Find me on Goodreads!

http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5916147
Here is a link to my profile.


This site is quite similar to librarything, but more free, and for a little while, I was able to participate in an online book club through it. But alas the attempt at finishing War and Peace fell through. Well, I have read other books since my last post there, let me tell you about it!


The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
A gift from an internet friend with excellent taste. This was a riveting, psychological mystery/horror/drama written in pre-Victorian era, cataloging increasingly disturbing events through letters and diary entries, similar to Dracula (which I had also finished within the past year.) Of course it suffered slightly from overly Dickensian descriptions, but once I settled in that language, it was very unputdownable.


In the Night Garden by Catherynne Valente
A book I bought at a library sale, another serpendipitous purchase. This is set in the form of a Scheherazade like girl telling a series of almost interwoven fairytales to a captivated young prince. Gorgeous poetic language, enchanting characters and adventures, written with a sense of childlike wonder mixed with dark humor.


Dune by Frank Herbert
One of the sci-fi books on my to-read list. Incredible world-building, with a touch of grossness, quite everything I enjoy in a sci-fi novel. I found the ending rather anticlimactic though, but the environment and action more than made up for that. I will forgo reading the rest of the series though, I am told it gets much weirder.


The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
A charming children's novel, with adorable illustrations, sensible morals and charming descriptions.


Doctor Who: the Doctor Trap by Simon Messingham
The story was all right, but the execution was rather amateurish. I would have rather seen this as an episode with the 10th doctor.


Snuff by Terry Pratchett
It's a Discworld novel with Vimes, what more needs to be said?

A few more books that I've read!

Okie, I really haven't been able to read much due to pharmacy school, but I'm gonna go ahead and record what I've read here. I've of course read the next Tiffany Aching book by Terry Pratchett, I Shall Wear Midnight, wonderful as always. Other books I've read include more of A Song of Ice and Fire, more of the Wheel of Time, and also J.R.R. Tolkien's rendition of the Norse Edda, The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun. I've also started Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, as well as Shadows Over Baker Street, an Lovecraftian/Sherlock Holmes anthology, but I've been too lazy to finish.


Here is a completely fictional novel I managed to finish while working at the army hospital.


By the Mountain Bound by Elizabeth Bear takes place in a re-imagined world straight from Norse mythology, in which Nordic gods and creatures are reincarnated as angels and Valkryries living amongst humans. The switching perspectives between Fenrir, a valkyrie, and an angel tell a dramatic story as a strange woman is rescued from drowning, and consequently unleashes an internal struggle that ends in tragedy. There are also undertones of romance, male-male and male-female, tasteful, well-written, though I found it a bit humorous at times. The characters themselves are rather realistic, perhaps a little idealized at times , but endearing overall. I may even read the rest of the series, Norse mythology I enjoy but it's always so DRAMATIC and well, cold. /Texan

Whoa, it's been a while! Sorry about that.

Well, I haven't had as much time to read now that I am in pharmacy school and working all summer, but I have managed to finish a few new books, which I shall record for my memory's sake.

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, which I said I would never review, but I read it anyway. Vampire fiction is terribly cheesy at best. I admit there were a few good points with the novel, but the style of writing is still amateur, with a weird language quality I can't quite put my finger on.  The characters just barely tolerable, the plot as melodramatic and self-absorbed as a teen/young adult novel can be. Decent enough for the genre, but certainly not best-seller material. I shall never comprehend it.

Nation by Terry Pratchett, not part of the Discworld series and geared towards young adults, but still an exceptionally well-crafted exploration of what makes humanity and nations work.  A serious and brave young man, about to come of age when disaster strikes the world he knows.  A plucky young gel with a stubborn and clever mind.  Refugees coming together to rebuild their lives, only to face danger not from nature, but other humans.  Gripping adventure, sweet humor, and most of all, powerful metaphors that just make you think.  Loved it, of course.

I am starting on the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan, a generous gift from a co-worker at CVS.  I am still continuing the Song of Ice and Fire series, as well as Discworld (with the latest being Unseen Academicals). I have finished The Naming by Alison Croggan, with a rather anticlimactic ending, and I have also read the third installment of the Doctrine of Labyrinth by Sarah Monette.

Various intelligent young heroines

Swan Maiden by Heather Tomlinson
This imaginative novel explores the life of sweet Doucette, who lives in the shadow of her cruel and glamorous older sisters, wishing that she too could practice sorcery in the care of their aunt. The heroine then finds her own swan skin and soon discovers that her desire to become a sorceress would conflict with love. How she resolves this and becomes a stronger and wiser young woman is both harrowing and uplifting. A sweet story that does not flinch from the cruelty of the real world, but shows how one girl learned from this sad fact.

House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones
A sequel to Howl's Moving Castle, although I thought Castle in the Air was a sequel, too. Like those charming novels, this book is too clever by half, full of wacky hijinx, magical mayhem, and foolish yet still cerebrally enhanced characters. Howl had me cracking up so bad, even though he was a bit character, what a devil! Anyways, good times, just like Castle in the Air and what not.

Cassandra's Sister by Victoria Bennett

Cassandra's Sister by Victoria Bennett is a sweet and witty fictional account of Jane Austen's life as a young woman. Written in a style reminiscent of one of my favorite authors, but I found the prose light-hearted and manageable for the modern teen.

For those of you who are familiar with Austen's work, you would not be surprised at the description of dancing and fashion and eligible young gentlemen. Austen is as dramatic and intelligent and charming as any of her characters, so it tugs at your heart strings to see how she (probably) became a famously single female writer. I really like how the author subtly and cleverly postulates where Jane Austen might have gotten real life inspiration for her novels. A short and satisfying read, so intelligently and wistfully admiring of this author that I admire.

The Snow-walker by Catherine Fisher

The Snow-Walker by Catherine Fisher is a teen novel in the form of a 3-part saga inspired by Norse mythology. In this novel, an evil sorceress from a frozen land has taken over a kingdom and sends 2 young cousins to deliver a message to her exiled and supposedly monstrous son. Basically, the cousins discover allies willing to help them fight the sorceress and there is much sorcery, mysterious events, soul-searching and travel to icy wastelands. The other two sagas deal with many of the same characters but bring the humble beginnings of the story to a glorious (yet still somewhat humble) end.

Overall, I enjoy the epic tone, interspersed with witty dialogue and charmingly realized characters who have a lot of spirit. Ancient Nordic culture is always fun to read about, even transposed to a fictitious setting. I had been meaning to check this book out and I am glad I did, there's really nothing I can say that's bad about this book.

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier is a gorgeous dreamlike fantasy for teens, remarkably realistic and lovingly researched. The cover is a beautiful, almost Baroque style painting with figures that almost match the characters describe. (You can't imagine how annoyed I am when the covers don't match the inside of a book!) The words are magical, spirited, sensitive.

This novel combines elements of fairytales, such as the Frog Prince and the 12 Dancing Princesses, with Russian mythology about vampires, faeries and of course, Baba Yaga. The story is told by the sensible one of the dancing daughters, as she tries to protect her sisters from the troubles that assail them during a long winter. These dangers include not only their domineering cousin, but also dark visitors from Fairyland, the vampire folk.

Overall, an enjoyable, intense and satisfying read, but for one disturbing fact that often shows up in historical fantasy novels. I won't mention it here for fear of spoiling a reader; not that it's terribly disgusting, but it's kinda predictable, perhaps? But my love for the story and characters overcomes this plot point, so I'm cool with it.

Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringer by Laini Taylor

Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringer, a teen fantasy novel by Laini Taylor, is an enjoyable and fresh-faced romp through a dangerous world in which miniature fairies live in isolation, forgetting the apex of their power. An adventurous fairy named Magpie, accompanied by her crow friends, discovers that she is the fated one capable of defeating a monstrous being that swallows up life and leaves no trace. Along the way, she revives the king of Djinn, the creator of the world. With her newfound allies, 2 other young fairies with unusual magical powers, and battling traitors and other demons, she shakes the world of the fairies to the core.

What I like best about this series is the unique language style used, based on Scottish brogue or Irish dialect, I suppose. The mythology of the Djinn and Ifrit, probably unfamiliar to anyone not versed in Middle Eastern folklore, is always interesting to me. And of course, Magpie, stubborn and eventually way too over-powered, still retains a sincere and down-to-earth personality, which really impresses me in my long and jaded career of reading about stubborn and eventually way too over-powered teen heroes and heroines. Overall, an exciting read that I would recommend to anyone who won't snicker at the idea of a Tinkerbell fighting tooth and nail to save the world.

music and magic - more teen novels

I haven't updated in many moons because I've been busy with school and just haven't had access to a good library. But now that it's summer, I'm making up for lost time with my good friend, the local public library. Here are some titles that I will review later - I just wanted to note them before I forgot the authors and all that.

The Naming by Alison Croggon, also The Riddle and The Crow
A series set in a fantasy land where bards are able to perform magic. A teenage girl discovers that she is the fated one who will defeat an evil wizard. With the help of trusted friends, including a mysterious older man as her mentor, she comes into her power, finds a long-lost brother and in a race against time, they try to solve the riddles of the tumultuous past. The first book describes a typically Tolkienesque medieval world, while the second book ventures into the wild wintry north, and the disappointing third novel takes place in a burning south tainted by evil. Now where do they go next?!!

The Singer of All Songs by Kate Constable, part of a trilogy
A series set in a fantasy land where chanters are able to perform magic. A teenage girl discovers she is the fated one who will defeat an evil wizard. With the help of trusted friends, including a mysterious older man as her mentor, she comes into her power... wait a minute!!! Hah hah, but seriously, both series are charming, with breathtaking adventures, adorably stupid characters and confident world building. They're just very similar to each other sometimes. This book was compared to a version of Earthsea, rich and complex with ancient mystery.

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
This is a remarkably interesting retelling of a fairy tale, set in the plains of Mongolia and told in the form of an illustrated diary. Two girls are trapped in a tower, with the princess courted by two different princes, one kind, the other evil. The clever servant-girl, who also has the ability to sing magically, struggles along with her mistress until they finally escape and end up rescuing a kingdom from a terrifying fate. I love how the author sensitively describes the thoughts of the servant girl, who narrates the story, and incorporates elements of a culture not many would know.

Standard Hero Behavior by John David Anderson
A cute, saucy parody of the average fantasy story. A young bard (hah hah, I have a theme going on) and his humorous sidekick unwittingly find themselves on a quest to save their hometown from an army of orcs and goblins. Little do they realize that they would help bring back the long-lost heroes of their father's time on their misadventures throughout the countryside. While definitely ironic, this author does not deal his sarcasm too heavily, and the moral was more sweet than cheesy. Recommended for a light-hearted read.

other fantasy novels

Okay, some mini-reviews of other books I randomly picked out from the library!

Flightless Falcon by Mickey Reichert
an epic fantasy novel about a impoverished father who, after being released from prison, takes on a corrupt secret brotherhood to rescue his family. He is accompanied by a fairly typical motley crew and adventures and soul-searching occurs. It was a good read for a boring afternoon, but nothing special or particularly memorable, except the fact that it leaves room for a sequel.

The Witch, the Wizard and Two Girls from Jersey by Lisa Papademetriou
I checked this out from the Bluebonnet Award winners, but it sadly wasn't that great. Another typical teen fantasy novel about two very different girls who get transported into a fantasy novel and end up changing how the story goes by their actions. The plot was supposed to be fairly typical, the characters annoying but occasionally hilarious. Overall, I could see how teen girls may enjoy this book, but for a more mature reader, you'll be rolling your eyes a lot. Especially at the cop-out ending.

the Book of Flying by Keith Miller

The Book of Flying by Keith Miller is a gorgeous and poetic fantasy novel in the fashion of Alice in Wonderland. It's a short read, but so full of passionate emotion and bizarre imagery. Very rarely do I come across a book that compels me to re-read it as soon as I finish the last sentence, and this is one of them. The book is a bit... adult in some areas, since it describes a young poet's coming of age throughout his encounters with strange characters, many of them nubile young women. Like Victorian novels, you are left with a sense of "what was the purpose of all that?" after reading it, but for this book, I think it works to the advantage, and makes the ending more heartfelt and tragic. I am glad I randomly picked this off the library shelf.

Enchantment by Orson Scott Card

Enchantment by Orson Scott Card: a beautiful, funny and exciting modern version of Sleeping Beauty. Lots of Russian history and culture, two brave young lovers, some diabolical villains and juicy details make this a wonderful and satisfying read. I could not ask for a better fairytale retelling. If I don't think too much about the time travel paradoxes, I would say this is one of my favorite books to read for fun. Highly recommended!

(briefly) series that I didn't like very much

The Sharing Knife (Beguilement) by Lois McMaster Bujold: a medieval fantasy novel that started off with a few interesting twists, but the needless character relationship development at the end was gross and wasn't even remotely interesting. I didn't finish this book and am not inspired to read the rest of the trilogy.

Strange Devices of the Sun and Moon by Lisa Goldstein: if you're into historical England, Shakespeare and Faerie, this book is for you. Eerie and poetic, a philosophical fantasy novel about a widowed bookseller fighting to save her son (and world) from Faerie.

Not Exactly the Three Musketeers by Joel Rosenburg: Typical epic fantasy quest with 3 men apparently from our world set into a magical medieval world. Wizards, sorceresses, dragons galore. Funny, action-packed, but definitely adult.

Crimson Shadow: the Sword of Bedwyr by R.A. Salvatore: This fellow was a NY Times best selling author, so I thought I'd check him out and see if he's all that good. Like most male authors, he deals with action and humor quite expertly, though I had trouble liking any of the characters in this trilogy much. The plot and dialogue, even in Luthien's Gamble, seem awfully shallow and Hollywood-esque in comparison to some of the deeper and admittedly more feminine series I prefer.

Prince of the Blood by Raymond Feist: This was another best-seller author that I decided to give a go. Not bad for a typical swords and sorcery novel. I liked the characters and detailed world building, the dialogue was humorous but not too full of itself, the plot sufficiently complicated. But I wasn't particularly interested in what happens in a massive fantasy epic and after reading Shadow of a Dark Queen, it confirmed my apathy towards future huge undertakings, with the exception of Pratchett of course.

Vellum by Hal Duncan: this urban sci-fi/fantasy novel looked very hip and edgy and Neil-Gaiman-esque, but it was a chore to keep up with the changing perspectives and overall felt extremely unpleasant. Deals with an amazing revelation of biblical and spiritual mysteries and gutsy young heroes who must fight the forces of good and evil, all at the same time. I am not the intended demographic, I think.

The Legend of Nightfall by Mickey Zucker Reichert

The Legend of Nightfall and the Return of Nighfall by Mickey Zucker Reichert: An occasionally bromantic adventure fantasy novel about an assassin given a second chance (I sure like those kinds of stories) by protecting a foolish young prince. Nightfall must not only keep Edward from harm, but also deal with sorcerors who kill magically talented people for their powers. The sequel falters a bit when Nightfall returns to needless emo introspection as he attempts to track down a missing king, but the hilarious hijinx continues, ever so suavely. I also like how friendships are explored, I think honest and non-gay relationships between men or between women is so rarely done well.

What I like about this author's style is her sense of realism and morality in a medieval fantasy setting, and how she describes things thoroughly but succintly. Her dialogue is also quite snappy, but not idiotically so like Eddings or Lackey, ahem. I still wouldn't place her anywhere near Pratchett's level, but her books were quite enjoyable overall and if I cared enough, I'd read her other series.

(briefly) young adult series by various authors

You guessed it, more mini-reviews of young adult novels and series! Except for the last two reviews, I wasn't really impressed enough by any of these series to write a separate post.

Elske and Jackaroo by Cynthia Voigt: actually rather intriguing books on their own, but I would have to read a whole series about a fantastic medieval world to thoroughly understand the backstory, and well... I wasn't that interested. I remember the books being just barely on this side of boring and political.

Book of Dead Days by Marcus Sedgwick: a fairly interesting historical/macabre novel about an orphan and a London magician who makes a deal with the devil or something, but I wasn't tempted to read the rest of the series. It didn't really make any long-lasting impact in my mind.

Water Mirror by Kai Meyer: a captivating book about an orphan girl with a mirror who lives in a Venice-like world inhabited by stone lions and scary mermaids. A short novel that might require reading the rest of the series to find any real plot development.

Blue Girl by Charles de Lint: I didn't finish this book because man, it started off slow and I couldn't get past the second chapter. I like fantasy stories about high school kids, not high school stories about fantasy kids. This author is good, don't get me wrong, but his type of suburban fantasy isn't really my preference.

Levin Thumps and the Gateway to Foo by Obert Skye: It reads like a book written by a sophisticated young Swedish author who doesn't understand American humor but tries anyways. Parts of it are laugh-out-loud funny but most of it's just weird and you laugh because you don't really understand what's going on. The story is fairly typical - teen finds out about supernatural powers and saves the world from mystical evil with help of plucky gel and fantastic mascot sidekicks, but everything else is appreciably strange. Apparently there are more books involved.

Falconer's Knot by Mary Hoffman: This historical mystery novel is surprisingly witty, concise and dramatic, with cheesy teenage romance and artsy details. Because it takes place in Italy like her other books, it requires a love and knowledge of Italian culture and art to truly appreciate. The major complaint I have for this book is that it seems like an adult mystery hacked and censored for a pre-teen audience. Had it been developed for a more mature reader, it would have been quite entertaining, but I find it choppy and the mystery way too easily solved. I'm sure younger readers will still enjoy this book, though.

Cup of the World and the Widow and the King by John Dickinson: An epic fantasy novel and its sequel about a spirited girl who elopes with a mysterious man who communicates to her through magic. Turns out he wants to conquer the known kingdom and will stop at nothing to do so. Magic and mayhem ensue. The sequel deals with the widowed queen trying to save her young son from a malicious ghost and scheming, ensorceled lords. Lots of people die... I appreciated the sorrowful, legendary tone and its layers of meaning and allegory, but it's not a series I recommend for people who want to feel good after reading something.

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke is a HUUUGE novel probably longer than all 6 Harry Potter books put together! Starts off extremely boring, but is oh-so-satisfying in the end if you can keep all the plotlines straight. I would describe this book as intellectual, witty, and worth reading if you like British manners, books, Faerie or a delicious combination of above.

It takes place in a magical Napoleonic-era London/Europe and follows two magicians as they try to bring back "true magic" and also counter the malignant forces of Faerie that work on everyone they know. The characters are extremely well-developed if somewhat frustratingly British - think of a wizardly cast of Jane Austen's novels. The footnotes are priceless, not as funny as Pratchett's impertinent ones, but snarky in their own way. Perhaps a lot of the extra Dickinsonian writing could be cut out, but I also feel the novel would lose a lot of its British flavor that way.

The Ladies of Grace-Adieu is a charming anthology of short stories that also take place in this alternate Europe. As a wry counterpoint to Jonathan Strange, it is bitterly amusing and probably more palatable than the monster of the original novel.

the Unlikely Ones by Mary Brown

The Unlikely Ones by Mary Brown is an epic fantasy novel also starring a hideously scarred protagonist who goes through a miraculous transformation and finds best friends and true love (like Thornton's Bitterbynde trilogy.) While a little raunchy at times, this book is quite charming, with uniquely rendered characters and some bizarre adventures that are not as typical as this book's genre would signify. I am put in mind of an X-rated version of Wrede's Enchanted Forest series. My favorite part are the poor little animals who accompany the heroes and perform some helpful task, but then again, I always like the animals. The ending was kinda bitter, but overall happy and with a good sense of closure.

Warning, do not read her other fantasy novel, it sucked hardcore.

the Haunting of Alaizabel Cray, Poison and Storm Thief by Christopher Wooding

I will be reviewing three of Christopher Wooding's books in this entry. They are all good young adult novels, but they are fairly short. As horror novels go, I find these much scarier than novels written for adults. Perhaps when you view things through a pre-teen or teen perspective, simple things can somehow seem a lot more terrifying.

The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray is an example of fine horror literature for teens. Think of a Victorian era London, with Jack the Ripper allusions and stuff about like, the Illuminati or something. Extremely tense and dramatic, with unusual characters, terrifying monsters and a sufficiently complicated plot that does not patronize younger readers and would engage older readers. The ending was a teensy bit anti-climactic, but overall, a recommended book.

Poison is another horror story, but set in a fantasy world. It follows the adventures of a stubborn girl trying to save her sister from the elves, outwitting monsters both hideous and beautiful along the way. The plot is familiar, but the twists and turns are satisfyingly unusual and delightful (in a morbid sense.) This novel was very accurately described as a dark fairytale for teens. Pee-in-your-pants terrifying.

Storm Thief is Wooding's horror story set in a science fiction world. I feel this novel lacks the polish of the others regarding plot, since the ending is unusually vague and somewhat disappointing. The rest of the novel is chilling enough, deftly handling nightmarish monsters, a cruel government and a thoroughly realized post-apocalyptic future. (I just love sci-fi stories in which people are made into food. That's the best plot device ever. Trust me, you could see that one coming.)

The Goose Girl and the Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale is a charming retelling of Grimm's fairytales in novel form. This one deals with a grisly and rather arbitrary tale elegantly and sincerely. I like the little political twist thrown into the plot, which often end up as unnecessary moral lessons in other retellings I've come across. As a young adult novel, there's not much else to say about it, other than it's good.

The Princess Academy, also by Shannon Hale, is an original novel about girls from a village who are sent to be trained as potential brides for the prince. One small girl is able to rescue her town from bandits with her strength and kindness. Very simple and sweet. There may be a sequel, but I have yet to check it out.

There is a series of fairy-tale retellings in short novel format for teen girls, all romantic in nature and under the title "Once Upon a Time...". I've read a couple, both were very nice and neat, let me google the author's names... Okay here we go.

Sunlight and Shadow, by Cameron Dokey, is a retelling of Mozart's opera, the Magic Flute. A lot more forgiving than the original story, very otherworldly but entertainingly confusing and of course, romantic enough for any teenage girl. Or guy... I guess.

Scarlet Moon, by Debbie Viguie, is a very interesting retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. You wouldn't think that there was any romance in such a straightforward fairytale, but there is now! Kinda predictable, but still enjoyable and manages to totally negate the original moral of the story.

Singer of Souls by Adam Stemple

Singer of Souls by Adam Stemple was really... something different. I was initially fascinated by the fact that this man looks like a country singer, is the son of a famous children's novel author (Jane Yolen) and has previously only written children's songbooks. The dark modern mood will put you in mind of Neil Gaiman and Emma Bull, but overall, it was a disappointment to me. It starts with a young guitarist trying to stay off drugs, going to Scotland with his grandma and making a living singing but eventually running into evil fairies and monsters. I couldn't put the book down until the very end, when the author apparently decided he already spent enough of his genius writing the first 90% of the book and decided to just spew shock-value into the word processor for the rest and completely ruin the tone. I assume there's going to be a sequel, that would be the only thing that makes sense. I recommend reading the first half only and imagining a happy ending for yourself, it just really confused me why the sensitive and brave young hero suddenly turned into an aquadouche. I should probably go check and see if the sequel explains anything...