, and all those times when she blinks away, dropping into other lives so ghostly and surreal it’s as if the story of her life bleeds into theirs. But one thing Emma has never doubted is that she’s real.

          Then she writes “White Space,” a story about these kids stranded in a spooky house during a blizzard.

          Unfortunately, “White Space” turns out to be a dead ringer for part of an unfinished novel by a long-dead writer. The manuscript, which she’s never seen, is a loopyMatrix meets Inkheart story in which characters fall out of different books and jump off the page. Thing is, when Emma blinks, she might be doing the same and, before long, she’s dropped into the very story she thought she’d written. Trapped in a weird, snow-choked valley, Emma meets other kids with dark secrets and strange abilities: Eric, Casey, Bode, Rima, and a very special little girl, Lizzie. What they discover is that they–and Emma–may be nothing more than characters written into being from an alternative universe for a very specific purpose.

          Now what they must uncover is why they’ve been brought to this place–a world between the lines where parallel realities are created and destroyed and nightmares are written–before someone pens their end.

Review: 

This moment has been almost 8 weeks in the making. I originally received White Space as an ARC about a year ago and never could bring myself to start it until I found The Dickens Mirror. Why did I give this book a 7 out of 10? If I could, I’d give every single book I read a 10, but that’s not really rational. I love this book because it’s all over the place and the description rivals some of my favorite horror films. I’d liken the author to Stephen King if I hadn’t only seen his movies(i.e., The Shining, Carrie, etc.). There are so many different perspectives at once that it is difficult to pinpoint exactly what is happening. Are the characters real? Is one of them the “real” character and the rest have stemmed from this “real” character? However, I couldn’t give it above a 7 BECAUSE the story was so confusing. Even when you think you’ve finally figured it out, some aspect of the plot changes and you’re left questioning what you thought you knew about the plot and the characters. The writing was riveting and the characters were beautiful. I didn’t end up in a mess of tears like All the Bright Places, but I felt their pain and suffering and even joy, with them. Purple panops is my new favorite phrase and I love the idea of multiverses incorporated in the story as a Now. If you haven’t heard of The Dark Passages Series, I definitely recommend picking up a copy and trying it out. 

-- Taylor

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Does White Space sound like something you'd dig? Find it here on the CMRLS catalog and check it out!

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Our Teens Review Books: Beta by Rachel Cohn

Author: Rachel Cohn

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

Elysia is created in a laboratory, born as a sixteen-year-old girl, an empty vessel with no life experience to draw from. She is a Beta, an experimental model of a teenage clone. She was replicated from another teenage girl, who had to die in order for Elysia to exist. 

Elysia's purpose is to serve the inhabitants of Demesne, an island paradise for the wealthiest people on earth. Everything about Demesne is bioengineered for perfection. Even the air induces a strange, euphoric high, which only the island's workers-soulless clones like Elysia-are immune to. 

At first, Elysia's life is idyllic and pampered. But she soon sees that Demesne's human residents, who should want for nothing, yearn. But for what, exactly? She also comes to realize that beneath the island's flawless exterior, there is an under­current of discontent among Demesne's worker clones. She knows she is soulless and cannot feel and should not care-so why are overpowering sensations cloud­ing Elysia's mind? 

If anyone discovers that Elysia isn't the unfeeling clone she must pretend to be, she will suffer a fate too terrible to imagine. When her one chance at happi­ness is ripped away with breathtaking cruelty, emotions she's always had but never understood are unleashed. As rage, terror, and desire threaten to overwhelm her, Elysia must find the will to survive. 

What I thought: 

Beta is an intellectually stimulating and emotionally engaging story of identity and free will that will have you on the edge of your seat.  In Beta, they live on an Island called Demense, where only the wealthiest people in the world live. 

            Beta tells the story of Elysia, a first in a teenage line of clones.  She is not able to experience emotions or desires.  Elysia is only a toy, a servant, to the people.  She’s 100% expendable.  Any signs of being a “defect” will result in immediate termination. But, what happens when Elysia finds out she might actually be a defect? Will she fight for her freedom?

            Beta is a jaw-dropping, well-written story with many ups and downs that will keep you guessing. The only complaint I could have about this amazingly beautiful book is the ending.  My goodness.  A cliffhanger you would never imagine.

            Overall, I really enjoyed this book.  It was a serious page-turner with all kinds of plot twists. I recommend this book for a new, thrilling dystopian series, and I cannot wait to read the next one.

4 STARS

-- Gracie

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Want to check out Beta? Find it here on the CMRLS catalog and place a hold on it!

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Book Review: Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

Title: Beauty Queens

Author: Libba Bray

Published: May 2011

Pages: 396 (hardcover)


Check out the full synopsis on Goodreads!



When the plane holding the fifty contestants of the Miss Teen Dream pageant crashes on a deserted island, no one sees it coming. With the camera crew and many of their fellow contestants dead, the thirteen remaining Teen Dreamers have to figure out a way to get off the island and survive in the meantime--all while honing their pageant skills, of course. But things aren't exactly as they seem. The girls aren't the only ones on this island, and the other inhabitants have a vested interest in keeping them there.

I don’t even know where to start with this book. It’s Lord of the Flies meets Miss Congeniality meets Drop Dead Gorgeous (a mockumentary about beauty pageants in suburban Minnesota, for those who haven’t heard of it; it includes Kirsten Dunst screaming, “This isn’t an American Teen Princess Pageant, this is Nazi Germany!”).

It took me about 5-10 pages to throw myself into it, because while it is absolutely set in our world, it’s like an extreme, social commentary-ridden parody of it. Don’t let that turn you off, though. There are some pretty sick burns regarding consumer culture and the profits companies stand to lose once teen girls figure out they don’t have to hate themselves. There are commercials for fake products interspersed throughout the book that had me laughing out loud. There are never-ending footnotes to explain the pop culture references our Teen Dreamers make, and they’re all amazing. The Teen Dreamer bios also pop up every other chapter or so, and you will fall in love with everyone.

I basically spent every moment of this book either smiling delightedly or laughing so hard they heard me all the way across the library.

I was trying to pick a favorite character and realized it was impossible.  Miss New Hampshire (Adina), our cynical sneak of a high school journalist, has entered the pageant in order to expose its ridiculousness. She’s the Ralph of this story, and her desire to find food and shelter and, you know, get the heck off of this island often go unheeded by her foil, Miss Texas. Miss Texas (Taylor) is a walking nightmare. She is ruthless, efficient, determined, and knows her way around a gun thanks to being an army brat. She is spectacular, and her eventual morph into Teen Dreamer Rambo is a sight to behold.

While these two tend to be at the center of most of the conflicts (at least, until the girls realize that they’re intentionally being left to fend for themselves by The Corporation, a shadow-y organization that’s not actually all that shadow-y and is a clear dig at the entirety of the American government and its love affair with big business), so many of the other girls get the chance to shine and man, do they ever. Mary Lou (Miss Nebraska) has a story many of us can relate to as she seems locked in an internal battle with her own desires. The entire cast is pretty diverse, honestly. We have contestants of color who discuss, internally and with one another, the racism inherent in pageantry and a lot of other aspects of life. We have characters of all different backgrounds and sexualities, and there’s even a trans character who not only gets a lot of screen time, but gets to kick a lot of butt.

They all kick a lot of butt. And they do it in high heels.

This book is awesome, and I highly recommend it. 

--Kayla

Want to check out Beauty Queens? Find it here on the CMRLS catalog and place a hold on it!

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Book Review: Goodbye, Rebel Blue by Shelley Coriell

Title: Goodbye, Rebel Blue

Author: Shelley Coriell

Publication date: October 2013

320 pages

Check out the full synopsis on Goodreads!

Rebecca “Rebel” Blue has a serious attitude problem—at least, that’s what everyone tells her, so it’s no surprise when she ends up in detention. What is surprising is the presence of Kennedy Green, one of the biggest do-gooders Reb has ever met. Their assignment? To reach deep into their souls and create their ultimate bucket lists. Reb doesn’t take it seriously—that is, until Kennedy dies in an accident and Reb feels compelled to finish Kennedy’s bucket list, one good deed at a time. In the process, Reb realizes that her loner ways no longer suit her and finds herself reaching out to her family and potential friends. But how can she connect when she keeps screwing up everything good in her life?

This book practically flies by. It’s really well-paced and the characters are delightful and multilayered, which I wasn’t expecting. Rebel herself is great because her constant battle between wanting to connect with people and wanting to keep herself guarded is something a lot of us can identify with, and her dry voice allows that inner turmoil to simmer without boiling over into silliness. Her cousin Pen could have easily been written as a vapid, shallow prom queen, and I’m really pleased that Coriell gave Pen and the rest of Reb’s family room to be complicated instead of mere complications for Reb’s journey.

My love for Reb’s one and only friend, Macey, kind of snuck up on me (bless you and your pie therapy, Macey). Then there's Reb's unlikely love interest, Nate. He's cool and all, but his family is actually way more fun than him to read about, particularly his 10-year-old sassy fashionista sister, Gabby (or his youngest brother, who solemnly tells Reb every time she curses that she’s going to hell). The one thing I really wish we’d had more of is Kennedy herself. I understand that her purpose in the story is to guide Reb into being a better person, but I wish we’d gotten more insight into her life and personality instead of her death just being used as a plot device.

I’ve seen this book compared to Jay Asher’s Thirteen Reasons Why, and while the plot is somewhat similar, the tones of both books are wildly different. Mainly because Thirteen Reasons Why is a great book, but also a bummer. This one leaves you happy and satisfied, which is why I give it a solid B+. It’s really fun with some heavy moments, but it’s very well-balanced and the characters are spot on. Check it out and tell me what you think!

--Kayla

Want to check out Goodbye, Rebel Blue? Find it here on the CMRLS catalog and place a hold on it!

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Book Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Throne of Glass

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Publication date: August 7, 2012

404 pages


View the full synopsis on Goodreads!

Celaena Sardothien is a teenaged prisoner slaving away in a salt mine. Before that, she was the greatest assassin in all of Erilea. When the crown prince sends for her, it is to give her a chance to prove that she’s still the best. If she manages to defeat the other contenders for the title, she will be granted her freedom after four years of service to the king—the king who allegedly banished magic from the land, and whose thirst for conquest threatens to tear Erilea apart. And while Celaena trains for the trials to be the King’s Champion, another evil is rising, and Celaena may be the only one who can stop it.

This is another one that I wasn’t sure I was going to love, simply because while I love fantasy, it’s a genre that has a remarkable ability to go off the rails really fast, especially when faeries get involved. That said, I REALLY LIKED THIS BOOK A LOT, YOU GUYS. Celaena is not what you’d expect the heroine of a novel like this to be. She’s tough, yeah, but she loves dresses and baths and emotionally terrorizing people in positions of authority. She’s been through so much while still being so young, but she hasn’t let it destroy her. She’s not a stereotypical Tragedy-Hath-Turned-Me-Into-A-Heartless-Ice-Queen, and I really enjoyed her a lot.

The other characters are stellar, too. I love the Captain of the Guard, Chaol, so much. There is clearly a love triangle kind of set up between Celaena, Chaol, and the crown prince, Dorian. However, it’s done surprisingly well and I can see what she likes a lot about both of them (that said, Chaol all the way. Dorian is fine, I guess, but come on). I think my favorite secondary character was the princess Nehemia. She’s subtle and fierce and theirs is a female friendship done right. I would read a million books of the two of them trolling the king’s guard together.

I would talk about Elena, but I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’ll just say that any time Elena appears my face is basically a giant, gleeful emoticon.

Definitely grade A, and considering that I’m getting the next book in the series put on hold as I type this, you should definitely give it a try.

-Kayla

Want to grab Throne of Glass for yourself? You can find it in the CMRLS catalog!

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Book Review: The Improbable Theory of Ana and Zak by Brian Katcher

                

Title: The Improbably Theory of Ana and Zak

Author: Brian Katcher

Publication date: May 19, 2015

336 pages

View the full synopsis on Goodreads!

Ana Watson is well-behaved, a brilliant archer, a quiz bowl champ, and all-around perfect. She has to be, or her parents will make her regret it.  Zak Duquette? Not so much. A huge geek and spectacular slacker, Zak messes around so much he gets stuck on a quiz bowl trip with Ana and her brother Clayton to keep from failing his class. Zak raves about the sci-fi convention he’s missing, Washingcon, to anyone who will listen.  Clayton decides that the best way to spend the night before quiz bowl semifinals is to ditch Ana and go to Washingcon himself. Now Ana and Zak have to team up to find him before everyone else—including Ana’s mom—finds out.
               

This was a pleasant surprise, and I found myself enjoying it way more than I thought I would. The book moves at a break-neck pace and is a wild ride from start to finish. The best part for me was the convention itself. Katcher captures the nerdy enthusiasm of a con without being condescending, which I super appreciated. I also loved Ana’s reaction to it all, because while she’s confused and taken aback by the sheer strangeness (and angry Vikings), she’s not rude or judgmental, and manages to loosen up and have fun.

Both Ana and Zak are actually way more real and nuanced than their initial descriptions would imply. Zak manages to be goofy and utterly charming at the same time (even when he puts his foot in his mouth, which is often), and while his parental issues are a little less panic attack inducing than Ana’s, they’re still very real and present. Ana’s looming anxiety is palpable the longer the search for Clayton goes, but she adapts in hilarious ways to the brand new atmosphere of the sci-fi convention. Zak and Ana’s romance is adorable. The reader can see it all coming from a mile away, but they’re both so endearing that it’s still satisfying to watch unfold.

Overall, I give it a B. Read it and tell me what you think!

-Kayla

Want to place a hold on The Improbably Theory of Ana and Zak? Check it out on the CMRLS catalog!

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