Discussion & List: The Joy of Book Two

I have a love/hate relationship with series, but today I'm going to focus on the positive and gush about my explosive love for series, particularly book two.

Starting a series is great with all of its first-date suspense, hope, and possibilities. Few things come close to the delicious anticipation of wondering if I'll fall head over heels for this book and open a brand new chapter of awesomeness in my life.

Life was never the same

And then, if the stars align and everything comes together perfectly, then there's the wait for the second book. And, yeah, it's excruciating. But it's also kind of fun because even though I have to wait, I KNOW there will be a big payoff when the time comes due.

Plus, since it's only the second book, so I know I can read the book without all the sadness that comes along with reading the last book in the series when you know it's really The End.

It's like Christmas, or my birthday. Sure they only come once a year, but when they DO come, they're filled with piles of presents and tons of tasty food and general wonderfulness. And the best part is, I know these things are coming. I can rely on that guaranteed happiness, even if I have to wait a whole year for it.

And we get to do this EVERY year!

The second book in a series is often a dangerous thing, fraught with all sorts of peril like series stretching and the introduction of the dreaded Secondary Love Interest. Usually, second books scare the life out of me.

This didn't work out well for anyone

BUT, every rare once in a while a first book is so incredible, so special, so perfect that I KNOW the next book will be nothing short of chocolate fudge levels of perfection.

(Of course I'm still a little afraid I'll experience a crushing blow if the book doesn't live up to my super high expectations, but shhh, I'm pretending that isn't even a fraction of a possibility. Because, I just, I cannot fathom that reality.)

I've had my heart crushed way too many times by book disappointment, so I don't let my heart run wild after just any old book. I'm picky and jaded and I don't want to be hurt again.

 So this is my teeny tiny list of sequels I've allowed myself to throw all caution to the wind and fall madly in love with the mere idea of their existence.

They'd better live up.

Fair warning: There be (tiny) spoilers for the first books here!

The Pirate's Wish by Cassandra Rose Clarke
sequel to The Pirate's Curse

The first book hit pretty much all of my marks for a Special Shelf book with its sleepover friend paragon of a main character, sizzling hate-turned-love romance, and heaps of fantasy peril and action. The ending left off with the potential for an even more excitement-filled quest to come, and if the strength of the first book is any indication, The Pirate's Curse is going to set a new high in quest-fantasy.

I'm banking on The Pirate's Wish having all that, and more. Namely, I want more sizzle in the romance. Sure it was pretty close to perfect in the first book, but I felt like Naji was holding out in that department a little. He's a little too closed off and mysterious, so I'm hoping book two sheds a little more light on his, presumably, growing feelings for Ananna.

An 11th hour name change wouldn't hurt, either (I mean, Naji?? I'm still not over it).

The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen
sequel to The False Prince

The idea of basking in Sage's presence is enough for me. I don't even care all that much what he's doing.

But, I'd prefer if he were scheming and manipulating and being cheeky about it all like he was in The False Prince. The blurb gives me hope that there will be a good dose of twistyness mixed with clever plotting and murder (always good for a book, I think).

I like that the blurb makes it sound like Sage has matured and gotten all responsible in The Runaway King (I always love a Capable Guy), but I'm hoping his signature sass hasn't been completely set aside. Also, a little more development of that barely-there distrustful romance would be fantastic. But just a smidgen.

The only thing I'm really not jumping for joy over is the name change. I read the blurb three times thinking, "Who the heck is Jaron?!" before I realized that, oh yeah, that's Sage's real name. But, pfft. He'll always be Sage to me.

The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle by Christopher Healy
sequel to The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom

I can't stop recommending The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom. Adults, kids, teens, tweens—I've even made the elderly whip out their magnifiers and read that book. My pitch is simple: Do you like to laugh? Well then, do I have a book for you!

I'm expecting nothing less out of Christopher Healy's follow up. The cover and blurb are certainly worthy and I have no doubt the author is up to the task. So, my expectations? Super high. But my fears the book might not fulfill those expectations? Practically zero. I have total confidence, Mr. Healy.

I don't really have doubts or hopes for this sequel. Not like the other books. In this case, I just hope The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle is filled with all of the same characters (and maybe a few new ones, too. Evil villainS? Plural? Yessssss) and that they're acting exactly like themselves. And, ok, maybe it would be cute to see the rearranged couples pair up a little more solidly, but that isn't a requirement at all.

Biggest reason I'm crossing my fingers in hopeful anticipation? I desperately want Bronson Pinchot to record an audiobook version.

Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers
sequel to Grave Mercy

I know this book is following different characters from the main duo in Grave Mercy, but I'm kind of okay with that. Don't get me wrong, I loved Ismae and Duvall, but I'm all about the slow burn romance and that ship has sailed for them already. When the romance comes together in book one, all book two usually offers is conflict and third parties. Or sappy, spark-less tru wuv. Either way, no thank you!

So I'm all over the idea of keeping the awesome world of assassin nuns, gods of death, and courtly intrigue but turning the focus on two new love interests. Sybella is even more distrustful and prickly than Ismae, so I'm not expecting any kind of instalove nonsense out of her. In fact, the only instalove I'm pretty certain about is the love I have for Sybella, and I can't wait to get to know her even more.

My only fear? I wasn't IN LOVE with Sybella's soon-to-be-main-squeeze. So, yeah, I'm worried I won't be feeling this romance the way I was with Duvall. But I trust Robin, so I'm not too worried. Plus, I'm sure I'll be plenty distracted with all of the historical fantasy world building and political intrigue.

Also, Sybella. I really have fallen in instalove.

What about you?

What series are you SO in love with that you just KNOW the second book will be complete perfection for you?

Do you have any hopes or fears for them?

Tweet

Book Review: The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander

The Black Cauldron
Pages: 182
Received: Library
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
Goodreads Page

Mini Review

Gosh did I want to love this book. It's a classic! Not only that, it's a fantasy classic. And written by one of THE authors every self-respecting fantasy fan is pretty much obligated to have read (this is my first) and loved (I did not).

Does this mean I have to turn in my fantasy-fan card??

I thought it was dull. It was like I was on a blind date set up for me by my boss. I had all this pressure to fall madly in love with The Black Cauldron, and so I tried really, really hard to FORCE myself to get my heart racing over the plot or melting over the characters. Every time I picked up the book I would give myself a little pep talk that THIS would be the time I'd feel that reading spark.

But I failed to spark. Instead, I was contemplating doing laundry when I was reading. Seriously, laundry.

I'm at a total loss as to why this happened.

The plot felt slow even though objectively I know lots of things were happening. There weren't many lulls at all and the action was pretty steady throughout with lots of opportunities for peril. There were battles and double-crosses, fantasy creatures and even questing.

Despite my best efforts, I could not feel any sort of connection to the characters (it was like trying to hug damp cardboard!). Again, I'm not sure why. From a distance they look great. Tragic heroes, complex nemeses, character growth, and even a little romance of my very favorite hate-turned-love slow burn variety!

I should have been all over those characters but I wasn't. You know how something far away can look pretty great, but then when you get up close to it you realize that, whoa, not looking so good after all? The Black Cauldron feels kind of like that. If I step back and think about the events and characters, then I kind of do love it all.

Then when I was up close and actually reading it? Total snooze-fest (and cliched to boot)!

BUT, ok, I'm not sure if I should admit this on such a public forum but, erm, well,

ifeltthesamewayaboutthelordoftherings. (But loved the movie!)

Fine. I'll surrender my fantasy-fan card now.

Explanation of rating system: Star Rating Key 

Do you have any questions about The Black Cauldron that I haven't addressed? 

Did I just commit total blasphemy and cause great offense?
Feel free to let me know in the comments!

Tweet

Small News: Hurricane aftermath

I don't usually post many personal details here, but since I did mention being away because of the hurricane, and then I was away for a while, I think it's only fair to give a little update as to what's been going on in my world.

Again, it's VERY good timing that we moved to Texas this year, because otherwise things would not be good for us. As it is, the house we lived in, where my in-laws still live, is in pretty bad shape and their car has been totaled. The first floor was flooded enough to ruin almost everything there, including all the appliances, furniture, walls, and floors, as well as a number of sentimental items.

Almost as saddening is the state of my library! It is currently closed and though it will reopen at some point, there is no definite date at this time. There was flooding and we're not sure yet which, if any, books can be salvaged. My little branch was on higher ground and fared far better than the main branch and the other small branch though, so there is hope!

My library is a part of a great community that has come together to help take care of one another, so I have faith that we will rebuild to be even better than before. I'm  making sure to record all the fantastic new books coming out so that when we do re-open I can bolster the spirits of my teen and tween readers with gorgeous paranormal guys and epic quests, because, seriously, those things make everything better.

Thanks for hanging in there with me during this and all the other hiatuses this year! Reviews are coming soon!
Tweet

Small News: Hurricane Sandy

Well, I picked a good year to move to Texas!

My hometown in NY is pretty much destroyed and we're still waiting to find out if our house made it through. My in laws are here (on a totally coincidental but well-timed vacation), so at least we know they're safe. We know the bay and the ocean met and surrounded our home, but we don't know if the water came inside. Unfortunately we do know some people whose homes have been swept out to sea or burned.

I'll be a little MIA around here for a little while as we try to figure out what happened and try to contact our family and friends who are still in NY. I hope everyone else who has been affected by the storm is safe! I know some of you live near the affected areas and you are in my thoughts.


Tweet

Books I got this week (8)

It's been established so clearly that I can't even lie about it: I have no self-control when it comes to books. I acquire them at a much faster rate than I can actually read and review them, but hopefully these posts will help those books get some exposure NOW instead of waiting until I actually manage to find time to, you know, read them.

This post is for the past...well, it's been a while!

I've been super overwhelmed with life lately, so I actually managed to rein in my review requests (since I'm already, erm, swamped with review books through January!)

I'd say I deserve a cookie or something for exercising all this restraint, but, well, you'll see I haven't been all that controlled when it comes to other sources of acquiring books

(and I haven't even included all the adult books I picked up)...

Click here to see my previous indulgences.  

For Review

Crimson Frost

by Jennifer Estep

Release Date: December 24, 2012
Publisher: Kensington
Pages: 384
Goodreads Page

Yay for Mythos Academy! This is the fourth book in the series and I can't wait to see what happens to Gwen next! Doesn't she look fierce on the cover? Well, with the way book three left off, Gwen needs all the fierceness she can muster up!

Library

Duchessina

by Carolyn Meyer

Goodreads Page

This is part of Carolyn Meyer's Young Royals series of YA biographies of important royal women throughout history. I've already read her book about Cleopatra (Cleopatra Confesses, okay) and Marie Antoinette (The Bad Queen, great!).

This one is about Catherine de' Medici and, sadly, I didn't love it all that much.

Bought

Between used bookstores and a library sale, I've been bringing home books at an alarming rate! But, when the most expensive book was only $3.99, how could I not??

A Spy in the House

by Y. S. Lee

Goodreads Page

I've heard downright awesome things about this historical fiction/mystery series. Main character Mary sounds like someone I'll get along with and her slow burn romance, well, I'd be lying if I said that wasn't a draw!

Does anyone know if this book can be read as a standalone?

Midnight Magic

by Avi

Goodreads Page

This is one of those books where my sister and I both loved it so much that we'd argue over who actually owned the book. Which is silly considering we lived together and so the book of course resided under the same roof.

Even sillier is the fact that we never entertained the idea of buying a second copy (I think that was somehow considered an impossibility). So, even when I moved and left the book in New York, it was with the understanding that my sister would retain custody of the book.

Until now. She can keep her copy because now I have a copy of my very own!

Fire Study

by Maria V. Snyder

Goodreads Page

I adored Poison Study, but I've heard Maria V. Snyder's second books aren't as good as her first books so I've been reluctant to continue on with the series.

Is it terrible to say that I bought this book just as much for the beautiful cover (that matched my edition of Poison Study) as I did for actually (maybe) reading it?

Well, it was only a dollar!

Player's Ruse

by Hilari Bell

Goodreads Page

This is my go-to series for "brothers in arms" cravings. Michael and Fisk are totally different from one another, but that just means I get to satisfy my liking of noble, heroic, good men (Michael) and guys with shady pasts who do sometimes shady things (Fisk). There's always a mystery the friends need to solve that is as engaging as the characters.

I liked the first book a lot, loved the second book, and I'm hoping the third book is just as good. 

What did you get this week? Are you interested in reading any of these books? What did you think of them if you've read them already?

. Tweet

DNF: House of Shadows by Rachel Neumeier

Did Not Finish Explanation

House of Shadows by Rachel Neumeier

Received: ARC from publisher, via NetGalley 

Read pages: 120 of 352

This is one of those times where I DNF a book and still have every intention of picking it up again soon. The problem was that I was reading this as an e-galley, and I have to read all my e-galleys on my computer. That led me to DNF for two reasons:

First, the pacing of this book is languid. I guess technically I could call it "slow" but that doesn't feel right. The pace is just right for the book and anything faster would have felt rushed and wrong. But, it is not a fast moving plot. It takes a long time for things to happen and there is a lot of showing and telling.

While none of that was the least bit boring, it was difficult to keep my engagement while dealing with the constant "I'm not comfortable" interruption that goes through my head whenever I read on my computer.

Second, a computer is the wrong medium to use for this book. I'd even go so far as to say an e-reader feels wrong. House of Shadows is the kind of book that is too beautiful and the fantasy world too immersive to be juxtaposed against such modern technology. I was enjoying House of Shadows too much to continue sullying my reading exerience with this wrongness.

BUT, what I read was wonderful. Readers who don't mind taking things at a slower pace will be rewarded with a truly enrapturing experience. All of my senses were engaged to the point where I felt like I could smell the air the characters were breathing, feel the things they were touching, and hear the sounds around them. The world building is practically a character in its own right.

Over the pages I read, the third person narrative switched focus between Nemienne, Leilis, and Taudde.

Nemienne is the type of character I tend to love—a little off-beat, but brave and stubborn with her nose always finding its way into a book. She finds herself living with a mage and learning magic. An enchanted cat and labyrinthine home rounded out my experiences with Nemienne, and to my mind it doesn't get much better than that.

Leilis is a sort-of servant at what sounds like a courtesan's guildhouse. I'm not sure what to think of her character yet except that she seems very tragic and I want to know what happened to her to land her in such a position. There's a definite backstory there and I feel like Leilis will turn out to be far more than she ever expected.

Karah, one of Nemienne's sisters becomes a courtesan in the house Leilis serves, and so I got to follow along with her during these sections as well. Karah is so serene, kind, and beautiful and she reminded me a little of Rose in Jessica Day George's Princess of the Midnight Ball (the large number of sisters in both books might have sparked that comparison).

Taudde is the only character I didn't like very much, but I think that's partly because I don't entirely have a handle on him. He's up to something and keeping lots of secrets, but at his core is a festering hurt and that rarely turns out well.

At the time I stopped reading, each character thread felt almost entirely separate from one another and I'm not sure how they will come together. With the exception of Taudde's sections, I quickly fell into the rhythem of each narrative and it almost didn't matter to me what would happen next so long as I could continue spending time with these characters in this world.

Bottom line

Definitely something I'm going to pick up again just as soon as my library gets a copy in. Because of the pacing and level of description and immersion, I think I'm going to need to set aside a large chunk of time to devote to reading House of Shadows. It does not seem like the kind of book where I could get away with reading small snippets at a time without negatively impacting the experience.

I originally picked up House of Shadows after reading Charlotte's excellent review. 

Recommended for readers who enjoy Sharon Shinn and Juliet Marillier. 

Have you read House of Shadows?

How did you like it?

Have you ever put down a book because the situation you were reading in was not ideal? 

Tweet

Book Review: My Swordhand is Singing by Marcus Sedgwick

My Swordhand is Singing by Marcus Sedgwick
Release Date: October 9, 2007
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books/Random House
Pages: 200
Received: Library
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads Page

Summary

From Goodreads:

When Tomas and his son Peter settle in Chust as woodcutters, Tomas digs a channel of fast-flowing waters around their hut, so they have their own little island kingdom. Peter doesn't understand why his father has done this, nor why his father carries a long, battered box, whose mysterious contents he is forbidden to know.

But Tomas is a man with a past: a past that is tracking him with deadly intent, and when the dead of Chust begin to rise from their graves, both father and son must face a soulless enemy and a terrifying destiny.

Review

For best results, approach like this...

Different books require different approaches for optimal enjoyment. For My Swordhand is Singing, I recommend taking the "folktale" approach. That is, pretend you are sitting around a campfire on a cold night in Romania and a grizzled old man is telling you a tale of what happened there many years ago.

When listening to this type of story, I don't expect characters of great depth or an intricate plot, but I DO expect a story to keep me entertained. If I'm lucky, such campfire stories send a shiver down my spine and make me jump at the slightest sounds, darting furtive looks over my shoulder while also blushing at my own fear.

My Swordhand is Singing delivered the perfect blend of spooky entertainment. I read it at night and alone, curled up under my bed covers, which is the perfect setting if a campfire is not at hand.

Is it scary?

I've heard others say they were disappointed and not terribly scared, but I'm a wimp so I thought My Swordhand is Singing was a delightfully creepy tale!

The menace builds slowly but steadily, creeping in like frigid winter air curling under a drafty door. Set in medieval Romania, I was constantly aware of how vulnerable these people were with their primitive methods of protection and outrageously dangerous superstitions. Marcus Sedgwick did a fantastic job transporting me into the minds of these people.

The creatures were psychologically terrifying, made all the more so by the fact that everything I knew of them was filtered through primitive medieval eyes. These are not your sparkling vampires looking for romance.

These vampires are the legends that were birthed from a time when menace lurked in the darkness and humans possessed a brutal awareness of their vulnerability. There is no doubt here, these creatures are soulless monsters focused entirely on devouring their prey.

What about the rest of the story?

I said this is like a folktale, and like most folktales, the characters and plot are not incredibly deep. Nor do they need to be.

There are two story threads in addition to the overarching vampire invasion. One dealt with the relationship between Tomas--an aging drunk--and his son Peter. The other focused on Peter and his romantic feelings for two girls.

The threads about Tomas and Peter were a little sluggish, but they did not distract me from the good parts. There is an event surrounding a goose carving that wormed its hooks into my heart and left me in tears. Tomas's struggle for redemption was also touching, if frustratingly, though realistically, imperfect.

The romantic parts were less satisfying, but they did not overwhelm the plot and love triangle phobics need not worry. Both girls also serve a greater purpose, so their presence in the story turned out to be more necessary than I originally thought. I didn't swoon at all, but that's equally because of the expected lack of character depth as it is because I was far too consumed by terror to focus on swoon.

Bottom line

Notice how I posted this review about a week before Halloween? That's not a coincidence. That's my subtle way of saying this would be a GREAT Halloween read because it's short so you can read it in one sitting and it's scary. And a little more than a week before Halloween gives you enough time to get your hands on a copy!

(I realize in saying this that I'm undermining my clever subtlety a little, but we all know I'm really not skilled when it comes to subtlety. I'm an obvious book pusher.)

Marcus Sedgwick is clearly a storyteller. Apparently this is the first book in a series, but I never would have known this without Goodreads as it can be read as a standalone without any problem.

I will definitely check out more of Marcus Sedgwick's books, particularly for those wind-whipping winter nights when I can really get my scare on.

On a totally unrelated note, I love Marcus Sedgwick's signature.

Explanation of rating system: Star Rating Key 

Do you have any questions about My Swordhand is Singing that I haven't addressed? 
Feel free to ask in the comments!

How do you prefer your vampires? Dangerous, or swoony? 
Do you have any recommendations for scary "folktale-like" books?

Looking for another book like this? 

You might like: 

Click on the covers to go to my reviews and/or Goodreads.

Tweet