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Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
Release Date: May 1st, 2012
Click here to read our review or share your own! 





The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda
Release Date: May 12, 2012
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Here's the scoop on the most popular destinations on The Children’s Book Review site, the most coveted new releases, the bestsellers, and kids' book events.

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The one thing I know about 2010 is that I will not, at least for the first few months, be accepting any books for review. I will still occasionally review the books I do read (acquired on my own). I will still comb my fellow book bloggers' sites for recommendations.  If I'm going to pressure myself to do anything, though, it's going to be to write.  Then y'all can review my book.


Ultimately, I rarely have success with resolutions.  I end up completing exactly the opposite of that which I've set out to achieve.   This year it's going to be different.  This year I'm making a list of resolutions which can last the entire year, a list of things I want to accomplish that I know are within my grasp.  (And....if by some strange, random chance I once again complete exactly the opposite....well, c'est la vie.)

Here are my Resolutions for 2010:

1. Gain 20 lbs.

 2. Lose patience with my children at least twice a day.

3. Set aside time to write and end up whittling it away playing around on Facebook.

4. Never respond to emails, inbox messages, or phone messages.

5. Eat my weight in junk food each day.

6. Read only garbage, like books written by Ann Coulter or people with names that end in "y."

7. Blog once a month.  Never mention Stephen Parrish.

8. Wait until 2011 to read the third Hunger Games novel and the third Kristin Cashore novel.  Ignore Quencher, Plum Blossoms in Paris, The Tavernier Stones and Paranormalcy altogether.

9. Refuse to have dinner with Brendan Fraser when he discovers my winning Clarity of Night entry.

10.  Lose any interest in finding a cure for autism, or even in finding coping mechanisms to help those children and their parents.

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Right before the Thanksgiving holiday, I went to the library to see if I could find some books to read while I was in Athens. It was there that I saw the popular Graceling by Kristin Cashore. Now having the opportunity to read it, I checked it out and I’m so glad that I did.

I loved Katsa and her strong character. I also enjoyed the world-building that author created (I found myself referring the maps at the front of the book several times). Katsa is character who has been given great powers but what I liked about this book is how she learned the true essence of her gift. How she alone could determine how to wield her power instead of others. I also liked the strong character in Po and how despite his own powers, he yielded to let Katsa be her true self. He wasn’t jealous or vindictive. He didn’t want to own her. He wanted to be her partner.

Anytime I read about strong female characters (and they are many that are in this book) it’s always a plus for me.

Kristin also wrote a great NaNoWriMo Pep Talk essay for Week 3. Here’s some excerpts that resonated with me:

“Self-doubt and fear are just part of the process. Those voices are never going to go away. Write anyway. Take a breath; go for a walk; look at the stars; listen to OutKast and shake it like a Polaroid picture; and then, sit down and write anyway.

[...]

Breathe. Be kind to yourself. Don’t panic. Take risks. Make messes. Decide every day that in your writing toolbox, next to the fear and self-doubt, you are also going to keep at least one tiny little seed of faith. That’s all you need to keep going—one mustard seed. Keep tight hold on that faith, and keep writing.”

So even if you’re not a hardcore fantasy fan, but you love strong female characters who determine their own destiny, plus a little romance, you should give this book a try.

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And no, sadly,  I don't mean these guys:



I haven't blogged much lately.  If you're a past reader of In Search of Giants, you know I don't like long posts, so let's break this down:

As if all that weren't enough, NaNo starts in just three days (see #3, above). 

In other words, I will continue to be a sporadic, MIA even, blogger.  But do stay tuned - exciting announcements from the Co-Dictators of the Universe, my first CD review, and more - sometime in the near future (ie, prior to 2011.)

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The last thing either of these two books need is more press, but I'm doing my best to give thoughts on everything I read this year, so I want to fill you all in on just what I think about both. No lengthy reviews here though, if you want those on either of these books I'm sure you won't have to look that far. Reviews are evvverrrywhere!

Fire, by Kristin Cashore definitely gets a starred review from me. Between Graceling and this sequel, these are great stories and Cashore is obviously amazing at creating characters to fall in love with. Though I was, at first, disappointed to not see the characters from Graceling in this one, but that quickly changed, as these characters were even more wonderful and rich as the previous.

Typically I think YA books over 300 pages could probably be cut down a bit, the almost 500 pages of this book were well worth my time. The descriptions of people and places felt entirely realistic, though also made the book quite long.

Definitely looking forward to more from Cashore.

Thanks to Penguin for the review copy :)

Fire
Kristin Cashore
480 pages
Young Adult
Dial
9780803734616
October 2009

Catching Fire was as fantastic as I thought it was going to be. Some bloggers think it was a disappointing sequel to The Hunger Games, but I expected high impact drama, a love triangle, and a whole lot of action, which is exactly what I got. I can't believe how creative Suzanne Collins is with her stories and though the whole Katniss/Peeta/Gale issue was somewhat overdone, I didn't mind as much as some. I expected it, so I think that made it ok for me.

I will say that very rarely am I vocal when reading a book (like gasping, sighing, etc.), but I was so loud when reading this is made my husband laugh hysterically. About halfway through, when the big twist hit, I happened to be reading in bed and gasped "NO!!" and he just could not stop laughing at me. Seriously though...heartstopping.

Now if only next year would come a bit faster...

Thanks to Scholastic for the review copy :)

Catching Fire
Suzanne Collins
400 pages
Young Adult
Scholastic
9780439023498
September 2009

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This month, readergirlz are discussing Graceling by Kristin Cashore.

Read the September issue of readergirlz. There's a playlist for the book, plus book guide questions and party ideas.

Drop by the readergirlz blog to discuss the book with other readers, ALL MONTH LONG!

LIVE CHAT:
Join our hour-long chat with Kristin at the readergirlz blog on Wednesday, September 16th at 6 PM PST/9 PM EST.

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Fire: a Novel by Kristin Cashore. Dial, September 2009.

This is not a review, honestly! The cover of my very early ARC says very clearly that “this version should not, under any circumstances, be used for review.” So consider this commentary.

This novel takes place in the same world as Graceling, but several decades in the past and an impenetrable (almost) mountain range away from the Seven Kingdoms. Fire, our teenaged heroine, is a monster. Like monster cats, birds, insects, and other species, she has brilliant coloration – in Fire’s case, it’s her astoundingly vivid hair, in shades of red, orange and even pink, that draws attention. She also possesses a strong magnetism, almost a glamour, that causes both fascination and overwhelmingly strong emotions (positive and negative) in everyone who sees her. Oh, and she’s absolutely uncannily gorgeous – that’s part of her monsterhood.

Readers won’t be envious. In fact, she attracts so much unwanted and dangerous attention – mostly from men and fellow monsters – that she must always cover her hair and be accompanied by a group of guards. Luckily, her important position in court allows her a certain measure of protection and even influence – although she is loathe to use her mind-reading/mind-altering powers.

Fire is just as vivid, likable, and amazing character as Katsa in Graceling. I was right there with her every step of the way from the first page to the last, never once being jarred out of my trance by awkward prose any other flaw - an occurrence that is so magical and relatively rare that it makes me reel with delirious joy when I find this kind of book.

Delicious, delightful, multi-layered, heartrending – damn, this is good. Graceling readers will feel a chill of horror at the first few pages, in which a certain well-known character makes a sinister appearance that does not bode well for Fire. Sure enough, Bad Stuff happens – and it’s even worse knowing what will happen during the next few decades in Katsa’s part of the world – but this shiver of fear only enhances the transcendent moments of friendship and love (oh yes, there is love).

September is a long time for Graceling fans to wait, but they will be well rewarded. Fire is a masterpiece.

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...you're gonna love Fire by Kristin Cashore! I'm still on vacation and therefore I'm still not blogging, but it is impossible not to let out a short and ecstatic electronic squeal of delirious joy that I received an early ARC of Fire and am not quite finished. It is SO good. The cover states sternly that "this version should not, under any circumstances, be used for review." Hmm, that "under any circumstances" sounds mightily like it might apply to bloggers. Well, look for my opinion, not my review, of Fire in the next day or two.

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