Most Anticipated

It's time once again to comment a bit on the books we're most looking forward to in the next year. Here we go...

May

A Prior Engagement by Karina Bliss: Yeah, the more I think about the premise of this book, the more excited I get to read it. It's a back-from-the-dead fake engagement fake amnesia type of thing, and if anyone can make that work it's Karina Bliss.

Dare You To by Katie McGarry: Pushing the Limits was a well loved book, and not just by me but in general. It was on the Dabwaha bracket (though it dropped off in round one), and I believe it's also a RITA nominee. So I can't be the only one looking forward to the second book like it's my birthday and Christmas and National Free Chocolate Day.

July

Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews: This book needs to be in my hands like now. This is probably my favorite ongoing UF series and I am too impatient to wait.

Saga, Vol.2, by Brian K. Vaughan: Saga is weird and wonderful, bizarre sci-fi goodness. I know it's not for everyone, and certainly not for my usual fan base, but I can't wait for it.

Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep: What I'm most hoping for with this one is a more epic scale and more progression in the overall plot. Of course, I'm also just looking forward to more Gwen and hopefully more Logan.

Macrieve by Kresley Cole: This one seems promising to me, not only because Kresley Cole has amused me more often than she's disappointed me (though she did disappoint me in style), but also because I find that I generally like her Lykaes. Historically, those have been the heroes that I found the sexiest and most appealing, so I really don't see how this one could go badly.

The Chocolate Touch by Laura Florand: I liked the second book--and I'll admit, that kind of surprised me. It'll be nice to revisit Paris and gourmet chocolate.

September

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins: You know, I don't really know whether I liked or disliked Josh when he was introduced in Anna...I know I like his name! But yeah, let's hope he makes a good hero.

Destiny's Surrender by Beverly Jenkins: So we continue the theme set by the first one with a fairly old-school looking romance cover. I kind of like that, I'm not going to lie. Although, I'm collecting these in ebook format, so in the grand scheme I guess it doesn't matter anyway.

October

Archangel's Legion by Nalini Singh: The first thing I though when I saw this cover art was BOOBS. She has boobs. But, yeah, I guess she does look tough as well as sexy, so that's a plus. I like that she's so close to how I picture Elena when I'm reading (though I envision less cleavage). I also don't mind the monochromatic city scene behind her, and the overall tone leans to UF over PNR.

Eyrie by Emma Michaels: Well, as time goes on my enthusiasm for this book's release steadily wanes as I forget more details, particularly positive details. But, I don't know, I'll still probably read it. After all, it might improve on the first one.

January

Flame by Amy Kathleen Ryan: So, we don't know anything about this book yet, except that it's taking an excessively long time to come out, and I'm concerned all my interest will have drains out by January. I'll try to keep the excitement alive.

February

Drachomachia by Rachel Hartman: Now this one, I do think is worth waiting for. I loved Seraphina, and it's the sort of book I may buy and revisit before the sequel comes out.

Cress by Melissa Meyer: Oh my goodness, will I survive until February? I freaking love this series. Cinder was my #1 in 2012, I loved Scarlet, and Cress is just to far away.

March

The King by J.R. Ward: Ward is returning to Wrath and Beth, the couple that started it all. Beth made a big freaking deal about wanting to have a baby in Lover At Last, so that will obviously be among the conflicts. I confess, I am intrigued.

Most Anticipated

Most Anticipated is the monthly post where I talk about book news, covers, synopses--from all of the books I'm looking forward to in the coming months. 

April

The Elite by Kiera Cass: When I try to describe The Selection to the uninitiated, I know it sounds awful. The premise is entirely awful. I did find it memorable though, with enough positive attributes that I'm looking forward to the sequel. Perhaps it will be an improvement.

May

A Prior Engagement by Karina Bliss: This Harlequin Superromance promises to be yet more proof of the wisdom gained from comic books and soap operas--no body, no death. Karina Bliss has a talent for making any trope work, so I can't wait for this one.

Dare You Too by Katie McGarry: I don't know that there's any way this could possibly be as good as the first book was. The bar is set high here, to say the least.

July

Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews:  According to Ilona Andrew's blog, there are now going to be ten books total in the Kate Daniels series (this will be the sixth). I was beyond excited about that, since this is one of my favorite ongoing series and I will definitely appreciate several more years of looking forward to these books.

Saga Vol. 2 by Brian K. Vaughan: I like something that comic book nerds like. I learned that recently, when I was in our local book store and the subject came up, and all of the comic nerds geeked out big time. So, yeah, I'm excited to add this too my shelf, and I bet I'm not the only one.

Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep: More Gwen, and hopefully more Logan. What's not to look forward to?

Macrieve by Kresley Cole: After Shadow's Claim, my faith in Kresley Cole is actually somewhat restored, and I'll be curious to see what she does with this book. The cover is unfortunately more creepy than sexy, in my humble opinion, but I'll conform to the wisdom that tells me not to judge by it.

September

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins: *Sigh* Okay, this is probably the contemporary that I'm most looking forward to this year. The mid-series change in cover styles, though, kind of ticked me off. The author stated on her blog that she and the powers that be in publishing hope that the new, more minimalist covers would broaden readership. I can see that, since these covers do not scream Young Adult! the way that the other ones do. But, damn it all, I liked the old covers. I liked the cheerfulness and the happy people, and above all I like physical books to match on my shelves. It's very important. I'm a cranky penguin.

Destiny's Surrender by Beverley Jenkins: This will be the second book in Jenkins California ranch set historical series. I look forward to another joyful, passionate romantic story from her. 

October

Archangel's Legion by Nalini Singh: Still not much information on this one yet, other than the fact that it will return to Elena and Raphael. Stay tuned for this one.

Eyrie by Emma Michaels: I'm not waiting on pins and needles for this one, but I am waiting on it. Owlet was overly exposition-y for my taste, so I have to hope this one will be better.

 

January 

Flame by Amy Kathleen Ryan: I'm a little disappointed that we won't be seeing this book until 2014, since I'd like to see this trilogy come to a satisfactory conclusion. 

February

Dracomachia by Rachel Hartman: Either the original dates were wrong, or this book has been delayed (heavily delayed) since my last anticipation post. In any case, we've got at least 11 months to wait for this book now, and it's going to be a long haul.

And that's all that I have for now. We have some very busy months coming up here! I hope you'll join us!

Misc. Mondays: Goals for the Coming Year

In 2012 I just managed to meet my goal of 112 books read and reviewed by a narrow margin. Therefore I decided not to make my 2013 goal too much higher than that--just 113 books, one more than last year. It amounts to roughly one book every three days, which seems fair and realistic. I don't have college or a wedding to plan, so I actually think this year might be easier. Even with a mostly full time job and that pesky husband creature. And the cat, Sir Book-Chewer.

I thought I'd use this post to talk about the books I'm most looking forward to reading and discussing in 2013.  There is, to say the least, a great deal of them.

February

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer: Considering the fact that Cinder was my very favorite book in 2012, I'm beyond eager for my copy of it's sequel. Delicious science-fictionish fairy tale goodness. 

Elusive Dawn by Gabriele Willis: This was actually published in November, but I agreed to review in in February. It's the sequel to The Summer before the Storm, a unique and memorable historical novel set primarily in pre-World War I Canada.

Purgatory Reign by L.M. Preston: This YA urban fantasy will be published in May (I believe), but I will be participating in the blog tour in February. 

March

Requiem by Lauren Oliver: It's hard to describe my feelings for this trilogy so far. It's a bit of a love/hate relationship, especially with the ending of Pandemonium, but I think I'm eager to read this one all the more because of those mixed feelings.

Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs: It's been so long since I've read a Patricia Briggs book, I'm almost in danger of forgetting how much I love her. Mercy Thompson book 7 ought to cure that.

Lover At Last by J.R. Ward: Yeah, I'm still reading these things. I'm in it until the bitter end, God help me. Actually, Tohr's book wasn't too bad, and I'm kind of hopeful. I really like Blay and Quinn and, well, we'll see.

April

The Elite by Kiera Cass: The Selection was a flawed book, but so freaking memorable. I can remember talking about it with friends, "The premise is kind of stupid, but you should totally read it." It stands out from some of it's dystopian comrades, and I appreciate that.

 

 

 

May

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins: This will be her third contemporary romance, and after loving the first two (especially Anna) I'm beyond excited for round three.

June

Prior Engagement by Karina Bliss: This is actually expected to be released in May, but I'm all full on contemporary romance for that month, so I'll be reading it in June. I'm excited for this one because it's a continuation of Karina Bliss's excellent stories about soldiers and ex-soldiers finding their happy endings after their battles are over. 

Flame by Amy Kathleen Ryan: This will be the third book in her Sky Chasers series, which has been an at least passably interesting sci-fi story so far.

July

Dracomachia by Rachel Hartman: The sequel to Seraphina, a beautifully crafted high fantasy story, will certainly be one that I try to review the month it's released. I'm eager to see the series pick up pace.

Saga: Volume 2 by Brian K Vauhan: I gave Volume 1 4.5 stars...I was really impressed by the characters and the very unusual world(s) of the book. So, in July, Volume 2 will be my sci-fi book for the month.

Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews: Oh my goodness, I feel like I've already been waiting for Kate Book #6 forever. But come July, God willing, it will be among my urban fantasy offerings.

Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep: I'm growing more and more affectionate toward  Estep's writing style, and since I was introduced to it via this YA urban fantasy series, I'm naturally eager to continue with it.  I'm sure it won't be the only   Estep book  I read this year.

October 

Eyrie by Emma Michaels: Owlet was certainly not a perfect book, as YA paranormals go, but I find that I'm intrigued enough that I'll more than likely continue with the series. More than likely.








...I'm sure I'll be adding to this this as the year progresses and I try to, you know, organize my reading. What books are you most looking forward to in 2013?

On Hostages: A Review of Spark by Amy Kathleen Ryan

I actually finished this a day or two ago, but I got a bit busy. I also felt in this one case that it was a good idea to let myself digest the book a bit before I try to talk about it. I was a little underwhelmed initially, but now that I've thought about it, I did still like the book.

This is the second book in the Sky Chasers trilogy, and in many ways it suffers from what we call "Second Book Syndrome". Because it has to bridge the gap between the exposition of book one and the climax of book three, it's own story is somewhat weak. In the first book, we had members of the Empyrean kidnapped and used by the members of the New Horizon. Glow touched on issues like religion, leadership, reproduction, and human nature. It wasn't a perfect book, but because it raised these issues, it set the bar high for what Spark might have to say philosophically. In reality, though, Spark is mostly about the kids on the Empyrean trying to run the ship and get their parents back. There's a great deal of politics and a lot of arguing. Waverly is torn between supporting Kieran, though she disagrees with his leadership style, and helping Seth, though she finds his dark side distasteful. Then circumstances force Waverly to see her own darker side.

Positive Comments

The book creates an effectively anxious tone, with kids trying to run a massive ship that is their only home. I liked that desperate, claustrophobic feeling.

I like that the characters are boldly imperfect. We see Seth's cruelty, but also his humanity. We know that Kieran means well, but we also see his unhealthy arrogance and lust for power. Waverly's experiences on the Empyrean gave her a bit of wisdom, even as they broke her in many ways. The character building is rich and realistic.

I like that the romance (and more importantly, the love triangle), is very much downplayed. We know how the characters feel, but we aren't made to linger on it.

Critical Comments

The plot itself is, as mentioned above, really underwhelming. In terms of action, there is some, but it doesn't last long. It's resolved quickly and predictably. In terms of social and political conflict...again, it's there, but there isn't enough tension to any of it.

The character behavior goes way off the rails more than once, and it's hard to read. Even when it's understandable, its infuriating. They make stupid choices, arrogant choices, mean choices, and it's a bit like watching a train wreck.

Recommendation

If you liked the first one: yes, you should read this one. However, if you were not a fan of Glow, I doubt Spark will win you over. It's a decent read, but the plot is a bit of a let down. 3 stars. 

Best Book of July/August Preview

Oh, wow, is July over already? Well, time to crown the book of the month! The winner is...

Stacking the Shelves (8)

 
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On Procreation: A Review of Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Glow was a wild card pick for me. I really wanted to try incorporating more science fiction in my reading each month, and this was the first one I found when I went looking for them.

This YA novel focuses on Waverly and her boyfriend Kieran, members of the first generation of humans to be born in deep space. Their ship, the Empyrean, together with it's sister ship, New Horizon, serve as a kind of Noah's arc of humanity and everything they will need to survive on a New Earth after Earth as we know it has been destroyed. In a sudden and unexpected betrayal, the New Horizon attacks the Empyrean and takes all of the young girls captive. The girls are told that they're being rescued and that the Empyrean has suffered a tragic accident and all of it's inhabitants are dead. Waverly quickly sees through their lies, but is powerless to stop their plans to use the girls for their own selfish goals. Meanwhile, Kieran is left on a ship with no able bodied adults, responsible for dozens of depressed and hopeless boys. Seth, his rival, is eager to seize control, but his cruelty makes him an unfit leader and puts all of the boys in jeopardy.

Positive Comments

This is a smart book. It deals with quite a few dark and difficult topics, and does so without becoming dull or predictable. We see teens dealing with power, abuse, duty, grief, hope, and religion. I especially enjoyed Kieran's journey, in which you see him struggling to become a fit leader who provides hope and purpose, in a journey that may take him down a very dark path. This idea of whether or not it's okay to use religion and the concept of God as a leadership tool is fascinating to me, and I liked that this book looked at the issue from multiple angles.

The character development and character building is rich and detailed. Waverly was an accurately written teenage girl, struggling with enormous responsibilities that are often in opposition with her emotions. I enjoyed seeing Kieran, who was initially regarded as perfect, find chinks in his own armor and attempt to overcome them. I liked the contrast between he and Seth. I liked Seth's dark back story, and the fact that he is a dark but not necessarily evil character. I even felt that the villains were well written and, from a certain point of view, sympathetic.

Critical Comments

As far as science fiction goes, this book is light on the science. For many of us, that's a good thing. But if you really like your scifi world building to go heavy on the technical explanations, you'll be pretty out of luck with this book.

Like wise, if you're reading this for the romance, you're bound to be unimpressed. Waverly and Kieran to care greatly for one another, but they spend most of the book apart. Even when they are together, Waverly is understandably uncertain about the relationship. So I wouldn't bet any money on the staying power of that relationship.

Recommendation

This is a great book for both teen and adult scifi fans. It's creative, thoughtful, well paced, and well written. 3.5 stars.

Best Book of February/March Preview

It was a rough month for reading, folks. Three DNFs that I didn't even get far enough into to feel comfortable writing a DNF review.

And the award for most awesome book read in February goes to...Indigo by Beverley Jenkins! It might be older, but this unique historical romance made me feel good. It was definitely the bright spot in a mostly dull and mediocre group.

So, what am I reading next? I'm really excited about quite a few of these books. Here's the list...

Crossed by Ally Condie --I'm a little over 50% done and really enjoying it.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins--Yes, I am only reading this because there's a movie coming out. Shame on me! I'm about 25% into it, and it is as well written as everyone says.

First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost

Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Muppet Snow White by Jesse Blaze Snider--Don't ask.

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

The Look of Love by Bella Andre

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Ill Wind by Rachel Caine

I'm trying to mix up my sub-genres a little more, to avoid the much dreaded reading burn out. What's in your soon to read pile? Anything exciting? Share with the group!