Review: Mercedes Lackey – The Fairy Godmother

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The Fairy Godmother
Mercedes Lackey
Elena has two mean stepsisters and the worst stepmother imaginable. Sound familiar? It should. But the story doesn’t turn out for Elena exactly as one would expect. Elena has been waiting for her handsome prince for a long time but noone has turned up – except a dotty old lady who says she’s her fairy godmother.

Elena is a strong-willed female protagonist that lots of people will love and identify with. She isn’t content with her lot, and is willing to make a go of whatever happened – no matter how strange that proposition actually turns out to be. Her character development is satisfactory, which is useful because she focalises the majority of the book.
Elena’s price, Alex,is a little too predictable for my liking – but then he is following a Traditional path. I found the turning of his character to be unlikely, and it was entirely explained away by magic, rather than a series of small improvements as you would expect. I suppose that is really a side effect of The Tradition.
This is a comfort book for me, I enjoy rereading it often. Although the plot progression is quite slow, and few large things actually happen, it does keep you reading. Elena is so ingenious, you wonder what solution she will decide on. The ending is a bit rushed, and a little out of keeping with the tone of the rest of the book, but I guess Lackey felt that a climax of some kind was required.
You do need some familiarity with fairytales in order to fully understand this book. For example, when Elena first enters the Fairy Godmother’s house, there is a room full of interesting objects that Elena doesn’t recognise – but the reader should (such as a tiny slipper and a swan cloak). There are numerous other references to other fairytale traditions, so it is obvious that Lackey has done her research.
This is the first book in the Five Hundred Kingdoms series by Lackey, and it provides a great introduction into the world. Elena features in some of the other books in this series (some yet to be reviewed, and the latest one reviewed here). As a comparatively older book by Lackey, I found it to be far more interesting and well constructed than some of her new books that I have reviewed.
I’d recommend this book for adults and older teenagers. There are explicit sex scenes in this book. Other than that, there isn’t anything particularly controversial that I can see, it’s just a good remade fairytale book.

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Review: Lili Wilkinson – Scatterheart

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Scatterheart
Lili Wilkinson
Hannah is Quality. She is one of the born aristocrats of London, but her father leaves her behind. A series of misunderstandings later and Hannah finds herself on a ship to Australia. Hannah has always been selfish, but the long trip and the factories afterwards open her eyes to enjoying what she actually has.
4706044Hannah develops beautifully as a character, and it is obvious that lots of research has gone into this book. Wilkinson has a gift for bringing history to life. The majority of tortures written into the book actually occurred, and that is what makes this a historical fiction, as far as I am concerned.
I felt driven to finish this book, even though I knew what the outcome would be. It wasn’t a badly written book, like some others I have read recently, but it just wasn’t my style. For a book that says it is ‘fantasy’, it doesn’t cut it for me. The only fantasy element that I could see were the short fairytale sections put in as hallucinations or flashbacks, as well as the chapter verses.
I really want to blame disliking this book on it being written by an Australian author. But at the same time, some of my other favourite authors are Australian (think Isobelle Carmody). Maybe it is just the Australian content. I will probably try more books by this author, just not from this pseudo-fantasy genre.
This book has been long listed for a number of awards, and has glowing reviews elsewhere, if historical fiction is your thing and you think you want a more unbiased opinion. There is an underlying romance in this book that also might appeal to others – again, it’s not really my thing, and I couldn’t tell you if it is representative of its kind.
I picked up this book by mistake at the library. It was right next to another set of books by Carole Wilkinson which I really enjoyed, and the spines of the covers looked very similar. Both sets of books are published by Black Dog Books.
The level of gross in this book is pretty high. There’s torture, sex, theft; a whole range of fantastic bad things! I’d recommend this book for teenagers, not children by any means.

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Review: Mickey Zucker Reichert – The Legend of Nightfall

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The Legend of Nightfall
Mickey Zucker Reichert
Nightfall is a legend with multiple disguises, but he has finally made a mistake. Executed, stripped of disguises and charged with a seemingly impossible task, he needs to land Ned before he can escape the oath bond. Nightfall no longer has his true self to return to, but he mustn’t remain Nightfall either.
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Nightfall or Sudian, whatever you want to call him, is a nice character. I wouldn’t say he was great, but he’s not bad. You do see some significant character development, but it is mainly in terms of the way Nightfall begins to interact with the other characters, particularly he idealistic Ned.

It’s hard to discuss this book without giving away key spoiler points. Must of the book is built on suspense, which is appropriate as the third person narrative. The majority of the time it is focalised through Nightfall, which works very well for building his character.

Something I didn’t understand was why Nightfall didn’t just create another persona like the assassin Nightfall. That sentence is confusing until you have read the book I guess. Nightfall doesn’t fall into his other personas, he only remains Sudian, but surely he could have come up with another assassin similar to intimidate people! That would totally destroy everything that his childhood friend has tried to do for him though, which would undermine other parts of the book.

Something that bugs me about this book are the constant reminders about being undernourished at birth and this making Nightfall look so much smaller and uglier than Ned. If I imagine Nightfall like the way he is portrayed on the cover, I find him very attractive for a man! It’s probably the beard. Another issue I have with that is that at some stage, his locks of hair are described as being clipped shorter, but the book cover doesn’t reflect that.

This is my second time reading the book, and in my opinion it lacks something. I remembered the storyline quite well, and so all the suspense that drives the plot was lost for me. I knew that whatever Nightfall tried, he would wiggle his way around it!The book ends on a cliffhanger to an extent, and so it is fortunate there is a second book! I believe it took a long time for Reichert to produce the sequel, but it was very eagerly anticipated. It is also on my bookshelf and I’m aiming to read it some time soon. I enjoyed this book first time around, and it wasn’t a bad read as a repeat either. I’d advise savouring the read slowly the first time (if you can, it’s pretty a pretty driving narrative) so that you get the most of this book before moving on to the second.

I’d recommend this book for adults and mature teenagers. The issues of sex, diseases and prostitutes, and also violence against children are all present, but I think they are dealt with quite well, and certainly not in a positive light.

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Review: Julie Anne Peters – She Loves You, She Loves You Not…

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She Loves You, She Loves You Not…
Julie Anne Peters

Alyssa has just moved back in with her birth mother. Abandoned by her father, but still keeping in touch with her half-brother and step-mother, she tries to make do in the back of beyond. She’s falling for Finn, but will she be able to hold down a job or will she just repeat the mistakes of the past.

9415955The plotline of this novel is relatively complex, because everything is revealed slowly. Too much of a synopsis would ruin the story. So go on, just go read it. I’ve included mainly my criticisms in this review. Really, the story is compelling, Alyssa is convincing, what more can I say?
This novel is another breathtaking fiction by Peters that fits in perfectly with her other books. I find it amazing how Peters can get inside the head of her protagonist even as an older writer. This novel is slightly longer than the nine others I own, and I did stay up past my bed time to finish reading it!
I found much of the text to be heartrending, and it left me on the edge of my seat, desperately reading on to find out what was going to happen next. I have to say it left me feeling somewhat unsettled, because I connected with Alyssa so much.
The flashbacks are very interesting, because they are written in 2nd person (you said, she said). It distances Alyssa from her memories, and initially confused me as to what they were about. They add depth to her character though, and I got used to them as the novel progressed.
The only other part of the novel that stood out to me as not really fitting in were the circumstances surrounding Jason. I also did notice an apparent typo on one of the pages, which I didn’t note down at the time, but will likely notice again on a second read.
It is a little Americanised by the geography that Alyssa encounters, and I certainly struggled with where things were. I ended up treating it as I would a fantasy novel, and just remembering things by where they were via driving/walking distance rather than their actual location. Another thing that reminded me of this was the fact that Alyssa can drive even though she is only 17. This gives her freedom that Australian teens don’t have (and given the problems Alyssa has with it, it’s probably a good thing!).
There is a set of discussion questions at the back – I’m curious to know whether Peters writes these herself, or they are something the publisher came up with. Nevertheless, it’s worth looking at them, as it can spark some interesting ideas. I’d love it if these books were taught as fiction in highschools, but while homophobia still exists, it’s an unlikely dream.
I’d recommend this book for ANY teenager, not just queer identifying ones. Everyone should be able to relate to the heartbreak and feelings of betrayal that Alyssa suffers. Queer teens will particularly enjoy the book.

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Review: Diana Wynne Jones – Dark Lord of Derkholm

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Dark Lord of Derkholm
Diana Wynne Jones
The Oracles have been consulted to find out how to get rid of Mr Chesney’s tours. They’ve been ripping up the countryside, destroying everyone’s way of life, and now finally the magic of the world is being stripped away. Derk and his unconventional family have been charged with changing things – but is that really possible with some carnivorous sheep and a grouchy dragon in tow?
47587Derk just wants to be left alone with his animals and created children, but instead he is have to organize hordes of pilgrims who tour the countryside. Everyone expects the Dark Lord to attack with his armies, but first the armies actually have to get to the battlefields. Kit and Blade are the most important characters, particularly Blade, who focalizes the novel. Blade is young, but he has great wizarding powers. he lacks a teacher though, and appears to be translocating in zig-zags.
The story twists and turns satisfactorily, and although the reader might feel like they know what is happening, half the time they really don’t! The lady wizards are up to something, because the male ones are too exhausted going around with the pilgrim parties and keeping them all hidden from each other. When the magic starts to go wrong for everyone, there are big problems!
It is a little reminiscent of the Chrestomanci series in that the evil comes from another world. But yay! This book has dragons! Indeed, one of them almost destroys the plans to be rid of Mr Chesney before they even start.
The ending is good. It may be a happy ending after everything that has happened, but it’s a believable happy ending, which is nice. The novel does have a moral – you need to help yourself before you can expect outside help. Jones often includes a subtle moral plug, as she has in both the Chrestomanci and Castle series which I have previously reviewed (hit the hyperlinks for those). I will have to read more of her novels (like that is a hardship!!!) to be able to tell you whether it’s present in all her books. It doesn’t detract from your reading pleasure, and I think that this is a mark of a true author.
I’d recommend this novel for children (although it is a little bloody) and teenagers. If you’re an adult like me but still enjoy some simple reading, this is as good a book as any to read. You’ll still be guessing with the rest of the authors, even if the teenage shenanigans don’t do anything for your reading pleasure.
Fortunately for me, although the next book of this pairing is on my ‘can’t have’ shelf, this is my 40th review! Go me! I’m totally going to have the next one from my shelf! Standby for a review!

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Review: Cheryl Rainfield – Scars

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Scars
Cheryl Rainfield
Heart-rending. Kendra is in therapy, trying to come to terms with abuse that she suffered as a young child. At the tender age of 15, those painful memories are surfacing. Just as she seems to be getting closer to the roots of her problems, her life is being ripped apart again by parents who don’t seem to understand her.
7531478This book is compelling. In 42 short chapters it ripped Kendra apart, and slowly put her back together again. For that matter, it ripped me apart as well. I identified with so many things in this book, and it was painful to read. Kendra is a believable, well-realised character that is so much more than the events that have shaped her. She has her art (and cutting) as an outlet, and I only wish I could create things like she does.
I hesitate to file this under angst, because really, it’s so much more than that. Sexual abuse and physical abuse are nothing to be laughed at, particularly as they have such long lasting effects on their victims. People like Kendra don’t want to be victims, they want to stand up for themselves, but it is so hard facing what has been done to them.
Just to top off an already awesome, amazing book, this has queer elements in it. Lesbians, gays – and the accompanying homophobia that sadly does still accompany it. Also the assumption that being gay is a choice. Although the ending is satifying, I kind of long for a sequel, to know how things turn out for them both.
This is a book that you will find yourself thinking about long after you have finished reading it. The real issues it raises, the multitude of questions it tries to answer, everything. It was everything I hoped for in reading it.
This book is perhaps not one you’d be comfortable reading in public. The cover art is very provocative. It’s also relatively triggering for those who have survived abuse or have self-harmed at some point (recovering or current).
I’d recommend this book for older teens, and adults. Yes, it’s a YA fiction, but it’s a great insight into how a teen’s mind can work under stress. Please, put this on your to-read immediatly shelf. It is worth reading. This is my 60th review reward book, and I’m so glad I chose this book. It’s a well-spent $8, even if it’s reading time for me was just under 2 hours. Yes, it’s not going to be to everyone’s taste, but please, make an effort. It could just open your own eyes so that you can save others, or perhaps realise that you aren’t alone. My recent rediscovery of Goodreads helped me find this book. I’m glad I did.

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Review: Eoin Colfer – Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox

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Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox
Eoin Colfer
Artemis has been saving the fairy world for a long while. But now, the fairy world needs to save him. His mother has come down with some sort of magical sickness, and Artemis may be infected too. They will try and jump back in time – but will things have changed too drastically?
4308348Artemis continues to grow as a character, and show real remorse for things he has done in the past. Now that he has a chance to change that, will he still do what is best, or will he turn his friends against him in his quest to save his mother?
This book is yet another fascinating plot by Colfer. The twists, the turns, every book has something entirely new to offer. I think that the plot is just as compelling as the previous books in the series, and it doesn’t interfere in any way as some other series later books seem to. It provides more back story, while also pushing Artemis forward.
The concept of time comes up again and again in the books. In the first book, a time stop makes it possible for Artemis to escape a blue bio bomb. In the book before this one, Artemis misses 3 whole years of his life. I feel like this is something Colfer is pushing – make the most of the time you have, particularly with your family before it is too late.
Also evident in these books is a love of the environment, and sadness at having destroyed it. Artemis tries to right the wrongs of the past, but things can never go right for him completely. The kraken adds a hint of humour to the book, but really, it is very sad that species are going extinct. The Extinctionists are a disgusting touch that really crown the concept in this book.
What I felt was missing was more development between Minerva and Artemis. Suddenly there seems to be something between Artemis and Holly! That can’t be right surely it’s just a working relationship? I guess you’ll have to read the book to find out.
I’d recommend this book to teenagers and children alike. It’s not all that different in the type of content, so if you liked the first books, this one will just continue the enjoyment for you.
As you can see from this review, and the last one I posted, the covers to these books are different to the first four in my set. This makes me a little sad, especially considering the books now have yet another cover. A friend in the industry tells me that changing the cover is a marketing ploy to get new readers to pick up the books – but it just annoys people like me who are trying to collect a whole set.

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Review: Eoin Colfer – Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony

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Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony
Eoin Colfer
Artemis Fowl is on the hunt for fairy creatures once more, but this time he’s not the only one looking. On a island out of time, the demons are massing for an attack on the human world – but Number One doesn’t feel like he belongs. How are the two going to intercollide? The demon’s world is falling apart, and once again, Artemis is the only one who can save them.

Artemis has developed into such a likeable character. He’s good friends with Holly and Mulch, sure, he doens’t have much contact with Foaly, but it’s all good natured bickering. Suddenly though, there is another child genius on the scene, one who isn’t as sympathetic to fairies.

It’s a little predictable that the other child genius is a girl named Minerva. Artemis is noticeably older and his hormones are interfering. Minerva seems to give up just a little bit too easily for my liking, and I’d love to see a bit more cracking of Artemis’ shell. Maybe in the next book?
The plot of this novel is enjoyable. The introduction of a 8th fairy colony is subtle, and doesn’t interfere with any of the storylines in the past. It’s great how Colfer has still stuck to the idea of Artemis helping out, but making the ending different. I’m really not explaining myself well – just read it!
The ending of this novel is a real cliffhanger! Noone, even Artemis, knows where they are going to end up. Maybe this time Artemis can’t get out of it. He’s still sneaky though, a bit of magic never did anyone any harm right?
I’d recommend this book for teenagers and children. There are some more interesting quirks in the book, but nothing a bit of brain power can’t sort out. An enjoyable read for sure, and an easy one. It’s compelling – I didn’t get any work done today in order to read it! Taking a break between the books in the series was the right decision.

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Review: Eoin Colfer – Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception

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Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception
Eoin Colfer

Artemis has been mind wiped, and left with no fairy memories. It’s ironic that now he is the one being hunted instead, and he can’t even remember it! Opal has been lying in wait to get her revenge. Can Artemis and Holly escape?

114954Artemis has reverted back to the calculating individual he was before his contact with Holly. This doesn’t really let him fit in with his newly reunited family. He’s on the hunt for a particular fairy artwork, but doesn’t know why he’s attracted to it, and where those strange memories are coming from.

Meanwhile, Holly is shooting Commander Root, and Foaly is seeing his friends all killed off one by one. But who is behind this deception? Is it little Belinda, or someone else?

The Opal Deception is well crafted. It is plot driven, which is a good thing as the main characters seem to be being killed off very quickly. Colfer skillfully references things in other novels, yet still keeps a freshness in the interesting gadgets. He must have a very inventive mind to keep thinking of things for Foaly to design…

Another thing that hit me about its structure, and those of the other book in the series was that they all seem to open in a different way. This one has an excerpt from a new diary that Artemis has begun to keep. Others have a psychologist’s analysis and fake scientific expose type addresses.

I remember lining up to get this book, pouncing on its release date. Imagine my dismay when I discovered that the front cover is very different to the first three – it actually has holes in it! The story inside lived up to my expectations however.

I think I’m going to take a break from reading these now (there are 3 more on my shelf waiting to be read) and read something with more depth. I found that as I was about to launch into this one, I felt a strange sense of being tired of reading them. It’s likely just having read all of the same author for a while, I feel like a change. It is the same thing I felt when rereading the Alex Rider series.

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Review: Eoin Colfer – Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code

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Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code
Eoin Colfer

‘The Eternity Code’ is the third book in the Artemis Fowl series. Artemis is getting out of the criminal world now that his father is recovering, but he just can’t resist one last deal. He has Butler with him – what could go wrong? Hit the jump for more…

948460Artemis has come a long way from the exploitative boy we saw in the first Artemis Fowl novel. He has developed a distinct personality shift, but is still willing to use fairy knowledge to get what he wants. His last deal could spell the end of fairy life as we know it.

It’s pot luck that Artemis gets Holly when he puts in a call for help. And then it’s just sheer luck that it’s Mulch who is sent as a hitman. But really, with Artemis’ planning skills, it’s hard to believe that anything takes place because of fate.

Artemis has lost his Butler and must settle for another. It’s really quite sad, and you find yourself feeling very sorry for both of them. They are still friends, but it’s not the same relationship you saw before. Juliet isn’t a bad replacement, but it’s just not the same.

Plot driven, racey, and totally rereadable. I think this book is the equal of the first two books, which is a nice surprise, as most series tend to peter off after the first book and its sequel. If you liked the first two, you’ll like this one!

A little bit more bloody than the first books, but still suitable for children. Things are remarkably bloodless – Colfer skimps on the details of bloodshed, preferring to use up his words in describing the various consciousnesses of his characters. It adds depth, and it’s fascinating to see what plan Artemis can come up with next! It leaves me wondering how long it took Colfer to work out what everyone would do.

The ending is to be expected, but is somewhat frustrating! Artemis has to get around everything, he must, he must! But there are no guarantees. Naturally there are more books in the series, so you know that Artemis must continue in some sort of capacity, but has he been mind-wiped too far?

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