Booking Through 365

Educate Emma: Books: All You Get is Me by Yvonne Prinz

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Dust Jacket Description:

"Sixteen-year-old Roar has been yanked from her city life and transformed into a farm girl, albeit a reluctant one. Now she sells organic figs at the farmers' market and develops her photographs in a rickety shed, her hair pulled back with a rubber band meant for asparagus. Caught between a trouble-making sidekick named Storm and a brooding, easy-on-the-eyes L.A boy, not to mention a father on a complicated human rights crusade that challenges the fabric of the farm community, Roar is going to have to tackle it all - even with dirt under her fingernails."

Characters: Roar is a great character. She's intelligent, strong, and she has a compelling past. I got the sense that I could actually meet Roar in real life, rather than just feeling like she was a caricature of YA. I liked the dynamic between her and her father, as well as her relationship with the farm workers and the farm itself. The tensions between her family and the family her father prosecutes were honest. Storm came across as a slight stereotype, but I appreciated how she added more edge to the story. My biggest problem with the novel was that Roar's love interest, Forest, was boring. They have a lovey dovey dynamic, but there's not as much conflict as there potentially could have been. It seemed like a large lost opportunity to me. 4 flowers.

Writing: I liked Roar's monologues, even if they did happen to be cyclical and repetitive on occasion. The dialogue is solid and I really enjoyed the flashbacks to Roar's childhood. Ultimately, it's nothing amazing, but it made the story easy to consume. 3 and a half flowers.

Plot: When I realized that the book had a lawsuit in it, I got excited about the plotting possibilities. I was also really impressed by how Prinz covers the issue of immigration policy within the context of farming culture. I love food science and history, so reading about the farming processes and politics was a highlight for me. The main issue with the plot is that it deflated far too early. Prinz sets up a high stakes, tension filled story, and then she doesn't fully utilize her own rising action. While the resolution of the prosecution seemed highly realistic, it was fairly anti-climatic for me a reader. None of the possible issues between Roar and her love interest, Forest, were fully realized. There could have been so much struggle and strife in this novel, but it didn't work out that way. It left me unsatisfied. If I were to summarize Prinz's problem here, I'd say is that she's a little too true to life. There are no serious standoffs or grandiose climaxes. Closure rarely exists in real life, and I like having it in my novels as a counterpoint to the sucktitude of the present. Unfortunately, I had no chance of escapism here. 3 flowers.

End: It's a bit dragged out, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy reading more about Roar's life. One thing I didn't like, though, was how Prinz seemed to establish Roar's future earlier in the story, and then decided to take her on a completely different path without any acknowledgement of her former thought process. Also, the end line was odd. 3 and a half flowers.

Dust Jacket Description: This description makes it sound like Storm is a main element of the story, and that Roar is a diva. 3 flowers.

Cover: Usually I'm not a fan of people on covers, but the juxtaposition of the girl's aesthetic and her setting is well done. I'm still confused about the title, though. 4 flowers.

Overall: I know that I sound super critical of All You Get is Me, but I really enjoyed it. Maybe I'm a little too obsessed with farming, but I found Roar's world to be compelling and realistic. Its main issue is its lack of conflict. If you want to learn more about farming and immigration, and you don't mind a story without a lot of tension, you should try this one. 3 and a half flowers.

Educate Emma: Books: Stravaganza Series, Books 1 - 3 by Mary Hoffman

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Amazon Description:

"Set in Talia, a parallel world very similar to 16th-century Italy, the narrative follows Lucien, who in our world is very ill. Given a marbled notebook to use as a diary, the notebook is the unexpected means that transports Lucien to this dangerous new world; a world that thrills to the delight of political intrigue and where a life can be snuffed out with a flash of a merlino blade. The city of Bellezza (Venice in our world) is astonishingly evoked, with a filmic eye to detail, from the sensuousness of silks and velvets, to the thrill and danger of assassination attempts both and foiled and successful. The world of Talia is unforgettably and convincingly real.

My lovely friend Cassandra Yorgey was nice enough to give me the first three books of this series for Christmas. It is comprised of the books City of Masks, City of Stars and City of Flowers. They're all set partially in modern day England and partially in a parallel version of 16th century Italy. I had a lot of mixed feelings about the series, but I'm very glad that I read it.

Characters: I'd argue that this is the biggest problem with Stravaganza. This isn't because the characters are dull, unrealistic or idiotic. The main issue is that there are just way too many of them. See, the structure of the series is that there is one new protagonist per book. In most stories, this means that the book becomes a companion novel, with a whole new set of characters and perhaps a few references to past plot lines and personalities. In the case of Stravaganza, each new protagonist has interactions with their own English cast, new Talian characters, and the old characters presented in the previous novel. This became an absolute headache as the story went on.

I really enjoyed the first story, City of Masks. Lucien's struggle with his cancer makes the dilemma of what to do with Talia all the more interesting. His friend Arianna has a strong personality and adds dimension to the world. I even liked the character of Georgia in City of Stars and how the familial tensions are illustrated. If I didn't have to keep track of all the political alliances, family feuds and interpersonal conflicts, I may have appreciated the series a lot more.

This issue is most evident for me in the last book that I read, City of Flowers. Rainbow is a very engaging boy, but he doesn't get nearly enough page time for a main character. There's so much time focusing on past characters that we never truly get to know him. What's even worse is that readers are suddenly propelled into the family dynamics of the di Chimici, who are the rivals of the time traveler heroes. This becomes so confusing that I just got used to conflating characters with each other. The structure ultimately becomes too much by the end of the third book.

Overall, I really did like the realism and individual personalities in the Stravaganza series, but as the novels go on, they're overwhelmed by past story lines. 2 and a half flowers.

Writing: Hoffman does a good job of crafting accurate dialogue. The most impressive component of the story, though, is how she illustrates the setting. Each city featured in the series is based on an actual Italian city, and Hoffman does a beautiful job of incorporating both the original components and the parallel universe elements. When the characters aren't disorienting, the setting is easy to fall into, and their separate political issues and economic focuses help make the story great. Watching the protagonists of each story start to love their city also helps affirm their individual identities. The writing is definitely the strong point of the books. 4 flowers.

Plot: The one thing I had to adapt to is that while the time traveling does have rules, it is more on the fantasy side than the sci-fi one. As someone who researched and studied time traveling pretty seriously for two years, I like mine with more science and less impractical sense. Eventually, I got used to it and began to see beyond its logistical errors. The only time that this became a large problem for me when the rules were thrown out the window in City of Flowers. (Can you guess which book was my least favourite?)

Besides that, the structure of the novels is quite well done. I especially loved all the issues with the Duchess in the first book. Each protagonist seems to have a specific purpose in Talia, and I loved watching these play out. The plots have organic conflicts, solid pacing, and strong world building. My other qualm with the plot portion of the series is that it was hard to really process Rainbow's true purpose once it's presented - mostly due to the crazy amount of characters and story threads going on around him. Also, the brutal fighting that suddenly occurs in City of Flowers feels jarring next to the other books. 3 and a half flowers.

End: I quite liked how Hoffman resolves the stories and conflicts presented. She does this realistically and in a satisfying manner. I have no real problems in this section. Except, again, City of Flowers was a little bizarre in its resolution of the English side of things. 4 flowers.

Amazon Description: I wasn't able to find the dust jacket description anywhere for the first book, but this description is informative and devoid of description tropes. The only thing I'm disappointed with is how Arianna isn't mentioned. 4 flowers.

Cover: I know these books got a cover makeover, but I quite like the editions I received. They have a younger YA/upper MG feel that is in keeping with the stories. My only problem is the number of sparkles. 4 and a half flowers.

Overall: These books have their upsides, - easy-to-relate-to conflicts, strong plots, exceptional settings - but they also tend to be incredibly confusing with their characters. I'd recommend reading City of Masks, the first novel, and then leaving them there. 4 flowers for City of Masks. 3 for City of Stars. 2 and a half for City of Flowers. Ultimately, 3 and a half flowers.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Book Covers Of Books I've Read

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 21 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Top Ten Tuesday is a brilliant meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's theme is the top ten favourite book covers we've seen from books we've read. This list was harder than I expected! I think it's because it had to be books I had actually read, rather than just ones I've seen in passing. These are organized by genre, but not numbered in any particular order.

Contemporary

10. White Oleander by Janet Fitch

I love the raw vulnerability of this cover. There's something about the woman's bare back, and the creepy anonymity due to her hair being in front of her face. I also love the title and authorial font. It's a gorgeous image.

9. If I Stay by Gayle Forman

I really love the simplicity of this cover. The title font is pretty but not too complicated. The rest of the image is pale and stark enough that the flower really stands out. It perfectly fits the story.

8. How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Natalie Standiford

The simplicity of this cover is what makes it interesting. It makes the story seem stark and quirky, which is exactly what it is. I'd be proud to have this in my library.

7. The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood

This is such a fabulous children's book, and the cover matches the tone to a T. The illustrations have a prim and historical vibe, but the feral children make the story intriguing. It's brilliant.

Non-fiction

6. This Book Is Overdue! How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All by Marilyn Johnson

I like the old-school vibe of this cover. I also really love how the superhero figure in the middle is female. This kind of design seems unusual from most book covers I've seen, so I'd love to have this in my collection.

Fantasy/Dystopia

5. A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

While I think that The Sweet Far Thing cover is the best fit for The Gemma Doyle Trilogy, I believe that the AGATB cover is the best stand alone. My author friend Maggie L. Wood said that when she was a bookseller, all her peers thought this cover was taking YA to a new level. I have to agree with them. It has such a sexy, defiant vibe, and it works well for the story.

4. The Diviners by Libba Bray

I love how this cover manages to communicate both the era and the fantasy elements in a way that isn't cheesy. Each design element is relevant to the story inside, and that always makes me happy.

3. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

I love the title font of this, alongside the colour scheme. I remember seeing this plastered on a billboard at BEA and being fascinated by the image.

2. Bumped by Megan McCafferty

It's amazing how a regular household object can be so eerie. That's why this cover is so great.

1. Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev

This is an exquisite cover. It evokes all the magic of the stage, and also stays loyal to the story. I love Bertie's blue hair, too.

What are some of your favourite book covers?

Educate Emma: Books: The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Dust Jacket Description:

"According to Ponyboy, there are two kinds of people in the world: greasers and socs. A soc (short for "social") has money, can get away with just about anything, and has an attitude longer than a limousine. A greaser, on the other hand, always lives on the outside and needs to watch his back. Ponyboy is a greaser, and he's always been proud of it, even willing to rumble against a gang of socs for the sake of his fellow greasers--until one terrible night when his friend Johnny kills a soc. The murder gets under Ponyboy's skin, causing his world to crumble and teaching him that pain feels the same whether a soc or a greaser."

Characters: The most notable thing about the personalities in The Outsiders is how realistic they feel. Even when it's difficult to keep track of the characters, or they feel stereotypical and trite, there's a kind of sincerity in the novel that transcends all literary issues. Ponyboy illustrates a family of boys with complex loyalties and a lot of internal difficulties, and that's what makes the book worth reading. His impoverished and poignant world is one that doesn't get enough credit in the current YA scene, and I loved falling into it. 3 and a half flowers.

Writing: Again, the voice feels organic and honest, but the dialogue is sometimes laughable and the themes painfully obvious. In some magic way, this adds to the tone of the story, but it still made me roll my eyes. Ponyboy often talks about the ultimate sameness of the socs and the greasers, and those passages reek of cliches. Luckily, I was able to forgive the blatant execution of these messages to appreciate how they have resonated with generations before, and will inevitably resonate with generations after. 3 flowers.

Plot: The plot felt a bit jerky in parts. While the story does have a clear arc, some of the events at the end seems jarringly out of pace. Still, the general concept is compelling and has a defined outline, so it does have its positives. 3 flowers.

End: Cliche, but still powerful. 4 flowers.

Dust Jacket Description: No rhetorical questions! Actually informative! Indicative of the writing style! Damn that corny last line. 4 flowers.

Cover: This actually wasn't the cover of the edition that I read. In fact, mine was far more sixties in feeling. However, this cover has a good serious tone, even if it has people on the cover. I hate when people are on my covers. 4 flowers.

Overall: From a literary perspective, The Outsiders really isn't that special. What makes it unique is its rawness and accuracy. I definitely understand why so many people have fallen in love with it over the years. If you can compromise skill for tone, or you have some reluctant readers in your life, this is the book to read. 3 and a half flowers.

Educate Emma: Books: The Punk Ethic by Timothy Decker, with Bonus of The Letter Home

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Wed, 15 May 2013 00:36:00 +0000

Dust Jacket Description:

"If you want to rock, you come out swinging.

Well, Martin Henry just made a fist.

Challenged by a teacher to actually 'do something,' Martin walks a minefield of idiot friends, an unfathomable Dream Girl high school, and relative pennilessness to prove that he can change the world.

The funny thing about change, it screws up everything.

Whatever..."

I received this novel for review.

Characters: I really loved Martin's character. His voice is a lot grittier than most YA characters who are currently popular. It's also a lot more realistic and compelling for that reason. His issues making a difference were easy to relate to, and Decker manages to make that component of Martin's struggle understandable and non-cheesy. Martin may be a total music snob, but I see a lot of reluctant readers loving his perspective.

Secondary characters have a small amount of page time, but they too make their mark. I'm super impressed by how Decker approached the issue of Holly's relationship with Martin. For such a small book, Decker successfully illustrates all the problem with Manic Pixie Girl-dom in a unique way. I was initially concerned with Holly's character, but he made Martin's perception change organically. I was pleased. 4 flowers.

Writing: I said it before and I'll say it again: Martin's voice is rough around the edges. It takes some time to adjust to the frank nature of the prose, as well as how simplistic it feels. Once I adapted, I really appreciated the story for what it is. Decker doesn't make his characters follow the hyper-intellectual standards that permeate YA these days. They feel like a different subculture of individuals, and I liked that. 4 flowers.

Plot: The book is quite short, so there wasn't a lot of time for it to get stuck in a rut. More than anything, The Punk Ethic feels honest. I can see the climax of the story and its conclusion occurring in real life. There's no cliched components, and it was nice to have that refreshing experience. My only complaint is that there's one strange record store interaction that seems irrelevant to the rest of the story. 4 flowers.

End: Kind of perfect. 5 flowers.

Dust Jacket Description: It has a good hook, there's no stupid rhetorical question, and it fits the vibe of the novel. I am SOLD. Finally, a decent description. 5 flowers.

Cover: I really like the vibe of both the cover and the illustrations included in the book. They're somewhat alternative from the current YA scene, but they're not old-fashioned or removed from the story. The author font is the only thing that I didn't like very much. 4 and a half flowers.

Overall: This is not your average YA book, and I mean that in the best sense possible. If you want something brief but engaging, pick up The Punk Ethic. It'll be a palate cleanser. 4 flowers.

Timothy was nice enough to include his picture book in his package to me, so I figured it would only be fair that I review it in return!

Dust Jacket Description:

"A medic is sent to the front lines in the trenches of World War I. There he writes a letter to his young son describing in careful words what he does, the people he meets, and what he sees. Stark and beautiful drawings depict more fully what the letter only hints at."

The Letter Home is a really lovely piece. I liked the juxtaposition of the pictures to the words, where the pictures are a lot more severe and revealing than the letter itself. The illustrations give a good impression of the era, and the end is rather thoughtful and perfect. I think I know a few kids with a love of history that would want to give this book a try.

Educate Emma: Books: The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 14 May 2013 23:26:00 +0000

Dust Jacket Description:

"The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it’s the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn’t notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities."

Characters: I quite liked Rory. She's capable and amusing, and she has a love of England that I understand. I also appreciated the relationship that Rory has with her roommates - one that she likes and one that she doesn't. Her friendship with Jazza isn't instant, but it becomes cozy, and I enjoyed that realism. I also related to the slow, creeping dislike of Boo. Nothing feels inorganic, even if it is mundane. The characters in Name aren't particularly gripping, but they do work as sufficient vessels for the plot. My only real criticism is that there are two separate casts of secondary characters, and I didn't feel that Johnson integrated them very well. I can only hope that gets better in the sequel. 3 and a half flowers.

Writing: I wouldn't say this is Johnson's best written piece, but it does a good job of creating suspense. The dialogue is natural and the setting is eerie, even if it's structurally clunky. 4 flowers.

Plot: I really like how Johnson focused more on the media and communal reaction to the Jack the Ripper killer than Jack the Ripper himself. She proves a point about how the response to a great tragedy can produce more tragedies. She crafts a powerful setting that shows how gruesome events affect humans. In that regard, the plot is very successful.

Due to the misleading cover, I wasn't quite sure what to expect with Name's plot. I did like how it shifted unexpectedly, but I still felt like the connection between the beginning and end halves wasn't very strong. I'm expecting this to be less of an issue as the series goes on, but it felt rather stilted. 3 and a half flowers.

End: Utterly brilliant. I was wondering where the story was going, and it went the perfect place. 5 flowers.

Dust Jacket Description: It's actually quite good, except for that stupid rhetorical question. I hate the constant rhetorical questions in descriptions. They ruin everything.

Cover: While it is rather pretty, it's completely misleading. I sincerely thought the book was historical fiction, until I started reading it. I wish the cover had better illustrated the contemporary murder mystery components of Name.

Overall: Suspenseful and thought provoking, The Name of the Star is definitely worth reading. As long as you can deal with structural problems and lackluster characters, you'll enjoy this one. 4 flowers, because I can forgive plot problems for interesting intellectual angles.

Educate Emma: Books: Magic Flutes by Eva Ibbotson

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Dust Jacket Description:

"Spring, 1922 - Tessa is a beautiful, tiny, dark-eyed princess - who's given up her duties to follow her heart, working for nothing backstage at the Viennese opera. No one there knows who she really is, or that a fairytale castle is missing its princess, and Tessa is determined to keep it that way. But secret lives can be complicated. When a wealthy, handsome Englishman discovers this bewitching urchin backstage,Tessa's two lives collide - and in escaping her inheritance, she finds her destiny..."

Characters: I may have a childhood attachment to Eva Ibbotson, which is why I find delight in her formulaic plots and convenient occurrences. However, her characters are the reason I fell in love with her novels in the first place. Tessa is certainly not a new personality for an Ibbotson novel, but I adore her passion for democracy and art. She's competent and intelligent, as well as fiery. It's hard not to like Tessa. Guy, the other primary character of the book, is also compelling. He has a lot of business savvy, and he tends to be overtly aggressive and protective of those he loves. I appreciated Guy and his sensibilities. My biggest disappointment with the novel is how little we get to see of the actual romantic development between the two characters. I wanted much more interaction between the two.

As per usual in Ibbotson's work, the side characters stole my heart. All the crazy and fussy characters in Tessa's opera are amusing and lovely. Guy's fiance wasn't original, but I thought she was less villan-ey than some of Ibbotson's other antagonists. Overall, this isn't any new territory, but it satisfied me. 4 flowers.

Writing: The story opens with Guy's back story, which I found a little unusual. Luckily, it worked quite well. Ibbotson always had a talent for describing Vienna and creating drawn out exposition that makes readers love her world. 5 flowers.

Plot: Again, nothing surprising here. At the beginning of her books, I'm always so confused and curious about how Ibbotson could possibly manage to intertwine the two main characters presented, and she does it flawlessly every time. My only qualm is the lack of scenes between Guy and Tessa. 4 flowers.

End: A tad too convenient, but what the heck. It's still adorable. 4 flowers.

Dust Jacket Description: These descriptions always make it sound like the protagonist's hidden identity is such a big deal, and in Ibbotson's novels, they never really are. Also, there's no mention of Guy's name. 3 flowers.

Cover: There's a girl on it and it's purple. It's nothing new, but I don't hate it. 3 flowers.

Overall: This is probably my least favourite of the Ibbotsons I've read, mostly due to the lack of romantic development between the two main characters. But it's important to keep in mind that my least favourite Ibbotson is still high up on my "Books That Make Me Happy" list, so I enjoyed the experience. It's well written, engaging and clever. I'm pleased. 4 flowers.

Educate Emma: Books: Lament by Maggie Stiefvater

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 23:12:00 +0000

Dust Jacket Description:

"Sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan is a painfully shy but prodigiously gifted musician. She's about to find out she's also a cloverhand—one who can see faeries. When a mysterious boy enters her ordinary suburban life, seemingly out of nowhere, Deirdre finds herself infatuated. Trouble is, the enigmatic and conflicted Luke turns out to be a gallowglass—a soulless faerie assassin—and Deirdre is meant to be his next mark. Deirdre has to decide if Luke's feelings towards her are real, or only a way to lure her deeper into the world of Faerie.

Characters: I was really impressed by Deidre. Despite the book having many problems, Deirdre manages to be a compelling personality within the story. She could have very easily turned Bella Swan-esque, but she didn't. Her love of music, her intelligence, and the way she navigated relationships were realistic and relatable. I'm not entirely sure how Stiefvater managed to keep Deirdre interesting, but I'm glad she did.

While I did understand Luke's appeal to Deidre, I didn't find him particularly intriguing. He's the regular male love interest in YA, and I remained neutral about his personality.

The side characters mostly consisted of tropes, including the witty best friend and the sassy grandmother. I didn't mind this too much, but they didn't have a lot of dimension. It's not a terrible cast of characters, but I wasn't impressed either. Only thing I can rave about is how amazingly written the faeries are in this story. The dialogue and mannerisms of the ones depicted are perfect. 3 and a half flowers.

Writing: Stiefvater very successfully illustrated the setting, as well as the dark nature of the fey and their world. The dialogue also seemed very natural. While the novel needed some fine-tuning in its plot, I can definitely see how Stiefvater had gotten so much critically and public acclaim for her later work. There's something about her writing style that I see developing really well. 4 flowers.

Plot: Here's where we encounter major issues. The things mentioned in the dust jacket description take quite a bit of time to be officially addressed. The plot feels rushed, which is unfortunate considering its cool premise. Parts of the story weren't integrated as successfully as I would have liked - for instance, I think the components about Deidre's family didn't get as much page time as they could have. It felt more like a second draft than it did a published novel. 3 flowers.

End: I think I got whiplash from pacing. However, it was a clever resolution. 3 and a half flowers.

Dust Jacket Description: It's accurate, but it's frustrating to read the book and go so long without as clear information as presented within the description. 4 flowers.

Cover: I don't like the generic feeling of this cover, and much prefer the revamped one. 3 flowers.

Overall: I can see Stiefvater's potential in her writing and main characterizations here, but her debut isn't quite polished enough for my taste. Despite this, the book has made me excited to read more of her recent pieces. If you like faeries and don't mind the tropes, this may be a good story for you. 3 and a half flowers.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Thought I'd Like More/Less Than I Did

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 22:41:00 +0000

Top Ten Tuesday is a brilliant meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's theme is books you had higher or lower expectations for, and MAN was it easy to come up with this list. Only thirty percent of the list is about books I thought I'd like more, because I am a cynic at heart. Luckily, this means that there is more room for lovely surprises!

Books I Thought I'd Like More:

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

I hate this series with rabid passion. I hated them so much that I read all four so I had credibility when arguing with people about it. Surprisingly, I had high hopes for Twilight at first. My best friend absolutely adored the series, and I was looking forward to reading such a trendy book. What followed was disgust, horror, and feminist rage.

Liar by Justine Larbalestier

I'd seen Liar receive mixed reviews, but I was still anticipating a quirky and intelligent read. It was both of these things, but the ambiguity of the whole story drove me up a wall.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

All of you are probably going to hate me for this one, but it's true. TFIOS didn't click with me at all, and I was seriously disappointed. Paper Towns remains my favourite Green novel.

Books I Thought I'd Like Less:

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

After being stunned by the hatred that Twilight fostered within me, I completely mistrusted the masses and their literary tastes. Because of my low expectations, I was really thrilled about the story in The Hunger Games. Sure, I found the rest of the series to be a letdown, but the first book was still brilliant.

I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

I had read The Book Thief before this one, and wasn't emotionally affected by it. Even though I think The Book Thief is better crafted, I enjoyed I Am the Messenger a lot more. I wasn't assuming I'd get as fun or intriguing as a ride as I did whilst reading Messenger.

Annie On My Mind by Nancy Garden

Considering how old Annie is, I wasn't expecting anything groundbreaking or brilliant in terms of queer issues. In fact, I only read it because one of my friends was obsessed with it. While the plot is derivative and tired, the actual relationship depicted is beautiful, and it has the best exploration of sexuality that I've seen in any YA novel.

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

I read Lolita mostly because I felt like I hadn't read enough classics. I wasn't expected to be so engrossed in the questions it addresses, like the issue of villainy, female identity, childhood and enigmas. I can never shut up about this novel now.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Again, the problem of the bestseller struck! Although, in the case of Pi, I suppose the issue was more about having watched Yann Martel be an elitist douchebag in interviews. I expected Pi to be in love with its own pretentiousness. Instead, I found a story that made me value religion. Impressive.

The Difference Between You and Me by Madeline George

I was amazed by how much I fell in love with this novel. Its characters, its message, the feelings that it gave me. I was completely surprised.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I kept on hearing people say that Gatsby was their favourite novel, and since it sounded like another boring critique of the attention whore of Amurica (my opinion may be somewhat clouded by Canadian bitterness), I wasn't anticipating anything awe-inspiring. Clearly, I underestimate the majority too often.

What books either rose above or failed to meet your expectations?

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Books I Read Before I Was A Blogger

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:33:00 +0000

Top Ten Tuesdays is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week is technically a rewind week, where you can look back on topics that you want to talk about more. I had prepped for last week's theme accidentally, and realized that I loved thinking back to my life pre-blogging. Since I started blogging when I was eleven, most of my favourite books that I read before blogging remind me of my childhood. I think the list is pretty indicative of the kind of kid I was, and th person I've grown up to be in the past five years.

10. Fat Land by Greg Critser

I actually read Fat Land when I was nine. And yes, I did understand it. I know, I'm a freaky, freaky human being. I found the book absolutely fascinating, and it sparked my love of food politics and non-fiction writing. All the information it covered regarding the American shift from cane sugar to corn syrup was really enlightening. Yes, I may be a huge nerd, but I loved learning from this book.

9. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

My mother raised me on fairy tales and fairy tale retellings, and none were as amazing to me as Gail Carson Levine's different renditions, such as The Fairy's Mistake. I adored these novels, but Ella was my favourite. Ella was a strong character who did what she felt was right and fell in love in the process. I thought every decision that Levine made was pure brilliance. If you love fairy tales, you have to read this story.

8. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

I didn't read Anne as early as I would have liked to, but she still made me fall in love with her. This spunky red head with a fierce temper and an inclination for the dramatic was easy to relate to. She was wonderful for ten year old Emma to visit.

7. Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson

I had experienced fondness for novels before, but Journey was the first book I really went fangirly over. It was wonderfully told, full of adventure, and had awesome characters. Ibbotson's writing was easy to be immersed in, and I was enamored with the world that she created. Because of Journey, I still hold a special space on my bookshelf for Ibbotson.

6. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

I read Pride and Prejudice just a few months before I took up blogging, and now I really wonder what I would have written about it at the time. Pride and Prejudice is such an exceptional love story - not only do Darcy and Lizzie have great chemistry, but they also respect and appreciate the other for who they are. The book's themes still hold today, as can be seen from the awesome Lizzie Bennet Diaries that I've been obsessed with for the past year.

5. Captured by Maggie L. Wood

Everyone! I command you, read Maggie's books! It's because of Maggie's amazing humanning that I decided to read her novels, and her books are what truly catapulted me into the world of YA. Captured has excellent characters, but it also has a rich world and a cleverer ending than anything one usually sees in YA fantasy. The Divided Realms deserve a lot more readers, as they're the kind of books that can appeal to a lot of teen readers.

4. The Darkening by Maggie L. Wood

True, The Darkening is a part of the same series as Captured, but I decided to feature it because they really ought to have more readers. I loved Captured, but The Darkening is a lot darker (hah) and richer in imagery and scope. It's a great addition to the story. I'm so glad this book showed me the edgier side of fiction and YA at an early age.

3. Paper Towns by John Green

I've read all of John Green's novels, but Paper Towns is by far my favourite. I think it really shows the problems and complexities of knowing other people, and it's quirky and engaging. Also, it has an epic road trip! I really wish I had started my blog at the time I read this book - it's a fun one to discuss.

2. The Stargirl Series by Jerry Spinelli

As a fellow homeschooler, I both was enthralled by and related to Stargirl as a person. I loved everything about who Stargirl was. Love, Stargirl, the sequel, was even better than the first, and I was really glad that I got to know Stargirl from her own perspective. When I reread it last summer, I found Leo's character to be very interesting, and fell deeper into the memories of Stargirl and being a quirky homeschooled chick myself.

1. The Gemma Doyle Trilogy by Libba Bray

While not surprising in the slightest, Gemma remains my favourite character that I read about before I blogged. Without Gemma, I wouldn't have fallen in love with literature in the same way, or gotten so involved with the YA literature community. She changed everything for me, and she remains my platonic book soulmate. The series still feels like it really is my heart, and I love revisiting it every year.

What books did you love before you blogged? Do you wish you could have reviewed them?

Educate Emma: Books: Jane by April Lindner

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 23:14:00 +0000

Dust Jacket Description:

"Forced to drop out of an esteemed East Coast college after the sudden death of her parents, Jane Moore takes a nanny job at Thornfield Park, the estate of Nico Rathburn, a world-famous rock star on the brink of a huge comeback. Practical and independent, Jane reluctantly becomes entranced by her magnetic and brooding employer and finds herself in the midst of a forbidden romance. But there's a mystery at Thornfield, and Jane's much-envied relationship with Nico is soon tested by an agonizing secret from his past. Torn between her feelings for Nico and his fateful secret, Jane must decide: Does being true to herself mean giving up on true love?"

Spoilers for both Jane Eyre and Jane, although come on guys, this story is a part of the romantic literary canon. Expect spoilers.

Characters: Just like in the original Jane Eyre, I adored Jane. She manages to be logical and diplomatic without being boring or empty like many YA heroines today. She's clever, loving, and she refuses to be anything other than herself. Jane is incredibly likeable as a character, and I'm glad to see that Lindner maintained this in her retelling. However, just like in Jane Eyre, I cannot stand Mr. Rochester/Nico Rathburn.

     I'm not entirely sure why everyone seems to adore Rochester, because I always found him to be a horrible character devoid of positive traits or allure. Because of plot-related reasons, these flaws in Nico's character were heightened by the modernization. I hated him immensely, and I found myself cringing at the passages where Lindner attempts to make readers sympathize with him.

     Although Rochester/Nico was as disappointing as he is within the source material, I did like the realism of the side characters. Nico's daughter feels like an actual child, in that she is both spoiled and a good kid. Jane's siblings are incredibly irritating in a way that most of us have probably experienced in real life. Side characters in the latter portion of the book fell flat, but I think it's also difficult to create a three dimensional picture of the charitable St. John. Overall, the book did a good job of honouring the canon, even if I don't agree with all of the choices made. 4 flowers.

Writing: Jane's voice came through almost immediately in the story, and it's her perspective that kept the book compelling. I don't think Lindner's writing style had as many gothic elements as I was hoping, but I did get a creepy and enthralling vibe from Thornfield, so I didn't mind too much. 4 flowers.

Plot: Now, here's where my Nico rant begins. In Jane Eyre, the big secret of the story is that Mr. Rochester has his former wife, Bertha, hidden in an attic. Despite there being no clear assurances that his former wife was mentally ill and Rochester being a cruel narcissist to just about everyone he encounters, the time period of the story does make it somewhat easier to believe that Rochester's intentions are good. Mental hospitals have been doing despicable things to their patients for as long as they've existed, and it's only been decades since they've stopped doing lobotomies. Bertha would probably been harmed from an institution if she had entered it.

     However, in Jane, Lindner makes no attempt to modernize this portion of the source material. Nico still keeps his sick wife in an attic, - and get this - refuses to divorce her. He does not separate from her legally, and does not allow her family to make her health decisions. Nico has shirked his role as her husband, and yet he insists on keeping control of her. In the book, Nico argues that he's responsible for her illness and that's why he takes care of her, but if he felt so badly about how he affected her health, he could have legally divorced her and given her family money to handle her affairs. He doesn't have to strip her of all her autonomy. You know what this screams to me? Abuser of DOOM. DOOOM. The moments where Jane feels bad for Nico made me want to hurl the book at the wall. This is not the behavior of a well meaning man. This is despicable treatment of another human being, especially within the context of today.

I don't understand why Lindner refused to modernize this aspect of the novel, because by keeping it the same, Nico is completely unsympathetic as a character. Besides the plot twist, the pacing felt natural and the conflicts organic, but I just couldn't get over this adaptation decision. 2 and a half flowers.

End: I thought it was a good way of ending it for Jane and Nico, even if he kept on making me want to punch something. 4 and a half flowers.

Dust Jacket Description: It's not horrible, but it does confuse the timeline of events and have that stupid rhetorical question at the end. 3 and a half flowers.

Cover: I LOVE the design of this cover, but I have two issues: 1. Why exactly is the title pink? 2. The girl is far too pretty to be Jane.

Overall: Jane is a solid modernization of a beloved classic. Making Nico a rock star was definitely a brilliant adaptation choice, but the other ways Lindner decided to write the story were off-putting to me. If you love Jane Eyre, you'll probably appreciate this book. If you had mixed feelings about the original, you might not enjoy it as much. 3 and a half flowers.

Educate Emma: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Dust Jacket Description:

"Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?"

Characters: Whatever else I might say about Daughter, Karou is absolutely brilliant. Taylor finds a way to make Karou seem both utterly fascinating and easy to relate to. Karou is educated, worldly, and mysterious, but her naivete and irritation at knowing so little about her history makes her accessible to her readers. Usually female YA protagonists feel completely unformed and empty - Karou is youthful, but she definitely has a personality. It's so rare to find a heroine like Karou in current YA that I was thrilled to visit her.

Side characters were also a lot of fun to read about. I couldn't get enough of Brimstone, and the intrigue of Karou's childhood made those personalities thrilling to look at. That being said, Karou's Prague life wasn't boring. I really liked the few glimpses that I got of Zuzanna, and Karou's past boyfriend.

To be honest, the only bad spot in the entire story was Akiva. It's not like Akiva is a horrible character, it's just that I've seen him in YA a bajillion times. The moody paranormal creature with a past and a stoic nature? Been there, done that, have partaken in enough Twilight forum flame wars to get the t-shirt. Akiva has fairly solid characterization, it's just that he's not original or particularly compelling. In a book that was full of creativity and originality, he was a huge let down. 4 flowers.

Writing: Taylor's writing is absolutely stunning. The descriptions of Prague have made me want to go there. The worlds that Taylor crafts are gorgeous and rich in details. Everything feels real. I can usually tell how proficient a writer is at what they do within the first three pages, and it was wonderful to just bask in Taylor's words for a little while without any criticism. That is, until we got past the 100 page mark, but I'll save those words for the plot section of my review. 5 flowers.

Plot: I should first cover the squee-worthy parts. A story set somewhere outside of North America and Europe? Squee! It has folklore and fantastical perspectives outside of North American and European canon? Squee! It has a fantasy world with grit, coarseness and depth? Squeeeee! Not to mention the empowered protagonist and the layered writing? I was IN LOVE with Daughter. Hard core, all-consuming, "can this be real?" love.

And then it wasn't.

The first 100 pages that focused on Prague and Karou's regular life enthralled me. But then we had to move onto Akiva, and I was back to YA trope land. To be clear, I am not anti-romance. I adore love stories. In fact, I am often that annoying girl who focuses on the relationship components of a movie or novel more than its other aspects. But the insta-love nature of Karou and Akiva's dynamic bothered me, especially with such an amazing character as Karou in the mix. I wanted to see the plot of Daughter be separate from its romance, but that wasn't the case. This demoted the book from potential obsession to a merely enjoyable novel for me.

It's not even that Akiva and Karou's relationship is bad. Taylor dealt with their moral differences in a way that appeased my love of conflict. They seem pretty equally matched. There's even a reason for the rushed nature of their connection. In a book with a lower caliber beginning, I would have been really pleased. But Daughter was magic at its start, yet its middle was filled with slow pacing and tired scenarios. It bored me by comparison.

The events towards the ending of the story did redeem it a bit for me, but I don't think this series and I are ever going to be as in love as we were before. 4 flowers.

End: After a pitch-perfect beginning and a mediocre-by-comparison middle, I was very happy with the events towards the end of the book. The initial twist didn't really surprise me, but the one after that was really excellent. It was nice to see how everything fit together, and it gave me hope for the sequel. 4 and a half flowers.

Dust Jacket Description: It's so beautiful and then the copy writer pulls my least favourite faux pas of descriptions: they leave us with a rhetorical question. So close, yet so far. Pretty similar to my sentiments about the book. 4 flowers.

Cover: It's absolutely stunning, and I think it really embodies the tone of the story. 5 flowers.

Overall: Daughter of Smoke and Bone is worth reading, and I'm still glad that I bought the book. You may even like it more than me if you're not quite as easily affected by old tropes. But the quality of story that's promised in the beginning isn't executed in the rest of the novel. I had high hopes, but they weren't quite met. 4 flowers.

Educate Emma: TV: Dexter

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 17:00:00 +0000

I bet you've probably heard the premise of Dexter by now: a Miami murderer who only kills other murderers. It's a pretty interesting idea, and I've been tempted to watch it ever since my mother described the season four finale to me. After all, it covers vengeance, murder, and the psychology of serial killers. It's my kind of thing.

However, I have more ambiguous feelings about Dexter than I do fangirly devotion. Sure, Dexter does have its exceptional moments - season one was very clever and had a great twist, season four was perfection, and some of the questions presented in Dexter are truly thought provoking. But Dexter's main problem is how it avoids those questions after just skimming the surface. For instance, the show will start to discuss Dexter's father's questionable parenting and the teaching children to be good, and then make Dexter maintain his Kill Murderers Only Code because it's convenient for the show's sympathies. The show goes in circles in order to keep it running, and it's at the detriment of the plot. Even when the show is sharp, it tends to have a large number of coincidences. I'm still confused about why it's so easy for Dexter to find the murderers he wants to kill when it is so difficult for the police.

While the show is unnecessarily long and possesses several plot holes, it does explore some interesting themes. Dexter effectively balances the line between making Dexter an empathetic character and maintaining his serial killer status. It explores familial dysfunction, human connection and the nature of evil from several compelling angles. The most masterful being season four, which covers the incredibly creepy and very clever Trinity Killer. Season four that makes the viewer honestly wonder if Dexter would be capable of a regular life, and it's that same season that answers that question brilliantly.

Also, Dexter's quirks will grow on you. Sure, it's a little frustrating watching Debra fall into bad romantic relationship after romantic relationship, Batista's poor life decisions, LaGuerta's constant political boringness, and Masuka's bad jokes, but it can be kind of amusing for days when you want to zone out.

Bottom Line: Dexter alternates from being that clever and engaging series that appeals to your humanity, to the one that makes you roll your eyes at its coincidental conveniences and drawn out content. If you like murder, serial killers, and you don't mind recycled plots, check this one out. Personally, I'd opt for watching seasons one, two, four, five and maybe seven. Skip seasons three and six unless you like being bored.

I Am a Stupid Face - January and February Summary

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 00:31:00 +0000

Hey Guys,

ARGH I AM THE WORST HUMAN.

I wasn't expecting to be gone for this long. No, seriously. January was crazy with exams, and February was the most emotionally exhausting month I've had in a long time. Are these sufficient excuses? Especially after I've only made the goal to post twice a week? Definitely not. So I'm going to shut up now and just tell you about my Educate Emma progress for the past two months.

Educate Emma - January

Books:

0. I was so busy with reading The Gemma Doyle Trilogy that I wasn't able to read anything else. But that's okay. I was expecting that.

Movies:

The Hobbit
Gangster Squad

Two movies were watched, so monthly goal reached!

Television:

Dexter, seasons one through four.

I really became obsessed with Dexter over January. Expect a review on Monday.

Plays:

0. There was nothing that I wanted to see in January. That's okay, as once the Fringe Festival comes around, I'm sure I'll have no trouble bringing this number up.

Albums:

0. This is stupid and I am fixing it. I just need to stop getting obsessed with one song and refusing to listen to anything else.

Educate Emma - February

Books:

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (I FINALLY READ IT)
Jane by April Lindner
Lament by Maggie Stiefvater

Just one book shy of my monthly goal. It's not a great tally, but I'll take it. Not that I have any other choice...

Movies:

American Psycho
Midnight in Paris
Zero Dark Thirty
The Men Who Stare At Goats
When Harry Met Sally
Stranger Than Fiction

It was a very movie-y month. This is partially because my mother kept on insisting on movie marathons, and partially because I thought I had promised to watch a movie a week. Either way, this works! I watched triple the amount of movies I was supposed to.

Television:

Dexter, seasons five through six.

Again, too much TV, but whatever! Watching season five was very satisfying for my revenge-loving soul.

Plays:

Killer Joe

I'm not planning on reviewing the plays I see, because I'm going to write reviews for my local theatre review site. Besides that, I still just haven't seen a lot of interesting pieces going on. This will not be a problem in June.

Albums:

0. I AM THE WORST. I WILL FIX THIS.

So the past two months haven't been a complete bust, nor have they been entirely successful. But I think my goals are reasonable enough to maintain. How are you doing with your blogging/reading goals for 2013?

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Bookish Goals For 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 14:09:00 +0000

This is my first time writing a Top Ten Tuesday post! I've wanted to participate for a while, but I'm only getting around to it now. Top Ten Tuesday is a fabulous meme run by The Broke and the Bookish.

So the topic this week is regarding bookish goals for 2013. Oh boy. I can think of plenty:

1. Re-read The Gemma Doyle Trilogy by Libba Bray within the month of January. Ever since I absolutely fell in love with the series when I was eleven, I've read Gemma's full 1500+ page story at the beginning of every year. Thing is, sometimes I let this rereading project slip into February...and March...

Re-visiting Gemma is a key part of my year, but I have to make sure I actually read it in a decent amount of time. With January being my exam month, this can be pretty difficult. I'm going to make sure to do this time, though. Else I won't have as much time for new books!

2. Read 52 books within the year. I wish I could keep up with a more impressive number, but with all my projects, school, and my love of sleep, a book a week is the best I can do.

3. Get my fiction TBR bookshelf down to three cubby holes.

My physical TBR bookshelf is organized into six cubby holes. One of these cubby holes is filled with non-fiction books, but the other five are full of fiction that I haven't read yet. My goal, once again, is to focus on reading the books I own.

4. Visit the library once a month, just to read.

While I love shrinking my TBR pile, I miss the amount of time I used to spend at the library. It would be nice to regularly spend a Saturday picking out one book to indulge in for the afternoon. Nothing wrong with spending more time in one of your sanctuaries, right?

5. Read at least six non-fiction books this year.

I love my novels, but I'm also fascinated by the non-fiction world. Good non-fiction has been known to help me out of a reading slump, and it helps make me more creative. If I could raise the bar from two to three non-fiction books a year to around six or seven, I would be happy.

6. Read more Sylvia Plath.

In 2012, I fell hard for The Bell Jar. All my friends say I'd love Sylvia's journals and poems, but I haven't gotten around to reading more. I vow to do that this year.

7. Read at least two books that have been abuzz in the blogosphere.

The problem with focusing on reading my TBR shelf is that I miss out a lot of blogger favourites. I've been dying to read Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Girl of Fire and Thorns based on friend recommendations. It would be nice to be more current in my book choices.

8. Participate in two readathons this year.

I love the idea of readathons, but I never seem to make time for them. I'm changing that this year, and going to invite my IRL friends to join me.

9. Let people borrow my books more.

I get really obsessive about the pristine nature of my books - I've shrieked at more than one person for just touching my copy of The Sweet Far Thing. However, I do love it when people borrow books lower on my favourites list, and I always love encouraging people to read good stories.

10. Restart book club.

I used to run a teen book club at my local library, but it ended up dying out. I plan to resurrect it and make it a lot more successful.

So that's my list! What are your bookish goals this year?

2012 Recap Or, Plans To Make 2013 Better

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 23:44:00 +0000

So, last year I started my feature called Educate Emma. This feature's goal was to culturally educate me. Thing is, I failed on every goal I started.

Yep. Every. One. I am a big ol loser.

This is okay though. I'm realizing that I fall into a regular pattern when it comes to my projects: I set the bar too high and then suffer miserably when I don't reach them. The problem with Educate Emma was that I promised to review absolutely all of the media I consumed - plays, movies, TV, albums and books. This made cultural consumption seem like a chore. The whole point of Educate Emma was to NOT make learning a chore. So, I have a revised plan for Educate Emma:

1. I will review all TV seasons and books I consume - TV seasons because I don't watch a lot of them, and books because I am still predominately a book blog. However, for albums, movies and plays, I will choose one of each per month to highlight. This means that I can pick the most pieces I have the most thoughts on and also eliminate a huge workload for myself.

2. My goal is to post twice a week. If I can produce more content, awesome. But two weekly posts is the manageable bare minimum I can maintain. This is way better than leaving you all in the dark for so long.

3. My Educate Emma goals:

A. A book a week. (52 books)

B. Two plays a month. (24 plays)

C. An album every week. (52 albums)

D. A TV season every other month. (6 seasons)

E. Two movies a month. (24 movies)

I really plan on meeting these goals this year. I want to start producing more regular content. My blog is an extension of my writing style and my history, and I love creating reviews for it. I also want to do more discussion posts and engage more in the community.

What are your blogging goals for 2013?

Educate Emma: Books: Darkness of Morning by Samantha Boyette

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 00:57:00 +0000

Dust Jacket Description:

"Picking up shortly after the events in Morning Rising, Darkness of Morning finds Kara and Dylan drawn back into the world of Inbetween in hopes of stopping Alster and the new King. Though they believe Alster is planning an assault on the Daylands, bringing Dylan over to his side is his true goal. As the girls and their friends plot to bring down Alster, Dylan's moods shift dangerously testing both her relationship with Kara and her commitment to saving the Daylands."

I received this book for review.

Characters: Boyette does well in creating Kara and Dylan's relationship post-Morning Rising. It feels like a natural progression. That being said, Boyette doesn't just dismiss the harsh realities of their previous dynamic. It's a good mix, and I appreciated that after already reading the first novel. Seeing the old favourites of Baron and Lockler was good too, as well as the new addition of Sera. It was nice to reminded of the world again. I was also glad that Kara and Dylan finally approached the issues of Dylan's addiction and Kara's lack of self esteem. On a whole, a pretty decent cast. 4 flowers.

Writing: Boyette has definitely improved since Morning Rising. There's no clunky exposition here and the descriptions are lovely. The dialogue also seems to flow better. It's a significant improvement. 4 and a half flowers.

Plot: Everything just feels too easy. Boyette knows what she needs to do in order to create a developmental arc for the series, but it's like she doesn't make significant effort to get there. Cliches are frequently used, the actions are too easy, and the characters too quickly manipulated. I wanted more tension, more hardship, but it just felt like everyone was stupid. I was disappointed. 2 and a half flowers.

End: Relevant and important for future installments, but I was still numbed by the plot. 3 flowers.

Dust Jacket Description: Quick and direct, but it doesn't reel me in. 3 flowers.

Cover: I really like the basic visual, but I want it to have more interest. 3 flowers.

Overall: While Darkness of Morning has more polished writing, Morning Rising had better plot elements. It still has a realistic relationship and an appealing world, but I was disappointed by the book's crafting. 3 and a half flowers.

Educate Emma: Hit Lit by James W. Hall

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 00:23:00 +0000

Goodreads Description:

"What do Michael Corleone, Jack Ryan, and Scout Finch have in common? Creative writing professor and thriller writer James W. Hall knows. Now, in this entertaining, revelatory book, he reveals how bestsellers work, using twelve twentieth-century blockbusters as case studies—including The Godfather, Gone with the Wind, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Jaws. From tempting glimpses inside secret societies, such as submariners in The Hunt for Red October, and Opus Dei in The Da Vinci Code, to vivid representations of the American Dream and its opposite—the American Nightmare—in novels like The Firm and The Dead Zone, Hall identifies the common features of mega-bestsellers. Including fascinating and little-known facts about some of the most beloved books of the last century, Hit Lit is a must-read for fiction lovers and aspiring writers alike, and makes us think anew about why we love the books we love."

Review:

Hit Lit does two things: offer a formula for a best seller, and give readers insight into the American psyche. Thing is, I'm pretty bored by both formulas and the American psyche.

For anyone who wants to make a popular novel in North America, this is a really good reference. It makes realistic proofs and has solid evidence. I can't fault Hit Lit for doing what it sets out to do. But its insights have no hold for me. I understand that best sellers have validity, but I've experienced too many poorly written pieces to truly appreciate them. I don't want to sound elitist - I regularly roll my eyes at those who diminish the credibility of YA and romance - but best sellers' profits are not always indicative of their crafting. I don't doubt that Hall's formula would make a successful book, but I'm not interested in writing or reading the formula that he suggests. Since the formula is just that, a formula, it doesn't have anything new to offer for the art form. Writing is usually only valuable to me if it offers new insight. So I just found myself getting bored whilst reading.

Not only that, but I'm freaking exhausted with American culture. I'm sorry, my lovely Americans friends, but it's true. As I read through Hit Lit, it covered some obvious necessities in popular American literature: a love of independence and rustic settings. It also noted the more interesting components: a need for practical information and internal struggles with religion. The social relevance of the best sellers were more interested than the formula, but I still found it dull. The end visual I had of America was the one I already had: a country with fire and drive, but also a public lack of interest in intellectualism. These are things that foreigners know, or at least think we know, about America. It's boring, especially when Hall is discussing a place where publishers are struggling to make reading relevant again. If Hall's hit sellers list had been focused on somewhere like France, - the only place I know where the book industry isn't going through crisis - I wonder what the different requirements for a best seller would have said about the country. I also wonder if it would have been a step to figuring out how countries can incorporate reading as a necessary part of their culture.

If you want what Hall is offering, this is a great book to pick up. But I was more interested in the questions the book didn't intend to leave me with - why are we so obsessed with America, when its time economically and culturally seems to be passing? What places can we look to in order to foster a love of reading in the North American populace? Can you really create a book formula that will not only produce desired results, but reflect the culture itself? Hit Lit was worth exploring just for how it got my brain rolling. 4 flowers.

Educate Emma: Books: The Year of Learning Dangerously by Quinn Cummings

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 23:00:00 +0000

Goodreads Description:

"Think homeschooling is only for a handful of eccentrics on either end of the political spectrum? Think again. Today in America, two million primary- and secondary-school students are homeschooled. Growing at a rate of 10 percent annually, homeschooling represents the most dramatic change in American education since the invention of the mimeograph—and the story has only just begun.

In The Year of Learning Dangerously, popular blogger, author, and former child actor Quinn Cummings recounts her family’s decision to wade into the unfamiliar waters of homeschooling—despite a chronic lack of discipline, some major gaps in academic knowledge, and a serious case of math aversion. (That description refers to Quinn.)

Trying out the latest trends, attending key conferences (incognito, of course), and recounting the highlights and lowlights along the way, Quinn takes her daughter’s education into her own hands, for better and for worse. Part memoir, part social commentary, and part how-not-to guide, The Year of Learning Dangerously will make you laugh and make you think. And it may or may not have a quiz at the end. OK, there isn’t a quiz. Probably."

Review:

The most immediate and delightful thing about this particular memoir is Cummings' writing style. My mother adores memoirs, and I hear regularly of how great premises are lost on clunky writing. I really wasn't expecting Cummings to have such a witty and tight style, and that surprise set me up to enjoy that book immensely.

The Year of Living Dangerously won't be anything new for a seasoned homeschooler such as myself, but it's nice to relive the nostalgia. Cummings does an exceptional job of showing all the various homeschooling communities - the New Age, the religious, online, those who homeschool due to the system's failure, etc. It's a really good intro to the complexities of the educational system. Cummings also uses her own experiences trying to teach her daughter for a more personal touch. She proves that just because a parent may be an inadequate teacher in a subject, it doesn't mean there aren't further resources for their child to utilize. I also really loved the ending of the book, and especially the kind of educational utopia that Cummings describes.

This book is definitely worth reading for those who are interested in the reasons why some people homeschool, and who also want to find new educational resources. It's funny, well structured, and accessible. Try it out. 4 and a half flowers.

Educate Emma: Books: The Diviners by Libba Bray

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 20:59:00 +0000

Dust Jacket Description:

"Evie O’Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City–and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult–also known as “The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies.”

Characters: I love the cast of The Diviners. Evie is spunky enough to remind readers of Bray's other female protagonists, but she also has different faults. She's definitely representative of the flappers of Roaring Twenties, and that makes her somewhat different from the ahead-of-their-time gals in The Gemma Doyle Trilogy and Beauty Queens. Evie took a while to grow on me, but once she showed a sense of responsibility and compassion, she reeled me in. Memphis was another beloved character, who I totally have a book crush on. Through his eyes, readers get to learn more about the Harlem scene in New York City during the twenties. I also really enjoyed the quiet, serious nature of Jericho, and the surprise of his story towards the end of the novel. There are other great dynamics and characters as well, such as Theta and her best friend and Evie's socialist friend known as Mabel Rose. As always, Bray effortlessly weaves characters of intrigue and diversity into a spectacular landscape. 5 flowers.

Writing: Bray is exceptional at making an era come alive. The descriptions of the twenties have metaphorical importance and also set the stage. The twenties dialogue seems excessive at times, but based on Evie's character, it's pretty realistic. It also becomes more amusing and less jarring as time passes. Only think that kept me out of the book was its early similarities to The Gemma Doyle Trilogy - the beginning scenario, the train scene. A lot seems to have been reused. I may have only noticed this because I am a die hard Gemma Doyle fan, but it was a little strange to me. 4 and a half flowers.

Plot: I love Bray for really insisting that American culture is immigrant culture - it is not purely owned by white Puritans. It is a collection of all colours, histories and classes. And she doesn't just preach it either. The integral plot of the story has some great, unusual religious components. Bray's willingness to utilize different perspectives makes me very excited for the next three books in the series.

That being said, I felt that The Diviners didn't have as much intellectual weight as any of Bray's other works. The word evil is constantly used, and no one doubts what evil is - this was really strange coming from an author whose debut work asked challenging questions about situations and people we antagonize. There's no doubt that the plot is well crafted - its pacing is great and it has organic twists and turns - but those Libba Bray elements that always make the book unique are lacking. I'll give it time though - Bray has three more books to introduce more philosophical themes. 4 flowers

End: In love. It felt like the perfect climax for the first book, and the last image reminds me of an old movie. 5 flowers.

Overall: The characters in The Diviners are memorable, and Bray can certainly write. I look forward to her infusion of non-European culture in later novels. I just hope she gets back to the focus on important questions that made me fall in love with her early work. Luckily, I have faith in my favourite author of all time. 4 and a half flowers.

Educate Emma: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, S7

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 20:14:00 +0000

*spoilers*

While S7 is not my favourite season, I do believe that it was the perfect send off for my favourite TV series ever.

The easy flow of S7 ties up loose ends and also allows the stories to come full circle - once again, Buffy is concerned with being different and never living a normal life. The first six episodes of the season feel like a time warp back to the campy-but-relevant days of season one. It allows viewers to slip into a false sense of security. Once Conversations with Dead People hits, we're back to the darkness of later seasons. Buffy has the same concerns as she did when she was sixteen, but now she is more aggressive in her pursuit of heroism and survival. I'd argue that there's something more disturbing in Buffy in S7 than there is in S6. That is an impressive feat.

It's not all darkness, though. It's marvelous viewing the original trio of Willow, Buffy and Xander and seeing how they've gone from children to adults. The complicated interactions between Spike and Buffy create an interesting narrative about former abuse and obsession, and if forgiveness should be possible. Most importantly, and the thing that reminded me why I fell in love with the show during S2, was the visit back to Buffy's feminist roots. The last few episodes are exactly why this series is so brilliant and so important to women. I loved every minute of it.

Season seven is an interesting amalgamation of old and new Buffy, and it succeeds at giving the show a dignified and realistic ending. Bravo, Whedon.

Favourite episodes: It's really hard for me to view this season as separate parts, when it feels like one continuous narrative. But if I had to choose, I loved Conservations with Dead People's character development, Buffy's heart breaking decline in Empty Places, and her feminist reclaiming in End of Days. Of course, the finale of Chosen was also a big favourite.

Least favourite episodes: The Killer in Me irritated me. I ADORE Willow, but I despise Kennedy with all my heart. Kennedy reeks of teenager - she's impulsive and youthful and she doesn't match Willow's maturity. This girl is NOT a good development from Tara. Having a whole episode that focused on their relationship made me twitch. Tara is the only one for Willow.

Educate Emma: TV: Friendship is Magic S2

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Hah, you thought I was done with this series, didn't you? INCORRECT. I am still confused as to why My Little Pony is so popular, but I still love watching its cleverness. And I liked season two even better. I felt like it tackled more interesting story lines and the writing was really coming into its own. Episodes like Lesson Zero made me laugh about how applicable they are to my own life. (Yes, Twilight Sparkle is my spirit animal. Hardcore, organizational, I-hate-people spirit animal.) I also liked how they played with the structure of the show on episodes like MMMystery on the Friendship Express, which dealt with a mystery. I think the crowning glory of this season, though, was its finale. The two parter A Canterlot Wedding was a lot more awesome than the season one finale, and handled more of that large-scale-evil that was managed in the pilot. The show is still my favourite guilty pleasure, and it's so funny. Maybe by next season's ending, I'll officially fall in line with the internet's hoard of bronies. If not, I'll still have a great time with this seriously clever kid's show.

Favourite episodes: A Canterlot Wedding was my all time favourite, but Luna Eclipsed was really sweet and endearing. It's About Time sated both my need to watch Twilight Sparkle and my obsession with time travel. Putting Your Hoof Down was hilarious, and probably the first Fluttershy oriented episode that I adored.

Least favourite episodes: Err, I'm seriously having trouble with this one. If I had to, I guess I found The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 to be a tad boring.

Educate Emma: Books: Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Dust Jacket Description:

"After her mother died, Glory retreated into herself and her music. Her single father raised her as a piano prodigy, with a rigid schedule and the goal of playing sold-out shows across the globe. Now, as a teenager, Glory has disappeared. As we flash back to the events leading up to her disappearance, we see a girl on the precipice of disaster. Brilliant and lonely, Glory is drawn to an artistic new boy, Frank, who moves in next door. The farther she falls, the deeper she spirals into madness. Before long, Glory is unable to play anything but the song “Chopsticks.”

But nothing is what it seems, and Glory’s reality is not reality at all. In this stunningly moving novel told in photographs, pictures, and words, it’s up to the reader to decide what is real, what is imagined, and what has been madness all along…"

Chopsticks is an interesting feat because it is a story told all through unusual forms of media. Pictures, youtube links, drawings, report cards, advertisements, it is definitely not your conventional novel. Because of this, I've decided to shirk my own conventional review format.

Chopsticks is very good at communicating its story. We learn quickly of the personalities of Glory and Francisco and their struggles. Situations are effectively explained in odd ways. It really proves how a small amount of information can be incredibly communicative. It's because of its medium that I think Chopsticks is worth reading, or more aptly, exploring. Telling stories in a way that incorporates visual and new media is something that I think should happen more regularly.

While Chopsticks has a great medium, I found myself disappointed with its message. Glory's story of falling into mental illness could have been a lot more interesting with a few more hints of depth. The teens are clearly engaging - with their obsessions with music and language and literature, they're fun to follow for the thirty to forty five minutes that the book takes to read. But their love seems, well, inherently teen-like due to the lack of narration. There's no internal weight to the piece, and so all we see is their mad declarations of love and plans for the future. They talk of their powerful bond, but their relationship just made me want to roll my eyes. It's so...teenage, and without narration backing it, it got annoying. I also found the ending dissatisfying.

Chopsticks is a gorgeous book, and it is very clever. But the story that it follows just didn't hold enough depth or provoke enough interest to make me feel for the characters. Awesome form, lacking in emotional function. 3 flowers.

Educate Emma: Books: Inception and Philosophy edited by David Kyle Johnson

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Goodreads Description:

"A philosophical look at the movie "Inception" and its brilliant metaphysical puzzles. Is the top still spinning? Was it all a dream? In the world of Christopher Nolan's four-time Academy Award-winning movie, people can share one another's dreams and alter their beliefs and thoughts. "Inception" is a metaphysical heist film that raises more questions than it answers: Can we know what is real? Can you be held morally responsible for what you do in dreams? What is the nature of dreams, and what do they tell us about the boundaries of "self" and "other"? From Plato to Aristotle and from Descartes to Hume, "Inception and Philosophy" draws from important philosophical minds to shed new light on the movie's captivating themes, including the one that everyone talks about: did the top fall down (and does it even matter)? Explores the movie's key questions and themes, including how we can tell if we're dreaming or awake, how to make sense of a paradox, and whether or not inception is possible. Gives new insights into the nature of free will, time, dreams, and the unconscious mind. Discusses different interpretations of the film, and whether or not philosophy can help shed light on which is the "right one". Deepens your understanding of the movie's multi-layered plot and dream-infiltrating characters, including Dom Cobb, Arthur, Mal, Ariadne, Eames, Saito, and Yusuf.

An essential companion for every dedicated Inception fan, this book will enrich your experience of the "Inception" universe and its complex dreamscape."

Review: (*warning for Inception spoilers*)
I am a hard-core Inception lover. Like, seen the movie six times, read more than a dozen theories about the ending, read fanfiction when I get bored hard-core. My love of the story is intense. It was only logical than my mum pick out Inception and Philosophy when she was at the library.

I don't know what I was expecting with this work, but it exceeded my expectations. The essays towards the beginning of the book are focused mainly on the main question: was the entire movie a dream? Each essay brilliantly explained the issue of reality while laying the groundwork for philosophical thought. They tightly built on each other - a feat that I've never seen in an anthology before. They made good points, and the general consensus seemed to be that the All Dream/the whole movie was a dream theory made the most sense. Only thing that confused me about this perspective was that they seemed to reject the groundwork made in the movie: you can go three levels down, but after that, you hit Limbo. For the entire movie to be a dream, there would have to be layers upon layers upon layers of dream activity, and the story logic follows that once you hit three, you hit the infinite space of Limbo. Am I missing something? I could be, but I found it strange that not one of these philosophers had thought of that issue.

The beginning of the book is a little repetitive in parts, because everyone seems so obsessed with the end question of the movie. After a while, this got slightly tiring. Once we escaped the end question and got into other aspects of the movie, though, I found myself invigorated again. Of course, once the anthology moved away from the Big Question, it was less tightly interwoven. However, I didn't mind too much for the sake of branching out. Everything from the idea of inception being a metaphor for moviemaking to the movie's use of Asian philosophy was covered. My very favourite essay was about the idea of knowing oneself and the people around you, and how you can only obtain an understanding of others if you are entirely in the present.

This book not only explores all the brilliant intricacies of the Inception universe, but really provides a general overview of a lot of different philosophical branches and ideas. The bibliographies of the essays act as a great resource for further learning. I have a lot of new concepts that I would love to study more in depth. It succeeds at discussing Inception intelligently and making philosophy accessible to the public, and for that, it deserves attention. 4 and a half flowers.

Educate Emma: Books: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 20:43:00 +0000

Dust Jacket Description:

"One of the most best-loved stories of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird has been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than thirty million copies worldwide, served as the basis of an enormously popular motion picture, and was voted one of the best novels of the twentieth century by librarians across the country. A gripping, heart-wrenching, and wholly remarkable tale of coming-of-age in a South poisoned by virulent prejudice, it views a world of great beauty and savage inequities through the eyes of a young girl, as her father - a crusading local lawyer - risks everything to defend a black man unjustly accused of a terrible crime. "

Characters: Scout is feisty and intelligent, but it's her naive narrative rather than her personality that makes her worth paying attention to in the novel. I would have found her slightly annoying if there hadn't been so much else occurring. I related more to Jem and liked the subtle mentions of his struggle with morality of Maycomb. Side characters were exceptionally well crafted and always seemed to exist for a specific point - Miss Maudie acted as a strong Southern woman outside of traditional norms, Mrs. Dubose was a spin on the archetype of grouchy elderly person, and Aunt Alexandra was the epitome of Southern perfection.

Lee also does a fantastic job at writing the economic issues of Maycomb. She showed the differences between destitute families and those like the Finches, and also revealed the tensions between poor white people and the general black population. Mayella Ewell's character in particular does a great job of showing the issues in America regarding being a poor, white female.

The two most interesting characters of the piece are the men Scout is most fascinated by: the mysterious neighbour known as Boo Radley, and her father, Atticus. Scout and Jem's perspectives of Boo evolved constantly over the course of the book, and how they perceived the abused man is what reveals their progressing maturity. I loved this aspect of the book even when other parts left my critical brain turning gears. Boo's kindness in the face of trauma is touching, and Scout's empathy gives one hope for future generations.

But then we get to Atticus.

He's a beloved American character, and his morality is certainly above reproach in this novel. But it makes me wary that The Ultimate Novel About Racial Oppression has a clear white savior at its heart. Atticus defends a black man from rape allegations, acts as the moral centre of Maycomb, and is lauded for his clear conviction for equality. This is all fine and good, but where are the strong black characters? Tom Robinson is seen as a good man who suffers from his situation and nothing more. Calpurnia may be the main mother figure to the Finch household as their cook, but she follows the stereotype of black women in fiction. Black people are never truly given a voice in To Kill a Mockingbird. They are merely people to save.

Sure, there's no doubt that To Kill a Mockingbird is worth reading, and its perspective has validity in the race conversation. But why does it get to be The Book About Race when it's written by a white woman? It should not be the ruler of the conversation when it revolves around white people and white people's struggle with racial equality. I find TKM's dominance to be unbelievably weird and off-putting, because it very much comes from the privileged narrative. It is still an excellent book, but I disagree that it should be the first novel people go to in order to deconstruct racial issues in America - if that is its purpose, it does a pretty bad job. 3 flowers.

Plot: Scout starts the novel by stating that through this story, she will explain how her brother obtained a childhood injury. This made the story pretty interesting from the beginning, and it gets better from there. The pacing is a little slow at first, but Lee does a great job of setting up the climax as we get closer to the end point. It's overall well crafted. 5 flowers.

End: I didn't really have any emotional ties to this novel until the end. It's when Lee let go of the race element to the story and really focused on her empathy message. It was there that I could embrace the story and the beauty of Boo Radley. 5 flowers.

Dust Jacket Description: It takes forever to actually get to the plot line, but hey, does the book really need a hook with its history? 2 flowers.

Cover: I quite like the colours and structure of my cover. It just screams classic. 5 flowers.

Overall: There is no doubt that To Kill a Mockingbird is brilliantly written and incredibly compelling. I just hesitant to think that it shows a fair portrayal of the racial struggle in America. It is one narrative. Go find more that are closer to the heart of the issue. 5 flowers for its craft, 3 for its merit as a story, and 4 flowers overall.