Muggle Monday: Fantastic Beasts Audiobook Review

It's time for Muggle Monday, in which I highlight a significant piece of news from the Harry Potter franchise. This is somewhat inspired by the Mundane Monday posts by The Mundie Moms.

But let's be real as to why I made up this feature: I just want the opportunity to post something about Harry Potter.

This week, my thoughts on the updated Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them audiobook:

Publisher: Pottermore
Published: March 14, 2017
Pages: 128

A set textbook at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry since publication, Newt Scamander's masterpiece has entertained wizarding families through the generations.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is an indispensable introduction to the magical beasts of the wizarding world. Scamander's years of travel and research have created a tome of unparalleled importance. Some of the beasts will be familiar to readers of the Harry Potter books - the Hippogriff, the Basilisk, the Hungarian Horntail ... Others will surprise even the most ardent amateur magizoologist. Dip in to discover the curious habits of magical beasts across five continents …

When it was announced that Newt Scamander actor Eddie Redmayne was going to record the audiobook of the updated Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them novella, I knew that was something I needed to experience. I absolutely loved Eddie as Newt in the Fantastic Beasts movie and so he has very much become the voice of Newt for me. It was fun to have him narrate this while in character - every mumbling, beast-passionate bit of him. Extra sound effects are added into this audio (beast noises and the like), which, while unnecessary, are nevertheless fun.

In this updated version of the classic Wizarding World novella, an intro from Newt himself has been
added (providing some curious tidbits about his backstory), as well as a handful of new creature descriptions not included in the original book (primarily the Ilvermorny House Beasts). Sadly, gone are the original scribblings by the Trio throughout the novella (the original book was presented as though it was Harry's actual textbook), which were brilliantly in character and SO fun.

A sample of the Trio's scribblings from the original Fantastic Beasts novella (2001)

If you already own the original book that was released in 2001, then I can't say it's entirely worth it to buy this new edition as it is almost entirely the same (and also, I suspect that this won't be the absolute final edition of this novella... Newt himself reveals that there may be more beasts to be revealed later), but I would still recommend checking it out from the library to read the new bits. And if you do wish to purchase this edition, then at least you'll be supporting Jo's human rights charity Lumos as 15% of the proceeds will go to the foundation.

Review: Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: March 28, 2017
Pages: 544
Source: For Review from Hachette Book Group Canada
Rating: 4.5 Stars

The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around— and Lazlo Strange, war orphan and junior librarian, has always feared that his dream chose poorly. Since he was five years old he's been obsessed with the mythic lost city of Weep, but it would take someone bolder than he to cross half the world in search of it. Then a stunning opportunity presents itself, in the person of a hero called the Godslayer and a band of legendary warriors, and he has to seize his chance to lose his dream forever.
What happened in Weep two hundred years ago to cut it off from the rest of the world? What exactly did the Godslayer slay that went by the name of god? And what is the mysterious problem he now seeks help in solving?
The answers await in Weep, but so do more mysteries—including the blue-skinned goddess who appears in Lazlo's dreams. How did he dream her before he knew she existed? and if all the gods are dead, why does she seem so real?

In short: Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor is a feast for the imagination.

In some ways Strange the Dreamer is similar to Laini Taylor's previous trilogy, Daughter of Smoke and Bone: there's an epic and bloody war between two races, with star-crossed lovers at its centre. But that's where the similarities end. Strange the Dreamer is as original as it gets in the world of high fantasy fiction. Of course, we could expect no less from the Queen of Imagination, Laini Taylor. Strange the Dreamer is indescribably, beautifully BIZARRE, in the best way possible.

The set-up of the premise of Strange the Dreamer is complex and slow going, and less persistent readers may lose interest. But the payoff of patience is worth it as the story gets truly underway. And once underway the story is, in short, unexpected. Just when you think you know exactly where the story is going, a turning point hits and you're sent spinning off in another direction, again and again, right up until the novel's very unexpected cliffhanger ending.

At the story's heart is affable librarian, Lazlo Strange. He is not the usual hero type, more like the friendly bookish wallflower type (and all the more likeable for it). The old tale of the orphan underdog who dreams and wants more out of life is given new legs by Laini Taylor's adept prose and development. A story with a premise so indescribably strange can really only be done justice by an author whose writing is as lyrical and dream-like as Laini Taylor's. And I eagerly await what she comes up with next in the sequel, The Muse of Nightmares!

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Series Review: A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 1999-2006
Pages: 3,436
Source: Borrowed
Rating: 4 Stars

Dear Reader, 
I'm sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children. Even though they are charming and clever, the Baudelaire siblings lead lives filled with misery and woe. From the very first page of this book when the children are at the beach and receive terrible news, continuing on through the entire story, disaster lurks at their heels. One might say they are magnets for misfortune.
In this short book alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, and cold porridge for breakfast.
It is my sad duty to write down these unpleasant tales, but there is nothing stopping you from putting this book down at once and reading something happy, if you prefer that sort of thing.
With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket

Never has such a miserable tale of the depressing disasters that follow the lives of three unfortunate orphans been so charmingly absurd and enjoyable to read. Though the books are intended for an MG audience, the satirical humour spouted by narrator Lemony Snicket and more mature themes of moral complexity in the later books can be appreciated by an older audience. The books are incredibly formulaic and repetitive (essentially the orphans are passed off to a new guardian each book, Count Olaf shows up in a new disguise and attempts to steal the Baudelaire fortune, and the orphans use their smarts and talents to get away from him), but the repetitiveness had a more familial and calming effect on me rather than boring me.

I read the series in its entirety via audiobook, narrated by inimitable Tim Curry (except for books 3-5 which are narrated by Lemony Snicket himself). And I can't think of two people more suited to the narration of the gothic tones combined with the general absurdity of the stories presented in A Series of Unfortunate Events. If you're looking to try out the series for yourself or want to do a reread but don't feel like you have the time to fit all 13 books into your reading lineup, I would highly recommend checking out the series on audio.

Finally, let's talk about the Netflix TV Show. I can't speak about the movie adaptation starring Jim Carrey that was released in 2004 as I never saw it, but I understand it was not at all well received. However, I have seen the first season of the Netflix adaptation, starring Neil Patrick Harris and covering the first four books, and I am happy to report that it is most excellently done. It took me a few episodes to get into the rhythm of the story and characters, but once it hits its stride the show captures the gothic tone and absurdist themes of the books perfectly and is pretty faithful. Once again, this is proof positive that having the original author of the books (Lemony Snicket/Daniel Handler) handle the script of the movie/TV show is the best way of ensuring that the adaptation is a good one.

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Series Review: The Mediator by Meg Cabot

Publisher: Avon Books
Published: 2000-2016
Pages: 2,286
Source: Gifted
Rating: 4 Stars

There's a hot guy in Susannah Simon's bedroom. Too bad he's a ghost.
Suze is a mediator - a liaison between the living and the dead. In other words, she sees dead people. And they won't leave her alone until she helps them resolve their unfinished business with the living. But Jesse, the hot ghost haunting her bedroom, doesn't seem to need her help. Which is a relief, because Suze has just moved to sunny California and plans to start fresh, with trips to the mall instead of the cemetery, and surfing instead of spectral visitations.
But the very first day at her new school, Suze realizes it's not that easy. There's a ghost with revenge on her mind... and Suze happens to be in the way.

The Mediator Series was my first series read of the year and let me tell you, it was a fantastically FUN way to start off my reading year. The series follows Suze Simon who has the ability to see, to talk to, and to beat up - whatever the occasion warrants - ghosts in order to send them on their way to the afterworld. The series was completed after six books in 2005, with an added novella and seventh novel set a decade later in 2016.

Suze Simon is definitely the best part of the series for me. I would want to be BFFs with her if not for the fact that I am convinced that she is WAY too cool for me. This girl has more personality in her pinkie finger than most protagonists have developed over the course of an entire book. Suze's singular sass, nerve, and fashion sense put her right up there with The Greats Buffy Summers and Veronica Mars, in my mind. In fact, the Mediator Series reads a lot like those teen serialized TV shows set in small town California that follow a new story each episode, in addition to being easy entertainment to take in.

This is my first Meg Cabot read - can you believe it? And if all of her protagonists are as fun as Suze Simon, then I am looking forward to reading more from her. I'm curious, which are the Meg Cabot books that I absolutely must read next? I would love recommendations!

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Review: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and Spark Joy by Marie Kondo

Publisher: Ten Speed Press
Published: October 14, 2014 / January 5, 2016
Pages: 213 / 291
Source: Borrowed
Rating: 4 Stars

Despite constant efforts to declutter your home, do papers still accumulate like snowdrifts and clothes pile up like a tangled mess of noodles?

Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo takes tidying to a whole new level, promising that if you properly simplify and organize your home once, you'll never have to do it again. Most methods advocate a room-by-room or little-by-little approach, which doom you to pick away at your piles of stuff forever. The KonMari Method, with its revolutionary category-by-category system, leads to lasting results. In fact, none of Kondo's clients have lapsed (and she still has a three-month waiting list). 

With detailed guidance for determining which items in your house "spark joy" (and which don't), this international best seller featuring Tokyo's newest lifestyle phenomenon will help you clear your clutter and enjoy the unique magic of a tidy home - and the calm, motivated mindset it can inspire.

The KonMari Method of tidying up: keep only the items that bring you joy in your life. Seems like obvious common sense in a way, doesn't it? And yet I'm sure I'm not alone in owning many more items than necessary in my home - objects that are extras, or are kept around "just in case", or else are kept despite the fact that they are in varied amounts of disrepair. Well, Marie Kondo advocates getting rid of all of that stuff and keeping only the few items that are either a) used regularly or b) "spark joy" in order to keep your home tidy and your life de-cluttered and happy.

There are two issues I have when it comes to this method though. First, I really don't feel as though I have the money at the moment to take on what Marie Kondo is recommending. I mean sure, I would love to throw out/donate and replace all items of clothing that have holes and all the old objects in my home that are used second-hand, but unfortunately I am not working at this time and don't have much in the way of spending money. Kondo recommends tidying up all in one go instead of in little bits at a time, but this is just not a reality for me at the moment unless I was willing to get rid of almost everything I own all at once and not be able to replace it.

And secondly, I think I'm just too left-brained for some of Kondo's practices. Kondo believes that all inanimate objects are imbued with energy. And she advocates talking to all the objects in our lives, thanking them for the jobs they perform for us. It's just... a little too "out there" for me personally. It's not something I would be able to take seriously, and I know I certainly would not be able to feel such energies coming from objects to determine whether they "spark joy" in me.

Still, Marie Kondo makes a lot of other good points that I could see myself benefitting from. I know that lots of clutter in my home often makes me feel stressed. And it just seems like obvious good advice: if you don't love it or use it regularly, then don't keep it. I hope to start employing some of the practices that she talks about in her books (like de-cluttering by category instead of place and designating a "home" for all objects) and I anticipate seeing good results in the overall happiness and efficiency of my life. Though I will have to do it at my own pace (because of money issues) and in my own way (because I don't think any inanimate object has energy that could spark joy in me exactly as Kondo describes).

Anyways,  I would be curious if anyone reading this has tried the KonMari Method - did it work for you?

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Muggle Monday: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Review

It's time for Muggle Monday, in which I highlight something from the Harry Potter world. This is somewhat inspired by the Mundane Monday posts by The Mundie Moms.

But let's be real as to why I made up this feature: I just want the opportunity to post something about Harry Potter.


This week, my thoughts on the movie adaptation of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them:

Directed by: David Yates
Screenplay by: J.K. Rowling
Produced by: Heyday Films, Warner Brothers
In Theatres: November 18, 2016
Length: 2 hrs. 13 min.
Rated: PG

The adventures of writer Newt Scamander in New York's secret community of witches and wizards seventy years before Harry Potter reads his book in school.

I'm sure I wasn't the only one who was both very excited to get another story set in J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World and kind of nervous that this movie adaptation (based on the textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander that was written for Comic Relief 15 years ago) wouldn't live up to expectations after the success of the Harry Potter franchise.

But there was no need to worry after all. I am happy to report that I (and it seems like the vast majority of people) thoroughly enjoyed this latest Wizarding World addition - no doubt thanks to the fact that the screenplay was written by J.K. Rowling herself (and not just written by another person and signed off by Jo...). It helps too to have David Heyman and David Yates (and heaps more crew members) return from the Harry Potter films.

What kind of plot can really come out of a little 42-page textbook listing magical creatures that J.K. Rowling wrote for charity? Turns out quite a lot, which should be no surprise for those acquainted with Jo's bountiful imagination. Fantastic Beasts follows a young Newt Scamander who has been travelling the world studying magical beasts, only to run into trouble upon landing in 1920s New York City as some magical entity has been terrorizing people, both magic and non-magic alike.

I know there was a lot of muttering about how the initial trilogy of Fantastic Beasts that is now expanded to five movies is all a ploy on Warner Brothers' part to get more money. But I truly believe J.K. Rowling needed to expand the movie series for legit reasons. The five movies will cover the rise and defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald and begins in 1926 and will end in 1945. So. This first movie is really only the tip of the iceberg of loads more story to uncover.

For me, the highlights of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was the myriad of magical creatures we were introduced to (and excellent CG effects), as well as the new characters we meet
(and the actors that play them). There is a new "trio" in these movies that is actually a quartet (pictured in the movie poster above) and I quickly became attached to them and their friendship.

I love Newt especially. He is essentially the wizarding world equivalent of Charles Darwin: just as a young Darwin travelled the world discovering new creatures and developing ideas to write his book Origin of Species, so is Newt planning to apply all that he has learned into the book that becomes Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. I find Newt/Darwin's curiosity for animals and nature, as well as their preference for beasts over humans, so dang charming and relatable. Eddie Redmayne plays the perfect Newt: very shy and unassuming around most human beings, very open-hearted and generous with all magical creatures.

The only - ONLY - negative that I have to say about this movie is simply this: I would have rather have had a book first. I'm not talking about the movie script that was published alongside the movie, I mean a proper descriptive book written by J.K. Rowling. There were many moments while I was watching the movie in which I wished I could get more insight into a magical creature or into the mind of what a particular character was thinking, like we were able to with Jo's written books. I realize that is a selfish wish to have considering we were lucky to receive any tidbit of wizarding world lore after Harry Potter ended, but that's just how I feel.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and I can't wait for the following four movies to come! If you have seen the movie, I would love to know your thoughts!

Review: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Publisher: Random House
Published: August 16, 2011
Pages: 374
Source: Borrowed
Rating: 4.5 Stars

In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines, puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. When Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win—and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.

In short: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline is nerd-topia incarnate, with lots of heart.

Listen, I don't know a whole lot about 80's pop culture (I'm a 90's kid), but I do know an insanely imaginative and cool concept when I see one and this is what Ready Player One delivers. Imagine being able to live your life in a virtual universe, travel from one RPG world to another, equip and level up your character, and solve puzzles in a competition to win billions of dollars. Sound like every gamers wet dream? It is. It was beyond fun to imagine myself in Ernest Cline's richly imagined virtual universe.

Second to being able to gallivant in this nerd-topia myself was following protagonist's Wade Watts' progression through the egg hunt. While Wade initially reads as just your typical teenage loser trope, his learning curve and genuine good heart make him the underdog to root for. Along the way he meets an intriguing cast of characters and takes on the Big Bad using his impressive wits. I'm kind of surprised there hasn't been a sequel to this book yet (which should totes be called "Ready Player Two"); was I the only one who felt that ending left endless possibilities?

While I do wish I had been able to understand more of the 80's pop culture references to experience that sweet, sweet nostalgia, I was still able to enjoy myself immensely while reading this exciting and creative adventure book. Ready Player One has an insanely fun premise, a compelling edge-of-your-seat storyline, and a protagonist with a good heart - definitely recommended to all.

Other Reviews:
Happy Indulgence
Just Another Story
Lunar Rainbows

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Series Review: Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Published: September 2011-August 2013
Pages: 1,266
Source: Gifted
Rating: 4.5 Stars

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.
Elisa is the chosen one.
But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can't see how she ever will.
Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.
And he's not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people's savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.
Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.
Most of the chosen do.

In short: The Fire and Thorns Trilogy by Rae Carson is a memorable epic with a strong female lead.

Finally I can say that I've read the entire Fire and Thorns Trilogy - after YEARS of it sitting on my TBR list and after countless bloggers recommending it to me. Actually, I'm glad that I was able to read each book back-to-back so that I could truly immerse myself in the interesting lore and the engaging characters of the trilogy. This is my first foray into the writings of Rae Carson and it won't be my last.

Rae Carson's writing is of the sort that I would have claimed I did not enjoy prior to reading the Fire and Thorns Trilogy. Her pacing is so rapid fast that she is able to accomplish many events plot-wise within the space of a few chapters when it takes the average author thrice as long. And she is somehow able to manage this while still saving room for little character moments to progress their development, which I found hugely impressive. Of course, there is also very little in the way of description and flowery prose - which I personally really love to read - so I was a bit disappointed about that.

Perhaps the thing that shines above all in the Fire and Thorns Trilogy is its protagonist, Elisa (My Queen!). She is a rarity in YA fantasy as she is described as plump and dark-skinned (and thus NOT like the model on the covers). She also struck me as legit smart in every decision that she made. Like, sometimes so-called "smart" characters in books make lots of decidedly un-smart decisions. But not Queen Elisa. Her confidence in her abilities and in herself made her a protagonist that I admire greatly and an incredible ruler to her people.

I applaud Rae Carson for crafting such a memorable epic with exciting, forward-moving pacing and great character arcs. Elisa will go down as one of my all-time favourite fictional rulers. Here's to more amazing fantasies with strong female leads by Rae Carson!

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Muggle Monday: Career of Evil (Cormoran Strike #3) Review

It's time for Muggle Monday, in which I highlight something from the Harry Potter world. This is somewhat inspired by the Mundane Monday posts by The Mundie Moms.

But let's be real as to why I made up this feature: I just want the opportunity to post something about Harry Potter.

This week, I'm reviewing Career of Evil, the third book in J.K. Rowling's adult mystery series, written under her pseudonym Robert Galbraith:

Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
Published: October 20, 2015
Pages: 497
Source: Gifted
Rating: 5 Stars

When a mysterious package is delivered to Robin Ellacott, she is horrified to discover that it contains a woman’s severed leg.
Her boss, private detective Cormoran Strike, is less surprised but no less alarmed. There are four people from his past who he thinks could be responsible – and Strike knows that any one of them is capable of sustained and unspeakable brutality.
With the police focusing on the one suspect Strike is increasingly sure is not the perpetrator, he and Robin take matters into their own hands, and delve into the dark and twisted worlds of the other three men. But as more horrendous acts occur, time is running out for the two of them…

In short: Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling) is yet another expertly plotted and impressive mystery to add to the superb Cormoran Strike Series.

Even during the crazy busyness of teaching a university course and preparing for my thesis defense, I still made a point to pick up Career of Evil, the third in the Cormoran Strike mystery series by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling) last October when it was released. And all these months later, I still remember the details of the story. This illustrates both the enthusiasm I have for this series as well as how talented J.K. Rowling is at crafting intricately plotted mysteries that stick with you long after the tale has ended.

In this third instalment, the mystery is brought closer to home and made personal, raising the stakes significantly. Whereas in the previous two instalments, the whodunit murderer could have been any number of people, in Career of Evil Cormoran Strike is able to narrow down the list of suspects to three people from his past. At which point you might be thinking (as I was) that you could certainly easily figure out the identity of the murderer with only three possibilities. Wrong! J.K. Rowling keeps you guessing the entirety of the novel, throwing out red herrings left and right to easily fool readers into accusing each suspect in turn, always second guessing yourself.

But as impressive as these mysteries are, my favourite part still remains the lead characters, Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott. These two play off each other so well and make the perfect investigative team. In a book that features some truly despicable and vile people, Cormoran and Robin's genuine compassion and earnestness shine through all the brighter. I really cannot wait to see where their story takes us next. And thankfully J.K. Rowling is showing no signs of slowing down with this series - so here's to many more superb Cormoran Strike mysteries to come!

Previously, my review of The Cuckoo's Calling and The Silkworm.

Other Reviews:
The Broke and the Bookish
Shooting Stars Mag

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Series Review: The Raven Cycle (#1-3) by Maggie Stiefvater

Publisher: Scholastic
Published: 2012-2014
Pages: 1,246
Source: Gifted
Rating: 5 Stars

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue never sees them--until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks to her.
His name is Gansey, a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.
But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can't entirely explain. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul whose emotions range from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher who notices many things but says very little.
For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She doesn't believe in true love, and never thought this would be a problem. But as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.

In short: The Raven Cycle proves once again that Maggie Stiefvater ranks up there with the most masterful storytellers and visionaries.

Finally. Finally! My reading of The Raven Cycle has been a long time coming. From the moment I learned about The Raven Boys, I knew it was a "me" book that I would love to death. But I also knew that my feelings about books can be heavily influenced by my current mood and because I had been a wee bit stressed the past few years, I put off reading it. Cut to years later, my schooling is done, and I have now finally read the first three books in The Raven Cycle - just in time for the finale, The Raven King! And the series was every bit as special as I was hoping it would be.

Having said that, I'm honestly having a hard time phrasing my thoughts in a way that would truly do the series justice. How would I even describe the premise?? It's hard because a) it's unlike anything I have ever read before and so it's hard to draw comparisons and b) The Raven Cycle is definitely a series best appreciated if you go into it knowing as little as possible. But suffice it to say, the conclusions you should draw from this are that a) The Raven Cycle is a wholly original tale with no comparisons and b) Maggie Stiefvater always keeps it interesting with one intriguing and unexpected twist after another.

I think where the series really shines for me though is in the characters, each more carefully drawn and complexly unraveled than the next. While the plot is wildly imaginative and the prose correspondingly artistic, it is the characters that bridge the gap between magic and reality and elevate the series to a wonderfully memorable saga. The Raven Cycle proves once again that Maggie Stiefvater ranks up there with the most masterful storytellers and visionaries.

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Series Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2011-2014
Pages: 1,220
Source: Borrowed
Rating: 2.5 Stars

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.
The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong colour. 
The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now. 
Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In short: The cool X-Men-esque premise of the Shatter Me Series by Tahereh Mafi is unfortunately overshadowed by a ton of romance melodrama.

I think I may be too old for this. At least, that would explain why I had so little tolerance for all the melodramatic romance crap in this series. I had been so enthralled at the enticing premise of Shatter Me when I first heard of it in 2011 - girl who can't have physical contact with anyone without hurting them badly (basically Rogue from X-Men) - and I have wanted to read this series since then. Would I have had more tolerance for the love triangle histrionics had I read the series back when it first came out? Maybe, I'm not sure.

Of course, it didn't help matters that I was reading the Shatter Me Series at the same time as I was reading The Raven Cycle for the first time. The Raven Cycle has its fair share of romantic drama too, after all, but it's handled more subtly and it didn't annoy me nearly as much as the melodrama in Shatter Me. I would say it's because the romance drama in The Raven Cycle never consumes the entire story, unlike the romance drama in the Shatter Me Series. I mean, here we have this really cool X-Men-esque storyline set in a dystopian world ruled by a disturbing dictator - SO much promise - and still the overpowering storypoint somehow always turned to hashing out the conflicting petty feelings of the characters in the love triangle.

I probably would not have decided to continue on with the series past the first book had I not been listening to the trilogy via audio - I find it's always easier to commit to a series in audiobook form. Plus, there were enough tidbits of intrigue here and there to always keep me going - I do love a good superpower-inspired premise. I just wish the X-Men superhero aspect had been prioritized above all, with a minimum devoted towards an overdramatic love triangle.

And as for the writing: much ado has been made about the strikethroughs and people either seem to LOVE it or HATE it. For my part, I'm not sure I can make a decision as to what side of the fence I fall on because I feel like I missed a lot of the intended effect of it by listening to the books in audio instead of reading them. I would be inclined to come down on the side of liking the writing though, if only because it took risks and is unique and I appreciate that.

So in the end, I was left feeling pretty disappointed by my Shatter Me experience and more than a little annoyed by the romance melodrama. I think the series had a lot of potential and I can understand why it is well loved by readers that don't mind the love triangle as much. As for Tahereh Mafi's writing: I would like to try it again some time as I think I would like it in another - less romance-oriented - context.

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Review: The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

Publisher: Bloomsbury
Published: March 31, 2015
Pages: 384
Source: Won from Goodreads
Rating: 4.5 Stars

Brimming with heartfelt relationships and authentic high-school dynamics The Start of Me and You proves that it’s never too late for second chances.
It’s been a year since it happened—when Paige Hancock’s first boyfriend died in an accident. After shutting out the world for two years, Paige is finally ready for a second chance at high school . . . and she has a plan. First: Get her old crush, Ryan Chase, to date her—the perfect way to convince everyone she’s back to normal. Next: Join a club—simple, it’s high school after all. But when Ryan’s sweet, nerdy cousin, Max, moves to town and recruits Paige for the Quiz Bowl team (of all things!) her perfect plan is thrown for a serious loop. Will Paige be able to face her fears and finally open herself up to the life she was meant to live?

In short: The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord is a lovely read with relatable characters and relationships.

Let's back up a second: I actually read Emery Lord's debut, Open Road Summer, before delving into The Start of Me and You. I never reviewed Open Road Summer, but here's the short version: I really could not get past the protagonist's predilection for calling all girls "sluts." I'm normally all for flawed characters in books, but this one - albeit small - negative characteristic of the main character just turned me off of her completely for some reason, and I found I couldn't get past that.

So now here's the major difference in my feelings for Emery Lord's sophomore novel: I really liked Paige Hancock, the protagonist of The Start of Me and You. She was super relatable and even though she was still flawed - Emery Lord's characters tend to be nicely layered - she was still likeable. And it wasn't just Paige: I really appreciated the characterization of all members of Paige's friend group. Something else that Emery Lord seems to be able to do very well is to showcase really great friendships in addition to romance.

Those who know me know that romance is not my specialty and I tend to shy away from very romance-heavy novels. But for what it's worth: I thought the romance in The Start of Me and You was very well done. It was exactly the kind of romance I go for when I'm in the mood for a romance at all: a slow building relationship that sneaks up on you unexpectedly, but just FITS so perfectly that you wonder why you never saw it before.

Overall, I'm pleased I gave Emery Lord another shot despite not digging the protagonist from her debut novel. And honestly, it really was that one little thing that got stuck in my craw and I couldn't seem to get over; otherwise I'm sure I would have loved Open Road Summer as much as The Start of Me and You. Emery Lord really does have a fantastic talent at creating genuine and relatable characters, relationships, and stories.

Other Reviews:
Alexa Loves Books
Books in the Spotlight
Brandi Breathes Books


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Review: Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4) by Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Published: November 10, 2015
Pages: 824
Source: Gifted
Rating: 4 Stars

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.
Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend—the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.
Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?

This review is spoiler-free

In short: While I would have liked to have seen more from the titular heroine, Winter satisfied by being everything that a finale should be.

Marissa Meyer, how do you do it? It's not every author that can balance many POVs and maneuver varied storylines, all while without the story seeming convoluted. Of course, this isn't something new in Winter as we've seen Marissa Meyer accomplish this in the previous novels of The Lunar Chronicles. But still: her ability to keep the series consistently strong and fast paced while balancing multi-layered plots just never ceases to amaze and impress me.

I was excited to meet the titular heroine of Winter, especially knowing how strong the characterization was for the three previous heroines (Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress) and how quickly I grew an attachment to each of them. Somewhat disappointedly however, we don't get to see as much of Winter, Queen Levana's stepdaughter, as I was hoping. Whereas the previous three books mainly featured the eponymous Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, respectively, Winter didn't seem like the primary protagonist of this finale at any point. She sort of seemed to fade into the background as others took to action.

So I would have liked to have spent more time getting to know Winter (and Jacin) than we were granted here. BUT that certainly didn't take away from the fact that this final and largest tome of The Lunar Chronicles was exciting and dramatic and satisfying (basically everything that a finale SHOULD be). It is sad to think that this series is officially over as I have grown so fond of the world and its characters. I am relieved at least that I still have the novella compilation, Stars Above, and the newly announced Lunar Chronicles graphic novels to delve into.

Previously, my reviews of Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Fairest.

Other Reviews:
Carina's Books
Lunar Rainbows
Musings of a YA Reader

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Series Review: Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 2005-2007
Pages: 1,596
Source: Borrowed
Rating: 3.5 Stars

Synopsis for Book 1, Uglies:

Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. In just a few weeks she'll have the operation that will turn her from a repellent ugly into a stunning pretty. And as a pretty, she'll be catapulted into a high-tech paradise where her only job is to have fun.
But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to become a pretty. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world-- and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally a choice: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. Tally's choice will change her world forever...

In short: It's a shame I didn't read the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld a decade ago when the dystopian story elements wouldn't have seemed so derivative.

It's unfortunate that I waited so long to read this series, long after the dystopian craze has come and gone. Uglies has all the story elements that you want in a dystopian read: an intriguing yet disturbing world, a heroine that is engaging and has a long character arc, and some valid social commentary. And it had all these elements in place and published even before The Hunger Games blew up. But reading the Uglies series on the other side of the dystopian craze really did it no favours, unfortunately.

What I am sure would have seemed like a wholly original premise and storyline to me had I read Uglies in 2006 seemed anything but original reading it now ten years later. Instead I was almost bored at times because we've seen these same sorts of elements before SO many times, and I would say we've seen them done BETTER at this point. And things that wouldn't have annoyed me about Uglies ten years ago - like all the futuristic slang speak - annoyed the heck out of me now.

This is not the fault of Uglies or of Scott Westerfeld, I realize. The fault lies purely with me for waiting so long to read what I am sure would have been a favourite of mine ten years ago. Though I was bored and annoyed at times with the repetition of the dystopian story elements, I can at least appreciate that the Uglies series set the trend before the curve began. And I am glad to finally be able to remove this series from my TBR list where it has been sitting for the past decade. But I think I may need a longer break before I delve into another dystopian again!

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Review: The Martian by Andy Weir

Publisher: Crown
Published: February 11, 2014
Pages: 369
Source: Borrowed
Rating: 4 Stars

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there.
After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate the planet while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded on Mars' surface, completely alone, with no way to signal Earth that he’s alive — and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone years before a rescue could arrive.
Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark's not ready to quit. Armed with nothing but his ingenuity and his engineering skills — and a gallows sense of humor that proves to be his greatest source of strength – he embarks on a dogged quest to stay alive, using his botany expertise to grow food and even hatching a mad plan to contact NASA back on Earth.
As he overcomes one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next, Mark begins to let himself believe he might make it off the planet alive – but Mars has plenty of surprises in store for him yet.

In short: The Martian by Andy Weir is a creative and thrillingly plotted science-driven story with a super likeable protagonist.

Science! Science science science. I'm excited because it's pretty rare that having an intelligence in science plays such a key part in popular fiction. And though I am no physicist or botanist, I found I could definitely appreciate the explanations and scientific process that Andy Weir presents in The Martian. I don't know how accurate it is (though I have read a few articles that poke holes in the science behind The Martian), but it was very clear that Andy Weir wasn't just bs-ing his way through the plot. There is clearly some serious thought and research put into it by this relativistic physics and orbital mechanics hobbyist-turned-author.

I do hope I'm not scaring anyone away from reading The Martian by the mention that key plot points depend so heavily on science, however; you don't have to be a fan of heavy sci fi to enjoy this read. The science explanations are relatively easy to follow and I think the major draw of the novel to general audiences is actually the quick-witted protagonist and the thrillingly-plotted action. As a reader, you will want Mark Watney to be successful in his plight to get off Mars because he's damned likeable and has the perfect sense of humour to keep him sane during his lengthy bout of solitude. And as a reader, the numerous surprises and thrills will keep you engaged from beginning to end.

My one qualm in The Martian is the writing. It's of the cut-and-dry, no-frills-attached variety, and though many readers won't have a problem with this, I for one prefer a little flair and poetry in my reading. It's for this reason that I feel like The Martian makes an even better movie than it does a book, as the action lends itself well to a Hollywood thriller and the prose works fine as a screenplay. I hope I haven't angered any of my book-loving friends with that statement! I still give all the credit in the world to Andy Weir for coming up with such a creative and thrilling read in the first place.

This might beg the question: is there any point in reading the book first before seeing the movie if I thought the movie was better anyway? And the answer is that I do still recommend reading the book first just so you can appreciate the creativity and research that Andy Weir put into The Martian. And if you're unsure about whether you will like all the science talk? I'd recommend audiobooking The Martian instead - I think you could still appreciate Weir's thought processes even if you just take in a glancing overview of the science.

Other Reviews:
Alison Can Read
Doing Dewey
Good Books and Good Wine

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