The Eye of the World
By: Robert Jordan

Series: Wheel of Time

Published: 1990

# of pages: 814

Challenge: Ultimate Reading Challenge

Official description:

The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hang in the balance. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

Ashes on the Waves
By: Mary Lindsey

Challenge: RIP VIII

Published: 2013

# of pages: 373

Official description:

Liam MacGregor is cursed. Haunted by the wails of fantastical Bean Sidhes and labeled a demon by the villagers of Dòchas, Liam has accepted that things will never get better for him—until a wealthy heiress named Annabel Leighton arrives on the island and Liam’s fate is changed forever.
With Anna, Liam finally finds the happiness he has always been denied; but, the violent, mythical Otherworlders, who inhabit the island and the sea around it, have other plans. They make awager on the couple’s love, testing its strength through a series of cruel obstacles. But the tragedies draw Liam and Anna even closer. Frustrated, the creatures put the couple through one last trial—and this time it’s not only their love that’s in danger of being destroyed.
Based on Edgar Allan Poe’s chilling poem, "Annabel Lee," Mary Lindsey creates a frighteningly beautiful gothic novel that glorifies the power of true love.

The Graveyard Book
By: Neil Gaiman

Challenge:  R.I.P. VII

Published:  2008

# of pages:  320

Quote:
"There were three of them there, then, and Amabella was introducing Bod and he was shaking hands and saying, 'Charmed, I am sure,' because he could greet people politely over nine hundred years of changing manners."

"Really, he thought, if you couldn't trust a poet to offer sensible advice, who could you trust?"

Official description: After the grisly murder of his entire family, a toddler wanders into a graveyard where the ghosts and other supernatural residents agree to raise him as one of their own.
Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod's family . . . 
Beloved master storyteller Neil Gaiman returns with a luminous new novel for the audience that embraced his New York Times bestselling modern classic Coraline. Magical, terrifying, and filled with breathtaking adventures, The Graveyard Book is sure to enthrall readers of all ages.

Neverwhere


By: Neil Gaiman

Challenge:  Once Upon a Time

Published: 1996

# of pages: 370

Quote: "The marquis had told them where to wait, and then he had slipped away. From somewhere, Richard heard a baby begin to cry. The marquis slipped out of an exit-only door and walked toward them. He was chewing on a piece of candy."

Official description:When Richard Mayhew stops one day to help a girl he finds bleeding on a London pavement, his life is forever altered, for he finds himself propelled into an alternative reality that exists in a subterranean labyrinth of sewer canals and abandoned subway stations. He has fallen through the cracks of reality and has landed somewhere different, somewhere that is Neverwhere.

The Snow Child


By: Eowyn Ivey

Challenge: Once Upon a Time

Published:  2012

# of pages:  386

Quote:  "Cradling a swaddled infant in their arms, mothers would distractedly touch their lips to their babies' foreheads.  Passing their toddlers in a hall, mothers would tousle their hair or even sweep them up in their arms and kiss them hard along their chins and necks until the children squealed with glee.  Where else in life, Mabel wondered, could a woman love so openly and with such abandon?"  -pg. 328

Official description: Alaska, 1920: a brutal place to homestead, and especially tough for recent arrivals Jack and Mabel. Childless, they are drifting apart--he breaking under the weight of the work of the farm; she crumbling from loneliness and despair. In a moment of levity during the season's first snowfall, they build a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is gone--but they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees. This little girl, who calls herself Faina, seems to be a child of the woods. She hunts with a red fox at her side, skims lightly across the snow, and somehow survives alone in the Alaskan wilderness. As Jack and Mabel struggle to understand this child who could have stepped from the pages of a fairy tale, they come to love her as their own daughter. But in this beautiful, violent place things are rarely as they appear, and what they eventually learn about Faina will transform all of them.

Enchantment

As one of the most consistently exciting writers to emerge in the last twenty-five years, Orson Scott Card has been honored with numerous awards, immersing readers in dazzling worlds only he could create. Now, in Enchantment, Card works his magic as never before, transforming the timeless story of Sleeping Beauty into an original fantasy brimming with romance and adventure.

The moment Ivan stumbled upon a clearing in the dense Carpathian forest, his life was forever changed. Atop a pedestal encircled by fallen leaves, the beautiful princess Katerina lay still as death. But beneath the foliage a malevolent presence stirred and sent the ten-year-old Ivan scrambling for the safety of Cousin Marek's farm.

Now, years later, Ivan is an American graduate student, engaged to be married. Yet he cannot forget that long-ago day in the forest--or convince himself it was merely a frightened boy's fantasy. Compelled to return to his native land, Ivan finds the clearing just as he left it.

This time he does not run. This time he awakens the beauty with a kiss . . . and steps into a world that vanished a thousand years ago.

A rich tapestry of clashing worlds and cultures, Enchantment is a powerfully original novel of a love and destiny that transcend centuries . . . and the dark force that stalks them across the ages.

The Night Circus

By: Erin Morgenstern

Published: 2011

# of pages: 387

Quote: "The stone feels heavier in your hand.
When you drop it in the pool to join the rest of the stones, you feel lighter. As though you have released something more than a smooth polishes piece of rock." -p. 283

Official description:

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.

My opinion: I'm not gonna lie, I was disappointed in this book. I read another review that summed up how I feel by saying that the elaborate descriptions make up 80% of the book and the remaining 20% make up the "plot."

I'm confused by the official description's claim that the two main characters, Celia and Marco, are engaged in a "fierce competition." I kept waiting for the game the two played to really start. And it never did. That's not a spoiler, I'm just warning y'all! The romance was also a disappointment. I felt that with the in depth descriptions, Morgenstern could have written so much more about the game and the characters, but instead she concentrated on the setting. And the setting is amazing! I wish I could go to the Circus of Dreams!

It was pretty confusing at first with the different viewpoints and time lines. But after the first 80 pages or so it started to make more sense. Everything comes together in the end, you just may have to flip back and forth a bit to keep track of the different time stamps at the beginning of each chapter.

Why I gave this book 3/5 stars: Underdeveloped plot and characters, confusing time lines, but neat imagery and setting.

Other reviews:
S. Krishna's Books
Book Nut
Literary Musings
It's All About Books
Chrisbookarama
life by candlelight

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

By: Ransom Riggs

Published: 2011

# of pages: 352

Official description:

A mysterious island.

An abandoned orphanage.

A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography,Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

My opinion: Don't be fooled! The description and the cover make this book seem like a suspense/Gothic/ghost/horror story. This is a fantasy book, pure and simple. The first third isn't strictly fantasy. I was even really creeped out in the first few chapters. However, it turns into a sci-fi/fantasy novel complete with time travel and fantastical creatures. I was disappointed, but you don't have to be if you know what you're getting into.

The inclusion of the pictures makes this book fascinating! I loved it and thought it was so unique. However, I was a little annoyed that a few of the pictures could have been left out altogether and then in some parts the narrative offers fake sounding explanations for the pictures. Not all of the pictures needed to be specifically mentioned, the explanations (justifications?) broke up the narrative.

Why I gave this book 4/5 stars: Unique story, cool pictures, misleading description, not the most well-written.

Other reviews:

life by candlelight
S. Krishna's Books
Chrisbookarama

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Click HERE to see an awesome flow chart that will help you discover what to read next!

Chime

Mystic and Rider
by: Sharon Shinn

Sunshine by: Robin McKinley

Published: 2003

# of pages: 416



I read this in 2007 and it became one of my all time favorite books. I put it on my Christmas list this past year and someone gave it to me. I decided it was about time to re-read it!

Unfortunately, I was disappointed the second time around. I remember the first time I read it it took me awhile to get into it. I was a little confused about the world it was set in since it differs so much from the other books I read by McKinley. But I loved it by the time it was over. The second time I read it it seemed to drag so much. Like Chalice, there was so much rambling and little dialogue. I can't think why I didn't notice that the first time I read it. To be fair, I don't read so much these days and when I do read it's in bits and pieces. I read while I nurse Evan, during commercials, in the bathroom, and maybe (just maybe) I will sit and actually give my attention to a book for awhile in the evenings. So it's really hard to "get into" a novel and I think that Sunshine is one of those that you have to read all at once to really appreciate the characters and story.

What's good about this book??? There's a lot of great stuff! I can still see why I loved this book so much the first time I read it. It's a great story that has flavoring from one of my favorite fairy tales (and, I suspect, one of McKinley's favorites as well), "Beauty and the Beast." It's about a human (well, we think she's human anyway) who meets a vampire, the most feared creature of the Others.

The world is an alternate Earth which has been transformed by the Voodoo Wars and in which magic and "Others" (vampires, weres, demons, etc) exist. Sunshine is the main character and she works at a coffee shop that is owned by her stepfather. She is abducted by vampires at the beginning of the novel and ends up meeting Constantine (Con), a different kind of vampire. The two form an alliance, one that forms a lasting bond between them. Sunshine spends the novel trying to balance her life as a low key baker with her family and boyfriend, Mel, and as a friend to a vampire and a magic handler.

Con and Sunshine form a plan to strike back at the vampire who abducted Sunshine and although she is scared, she makes preparations and strengthens her relationship with Con before they take action. The last part of the novel is my favorite part. Even after not enjoying the book the second time around, I still loved this last part! Con is one of my favorite characters, I just love him! He actually reminds me a lot of the master in Chalice and from what I can remember, the beast in Beauty. I guess I just all around love McKinley's male characters!

Anyway, I definitely recommend this to lovers of fantasy and fans of McKinley! I wish I could say I loved this book just as much as I did before, but that wouldn't be the truth. However, I hope it's because of my bad reading habits these days. There's some bad language and sexual content, but it doesn't overwhelm the novel. However, I wouldn't say it's appropriate for young adults.



Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

A Game of Thrones
by: George R.R. Martin

Series: A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1

Challenges: Read Your Name Challenge, 1st in a Series Challenge

Published: 1996

# of pages: 835



If you haven't already discovered this from reading my blog - I love fantasy! For the past couple of years I've been meaning to start the series "A Song of Ice and Fire," which I've heard is a classic for fantasy lovers. The first book in the series is A Game of Thrones. And what a beginning it is!

I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. For some reason I was thinking this would be one of those fantasy books. It's hard to describe, but it seems like so many fantasy series out there aren't written very well. It's like the authors just wanted to crank out a series to make money. Either that or the series is SO detailed and the world is so unfamiliar that it loses me. Anyway, I figured this book would be the first of one of those types of series. However, I was wrong. This was a very well written book and although the world Martin created is intricate, it's not too "out there" for me to follow. It is similar to medieval Europe actually.

The chapters alternate between different narrators. Ned and his wife Catelyn, who live in a castle in the northern part of the kingdom; their children Bran, Arya, and Sansa; Ned's illegitimate son Jon; Tyrion, the king's brother-in-law; and Daenerys, who used to be the princess of the kingdom and is now an outcast on an eastern island.

Ned is chosen to be the "Hand of the King" and has to move south to live in the capital of the kingdom. He takes his daughters Arya and Sansa with him so they can experience court life. Bran was going to go along, but an "accident" prevents him from leaving his home. Catelyn ends up following her husband and daughters to warn them of treachery as Jon heads farther north to help defend the kingdom's border from otherworldly darkness. Tyrion is a sarcastic dwarf who is caught up in his family's plots to overthrow the kingdom. And Daenerys (the most fascinating character) is married to an eastern lord and goes from being a timid girl to a confident queen who has her own ambitions.

There are so many storylines, but this gives you an idea of what goes on in the book. There's another story about the wolves that are found at the beginning of the book. Each of Ned's children receives a wolf for a pet. They all play a part in the story, but not a major part. However, I feel as if they must still be significant. Wolves and dragons are two major symbols in A Game of Thrones and it will be interesting to see if that continues in the following books.

The only negative to the book is that it is SO LONG. It's very detailed and interesting, but it wasn't easy for me to take the time to read it at this point in my life. I think it would be a great vacation book, something to read when I have large chunks of time. So it will be awhile before I pick up the second book in the series, A Clash of Kings. Yeah...I really do wish it was shorter because I think this is a book my husband and brother would enjoy, but I know neither one will be able to stick with it because of its length!

Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Fire
by: Kristen Cashore

Published: 2009

# of pages: 480


Fire is the prequel to Graceling. A prequel that I thoroughly enjoyed, much more than Graceling. You don't need to read Graceling in order to read Fire. As a matter of fact, I think I recommend reading Fire first. In my review of Graceling, I mentioned how annoyed I was at the weird similarities between that book and The Hunger Games. Now I am a little annoyed at the similarity of the titles in this book and the second book by Collins, Catching Fire. It's weird!

However, I found Fire to be a unique story about a girl named Fire. She is a monster, but not in the way we think of monsters. In her world, monsters are the most beautiful creatures on earth...and the most dangerous. There's only one human monster left and so mostly Fire leads a lonely life although she does have a few close friends when the story begins.

The book follows Fire as she struggles to accept her own existence and fulfills duties that only she can perform while making sure that she upholds her values along the way. I liked the character of Fire and her strength. She is such a compassionate person and I felt like she was a more likable character than Katsa in Graceling. I also related to some of the desires she has that she feels will not happen in her life. Of course there is a little bit of romance which I also liked much more than the romance in Graceling.

Anyway, I highly recommend this book to older young adults (haha, that sounds funny) and adults who enjoy the fantasy genre. Also, if you liked Graceling, I have a strong feeling you will like Fire even more!


Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

The Golden Compass
by: Philip Pullman

Graceling
by: Kristen Cashore

Challenges: 1st in a Series Challenge

Published: 2008

# of pages: 471


For some reason I had The Hunger Games in mind when I started to read this. It must be because in my LibraryThing account it always shows this as a recommendation right next to The Hunger Games. Anyway, I couldn't help but compare the two for the first few chapters, but eventually I separated them in my mind and then enjoyed this book more. I did find the similarity in the main characters' names annoying. Katniss is the heroine of The Hunger Games and Katsa is the heroine of Graceling.

Katsa lives in a world where certain people are born with a grace. It could be the grace of cooking, the grace of fighting, the grace of drawing...or the grace of killing. The last is Katsa's grace. The people with graces are called Gracelings and they are the property of the land's many rulers. Katsa may be able to kill without effort, but it doesn't mean she enjoys it. She finds ways to rebel against her uncle the king, but until she meets another Graceling one fateful night, she doesn't do anything to change her situation.

Katsa's world is turned around when she meets a handsome Graceling who invades her world. He's mysterious and is on a mission, one in which Katsa is soon caught up in. The two Gracelings seem unstoppable, but can they survive traveling across the country's rugged terrain and becoming involved in a horrifyingly evil plot?

Like I said, I had a hard time enjoying the novel at first because I kept comparing it to one of my all time favorite books, but after awhile it seemed more individual and unique. I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have if Katsa was a little more open to love. I think her romantic decisions made the book less romantic. That's not necessarily bad, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if it had a little more traditional romance. :-)

This is appropriate for adult lovers of fantasy and possibly some young adults as well. There's mild sex scenes and maybe some mild language (I can't remember for sure). There's obviously some violence since Katsa is skilled in killing, but it isn't descriptive or overwhelming. Overall this was a unique and interesting read, I can't wait to read the sequel (Fire).



Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

Chalice
by: Robin McKinley

Published: 2008

# of pages: 272


First of all I have to say, I love the cover illustration on this book! It's hard to see in the picture, but it really is gorgeous! THIS LINK takes you to the artists' website.

Other than that, I was disappointed in the book. McKinley is one of my favorite authors of all time. The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown are the 2 books that drew me into the world of fantasy. Before then I had never had a desire to read fantasy and the few fantasy books I had read I didn't enjoy because they were too unrealistic. haha! Beauty and Sunshine are 2 of my all time favorite books as well. So I had high expectations for Chalice, but I thought the narration style of the book was boring and confusing.

The story is told from the point of view of the main character, Marisol. The narrative is mainly her thoughts that ramble on and are repetitive. There isn't nearly as much dialogue in this novel as there is in most books. I felt like this really hindered my enjoyment of the story. The plot is interesting, but the narrative took away from it.

The story is about Marisol, an orphaned young woman whose world is turned upside down when the master of the estate she lives and works on as a beekeeper dies. She is chosen to be the new Chalice, cup bearer, of the new master. She is part of a circle of people who help keep the land intact with magic, otherwise it will fall apart and be destroyed.

If it isn't enough that Marisol has been thrown into this position, the new master is in an identical predicament. Both the master and Marisol work hard to keep the land together and keep the people satisfied. Everything seems to be going fine until the overlord of the lands gets involved and chooses an heir for the master to train. Things quickly go downhill and it's up to Marisol to save the day.

I appreciated the story and the magical world that McKinley created. However, I just couldn't get over the repetitiveness of the narration and the lack of dialogue. I felt that I couldn't really get to know the characters.

This book is classified as a young adult book, but I feel like it is more of an adult book. Not because the content is mature, it just isn't your typical young adult book. Even the main character is an adult, she isn't a teenager. I recommend this book to people who really love fantasy. I think the redeeming factor is the unique magic structure that is in the story, something that will appeal to lovers of the fantasy genre.



Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to post yours as well.

The Amaranth Enchantment
by: Julie Berry

Published: 2009

# of pages: 306


This cute young adult fairy tale fantasy is about a 15 year old girl named Lucinda whose life is changed forever when two strangers enter her uncle's goldsmith shop one day. From then on, one thing after another happens and Lucinda is forced into the adventure of her life. The book has everything from a "witch," a nasty aunt, a mischievous thief, an evil lord, and (of course!) a handsome prince.

I enjoyed the book and read it in less than a day because it was so fast. However, I felt like the story was very disjointed, especially towards the end (after page 250). After that it really didn't flow very well. Also, it was confusing how Lucinda sometimes jumped from one conclusion to another and contradicted herself. However, I've found that to be a common trait in many young adult books. I think YA authors try to be simple and so don't always explain the process the character goes through to make decisions.

All in all, this is a unique retelling of a fairy tale (based on Cinderella), if not a little strange in parts. It's definitely geared towards young adults, not all adults will be able to enjoy it. I recommend this to young adults and fans of young adult fantasy.



Have you reviewed this? Let me know and I'd be happy to list yours on this post.

The Onion Girl
by: Charles de Lint

Challenges: TBR Challenge

Published: 2001

# of pages: 508


I've heard so much about Charles de Lint, mostly about The Onion Girl. So it's been on my TBR list for the longest time. I also heard about Dreams Underfoot, which I believe is a collection of short stories. Now I realize that I should have read the stories before The Onion Girl, a novel. The stories and the novel take place in Newford, a city where magic and reality mix. I think that the stories introduce you to the characters and the world better than the book. Too late, I read some reviews that said not to start out the Newford books with The Onion Girl because it can be confusing. I wouldn't say that I was confused, but I did feel like something was missing. I felt like I didn't have a connection that the author assumed his readers had.

There are a lot of characters, but I didn't find them hard to keep track of. There are a few characters that are mentioned over and over, but never make an appearance. It's as if the reader is already supposed to know them. So I definitely recommend reading de Lint's other stories first, but The Onion Girl can definitely be read alone and still be understood and enjoyed.

The book concentrates on the character of Jilly. Jilly is in an accident that leaves her paralyzed, not a great experience for anyone, but especially not for an artist. She is also forced to confront her horrible past as she attempts to heal physically. She has the support of many, many friends who live in Newford and who are all involved in the artsy scene. I found it a little annoying that almost ALL of the characters are artsy. Can't a housewife, waitress, or business woman recognize and appreciate magic as much as poets, painters, and musicians?

Jilly's accident physically affects her in many ways, one of which she is suddenly able to visit the magic parallel world in her dreams. Many of her friends go there in her dreams or physically go there and her one comfort after the accident is that she can travel there. Although she visits there in a dream state, it's a real world that exists at the same time as "The World As It Is," the normal world. When she visits the magical world she meets many interesting creatures and characters. I enjoyed reading of her visits and thought that de Lint did a great job in creating an entire world that is original and unique.

I recommend this to adult lovers of fairytales and fantasy. There are many disturbing scenes about the abuse Jilly and other characters suffered as children. There's also several sexual scenes and bad language, so I don't recommend this to young adults or people who are sensitive about such things. However, even though there's so many disturbing things, the book is still full of hope and Jilly's strength is even more apparent. I'm giving the book three stars because although it was good, I don't think I'll ever read it again. It didn't hook me although I suspect it's because I wasn't properly introduced to the Newford characters. I'm definitely planning on reading Dreams Underfoot and maybe I'll change my mind after that. Anyone here read these books? What do you recommend I read next?

Other reviews:
things mean a lot

The Truth-Teller's Tale
by: Sharon Shinn

Challenges: YA Challenge, TBR Challenge

Published: 2007

# of pages: 304


Loved this book! It was more romantic than I expected a young adult book to be, but it was such a refreshing romance. I admit that I wasn't pulled into the story right away, I was actually a little put off by the characters and the way the story was being told, but soon I was very into the story and I really enjoyed the characters of Eleda and Gregory.

Eleda and Adele are twin sisters who find out that they are special in the world they live in. Eleda is a truth-teller, meaning she can't tell a lie or hide anything. Adele is a safe-keeper, meaning she can't tell secrets and keeps things to herself. Although the girls are opposites in many ways, they are very close to each other. The summer they are 17 a dancing master and his apprentice come to stay at the inn Eleda and Adele's parents own. They brings secrets with them and the girls must deal with these as well as the problem of their best friend, Roelynn, being forced to marry against her will.

Although the story is told in a way that is almost too young adult at times, I loved the romance and the world Shinn created. The story has a very interesting twist and it was neat to see how things come together. I recommend this to young adults and adults alike, especially if you enjoy a good, clean romance or a creative fairytale-like fantasy. There's a prequel to this book called The Safe-Keeper's Secret that I'm going to get around to reading one of these days, but The Truth-Teller's Tale is a standalone novel and it isn't necessary to continue reading or read the other book first.