Book of the Week: Shadow and Bone

I read Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo over the summer, soon after it came out. I read it again this past week, and oh my, I love it. So, without further ado:

SHADOW AND BONE by Leigh Bardugo

What's it about?

Alina Starkov lives in Ravka, a nation torn in two by the Shadow Fold, an area of pure and utter darkness, home to winged monsters who feast on human flesh. Alina has never fit in anywhere or been anyone extraordinary.

But when she and an army regiment that includes her dearest friend, Mal, are attacked by monsters while trying to cross the Fold, a power awakens inside of her: a power that sets her apart from everyone else. A power that, if cultivated in the proper way, could be the key to destroying the Fold and saving Ravka.

Why is it amazing?

First of all, the setting. Leigh has created a stunningly beautiful world inspired by Russian culture. The food, the outfits, the magic...it's wonderful.

Second, Alina. She's the perfect heroine, a girl who knows her faults but not to the extent that she is ever annoying. She's stubborn and strong. She's not the kind of girl who expects to be saved.

Third, the Darkling. The Darkling is the head of the order of the Grisha, the magical kind of Ravka who take Alina in as their own. He is also the villain. But he has enough human qualities that it's difficult to hate him. He has his reasons for his desires, and some of them don't seem half-bad.

Really, please, just read this book. It's the magic of Harry Potter mixed with the stunning world of Russia. You will love it.

Buy it at your local bookstore, or purchase it online:

IndieBound
Barnes and Noble
Amazon

Book to Watch Out For: CREWEL

If you haven't heard of this book yet...I don't know where you've been.

CREWEL by Gennifer Albin

I had the pleasure of getting my hands on an ARC of this a couple months ago. Here's the reaction I jotted down immediately after:

My mind is still reeling from this book. It's built on such a cool concept. I didn't quite know what to expect going in, but the story went somewhere far cooler than I imagined. The pacing did feel off at times, and minor characterization issues made me pause. But the romance was lovely, and the weaving of the world was so intriguing, I couldn't put CREWEL down. And the ending...it left me drooling for the next book.

So, what's the book about??

A girl who weaves time with matter.

Yes, you heard me. Is that not the coolest thing ever? In Adelice Lewys's world, girls who are gifted with this ability become Spinsters, working for the Guild to create and mend the very fabric of the world.

But Adelice doesn't want to be a Spinster. Which means she has to escape.

CREWEL hits bookstores October 16th. I assure you, you'll want to get your hands on a copy!

Preorder it now at:

Indie Bound
Barnes and Nobles
Amazon

Book to Watch Out For: TEN

Here's a book you all need to add to your to-read list:

TEN by Gretchen McNeil

TEN is spine-tingling. Page-turning. Thrilling.

It's a YA contemporary horror story about ten teenagers who head to a house party on Henry Island. It's supposed to be an epic weekend filled with hook-ups and booze, but then the teens discover a mysterious video with a creepy message.

And then they start to die.

A storm knocks out all the power, leaving the kids stranded without nothing but each other. And any one of them could be the killer.

I stayed up until 3am last night/this morning finishing this book. I had to know who the killer was -- and I was also kind of afraid something was hiding under my bed.

TEN hits bookstores September 18th.  Trust me, you want to read this book.

Preorder it now at:

Amazon
Barnes and Nobles
Indie Bound

And check out the creeptastic book trailer:

Book of the Week: Shatter Me

Rating: 4 out of 5

From the first page, the writing of this book hooked me. Shatter Me is the story of Juliette, a girl who has been locked up for 264 days because her touch is lethal. Her thoughts are tangled beautiful dripping with emotion crossed out in places. That is the way she deals with her isolation and the years of her life she's spent unable to touch anyone without hurting them.

One day, she is given a companion in her cell. A boy with eyes that are too familiar not like any she's ever seen before.

And everything changes.

Learn more about Shatter Me on Goodreads. The amazingly awesome author Tahereh Mafi blogs here and tweets here.

Book of the Week: The Knife of Never Letting Go

Rating: 4 out of 5

The first in a trilogy by Patrick Ness, this book is one of my loves. The writing style takes some getting used to, at first, but once you get used to it, you'll love it.

The narrator, Todd Hewitt, is a boy who wants to become a man. He is the last boy in Prentisstown, a town where there are no women. A town where everyone's thoughts spew into the open air in a never-ending stream of Noise.

When Todd finds a strange spot of silence, he learns that everything he thought he knew might not be true. The town has a secret so terrible, Todd and his (adorable) dog Manchee run from it.

It's hard to escape when everyone can hear their thoughts.

Interested yet? Add it to your "to-read" list on Goodreads! Order it on Amazon or at your local bookstore!

Book of the Week: Delirium

Rating: 4 out of 5

Oh my, I've been reading so many amazing books recently. This one kept me going for five hours straight to see how it would end. Definitely check it out if you get a chance. Here's the blurb, courtesy of Goodreads:


Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

It's about time this blog starts branching out. I have three artistic loves in life: writing, music, and film.

Ah, films. A good one wrenches your heart out, gives it a good launch into the air, and brings it back to you with a few pieces missing, just to make you feel something. The pieces should return in a few days.

Recently, I journeyed to a nearby cinema with a group of friends, sat in a comfortable red seat, and watched the screen light up with the latest in a saga: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. I have to admit, I did not have high hopes for this movie. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it garnered my attention and made me wish for another sequel.

Yes, Jack Sparrow is the same as always. Rogue-ish, probably half-drunk, and still insisting that a "Captain" belongs somewhere in his name. His hair has changed color a little; it has a slight golden tint to it. Interesting. In this segment of his life, he seeks the Fountain of Youth. He finds himself joining forces with an old enemy, Captain Barbossa, against the evil pirate Blackbeard (whose ship can shoot fire, and who has zombies for crew members. kinda freaky. also never explained). Blackbeard thinks he needs to drink from the fountain due to a prophecy concerning his death by a one-legged man: Barbossa. Oh, and there's someone else seeking the fountain, too: the Spanish. There's the perfect mix of action and romance, with some great twists along the way.

In order to find the Fountain, Jack, Penepole Cruz's character (Blackbeard's daughter), and crew must first find and capture a mermaid, because a mermaid's tear is required for the Fountain's ritual.

And now we come to it: MERMAIDS.

They, in my opinion, were the best part of the movie. Almost like vampires, but so much cooler. According to legend, they catch sailors and drag them into the depths of the ocean, drowning them and gifting them to the sirens. I would absolutely love to read some great literature with mermaids as the villains.

But in Pirates 4, one mermaid, Syrena, is different than the rest. You're just gonna have to go watch the movie to see how :P


Movie Grade: A-