Book Review: Wildwing by Emily Whitman

Title:  Wildwing

Author:  Emily Whitman
Publisher:  Greenwillow Books 
Genre: YA / fantasy
Hardcover: 320 pages

ISBN: 0061724521

Summary from Goodreads:
When Addy is swept back in time, she couldn't be happier to leave her miser-able life behind. Now she's mistaken for Lady Matilda, the pampered ward of the king. If Addy can play her part, she'll have glorious gowns, jewels, and something she's always longed for—the respect and admiration of others. But then she meets Will, the falconer's son with sky blue eyes, who unsettles all her plans.

From shipwrecks to castle dungeons, from betrothals to hidden conspiracies, Addy finds herself in a world where she's not the only one with a dangerous secret. When she discovers the truth, Addy must take matters into her own hands. The stakes? Her chance at true love . . . and the life she's meant to live.

Overall rating: 7/10
To buy this book: IndieBound | The Book Depository | Powell's | Amazon

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Emily Whitman's Wildwing is a time-travel fantasy about a girl who leaves her life as a maid in the early 20th century for the life of a Lady in 13th century England.  Born out of wedlock to a mother who is a hardworking, lower class seamstress, Addy has spent the first fifteen years of her life being harassed and taunted by her wealthier classmates who have made her life miserable.  When she is withdrawn from school after getting into one too many fights with her classmates, she is mortified by the idea of spending the rest of her life as a maid.  But her job as a maid turns out to be more pleasant than she expected, especially when she discovers a time machine in her employer's library.  Suddenly she is whisked back to the 13th century where she is mistaken for a wealthy Lady.  But her life as a Lady comes with certain obligations, and as she begins to fall in love with a handsome young falconer who is far below her station, she may realize that wealth doesn't always mean freedom.

What I Liked:

-     I liked that the time travel occurred between one non-modern time period and another.  It is like two historical novels in one.  :)
-     You can feel the author's appreciation for the beauty and majesty of falcons in the way falconry is presented within the story, and that fascination and enthusiasm is contagious.  The tethered freedom of the wild, untameable birds parallels Addy's longing for freedom quite nicely.
-     Addy is not always particularly likeable.  But even when I disliked her behavior or disagreed with her choices, I sympathized with her and still found her believable as a self-absorbed fifteen year old who is enchanted by the wealth and respect she receives as Lady Matilda.  There are plenty of opportunities for character growth throughout the novel, and Addy learns some valuable lessons as the story progresses.
-     Will and Addy's romantic moments are sensual and suggestive without being graphic or explicit.
-     This story is a quick and absorbing read.  I read the whole book aloud, and I was impressed by the pacing and the smooth, easy flow of the narrative.
-     It is refreshing to read a YA novel that is not a part of a series.   Sometimes it is nice not to have to wait a year or more to read the second half (or even the second third) of a story.

What I Wished:
-     I wanted the story to be less predictable.

-     I tried not to be distracted by the lack of scientific explanation as far as the time travel is concerned because Wildwing feels much more like fantasy than sci-fi, but I still struggled to accept the way the time machine is used in the story.
-      (SPOILER WARNING!  Do not scroll over the following text if you want to avoid spoilers.)  I found it difficult to believe that in the fifteen years Mr. Greenwood spent mourning the loss of his son, he never once attempted to use the time machine to venture back to a date shortly before his son's disappearance. If he was that worried about the potential dangers of the modern wiring, then I am truly surprised he would let his only son (who he has just found after years of searching) hop in a machine that was constructed using only rustic medieval tools and components. And why wouldn't he return to the 20th century with Will?

I would recommend Wildwing to fans of light, engaging historical fantasy novels.  If you would like to learn more about Wildwing or author Emily Whitman, please visit her website, facebook, or Harper Collins author page.

Read the first twelve chapters of Wildwing here!

Book Review: StarCrossed by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Title:  StarCrossed

Author:  Elizabeth C. Bunce
Publisher:  Arthur A. Levine
Genre: YA / fantasy
Hardcover: 359 pages

ISBN: 0545136059

Summary from Goodreads: 
Digger thrives as a spy and sneak-thief among the feuding religious factions of Gerse, dodging the Greenmen who have banned all magic. But when a routine job goes horribly wrong and her partner and lover Tegen is killed, she has to get out of the city, fast, and hides herself in a merry group of nobles to do so. Accepted as a lady's maid to shy young Merista Nemair, Digger finds new peace and friendship at the Nemair stronghold--as well as plenty of jewels for the taking. But after the devious Lord Daul catches her in the act of thievery, he blackmails her into becoming his personal spy in the castle, and Digger soon realizes that her noble hosts aren't as apolitical as she thought... that indeed, she may be at the heart of a magical rebellion.

Overall rating:  7/10

• Buy StarCrossed:  IndieBound | The Book Depository | Amazon | Powell's 

Add this book to your:  Goodreads |Shelfari | Library Thing | Visual Bookshelf

Elizabeth C. Bunce's StarCrossed is an intrigue-rich historical fantasy about Digger, a talented thief who finds herself running for her life after a job goes terribly wrong.  She is desperate to escape the streets of Gerse and must assume a false identity in order to evade the dangerous Greenmen.  In a world filled with political tension, religious persecution, and forbidden magic, will Digger be safe posing as a lady's maid among the nobles of Bryn Shaer, far away from the treacherous streets of Gerse?  Or will she become entangled in another deadly dance of secrets and lies?

What I Liked:

-     Digger is a very capable heroine.  She is a skilled thief, spy, and counterfeit artist.  I admired her fearlessness and self-confidence.
-     Many of the inhabitants of Bryn Shaer are more intriguing than they appear at first glance.  I particularly enjoyed getting to know the formidable Lady Lyll and her wounded patient.
-     I enjoyed Digger's clever, survivalist personality, but it was also lovely to see her begin to open herself up to friendship over the course of the book.
-     The historical aspects of the setting, from the clothing to the weapons to the architecture, are all described in beautiful detail and give Llvraneth a believable magical-Renaissance atmosphere.
-     There are a number of plot twists in this book, and two of the larger ones took me totally by surprise.  Fun!
-     I liked the unique type of magic the Sarists practice, which involves finding, gathering, and shaping.  It has an organic and cooperative feel.
-     Several personal and political conflicts are revealed in StarCrossed, and many of the characters and conflicts seem poised to reappear in the second book, Liar's Moon.  I look forward to seeing where the story goes next.


What I Wished:
-     I wanted the story to unfold more quickly and with more consistent tension.  After the initial excitement surrounding Digger's escape from Gerse, the tension lags a bit until her position at Bryn Shaer is put into jeopardy about a third of the way into the book. 
-     Merista and Wierolf are central to two of the most interesting parts of the story (the unique magic system and the looming civil war), but I didn't feel like either of them received enough page-time since the story is told from Digger's point of view and the supporting characters are not always central to her daily activities.
-     I wanted more romance, even if it was only in Digger's memories of Tegen.
-     A few parts of the story seem slightly too convenient, like secretive nobles who seem surprisingly open to confessing key details to Digger.

StarCrossed is an intrigue-filled historical fantasy with a bold heroine.  Fans of Tamora Pierce, Leah Cypess, Shannon Hale, or Kristin Cashore will enjoy the world-building and the gutsy protagonist.  If you would like to learn more about StarCrossed or Elizabeth C. Bunce's other books, please visit her website, blog, or facebook.

Read the first chapter of StarCrossed here!

Book Review: Pegasus by Robin McKinley

Title:  Pegasus

Author:  Robin McKinley
Publisher:  Putnam Juvenile 
Genre: YA/fantasy
Hardcover: 400 pages

ISBN: 1423116399

Release date:  Nov 2, 2010

FTC note:  My ARC of Pegasus was provided by the publisher for an honest review.

Summary from Goodreads:

A gorgeously-written fantasy about the friendship between a princess and her pegasus

Because of a thousand-year-old alliance between humans and pegasi, Princess Sylviianel is ceremonially bound to Ebon, her own pegasus, on her twelfth birthday. The two species coexist peacefully, despite the language barriers separating them. Humans and pegasi both rely on spe ...more A gorgeously-written fantasy about the friendship between a princess and her pegasus

Because of a thousand-year-old alliance between humans and pegasi, Princess Sylviianel is ceremonially bound to Ebon, her own pegasus, on her twelfth birthday. The two species coexist peacefully, despite the language barriers separating them. Humans and pegasi both rely on specially-trained Speaker magicians as the only means of real communication.

But it’s different for Sylvi and Ebon. They can understand each other. They quickly grow close—so close that their bond becomes a threat to the status quo—and possibly to the future safety of their two nations.

• Overall rating: 9/10

Buy this book: IndieBound | The Book Depository | Powell's | Amazon

Add this book to your: Goodreads | Shelfari | Library Thing | Visual Bookshelf

Robin McKinley's Pegasus is beautiful coming-of-age story about a young girl and the pegasus who becomes her dearest friend.  In Sylvi's world, it is customary for every member of the royal family to be ceremonially bound to a pegasus of comparable rank upon his or her twelfth birthday.  The pegasus generally serves as an ambassador-like companion, and the pair will attend most formal functions together for the rest of their lives as a symbol of the longstanding alliance between their cultures.  Each pair is assigned a Speaker, a specially trained magician, who serves as a translator and interpreter.  But even with the Speakers' aid, actual communication beyond formal pleasantries and rudimentary smalltalk has long been understood to be impossible between humans and pegasi.

So when Sylvi, the fourth child of the reigning human king, meets her pegasus, they are both shocked to find that they are able to hear one another's thoughts. Sylvi and Ebon's unique ability to communicate helps them form a friendship that could change the way humans and pegasi view one another forever.  But will their friendship make the alliance stronger or tear their cultures apart?  Pegasus is the type of richly-imagined fantasy novel that you can't help  immersing yourself in, and I found myself thinking about it long after turning the final page.  The characters are well-developed, the setting is intriguing, and the story is thoroughly engaging.  I really enjoyed it and can't wait to read the second book!

What I Liked:

-     The world-building.  I loved the way the differences between the human and pegasi cultures were revealed and explored.  Although the two races have lived side by side for hundreds of years, the seemingly insurmountable communication barrier has kept humans from truly understanding the pegasi.  I really liked seeing the details of both cultures revealed through Sylvi and Ebon's increasing understanding of one another.
 -     There may be magic and flying monsters in this book, but the characters all feel grounded and genuine.  At the heart of this story is a sixteen year old caught in a difficult and pivotal place between two worlds.  She is shy, self-conscious about her short stature, and frequently seems to find herself making mistakes in front of large crowds.  But Sylvi is also compassionate and observant, and she has a strong sense of justice.  She is very easy to sympathize with, whether she is nervous about her first big journey away from home or baffled by how much the world can change in a single moment.  I am eager to see what the second book has in store for her.
-     I loved Ebon and Sylvi's relationship.  Their personalities are remarkably suited to one another.  Both are curious and observant, and neither is afraid to question ideas their societies have accepted for centuries.  The more they learn about one another, the more they begin to examine their own cultural histories.  Sylvi is fascinated by the pegasi culture and some aspects of the book almost reminded me of a colonial love story between a European immigrant and a Native American. 
-     Even the minor characters in this book are memorable, and their relationships are all believably complex.  I found myself growing attached to several minor characters, like Hirishy, Ahathin, and Hibeehea, and I hope to see more of each of them in the second book.

What I Wished:

-     I wish the final pages of this book were less torturous.  This book ends in the midst of a fairly traumatic development and almost feels as though it cuts off mid-chapter.  The abrupt and unsatisfying ending is really my only complaint about this book, so I definitely look forward to reading the second half of the story in the sequel (which I believe is set for publication in 2012).

Pegasus is sure to please fans of Robin McKinley's previous novels.  This book made me want to re-read a few of my old favorites, like Beauty and Spindle's End.  If you enjoy young adult (or middle grade) fantasy novels like Shannon Hale's or Tamora Pierce's books, you will want to pick up Robin McKinley's Pegasus.  If you would like to learn more about Pegasus or Robin McKinley's other books, please visit her website, blog, facebook, or twitter.

Read the first three chapters of Pegasus here!

A second perspective:  Primrose really liked this book too.  Her thoughts:   "Pegasus was AWESOME!  I especially loved how Sylvi could fly with Ebon.  It would be so much fun to have a pegasus friend like Ebon.  I liked how Sylvi and Ebon could talk to each other silently, and I liked the way the author described each pegasus.  She made it easy to imagine them as creatures who look a lot like horses but move more like beautiful birds.  I had fun drawing my own versions of that type of pegasus, with flowers in their manes and fancy pouches around their necks just like Ebon."

Awesome Book Event! Lois McMaster Bujold!

Lois McMaster Bujold

This week I attended a book signing event featuring the lovely Lois McMaster Bujold!  It was wonderful to meet her and to hear more about her writing process and her upcoming projects.  She is on tour promoting CryoBurn, the latest novel in her fantastic Vorkosigan series, and she also read two excerpts from the Vorkosiverse novel she is currently working on (a book about Ivan Vorpatril!).  Fun!  If you haven't read any of Lois's books yet, I highly recommend checking them out!  CryoBurn actually provides an excellent way to jump into her Vorkosigan saga because the hardcover edition comes with a CD that contains ebook versions of ALL the previous Vorkosigan books (with the exception of Memory, which was somehow forgotten - haha!).   Basically, you buy one book and get fourteen novels (and lots of extra goodies) free!  It's pretty hard not to love that.  If you prefer fantasy to sci-fi, you will want to check out Lois McMaster Bujold's Sharing Knife series or Chalion books.

To buy Cryoburn: IndieBound | The Book Depository | Powell's | Amazon

Add CryoBurn to your: Goodreads | Shelfari | Library Thing | Visual Bookshelf

I recorded a few videos during Lois McMaster Bujold's presentation.  The first, second, and third videos are of her reading a fairly long (and humorous) excerpt from the Ivan-centric Vorkosiverse book she is currently writing, and the final video is of her reading a second (and even funnier) excerpt from the Ivan book.  :-)

Book Review: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Title:  Paranormalcy

Author:  Kiersten White
Publisher:  HarperTEEN 
Genre: YA/paranormal
Hardcover: 352 pages

ISBN: 0061985848

Summary from Goodreads: 
Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie's always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours, but still. Normal. 

Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie's dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies. She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths. Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

• Overall rating: 9/10

To buy this book: IndieBound | The Book Depository | Powell's | Amazon

Add this book to your: Goodreads | Shelfari | Library Thing | Visual Bookshelf

Kiersten White's Paranormalcy is a fast-paced fantasy with a sweet and charming heroine, an entertaining assortment of paranormal characters, and a suspenseful mystery.  Evie's work for the IPCA (International Paranormal Containment Agency) has made her day to day life anything but normal, and she longs for a typical teenage life with all its novelties - like high school lockers and prom.  Then she meets Lend, a teenage shapeshifter who catches her eye, and some of that normalcy suddenly feels like it might actually be within her reach.  But there is a mysterious threat brewing.  Someone is murdering paranormal creatures and if the IPCA can't figure out who is behind these crimes, it may not be long before there aren't any paranormals left to police.  Evie must figure out who to trust and uncover details from her own past in order to stop the killer before they strike again.  I thoroughly enjoyed Paranormalcy and look forward to reading the second book in this trilogy, Supernaturally, next autumn.

What I Liked:

-     The humor!  Evie is very amusing.  She is a fashion savvy girly-girl who loves makeup, shopping, and watching her favorite teen television drama.  Of course, she also spends her days taking down vamps, hags, and werewolves with Tasey, her handy rhinestone-encrusted Taser, so she isn't exactly your typical girl next door.  Think Legally Blonde meets Men in Black.  
-     Lend is a likable guy who doesn't have an ounce of 'bad boy' attitude, which is refreshing in a paranormal romance.  He has a unique shape-shifting ability that gives him an interesting edge, and I'm really curious to see what the next two books have in store for him.
-     The romantic elements in this book are light and flirty rather than dark and angsty or smoldering and racy.  Evie and Lend are both outsiders who have grown up surrounded by paranormals and humans but have never fully fit in with either group.  They are instantly intrigued by each other, and it is quite sweet that they are able to see and accept each other for who they truly are.  Their chemistry is of the blushing and inexperienced variety, so I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to younger YA readers or even MG readers.
-     I was drawn in my the mystery in this book right away, and it kept me guessing chapter after chapter.  There is still plenty to be explored in the second book, but I was happy to find that Paranormalcy doesn't end with a frustratingly suspenseful cliff-hanger.
-     Evie was brought in to work with IPCA at a very young age, so her supervisor Raquel and best friend Lish are the closest things she has to a family, and I liked seeing that aspect of the story explored.  Lend also has an unusual family situation, and I loved the way his family was involved in the story.  Kind, supportive parents are fairly rare in YA novels, so it is really nice to see a parent like that pop up occasionally.
-     The IPCA (International Paranormal Containment Agency) reminded me a little of Men In Black.  They are a top secret agency responsible for monitoring and containing paranormal individuals around the world, and they employ several paranormals to help them get that job done.  I liked their high tech, sterile command center and Lish's nifty control room, and I especially liked that they weren't necessarily beyond reproach.  I enjoy seeing the gray area between the good guys and the bad guys, and this book touched on that concept a little.  I hope we will see that gray area explored even more in the second and third books of the trilogy.
-     I liked that Reth, who used to be one of Evie's closest companions, provided tension within Evie's relationship with Lend without ever actually seeming like a rival for her affections.  There is not a love triangle in this book, but Reth does have something to offer Evie that only he has ever made her feel.
-     I loved reading Lish's monotone computer voice aloud because it made her dialogue so charming and funny.  I also loved Raquel's expressive sighs and all of their very specific meanings.

What I Wished:

-     The one element that wore a bit thin for me was the way Reth repeatedly popped up and disappeared at key moments throughout the story.  After a few of those instances, the lack of answers from him and the way the other characters seemed able to put him out of their minds to focus on other mundane things (like homework, prom, and tv shows) started to grate on my nerves and to feel like a slightly-too-convenient plot device to drag out the mystery.
-     There were a couple of moments in which Evie seemed to swing from bursting into tears to feeling giddy with happiness a little too quickly, particularly in the days following one very sad incident.  I felt like I was more depressed than Evie regarding that incident, which was a little odd.

If you like humorous YA fantasies like Rachel Hawkins' Hex Hall or sweet, innocent YA romances like Aprilynne Pike's Wings, you will want to pick up Paranormalcy.  If you like mysterious urban fantasies with a variety of paranormal creatures and a heroine who has been kept in the dark about her origins like The Mortal Instruments, then you may want to pick up Paranormalcy.  This second book in this trilogy, Supernaturally, is set for publication next September, and I will definitely be picking up a copy.  If you want to learn more about Paranormalcy or Kiersten White's upcoming books, please visit her website, blog, facebook, or twitter.

Read the first 70 pages of Paranormalcy here using HarperTEEN's BrowseInside feature!

Book Review: Heart's Blood by Juliet Marillier

Title:  Heart's Blood

Author:  Juliet Marillier
Publisher:  Tor 
Genre: Fantasy
Hardcover:  402 pages

ISBN: 0451462939

Summary from Goodreads: 
Anluan has been crippled since childhood, part of a curse that has besieged his family and his home of Whistling Tor. But when the young scribe Caitrin is retained to sort through family documents, she brings about unexpected changes in the household, casting a hopeful light against the despairing shadows.

But to truly free Anluan’s burdened soul, Caitrin must unravel the web of sorcery woven by his ancestors before it claims his life—and their love…

• Overall rating: 8/10

To buy this book: IndieBound | The Book Depository | Powell's | Amazon

Add this book to your: Goodreads | Shelfari | Library Thing | Visual Bookshelf

Juliet Marillier's Heart's Blood is a romantic fantasy inspired by Beauty and the Beast and set around Whistling Tor, a mysteriously haunted fortress in 12th century Ireland.  Caitrin, a young scribe whose father recently passed away leaving her at the mercy of abusive relatives, finds her way to the eerie Whistling Tor in search of work.  What she discovers there is a physically-impaired chieftain who is plagued by a dark curse and has withdrawn from his responsibilities to his people.  Part ghost story, part love story, Heart's Blood is a tale of courage and hope.  

What I Liked:

-     I have always loved Beauty and the Beast-inspired stories, and this one has several of the key elements that I adore about that fairytale - an intelligent heroine, a cursed man, magical mirrors, a precious garden with a priceless flower, and a whole host of characters bound by an enchantment.
-     The haunted hill, the forbidding castle, and the mysterious residents of Whistling Tor all add to the wonderfully dark and spooky atmosphere of this book.  I am a fan of Juliet Marillier's Sevenwaters series, and Heart's Blood reminded me once again of how skilled she is at bringing her settings to life.  It is very easy to immerse yourself in her version of the 12th century Irish landscape, to feel the threat of Norman invasion, and to find yourself caught up in the whisperings about sorcery and a mysterious curse.  In such a setting, the fantasy elements feel perfectly natural.
-      I liked the balance within the romantic coupling.  This story is about a heroine and a hero who encourage each other to help themselves and to face their own challenges with courage.  The hero must learn to accept his physical deformity without being incapacitated by it, and the heroine is haunted by an abusive past that left her crippled by fear and grief.  Rather than sweeping in and saving each other, they each inspire one another to be brave enough and hopeful enough to conquer their own demons.
-     The secondary characters are interesting and memorable.
-     Magnus, the galloglaigh hired by Anluan's father, is now one of my favorite Marillier characters.  Love him!
-     I also liked that this is a Beauty and the Beast story in which the 'beast' doesn't undergo some grand physical transformation.  Instead, the transformation centers around the fact that he must learn to see himself as an exceptional man who is worthy of love and capable of becoming the chieftain his people need, despite his disabilities and his family's tragic and discouraging past.

What I Wished:
-     This book is more than just a mystery novel about a curse on the inhabitants of Whistling Tor, but I still wish that the mystery element of the story had been much more difficult to solve.  Caitrin was generally an intelligent and observant character, but it took WAY too long for her to figure out a key aspect of the mystery that seemed extremely obvious from the very beginning of the book.  Seeing all the characters overlook or ignore so many clues throughout the story was frustrating to the point that I actually set the book aside for a couple of days.  But I enjoyed the setting, the secondary characters, and the romance so much that my desire to see how it all turned out overpowered my annoyance regarding the mystery.

Heart's Blood is a love story between a cursed Irish chieftain and a scribe trying to escape the dangers of her past, but it is also a dark fantasy about overcoming grief and despair with courage and hope.  If you enjoy fairytale retellings, historical romance, or historical fantasy, you will want to check out Heart's Blood.  If you would like to learn more about Heart's Blood or Juliet Marillier's other novels, please visit her website, her facebook fan page, or the Writer Unboxed blog to which she contributes.  You can also listen to a podcast interview with Juliet Marillier on The Villa.  I look forward to checking out Juliet's upcoming YA series, the Shadowfell trilogy, which will be published in 2012.

Read the first chapter of Heart's Blood here!

Book Review: Rampant by Diana Peterfreund

Title: Rampant
Author: Diana Peterfreund
Genre: YA
Publisher: HarperTeen
Hardcover: 416 pages
ISBN: 0061490008 
Summary: Forget everything you ever knew about unicorns . . .  Real unicorns are venomous, man-eating monsters with huge fangs and razor-sharp horns. Fortunately, they've been extinct for a hundred and fifty years.
Or not.

Astrid had always scoffed at her eccentric mother's stories about killer unicorns. But when one of the monsters attacks her boyfriend—thereby ruining any chance of him taking her to the prom—Astrid finds herself headed to Rome to train as a unicorn hunter at the ancient cloisters the hunters have used for centuries.

However, at the cloisters all is not what it seems. Outside, the unicorns wait to attack. And within, Astrid faces other, unexpected threats: from the crumbling, bone-covered walls that vibrate with a terrible power to the hidden agendas of her fellow hunters to—perhaps most dangerously of all—her growing attraction to a handsome art student . . . an attraction that could jeopardize everything. [Cover image & summary from Goodreads.com]

Overall Rating: 8/10

To buy this book: Powell's | Amazon | IndieBound | The Book Depository

I've wanted to read Rampant since I first heard it recommended by the phrase: killer unicorns!   Throw out your images of gentle unicorns that merrily prance & sparkle among rainbows and butterflies, and prepare yourself for the bloodthirsty, venomous beasts of Diana Peterfreund's Rampant.

What I Liked:

• Astrid is an intelligent, science-minded heroine.
• She and her fellow warriors (all virgin descendants of Alexander the Great) are flawed & don't have flat, bland personalities.  
• The group of potential hunters sometimes reminded me of Buffy-esque slayers-in-training.
• The mystery surrounding the unicorns and their history is interesting, seems plausible,  and leaves a lot to be explored. 
• [The following is an example of ReaderFAIL on my part, but I've decided to mention it anyway because it does describe something I liked about the book.]  This book is set in modern times.  Right now you are probably thinking: "Thank you, Captain Obvious!  The mention of prom in the book's description made that rather clear."  But as I said before, this book had me at "killer unicorns" so I did not actually read the jacket summary before purchasing it.  What I did see - the cover featuring a young woman with a sword & Tamora Pierce's glowing recommendation on the back of the book - seemed to support my vague assumption that a book about sword-wielding unicorn hunters would be set in a quasi-medieval setting.  So Rampant's present day setting was a surprise to me, and it turned out to be a pleasant one.

What I Wished:

• I would like to have seen more of the loose ends tied up and more information about the Remedy revealed.  
• I also wanted more details about the unicorns & their history.  

Who needs vampires, werewolves, and fallen angels when there are deadly unicorns lurking in the woods? I would recommend this book to teens and adults who want to read a fresh take on unicorns and to readers who like coming-of-age adventure stories. Fans of Tamora Pierce, Rick Riordan, and Joss Whedon should pick this one up! To read more about Diana Peterfreund's Rampant and Ascendant (Killer Unicorns, Book#2) or to learn more about her other novels, check out:

Diana Peterfreund's: website | blog | twitter

Side note:  Zombies vs. Unicorns, the upcoming anthology edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier, is now available to pre-order on Amazon.  It is scheduled to be released in September & no detailed author information has been provided yet, but I will be shocked (and disappointed) if Diana Peterfreund is not included in the lineup.

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon

Title:  Silver Phoenix: Beyond the Kingdom of Xia
Author: Cindy Pon
Genre: Young Adult
Hardcover: 338 pages
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
ISBN-10: 0061730211
Summary:  No one wanted Ai Ling. And deep down she is relieved—despite the dishonor she has brought upon her family—to be unbetrothed and free, not some stranger's subservient bride banished to the inner quarters.  But now, something is after her. Something terrifying—a force she cannot comprehend. And as pieces of the puzzle start to fit together, Ai Ling begins to understand that her journey to the Palace of Fragrant Dreams isn't only a quest to find her beloved father but a venture with stakes larger than she could have imagined.  Bravery, intelligence, the will to fight and fight hard . . . she will need all of these things. Just as she will need the new and mysterious power growing within her. She will also need help.  It is Chen Yong who finds her partly submerged and barely breathing at the edge of a deep lake. There is something of unspeakable evil trying to drag her under. On a quest of his own, Chen Yong offers that help . . . and perhaps more.  [Cover photo & description provided by Goodreads.com]

• Overall rating: 8/10
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Cindy Pon's Silver Phoenix: Beyond the Kingdom of Xia is an adventure-filled YA fantasy novel of the refreshingly non-Western variety.  Fans of epic adventure stories, independent heroines, and Chinese culture will definitely enjoy this book.

What I Liked:

• The Asian-inspired setting and mythology
• Ai Ling's healthy appetite!  This book had me craving delicious Chinese food every few pages.  I absolutely loved Ai Ling's passion for tasty meals!
• The courageous heroine who is capable of rescuing herself. 
• Ai Ling was not a cookie-cutter, generic heroine but a well-developed individual with her own desires, strengths, fears, and flaws.
• Chen Yong as Ai Ling's steadfast and intelligent companion.  His history is intriguing and the roll he plays in her journey is not what I initially expected it would be, but it was still pleasantly complex.
• The ending, which surprised me and is not generally the type of conclusion I enjoy.  But in this case, it feels true to the characters and makes me eager to read the second book.

What I Wished:

• There were not quite so many 'epic quest' moments and objects (glowing pendant, enchanted dagger, vial of magical tears, etc.).  At times, it seemed that every single person or creature they met along the way either brutally attacked them or conveniently had some significant item to bestow upon them.
•  The tension didn't lag a bit in the middle.  Most of the time, the encounters with new characters and locations helped to propel the plot forward rather than distracting from the primary focus of their journey, but around the middle of the book the forward momentum seemed to falter a bit.  Thankfully, the main characters are consistently compelling and the story's pace & tension both pick up again in the last few chapters.

Cindy Pon's Silver Phoenix will appeal to fans of adventure stories and to readers with an interest in Eastern culture and courageous heroines.  Reading this book made me want to look for more Asian-inspired fantasy novels, and I look forward to reading the second half of Ai Ling's story in Cindy Pon's next novel.

Silver Phoenix does have a significant amount of violence & contains several sexual references (including a scene of attempted rape), so I would consider this book YA and not middle-grade.  Readers who enjoyed Shannon Hale's Book of a Thousand Days and anyone who enjoys reading about strong female characters embarking on fantastical quests, will thoroughly enjoy Silver Phoenix.  But I do recommend having an ample supply of noodles and pot stickers on hand before starting to read this book because Ai Ling's passion for delicious Chinese food is highly contagious!  :-)  To read more about Cindy Pon and her upcoming projects, you can visit her website, blog, & twitter.

Happy Reading!  :-)