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Download the first chapter of the LAST Artemis Fowl book!

February 18, 2012 by

[cross-posted]

O.M.G. I didn’t know Eoin Colfer was ending the series! D’oh!

Well if you knew or didn’t know, the Artemis Fowl legacy is coming to a close… take a sneak peak on Amazon’s site. You can download the first chapter of “Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian.”

I first started reading Artemis Fowl through audiobooks. I found them so entertaining and fun. I haven’t read the latest book (The Atlantis Complex) but it’s on my queue. I guess I’ll have two to read back-to-back! Artemis is like a modern-day Harry Potter/Bruce Wayne/James Bond hybrid. I absolutely recommend this series to tweens and teens. You could probably say the series caters to boys, but I think it’s fantastic enough for anyone.

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Rant: The Problem with Fae Books

December 14, 2011 by

At this point of my reading life, I am over the fae. I f#cking can’t stand faerie books anymore. They annoy the crap out of me, yet I still read them when I have “nothing” to read. [Slap me if I add another fae book on my Kindle.]

I recently read The Iron King by Julie Kagawa, and my dislike for fae softened a little. But only a little. Review to come.

Here are my problems with fae books:

  1. A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Really? Does every damn book have to reference this play? I’ve never read this play by Shakespeare, and now, I don’t intend to. I think YA authors have ruined this play for me. They reference this over and over, and I just want to knock their heads and say “Quit it. Find something else to anchor your story with.”
  2. The fae, in general – These guys are a##holes. They trick you, they want your true name, you can’t say “thank you” to them. See? A##holes. Even the “good” ones from the Seelie Court are selfish and greedy. The mysticism of fae shouldn’t be the only thing you’ve got in your storyline. You shouldn’t be using #1 as a crutch.
  3. YA Fae Storylines are all the same (all.the.same.) – Girl is probably a fae hybrid. Girl falls in love with Fae Boy/Prince/Guard/-in-uniform. Because it’s YA, there is no other reason to fall in love except you’re hot. (Granted, you’re a teenager so hormones and hotness rule.) Problems ensue. Throw in a book deal for a trilogy. Happy ending. The end.

My final decision at this point: I will not be reading any more fae books.

I like to think that if DJ McHale, Scott Westerfeld, Patricia Briggs or Tamora Pierce decide to delve into fae, I’ll give it a try, but even then, it’d be a borrowed book.

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Book Review Changes/Updates

May 3, 2011 by

I’ve decided to change up the rating system for my book reviews.

School Report Card - source: Rainbow Resource Center

First, no more minuses or plusses. They’re just going to be like high school: A, B, C, D, or F.

Second, I think I’ll bring back The Checklist for YA novels. There are too many tropes not to comment on them.

Third, I’ve consciously decided to take breaks between serials. I’m on book #5 of the Mercy Thompson series and I think I’m burnt out.

Call me out on any of these if you catch me failing to do any of these.

 

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Book Review: Devil’s Kiss

March 25, 2011 by

While taking a break from A Clash of Kings by George RR Martin, I picked up two YA audiobooks from the Santa Monica Public Library. Let’s chat about the first one I finished…. Devil’s Kiss by Sarwat Chadda.

Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda (audiobook)

Billi is part of the Knights Templar. She’s 15, her friend Kaye comes back from his own training, she meets a guy named Michael, and she hates her father.

The good: Since I’m not a Christian/religious, I enjoyed the Knights Templar mythology and some of the biblical references. I thought it was neat that the Knights Templar still existed in present-day Britain.

The bad: I think it took too long to set-up. I spent the first two discs bored. BORED. Yap yap yap. I get it, she’s 15. Let’s move on and keep the story moving. I mean, I’m driving 1hr and 15 mins one-way. Don’t make me fall asleep in LA traffic. It started to get interesting when there’s a reveal.

Spoilers: Michael is THE fallen angel of death. Kaye dies. Or does he?I really liked the last two discs – the climax of the story. I really thought the author was going to wrap this up in a happy ending, with Kaye coming back/resurrected. But no. She left him dead. I was bummed. I was hoping to see more of him.

But wait, there’s more. There’s a book #2. MotherFrakker. So perhaps my wish (and stereotypical YA ending?) will come true…

Overall, this was an alright book. I enjoyed it enough to put the second book on my To Read list on Goodreads. It wasn’t great, but it was entertaining enough for an audiobook to keep me company on my long work commutes. I’m not sure why it’s called “Devil’s Kiss.” Does someone want to enlighten me?

Grade: B

Buy or Borrow: Borrow

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