Review: Graceling - Kristin Cashore

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Genre: YA fantasy
Pages: 480
Published: 2008

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. She never expects to fall in love with beautiful Prince Po. She never expects to learn the truth behind her Grace - or the terrible secret that lies hidden far away, a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

 I will once again go against the flow. I have heard great things and I expected so much, but honestly, it was ok, nothing more nothing less.

Katsa was supposed to be really dangerous, and everyone was scared of her since she killed her cousin when she was eight. She saw herself as a monster, a beast, well, yes that is ok, but I was not scared of her. I know she was doing all these kinds of right things so make herself feel better. But I wanted to be scared of her, at least a tiny bit. To see her as others saw her. But there was nothing. And that actually went on through the entire book. It was rather sweet. This was a killer, there was blood, treats, but that atmosphere did not change and the book felt too cute.

Other than the overall cuteness of the book, and that I never felt oh no danger danger, Katsa was a good heroine. I liked her, she was nice. Po was a cutie too, and they made a good couple. if you can call them that.

Which brings me to my other point, ok yes yes she is all kick ass and stuff, but does she has to go out of her way to be so anti-girl, I hate my hair, cut it off, I do not want babies or a relationship. This love story, yikes. Just cos she is anti-woman does not mean she can't be in a relationship, that does not mean you give up your freedom, and that you can only see each other a few times in a year because or else my freedom will suffer.

Ok by now you might have seen that this is turning out to be one of those negative reviews. But it was ok, and that is the problem. I always get so disappointed when a book turns out to be ok. I always expect more and had so from this one. But it was too cute, too YA. Too simplistic.

 But yes do not listen too me, I always find faults in ok books. They just makes me sad cos they have so much potential, and I expected more.

Blodeuedd's Cover Corner: I do like both, the first really shows how she is, and the other is rather mysterious. Nice covers.

Reason 4 reading: Borrowed from a friend

Final thoughts: Everyone else loves it so go on give it a try.

Review: Kissing Games of the World - Sandi Khan Shelton

Genre: Fiction
Pages: 400
Published: 2008

If there's one point that Jamie McClintock and Nate Goddard can agree upon, it's that love is overrated. Jamie doesn't have time for it. Nate doesn't need it. And they certainly don't want it from each other.

Jamie, a struggling free-spirited artist, is a devoted single mother who hasn't been in a serious relationship since her boyfriend abandoned her after their son was born. Nate, a charismatic jet-setting salesman, is widowed and estranged from his father and five-year-old son, Christopher. Jamie would rather glue glitter to pinecones than go out on a date. Nate spends most of his nights wooing his clients. Then one afternoon Nate's father drops dead of a heart attack. In that moment, their highly guarded worlds collide.

When Nate shows up at his childhood home to settle the estate and reclaim his son, he discovers that Jamie has been living in the Connecticut farmhouse as his father's roommate. Mistrustful of each other's motives, Nate and Jamie bicker about everything from children's nicknames to Jamie's fashion choices to Nate's home renovation methods. It doesn't help that Christopher prefers Jamie to his absentee father.  But after the funeral, Nate and Jamie begin to see each other in a more forgiving light. And both begin to realize they don't know as much about love as they thought. Still wounded by past heartbreak and sorrow, can they learn to trust each other and open their hearts?

 

 

This was a wonderful book. It had this easy, slow pace, like drinking ice tea on the porch a nice summerday. I am not saying it was like that all the time. Oh no, it had ups and downs and I wanted to kick someone. But the language was like that.

They all had issues. Jamie had man issues, she was overprotective of her son, but that was understandable since he had asthma. But she did not let anyone get close really. She had let Harris though. Then there is Nate who had severe father issues. These two clashed at once. He did not like to find her in his old home, and he was thinking she had slept with his dad. She saw him as he was, a harsh idiot sometimes. Those were also the times I wanted to give him a kick. He was certainly not nice, but yes, issues. The only two that had some hope and seemed normal were the kids. Oh they were lovely, talked all the time and saw truth. The author did a wonderful job with everyone really. People do have issues.

This is not a romance, it is a book about loss, finding yourself, hope and love. These two people really deserve to be loved. Nate does have a fiancee' but does he love her, or does he just need someone there. It is not like he meets her a lot either. Jaime is a single mum with a minimum lovelife. Her sister tries to get her to date but to no avail. Then these two meet, harsh words, but passion underneath, and slowly something starts to build up. Something that could get torn down any minute.

This book grabs a hold of you, and you keep reading, while sitting on that porch. The language flows easily. There is no I either hate or love these characters, no grey zones. They all had flaws, they were human, and yes they did and said stupid things. But she made it easy to still like them, and love some. And yes get angry at some too of course.

I can't remember who talked about it, but it was about titles in books, and I found this one here. It fitted  Nate perfectly.

This book did have some underlying sexual tension and sparkling romance wanting to get through. I enjoyed their awkward dance and waited for them to see the light. They were meant to be, but the road there seemed rocky to say the least.

 

It was a book with many layers, and I did enjoy them all. To see life go by in their lives as they struggles with their new roles. I was pleasantly surprised.

Blodeuedd's Cover Corner: A nice, simple yet beautiful cover that fits the tone of the book.

Reason 4 Reading: Review copy from the publisher

Final thoughts: A sweet, and nice read.

 

Review: Vampire Academy - Richelle Mead + guestblogging

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Book 1

Genre: YA paranormal
Pages: 336
Published: 2007

St. Vladimir's Academy isn't just any boarding school, t's a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They've been on the run, but now they're being dragged back to St. Vladimir's, he very place where they're most in danger.

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy's ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi, he world's fiercest and most dangerous vampires, make Lissa one of them forever.

This is about teen vampires, and their guardians. Those are so called dhampirs, half human half vampire. There are also the strigoi, those vamps and alike that have gone over to the dark side. I read that she had borrowed these things from Romanian vampire and I liked the different mixes. That the vampires had noble families and how the dhampirs was treated sometimes. The history and those things were ok.

But it does feel so very YA, teen angst, cliques, drinking, sex. Drama and more drama. Those parts just made me realise why I stopped reading YA in the first place.

Rose, well she is just so so, angry, slutty, made me wonder about her self respect at times. I actually liked Lissa more, too bad we didn't see much of her. She had just more of everything.  And I liked the what if she slips to the dark side angle. But yes they worked together, but I still did not like Rose.

As for other characters, I did like Christian. His anti-social status, no on liking him and darkness. He was a good character. Dimitri, well he was hunky, but can't he look at girls his own age.

Oh and then there was drama girl, oh sighs, the drama, too much to bare. They spent the entire book at the Academy so yes a lot of teens, and drama, and mean girls.

It's not that I did not like it, no it was ok, but too much drama more me. Mean girls with vampires .

Blodeuedd's Cover Corner:The girl looks to bitchy, I do not like this cove at all. Oh and she looks like Angelina Jolie, scary.

Reason for reading: My own copy

Final thoughts: If you like vampires, with a bit of romance and drama then yes. It was ok.

I am guestblogging today over at Booklust. Aarti has this fun feature called Rosie's Riverters. 
Go have a look :)

Review: Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Book 2, The Hunger Games

Genre: YA futuristic
Pages: 400
Published: September 2009

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

I tried to hold out for the library to get the English copy, but when they got another Swedish copy I could no longer wait and got it. And started reading at once. I can't say how it is holding up so let's say that the English version is even better. (Yay I do get to find out and wont have to wait months for them to get that copy.)

I think the beginning might have been like the first book, good, and then suddenly great. I meant to read for 5 minutes but I started in that good/great gap and I could not stop reading. I did not want to put the book down. It was so intense and I had to know what happened next. She sure has a way to get a hold on you.

Katniss and Peeta are on their victory tour. Really creepy actually, it gives the president a chance to show the horror of the games again and to control the people. We don't get to see much of the victory tour and I would have liked more since that would have given us a chance to learn more about the districts. Then they get home and President Snow is still not happy and Katniss fears for her and her family. And a revolution is growing as the people turn their rage towards the capitol.

It's a great book, perhaps not as good as the first one because that first book is always amazing. But this one may start good, and it only gets better. At a certain point in the book it gets really intense and it stays that way. Now I can't wait for book 3 and see how it turns out. I want freedom for these people, The Hunger Games, I can't even start to explain my horror for them and how the districts are ruled with an iron hand. I love the world she created, a grim future without any hope.

The romance then, well I do not know if I am for Peeta or Gale. It changes, they both are great, and can be good for her. I do not know which she will choose, and I do not know who I want her to choose.

Still loving Katniss, she sure can be kick-ass, and the supporting characters are great too, this time you learn more about everyone.  And they all have something, if good or evil.

One thing though, I felt like the book stagnated at one time, sure it was great writing, but the story could have moved forward in a more different way.

The second book did not let me down, and how I will be able to wait a year, I do not know. The ending is good, and leaves you wanting more.

Blodeuedd's Cover Corner: Not liking it, but it does show the bird, and the simple cover suits the mood.

Reason for Reading: Library Book

Final thoughts: Read this series, if you haven't read a YA book then start with The Hunger Games. It's amazing.