Uncovering Books

A Book Review Blog. New Reviews Weekly.

[uncoveringbooks]

Shadow's Edge by Maureen Lipinski

I was surfing my local library database for 2012 books, and stumbled upon this glorious blurb: "IAfter a lost year spent in the Other Realm of the Créatúir, sixteen-year-old Leah has decided to renounce her powers and attend high school like a normal teenager, but when a mysterious dark force starts killing the Créatúir, she must choose between her new life and helping stop the murder spree.". And so I ordered it online, and read it mainly for it's review potential. 

My Thoughts:

Three pages in and I wanted to hit my head slowly and steadily with the book. Maybe then I can knock out the teenage stupidity vibes this book gave off. Though I stuck through it, and there were a couple of unexpected turns, it came off unsatisfactory and juvenile. 

Perhaps it's my fault. I searched up this book precisely because of what it offered: a special teenage girl "shaman" who just wants to be in "normal high school".

Stereotypical teenagers (or is that normal ones) are so petty. Let's leave it at that before I launch a rant about other parts that I find less than exciting about this book. 

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

Perhaps I shouldn't expect anything more profound than subtle environmental-conservation vibes, a truly cliche "an enemy of my enemy is my friend" ending, and the realization that the son of a world-killing, magic-polluting, Fremorian demon, may not actually be a good boyfriend. 

Let's just leave it at that before I launch into a rant of how much this irritated me.

Impact:  l'm never going to judge a book by it's blurb alone, ever again.

Conclusion: Teenage girl drama. Mean Girls without the mean girls. Hot boys. Jealous girls. Football games. Magical battles where the entire world rests on the hinge, yet last twenty minutes--during prom. 

Rating: 3.5/10 for mildly amusing takes on serious things such as vampires and werewolves, and a few lines of quirky banter. 

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Some people are born to make great art and others are born to appreciate it. Don’t you think? It is a kind of talent in itself, to be an audience, whether you are the spectator in the gallery or you are listening to the voice of the world’s greatest soprano. Not everyone can be the artist. There have to be those who witness the art, who love and appreciate what they have been privileged to see.

Ann Patchett | Bel Canto

The goal of book reviewing: put eloquently. 

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Charmed Life by Diana Wayne Jones

I am an avid reader of fantasy, if I do say so myself, and Diana is one of my favourite authors of the more magical aspect. Since Chresomanci is one of her only serieses, I had to read it. This is me starting on the first book. My expectations were high going in. I was both excited and a tad disappointed. 

(*Hugs font)

Summary (by me):

Cat, or Eric, Chant always clings to her sister. Since the death of their parents, Gwenolden Chant has always been his greatest ally. She, unlike him, is gifted with witch powers, and is soon to be the greatest witch of their town. However, Gwenolden is not happy with just that. She writes to Chrestomanci, the great magician himself.

This leads to consequences neither of them had foreseen, including living with the great enchanter himself. Soon, Cat finds himself in a very precarious situation. 

My Thoughts:

It irked me considerably how Eric was always the secondary character, the shadow of Gwneolden, the "perfect" older sister. Perhaps his loss of self-identity around Gwenolden was the "point", but this method of characterization made for a lagging atmosphere. Simply put, Gwenolden was much more interesting (and detesting) for the majority of the book. However, we never have anyone's point of view other than Cat's. 

I love Chrestomanci. Though there was very little of him shown in this book, I'm in love with his unfocused, yet sharp manner. He's full of contradictions, and that just makes him yummy. 

The world building, I found, was very simple. There were different worlds but they were seldom explored. 

Impact (MAJOR SPOILERS WARNING--Ruins the entire book--don't read):

Leaning on people things. People get bossed around all the time and you might not even realize it. Gwenolden was using Cat from the day he was born, but he never even realized until Gwenolden stole his magic, bound his lives, and started planning how to kill him in front of his very eyes. 

In Conclusion: This is a great fantasy book with plenty of unexpected twists and a plot that you will covet. The detail put into the world is very basic, but good for the first book in a series. I give it an 8.2/10.

Rating: 8.2/10

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Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

Of all the people, a teacher first got me interested in this book. That being said, there are also some drooling reviews about this online, and since the excerpt on the back of this books was so amazing, I just had to read it. 

(This is not the cover I have, but you see the fading paper? With music notes faintly thrumming in the background? And the French fleur-de-lis oh, so, intricate and subtly included in the silver key? *cough* love, *cough*.) 

Summary (by me):

After a tragic event that completely shatters the fragile family Andi Alpers was once part of, she is on the brink. Losing most of your "friends" and facing expulsion from your high school is nothing compared to the fact that for some reason, the father that had left was now here and wanted to fix things-- by dragging her away from all she's ever known.  

After a few tortuous days in Paris with her, Andi's dad finally cuts her a deal: if she finishes the outline for her senior thesis, she could go home. Nothing in the world could have been more motivating for Andi. With a renewed vigor, Andi jumps into a whirlwind of writing, researching, and exploring. 

Only, her research leads her to another girl, shattered like her. The only difference is that they're two centuries apart. The diary of Alexandrine Paradis sparks something in Andi and she becomes slowly entranced. 

Perhaps by understanding what happened to Alexandrine in the past, Andi can finally understand what is happening in her own life, and start to pick up the pieces of her own shattered past. 

My Thoughts: 

We explore the entire book through the 1st person POV of Andi, and her snarky,  voice is to die for. The writing made everything tie together perfectly: the unique and angsty characters, the scenic setting, and the historical...quirks.

Not to mention: 

The writing as a whole has a balance between simple sentences and emotional punch lines that keep you hanging on for more. 

I felt engaged in the feelings of Andi, even though I thought she was a bit too caught up in herself at times. The most important thing is, even though I find topics like this boring, Donnelly's writing somehow manages to evoke the right type of deep emotions that YA is so prone to making us feel, then topping it up a notch by adding her own historical twist. 

 This book was definitely as character-driven as they come, but there are some great twists in store (hint: Paris has catacombs). The suspenseful plot on top of the characters just cinched my affection for this book. 

Impact: Most people who've read the book say that it's profound and there's a lot to be gained. However, my reaction to the most prominent theme in this book was, "duh". This book made me realize that other's trash can be your gold, but other's gold can be your trash too. :D

I bet that wasn't the message Donnelly wanted me to get, but I'm quite proud of it. It's short, blunt, and deliberately obtuse. 

Conclusion: If you're a history nerd, a music geek, a YA lover, or just a lover of a well-written book, you should read this. If angst, tears, slight-depression, light-emo-ness, teenagers, bloody revolutions, sneaking through catacombs, and guillotines are not for you, I don't know what is.  

Rating: 9.3/10 

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I'm BAAACK!

Miss me? 

I sincerely apologize. My temporary hiatus stretched way beyond my original intentions. I've rewritten this notice of sorts, many times, and the more I go through the reasons of why I haven't been posting, the more I realize that it doesn't matter. Excuses are more worthless than this really bad attempt at a metaphor. 

All I really have to say is: 

Next week-- a Book Review! (Probably Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly)

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PSA: NaNoWriMo

As you may have deduced from the title, I will be participating in NaNoWriMo. A sad result of this fact is that I will not have time to write reviews during the month of November. I hope my wonderful, inspiring followers will forgive this gap in reviews and continue to support me as you have so wonderfully done. I've only been posting reviews on here for, what, two months now? The response is astounding, so thank each and everyone of you. I will return in December with an astounding review array, and hopefully a more masterful use of words to convey my thoughts. 

Write on everyone! 

Link for anyone interested: NaNoWriMo: National Novel Writing Month

PS: If you are interested in me posting bi-weekly updates on my progress on NaNoWriMo, email me at [email protected]. I still might not do it, but I was wondering how many of you would be interested.

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(On the) Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

This book came heavily recommended from numerous other book reviewers, so I picked it up. Boy was I not prepared for the depth of this book. This book is right up there with Looking for Alaska, by John Green (my review of that here). 

Summary (by me):

Abandoned by her mother on at the age of eleven, Taylor Markham grew up on the Jellicoe Road. Now seventeen and the reluctant leader of her boarding school dorm, she is finally being confronted with her past. 

But there isn't much time for introspection, as the territory war between the Jellicoe School students, the Townies, and the Cadets is occurring, and business always comes before personal feelings. 

But as Taylor's inevitable curiosity takes her closer and closer to the past, she realizes that almost everything is connected. Nothing is as it seems as Taylor tries to find out the connection between her mother dumping her, Hannah finding her and bringing her to the school, a mysterious stranger that whispered something in her ear, a boy in her dreams, five kids who lived on Jellicoe road eighteen years ago, and the infuriating and intense Jonah Griggs who seems to understand her more than anyone else.

As pieces of the past are unearthed, Taylor realizes that it might be just what she needs to change the future.  

My Thoughts: I enjoyed the descriptive and captivating writing. Taylor is a unique narrator, who is always a bit detached from life. Her story is written in vivid, dramatic sentences on the verge of being run-on, that give her voice an edge to it that just shines. 

Her character develops throughout the story, and as she becomes less detached and pessimistic in life, you feel as if you are being reborn through her eyes; finally starting to see the magic of a world you didn't want to acknowledge before for fear of losing it. (See what I mean about sentences on the verge of run-on?)

The plot is so complicated and deep that it is intoxicating. All of the pieces to the answer are out of order, and Taylor doesn't really sort out her thoughts (no time for introspection, remember?) so not only is this book a growing experience for Taylor, it is one for the reader too. As a reader you actively participate in the unearthing of secrets. Marchetta really nails the "show, don't tell" rule, writing a story so deep and engaging, that as long as you get over the constant state of confusion you're in, you start to enjoy the book. 

I feel like I should talk more about Jonah Griggs, but I think that will ruin some of the best parts of this amazing book. All I will say, is that he is intense. 

The Impact: There are so many impacts this book has on me that I wouldn't be able to list them all. I think I will just give an excerpt of the prologue:

My father took one hundred and thirty two minutes to die. 

I counted.

It happened on Jellicoe Road. The prettiest road I'd ever seen, where trees made breezy canopies like a tunnel to Shangri-la. 

***

Someone asked us later, "Didn't you wonder why no one came across you sooner?"

Did I wonder?

When you see your parents zipped up in black body bags on the Jellicoe Road like they're some kind of garbage, don't you know?

Wonder dies.

An that, my friends, is the seemingly random prologue that sets the mood for the entire story. 

Conclusion: A deep book that explores many, many of life's emotional roller-coasters. With vivid and captivating writing, this is a book that will make you laugh and cry, and maybe even change the way you view the world.

Rating: 9.7/10 

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But There is a Gap by Ira Glass

Source: Emy Shin

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Book Review: The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney

This book was on many other bloggers' list of Best Back to School Books. I was curious, and so I decided to find out what it was about. This was a very difficult book to review... I'm still not sure I'm satisfied with it.

Summary (by Goodreads):

Some schools have honor codes. Others have handbooks. Themis Academy has the Mockingbirds.

Themis Academy is a quiet boarding school with an exceptional student body that the administration trusts to always behave the honorable way--the Themis Way. So when Alex is date raped during her junior year, she has two options: stay silent and hope someone helps her, or enlist the Mockingbirds--a secret society of students dedicated to righting the wrongs of their fellow peers.

In this honest, page-turning account of a teen girl's struggle to stand up for herself, debut author Daisy Whitney reminds readers that if you love something or someone--especially yourself--you fight for it.

My Thoughts:

Where shall I start? Something positive.

Alex is a very interesting character in the way that she views the world. She has her own way at dealing with things, and since she loves music so much, everything that happens to her she relates to some part of music. I found that deepened the character.

The tone and writing was okay. I found the fact that this was by a debut author really showed. This book could have been an onrush of emotion and pathos, but I found the plain, almost matter-of-fact retelling took away from the deepness of the book.

This book had a great theme: stand  up for yourself. It also explores a lot, trying not to ruin anything, 

The plot was severely lacking in some respects. The idea of The Mockingbirds had so much potential to be a symbol; to be more than just a band of students that solved crime in a boarding school, but I found the way it was written was too unrealistic. 

The Impact: This book had a powerful theme. Stand up for yourself... I think that's pretty much all I can say without ruining too much.

Conclusion: This was a book with a great theme. It explores some deep things, yet the writing is matter-of-fact enough so that you don't get emotional. I felt it had a lot of potential, and though it may not have been fully explored, it's still a noteworthy novel. 

Rating: 7.7/10

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Why isn't there a link at the front of your site to ask questions.

The short answer: I don't know how to make the link appear.

The explanation: I have a really weird blog layout where the ask button just doesn't show up.There should be a link at the bottom of this though; you can use it to ask future questions.

I'll make an ask page to fix this problem. 

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Book Review: Graceling by Kristin Cashore

By Kristin Cashore

Truthfully, I picked up this book because I saw that Tamora Pierce wrote praise for this book on the back. Plus, I’m not so sure about this now, but I used to love butt-kicking heroines (Maximum Ride, anyone?).

Summary (from back of book):

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug.

When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change.

She never expects to become Po’s friend.

She never expects to lean a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away...

My Thoughts: This book captured me the moment I opened it. It had electrifying, pulsing, graceful moments, following each other like heartbeats. The plot was a great mixture of action, fantasy, with a bit of a romance entwined. 

This fantasy world was very enjoyable to read. The story takes place in a land of seven kingdoms: the names were thankfully easy to remember, and the war/politics going on just draws me in like a moth to a light. *whistles* Oh how I love fantasy. 

The main character, Katsa, is a wonderfully strong heroine. I absolutely adore her. She’s likable in the way that she knows her strengths and weaknesses, and is not afraid to them (and they are pretty hard to admit--I mean... my weakness is killing people... gosh). Her voice in the novel shines through even when written in third person. A character of few words, you learn a lot from what she doesn’t say, which is always engaging. 

You immediately feel a kinship with her because of her easily identified strengths and weaknesses. The male protagonist, Po, is a strong water to her fire, yet they both share a stubbornness that I frankly covet. When they are together, you can’t help but glow, because their particular blend of contrasting personalities, while not particularly safe, causes awesome fireworks.

To make this clear, this book also has a complex plot. It's not solely based on the romance. Po and Katsa accidentally stumble onto a deadly secret, which some very powerful people will do anything to keep. Their adversary is just as powerful, if not more than them. 

There are many complications and twists to the plot, but sometimes I felt out of balance. So much emphasis was put on Katsa, her character, her problems, her worries, and her relationship with other people (mainly Po), that I actually felt side tracked when the book concentrated on the plot. The resolution of the story could have been more spread out and more detail given, but overall, it was an exciting plot. 

To me, the interactions between Po and Katsa was still the bright point.

How it Impacted My Life: In one part of the book, Po and Katsa were talking, and he said:

 “Katsa, you can hunt, make the fire, beat me to a pulp when we fight, and I won’t be humiliated, only humbled. I’d thank you if you’d like.”

(*side note: see what I mean about the awesome character fireworks? Po and Katsa are SO, um, hot.)

The impact on me was realizing the difference between humiliate and humble. Forget about Katsa needing to refine her mind--I wish I was as smart as Po!

Conclusion: This book is exciting, fast-paced, witty, and has a strong heroine. She is uniquely independent, and one of the only people in her world who are truly free to make their own decisions, yet she is afraid of her own power. Follow her story and quest about how she threw away the chains cast on her as a child, and stopped being the beast everyone thought she was. She is Katsa, the Wildcat, and forever free.

Rating: 9.1/10

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The Pearl by John Steinbeck

This was a book that always stared me in the face when I walked into the library. It mocked my busy reading schedule with it's shiny Nobel Prize medal, and eventually, I broke. I read. 

*Note: this is not the cover that I have, but my favourite one.

Summary (from back of book):

When the news of Kino's great find--the "Pearl of the World"--spreads through the small town, no one suspects its power to deceive, to corrupt, to destroy.

Like his father and grandfather before him, Kino is a poor diver, gathering pearls from the Gulf beds that once brought great wealth to the Kings of Spain and now provide Kino, Juana, and their infant son with meager subsistence. Then, on a day like any other, Kino emerges from the sea with a pearl as large as a seagull's egg, as "perfect as the moon." With the pearl comes hope, the promise of comfort and security...

A story of classic simplicity, based on a Mexican folk tale, The Pearl explores the secrets of man's nature, the darkest depths of evil, and the luminous possibilities of love.

My Thoughts: My head was bored, then it exploded. Let me explain. 

I read this book two times. First time, I enjoyed the prose and the simple if heart-touching story. Second time, I did a bit of research on these things called symbols, and my head just exploded. Please excuse me as I collect bits of my brain.

This book was short, a Novella, but the depth of the story and the characters was truly astounding. It's making me question this book's rating as MG, for the issues and themes it explores is anything but Middle-Grade. 

The writing in this book is evocative complete with great description of the surroundings, and Kino's songs greatly help to set the mood. I found the writing a bit bland at a few times, but mostly because it was written in the 1930's, and the style then is very different than now. The plot is stunningly heart wrenching in it's simplicity, and the way everything is tied together--plot, setting, theme and characters, is what I think truly makes this a Nobel prize winner.

I think the best way to explain this book is like this: it is an Epic. No, not as in a long poem, but as in a narrative exploring a culture, it's world view, and the tale of a hero who sets out on a quest, and in the end, finds out the real reason for the quest. 

Yes, what I'm saying is the The Pearl is like The Illiad, except not for the Greeks, but for the Americans in the 1900's. Exactly. Think about it.

The Impact: Many themes were explored in this small, 89 paged (isn't it almost ridiculously short?) novella. (SPOILERS AHEAD. WARNING.) My impact section no doubt doesn't do this deep book justice, but what I found the most defining moment in the book was when Kino struck Juana. He knew what he did was wrong, he knew that Juana was some parts right, yet he still did it. He did it because of the vision he had of the beautiful future where his son could read, he had a rifle, and Juana would finally be wed to him. 

I think this book really showed how people can sometimes be so distracted by what they want, that they forget about what they have. Most people don't realize that what you have is worth infinitely more than what you want. After all, what you have is here for you, around you, a part of you; what you want is just any empty thought that might be distracting you from the wonders of what you already have.

Conclusion: A short but incredibly deep story that is a miraculous blend of plot, characters, setting and themes. Not a light read. Though short, thoughts from it will continue to revolve around your mind for weeks after. 

Rating: 9.1/10

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Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

*Author's Warning: This review contains extreme colloquialism.

 Oooh! Oooh! 

I think this is my first MG novel book review! Yes! I love MG, and this is an absolute favourite, so prepare yourself for the book review of DOOOM!

(*Don't you LOVE the tagline?)

My hopes are pretty high for this book, as I’ve seen some of the other books in this series in the library a few times and they look hilarious. I’ve also read a few rave reviews about this, so I’m hoping for a hilarious read.

Summary (by me!): Twelve year-old Stephanie Edgley is a witty heroine, who is not afraid to speak her mind. With Skulduggery, a talking skeleton as her constant companion, a woman who takes on a full grown troll with only her sword, a tailor who was cursed before he was born, and a seducing book-collector who freely admits she’d betray them at any moment; Stephanie has to help find the mythical Scepter of the Ancients before the evil  Nefarian Serpine, or else the majority of the human race will be killed, and the few survivors will be turned into mindless slaves.

My Thoughts: This book was great. It not only met my humongous expectations, but exceeded them in some way. That doesn’t happen often, and I’m so glad it did. It was funny, had great plot, and the characters were even easy to relate to; something I had not been counting on.

The plot was exciting and a total roller coaster ride. The setting is amazing, and the magic is interesting. Though what sold me the most were the characters.

Stephanie has a voice, that as an avid reader and lover of fantasy, I love. It maybe just her matter of fact way of dealing with the supernatural, or her refusal to be pushed around, or maybe just when she had this conversation:

“Gordon used to talk about you all the time, boast about his little niece. He was an individual of character, your uncle. It seems that you are too.”

“You say that as if you know me.”

“Strong willed, intelligent, sharp-tongued, doesn’t suffer fools gladly... remind you of anyone?”

“Yes. Gordon.”

“Interesting,” he said. “Because those are the exact words he used to describe you.”

Stephanie is an amazing character, but utterly clueless about her abilities. She is also everything that the previous conversation says. Sharp, intelligent, and a very fun character to read.

Skulduggery, is an extremely funny companion, but he is a person of many sides.

Impact: Though you might not notice at first, Skulduggery and Stephanie have a lot in common. In fact, they both have terribly long names that start with "S"!

I think this book really showed me, that there are many, many, sides to people (and characters). It showed me that every single past event, no matter how small, has contributed to who we are. Every second, every choice that you make changes you forever. 

For example, if you've been truthful all your life, but you lie--even once--you cease to be always truthful. You and a person who's lied a lot could both correctly be called liars. 

I'm not trying to argue about moral and social stuff, just trying to make a point. A better example, probably, is if you have a white sheet of paper. It doesn't matter if your sheet has one dot of black on it, or if someone else's is mostly black: both of them would be considered "not white". 

I'm really not sure where I'm going with this... It's thought provoking, surely. If anyone feels inspired by this and wants to make another blog post focusing solely on this phenomenon, don't forget to credit me with a link back to this blog! 

Conclusion: This book was never what I expected, and is the freshest fantasy I’ve read all year. I definitely recommend it to any fantasy lover out there. This book has a strong protagonist, great characters, and action packed plot.

Rating: 9.3/10

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Looking For Alaska By John Green

This book has recieved raving reviews from almost every YA book reviewer out there, so my expectations were kind of high going in. This book not only exceeded my expectations, it imploded them. Don't worry, my expectations recover fast (; 

Summary (rephrased from back of book):

Miles Halter—better known as Pudge—is a normal young boy. He would be entirely normal is he 1.wasn’t a skinny outcast in his public high school, and 2.didn't have an obsession with famous last words. His relatively safe and mostly boring life takes a turn when he decides to pursue the “Great Perhaps”, the last words of Fancois Rabelais, a poet. He heads off to the “sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything but boring” Culver Creek Boarding School.

There he meets the hot, clever, oh-so-sexy, messed-up, and unpredictable Alaska Young. She pulls Pudge into her labyrinth, catapults him into a Great Perhaps, and changes him forever. 

My thoughts:

Best. Book. Ever.

Right now, I wish I had a sidebar where I could feature this book as the book of the month. The characters are extremely well developed. This book made me finally realize why people would love contemperary works more than fantasy. 

Contemporary has more of an oomph! to it's characters that I've never read in any other book. Maybe it's the fact that fantasy novels have stunning plots that take the spotlight away from characters, or the characters in this book are just great because of the writing that won a Printz. One thing is for certain--you will find yourself falling head-over-heels for the characters in this book. 

The Impact:

The largest impact, of course, has something to do with an even that happens in the, uh, later chapters of the book. I won't spoil it, but if you've already read it, we can agree that the way it is written is splendid an beautiful. 

Another impact is how this book has opened my eyes to characters in books. In all my years of reading, (and there have been many), I have never read a book where the characters held so much life, emotions, and breath. The characters were so real and well developed that you could even imagine what they would do if they grew up. You got to understand them like your best friend. 

I've never read a book that had someone in them that was that realistic. Sure I could feel like best friends, but not like they were real. 

Conclusion: An amazing contemporary novel with stunning characters, exciting setting, and vivid writing worthy of a Printz. Recommended for anyone wanting a intellectual read. Not for the faint hearted. I love, love, loved this. 

Rating: 9.7/10

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Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken

Having a particular soft spot for debut authors, I picked up this fantasy novel with wizards, weaving, and romance. The romance, I discovered, was a minor part. That made me happy.

Summary (From flap of book):

"The day the rains came was like any other, blistering air coating the canyon in a heavy stillness..."

Just as the rains come after ten long, dry years, a young wizard, Wayland North, appears, to whisk Sydelle Mirabil away from her desert village. North needs an assistant, and Sydelle is eager to see the country—and to join him on his quest to stop the war that surely will destroy her home. But North has secrets—about himself, about why he choose Sydelle, about his real reasons for the journey. What does he want from her? And why does North’s sworn enemy seem fascinated by Sydelle himself?

Through a journey that spans a country, magic and hard-won romance are woven together with precision and brilliant design by a first-time novelist.

My Thoughts:

From the summary—or blurb, whatever you like to call it—I thought this was another typical romance novel about a country girl, a dashing wizard, oooh, suddenly the girl has magic; they are soulmates; and after killing the bad guy who some how knew she had magic; they fall in love, happily ever after. But it wasn’t--it was entirely something else.

This book was a breath of fresh air, and how I believe romances should be written. Without all the drama and absurdity of two people just clicking on sight. 

I think that life is mostly about the journey, and that in books, it's all  about the journey. Their journey has so many breath-catching spots, 

Sydelle is such a great character. She is clever, down-to-earth, and has a temper. Her most special point is her stubbornness. I enjoyed it immensely. She would do something she knows is stupid, just to prove you wrong. She has pride, and doesn't try to hide her disgust at North's bad habits. 

North, the male in this romance book, is so amazing. He is intelligent, a tad arrogant (he is a wizard) and incredibly dashing. He has his own amazing share of flaws though. He loves to drink--he met his best friend that way--and gets drunk quite frequently. His hygiene is something terrible, and he doesn't really keep a clear head when loved ones are involved. 

How on earth did they end up together? This seemingly impossible feat is achieved using a plot line that goes back milimina to the founding of five nations, a upcoming war spanning the width of three countries, and a prophesy--need I go on? 

I was really surprised by the depth of this book, and I hope you'll read it and decide for yourself. 

The Impact: 

One of the things this book has taught me is never judge a book by it's cover--or rather, it's genre. I usually turn my nose up at fantasy/paranormal romances because there seems to be a stigma attached to them that they must have no plot, and end with a ridiculous happy ending that is against all odds (sadly, I also have a few personal experiences with this stigma). Yes this book was a romance, but most of it was plot and it was an enjoyable read. I believe I shall try more different genres of books in the future. 

Conclusion: This book gets an 8.7/10. (I didn't know I could do .7's but I did.) It had a sweet romance, a great plot with plenty of twists, okay world-building, and solid characters. I'm a bit softer in the rating section because it's a debut, but I'm definitely looking forward to anything else by this author.

Rating: 8.7/10 

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Eon* by Alison Goodman

*Other titles include: Eon Dragoneye Reborn, Eon Rise of the Dragoneye, The Two Pearls of Wisdom.

I read it based on a recommendation from a friend, and I couldn’t put it down. Other reasons for reading it include the mystical and beautiful cover, the mention of dragons, magic, and sword fighting in the blurb, and the recommendation from Tamora Pierce. 

Summary (by me, using the book and original blurb for guidance):

The current Emperor is old and weak, and the heir is young and inexperienced. The High Lord Sethon has been commander of the Empire's armies for decades, and now he sees his chance to strike. If he were to succeed, it's the end of peace and prosperity.

Nothing short of a miracle can save the empire...

Enter Eon twelve-year old, who has been training for years in sword-work and magical aptitude. He has been training for the chance to become a Dragoneye, one of the apprentices of the twelve dragons of good fortune. 

If he is chosen, the entire empire will be expecting a miracle from him. Not only that, just by just existing he will have made a dangerous enemy of the High Lord Sethon. 

To complicate things further, Eon has a terrible secret. He is actually sixteen-year old Eona, who disguised herself as a boy to train for Dragoneye. Females are banned from dragon magic, and if she is discovered, a crime of high treason would be the least she has to worry about. 

Set in an Asian-based fantasy world on the brink of war, Eon walks a razor sharp edge between the treacherous court politics, and struggles to survive in a world where everyone either wants to use her... or kill her. 

My Thoughts: Wheuph! This book is a bombardment of conflicting emotions. Think of the worst time (emotionally) you had as a teenager, multiply it by twenty; add in the fact that you cannot be yourself or you die (or get arrested for high treason); everyone you meet is either plotting to kill you or to somehow control you; and you'll be close to how Eon feels. 

The constant danger and fear for her life keeps you engaged (oh, you have no idea) even in the more descriptive parts, and the uniqueness of the setting keeps you captured the rest of the time. I don't know about you, but I love the quickness and sharpness of the political intrigue. 

Eon is a deep character with many layers that you have to peel through. All of the characters have many layers, each with their own secrets that are slowly revealed. 

The Impact: In a world such as this, it really makes you feel the importance, the potency, of truth. 

There, everyone wants something from Eon. In order to survive and not be controlled, Eon always tells only part of the truth. 

At first it bothered me that Eon did not let people in easily, but later I saw the wisdom of her actions, as this book has a very complex plot, filled with sharp turns, and her caution proved necessary. 

In the end, when Eon finally begins to tell the entire truth and things unravel, as they do in stories, it causes a stunning conclusion. When you finish reading, you sit in awe at the power of truth, and what it caused in the end. 

I think this is an engaging read, and I would recommend it to any YA fantasy lover.

Conclusion: This book stunned me and then blew me away while I was frozen with the depth of the book. It was intricate, suspenseful, intelligent, and masterfully crafted. The setting, characters and plot had an emotional depth that I have not read in a fantasy book for a while. This is recommended for all YA fantasy lovers, especially to fans of Tamora Pierce. 

Overall Rating: 9.5/10 

~Raie 

PS: Comments are now up! I'd love to hear what you think!

[uncoveringbooks]

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE INANIMATE OBJECT?

Elastics. They have a lot of uses and are easily portable.

See all those beautiful vowels? The way your tongue ricochets in your mouth when you say "elastics"?

Perfection. 

(Yes, I have an obsession with words; why do you ask?)