5. Gatecrasher

The Gatecrasher by Madeleine Wickham

Summary: Fleur Daxeny considers her life perfect because she goes through more rich men than she has designer hats. She successfully crashes funerals to find wealthy men whom are distressed from sorrow. Fleur wastes no time in seducing her latest conquest, the rich widower Richard Favour. His children become caught up in a whirlwind by their father's new girlfriend. Fleur generally tries not to fall in love with her conquests, but she soon finds herself embracing Richard and his family. But just as Fleur contemplates ending her crashing funerals days for good, a long-buried secret threatens to destroy her new family.

Review: I do not normally read chicklet books, since most of the conclusions are predicable and the characters are stereotyped. However, Wickham has designed set formula for the creation each story, which makes the plot predicable but interesting at the same time. For me, knowing where a story is going does destroy my enjoyment value. In fact I find discovering how the events lead me to the conclusion the best part.

For reading something out of my preferred genre, I was impressed. The book held my attention with its multiply points of view and intriguing characters. Wickham continuously switches the point of view between all the relevant characters. This allows for more depth and understanding into each characters personality and background, making them and story loveable.

I had thought this book would be a brainless beach read, something to mindlessly read for pleasure and expect no substance. I was proven wrong. The story blossomed into a world where people are not who they initially seem. It was interesting to discover how little the characters knew of one another, until the secrets exploded like fireworks in the afternoon. It makes one wonder ‘where did that come from because I did not see it coming’.

Wickham has a habit of concluding her books with a climatic ending. This left me in suspense until the last page, were it all fell apart. The climax I thought was coming did not; in fact another climax had surfaced all together. Thou it was surprising and unpredictable, I was slightly disappointed. The ending was less desirable then the climax I had anticipated, but the beginning and middle were fantastic. I enjoyed the core of the book more than the ending.

In conclusion, the book was like eating mousse that is only 50 calories, but still tastes good. I enjoyed every bite until I became depressed over its end. I find it useful to try new things and this was defiantly a good experience.

<3 Kitty

4. The Lovely Bones

The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold

Summary: My name was Salmon, like the fish. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973. So begins the story of Susie Salmon, who is adjusting to her new home in heaven, a place that is not at all what she expected, even as she is watching life on earth continue without her -- her friends trading rumors about her disappearance, her killer trying to cover his tracks, her grief-stricken family unraveling. Out of unspeakable tragedy and loss, The Lovely Bones succeeds, miraculously, in building a tale filled with hope, humor, suspense, and even joy.

Review: When I was first introduced to this book I was told, the first few pages graphically describe the rape and murder of a fourteen year old girl. I was also told despite the disturbing introduction the book is amazing, this is in fact true. What I original thought was going to be a story about a dead girl conducting paranormal activities to aid her family in the capture of her killer, was actually about viewing the living and how they survive such a tragedy.

Sebold shows the reader how the death of a loved one can alter fate and an entire community. The characters left to cope with the tragedy began to drift apart or unexpectedly come together. The common fact remaining, a loved one has died, what do I do now?

This question invites the reader into a series of tales viewed through the eyes of Susie as she watches life on Earth continue. Thou the tales are intriguing, they perform more like character sketches then advancing any sort of plot.

Upon finishing the book, I was left with no sense of enlightenment; except that the dead walked among us and can hear us if we speak to them. I felt dissatisfied with the concluding events that addressed the murderer. I felt no resolution was reached. Nothing was discovered to put the loved ones at ease, to help them move on.

I sense that Sebold is trying to show justice is not always reached, and the harsh truth of reality is unsettling. However, reading in my opinion is to escape reality and therefore should not be present in a story. Who doesn’t appreciate a happy ending?

My conclusion, the book was an enjoyable collection of short stories that answer a bigger question. However, it was amazing and well written. Thou the book lacked a central plot I did enjoy my time spent with it. I can also say the book is before its time, because the contents deal with what most are not ready to face. Evil exists and it will sometimes go unnoticed.

<3 Kitty

3. The Gargolye

The Gargoyle by Andrew Davison
Series: Single
Status: Complete
Genre: Fiction

Summary:
In a burn ward, a man lies between living and dying, so disfigured that no one from his past life would recognize him. Then a woman named Marianne Engel walks into his hospital room, a schizophrenic sculptress from the psych ward, who insists that she knows him - that she has known him for 700 years. She remembers vividly when they met, in a convent in medieval Germany, when she was a nun and he was a wounded mercenary left for dead. Though he has forgotten this, she will prove it to him. So Marianne Engel begins to tell him their story, shattering his disbelief and slowly drawing him back to the past: reminding him of a word he’ll never uttered, love.

Review:
Davidson was born in Manitoba and spend seven years researching his debut novel. He took the time to learn about the burn ward, Japanese and folk lore from many cultures. It’s refreshing to hear about an author who takes the time to learn their story. It made the end result nothing short of perfection. Though the recovery for burn victims is a nasty process it was a necessary cog in his master piece.

The book takes the reader on a journey into the past from medieval Germany to Vikings in Iceland. With Marianne for a tour guide into these memories the Narrator recalls his past lives and discovers something about his present state of mind.
I enjoyed reading each mini-story within the book. The stories introduce new characters and I found myself even reading them again because I started to notice similar details in each story. Davidson’s research is reflected in his vivid language to describe each new setting. At times it felt like I was the Narrator seeing these memories for the first time and experiencing emotions I might have once had.

The end of each story left the question, “can souls really transcend time” in the mind of the reader. This aspect also created a romantic love story that implied love could survive anything, from tragedy to time. By drawing on parallels from Dante’s Inferno, this question can almost be answered with certainty.

Though I would not say the book was a page-turn, or a ‘stay up till 2am’ read, I did find myself drawn to its mysteries when it stared at me from my coffee table. I find books that make you question aspects about fate and reality thrilling. The Gargoyle is not a beach read; it’s one of those ‘curl up by the fire’ books and become enlightened. I was still contemplating the questions Davidson gave me weeks after I finished the book. I do believe this book can make one believe in the impossible.

Overview:
Story: 10/10
Characters: 8/10
Setting: 10/10
Language: 10/10
Overall: 9/10 A

~Kitty <3

2. Shiver

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Series: Duet
Status: 2
Genre: Young Adult
Tags: Wolves, true love, musical and emotional
Website

Summary:
For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human... until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human—or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

Review:
Shiver is a beautiful book, with a story that captivated me from start to finish. Stiefvater places you in a winter wonderland filling with wolves. A place where true love is unbearably close and enchantment can bring together or break apart lovers. The story is heartwarming and reads like a classical fairy tale. I enjoyed the change in point of view between both protagonists – Sam and Grace. This gave an interesting perspective to the story, since Sam spends most of his time as a wolf. So the reader is able to see what he is thinking/feeling when he watches his untouchable girl from afar.

I think Maggie’s background in music sparkled through in her writing. I found her metaphors and descriptive language like a song. The way the point of view switched and the lovers interacted was almost like a duet. This created a stunning world filled with characters to fall in love with. Maggie created her own trailer for Shiver that is worth checking out. I admit I had the song from the trailer trapped in my head the entire time I was reading. Book Trailer

The characters she created are real and act in a realistic manner when faced with the paranormal. I still will not get over Olivia’s reaction and Rachel’s wonderful Christmas trip despite everything going on. Even the characters set up to dislike found a place in the song and became loveable. Thought I still think my favorite character is Sam, I want to cuddle him. Sam is such a great name for a wolf, its soft, yet firm – perfect.

I also have a confession, I cried, which made this book my favorite for 2009. I’m super excited for the sequel, Linger, coming out next year. With winter over I’m looking forward to summer.

Overview:
Story: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Setting: 10 /10
Language: 10/10
Overall: 10 /10 S (for spectacular)

~ Kitty <3

1. The Demon's Lexicon

The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan
Series: Yes
Status: 2 - ongoing
Genre: Young Adult
Tags: Demons, Magic, Irish Folklore, Twisty
Website

Summary:
Nick and his brother, Alan, have spent their lives on the run from magic. Their father was murdered, and their mother was driven mad by magicians and the demons who give them power. The magicians are hunting the Ryves family for a charm that Nick's mother stole - a charm that keeps her alive - and they want it badly enough to kill again.

Danger draws even closer when a brother and sister come to the Ryves family for help. The boy wears a demon's mark, a sign of death that almost nothing can erase... and when Alan also gets marked by a demon, Nick is desperate to save him. The only way to do that is to kill one of the magicians they have been hiding from for so long.

Review:
Brennan weaves a world filled with magicians and demons that lead the reader down twisted paths with surprises at every turn. The story has a RPG feel as the characters beginning to assemble and set out on their goal. Her metaphorical language keeps the reader entranced in the world, and the pages turning vigorously. Brennan creates a whole new world beneath our eyes and that can only been seen by those who know how to look. Brennan also draws her Irish heritage into the books by the way she designs spells, symbols, charms and the parameters for the magicians. Which bring a new look feel on old methods to the book.

I fell in love with this story the moment I read the first page. There was action starting from the beginning and didn't stop. The characters were dynamic and I could identify with them which is nice when reading a story. I found the plot unpredictable which left me surpirsed and hungry for more at the end. This is a pleasing factor for me since I can normally predict the outcome or what's going to happen next. Brennan kept me on my toes and I felt starved when I wasn't reading, which made the ending satisfying. I'm most excited for the sequel coming out spring 2010. I can't wait to read more about Nick's adventures.

Overview:
Story: 10/10
Characters: 8/10
Setting: 9/10
Language: 10/10
Overall: 9/10 A

~ Kitty

Welcome!

As I have no one yet following this blog I guess I'm speaking to myself Xd

ATTN: Self

I wish to create a blog that's helpful in reviewing books. I have read many....many books, and conveniently I just started working in a bookstore, which doesn't help my addiction. My favorite genre is Young Adult but I do dip my fingers in Sci/Fantasy and Fiction. I hope to branch out of my comfort zone and review other books from different areas.

I will try not to place spoilers in my reviews but if you have read the book please comment! I love talking about books I have just finished. Feel free to suggest titles to me to R&R I welcome all! I hope anyone reading this enjoys the reviews and discovers new authors and titles.

My goal is to try and write a review every 1-2 weeks. Since it takes me about that time to read a book combined with school and work. Enjoy! And follow me on twitter - http://twitter.com/Icenek0

~ Kitty