Long live the dog.

Saturday evening and I'm calling it a night with the Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare published in 1958.  I have really been on a major young adult kick, and why reign it in? So far I've read some fabulous books, new and old. And 100 pages in, this one is falling in line as another great pick. It won the Newbery way back in the day, and you can notice the difference 50 years has made in writing for young people. I'll give you my final thoughts once I've finished.

A lot of things have happened in the past few days. My dad had a birthday (happy birthday, Dad!), my long, lost friend Laura came to town and we ate our way through Boston, I made the decision to spend my summer canoeing in a far off place, our family dog died, and my boyfriend Dave committed to a PhD program in Michigan starting this fall. Whew! I need things to slow down. And the best way I know to relax is reading away an evening. And honestly, I would prefer none of these teams were in the Final 4 so there's no pressing need for me to watch any basketball.

I'm off to clear my head with a book.

And long live Lu-dog. She was the best.

Library books are taking over my bedroom.

I have a problem.

And it is growing.

Library books are taking over my bedroom.

The thing about library books is they come and go so they can't really have a permanent spot on a bookshelf or along your wall if you're too cheap or transient to buy a bookshelf (ahem, like me). AND you always want them by your bed if that's where you happen to do most of your reading. So without you really knowing how or when it happens, library books take over your room.

I can't get out of bed like a normal person. I must shimmy down to the bottom of the bed especially if the lights are off to avoid breaking an ankle on these dangerous, yet delectable titles. I've thought about a basket like the one in which I keep magazines in the living room. That may be the best answer though I suspect it will get beaten up with hardback corners and edges.  

But until I come up with a suitable solution, on the floor they will stay. And the more pressing issue is which one should I read next? Here's a sample of the pile:

The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson, 2010

This story of the Great Migration of African Americans from the South to the North has been catching my eye in bookstores for the past year or so. Seeing as the book is still only available in hardcover, I did my best to avoid its expensive draw. Finally, I caved and put it on hold at the old L-I-B. And now it is sitting, waiting next to my bed. Wilkerson won the Pulitzer Prize and the title (taken from a Richard Wright poem) reeks of sweeping epic history and I took a fabulous American urban history as an undergrad which this book seems to  so I must read this book.

Eragon by Christopher Paolini, 2003

The first part of a fantasy series, Paolini started writing this book when he was 15! When I was 15, I watched too much T.V. and came home to my Grandma's baked goods...certainly wasn't writing epic fiction. Also, Paolini is from Paradise Valley, Montana which is every bit as beautiful as it sounds. In fact, it may be one of the most beautiful places ever, and I know that because my cousins live just up the road! Hey cousins! But I digress. Eragon is the main character. He finds a strange stone deep in the woods. It turns out to be an egg from which a dragon hatches. That sounds exciting, right?

Game Change by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin, 2010

Who doesn't love a juicy expose? A few weeks ago HBO released a film based on this book chronicling the 2008 road to the presidential election. Written by two political journalists, it is apparently based on hundreds of interviews of those who were there behind-the-scenes. The writers cover everyone from Obama and Hilary to McCain and Palin, Giuliani to Edwards. The list goes on.  Seeing as I don't have cable let alone HBO, I thought I'd get my hands on the book so I could really get into all the sordid details. And with an election swiftly approaching, there's nothing like some shocking insider tidbits to wet my appetite.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, 2001

This is a middle grade novel, book 1 of an 8 book series, starring Artemis Fowl, an international criminal hailing from Ireland...who is about 11 years old. Artemis is from a criminal family and apparently undergoes a transformation from cold criminal to a more caring hero? I don't know. I haven't read it. But about a gagillion 10 year olds have and they love it so that says something, right?

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder, 1932

Well, that's always next to my bed. I won't tell you how it ends.

Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin, 2011

Written and illustrated by Eugene Yelchin, Breaking Stalin's Nose is set in Moscow during Stalin's reign. Sasha, a boy on the verge of declaring his devotion to the party and becoming a Young Pioneer, is thrown off kilter when his father is accused of being a traitor and arrested. Convinced that this all must be a big misunderstanding, Sasha expects to see his dad at the Young Pioneers induction ceremony. But when Sasha bumps into a bust of Comrade Stalin, his communist identity begins to unravel and he is shaken to the core.

This is a great piece of middle grade fiction grappling with communism, the Soviet Union, and Stalin, topics that seem difficult for kids (and many adults!) to wrap their heads around. I commend Yelchin for taking on such daunting subjects and creating a character and narrative through which young readers can begin to explore Russian history.  The entire story takes place in a span of 36 hours keeping the pace of the writing quick. That same energy is apparent in Yelchin's sketches which reinforce the tone and feeling whether it be images of cold Moscow nights or glaring members of State Security. Dark concepts are either mentioned or alluded to like the execution of the parents of a child in Sasha's class or the mysterious fate of Sasha's mother. The overall theme or impression left with you is that feeling of distrust that runs rampant in such a society. And instead of a happy ending, you're left feeling uneasy and, in some ways, scared. And that seems to be the point. It might be helpful for young readers to have at least some knowledge of what communism means or who Stalin was or what the USSR was before taking on this book. I suspect they will have many questions about this part of history upon finishing.

You should check out this short message from Mr. Yelchin:

Congratulations on receiving a much deserved 2012 Newbery Honor for Breaking Stalin's Nose!

Hunger Games and Idiot Girls Action Adventures

Are you staying up late and skipping school tomorrow for the opening of the Hunger Games? Kudos to you! That isn't my style, BUT I commend your devotion. I will see the movie some time but I imagine it won't be for a few weeks or until I can get it at Redbox. I read the books while student teaching in September of 2010. The first book was a nominee for the Young Hoosier Book Award in Indiana and as a librarian-in-training in the crossroads of America, I was compelled to read it. I remember scanning the inside cover and thinking this wasn't my vibe, but I'd give it a try. And then I loved it! When I finished student teaching, my supervising librarian gave me a gold mockingjay pin which I've been wearing all week! It was a really lovely gift.

Meanwhile, I picked up this HILARIOUS book from the library the other day. It is a collection of columns by Laurie Notaro previously published in the Arizona Republic. Notaro chronicles her misadventures as she stumbles through early adulthood. Now, I've probably read this book 3 or 4 times and, at one point, owned it. But I have gifted it to several of my lovely, lady friends and keep coming back to it over the years when I need a pick me up.

The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club (2002) is crude.
It's crass.
It will make you cringe.
It will also make you (and your boyfriend) laugh so hard you cry. I read a chapter aloud to Dave the other night, and I had trouble finishing a few sentences. Read this short excerpt where Laurie ponders which group she falls into, the "smart ones or the dumb ones":


"I was Very Dumb when my ex-boyfriend, the Super Demon Brad, broke up with me. He didn't actually break up with me, however; the Super Demon Brad simply intended to move out of the state with his gauze-wearing, cornrow-haired ex-girlfriend, Dog Girl, without telling me. I found this out when I went to his apartment one day, and he was packing all of his stuff into a piece-of-shit hippie van with purple curtains. Purple curtains! It was then that he told me that he felt his true direction in life was to follow the Grateful Dead. Dog Girl bought a van, sewed up the curtains, and he was leaving. And he did.


I was Dumb when I didn't fish out the fork I had in my purse, and I was Dumber when I didn't stab him and her in the throat with it. Instead, I thought I was being Smart by turning around and walking away without saying a word, though he kept on insisting that I should hit him. If I had the chance now, I'd rip his teeth out with my bare hands and weave them into Dog Girl's braids. Instead, I hopped on a plane the next morning to Portland, Oregon, where my runner-up Boyfriend picked me up at the aiport" (Notaro 11). 


Love that. Happy weekend!

*Thanks for the pick Barnesandnoble.com!

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi, 2011

Today is going to be the best day because it must be. It is the first day of spring!

I am going on a run outside because it would be a crime not to, and I'll swing by the grocery store all sweaty and gross. And then, Dave and I will play catch in the park because that is something you have to do on the first day of spring.

And then I will do the dishes, clean out my wreck of a messenger bag, do some work for school, and pull myself together in general. Or maybe I'll just do one of those things, and that'll be okay, too.

And finally, I will finish this book because I have about 50 pages to go.

Ship Breaker is set in a post-climate change world on the Gulf coast where oil is scarce. Teenager Nailer is a member of light crew who strips washed up oil tankers of copper wire. The work is dangerous, and despite the ritual of swearing blood oaths to his crew, those working alongside Nailer can't be trusted with his scrap wire let alone his life. In this unforgiving world, Nailer only trusts his friend Pima and her mother who've become his family replacing his dead mother and his addict father. When a hurricane hits the beach these scavengers live on, Pima and Nailer discover a clipper ship in the wreckage. Having never seen one of these air powered, beautiful vessels in anything but pictures, the two friends think they've hit scavenge gold. The ship is full of material to sell, and Nailer is convinced he's found his ticket out of the hell he lives in. But the clipper holds something else too. A 'swag' girl who comes from another world of money and power has survived the wreck and needs Nailer to find her way back to her people. Will Nailer cash in on this prize or risk everything to deliver this girl to her home?

If you liked the Hunger Games, you'll enjoy Ship Breaker. Bacigalupi has a similar dark tone to that of Suzanne Collins, and both books are dystopic, futuristic tales that pit the haves against the have-nots. Additionally, the setting and feeling of chaos as a result of mankind's inability to acknowledge climate change make you wonder where humans will stand in generations to come. Nailer is a glimmer of hope in a cutthroat world and gives the reader faith that people will choose to do the right thing and protect one another despite severe personal risk. Finally, that Road Warrior feel of grit, scars, and tattoos identifying one's place in the world always gives these reads an exciting edge.

Ship Breaker won the Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in young adult literature in 2011 (and, in my humble opinion, is a better read than this year's winner chronicled in the last post) and was a National Book Award finalist. My brother gave me another book by Bacigalupi for Christmas. It is called the Windup Girl. I look forward to reading it.

Happy spring and happy reading!

Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley, 2011

Congratulations to John Corey Whaley, the 2012 winner of the Michael L. Printz Award! After hearing which title was this year's winner, I was able to place a hold on this book at the library, and just a few short days later it came in. As a side note, take advantage of your library's hold system. You'd be surprised how quickly holds arrive. And if you have several items on hold, you may be working on one before two more show up. It kind of paces you're reading. Love it.

Anyway, on to Where Things Come Back. Cullen Witter is your average teenager in Lily, Arkansas passing the summer in his small hometown by pulling shifts at the local convenience store. Life is humming along as usual with Cullen and his best friend Lucas killing time at their favorite swimming spot or on awkward double dates at the local drive-in movie theatre when things quietly swerve off course. Without any fanfare, Cullen's little brother Gabriel, a quirky and well-liked, march-to-the-beat-of-your-own-drummer 15 year old, disappears. One day he is there and the next he is gone. The Witters and all of Lily are at a complete loss without a single lead. Cullen struggles to keep up his regular routine with Lucas and is frustrated when the locals seem to care more about the sighting of a rare woodpecker thought to be extinct rather than his missing brother. At the same time, another seemingly unrelated story is told in alternating chapters of a young man on a mission trip in Africa who becomes disillusioned by what he thinks is his life's work. By the end of the book, these two stories have come together in unexpected ways.

I will be honest and say I was a bit disappointed by this award winner. The first few chapters presented this really intriguing premise, very likable characters, and I loved the sleepy, southern town setting. Whaley is a teacher in Louisiana, and I appreciate how he captured what it means to be seventeen in a small, rural town with gravel roads and long, languid summer stretched in front of you. However, the middle of the book is very drawn out, and although the stories come together in the last few chapters, there didn't seem to be a central focus, a strong theme. I think there was potential, but the characters didn't seem to have resolve in the end. Maybe I missed the point, but I didn't see change or growth in any of the major players, and I feel that is an essential aspect of a solid book.

All in all, I can think of many other young adult titles you should read before this one.


*Thanks Barnesandnoble.com for the picture!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Yay St. Patrick’s Day! I’m making corned beef, donning something green, and hopping on the T to catch Southie’s St. Patrick’s Day parade (Sunday morning). When in Boston, do as the Bostonians do. And Bostonians flock en masse to South Boston to celebrate their heritage every March. I went last year and am happy to report it is pretty awesome. Southie is experiencing gentrification and all of the issues that come with it, but overall, the parade seemed like a good mix of young revelers and old school Aran sweater-clad, baby buggy pushing life-ers. Here are two books I’ve recently read in which Southie plays a main character:

Black Mass: The True Story of an Unholy Alliance Between the FBI and the Irish Mob by Dick Lehr and Gerard O'Neill, 2001

Written by the two Boston Globe reporters who unraveled this story, Black Mass describes one of the biggest cases of known FBI corruption. It almost seemed to good to be true when John Connolly, a neighborhood kid from Southie turned FBI agent, lined up the ultimate informant, the infamous Whitey Bulger, an Irish mob kingpin from South Boston of the Winter Hill gang. However, their informant relationship quickly spirals out of control leaving the reader wondering who really holds the upper hand. You'll be shocked at Bulger's ability to manipulate Connolly into guaranteeing his protection while murdering, drug trafficking, and generally wreaking terror all over Boston during the late 80's and early 90's. And you'll be equally shocked how easily Connolly folds and almost worships Whitey, the "king" of South Boston. If you've been following Boston news, Whitey was arrested last year in Santa Monica after spending 16 years in hiding (and many of those years on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list). He awaits trial that should start late this year.

All Souls: A Family Story from Southie by Michael Patrick MacDonald, 1999
 
Meanwhile, deep in the heart of the South Boston projects, Michael Patrick MacDonald grows up in the 70's and 80's living the neighborhood realities of bussing, rampant drub abuse, violence, and suicide all while worshipping the neighborhood’s hero, Mr. Bulger himself. Michael and his family hold fast to two beliefs:
1. Southie is the best place on Earth.
2. There is nothing worse than a rat. 
Read on as MacDonald's illusions of his neighborhood dissolve and the realities of Southie's problems land on his doorstep. Written by a neighborhood native, MacDonald  tells a frank story that is at moments both heartbreaking and hopeful.

Erin go Bragh!
*Thanks for the pictures BarnesandNoble.com!

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, 2011

Having read Seabiscuit back in yesteryear when it was a hit (it was released in March 2001), I, along with many others, anxiously awaited the arrival of Laura Hillenbrand's next book. I loved all of the backstory and decisions and luck and atmosphere and characters that came together in Seabiscuit, that fit perfectly in order for a great racehorse to have been what he was. Hillenbrand wove a story from a million seemingly small details, and I was curious what she would do with her next undertaking. And now, for our reading pleasure, we have Unbroken: A WWII Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption.

Unfortunately, Ms. Hillenbrand suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome (read "A Sudden Illness", an essay she published in the New Yorker in July of 2003). She must very deliberately work through such well-researched books as Seabiscuit and Unbroken. Kudos to her for presenting us with this new read: the fascinating story of Louis Zamperini told through detailed and precise storytelling. The book had been out for a while, and I had heard talk of greatness, but I hadn't got my hands on it until this February. While visiting family in D.C.,  I spied a copy on a bookshelf. It turns out my sister-in-law had gifted it to my dad for Christmas. He had finished reading so I was able to "borrow" it. And shoot dang! Just look at that cover! That tile with that image? My heart was aching before I even read the inside jacket, before I even cracked the spine!

From the subtitle, you can discern that the truly harrowing, page-turning parts of the book are those that chronicle Zamperini's time lost at sea and as a POW in Japanese territory. However, be prepared for a detailed description of this young man's life growing up in southern California and pursuing his running dreams at the Berlin Olympics in 1936. Having read Seabiscuit (though my memories of it are faint...a good candidate for a reread!), I was aware of Hillenbrand's tendency to set the stage with a lengthy backstory. I give you this warning so you can prepare yourself and not put the book down when you find yourself mired in early life details. Once you're further into the read, you'll appreciate the wealth of knowledge you have of Zamperini. The backstory will help you understand how he endured incredibly cruel conditions at the hands of prison guards  in Japan, how he fought off sharks with swift kicks while hiding under a rubber raft in the middle of the Pacific in an attempt to escape artillery from a Japanese aircraft, and how he faced Japanese citizens in mile races around the perimeter of his prison camp...just a few of the amazing feats he endured. What did you do today?

And while you're getting caught up in Louie's personal story, you'll learn quite a bit about the Pacific theatre during WWII and the lives of airmen. But Hillenbrand does this in the skillful way good historical nonfiction writers do...that way where you don't realize what you're learning while you're learning it. Another interesting side affect besides strengthening your WWII knowledge is you'll long to be a part of the "Greatest Generation" (thanks, Tom Brokaw). Okay. You won't really want that because of all of the suffering and sacrifice and "do your duty" and other terrible things war brings on a generation. But you will really appreciate the hope for the future, the devotion, and the bravery millions of ordinary people, ordinary YOUNG people displayed.

ANYWAY, just read the book because it is one of the best I've read in a long time.

*Thanks BarnesandNoble.com for the picture!

Favorite Grown Up Books from the Land of the Adolescents

Alright, alright. Let's read something grown up. Since I work in a high school, I spend a lot of time trying to remember what it was like for me at that time in my life. And that's what everyone wants to do right, dig up their high school days?


Besides all of the pitfalls of minimal self confidence coupled with ill-fitting clothing and self-cut bangs, I actually had a pretty good time in high school. I wouldn't go back, but most of the memories don't make me cringe. And I discovered my literary self through some assigned reading and a mutual quest with a kindred spirit to read something that really had meaning. My friend Martha and I spent a lot of time seeking out well-written books, books that were overly emotional and passionate and beautiful because, after all, we were melodramatic yet also endearing high schoolers. 
Nonetheless, these are a very few of my favorites from the wonder years, and I do think they stand the test of time:

Atonement by Ian McEwan, 2001
The book opens on a hot summer day in England, 1935. You follow 13 year old Briony and her family as they prepare for a dinner party. Briony misinterprets the relationship between her older sister Cecelia and her childhood friend Robbie and makes a snap judgement that will shape all of their lives. The book is divided into four parts and jumps from the mid-1930s to the heart of WWII. It may start slow, but give it time. Atonement is a story of regret and whether or not we can overcome our wrongdoings.

Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer, 2002
Published when Foer was just 23, Everything is Illuminated tells two tales at once: that of the Urkanian village Trachimbrod and its residents and the tale of Alex, a Ukranian teenager hired to guide Jonathan, a young American in search of the woman who saved his grandfather's life when Nazis overtook Trachimbrod. The juxtaposition of Alex's broken English and the magical imagery of Trachimbrod combine to create a fantastic and wrenching read. Bravo!

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, 1967

Sigh! No doubt you've heard of this probably most popular of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's books. He has a whole lot of titles to choose from, but this may be (I am assuming) the most well read. But for good reason! Considered a prime example of magical realism in which fantastic and extraordinary events are woven in to every day life, read this book more for the beautiful words and style rather than the plot. The story follows one family through generation after generation. Try not to get hung up keeping track of who's who and just let the words do their work. Here's the famous opening line:
"Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendia was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice" (GGM, One Hundred Years of Solitude). I mean, come on! Even the translation from Spanish is pretty killer.

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie, 2000 (French) and 2001 (English)
This is a fabulous little gem of a book about two loves: the love of reading and the love of the girl next door. During China's Cultural Revolution in the late 1960's, two teenage boys are sent to the countryside to be "reeducated". There, they fall in love with books and the tailor's daughter. Another book of beautiful imagery (noticing a trend?), Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress is a small, quick read that you'll want to keep on your bookshelf forever.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, 1847

Martha gave me her copy of this book probably on loan, but I think I still may have it. And to be honest, I cannot remember if I read it when she gave it to me in high school OR not until my 19th century British literature class in college. Either way, this is a classic story of an untraditional girl growing up on the windswept moors of England with no one and nothing but her convictions. Follow Jane as she steadfastly refuses to compromise herself and determines her own fate. It is so good, and you'll feel smart because it's old and "classic" and part of the canon.

Fast forward to last year: Martha and I reunited in April of 2011 which was perfect timing for a viewing of last year's Jane Eyre film! There are probably a dozen movie versions of this book, but we both really loved this one and thought it captured the dreary moor and should I say terrifying circumstances pretty spot on. Watch the trailer!

In conclusion, I read some great fiction in high school and very little nonfiction. And I need to get back to some great adult (not young adult) fiction now. Right now! To the library! Any suggestions?

*Thanks BarnesandNoble.com for the images!

Brookline Booksmith, you da best.

Don't you just love having a bookstore close by where you can browse away an afternoon (or Friday night)? Where do you do your book selecting?
This is my local bookstore as of the past year and a half:

It is a wonderful place, not too big, not too small, just the right size.
I can walk to it or take the bus though I prefer to walk.
It is open reasonably late.
It has little book cha chis in addition to actual books.
It has magazines.
It has author visits.
It has other people who like books which is the best part of all.
I think I'll go there right now. Bye!

*Thanks for the picture, Eric Wilbur on About.com.

Pa, Ma, Mary, Laura (aka Half-Pint), and Baby Carrie

This is a thing:

LauraPalooza 2012

A summer conference in Minnesota about all things Laura Ingalls Wilder?!? Where do I sign?

Ahhh. Fondly remembering a stop at one of Wilder's childhood homes on a family vacation...shout out to my mom for making sure we went places like that. There and the Corn Palace (same trip to the Badlands!).

I want this:

I might skip the cornmeal mush and try Ma's green tomato pickles.
Who will join me?


*Thanks for the picture Barnesandnoble.com!

YA Bender

Whoa. I just went on what I like to call a major YA bender. That is I read exclusively young adult selections for the past 2 weeks. And I powered through. Here's the list:

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Looking for Alaska by John Green

You’re likely to have heard of or read some of these more popular titles (i.e. The Perks of Being a Wallflower which is, by the way, to be made into a movie with Miss Emma Watson) so I’ll tell you a bit about one of the lesser known.

While a lovely young adult librarian from a local public library did a brief book talk to some of my students, she skimmed over Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. My interest was piqued when I heard this newly published book was set in Prague in the present day, an atypical locale for this genre. Most young adult books are either set in some place average to most YA readers (i.e. suburbia) or another world entirely. Also, being a fan of central Europe and having visited Prague once in a brief whirlwind of a weekend, I thought I’d give it a shot. So I elbowed my students out of the way to make sure I had my hands on it first. Kidding! None of them seemed interested so I pounced. 

Well, it turns out Prague isn’t the only stage of this highly imaginative novel though it does add an old world and cold feel with its snow-covered, cobblestone streets. Things seems fairly normal as the book opens. Karou is a 17 year old art student in Prague. She is a bit edgy with bright blue hair and numerous tattoos, but to all of her friends,  Karou just seems like an average student with a hint of mystery. In her sketchbook, she draws elaborate portrayals of beastly characters who seem half human and half animal. Her peers think she is just sketching an imaginary world. What they don’t know is these creatures really do exist (they’re called Chimera) and Karou sees them everyday when she steps through a door down one of Prague’s side alleys and into the chimera’s tiny shop. 

Brimstone, the leader of the chimera, has been sending Karou on errands across the world for as long as she can remember. He deals in teeth, human or animal, and Karou finds herself trading with seedy characters from Paris to Morocco. What Brimstone does with the teeth? Even Karou doesn’t know. And where the door in the back of the shop leads? Karou's life will change when she finally finds out.

I was truly impressed by Laini Taylor's creativity (I think this is her first YA book though she's written adult fiction...I wonder if it is fantasy as well). The first half of the book keeps you on the edge. You’re dying to find out what’s behind that darn door and what is this creepy, dark business with all of these teeth. The overall tone is dark, eerie, and mysterious as you try to put the puzzle pieces together along with Karou and figure out her forgotten past and secret identity.  If you’re like me, you’ll get halfway through the book and discover that more questions are arising without any answers. And when you do the math, you’ll find it hard to believe any resolve will come at this pace. So you’ll flip to the end of the book and see those three little words…to be continued. Ah ha! This is the start of a series! The other books haven’t come out, but this entire first book is setting the stage. So no resolve comes in the book. You only find out who Karou really is. And it gets a little slow in the second half of the book with a very passionate, teenage, forbidden romance drawing things out.

That being said, I absolutely recommend this book. Even if you're tired of teenage female protagonists in fantasy novels, give it a shot (at least the first half). You will be wowed by Taylor’s creativity. A quick read, Daughter of Smoke and Bone will stretch your imagination in dark ways.

*Image from Barnes and Noble.