Escape In A Book

Waiting On Wednesday: Dystopian: Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans.

2012-05-30T10:13:00.000+02:00

Unless you have been hiding in a cave miles and miles away from all civilization since last year you've already heard of the young adult novel Level 2. Level 2 is the first installment in The Memory Chronicles and the debut novel of Lenore Appelhans. Many of you already know Lenore as the talented book blogger behind the infamous book blog called Presenting Lenore.

Also note that Lenore will be revealing the cover for Level 2 on her blog on Friday June 1st! Not many days left to wait now. I can't wait to see what it will look like.

Synopsis borrowed from Goodreads:

Since her untimely death the day before her eighteenth birthday, Felicia Ward has been trapped in Level 2, a stark white afterlife located between our world and the next. Along with her fellow prisoners, Felicia passes the endless hours downloading memories and mourning what she’s lost—family, friends, and the boy she loved, Neil.

Then a girl in a neighboring chamber disappears, and nobody but Felicia seems to recall she existed in the first place. Something is obviously very wrong. When Julian—a dangerously charming guy Felicia knew in life—comes to offer Felicia a way out, she learns the truth: a rebellion is brewing to overthrow the Morati, the guardians of Level 2.

Felicia is reluctant to trust Julian, but then he promises what she wants the most—to be with Neil again—if only she’ll join the rebels. Suspended between Heaven and Earth, Felicia finds herself in the center of an age-old struggle between good and evil. As memories from her life come back to haunt her, and as the Morati hunt her down, Felicia will discover it’s not just her own redemption at stake… but the salvation of all mankind.

Last year Lenore spotlighted upcoming dystopian series(to be released in 2012/2013) and the last person she interviewed was herself. Check out the interview here. I'd like to quote Lenore's answer as to what it is that makes Level 2 stand out from other novels in this same genre:

How does your book stand out from others in the genre?
When I had the idea for LEVEL TWO and started working out the plot and themes, I was so excited because it felt to me like a very fresh spin on my favorite genre. I hope I’ve done justice to the dystopian afterlife thriller subgenre.

One of my favorite things about it is how Felicia is able to relive her memories of her life on Earth in order to help her make sense of the very stark and mysterious place that she's ended up.

I'd love to hear what you think of Level 2. Leave a comment below and let me know.
I for one can't wait to get my hands on it.

If you're one of the few who have yet to add Level 2 on your Goodreads wishlist I suggest you'll do it now. You know it'll be totally embarrassing to be the last YA book lover to discover this novel ;)

Level 2 comes out January 15th 2013 from Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers .

What are you waiting for this week?

"Waiting On" Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This event spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. Please visit Jill's blog to find out what other book bloggers are waiting for.

Joint book review: Struck by Jennifer Bosworth

2012-05-29T11:52:00.000+02:00

Struck by Jennifer Bosworth has been one of the hottest YA spring releases for 2012, at least if you measure it by the buzz it received prior to the release date.

Mari's opinion on Struck:
While Struck had a very interesting premise (+ a great cover and a stunning book trailer) and the story hocked me from the first page I'm sorry to say that the execution of the plot just didn't work for me. It felt more like the script for a movie and I believe that Struck is a story that might work a whole lot better for me on screen.

Mia was an interesting character with an intriguing ability but the writing relied too heavily upon known clichés. One of them being my biggest pet peeves at the moment; falling madly in love with a guy who wants nothing more than you lifeless in a coffin six feet under (very few authors can make me buy into this kind of start to a relationship). Also Struck is a novel where religion almost is a character in its own right. I'm not too fond of religion in my books, it can work sometimes but nine out of ten it doesn't.

There was some interesting points for discussion in Struck. I noted that the author brought up all the Americans that is living out on the streets and those who are poor in contrast to the way the politicians spends huge amounts on warfare when they have urgent issues to address domestically.

My rating:

Nina's opinion on Struck:
It’s not often that a book trailer has sold me on a book, but the trailer for Struck is completely epic, and could just as easily have been made for an awesome action movie as for a YA book. Luckily my high expectations were not only met but exceeded; this book is awesome.

Mia is such a normal teenage girl, except for the whole lightning addiction thing. The author has perfectly captured that feeling of addiction, how Mia knows it’s bad for her yet always craves more. I loved how she was trying so hard to stay away from trouble, and to keep her younger brother Parker out of it as well, which is not easy when two different cults are trying to recruit you! Mia had some trouble knowing who to trust, as Followers, Seekers and Jeremy all seem to have ulterior motives, some more clear than others, and she makes some incredibly stupid decisions, but they’re all based on her love for her family and her need to protect them.

Mia has some very interesting family dynamics going on. Her mom is slowly going crazy, locked up in her own bedroom watching The Prophet’s TV-show, refusing to face the world. Parker, her younger brother, is doing everything he can to help out, even when that means going against his sister’s orders. Despite all of that, they are still very much a family, and they’re about to test just how strong that relationship is. I also really liked Mia’s relationship to Jeremy, the one person who appears to be free from both cults. He’s truly trying to help her, to do what’s best for her as well as avoiding the final disaster, and yet he’s hiding something big.

On the surface Struck is an action packed doomsday story, but it’s got an underlying theme of religious brainwashing that I absolutely loved. One of the cults is being led by a strong figure called The Prophet, who predicted the earthquake, and who’s been converting Followers via his religious TV-show since before the catastrophe happened. It’s weird to see how fear, and especially fear of the unknown, makes people desperate enough to believe just about anything without questioning the logic in it, and for me that was far scarier than any storm could ever be.

The ending of Struck ties up the storyline nicely, but it leaves enough open to make me excited for the sequel, because we are clearly not done with Mia’s story yet. I liked Struck a lot, and I hope you will too!

My rating:

Memorable Monday - A quote from Kelley Armstrong.

2012-05-28T13:08:00.001+02:00

Welcome to Memorable Monday, a meme where you and I can share quotes that we feel deserves a place in the spotlight.

The Darkest Powers trilogy by Kelley Armstrong is among my all time favorite YA series, so why not share a quote from the first book in the trilogy. It's fun, adventure packed +it has Derek Souza ❤ ❤ ❤ I cannot believe that it has been almost three years since I read and reviewed The Summoning. Anyways here is my quote of the week!

Life experience. I can talk it up, vow to broaden my horizons, but I’m still limited to the experiences with my life.

How can a person understand an experience that lies completely outside her own? She can see it, feel it, imagine what it would be like to live it, but it’s no different from seeing a movie on a screen and saying, “Thank God that’s not me”.

Do you like the quote?

Now it's your turn to add the link to your MM post here:

Before go I have to announce the winner of last weeks MM giveaway! The winner of The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater is Flyleaf from the blog Refugee in Books. Congratulations!

Want to know more about this meme?
Just read this post. The short and easy guide? I started this meme because I was tired of memes telling me what page I should look up a quote from or just picking one from a random page. I wanted to share a quote/quotes that I really enjoyed. Want to join? Just write a blog post where you share a quote that you like, come back here and leave a link in the inlinkz widget below.

I'm Book Blogging Around The World today!

2012-05-27T13:36:00.001+02:00

Charlotte from the wonderful book blog A Book on the Hill has a regular interview feature on her blog called Book Blogging around the world. Today I I'm over there visting, talking about books and Norway. Do stop by Charlotte's fab blog today!

Have you seen Charlotte's blog before? It is lovely, isn't it and I have to tell you how much I love her French Friday feature!

Since we're focusing on the international here to day I'd like to end this post by sharing with you the winner of Eurovision 2012, the worlds biggest song vontest, Sweden! I love this song and voted for it last night :-)

Waiting on Wednesday: Cracks by Caroline Green.

2012-05-23T11:03:00.000+02:00

WHAT? Another Wednesday where I bring forth yet another post apocalyptic / dystopian YA novel? This time I'm featuring Cracks by British author Caroline Green. It sounds like the author might have taken some inspiration from WWII for this one.

Synopsis borrowed from Goodreads:

Who do you trust when you discover your whole life has been a lie?

Cal thinks he's losing his mind when cracks start appearing that no one else can see. But his life splinters apart when he discovers that, far from leading an ordinary life in a northern town in 2012 as he thought, he has spent his whole life so far in a deliberately induced coma. The year is actually 2024 and a repressive regime is in force: it plans to brainwash the whole population. Set free by the local resistance movement, he finds himself drawn into their struggle; and he gets involved with Kyla, a girl who lives on the streets. But are they all just using him: is there anyone he can really trust?

A nail-biting thriller that never lets the reader relax!

If you're done biting your nails now you can hop on over to Goodreads:

Crack comes out May 24th 2012 from Piccadilly Press.

Book review: The Intern by Dillon Khan

2012-05-22T12:20:00.000+02:00

Do you love music as well as books? Are you curious about what's happening behind the scenes in the music industry or about being an intern? I the answer to those questions are yes then The Intern by Dillon Khan is a must read!

Jay Merchant has always been passionate about music and now he is offered the opportunity of a lifetime; to work as an intern in music television. In total there are six interns at The Beat, they will all have to show what they're made. After a six months internship(= working for free!) one of the interns will get a long term position at The Beat. Jay struggles to balance a job in the fast lane with a personal life(a microscopical time-slot available for his girlfriend Sophie and his friends).

My thoughts:
Where to start? Well I don't need more than a couple of seconds to think about that one. The answer is with the music of course and second what a great debut novel Khan has dished up for us. Dillon Khan's many pop cultural references took me right back to a wonderful time of my life. I have a great life now, don't get me wrong, but a time where I was carefree with no big responsibilities. It was like walking down the memory lane, lots of musical references and each chapter was named after a song title. The last chapter was titled Bitter Sweet Symphony and for me that was just the perfect ending of a great story! I love that song.

So being an intern is no joke, not even when you're working in an industry that from the outside seems all glam and fun(it might be fun but also HARD work into the wee hours of the night). Author Dillon Khan uses of his own personal experiences to tell the story about the darker sides of internship, it can great fun but is also quite draining and demanding. Khan himself has worked for MTV so he knows the industry he's writing about inside out. It was enlightening and a bit weird reading about being an intern in the UK, it offered a big contrast to the interns here in Norway where the interns get paid from day one and only work 37,5 hours pr. week.

The Intern was a book with wonderful humor, great characters, a story of what working as an intern might be and last but not least a lot of great and diverse music! I was so sad to let Jay and the others go, might we have some more? Pretty please! Jay might just have been the most normal, realistic character I have come across in a long time, kudos to Khan for writing with such an authentic voice. Also it was very refreshing to read a young adult(not suitable for the youngest YA reader) novel from a male point of view.

I would like to end start this review of The Intern by giving a huge thanks to Hannah from Puffin for getting me out of my comfort-zone. I have absolutely no regrets for dipping my toe into the water, none what so ever. Why not? Because I LOVED every minute I spent with The Intern in my hands and alongside Jay behind the scenes of the music media industry.

Lastly I want to point you all in the direction of The Intern homepage, it is awesome. I can honestly say that I haven't seen a book/author that has this kind of resourceful homepage before so check it out!

My rating of this novel:

I thought this to be a fitting way to end this review:

Full disclosure:
Review copy from publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book can be purchased from a number of local retailers and online book stores like Amazon and The Book Depository (I'm not an affiliate of either). The latter store has free shipping to about 100 countries.

Memorable Monday - GIVEAWAY of The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater.

2012-05-21T11:30:00.001+02:00

Welcome to a special edition of Memorable Monday where there will be a giveaway included! Join us this Monday and get the chance to win The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy(Shiver, Linger and Forever) by Maggie Stiefvater. You can enter by participating in this Meme until Sunday, May 27th. The winner will be announced in Memorable Monday next week. This is a international giveaway.

Why am I giving away this trilogy? I've just devoured Linger and pressed play on Forever just moments after. I like these books A LOT and I feel they deserve a special spot in my Memorable Monday meme. Maggie Stiefvater writes in the most wonderful magical way and her books are full of quoteable passages.
I've been busy lately so both blog and fellow bloggers have been a bit neglected, but I guess that's what you call the real life ;) So I'm also trying to give a little something back Can't wait to read your Memorable quote this week!

“People shouldn't have to earn kindness. They should have to earn cruelty.”

“Are you high? Why are you never wearing a shirt?"

"I sleep naked," Cole said. He put both milk and sugar in my coffee. "As the day goes on, I put on more and more clothing. You should've come over an hour ago.”

I would love for you to join me with a Memorable Monday quote (or quotes) post of your own.

I don't care what anyone else says about Cole St.Clair, I LOVE him <3

Now it's your turn to add your MM link here:

Want to know more about this meme?
Just read this post. The short and easy guide? I started this meme because I was tired of memes telling me what page I should look up a quote from or just picking one from a random page. I wanted to share quotes that I really enjoyed. Want to join? Just write a blog post where you share a quote that you like, come back here and leave a link in the inlinkz widget below.

Waiting on Wednesday: Midnight City (The Conquered Earth, #1) Midnight City (The Conquered Earth #1) by J. Barton Mitchell

2012-05-16T13:27:00.000+02:00

Just say the words post apocalyptic or dystopian YA and I'm so there! The synopsis for Midnight City by J. Barton Mitchell not only mentions that but also a couple of other well chosen words, like pirates, bounty hunter and aliens, to lure me in. What more could a girl ask for?

It sounds a bit like Michael Gran's Gone series but that can be good, right? Right. Check out the synopsis and let me know what you think of my pick for this weeks Waiting on Wednesday post.

Synopsis borrowed from Goodreads:

In a post-apocalyptic world controlled by alien invaders, two teens and a young girl with mysterious powers embark on a dangerous journey. What they find will change everything...

Earth has been conquered. An extraterrestrial race known as The Assembly has abducted the adult population, leaving the planet’s youth to fend for themselves. In this treacherous landscape, Holt, a bounty hunter, is transporting his prisoner Mira when they discover Zoey, a young girl with powerful abilities who could be the key to stopping The Assembly. As they make their way to the cavernous metropolis of Midnight City, the trio must contend with freedom fighters, mutants, otherworldly artifacts, pirates, feuding alien armies, and perhaps most perilous of all: Holt and Mira’s growing attraction to each other. Midnight City is the breathtaking first novel in the Conquered Earth series, and a stunning work of imagination from debut author J. Barton Mitchell.

Wow, that might be the longest synopsis ever! Are you still with me? Can I suggest that you:

Check out J. Barton Mitchell's homepage.

What are you waiting for this week?

"Waiting On" Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This event spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. Please visit Jill's blog to find out what other book bloggers are waiting for.

Book Review: Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

2012-05-15T16:30:00.000+02:00

Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.

When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free?

My thoughts:
I have to admit, I am usually not a huge fan of characters with memory loss in YA, as it has a tendency to become cheesy, kind of an easy way to keep me interested in the story, to find out what’s happened. Breaking Beautiful managed to stay away from the cheesy, and instead used Allie’s memory loss only as a small part of a larger mystery; what happened on the night Trip died.

Allie had my heart breaking in so many ways. I felt incredibly bad for her, for having stayed in an abusive relationship, for not daring to tell anyone about it and instead just making excuses for Trip, and especially for not remembering how he actually died. And the way her classmates treated her – there’s no way I could have taken that without screaming back that “Hey, maybe that guy you’re still worshiping wasn’t so perfect after all – he beat me.” And yet through her growing relationship with Blake, she finds the strength to deal with the whole situation, no matter how hard it is at times.

I really, really liked Blake. He’s been friends with Allie ever since they were kids, and it is clear that he’s willing to do just about anything for her. His reputation is not the best thanks to some events in his past, but he really doesn’t seem to care what people think about him, and I love that. The fact that he really cares about Andrew, Allie’s twin brother who has cerebral palsy, is another huge point in his favor. There were times when I didn’t get why Allie hadn’t just started dating Blake instead of Trip to begin with, but of course life isn’t always that easy.

I loved how the story was set up as a mystery, where we’re searching for clues about Trip’s death right alongside Allie. Some of the clues come in form of Allie remembering things, others we had to discover otherwise. I did figure out what happened before Allie did, but it was nothing obvious, and I could just as easily have missed it and stayed clueless. Either way, I loved the tension and suspense of not knowing, and I would love to see more of this kind of mystery in YA in the future. Breaking Beautiful is probably the best YA book I’ve read about an abusive relationship, but it is so much more than that, and I would definitely recommend this book.

Cover:
I love it! The red shoes makes me wanna know what happened to the girl wearing them, and it's just creepy enough for me to pick it up.

My rating of this book:

Want to know more?
Add Breaking Beautiful to your Goodreads wish list
Visit Jennifer Shaw Wolf's website

Full disclosure:
ARC received from NetGalley

This book can be purchased from a number of local retailers and online book stores like Amazon and The Book Depository (I'm not an affiliate of either). The latter store has free shipping to about 100 countries.

Memorable Monday #14: The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta

2012-05-14T02:00:00.000+02:00

Welcome yet another Memorable Monday! This meme is all about sharing a quote that you've chosen yourself, a quote that for one reason or another spoke to you.

Mari is currently traveling, so it's Nina doing Memorable Monday this week. My quote is from The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta. There is something so heartbreaking and beautiful about her writing, and she has a talent of finding the very essence of what makes us human; love, hate and everything in between, and putting all of it into words so perfectly that the words stay with me long after I've finished reading.

“Maybe she'd always been there. Maybe strangers enter your heart first and then you spent the rest of your life searching for them. ”

I would love for you to join me with a Memorable Monday quote (or quotes) post of your own.

Want to know more about this meme? Just read this post. The short and easy guide? I started this meme because I was tired of memes telling me what page I should look up a quote from or just picking one from a random page. I wanted to share quotes that I really enjoyed. Want to join? Just write a blog post where you share a quote that you like, come back here and leave a link in the inlinkz widget below.

Book Review: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

2012-05-11T16:30:00.000+02:00

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn’t easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

My thoughts:
I know you’ve probably heard what I’m about to say many, many times over the last couple of weeks, but I’m still going to repeat it: No matter what you think about vampire novels, please give this book a chance. The Immortal Rules is anything but traditional, and most importantly it is GOOD. (And by good I mean awesome to the point where I had trouble doing my job because I kept telling myself to read “just one more page” on my Kindle app.)

Forget sparkles, forget vampires who can walk outside during the daytime as long as it’s cloudy, forget about the nice vampires who can choose to live from synthetic blood. Julie Kagawa has finally brought back the real vampires, the monsters who will attack you in the dead of the night, the ones who can’t control themselves around humans. And then along comes Allie. Allie despises vampires and everything they stand for, yet when she has to choose between becoming one of them or die, her will to survive is too strong. I love how Kagawa made us see that this was not an easy choice for Allie, and it made me respect her that much more.

Allie goes through many phases in this story, and I loved following her through all of them. She not only has to fight to survive, but she has to make up her mind on some big moral issues as well; will she try to hold on to her humanity, or just give in and truly become one of the monsters? And through all of it, Allie remains an incredibly likable character. I especially loved how she, despite having to rethink everything she’s ever known, always acts purely on instinct, on what feels right to her. I have a feeling that by the time the Blood of Eden series comes to an end, Allie will be right up there in the same category as Katniss, Katsa and the other kick-ass girls of YA.

My favorite part about The Immortal Rules was how every time I thought I had things figured out, when I thought I knew where the story was headed, everything was turned upside down in ways I never saw coming. (Actually, my very favorite part is that Kanin, the name of Allie’s maker, means bunny in Norwegian, so I kept imagining a bloodsucking bunny instead of a terrifying vampire. But asides from that;) But the twists and turns never felt forced, and every time the story took a new direction it felt completely natural. Which I guess just shows what an amazing storyteller Julie Kagawa is.

The Immortal Rules is the kind of book that you should read as soon as it’s released, because this is not a story that will be forgotten. This is only the first book of a series, but I have a feeling that Blood of Eden will become big. Bigger than The Iron Fey even, which is saying something. And you don’t wanna be the only one left out of that, do you?

Cover:
It's got the right creepy vampire feel to it, but I'm actually not a huge fan.

My rating of this book:

Want to know more?
Add The Immortal Rules to your Goodreads wish list
Visit Julie Kagawa's website
Follow Julie on Twitter

Full disclosure:
ARC received from NetGalley

This book can be purchased from a number of local retailers and online book stores like Amazon and The Book Depository (I'm not an affiliate of either). The latter store has free shipping to about 100 countries.

Book Review: Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

2012-05-10T16:00:00.000+02:00

Everything is in ruins.

A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.

So what does Araby Worth have to live for?

Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.

But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.

And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.

My thoughts:
I had heard nothing but amazing things about Masque of the Red Death before I started reading it, and I am a huge fan of Edgar Allan Poe and his twisted stories, even if I had not read the original Masque of the Red Death. This is not a traditional retelling, but a reimagining of the original story, meaning that it’s based on the same world, but without actually telling the same story. I loved how effortlessly Griffin managed this, and how she turned Poe’s world into her own.

Masque of the Red Death had me caught in its debauchery from the very start. There is something dark and ominous about the writing, from the descriptions of the corpse collectors to the characters’ fear of breathing without a mask. It is unlike anything I have read in YA before, and shows just how talented Griffin is. And most importantly, the writing sets the mood for Araby’s story, which is not an easy one.

Araby is not a perfect person. She has made some choices to be ashamed of, she’s living with the guilt of something that happened in her past, she is trying to stay in a constant state of oblivion as to not have to think about the world around her. Still she is doing her best to survive in a world so bleak and empty of hope that I personally was impressed that she managed to keep going. I loved how she went from passively existing in this world to really taking charge of things, trying to help in any way possible. Because the Araby you meet on the first pages is not the same girl as the one you’ll leave behind when you close the book.

I really liked the other characters as well, from charmingly down-to-earth Will who’s doing what he can to take care of his family, to arrogant and confident Elliott (the character who probably goes through the biggest change out of anyone in this story), to Araby’s seemingly superficial friend April, Elliott’s sister. I’m especially impressed with how Griffin managed to make me like both of the boys in their own ways, without it ever feeling like a love triangle.

There is a good chance that Masque of the Red Death will keep haunting you for quite a while, long after you’ve read the last page. (And if you’re like me, after you’ve rushed to check when the sequel will be out. I can save you the trouble; it won’t be out until 2013.) This was an amazing start to a new series, and yet it totally worked as a story on its own as well. Yes, I am dying to find out what happens next, but it is not one of those slow first books that takes forever to set the scene for the characters. This is without question one of my favorite books so far this year, and I have a feeling it will be a hard one to top.

Cover:
Gorgeous! I love the colors used, and even if it is a girl in a pretty dress, it looks nothing like the other covers out there.

My rating of this book:

Want to know more?
Add Masque of the Red Death to your Goodreads wish list
Visit Bethany Griffin's website
Follow Bethany on Twitter

Full disclosure:
ARC received from NetGalley

This book can be purchased from a number of local retailers and online book stores like Amazon and The Book Depository (I'm not an affiliate of either). The latter store has free shipping to about 100 countries.

Waiting on Wednesday - Changeling by Philippa Gregory

2012-05-09T12:56:00.000+02:00

Changeling (The Order of Darkness #1)by Philippa Gregory sounds like a wonderful young adult historical fiction that will appeal to YA readers preferring paranormal romance. Not sold on the idea? What if I quote from the synopsis: "encounter werewolves, alchemists, witches, and death-dancers", got your attention now, didn't I? I read way too much paranormal romance so a mix with historical fiction will do me good, I'm sure! Is this a start to a new series that will have me completely hocked? I sure hope so.

Check out the lovely trailer!

Want to hear more about Changeling from the author herself? Check out this video below.

Synopsis borrowed from Goodreads:

Dark myths, medieval secrets, intrigue, and romance populate the pages of the first-ever teen series from #1 bestselling author of The Other Boleyn Girl.

Italy, 1453. Seventeen-year-old Luca Vero is brilliant, gorgeous—and accused of heresy. Cast out of his religious order for using the new science to question old superstitious beliefs, Luca is recruited into a secret sect: The Order of the Dragon, commissioned by Pope Nicholas V to investigate evil and danger in its many forms, and strange occurrences across Europe, in this year—the end of days.

Isolde is a seventeen-year-old girl shut up in a nunnery so she can’t inherit any of her father’s estate. As the nuns walk in their sleep and see strange visions, Isolde is accused of witchcraft—and Luca is sent to investigate her, but finds himself plotting her escape.

Despite their vows, despite themselves, love grows between Luca and Isolde as they travel across Europe with their faithful companions, Freize and Ishraq. The four young people encounter werewolves, alchemists, witches, and death-dancers as they head toward a real-life historical figure who holds the boundaries of Christendom and the secrets of the Order of the Dragon.

The first in a series, this epic and richly detailed drama is grounded in historical communities and their mythic beliefs. It includes a medieval map of Europe that will track their journey; and the interior will include relevant decorative elements as well as an interior line illustration. And look for a QR code that links to a note from the author with additional, detailed information about the setting and the history that informed the writing. With Philippa Gregory’s trademark touch, this novel deftly brings the past—and its salacious scandals—vividly and disturbingly to life.

Wow, that might be the longest synopsis ever! Are you still with me? Can I suggest that you:

Check out The Order of Darkness homepage.

Book review: Linger(Wolves of Mercy Falls #2) by Maggie Stiefvater

2012-05-08T19:47:00.001+02:00

Maggie Stiefvater writes lovely YA paranormal romance. That being said what really stands out for me is the excellent way Stiefvater writes; it's magic, poetic, heartbreaking and I didn't want it to stop. Welcome back to Mercy Falls. If you haven't yet read Shiver then I strongly suggest you skip this review and take a look at my review of Shiver instead. It's difficult to review this second installment without major spoilers from the first one.

Sam and Grace are planning their future together, life is good but soon enough there's trouble in paradise. One of the new wolves shifts back into its human form brining unexpected danger to the rest of the pack. Even more disturbing than the new wolf is the discovery of a dead wolf on the Culpepper property.

My thoughts:
Maggie Stiefvater is a gifted writer but not only that; she is also a wonderful painter and writer of music. I listened to the audiobook version of Linger and at the very end the combination of Stiefvater's words and music brought tears to my eyes. The music gave the writing another level of depth.

Here is an example of how Maggie Stiefvater instead of saying just unattractive can convey that to her readers in a very interesting way(those doing my Memorable Monday Meme will remember this quote):

The door opened, revealing another Labrador, this one very much alive, and a twenty-something girl with a red bandanna tied around her head. She was so interesting-looking and unpretty that she actually traveled through ugly to someplace on the other side that was almost as good as pretty: huge, beaked nose, sleepy-looking dark brown eyes, and sharp cheekbones. Her black hair was pulled up in a half a-dozen interconnected braids coiled on top of her head, like a Mediterranean Princess Leia.

For me the story in the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy is about how precious life is. How you should treasure every moment with your loved ones and hold on to the good memories. Now I'm pretty sure none of us will ever experience having a boyfriend or a girlfriend turned into a wolf, but the wolf part can be used as a metaphor for a lot of other things.

Now for the characters; as much as I like Sam and Grace I'm sorry to say that they lose the battle for my attention to Isabel and Cole. I'm guessing that if you've read these books you know that all of Stiefvater's characters have serious issues with their families. Sam's background might be a bit to tragic and heartbreaking for me to really buy into his story and if I was Grace I would have acted out a lot more at home. So I guess I can easier relate to, at least, Isabel, without ever having been much of the rebel myself. Cole on the other hand I just like why I'm not even sure I could tell you. He's been quite the annoying type, but he had his reasons for it.

I would characterize this story as character driven. You connect with the characters on such a deep level that you don't need a neck-breaking adventure on how they're going to stop the sky falling down on their heads.

My rating of this novel:

Source:
Audiobook purchased from Audible.

This book can be purchased from a number of local retailers and on-line book stores such as Amazon and The Book Depository (I'm not an affiliate of either). The latter store does by the way have free shipping to about 100 countries.

Book Review: Spellcaster by Cara Lynn Shultz

2012-05-08T18:27:00.001+02:00

Finding your eternal soulmate – easy.

Stopping a true-love-hungry evil – not so much…

After breaking a centuries-old romantic curse, Emma Connor is (almost) glad to get back to normal problems. Although…it’s not easy dealing with the jealous cliques and gossip that rule her exclusive Upper East Side prep, even for a sixteen-year-old newbie witch. Having the most-wanted boy in school as her eternal soul mate sure helps ease the pain-especially since wealthy, rocker-hot Brendan Salinger is very good at staying irresistibly close….

But something dark and hungry is using Emma and Brendan’s deepest fears to reveal damaging secrets and destroy their trust in each other. And Emma’s crash course in über-spells may not be enough to keep them safe…or to stop an inhuman force bent on making their unsuspected power its own.

My thoughts:
(Note: Spellcaster is the second book in the Spellbound series. There will be some spoilers from the first book.)

Spellbound, the first book in this series, was a great introduction to Emma and Brendan, their curse and their status as soul mates. The story wrapped up very nicely, but I was still excited to read more about the characters, and especially looked forward to seeing Emma get to practice her powers as a born witch. In fact my only complaint about Spellbound was the lack of witchcraft, and Spellcaster totally changed that.

Whereas Spellbound focused on the curse put on Emma and Brendan many lifetimes ago, Spellcaster is more about the here and now. Yes, we still get some awesome little looks into their past, but the evil hunting them is something that their previous lives never dealt with. I have to admit, I figured out who the “inhuman force” was long before the characters, and wish it had come as more of a surprise, but there was still much else to keep me on the edge of my seat. I really felt bad for Emma, that girl just never seems to be able to catch a break, but at least she gets a much more active role in defending herself in this book.

Which brings me to the witchcraft. More witchcraft means more of Emma hanging out with Angelique, and even if I still think she’s overly theatrical and a little too enthusiastic about danger, she really grew as a character in Spellcaster, and two chapters are actually written from her point of view. As much as I loved seeing her side of things, it felt a little abrupt and awkward, and interrupted the flow of the story a bit. The witchyness itself reminded me of the first couple of seasons of Charmed (please don’t tell me I’m the only one who was a huge fan of that show, despite the cheesy monsters?), with rhyming spells that all sound kind of badass when read out loud. (I tried.)

The romance between Emma and Brendan is heating up in Spellcaster, and even if their relationship is a little overly dramatic for me at times, it does draw a good picture of true, young love. And I really can’t complain about multiple scenes where Brendan has his shirt off either – he’s definitely my newest YA book crush;)

If you liked Spellbound, you will definitely like Spellcaster as well. It is fun, fast and action-packed, and this is where the characters really come into their own. And once again the ending wrapped up all the important questions, but I would still love to revisit these characters again if Cara Lynn Shultz decides to make this a trilogy some time in the future. (There are currently no plans of continuing this series, as the author is working on a new project.)
Cover:
Not my favorite, but I do really like the fonts used.

My rating of this book:

Want to know more?
Add Spellcaster to your Goodreads wish list
Visit Cara Lynn Shultz' blog
Follow Cara on Twitter

Full disclosure:
ARC received from NetGalley

This book can be purchased from a number of local retailers and online book stores like Amazon and The Book Depository (I'm not an affiliate of either). The latter store has free shipping to about 100 countries.

Memorable Monday # - Linger by Maggie Stiefvater.

2012-05-07T00:31:00.000+02:00

Welcome yet another Memorable Monday! This meme is all about sharing a quote that you've chosen yourself, a quote that for one reason or another spoke to you.

My quote this week is from Linger by Maggie Stiefvater, the second installment in the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy. I cannot believe how long I've waited to pick up this one. I very much enjoyed Shiver, but after a time I wasn't really sure if I loved it as much as I initially thought I did. Or if my love was affected by all the buzz by other bloggers and that it had made me blind to the weaknesses in the story. Well I must be a complete idiot for doubting my initial thoughts or Linger is even better than Shiver. Cause' let me tell you that this is all good. The quote I've chose today, I feel, says a lot about Maggie's writing skills. To describe a person like that takes skills I say, Maggie Stiefvater sure knows how to show instead of telling.

The door opened, revealing another Labrador, this one very much alive, and a twenty-something girl with a red bandanna tied around her head. She was so interesting-looking and unpretty that she actually traveled through ugly to someplace on the other side that was almost as good as pretty: huge, beaked nose, sleepy-looking dark brown eyes, and sharp cheekbones. Her black hair was pulled up in a half a-dozen interconnected braids coiled on top of her head, like a Mediterranean Princess Leia.

I would love for you to join me with a Memorable Monday quote(or quotes)post of your own.

Want to know more about this meme? Just read this post. The short and easy guide? I started this meme because I was tired of memes telling me what page I should look up a quote from or just picking one from a random page. I wanted to share quotes that I really enjoyed. Want to join? Just write a blog post where you share a quote that you like, come back here and leave a link in the inlinkz widget below.

How do you handle ARC's you've been approved for on Netgalley?

2012-05-04T10:59:00.000+02:00

There's a ton of us bloggers out there using Netgalley as a chance to get to read advanced reader copies of books we're highly anticipating, books we are aching to get our hands on and devour. But how do we go about the process electing what is worth reading and what's not? Do you finish every galley approved to your profile, regardless of what you think of the content?

I'm at a stage where I'm not sure what to do. I mean some titles I finish no matter what, a one star, for me, title might have qualities that keeps me reading until that final page. Initially I started out with a goal to finish all ARC's that I was fortunate enough to be given access to. That being said there are some books that just isn't speaking to me at all, do I need to finish those? Earlier I would have said yes, I felt privileged that a publisher granted me access to one of the books they had faith in(I still do) and therefore obliged to finish each one. Now I waver do I have to put that kind of stress on my persona? I tend to fall into a reading slump if I force myself to finish a book that I'm not enjoying at all.

What if I quite the book halfway or 50 pages in, do I write a short review of my impression of the book or do I decline the title altogether? I'm at a loss as to how I can do this in the best possible way for both the publisher and myself as a reader.

How do you handle the review titles you've been approved for on Netgalley?
Leave a comment and let me know.

The Circle - Add this to your wishlist!

2012-05-02T07:25:00.000+02:00

UK cover.

Have you ever heard a young adult fantasy novel called The Circle by Swedish authors Mats Strandberg and Sara B. Elfgren? No? Let me tell you that this YA novel deserves a spot in your Waiting on Wednesday post, The Circle deserves some early buzz. This is one of the best books I've read so far in 2012(so far my total books read count for 2012 is 39), a true page turner. The rights to this novel have been sold to over 22 countries, Hollywood is sniffing around wondering if they should opt for the movie rights.

I kept on reading into the wee hours, and that I saying something when I have two young children and a job to get up to the morning after ;)

Swedish cover

German cover

Which one of the covers that I've featured in this post is your favorite?

Leave a comment and let me know.
I must say that I prefer the Swedish cover myself, I think it's original and different. I'm growing board of pretty girls on covers. The book was released here in Norway back in February, but it isn't due to release in the UK just yet. June 7th is the day that Random House UK releases The Circle into the wild. Mark the date on your calender.

Check out the synopsis from Goodreads:

Only together can they survive.

Engelsfors. A beautiful name for a scrubby little town in Sweden where six girls have just started high school. They have nothing in common -- except they are all hunted by an ancient evil.

The autumn semester has just started when a student is found dead in one of the school toilet cubicles. Everyone suspects suicide. Everyone except those that know the truth. One night, when a mysterious red moon fills the sky, the girls meet in the park. They don't know why or how they were brought there but they learn that they need each other in order to survive.

They are told that they are witches. An ancient prophecy states that they are The Chosen Ones. From this day on, high school is a matter of life and death. They must learn how to work together despite their differences and they have to master the forces that have awakened within them. Time is running out. Something is hunting them and if they don't find it and defeat it, it will kill them.

I will post my review closer to the release date.

Have you heard of The Circle before?

Forbidden(The book of Mortals #1) by Ted Dekker & Tosca Lee

2012-05-01T10:47:00.000+02:00

Forbidden is a dystopian novel, first in a trilogy, by authors Ted Dekker & Tosca Lee. The book was unfamiliar to me until the very moment the book howed up in my mailbox. It was a wonderful surprise from the lovely people at Hodder & Stoughton.

The people of the world has been in a peaceful state for several hundred years. All emotions has been eradicated, all except fear. Now Rom Sebastian has been given a mysterious vial, a vial that have been passed on from Keeper to Keeper in wait for the time of the Rebirth. Rom decides to taste what is in the vial and his life is turned upside down. Rom is trusted into a world of Chaos(aka. filled with feelings). This is only the beginning of a fulfillment of a prophecy foretold over 480 years ago. The prophecy spoke of a boy that will become Sovereign, but to what cost? The price? Kidnapping, murder, fear, sorrow and love.

My thoughts:
To live in a world ruled by one feeling, and that feeling is fear. Sounds absolutely dreadful, right? It might for us, but for the people of this future world it is perfectly normal. Why would they want to go back to the age of Chaos? Well for starters because living in fear and being stripped of all other emotions isn't really to be alive. The description might make you think of Lauren Oliver's Delirium trilogy, they certainly lack love in Forbidden as well but other than that there isn't any similarities I would say. It is perhaps more plausible that one can better control the worlds population when all they can feel is fear, at least that's what I think. This book is a lot darker then Delirium as well and has a lot more violence in it. I don't think this is a book suited for the younger demographic target group when it comes to YA.

Some of the characters in this book was easy to relate to. It wasn't difficult to imagine what inner turmoil a sudden blossoming of all kinds of feelings could do to a person. Everyone would react differently, and for some it might just be too much.

Forbidden is a novel that can be labled as Christian fiction, a genre I usually never read(although I consider myself a Christian). I must say that it didn't bother me in the least, which it did in ie. The Dark Divine by Bree Despain. There is symbolism here of course and those with knowledge of Christianity will certainly see it but I read this story with my dystopian glasses on. Forbidden can be read like a dark, dystopian with great characters and some memorable quotes. I will continue on with The Book of Mortals that's for sure.

My rating of this novel:

Source:
Review copy kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book can be purchased from a number of local retailers and on-line book stores such as Amazon and The Book Depository (I'm not an affiliate of either). The latter store does by the way have free shipping to about 100 countries.

Memorable Monday #13 - Forbidden

2012-04-30T00:57:00.000+02:00

Welcome yet another Memorable Monday! This meme is all about sharing a quote that you've chosen yourself, a quote that for one reason or another spoke to you.

In this weeks edition of Memorable Monday I'm sharing a quote from a book that I just finished, like half an hour ago(!), it's called Forbidden and it is written by authors Ted Dekker & Tosca Lee. It's a dystopian novel suitable for, I would say, the older YA reader and adults(a kind of crossover title).

"The human heart is a delicate thing." She drew back and put her hands on his chest. "I know that now. It's the sorrow you feel that allows you to crave love. Without that suffering, there would be no real pleasure. Without tears, no joy. Without deficiency, no longing. This is the secret of the human heart...."

I would love for you to join me with a Memorable Monday quote(or quotes) of your own.

Want to know more about this meme? Just read this post. The short and easy guide? Just write a blog post where you share a quote that you like, come back here and leave a link in the inlinkz widget below.

The winner of my World Book Day(Night) contest from last weeks MM was #10 according to random.org and that was Elin! Congratulations! I'll email you tomorrow :)

The best book trailer of 2012?! Struck by Jennifer Bosworth

2012-04-26T10:07:00.000+02:00

In May the much buzzed about YA dystopian Struck by Jennifer Bosworth will be released. I urge you, well in fact I'll chase you over to the play button with a broom if you're even hesitating, to watch this awesomesauce book trailer for Struck.

I can honestly say that it is one of the best made book trailer's I have ever seen.

What did you think? Worth two minutes of your time, wasn't it?!

If you want to know more about this trailer I suggest you visit Serendipity Reviews and check out The Behind the trailer post. I bet you didn't know that Jennifer Bosworth's husband made this book trailer?! Learn more about this over at Serendipity Reviews.

I'm pining for Struck! Luckily I do have an e-arc here, but there's a few other books I have to finish before I get to it.

I'm sorry for being MIA these days but life's busy at the moment. Winner of the world book day/night contest will be revealed in the next Memorable Monday post. I'll stop by all of the participants, promise, I just need time to sit down and do so ;)

Memorable Monday #12 - World Book Day giveaway

2012-04-23T00:59:00.000+02:00

Welcome to this special edition of Memorable Monday! All of those participating in MM today will be entered in the drawing to win a book of their choice(limit 15 USD) because I'm celebrating the World Book Day.

Today I'm sharing two short quotes with you from a book that I first read a couple of years ago. I know the opinions on this novel is varied, might be because some are forced to read it in school but I on the other hand read it because I wanted to, but I loved it. The book I'm talking about is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.

People generally see what they look for, and hear what they listen for.

Oh how I wish that Harper Lee had written another story for us, but it is better to have written one extremely good book than ten mediocre ones.

I would love for you to join me with a Memorable Monday quote(or quotes) of your own.

Want to know more about this meme? Just read this post. The short and easy guide? Just write a blog post where you share a quote that you like, come back here and leave a link in the inlinkz widget below.

[NEWS]Movie rights opted for Julie Kagawa's Immortal Rules(The Blood of Eden series).

2012-04-20T14:28:00.001+02:00

Some hours ago Julie Kagawa shared some big, BIG news on her blog. The movie rights to her highly anticipated upcoming novel The Immortal Rules(published by HarlequinTeen), the first book in The Blood of Eden series, and the rights to the series as a whole has been opted for by Palomar Pictures. This is so exiting and quite seriously if I were Julie I wouldn't know which leg to stand on right now. I would probably be in my own little fantasy world, floating about on a big, pink, fluffy cloud!

That the rights have been opted for doesn't necessarily mean that there will be made any films but the odds are a helluva lot better then if the rights hadn't sold ;)

Haven't heard of The Immortal Rules yet? I'm sure you're not the only one. The book isn't due for release until April 24th. Check out the synopsis below and take a look at the links to some early reviews that I've included further down in this post. Enjoy!

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

Reviews:
Nina Reads
Allthingsurbanfantasy
Badass Book Reviews
365 days of Reading
Between the Pages

Have you read Immortal Rules, what did you think of it?

Joint book review: The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M.Danforth

2012-04-19T14:47:00.000+02:00

Welcome to our very first joint review here at Escape In A Book. Today we will reveal to you our thoughts on the young adult LBGT contemporary novel The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth.

Mari's thoughts: The Miseducation of Cameron Post was actually my very first LBGT read. I had such high expectations for this novel, that might have been the reason for my being let down. My biggest issue with The Miseducation of Cameron Post was the pacing of the novel. At times the story felt to slow for me and I was struggle to keep going. I blame the book blurb for contributing to my feeling of slow pacing. Why? Because something described in the blurb didn't happen to Cameron until I was halfway through the novel.

I very much enjoyed the first part of the novel, reading about Cameron's summer and first crush etc. I was there cheering on Cameron to get her girl! I wasn't too fond of the novels way of ending, I wanted to know what was in store for Cameron and her friends. It made me wonder if there is to be a sequel. TMECoCP is a story about growing up and being gay in the US in the 90's (and how it perhaps still is to this day) . Emily Danforth did a great job portraying the difficulties not to mention the horrors of good people trying to cure people from homosexuality. All in all this story is an important contribution to teenage fiction letting, but a bit to slow going for my taste. Before I end this review I would like to guide you to a very interesting article that Emily M. Danforth did for Huffington Post, it is well worth a few minutes of your time.

My rating of this book:

Nina's thoughts: There’s really nothing I can say here that will do this amazing novel justice. The Miseducation of Cameron Post is an incredibly well written debut from Emily M. Danforth, with one of the most controversial plots I’ve read in a long time.

The scenes from Cameron’s childhood really set the mood for the rest of this book. We are lead through warm summer days in Montana, swimming at the lake, kissing in barns, renting and watching 99cent videos, living with a very religions aunt, and I felt like I was there with Cameron for all of it. I have to add that I loved the introduction from the author, telling us that she was born and raised in Miles City herself, because it really shows in how well she knows her small town setting.

The first chapters do an amazing job of describe summer crushes and first love, regardless of gender and sexuality. Cameron is a very conflicted girl, and her aunt Ruth does absolutely nothing to help with this. If you are religious, please don’t take offence from this, but Ruth is exactly the kind of person that makes me dislike religion to the point where I try to distance myself from it as far as possible.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post evoked so many strong feelings in me. I was pissed off beyond what I can describe at some of the things Cameron was put through, but there was also hope, friendship and romance, and I loved all of it. My only problem with this book is that I wish Cameron herself would have been a little more angry about her aunt’s attempt to “fix” her. I kind of felt like she just accepted the situation, and made excuses for it not being all bad, and that felt a little wrong to me.

Instead of me saying much more, buy a copy of The Miseducation of Cameron Post for yourself, then let me know what you think when you’ve read it. This is the kind of book that will inspire strong opinions and loud discussions, and hopefully remind us all to be a little more open and understanding to the people around us.

My rating of this book:

This book can be purchased from a number of local retailers and on-line book stores such as Amazon and The Book Depository (I'm not an affiliate of either). The latter store does by the way have free shipping to about 100 countries.

Source:
Our copy was provided by HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review.

Memorable Monday #11 - The Book Thief

2012-04-16T07:08:00.001+02:00

Love a good quote? Why not share a quote in our Memorable Monday meme? Leave a link to your blogpost in the widget below.

Today I'm sharing a quote with you from one of my absolute favorite novels. The beautiful and heartbreaking novel The Book Thief by Australian author Markus Zusak. It is just filled with quote worthy passages. If you haven't read it I strongly recommend that you do, I ❤ The Book Thief!

She said it out loud, the words distributed into a room that was full of cold air and books. Books everywhere! Each wall was armed with overcrowded yet immaculate shelving. It was barely possible to see paintwork. There were all different styles and sizes of lettering on the spines of the black, the red, the gray, the every-colored books. It was one of the most beautiful things Liesel Meminger had ever seen.

With wonder, she smiled.

That such a room existed!

No book lover can be unmoved by such a description ;) Here's anothe one, heartbreaking and bittersweet.

She leaned down and looked at his lifeless face and Leisel kissed her best friend, Rudy Steiner, soft and true on his lips. He tasted dusty and sweet. He tasted like regret in the shadows of trees and in the glow of the anarchist's suit collection. She kissed him long and soft, and when she pulled herself away, she touched his mouth with her fingers...She did not say goodbye. She was incapable, and after a few more minutes at his side, she was able to tear herself from the ground. It amazes me what humans can do, even when streams are flowing down their faces and they stagger on...