Eyes Like Stars

I was originally going to devote this blog solely to formal book reviews, but seeing as I never post any, I'll try something sort of new. First, a very informal book review.
I just finished Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev, and I have to say that it was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! A friend recommended it to me, and when I read the description, I was a bit apprehensive. Most books that contain various characters from other works read like bad fanfiction. Or good fanfiction, which is still bad. But Lisa Mantchev manages to capture the essence of the characters, as well as adding in a few of her own, and put them into a beautifully unique and modern setting. I loved how the love interest, Nate, had maybe two lines in his play of origin (Peter Pan,) but he's one of the main characters in Eyes Like Stars, and he does all sorts of normal piratey things, but he also eats chocolate cake and takes Turkish baths with Bertie. (LOVED that scene, by the way. And it's not as dirty as it might seem. :p) All in all, one of the best books I've read in the recent past, and I can't wait for the sequel.

Which is why there's a second part to this blog post. You see, I am addicted to entering contests. Especially when there are free books involved. Especially when the free books are advanced reader copies. So I am going to enter Lisa Mantchev's contest for an ARC of the sequel, Perchance to Dream. In order to enter, I have to suggest a title for the third book. The title must be from a Shakespeare play. My suggestion: Free As Mountain Winds. It's from The Tempest, when Prospero is telling Ariel that if Ariel follows Prospero's commands, he'll be set free. I thought it would be fitting, seeing as Ariel is an important (and very, very sexy, and extremely badass) character in the series, and throughout the first book he tries his darndest to escape the Theatre.
Lisa Mantchev's blog with the contest rules: http://lisamantchev.com/blog.php
Amazon page for Perchance to Dream: http://www.amazon.com/Perchance-Dream-Theatre-Illuminata-2/dp/0312380976/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267580036&sr=8-1

Curse of the Tahiera

It has been a shameful amount of time since I last posted. But here! New review.

Curse of the Tahiera is an elaborate and profound story which takes place in what we come to know is an alternate reality. It follows the character Rom, a young man despised for the Tzanatzi half of his heritage, as he journeys through the Northern forest. On the way, he meets Yldich, a wise Einache leader and healer, who teaches him about swordfighting and, more importantly, dream-walking. Through the Einache culture, Rom discovers a dark truth--about himself, and about his destiny.

This book takes a little while to get into, but once I got into it, I was hooked. The action scenes are shorter than I'm used to, which was nice. A writer doesn't need to incorporate huge, gory action scenes to get a reader excited. And Gillissen certainly does get us excited--there was a scene at the end which had me biting my nails the entire time. The character development is so-so, except in the case of Yldich. I was indifferent to him at first, but I really found myself warming to him as the story and his character progressed. One thing I can say for Gillissen--she gave a complex portrayal of the Tzanatzi-Einache war. The evil sorcerer didn't start out evil, and the Einache victims realistically committed atrocities themselves. The good and the evil in humanity are shades of grey. She leaves us with several thought-provoking messages, one of which has stuck with me even after I finished the book--when you fight, it's not truly your enemy you're fighting, it's death. Make peace with death, and you have nothing to fear. Na'Heach. Overall, I'd give this book four out of five stars, and I am eagerly awaiting a sequel.

Being Nikki by Meg Cabot

Okay, before I do this review, I want to post this list that I spent a couple of weeks composing over the school year. With a little help from some friends. (Oooh, I get by with a little help from my friends!)

25 Sappy, Heartwarming, and Educational Lessons I Learned from Meg Cabot:

If you love something, let it go. If it's meant to be, it'll come back to you.

1 out of 10 people are left-handed. One out of 10 people had twins who disappeared before birth. Coincidence?

Your perfect match is someone you can argue with.

Never be outside during a thunderstorm, but if you are, DON'T seek shelter under metal bleachers.

If you're true to yourself (and your magical witch powers,) your bad luck will go away.

Popularity doesn't matter, what matters is having friends you can trust. (Which is soooo cliche, but it happens to be something I wholeheartedly agree with.)

Even if a guy seems perfect on paper, that doesn't necessarily mean he's right for you. (Unless his name happens to be Jesse de Silva.)

If you can see ghosts, don't tell people about it!

Write what you know, draw what you see.

Hate and anger can make someone very dangerous.

It sucks having a brother, but they almost make up for it by carrying your stuff and being okay once in a while.

If your friends/family/acquaintances say you'd go great with a guy, they might actually be right.

It might look fun to be a princess, but normal teenagers actually probably wouldn't like that life very much. At least tiaras are pretty.

Don't date your best friend's ex. She'll get mad, and chances are if he wasn't good enough for your friend, he's not good enough for you either.

Always wear comfortable shoes, because you never know what you'll have to do in them. (Also, never get in a car with a creeper. Especially if his name is Paul Slater.)

Preppy cheerleaders are still mean when they're dead!

Georgia O'Keefe is famous for painting vaginas.

Saving someone's life (especially the president) definitely pays off, though you might get hurt in the process.

If you have a gift (like, say, psychic powers) that you don't want to use (but people want to force you to use it) just pretend it went away. Even if they don't believe you, they'll probably stop annoying you.

Geeks make the best boyfriends.

"Before you can start trying to change the rules, you have to learn what the rules are."

Frisson: (n.) a tremor of intense excitement; evidence of attraction when between two people
It's some strong stuff.

High school: (n.) also goes under the name of hell

"Without mayonnaise, the whole sandwich just falls apart."

Exude confidence and charm in the right ways, and you can make anyone you want fall madly in love with you. Use this power wisely.

Paper Towns by John Green

Margo Roth Spiegelman was everything Quentin could hope for: beautiful, clever, and always looking for adventure. Add that to the fact that she lived right next to him, and it's no wonder Quentin fell head over heels for her. Or so he thought. But now, after one last adventure with him, Margo has run away. Everyone says that it's just another of her crazy adventures, but Quentin think this one is different. This time, she's left behind clues for him alone to find--clues to her location. Following the clues and talking to Margo's friends leads Quentin to see the girl he thought he knew, and even himself, from a whole new angle.

Paper Towns is similar to John Green's other books in that it's about a nerdy boy who develops an obsession with a nearly unattainable, amazing girl. This one, however, delves deeper into the nature of knowing people, and society in general. I really love the symbolism used in this book, especially that of mirrors. It's thought-provoking and relatable. The reason, however, that I was interested at first, was just because of the witty dialogue John Green always has in his books. It's something I always love in a book or movie, and one of my favorite parts of this one. I've also always loved his love interests, and I think Margo is my favorite of them all. She's gorgeous and strong, and yet she still needs support, when all is said and done. All in all, I think it might be John Green's best work, and definitely one of my favorites. As a warning to readers, though--this book can be depressing at points, but there's a potentially happy ending.

Valiant: A Modern Tale of Faerie by Holly Black

Valiant is the story of seventeen-year-old Valerie who runs away to New York City from New Jersey. She moves into an abandoned subway station with three others around her age: sweet but slightly crazy Lollipop, Sketchy Dave, and Luis, Dave's one-eyed brother. Eventually, Val discovers that there is more to her new friends than meets the eye (hardy har har. Seriously, no pun intended): Luis has the Sight, which means that he can see faeries, and works for a troll named Ravus who lives nearby, delivering a potion which helps the faeries of New York to resist iron. What's more, Lolli and Dave discovered early on that if they inject that same potion into their bloodstream, it gives them a certain amount of faerie magic temporarily, as well as getting them high. As Val begins to take the potion/drug and accidentally binds herself to service for Ravus, she becomes more and more deeply entwined in the world of faeries which has been right under her nose all her life.

This book, a romantic fantasy which is often considered a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast, is one you won't be able to put down until the very end, and once you've finished it, you'll want to read it all over again. It has complex and likable characters (I thoroughly enjoyed Val's comparisons of life to video games and some of her reckless decisions, and I adored Ravus, with his gold eyes and wisdom. I even found myself liking sullen Luis, toward the end). It has faeries, swordfighting, and New York city. Best of all, it makes you think about things you've taken for granted your entire life in a whole new light, the way Ravus, with his broad perception of beauty, does. In his eyes, a gum wrapper transforms into "a mirror that never cracks," and a cigarette butt becomes "the breath of a man." The best books, in my opinion, are the ones that leave you thinking even after you're done reading them, and needless to say, Valiant is one of them. Make sure to read it before it becomes the next Twilight, though (and you know what I'm talking about. I love the Twilight books, but they're not exactly Edgar Allen Poe or anything. Plus, the fanbase is starting to scare me)--Holly Black's enticing story is being optioned as a movie, possibly to be released in 2010!

On a side note: The thing about Val's boyfriend really grossed me out. I mean, I know that stuff happens, but was it really necessary? I can think of plenty of other perfectly legitimate catalysts. I have to hand it to Holly Black, though--it really made me sympathize with Val.

Lovingly yours,
FBF

One Whole and Perfect Day by Judith Clarke

One Whole and Perfect Day (for kids middle school age and up) by Judith Clarke is the story of Lily, her mother, her grandparents, and her brother Lonnie: a "freakish" but lovable family. Lily, though still in her teens, is the partial housekeeper for the family, as her mother works long hours as a psychologist, and her lazy older brother would be no help even if he weren't away at college. "Lazy" is one way to describe Lonnie, anyway. Their grandfather, who disowned him right after threatening him with an ax, would probably say "good-for-nothing." Add that to Lily and Lonnie's grandmother, who still has an invisible friend (named Sef), with Lonnie's new girlfriend Clara, who is studying linguistics in college despite the wishes of her father, and you have a host of motley personalities, who, despite their differences, still manage to love each other... sometimes.

One Whole and Perfect Day is a wonderful tale of point of view and family. Each character is uniquely endearing once you delve deeper into his or her personality. Surprisingly, the best one of all is Lily's grandfather, Stanley--the same one who threatened Lonnie with an ax. Though his exterior is gruff, sometimes even alarming, he has a genuinely good heart. His wife, Lily's grandmother, though mildly eccentric, is perfectly sane despite her invisible friend, and all in all the perfect grandmother. She's the one who comes up with the idea of a party for the family, which, with the help of the slightest hint of magic, becomes the kind of thing everyone dreams of: one whole and perfect day.

Okay, now that I'm done with the more professional stuff:

Definitely a comfort read. You know, one of those books that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy at the end? It's not totally intellectual, but the switching point of views part is interesting. It's cool to see Lonnie from his grandfather's eyes, his sister's eyes, Clara's eyes, and then his own eyes. Not a book I'd re-read, but a good one nonetheless.

Lovingly yours,
FBF