Tempest by Julie Cross

Okay, so it's true. I can time-travel. But it's not as exciting as it sounds. I can't go back in time and kill Hitler. I can't go to the future and see who wins the World Series in 2038. So far, the most I've ever jumped is about six hours in the past. Some superhero, right?

I first heard about Tempest when I was preparing for LeakyCon 2012 and I was researching the different LeakyCon Lit panels I wanted to attend. Julie Cross was supposed to be a part of a discussion about how she was a female writer who chose to have her book told through the eyes of a male. (I could be wrong, but I'm about 99% sure that's what it was for.) I thought it sounded good then, but didn't get the chance to read it before I went. After that, I forgot about it until I spotted it on the library shelves a few weeks ago.

Jackson is a college sophomore who also happens to be a time-traveler. He can jump back in time, but not for very long or very far back, and nothing he does can change what has already happened. So far the power has proven useless except for gathering tidbits of information, until the day that armed men crash into his girlfriend's dorm room. It's on that day that he watches as his girlfriend takes a bullet to the chest and, involuntarily, he jumps back in time a full two years.

Unable to get back 2009, where Holly (his girlfriend) lays dying on her dorm room floor, Jackson feels like he is going to lose his mind. Not only is he wracked by guilt about leaving her behind, but he's also  managed to uncover certain information that points toward his father being a government agent. Unsure of who to trust or how to proceed, he seeks out the 2007 versions of his best friend and girlfriend, hoping they will somehow point him in the right direction.

However, as Jackson manages to uncover more information about who he is and who those men were that shot 2009 Holly, he realizes that he doesn't know who to trust. And worse, he learns he is putting everyone around him in grave danger simply by association. If he doesn't find a way to protect the people he loves, he could lose them all.

Time travel is a common theme in science fiction, but one that still manages to be difficult to pull off. Perhaps it's because the theme is so over-done that it can be hard to make it original. Perhaps it's because it has a tendency to err on the side of cheesy or un-realistic. However, Julie Cross somehow manages to pull off Jackson's version of time traveling with a level of originality and believability that definitely surprised me.

I would absolutely suggest this to science fiction fans who are looking for a new and complex take on a typically worn-out theme. And if you're not a sci-fi junkie? Well, there's still plenty of appeal in the rest of the story and Jackson is a wonderful protagonist that makes you want to learn more about who he is and how he manages to make it through all of the crazy that has somehow made its way into his life.

Rating:♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Holly fell to the ground and I wanted to shout, to drop down beside her, but the second the seeping red blood started to show through her robe, I jumped. This time I couldn't seem to control it. 
But right before everything turned black, I saw it. Her chest rose and then fell again. She was alive and I just left her there.

A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner

I would not stand by and let them be lost to the Mede or to Melenze or to an endless civil war where they would never be free of bloodshed until the whole country was stripped to the bare bones. If I couldn't be Eddis, I would be Attolia.

[Click here to see my review of book 1: The Thief, book 2: The Queen of Attolia, and book 3: The King of Attolia.]

Though finishing a series tends to be a tad bittersweet, one must admit that it brings a lovely feeling of accomplishment when you sit back, happily aware that you've read all there is to read when it comes to this particular storyline and these particular characters.

I deeply enjoyed the entire Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner and I finally brought myself around to reading the conclusion. For all my talk of the greatness of finishing a series, there's also a finality that makes me realize how much I'll miss these characters and these stories. I tend to put as much space between the second to last book and the final one as I can plausibly get away with.

When Sophos, heir to the throne of Sounis, and friend of both the queen of Eddis and the king of Attolia, is attacked in his own village and whisked away to an unknown destination, he manages to weasel his way out of the hands of his captors. However, he soon finds himself a slave on the lands of the very man who ordered his kidnapping. Rendered unrecognizable, he settles into this life, believing it would be best for him to leave the running of Sounis to his uncle. After all, Sophos had never been a very promising heir. He cared too much for his poetry and too little for strategy or battle.

Still, Sophos left much unfinished when he was taken from his home. His sisters and mother may have died in the attack, but there were others who held his heart and a rebellion rising that threatens to overthrow Sounis and leave it vulnerable to the Medes, a country that's been trying to get a foothold in Sounis (along with its neighboring countries) for a time now and is still licking its wounds from being so heartily deterred by Attolia.

When his father comes under attack in the very home that Sophos has been laboring under, Sophos brings himself out of obscurity to save his father and his men. But much has changed since the day that Sophos was taken and he is no longer heir to the throne, but is now king himself. It is his task to save his country and he's going to have to turn to an old friend if he will ever manage to accomplish it. But will the king of Attolia aid him in his quest to save his people, or will Gen prove to be more difficult than he's ever been before?

The most recent installment in what fans of the series are calling "The Queen's Thief" series, A Conspiracy of Kings was (as you can probably see from the summary) told from the perspective of Sophos. It's fun seeing the kid grow up and become and entity and a threat in his own right. Sophos is a fun character and one that the reader can really identify with. While Gen, the subject of the first three books, was always a joy to read, I loved how different Sophos was from him. He was much more afraid, less cunning, but just as clever. I really enjoyed getting to see Megan Whalen Turner write such a different character in this series while still making us love both of our main protagonists.

All of that said, I didn't enjoy this book nearly as much as I did the first three. Perhaps it was simply the way the tale played out. Most of this book was a sort of "leading up to" the main event, while in Gen's stories, they tended to be lots of little main events that led up to a big main event.

I greatly enjoyed the book, I just didn't enjoy it as much as its predecessors, I suppose. It's just not my favorite book in the series. I greatly look forward to the next book in this series. I want to know what happens to the dear friends we've been introduced to throughout these books. I have no doubts that Turner will blow us out of the water with the fifth installment (though we have no idea when it's coming out yet).

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

"He proved me wrong. Either because he can see what we can't or just because he demands the world conform to his own desires. I am never sure which it is that he does." 

Fathomless by Jackson Pearce

Maybe you have to know about your past to look to your future, to make a decision about it.

[Click here to see my review of book 1: Sisters Red and book 2: Sweetly.]

After absolutely falling in love with the first two books in Jackson Pearce's Fairytale Retellings series, I was admittedly a little scared to read the third. What if I didn't like it? What if it didn't live up to the greatness of the first two? I had the utmost faith in the fact that she could make this one just as good as her first two, but what if she hadn't?

Well, my fears were totally unfounded. Fathomless turned out to be just as beautifully written and compelling as its counterparts. I'm already itching to get my hands on Cold Spell, the fourth book, which doesn't come out until November of this year. How will I ever manage to wait that long?

Celia, Anne, and Jane Reynolds are a set of triplets with surprising powers. Anne can see the future, Jane can see the present, and Celia sees only the past. The youngest in their family, they were sent off to boarding school after the death of their mother. Since then, they've really only had each other, having lost contact with each of their brothers and the father who no longer remembers them (due to his Alzheimer's). They've always known that they're stronger together, but lately Celia has been feeling more and more like she is the odd one out. It's Jane and Anne who are the identical ones. She's just the one that somehow got thrown into the mix to complete the set. She believes that her power is useless, that her siblings received the ones that they could do something with whiles she only gets memories, but that's before she meets Lo.

Lo is an ocean girl. She used to be human, but now she lives under the water with her sisters, other ocean girls who have forgotten their pasts and bide their time until the day the angels who brought them here pluck them out of the sea and take them away to be with them. When they first arrive, though, many of the girls just want to go back. They want to be human again. According to the legends of the old ones, there's only one way to do that: they must get a human to love them and then drown them, taking the human's soul for their own.

When Jude, a hapless musician falls into the ocean one night, Lo decides that she doesn't want him to drown. She has tried drowning a boy to restore her soul and knows it won't work. Instead, she fights her sisters to save him, bringing him back to the shore with Celia's help. Celia touches Lo and discovers her real name, the one she forgot. This awakens a longing within Lo to remember what she was before she was an ocean girl.

Celia agrees to help her recover her memories and suddenly feels like her power has a purpose--that it can finally help someone. But this tentative friendship she's made is fraught with dangers and Jude may not be the only one in danger of drowning now.

In Fathomless, Pearce once again proves that she has an imagination of gold. And she has certainly struck gold with this series of retellings. I cannot express enough how much I adore this beautiful series and everything in it. Filled to the brim with the same strong bonds I have admired in the beginning, as well as another great dose of the magical and mythical beings we've seen in the first two novels, these books are positively addicting and the kind you'll want to pester everyone you know to read so they can enjoy it just as much as you did.

What are you waiting for? Go get this book immediately! Get the whole series! And pray the Jackson Pearce never ever stops writing.

Rating: ~ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ~

"Because there's nothing there. There's no future between you and the girl--the water girl. Naida. Whatever she is."
"We stop being friends-" 
"You're not listening," Anne snaps, and there's so much worry in her voice that I feel cold. "There's nothing there, Celia. There's no future because there's no 'you and her.' It's blank."
"What does that mean?" 
Anne sighs, shakes her head. "What have you gotten yourself into?" she mutters before looking me in the eye. "It means," she says, voice serious, "either she dies or you do." 

Inkspell by Cornelia Funke

Words were useless. At times they might sound wonderful, but they let you down the moment you really needed them. You could never find the right words, never, and where would you look for them? The heart is silent as a fish, however much the tongue tries to give it a voice.

[Click here to see my review of book 1: Inkheart]

I bought all three books in the Inkheart trilogy, written by Cornelia Funke, for the sheer purpose of being able to read them consecutively. I didn't end up reading the second book immediately after I finished the first because it was nearing the end of the year and I wanted to try reading a few shorter books in hopes of reaching my goal of one hundred.

I'm going to have to put some space between reading this book and the final installment of the trilogy for a different reason. This one did quite the number on my heart and I'm not sure I can handle the third book just yet, no matter how desperately I want to crack open its pages. Besides, I don't want it to end. If I delay reading Inkdeath, I'll be able to feel like it's lasting that much longer.

Inkspell starts off about a year after the events of Inkheart. Meggie, Mo, Resa, and Darius have taken refuge with Elinor, making a once empty house feel like home for them all. They are doing their best to return to normal lives and forget the nightmare that was at once surreal and disturbingly real for them all. Meanwhile, Farid has been following Dustfinger around like he is the father he never had, helping him find his way back into his book. But when Dustfinger finally manages it, Farid is left in this world with Basta and Mortola suddenly snapping at his heels and threatening to go back into the book themselves after they kill Silvertongue and his daughter.

In despair, Farid runs to Meggie, the girl he's had eyes for since the moment he was read out of his book, seeking her help to get him inside the book so he can be reunited Dustfinger and warn him of the danger that will soon follow him back.Instead of simply sending him, Meggie joins him in the Inkworld, the one place she's dreamed solely about since her mother's return and Capricorn's defeat.

However, upon arriving they are quick to learn that much has changed in Dustfinger's time away and even Fenoglio, the old man who created it, can no longer control it. But the Inkworld is even more dangerous than Meggie could have imagined and when dangers from her own world come to hunt her here, there may be no escaping. Only her voice and Fenoglio's words can change anything in this turmoil. But with all that is hunting her and those she loves most, can she manage to make anything better or will she lose everyone she's ever cared about?

Inkspell was a treat from start to finish. I thought nothing could surpass the first book, but this one has managed to come out its equal. How Funke managed that is a complete mystery to me, but she managed it without a hitch. The stakes were higher, the danger more imminent, and the emotions more vulnerable. Funke has manage to create a cast of characters that mange to burrow themselves into the reader's heart and take up space there . . . which makes certain parts of the book leave that particular reader sobbing on her bed.

I'm speaking generally, of course.

The bonds between the characters is also something I deeply admire. If you've read past reviews, you'll notice that this is one of those things I find really important in general. Loyalty means a lot to me, so I can hardly help noticing it when it's particularly weak or particularly strong. And in Inkspell, they're particularly strong. The bonds between Farid and Dustfinger, Meggie and Mo, and (of course) Meggie and Farid are beautiful and realistic at the same time. Their devotion to one another is absolutely heartwarming and very likely one of my favorite things about this story. It is, after all, a tale about devotion and what one person would give to save the person they love most.

This book series is quickly becoming an absolute favorite of mine. That's right, it's up there with the Harry Potter series now. I mean, anyone who has read it can see why. Not only is it a superbly written fantasy with strong characters and danger around every corner, it's also a book essentially dedicated to books and the magic hidden in their words. How can a book junkie like myself manage to not fall in love with it?! (Particularly a book junkie who adores fantasy and YA Lit as much as I do.)

All in all, I will suggest this book and the series to which it belongs to anyone and everyone who will listen. If you haven't read it yet, you had better get on that.

~ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ~

"They're all cruel," he said. "The world I come from, the world you come from, and this one, too. Maybe people don't see the cruelty in your world right away, it's better hidden, but it's there all the same."

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

"Fear tastes quite different when you're not just reading about it, Meggie, and playing hero wasn't half as much fun as I'd expected.

After absolutely falling in love with the movie adaptation of this novel (and having it practically memorized), I figured it was about time to read this book. I was absolutely certain I would fall in love with it immediately, and that's probably why it took me so long to finally put it off of my "to be read" shelf and finally read it. I even made sure I had all three books in the trilogy before starting the first, because I was certain I would enjoy the first so much that I wouldn't have much patience for tracking down the sequels.

I wasn't wrong.

When Meggie spots a stranger outside her window in the middle of the night, her first instinct is to run to her father for security, but she soon finds herself realizing that he's keeping something from her. When the stranger warns of a man named Capricorn and they rush to the south of Italy to take refuge with her aunt, Meggie soon realizes that the world is a much more dangerous place than she could have ever imagined. And the secrets her father has kept from her have the power to change her world forever.

It's not long before she learns what he's been keeping from her. It seems that Mo, Meggie's father, has a special gift--the unique power to draw items and even characters from the pages of a book simply by reading aloud. However, he cannot control this gift. He cannot choose who or what comes or even goes. This makes his power dangerous, far more dangerous than it's worth, and that is the reason Meggie's father never read to her. It was far too risky.

Despite this, Mo has been hunted by Capricorn and Basta, two of the thugs he drew out of a book called Inkheart when Meggie was a child along with a third character named Dustfinger. Mo has also tried to evade Dustfinger, but with much less luck and it is he whom Meggie sees standing outside her window when the book begins. Now Capricorn is closer than ever before and he'll stop at nothing to capture Mo and get his hands on the the last copy of Inkheart, which Mo has, until now, kept safely hidden.

This book was absolutely wonderful. I cannot get over how much I deeply enjoyed it. Throughout its pages, books are celebrated and the three main characters (Meggie, Mo, and Meggie's Aunt Elinor) have a deep love for them that I can entirely identify with. Each chapter even begins with a quote from a book that fits what occurs in the chapter (and ended up causing me to add quite a few books to my "to be read" list).

The storytelling and the plot are extremely well-written and the book itself is rich with fantasy and beauty. Experiencing Mo's gift, Dustfinger's despair, and Capricorn's evil alongside the characters was captivating and the vivid way in which Cornelia Funke describes her characters and their emotions can't help but draw you in.

I would highly suggest this to anyone, young or old. It's a fantastic story . . . one that should be read widely and often. I can already tell that this series could easily be one of the gateway sort for those who aren't really fans of reading just yet. Much like J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, this one will draw you in and show the reader exactly why reading is so absolutely imperative--that stories have a power all their own.

Rating: ~ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ~

[Click here to see my review of book 2: Inkspell]

"Is there anything in the world better than words on the page? Magic signs, the voices of the dead, building blocks to make wonderful worlds better than this one, comforters, companions in loneliness. Keepers of secrets, speakers of truth . . . all those glorious words."

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

She dared to glance back. 

Yellow, sick-looking eyes found hers. 

She turned forward and sped up, faster than the others, driven by the yellow eyes that overpowered the sharp aches in her chest, her legs begging for rest. There was light ahead, shapes that weren't trees. Their house, their house was close--the candy trail had worked. She couldn't feel her feet anymore, her lungs were bursting, eyes watering, cheeks scratched, but there was the house.

They burst from the woods onto their cool lawn. Get inside, get inside. Ansel flung the back door open and they stumbled in, slamming the door shut. Their father and mother ran down the stairs, saw their children sweaty and panting and quivering, and asked in panicky, perfect unison:

"Where's your sister?"

[Click here for my review of book 1: Sisters Red]

The sequel to Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce, Sweetly is the story of Gretchen and Ansel,  a brother and sister duo who leave their home in Washington to find a new one where they no longer live under the shadow of the sister they lost, Gretchen's twin. Still feeling the ache of her disappearance and the deaths of their parents, they are driven out by their surviving stepmother and drive straight to North Carolina. Gretchen hopes to escape the fear of vanishing the way her sister did by going to live on the beach, far away from the trees and forests that have surrounded her since she was a child, a constant reminder of what she lost and how she lost her to the witch in the woods.

Before they can make it to the beach, though, their car breaks down  and they are forced to seek help in the the small town of Live Oak. They take refuge in the home of Sofia Kelly, a chocolatier living just outside town. The twins and Sofia hit it off immediately, but most people in Live Oak hate Sofia just as much as they hate strangers, if not more. Most are either convinced she's an angel or a devil in disguise. Immediately, Gretchen and Ansel stand beside Sofia's claim of innocence in the part of the girls who have gone missing in from the town, both knowing first-hand what it's like to be blamed for the disappearance of another. But when Gretchen meets Samuel, she begins to question Sofia's side of the story as well as the secrets that seem to surround her.

As she learns more about the town's past and the witch who took her sister, Gretchen learns that the witch is back . . . and this time, it's after her.

I didn't think it was possible for Pearce to make a book that was just as good as the first in the Fairytale Retellings series, but she has definitely managed to pull that off without a hitch. Sweetly is filled with just as memorable characters and strong bonds as the first book and a plot that keeps you guessing until the end. As I've mentioned before, I'm a major sucker for loyalty and relationships where every person would be willing to lay down their life fore the next at a moment's notice and this book had both of those; not to mention, incredible fight scenes. All that, and the more intense scenes still had me biting my nails and even actually yelling during one particularly frightening bit.

This series is looking like it will turn out to be an all-time favorite of mine and I can't wait to see where it goes next, as well as where it will culminate in the end. It's going to be an epic collection and you absolutely don't want to miss it. I suggest you get started reading it right away. In the meantime, I'll be scouring the internet for book three.

Rating: ~ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ~

"Poor Sophia," Ansel says, shaking his head. I can hear it in his voice--he wants to save Sophia. That's how Ansel works. Someone is in pain, and he wants to save her--he ran back into the woods after our sister, he became my rock. He didn't give up on our father, even when Dad became someone Ansel and I barely knew--it wasn't long after Mom's death that he started drinking, and once he remarried it got worse. He couldn't escape the guilt--over my sister, over my mother. . . Guilt ate him through the mouth of the bottle. 

The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

"Don't look so uncomfortable. I have learned that there is a flaw in your philosophy. If we trust no one, we cannot survive."

[Click here to see my review of book 1: The Thief and book 2: The Queen of Attolia.]

After reading the first two books in this series, I could help eagerly awaiting my chance to read the third. Megan Whalen Turner has artfully managed to create a fantasy that is wholly believable on every front. Everything about it is simply well-done and I cannot commend the author enough at having done her job so thoroughly and making it all so utterly authentic.

The King of Attolia is seen primarily from the point of view of Costis, a young soldier who has moved himself high up in the Queen's Guard through both his talent and his utter devotion to the Queen. So, of course, he is overcome with outrage at her marriage to the Eddisian Thief who stole her away and then forced her to marry him. He unthinkingly takes it one step further when he decks the new king out of anger and nearly ends up being put to death by the very Queen he would give his heart and soul for.

The new king spares Costis and goes one step further in naming him as the lieutenant of his personal guard. Though shown mercy, the boy seethes under the attention of the king and believes this all to be an elaborate ploy of the weak king in doling out his frustration upon someone who can't fight back.  However, as Costis spends more time around the king, he begins to see that Euginedes isn't quite so inept as he had formerly suspected, and maybe he has the makings of a king within him after all.

Once again, Megan Whalen Turner has blown me away in both her storytelling and her beautifully rounded out characters. I never seem to know what to expect in these books and yet each comes through in such a way that I wonder how I didn't see it coming in the first place.

Eugenides never fails to draw the reader's compassion or steal one's heart and Costis has also become the sort of character you can't help cheering for the whole way, even when you know he's the one in the wrong. Attolia made quite the impression on me as well, becoming even more of a person in this novel than the last; not so much an impressive figurehead as a strong and very wounded woman.

Turner's storytelling is once again superb and I cannot praise this series enough. It is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. It just keeps getting better and better

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
"They think I lied on your instructions. That Teleus and I killed the assassins in the garden and let you take the credit." 
"Oh, that," said the king with a shrug. "That isn't your honor, Costis. That's the public perception of your honor. It has nothing to do with anything important, except perhaps for manipulating fools who mistake honor for its bright, shiny trappings. You can always change the perception of fools." 

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

"You watch yourself. One day you're gonna pick a hole in the sky and the universe is gonna fall right through. Then we'll all be in a fix."

I've been interested in reading Beautiful Creatures ever since I saw Margaret Stohl at LeakyCon, thought she was pretty cool, and started following her on Twitter. The last action further encouraged me to read the book after constantly being bombarded by news about the book and its movie adaptation that will be hitting theaters in February.

So I finally got around to picking the book up at the library and started reading it as soon as I got the chance. It was wonderful. A rich and well-written story, Beautiful Creatures is more than worthy of all the attention it's getting right about now. In fact, I think it deserves a little more.

Nearly every night, Ethan Wate has the same nightmare. The particulars may be different, but each one involves him doing everything in his power to save a girl he deeply loves and each ends with her slipping through his fingers as his heart shatters. He does his best to convince himself that these dreams are of no consequence, even as he wakes up covered in mud or dripping from water and with the smell of rosemary and lemons in his nostrils. When the girl from his dreams ends up being in his class on the first day of school, though, Ethan is no longer able to fool himself.

Lena Duchanne (pronounced doo-cain) immediately attracts the attention of the entire town of Gatlin. The small, southern town is wary of outsiders and those who are different. Not only does Lena look and act different than any of the other girls in Jackson High School, but strange things keep happening around her and it's not long before it is discovered that she's also the niece of Macon Ravenwood, the town's local shut-in.

But Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her. She's different and that's intoxicating to him, but it's more than that. They share a connection that no one, not even she, can explain and Ethan soon finds himself willing to put everything on the line to protect and love this strange girl.

However, things are more complicated than they seem. A heavy cloud hangs over Lena and it takes more than a little coaxing before he learns why. Lena is a Caster (generally considered a sort of witch, though most Casters hate being called such) and her sixteenth birthday is rapidly approaching. For most Casters, their sixteenth birthday is the day they choose whether to be a Dark or Light Caster, but in the Duchanne/Ravenwood family, a curse takes the choice out of their hands. They don't get to choose. A path is decided for them.

Lena, fearful of what she may become, does her best to push Ethan away, but he might be just what she needs to keep her from losing everything she is. One way or another, each new day brings her birthday closer and Ethan is determined to do whatever it takes to keep Lena from slipping through his fingers.

With masterful dialogue and memorable characters, Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia spin an excellent tale filled with love, magic, fear, and darkness. The pages are rich with wonderful storytelling and keeps the reader hooked from beginning to end and longing for more even after one has reached the final page. Each character was well-rounded and interesting, each scene executed with precision and finesse.

This book was excellent and I cannot wait to read it's three successors. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good read that's dark and beautiful all at once, filled with fantasy and eerie delight. It was just spooky enough to keep me enthralled without discouraging my interest. I can't wait to see what these lovely ladies come up with next.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I don't know what I was expecting, but if I had learned anything about Lena by now, it was to expect the unexpected and proceed with caution.

Christopher Paolini at the Dallas Museum of Art

Right now, Christopher Paolini is having his last book tour for the Inheritance Cycle. He has recently published the deluxe edition of the final book in the series (which includes a great deal of goodies, including artwork of Shruiken and extra content) and he is going on a book tour to promote this version. Fortunately for me, one of his first stops happened to be at the Dallas Museum of Art.

I found out about his appearance, so close to where I live, via an email from the museum. I immediately called all of the Eragon fans I knew and purchased my ticket. When the day came for the event, my close friend Andrew and I drove up to Dallas, both of us definitely fangirling as we awaiting the beginning of the event. Both of us are aspiring writers and big Eragon fans, so it was a very exciting prospect for us.

The fans present filled a small auditorium that seated about three hundred or so and nearly all attendees were under fourteen or the parents of those kids, but that didn't put a single damper on the event, nor did Paolini let that dictate how he presented himself and his material in the slightest.

Christopher Paolini, author of the Inheritance Cycle series, was home schooled and graduated at the age of fifteen. Following his graduation, he tells us he was extremely bored. Not having schoolwork was fun for about two weeks and then he realized there was now nothing for him to do. After digging himself a nine by nine foot hole in his backyard and fashioning it into a Viking Mead Hall, he realized he needed to focus his efforts on something worthwhile. He chose to write the kind of fantasy novel he enjoyed reading.

Andrew and I with our tickets.

So Christopher Paolini set to work creating Eragon, the first in the series of four rather large books, and finished it within the year. Then he went back to read his work for the first time . . . and marveled at how terrible it was. It was so bad, he told us during his time onstage, that the main character's first name wasn't even Eragon. It was Kevin. And, to be honest, who would have read the tale of Kevin the Dragon Rider?

Instead of giving up, Paolini went through the tedious process of editing and rewriting the first draft, as all authors must. From that came the book we all know and love. When it was complete, the Paolini's chose to self-publish. Christopher's sister, Angela (inspiration for the character of the same name in the series) drew up the cover while he drew the map and eye that remain in each printing of the book to date, while his parents helped him self-publish and draw attention to the book through numerous events and engagements they secured for him. In order to garner attention during that time, he often attended those engagements in medieval clothing consisting of knee-high boots, a red pirate shirt, and similar items of clothing.

After a Q&A forum, during which he confirmed plans for further books set in Alagäesia and the fact that his current novel is sci-fi, he gave a few tips for aspiring authors that I took notes on and will share here:

-Good readers are good writers. Read as much as you can. The things you don't like can help improve your writing just as much as the things you do, even if it's only showing you what you shouldn't do.

-Learn as much as you can about the English language. The more you know about spelling, grammar, and writing in general, the better you'll be able to communicate what's in your head to your audience.

-Write about whatever it is that you care about most. If you aren't interested in what you're writing, you won't do a very good job at it and writing won't be nearly as enjoyable. Even if what you care about isn't that popular, there are a lot of people on this planet and there are bound to be plenty of people who will find what you love just as cool as you do.

-Write EVERY DAY. It keeps you in practice and helps you maintain your relationship with the material so that writing will come easier to you than if you write once a week and have to take the time to get back into the world of what you're writing every time you sit down to it. "Persistence beats out talent almost every time," he reiterated. If you keep putting it off, you'll never finish. Writing every day keeps you focused on finishing what you've started.

-Have fun. If writing isn't enjoyable to you in the slightest, you're probably pursuing the wrong thing. Enjoy what you're doing and do it well.

My signed copies of Eldest and Inheritance.

Overall, it was a wonderful event and Christopher Paolini is really quite an engaging speaker. I loved hearing everything he had to say. He's quite friendly and very relatable. Afterward, he signed books for everyone. I brought Eldest and Inheritance for him to sign and he seemed rather excited about the fact that I had purchased the European editions, which was pretty cool for me.

Christopher Paolini is a master when it comes to the skill of writing and I definitely suggest his books to anyone looking for a fantasy that will keep you hooked from beginning to end. He's a pro at his trade and a wonderful person, definitely worth seeing if he tours in your area. I'm incredibly thankful he came to Dallas and grateful that I had the opportunity to see him.

Valiant by Holly Black

"Did you think you were a hero?" [Spoiler] asked, her voice full of mock pity, pitched loud enough for the crowd.
"No," Val said. "I think you're a villain." 

[Click here to read my review of book 1: Tithe.]

After reading Tithe a few weeks ago, I was eagerly looking forward to reading the next in the series. I really appreciate Holly Black's fantastical imagination and the way she creates faerie worlds, so I was clearly excited when I snagged this book and started reading it. It didn't disappoint.

Valiant is the story of Val, a seventeen year-old girl who has just discovered that her boyfriend is sleeping with her mother. How's that for a shocking way to get the reader hooked? Distraught and angry that she could have allowed herself to be so blatantly lied to, she runs away and meets Lolli, Dave, and Luis, three teenagers living on the streets and making deliveries for faeries.

At first, Val assumes that her new friends are either crazy or creating an elaborate lie just to see if she'll believe them. But it isn't long before things start happening that Val can't just wave away. The shadows dance of their own volition, people with strange features and eerie warnings start cropping up, andVal begins sticking her nose into things that are better left alone. When Val finds herself forced into the service of a troll named Ravus, she can no longer deny the existence of faeries; but as soon as she has discovered this new reality, she is thrust into a new problem. Someone is poisoning members of the faerie community and Ravus has been implicated, putting she and her friends in grave danger as well.

This enchanting sequel to Tithe was every bit as good as I expected it to be. The characters were all interesting and well-rounded; the romance was sweet and progressed at a slow but steady pace. I was a little disappointed that we only caught a glimpse of Kaye (the heroine from the first book), but the story and it's fabulous journey was worth it.

Val is an interesting and very well-written heroine. Black really went out of her way in making Val as believable a character as possible by showing the reader her struggles and the reasons behind her actions and, most especially, her mistakes.

A dark fantasy that pulls you in from page one, Valiant was a wonderful addition to a great series written by an author whose great imagination has captured the hearts and minds of readers from the day her first book was published. I greatly look forward to reading the third and final book in this series. If the past two books have been any indication, it's going to be one hell of a good ride.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

"I know you're very brave," he said
"Or stupid." 
"And stupid. Brave and stupid." Ravus smiled, but then his smile sagged. "But nothing can stop you from being terrible once you've learned how." 

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

The wolf opened his wide, long jaws, rows of teeth and bloodstained tongue stretching for her. A thought locked itself in Scarlett's mind, and she repeated it over and over until it became a chant, a prayer: I am the only one left to fight, so now I must kill you.

I picked up Sisters Red after hearing a pretty great review of it on another book reviewing blog. I bought it a few weeks ago and just now got around to reading it. My reaction? I love almost everything about this book.

You'll often hear avid readers getting "book hangovers," meaning basically that after they've finished the book, they have trouble starting a new one or thinking about anything besides the book they have just finished because they're still in that world. As many good books as I read, I don't usually experience that as much anymore. I still often find my mind going back to a good story or book that I really enjoyed, but I don't often have trouble breaking away from thinking only about a particular story for a day or two after I've finished it. But I definitely experienced that with Sisters Red. Long after I'd finished it, I was still poring over the tale and everything that had happened within it.

Sisters Red is the shared story of Rosie and Scarlett March. When they were children a werewolf (or Fenris, as they're called by those who are familiar with them) attacked them, killing the grandmother who raised them as well as taking Scarlett's eye and leaving scars all over her body. To save herself and her sister, Scarlett killed the beast; and ever since, she has had an all-consuming passion to hunt Fenris so that no one else has to suffer the way she and her sister have.

When a good friend of the sisters and an excellent woodsman and Fenris hunter, Silas, returns from a long family visit in California, things start changing. Not only does Rosie suddenly find herself drawn to the woodsman, she also begins to guiltily dream of a life where she isn't constantly fighting Fenris. But, more immediately, something is changing about the Fenris. They're getting bolder and more numerous, drifting into territory they had long abandoned. As more and more lives come in contact with the murderous creatures, the three are going to have to come up with a plan to take them on and fast. Otherwise, they could lose a lot more than they already have.

A modern and incredibly well-done spin on the old Red Riding Hood tale, Sisters Red was a compelling read from the very start. Not once did I lose interest or feel the tale was moving either too slow or too fast. Pearce did a fantastic job at pacing her story just right, as well as creating characters that the reader can identify and empathize with.

In particular, the relationships Pearce portrays really struck a cord with me. The loyalty between Rosie, Scarlett, and Silas was beautiful and the fierce love that each portrayed for the others was absolutely stunning. Their love for each other was probably the thing I loved most about this book. No matter how much fighting there was or how high the tension got, you never once doubted that each would do anything to protect the others and I cannot say enough how beautiful that is to me.

I would definitely suggest this to everyone, particularly lovers of fairy tales. It was an all-around wonderful book and I will definitely be snatching up the next Jackson Pearce novel I see. I'm thinking her Hansel and Gretel retelling looks like just the right book to be the next addition to my bookshelf.

Rating: ~ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ~

[Click here for my review of book 2: Sweetly]

The plan forms in my mind slowly, more like a tide coming in than a wave crashing over me. I am confident, I am capable, and I will not wait to be rescued by a woodsman or a hunter. I will escape.

The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

The Thief leaned closer to the queen to speak almost into her ear. "From shadow queen to puppet queen in one rule," he whispered. "That's very impressive. When he rules your country and tells you he loves you, I hope you believe him."

[Click here for my review of book 1: The Thief]

I was really looking forward to reading The Queen of Attolia, especially after how much I enjoyed the first book in the series. Turner didn't disappoint. The Queen of Attolia was well-written and incredibly original. I was impressed by how different it was from the first book in the series, since it's rather easy for authors to repeat the basic outline of the previous story when it comes to sequels.

The country of Eddis is a mountainous region that sits between Sounis and Attolia, two larger countries who would like nothing more than to add her lands to their own territory. In the first book, Eugenides, the Thief of Eddis, managed to save his queen from an unwilling union with Sounis in the nick of time.

Now, however, the stakes are higher. Attolia seems to have reached an arrangement with the Medes, a large country offshore that would dominate all three countries if given the chance. With this partnership, they could become more dangerous than ever before.

Eugenides, suffering from a loss that has left him blindsided and vulnerable, is Eddis's only hope. He is tasked with the wellbeing of his country and his queen. He will have to look past his trauma if he is going to manage it. And he's going to have to be more clever than ever before, because this is no trinket he is tasked with stealing. This time his task is to steal a queen.

I really enjoyed The Queen of Attolia. Megan Whalen Turner takes the reader on an entirely new adventure filled with danger that keeps you turning page after page, dying to know what happens next.

Instead of telling the story strictly from Eugenides' point of view, she lets us see through the eyes of the queen of Attolia, the queen of Eddis, and a few others. This was a nice change of pace and really supplemented the story in ways I hadn't expected it would.

Once again, Turner's Pantheon intrigued me. They had a lesser role than in the previous book, but still showed up more than once. As a huge fan of Greek mythology, from which she pulled a great deal of inspiration, I soaked in every word of it.

Overall, this book was a lovely addition to the series. It was all-around wonderful and I can't wait to see how Turner will top herself in the next work. I will definitely be checking the next book out from the library as soon as I can manage it.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
[Click here to see my review of book 3: The King of Attolia.]

The Thief stopped in the doorway. He looked from her to the chair beside her. He was puzzled only for a moment. He looked back at her but cried out to the patron God of Thieves, "God, no," and threw himself backward. The guards caught at him. He sank through their arms, then stood again to drive the heel of his hand up under one guard's nose. The guard dropped as if he'd been hit with an ax, but it was all the strength the Thief had in him. He grabbed for the doorway, but they pulled his fingers free one by one and carried him thrashing to the chair.

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Then, to Dink's surprise, Ender began to cry. Lying on his back, still soaking wet with sweat and water, he gasped his sobs, tears seeping out of his closed eyelids and disappearing in the water on his face.
"Are you alright?"
"I didn't want to hurt him!" Ender cried. "Why didn't he just leave me alone?"

I have heard the title, Ender's Game, tossed around for a couple of years now, but it didn't really show up on my radar until I read How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy, which was also written by Orson Scott Card. I immediately put it on my list of books to be read. It wasn't long before I was hearing even more accolades thrown in its direction and I purchased it as soon as I got the chance.

I am so glad I did. And let me just go ahead and inform you: it deserved every award and every note of praise it received.

Ender's Game is the story of Ender Wiggin, third child in a futuristic society in which two children are the usual and third children are only permitted by the state when necessity begs it. And necessity did beg for Ender Wiggin, because he just might be the only hope Earth has against the buggers--an alien enemy that were only just beaten in the two skirmishes humanity in which humanity has encountered them.

At six years old, Ender is a born and bred genius. Much like his older siblings Peter, his arch nemesis, and Valentine, the person whom he adores more than anyone else in the world, he is carefully monitored by the International Fleet and is taken to Battle School on a ship in space in order to train for his future fighting buggers. As he quickly rises in the ranks much faster than most of the other kids, Ender's limits are tested along with his ability to toe the line between being a good person and becoming a monster.

As you have likely already deduced, I absolutely adored this book. Already a fan of science fiction and and any story that has at least one good fight (trust me, this book has plenty of those), I fell in love with little Ender and his story immediately. Everything about it was beautifully crafted and well-written. I wasn't let down or disappointed in any way when I reached the end. This was an all-around spectacular book.

Once again, I've accidentally started reading a series because I assumed this was a stand alone story, but I have no regrets. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to recommending it to anyone who is looking for a wholly wonderful read.

Rating: ~ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ~

There was no doubt now in Ender's mind. There was no help for him. Whatever he faced, now and forever, no one would save him from it. Peter might be scum, but Peter had been right, always right; the power to cause pain is the only power that matters, the power to kill and destroy, because if you can't kill then you are always subject to those who can, and nothing and no one will ever save you.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

"Molly, how many times do I have to tell you? They didn't report it in the press because Fudge wanted it kept quiet, but Fudge went out to Azkaban the night Black escaped. The guards told Fudge that Black's been talking in his sleep for a while now. Always the same words: 'He's at Hogwarts . . . he's at Hogwarts.' Black is deranged, Molly, and he wants Harry dead."

[Click here to see my review of book 1: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and book 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]

Now in his third year at Hogwarts, we rejoin Harry in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in the midst of his summer vacation. He is still living with the Dursleys and very unhappy about it when his Aunt Marge goes too far in insulting Harry's deceased father and ends up being blown up like a balloon from the force of Harry's anger.

Panicking over his accidental used of magic outside of school (which is strictly prohibited), he runs out of the house and soon catches a fleeting glimpse of a large, black dog just before leaving for the Leaky Cauldron.

As the school year begins, Harry continues to catch fleeting glimpses of what he soon finds out may be a Grimm, a death omen. Nearly every time he has seen this apparition, he seems to have a near death experience. And now his Divination teacher is even predicting his death.

To make matters worse, Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban. Black was placed in the high-security wizard prison twelve years ago for the murder of thirteen Muggles and one wizard not long after the defeat of Voldemort. The clues all point to his return to Hogwarts where he intends to finish the job he started so many years ago: He's coming to kill Harry Potter.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is my second favorite book in the entire series, topped only by Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. J.K. Rowling never falters in her masterful storytelling. Her magic with words is equal in strength to the magic in the story, it draws you in from the first page to the last.

Walking along with Harry as he discovers more about his parents and more about himself is always a treat and this book is so riveting that you simply have to find out what happens next. Rowling brings back the characters you've already fallen in love with, only to make you love them even more and introduce even more wonderful people you won't soon forget.

This book was absolutely wonderful and I so enjoyed rereading it. I suggest it to anyone who wants a magical story, great characters, and a journey that will last with you long after you've finished the series itself.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

[Click here to see my reviews of book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, book 5:Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, book 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.]

"You say you remember him at Hogwarts, Rosmerta," murmured Professor McGonagall. "Do you remember who his best friend was?"
"Naturally," said Madam Rosmerta, with a small laugh. "Never saw one without the other, did you? The number of times I had them in here--ooh, they used to make me laugh. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter!"

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

"It's our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."

[Click here to see my review of book 1: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone]

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the story of Harry's second year at Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After spending a terrible summer with the Dursley's, Harry is just about to return to school when a strange creature that calls himself Dobby shows up in his bedroom. Dobby warns Harry that terrible things are going to happen at school this year and he mustn't be there, because it would put his life in grave danger.

Harry, however, refuses to stay with his horrible family and dismisses Dobby's warning as a cruel joke played by someone who doesn't want him back. But things start going wrong from day one: Ron and Harry can't get onto the platform for the Hogwarts Express and have to find other means of getting to school. That's merely the beginning of it.

Then Harry starts hearing voices that no one else can and something starts attacking the Muggle-born students. No one is safe. A rumor about the Chamber of Secrets and Slytherin's heir passes through the student body quickly as fire. Can Harry find out who the Heir of Slytherin is and stop the monster that's attacking the students in the process? Can he protect his friends and convince people that he is not the heir?

Rowling draws us into the sequel to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone with the same eagerness and excitement that made the first book so wonderful. Once again, she manages to knock us off our feet with her masterful storytelling and her way of keeping us hooked from beginning to end.

Not only does she write wonderful characters that you get to grow with and learn to understand as if they were close friends, but the story itself is filled with twists and turns that one wouldn't have expected, yet would never question. When an author can have you coming back to the story time and time again, wanting to delve into it just once more, that's what makes a truly good book. And that's what J.K. Rowling has in this series of books. You'll always come back wanting more.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
[Click here to see my reviews of book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, book 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, book 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.]
The ink shone brightly on the paper for a second and then, as though it was being sucked into the page, vanished. Excited, Harry loaded up his quill a second time and wrote, "My name is Harry Potter." 
The words shone momentarily on the page and they, too sank without a trace. Then, at last, something happened.
Oozing back out of the page, in his very own ink, came words that Harry had never written.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

"Harry--you're a great wizard, you know."
"I'm not as good as you," said Harry, very embarrassed, as she let go of him. 
"Me!" said Hermione. "Books! And cleverness! There are more important things--friendship and bravery and--oh Harry--be careful!"

This is the second time I've read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (the third, if you count listening to the audiobook) and it is no less a magical ride now than before. It is the perfect introduction to an amazing series and some wildly wonderful characters.

Harry Potter is living with his awful relatives, the Dursleys, who mistreat and dislike the boy, when he discovers an amazing truth. He is a wizard, as were his parents before him. Suddenly, his life takes a turn for the better. He is sent to a school for wizards called Hogwarts and, for the first time, manages to find a place where he feels loved and can make friends that are loyal and kind.

Everything is going well, better than he could have imagined, when he and his friends discover a three-headed dog on the third floor, apparently guarding something of great value. At first, they're merely interested, until they find that one of the teachers is trying to steal it. If he manages to do so, it could mean the end of the security the wizarding world has only just gotten used to. It could mean the return of a threat that was thought to have ended eleven years ago, the night Harry's parents were murdered and he received the scar on his forehead that resembled lightning. Nothing is quite as it seems and there are many dangers awaiting Harry and his friends during his first year at Hogwarts. Will they be able to make it through the year's dangers and excitements and still manage to pass their exams? It will take all of their cleverness and all of their loyalty if they even want a chance at succeeding.

It's no secret that I am a major fan of J.K. Rowling's work and it was a sheer pleasure to be able to immerse myself in it again. After LeakyCon, I wanted to reread the books and I'm very excited about continuing on. Even in her first book, Rowling shows a profound ability to draw the reader in and present them with both a believable and simply magical tale that captures their hearts.

Definitely a must-read, this series is very likely one of the greatest fantasy series of our time, on par with the works of Lewis and Tolkien. Whether you're nine or ninety-nine, you'd better go pick this book up right away.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

[Click here to see my reviews of book 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, book 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, book 6: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, and book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]

"After all, to the well organized mind, death is but the next great adventure. You know, the Stone was really not such a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all--the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them."

Tithe by Holly Black

"When you do magic, there are two stages: focus and surrender. Surrender is the part that so many do not understand.
"To do magic, you must focus on what it is you want to do, then let go of the energy and trust it to do your bidding."

Not only is the cover of Tithe deliciously creepy (I got quite a kick out of showing it to people just to see their reactions),  but the story is quite unlike anything I've read yet. This is probably more a result of the fact that faeries creep me out and I tend to avoid media about them. Still, the book is intriguing from start to finish.

Tithe is the story of sixteen-year-old Kaye. Kaye has always been considered strange, particularly for the fact that her best friends growing up were three faeries that visited her often and she was always eager to share about the things the four of them did together. When she moves away, the faeries stop visiting her and Kaye does her best to forget.

Then, after her mother is nearly stabbed by her boyfriend, the two move back to Kaye's childhood home. At first, everything seems normal. Perhaps she had imagined the otherworldly beings. When she is finally contacted by the faeries, things are different than her childhood years.

Kaye learns she is a pixie, a changeling exchanged for a human child when she was a baby, and now she has been asked to perform a task that could put her own life in danger, as well as everyone she has come to care about. As she is put to the test, she must discover what her strengths are and whether she's strong enough to save everyone.

Holly Black, author of the Spiderwick Chronicles (for which she is most well-known), has created a tale that draws the reader in and compels them to explore a world that is both terrible and beautiful, intriguing and revolting.

I found the story to be well-written and original. I found myself eagerly looking forward to finding out what happens next. I appreciate unpredictable plot lines that still manage to be entirely plausible and this was one of those stories.

I would recommend this to any lover of fantasy that wants a good series to start up. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what happens to Kaye next.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥

You can break a thing, but you can't always guide it afterward into the shape you want.