Recommend A... Book That Kept Me Up All Night

Recommend A...is a new weekly feature hosted by Chick Loves Lit, where bloggers recommend a book based on a specific prompt.
 

This week's prompt is to recommend a book that kept me up all night. Now, I'm actually very good at not staying up all night reading. Working and having real-world responsibilities will do that to you. However, the last book that I actually did read into the late hours of the night and then stayed awake thinking about the story and it's implications was:

Unwind by Neal Schusterman

Unwind trilogy, #1

My recommendation for this book is not quite a positive one. On a weekend night I was starting to get close to the end and SO MUCH was happening that I realized I couldn't possibly put it down. And then that one scene happened. Sleep after that was impossible. I still feel disturbed just thinking about that scene. Anyone who has read the book should understand exactly what I'm referring to.

I appreciated the fact that Unwind does ask some huge moral questions. The book's premise is that the conflicting views on abortion caused a war, and the war's resolution was that pregnant women can no longer abort unwanted children, however they can choose to retroactively "abort" their children as teenagers. This is declared legal because those teens who are "aborted" or unwound have all their body parts still alive and in use...just in other peoples' bodies. The story itself follows three teens who have been sentenced to unwinding but for various reasons are resistant to their fates. Sounds creepy, right? And disturbing and horrifying and I honestly have no idea why I thought it would be a good idea to read this book. It was a really thought-provoking book, of course, but I just don't think it was worth the emotional trauma that I endured from the experience of reading it.

Please tell me I'm not the only one who feels scarred from reading this book. It's not that I am firmly against reading late into the night (on weekend nights), but I'd prefer that it be for something that I really enjoy. And preferably full of butterflies and rainbows and glitter. That sort of thing. Link me up to the books that have kept you up at night (for good reasons)!

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Recommend A(n)... Author Similar to An Author I Love

Recommend A...is a new weekly feature hosted by Chick Loves Lit, where bloggers recommend a book based on a specific prompt.
 

This week's prompt is to recommend an author similiar to an author you love. I love Tamora Pierce. Her books are some of my staple rereads whenever I want a YA fantasy with a strong fighting heroine and a swoon-worthy romance. An author I'd recommend to those who love the works of Tamora Pierce is...

Sherwood Smith
Goodreads · Website · Blog

Now, to be fair, I've only read a few of her works. When I recommend her as a similar author to Tamora Pierce, I am mainly referring to Smith's novel Crown Duel (or duology Crown Duel and Court Duel, depending on how they're packaged). I've heard that her other novels don't quite reach up to the high standards of this one, but I'm not sure whether I believe that. I just need to find some time to read some of her other books.

Young Countess Meliara swears to her dying father that she and her brother will defend their people from the growing greed of the king. That promise leads them into a war for which they are ill-prepared, which threatens the very people they are trying to protect. But war is simple compared to what follows, in peacetime. Meliara is summoned to live at the royal palace, where friends and enemies look alike, and intrigue fills the dance halls and the drawing rooms. If she is to survive, Meliara must learn a whole new way of fighting-with wits and words and secret alliances.

In war, at least, she knew in whom she could trust. Now she can trust no one.

 (Goodreads)

Mel is the best kind of herione — a heroine who has to learn how to become a heroine. She's prickly, has a quick temper, and has always been super relatable to me. She does have some similarities to Tamora Pierce's Alanna, but, unlike Alanna, Mel is a normal human and cannot rely on gods or magic to help her kingdom. She starts off as the most woefully unprepared savior ever. Mel's introduction to war/tactics, as well as her introduction to court life, can be considered a comedy of errors. But what makes Mel an admirable heroine is that she is willing to endure pain and humiliation in order to stick up for her beliefs. And the relationship she gradually forms is so wonderful. It's a Pride and Prejudice-esque relationship, and those are always my favorite kind of relationship to read about. I have never been able to look at white roses or think of love letters in the same way since reading Crown Duel. My boyfriend needs to read about this relationship so that he can take notes (Kidding! Sort of). Along with Pierce's Alanna, Daine, and Kel, Smith's Mel is totally a comfort heroine of mine — one of those heroines whose stories I continue to return to constantly, just to experience her life with her.

Do you love Tamora Pierce and have you read Crown Duel? What other authors have works reminiscient of Pierce's? And be sure to let me know what your similar author picks are!

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Recommend A... Book I Could Give as a Birthday Present

Recommend A...is a new weekly feature hosted by Chick Loves Lit, where bloggers recommend a book based on a specific prompt.

This week's prompt is to recommend a book I could give as a birthday present. Hmm, this is a hard one. I do give books as birthday presents quite a bit, but my choices totally depend on the person to whom I'm giving the gift! I don't really believe in blanket presents — or even blanket books — that are just suitable for any person. 

But regardless of that, this is a book that I think both readers and writers alike can enjoy:

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott 

I generally prefer to read fiction to non-fiction, but every once in a while I turn to non-fiction for particular needs. My entire family has been aware of my love of writing (and eventual authorship plans) for quite some time now, and my mom has by far been the most supportive, even buying me books on writing now and then. This is one of those "books on writing" that she's bought me and I've read it now a few times. 

I do enjoy how Lamott is able to personalize her book. Yes, it's a book about the craft of writing. But it's also a book about Lamott's journey to publication and specific tips and tricks she picked up over the years. If I can't have a protagonist on some epic journey, at least Bird by Bird is able to provide some characters and conflicts nonetheless. I think this blurb from Goodreads sums up the book nicely:

If you have ever wondered what it takes to be a writer, what it means to be a writer, what the contents of your school lunches said about what your parents were really like, this books for you. From faith, love, and grace to pain, jealousy, and fear, Lamott insists that you keep your eves open, and then shows you how to survive. And always, from the life of the artist she turns to the art of life.

This is a book I'd give as a gift to any aspiring writer.

What book would you recommend as a birthday present?

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Recommend A... Book with a Blue Cover

Recommend A... is a new weekly feature hosted by Chick Loves Lit, where bloggers recommend a book based on a specific prompt. This week's prompt is to recommend a book with a blue cover.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter series, #5

It took me about a minute to come up with a recommendation for this prompt. Harry Potter is one of my favorite series ever and, as an aspiring author myself, J.K. Rowling is one of my greatest inspirations.

I trust that everyone has read the book by this point in time (or *cringe* at least seen the movie version), so I won't spend any time discussing the plot. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the fifth book in the Harry Potter series and my second favorite overall (the seventh is naturally my favorite of them all). I think is it at the beginning of this book/end of the fourth book where the series irrevocably changes from children's literature to YA literature. Here Harry begins to finally understand that good and evil aren't so easily categorized, and that sometimes people would rather believe lies simply because the truth is too painful to acknowledge.

In some ways Harry, Ron, and Hermione are dealing with very typical teenage problems: harder classes, raging hormones, stress, and changing relationships, to name a few. But there are so many more issues they must deal with. In this book Harry is presented with an ever-increasing amount of challenges and obstacles as he tries to attend classes, enjoy life with his friends, and proclaim the truth as most of the wizarding world considers him to be a liar. And the loss and pain experienced in this book is so emotional. I love Harry. I spent a lot of this book just wanting to give him a hug and tell him that things will get better eventually. It takes a special person to have been able to deal with all the trauma and tragedy of this book, but of course Harry is such a special person and probably my favorite male protagonist ever.

I just love this book. If for some reason you haven't read it yet, do so ASAP. Otherwise, let me know whether Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ranks among your favorites in the Harry Potter series.

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Recommend A... Book Someone Else Recommended to Me

Recommend A... is a new weekly feature hosted by Chick Loves Lit, where bloggers recommend a book based on a specific prompt. This week's prompt is to recommend a book someone else recommended to me.

Cold Magic by Kate Elliot

The Spiritwalker Trilogy, #1

 It's partially due to this one good high school friend of mine that I've been reading YA fiction almost exclusively for the past six or so months. There are so many classics that I need to read, and I feel like those gaps in classical literature somehow make my English degree seem not as valid. A weird rationale on my part, I know. But after she told me how YA is where so many major advances in literature is these days and gave me a number of recommendations, I have yet to go back to classics. I won't give her all the credit, but I do respect her recommendations. She once said that she'd love to have a job where she simply read and recommend books to others, and she is very good at this.

Anyway, Cold Magic was one of the books she recommended to me at the very beginning of the year, and I am very glad she did. Cold Magic has a lot of the features I adore in my books. There's a strong female protagonist, a relationship built on misunderstanding and the gradual effort to remedy initial actions and feelings, a focus on a female relationship, and some crazy creative world-building.

Cold Magic is the story of Catherine and Beatrice Barahal, young scholars, cousins, and best friends. In their alternate universe, the Roman Empire lasted until the year 1000 and now, during another ice age in the nineteenth century, the European continent is settled and controlled by some historically repressed groups, such as Africans and Phoenicians. The central problem in Europa seems to be the struggle between magic and science/technology, between old ways of society and new ones. At the heart of the conflict are two groups: the Cold Mages and their houses versus the princely houses, which have between them most of the other people locked into a feudal-type system. When the Barahal family is called upon to redeem a promise made years ago to a Cold Mage house, Cat's life is turned completely upside-down. Cat is forced to question so many parts of her existence that she's taken for granted as she journeys across Europa. 

Although the book is marketed as steampunk, there really aren't that many technological innovations or references. But despite that, this story is so immersive. Cat is a strong believable heroine who is literally fighting for her survival. But at the same time her thoughts are much more focused on her cousin Beatrice and she worries about Bee's safety. For the majority of the book Cat and Bee are separated, so it speaks to the power of Cat's feelings that I still got a really good sense of their relationship and how important they were to one another. I loved how the story uses Cat and Bee's relationship to question the extent of love and friendship and family, and what one's priorities are in the face of hard decisions. Of course, there's also a romantic relationship here that seems pretty promising. I'll just end with one final reason that Cold Magic is awesome: sentient dinosaurs! (I may have initially thought that they were birds...) Okay, maybe they are not as interesting in the book as other aspects but, still, they're cool.

This is a rather lengthy book and doesn't always have the fastest pacing; it is definitely deliberate and subtle in its nature. But becoming immersed in Cat's world is worth it.

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Recommend A... First Book in a Series

Recommend A...is a new weekly feature hosted by Chick Loves Lit, where bloggers recommend a book based on a specific prompt. This week's prompt is to recommend a first book in a series.

Archangel by Sharon Shinn

Samaria series, #1

Archangel is the story of the angel Gabriel and Rachel, the human woman Jovah has chosen for him to marry. Gabriel has known that he would rise to become Archangel of Samaria for years, to help the struggling nation into a golden age, but he put off the search for his Angela until the last minute. It wouldn't normally be a problem, but the Archangel cannot assume his position without first singing a duet with his Angela. Rachel is not as easy to track down as Gabriel had assumed, however, and Rachel is haunted by a horrific past that causes her to be the exception to the norm — she has absolutely no intentions of marrying Gabriel or assuming the role of Angela, and isn't afraid to tell him so. 

I have avoided YA angel stories like the plague (this book doesn't count to me since it was published before the YA paranormal angel craze and because it's technically considered adult fantasy); I'm just not interested in reading about angels. Shinn's angels are the exception. They're imbued with wings and power and the grace of Jovah, yet they're still struggling to figure out what to do with their lives and understand what Jovah truly expects from them. There's a conflict between the angels being appropriately removed from humans, and yet the need for them to watch over humans. And they're forced to marry humans in order to continue their race. Humans and angels live in a precarious co-existence in the world of Samaria.

Rachel and Gabriel have one of the best romantic relationships I've ever read in a novel. Throughout the course of the novel we get to see them grow individually and together as they learn to trust themselves and each other. Their relationship is fraught with misunderstanding and prejudice, but every little step towards acceptance of one another is so believable. This book always makes it to the top of the list whenever I want to read a more genuine depiction of a romantic relationship. And outside of their romance troubles, Gabriel is searching for meaning and trying to prepare to be the best future Archangel, while Rachel is haunted by her past and suspicious of all angels. But, like any romantic relationship, they complement each other and help each other reach their potentials. Romance done right, right here in this little book.

I don't know anything about music and singing, but this novel definitely made me wish I did. I absolutely loved the importance of music within this world. Music is used for worship and for pure emotion. Rachel possesses the only voice worthy of a duet with Gabriel, and through music their relationship is able to grow. By using music Gabriel and Rachel finally begin to understand one another.

She had chosen the song for him.
She loved him.

Just try and tell me that's not swoon-worthy right there.

I've only actually read the first book in this series, but it ended on such a perfect note that I had no desire for anything more. But after recently reading Angieville's review of Shinn's YA novel Summers at Castle Auburn, I'm feeling rather nostalgic for her work and do think I'd like to take the time to continue with the Samaria series. After I reread Archangel, of course.

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Recommend A... Book I Read This Year

Recommend A...is a new weekly feature hosted by Chick Loves Lit, where bloggers recommend a book based on a specific prompt. This week's prompt is to recommend a book I read this year. 

Huntress by Malinda Lo

Goodreads synopsis: Nature is out of balance in the human world. The sun hasn't shone in years, and crops are failing. Worse yet, strange and hostile creatures have begun to appear. The people's survival hangs in the balance.
To solve the crisis, the oracle stones are cast, and Kaede and Taisin, two seventeen-year-old girls, are picked to go on a dangerous and unheard-of journey to Tanlili, the city of the Fairy Queen. Taisin is a sage, thrumming with magic, and Kaede is of the earth, without a speck of the otherworldly. And yet the two girls' destinies are drawn together during the mission. As members of their party succumb to unearthly attacks and fairy tricks, the two come to rely on each other and even begin to fall in love. But the Kingdom needs only one huntress to save it, and what it takes could tear Kaede and Taisin apart forever.
The exciting adventure prequel to Malinda Lo's highly acclaimed novel Ash is overflowing with lush Chinese influences and details inspired by the I Ching, and is filled with action and romance.

I read this novel at the very beginning of this year (either that or at the very, very end of last year), before I started blogging or even had a Goodreads account. I first heard of Malinda Lo in reference to her story Ash, a Cinderella retelling. A good friend of mine, who adores fairy tale retellings just as much as I do, told me how much she loved Lo's reinterpretation of a Cinderella who falls in love with the King's Huntress rather than the prince. It sounded a little out there from my normal kind of book, but I trust her recommendations so I got both Ash and Lo's more recent novel Huntress to read. While I do think that Ash is beautifully written, I was much more drawn to Huntress.

Huntress tells the story of Kaede and Taisin, who are both acolytes at an academy. Kaede is more skilled in physical fighting while Taisin is training to become a Sage. Taisin has visions of the future and sees a vision of Kaede, accompanied by a deep feeling of loss and longing. Taisin refuses to acknowledge the vision or the implication that Kaede could come to be someone important to her.

Lo’s prose is absolutely beautiful and really helps give the conflicts between the girls more depth. The relationship between the two girls develops organically, and as a reader it just made sense to me. The main issue of their relationship lies not in the fact that they’re both female, but instead that Taisin has been training to become a celibate Sage. It is also refreshing how while their gender is never ignored, it does not become the defining aspect of their relationship. I also loved how the narration switches between Taisin and Kaede, so that readers get to understand the inner psyche of both girls.

This is a world full of magic and terrors, and Lo does give her readers plenty of examples of those aspects of her world. At its heart, however, it is about two young girls struggling with their feelings for each other and their hopes for the future. This is my favorite book by Lo, and  I will definitely check out future books of hers.

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Recommend A... Book by a Male Author

Recommend A... is a new weekly feature hosted by Chick Loves Lit, where bloggers recommend a book based on a specific prompt. This week's prompt is to recommend a book by a male author.

I had a surprisingly difficult time trying to come up with a response. I guess I need to make sure I read enough books by male authors! Here's my recommendation for this week:

A Series of Unfortunate Events series by Lemony Snicket 

I sincerely hope that most people have already read the series. But even if not everyone has read the series yet, chances are you've at least heard of them. A Series of Unfortunate Events tells the story of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire, who have recently become orphaned. Although they are heirs to a large fortune, they cannot inherit anything until they come of age. They have no close living relatives, either, and so are sent to live with their distant cousin, Count Olaf. He has their fortune at heart more than their best interests, however, so the thirteen books detail how the orphans must escape from one nefarious plot after another.

The books are a little over the top. Author Lemony Snicket (real name Daniel Handler) acts as the narrator of the series, mapping each misfortune and bad event in the lives of the Baudelaires. In some ways I felt talked down to in the novels. Snicket has a tendency to over-define and explain words unnecessarily throughout the series. He is also the more overdramatic and dire narrator I’ve ever read. But the series is much cleverer than that, as I came to realize over time. I think Snicket's tendency to go into detail about certain words or concepts has more to do with the overall absurdist tone of the books. The Baudelaires really do through terrible events. And each child is a bit of a caricature and not always as fleshed-out as they could be. But that is okay for me. I just enjoyed reading the series and finding out what scheme Count Olaf would employ next. 

What I enjoyed most about the series was actually the world-building and history that Snicket gradually revealed throughout the series. In my opinion, it was even more interesting to find out than the Count Olaf schemes were (which do tend to get a bit repetitive). Although the books seem pretty basic at first and the first three have the same plot (I was all ready to give up on them at one point), they do get better and better. Snicket creates all these questions and mysteries and suddenly there's a lot more at stake for Violet, Klaus, and Sunny besides simply evading Count Olaf. And there are answers for those who stick around for all thirteen books! And I can’t forget to mention the gradually-revealed romance between narrator Snicket and the mysterious Beatrice is just wonderful.

Thirteen books may seem like a lot, but it's not really. They're super fast reads and a lot of fun. The movie version was all right, but this is one middle grade series that I think every person should read, regardless of age. In my opinion this is middle grade done right. If Snicket creates any more series, I will probably read them. 

So have you read this series? Did you enjoy it as much as I did?

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Recommend A... Book Published in 2010

Recommend A... is a new weekly feature hosted by Chick Loves Lit, where bloggers recommend a book based on a specific prompt.

This sounds like a fantastic new meme and I hope to be able to keep up with it on a fairly regular basis. I think what I'd like most in a meme is the chance to explore older, lesser-known books, and this may provide a great outlet to do so. Because, honestly, I feel very well-informed about recent or up-and-coming releases, but what about those fantastic books that are a few years old or even older? Today's prompt is just perfect for that, but in general I'd like to use this meme to bring attention to books I love that are not discussed as frequently. 

This week's prompt is to recommend a book published in 2010. I hope everyone's ready for this, because I have the perfect book to recommend:

A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner

The Queen's Thief, #4

I can't really provide much of a summary here, as literally every book in this series builds upon each other so much that a true summary would be incredibly spoiler-laden. I'll just say that the political conflict continues to escalate on the continent where the countries of Attolia, Eddis, and Sounis reside. We see some familiar faces and how they attempt to handle the rising tensions, as well as others we haven't seen since the series' beginning. The narrative voice continues to step away from Eugenides, and for the first time he's no longer the focal point in this book. Instead we get to see his friend Sophos' perspective of things as he tries to figure out allegiances and loyalties.

Since I cannot give a good description of the plot, I'll instead have to rely upon other elements within the story that really do make this book one of the best published in 2010. Unless you've read the books in order, you'll be unable to appreciate how truly mature the fourth book and series in general has become. I read The Thief when I was around 10, and while parts went over my head, for the most part I was able to follow along fine with the story. Each book since then has become a little more complex as the characters themselves mature. While the series may have started for middle-grade or young-adult audiences, I think that adults will get just as much satisfaction out of reading these books. The world-building is amazing, and Megan Whalen Turner has created some of the most complex characters and relationships I've ever read. I don't think any other author could make me go from completely hating one character to then considering the character to be one of my favorites quite the way that she does. Turner's characters are adults, yet somehow her books walk the line between younger and adult audiences. She never writes down, but neither does she work to make her books less accessible for younger fans. Turner's books are so well-crafted and every little detail has such meaning. 

Another fantastic thing about this series is that while the novels form part of a larger series, they each are self-sustaining enough to be read separately. While I wouldn't recommend missing even one of the books in this series, it's nice to read a book knowing that it won't end on a giant cliffhanger. It's an even greater relief since Turner likes to take her time between novels. The fifth book probably won't come out for another few years - but each book is so well-done that I'm actually okay with the wait. 

I would be remiss if I didn't end by noting that Eugenides constantly hovers somewhere between being my fictional boyfriend and my fictional best friend. He's captivated me for so many years now, and he's one of the best, most fully-formed characters I've ever read. He's not the central character in A Conspiracy of Kings, unfortunately, but he is still present from time to time.  

Has anyone else actually read this series? I'd love to discuss it in more detail with other fans! If not, then what are you waiting for? Seriously go and pick up her books - I promise you won't be disappointed!

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