Kress, Adrienne: The Friday Society

December 6, 2012
Dial
YA Steampunk/Historical Fiction, 440 pages
Acquired and read: From local library cooperative; it took me a few weeks to read it because I was being unusually skeptic and dithering over whether or not I should actually read it (see, I got around to it, okay?!)

"And then there was an explosion."

That's actually the first line, but it could also be described as my brain realizing that steampunk + girl power + superheroes + Victorian London = something so awesome that it needs its own genre in order to properly exist. I don't have to recap for you the warmth I felt in my heart upon seeing the cover - and even a Japanese girl is involved! Such talent, such verve! - the sleepless nights waiting for a copy to magically appear in the mail, and finally, that hallowed moment when it was set in my hands at the local library.

(I stood there for a moment, looking at the cover - and yes, there might have been a little stroking involved. As stated before, the librarians are too understanding of me at this point.)

In any case, this first explosion (in the book, not my brain) is not the last. Adrienne Kress leads her readers on a madcap exploration of Victorian London, through its seamiest allies and most elegant ballrooms. And in the end, you ask? Was this book the answer to the search for the Holy Grail, that finest of finest of all books - the ultimate girl hero team?

Well, in answer to the Holy Grail thing, poor Sir Galahad is probably still looking. And on the ultimate girl hero team...well, let's just say I'm still right out there with him, but I have to admit it: The Friday Society does carry out one promise, and that is pure, unadulterated fun.

So we have Cora, ward and lab assistant to a rather absent-minded lord; Nellie, the Irish (of course) beauty who works with a magician (and has a parrot as a sidekick...wouldn't that make Batman jealous?); and Michiko, a Japanese import who mainly serves as an advertisement for her bumbling employer's fighting school, but has a spark of her own that won't be put out.

By this point, you're probably wondering exactly why this didn't hit the spot for me. After all, Kaye is all about Japan, right? Girl power, that's just what the doctor ordered. And that parrot...well, come on, who can resist a parrot? That's like, right up there with bunnies and and face paint and glitter glue and having Dora the Explorer on your backpack.

Well, there is such a thing as too much fun. Though Kress obviously has wit and whimsy coming out of her ears, there was more than one time I felt like the writing was a bit over-the-top. Recurrent jokes and old cliches do wear out - and speaking of cliches, have you heard the one involving the strong, independent girl falling for an obviously rotten apple and COMPLETELY taking leave of her senses because his eyes are so blue and he can banter until the cows come home, and oh my GOD take a look at those biceps.

Yeah, well...though it didn't completely ruin my enjoyment of the book, that part definitely got my goat. After all, there is that tagline: "Gowns, guys, guns - and the girls who use them all." News flash: Making doe eyes at a guy who's obviously playing you doesn't really help your reputation as a strong, liberated female.

But, don't lose heart. There are a generous amount of fight scenes, showdowns, near-concussions and contussions, a brief side romance that doesn't involve blue eyes and bantering (well, much), and NO LOVE TRIANGLE.

Ha. It's a miracle.

And, I must admit, I did love Michiko. After all, samurai lessons being passed down to a street rat? Rooftop parkour? Botched-up English translations and cultural barriers smashed through like paper? Gotta respect those Japanese girls.

So, my final conclusion? If I had to compare my reading of The Friday Society to any other title, I'd have to choose The Avengers - it's enjoyable enough once you get into it, but it's...not all that, or maybe just not what I was expecting (hold the Thor and just give us more antics from Loki! That's who everyone actually comes to see, people).

...And now I'm picturing Hawkeye in a skirt and high-laced boots. Great.

Warnings: Language - really, would a girl raised in polite society, especially overseas, dare to use such words in public? I think not. There's also quite a bit of innuendo, a rotten apple (see above) who has rather grabby hands and is just an all-around jerk, and a character death that may or may not hit you right in the solar plexus.

Fama, Elizabeth: Monstrous Beauty

Expected publication: September 4, 2012
Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Macmillan)
YA Paranormal/Mythology (Mermaids), 304 pages

Acquired and read: From the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review; I stopped for a bit on this one, but after a bit of a nudge from the lovely Wendy Darling, I picked right back up where I left off and finished it within an hour. No lie.


Disclaimer: This is a pre-release ARC received from the publisher. As such, please check any quotes or information against the finished copy of the book.  

If you're a fellow book blogger - well, a reader in general - you probably adhere to the one-chapter rule. This can be considered a distant relation to the (now defunct in most social circles) five-second rule - you know, five seconds to eat a scrap of food off the floor before the germs descend? That might have been disproved as untrue - and if you value your stomach and your health, I advise that you abandon it - but for me, one chapter before aiming a book for the scrap heap or settling in for the night saves me valuable time, sleep and, for the most part, peace of mind.

I won't lie. Up until last night, I had no intention of finishing Monstrous Beauty. Ever. The first time I attempted to read it, I broke the one chapter rule (*gasps* What a rebel I am!*) and eagerly clicked forward to see what the rest of the book might hold.

My discovery? A scene of violent assault (though, thankfully, not completely described) that had me shutting my Kindle cover and vowing never to open it to that particular galley again.

On the lovely Wendy Darling's suggestion, however, I decided to give the galley a second chance yesterday, and made it all the way to the end - as I mentioned before, in an hour. Not much else to do when you're stuck in a hot, empty car waiting for a class to finish. Since I'm feeling lazy (and there's still seven hours left before I can break my fast for the day), I decided to compile the pros and cons of Monstrous Beauty into a list so you can decide for yourself.

What Worked

The mermaids.

Nothing like you've seen in YA before. Trust me on this one. I'm not sure how much more I can say without spoiling, but they are still part-girl, part-fish, but they're much more...wild and raw than Ariel ever could be.

(Down side: Even Ariel invested in that shell bikini.)

The family history.

I really liked the way that the author brought the past into the present, and made the research and bloodline tracing and interviewing really believable.

The haunts.

Yes, that's right, ladies and gentlemen. You get mermaids and some good old fashioned ghosts for your money. A two-for-one deal you can only find in the wonderful world of YA literature.

The writing style.   

Didn't I mention this before? Anyway, the writing style. This is the main reason I carried through with Monstrous Beauty.

What Didn't  

(a.k.a. my Warnings a little earlier than usual, because as I said before, I'm lazy today)

The violence.

The aforementioned assault, a really freaky sea queen (see my note about Ursula in the conclusion), a murder-suicide mystery and a family curse that, despite a lack of distinct violence, might be a little sensitive if you're really attached to your mommy. 

The language.

I know I'm probably wearing this into the ground for people who don't care, but every. Other. Page. I was flinching away from a language bomb. It might not worry you, but it's really a sore spot for me. 

The ending.

Most of the loose threads are woven up - I mean, most of the storyline gets illuminated pretty quickly thanks to the author's approach to melding the past and future - but there were still some questions about the family history and the mermaids that I would have liked to find out just for the sake of it. It's not a big issue, but I just felt a little...unfinished.

The cover.

I mean, it's better than the first version, but still...I was too antsy to post it, so you'll have to look it up for yourself.

Conclusion = ?

I think you'll have to come up with that one yourself. Personally, I did like the unique touch the author gave mermaids - a slight hint of the (original, and quite dark in itself) Little Mermaid tale, a dash of Spirited Away - or so it felt like to me, and the rich culture of the Eastern coast, which being a resident myself I already can appreciate.

And the sea. You can practically smell it coming off the pages. Sometimes, I think I was an ocean-dweller in another life. Something with sparkly, iridescent fins. And a habit of rummaging through sunken ships.

Ultimately, I don't think I can give this book a complete "read it" or "don't read it". I'm not usually one for dark material - though, as I said before, I like the sinister edge to these mermaids - and I'm not in the mood for something with lots of violence and despair. (Actually, I can't think of a time when I do like violence and despair.)

If you want to read Monstrous Beauty, read it to appreciate the writing style, and be prepared to skip forward if the gore and woe-is-me-another-death scenes are freaking you out. This is not The Little Mermaid. No song-and-dance routines, no Prince Eric and no friendly fish companion (though there is a really bizarro-Gothic version of Ursula that should have your knees shaking).

For me, I'd definitely say that I like it, but with reservations. Or, I'd like it more if I didn't have to have those reservations. Because, you know, I'm cool and ambiguous like that.

Griffin, Bethany: Masque of the Red Death (Masque of the Red Death, #1)

April 24, 2012
HarperCollins
YA Dystopian, 320 pages
Acquired and read: From my friendly neighborhood library (of course); read within the past three days, because my attention kept waxing and waning

Everything is in ruins.

A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.

So what does Araby Worth have to live for?

Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.

But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.

And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.

Alright. I am not bashing this story. I am not bashing the author. What is probably most likely to happen is that you will see a return of the Poe-obsessed, raven-seeking middle-schooler of yesteryear that I thought I outgrew. See, where other sixth graders clung to Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume (which, I admit, I've read/loved both, but that's not the point here), I had this very dog-eared copy of Edgar Allen Poe's short stories.

As a matter of fact, I can probably recite The Cask of Amontillado by heart. Want to try me?

No?

Pity.

In any case - especially after seeing how many seemed to enjoy it - I decided to take the plunge with Masque of the Red Death, despite initial misgivings.

Big. Mistake.

Now, first of all, let me tell you what I did like about this story: the masks, for one thing. I'd have really enjoyed a description of how they worked and why the mysterious filters would only allow one user per mask. (I'm the type of girl who likes the show, not the telling.) The steam carriages and the zeppelins and the creatures that survive in the sewers even as man succumbs to his own scientific failures. When it comes to building a harsh, sinister world, Griffin knows how to build it from the ground up until the reader herself is holding her breath for fear of contagion.

So far, so good, right?

Until we get to the characters that inhabit this future hellhole.

For one thing, there's Araby. Maybe it's just me, but I cannot tolerate a self-loathing, drugged-up heroine. Maybe that's because I've learned enough about recreational drugs and what they can do to a person, and even if it's meant to carry on the plot...Not a good lesson to teach teens, in any case. Even with all the Finn sob stories being told, the need to dispense masks to little children, I could not find anything to like about her. At all. Which is very sad, because if I can't even sympathize with a main character, I know that the rest is going to break apart for me very quickly.


And then there are the thrillingly heroic manly mans. Yes, there are two of them. No, I didn't know a love triangle was involved when I picked this up.* You can imagine the suffering I underwent. (I very rarely tolerate love triangles. You probably know that by now, though.) Will earns points for taking care of his younger siblings, but that's pretty much it. He reminds me mainly of Gale - the guy you know the author will probably push to second place because he understands the heroine way too well.

Elliott doesn't get any points at all. He wants to start a revolution for the heck of it. Or at least, that's what I got out of it. He also has a Simba complex - you know, the uncle is like Scar, and the dad is Mufasa with scrambled eggs for brains.

...Wow. I never thought I'd put a Disney allusion into a review. First time for everything, I guess.

Anyway. Putting these three characters together, and barely a few chapters in, I had the sinking feeling that I knew what was being built up to.

The Dystopian Formula.

x 1 Angsty, guilt-ridden heroine who has lost her parent/parents/brother/sister/pet dog.

x 1 Nice, handsome boy who has a dark secret.

x 1 Snarky, handsome boy who has a dark secret.

x 1 Very polluted, horrible, "the end is nigh" world. (Well, that's the point of dystopia, isn't it?)

x 1 Confusing, often pointless dialogue and scenarios. (Example: Elliott and Araby are running from danger, and suddenly he winds up showing her how to sword-fight, while cutting away the ties of her corset with said sword. Romantic? I think not.)

x 1 Revolution that suddenly starts brewing when the heroine is introduced, and somehow ends up with her as a spearhead/bounty prize.

x 1 Ending that makes you feel like you've come full circle. The villains are still there, the world is still crumbling around you, one boy may have been eliminated - oh, wait, he's still hanging onto her apron strings, never mind. 

I knew what was coming, and I still read the whole book. Either I'm a really noble person, or I just have a streak of masochism. Again, totally not bashing the author (I mean, if you've come this far with all those drafts and edits and anguished nights of repeated head-desk bashing...you deserve all you get) or anyone who actually enjoyed all of this book.

Just, don't ask me to read the sequel, okay? 

Also, I understand that this is not actually a Poe retelling. It's supposed to be a Poe re-imagining. Regardless, I still kind of bristle when I see this cataloged directly under the original story (which does not have a love triangle, thank you very much). There is a dystopian formula novel, and then there is Poe.

I don't think I have to tell you which ranks superior in my mind.

On to the next novel! *covers face with mask and carefully places Masque of the Red Death in receptacle*

Warnings: The Debauchery Club, of course, has debauchery. There is some innuendo, but not any language issues that I recall. Violent, plague-induced deaths and bloody murders. Recreational drugs, as I mentioned before, are a no-no. Don't try it at home, kids.

*ETA: Now that I look at the summary, I realize that you can pretty much figure out that a love triangle is inevitable, but I probably got fixated on the beautiful and glittery dress part. *sighs*

Graham, Hilary Weisman: Reunited

Expected publication: June 12, 2012
Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
YA Realistic/Humor, 336 pages
Acquired and read: From the publisher, with a little help and pixie dust from the author herself - thank you so much! - and was finished up within a day

1 Concert
2000 Miles
3 Ex-Best Friends

Alice, Summer, and Tiernan are ex-best friends.

Back in middle school, the three girls were inseparable. They were also the number one fans of the rock band Level3.

But when the band broke up, so did their friendship. Summer ran with the popular crowd, Tiernan was a rebellious wild-child, and Alice spent high school with her nose buried in books.

Now, just as the girls are about to graduate, Level3 announces a one-time-only reunion show.

Even though the concert’s 2000 miles away, Alice buys three tickets on impulse. And as it turns out, Summer and Tiernan have their own reasons for wanting to get out of town. Good thing Alice’s graduation gift (a pea-green 1976 VW camper van known as the Pea Pod) is just the vehicle to get them there.

But on the long drive cross-country, the girls hit more than a few bumps in the road. Will their friendship get an encore or is the show really over?

Disclaimer: This is a pre-release ARC received from the publisher. As such, please check any quotes or information against the finished copy of the book. 


Okay, first of all, we can't start this party off without a little mention of the cover. Just take a moment to scroll up and look at that. From the moment the ARC slipped out of the package and into my hands, the feeling I got was, "Summer is here, so slather on the sunscreen and let's get some beach reading done!"

I kid you not. That shade of yellow is definitely an eye-catcher.

Anyway, down to what's inside that pretty package. The story centers around Alice, Summer and Tiernan - three best friends and self-proclaimed biggest fans of the band Level3 (which, if you want to get a mental approximation, personally makes me think of a mixture of the Jonas Brothers - pre-"Joe the Hobo" stage - and One Direction). Unfortunately, when the band broke up, their friendship shattered right along with it.

Until now. High school graduation, getting ready to fall out of touch forever with the beginnings of their adult lives, and Alice just knows it's fate when Level3 announces a once-in-a-lifetime reunion show in Austin, Texas. So, does this girl go, "Oh, my gosh, our favorite band is getting back together? I should go and watch them by myself, for old times' sake!"

Puh-leeze. If she was that flat and boring (and...just not a teenager), we wouldn't have over three hundred words of plot, right?

No. Alice goes with her gut instinct and hits that Pay Now button - three tickets for three ex-best friends to see the band that made their friendship. Now, before we start linking arms and singing Kumbaya, remember that crucial word: ex. As in the guy with the weird toaster obsession that you'd rather take the long way home than face...or how about the co-worker who was always picking her nose? People you want to forget. People you don't expect will sit for hundreds of miles without fighting for shotgun or arguing over snacks or unplanned road trips.

You really can't blame Tiernan and Summer for wanting to avoid that hot mess, can you? In any case, due to their own ulterior motives, both girls jump on board - and you, the reader, are in on the most messed-up road trip of your summer vacation.

Ms. Graham has to be given kudos for a crucial aspect of writing YA that many would-be authors flounder on: she knows teenagers. True, many instances of the plot aren't really the escapades me or any of my besties would be caught doing (attempting to bury a reanimated squirrel? Going swimming with hippies of a suspicious nature? Parents, do you know where your daughters are tonight?), but the emotions and turbulence and uncertainty that come with leaving a certain stage of life behind ring true.

One complaint I always have about realistic fiction is the lack of happy endings - or at least, endings that fit my criteria for putting aside the book with a goofy smile on my face and a gentle pat on its glossy cover. I am happy to tell you that Reunited does end on a good note - in spite of the old resentments, and the lost concert tickets, and a particularly awful night in New Orleans.

Long story. I think you should just read it for yourself. As it is, I think my spoiler filter is being stretched to the max. Just, hang on until June - or better yet, plan a large road trip, kidnap one or two friends, and have a good excuse to read it for yourself.

Just...make sure they're willing victims. Or you'll find yourself in a big mess of your own.

Warnings (or, stuff that I would NOT pack in the backseat for that week-long road trip): A lot of innuendo. Personally, I think that could be taken out and spare the plot completely. Also, I think there are one or two instances of language, a mention of a philandering father - and a boyfriend - and some kissing.

Petrucha, Stefan: Ripper

March 1, 2012
Philomel
YA Historical Mystery, 427 pages
Acquired and read: Through the local library; read within two days (though if I'd had the energy, it could have been shorter...)

You thought you knew him. You were dead wrong. 

Carver Young dreams of becoming a detective, despite growing up in an orphanage with only crime novels to encourage him. But when he is adopted by Detective Hawking of the world famous Pinkerton Agency, Carver is given not only the chance to find his biological father, he finds himself smack in the middle of a real life investigation: tracking down a vicious serial killer who has thrown New York City into utter panic. When the case begins to unfold, however, it’s worse than he could have ever imagined, and his loyalty to Mr. Hawking and the Pinkertons comes into question. As the body count rises and the investigation becomes dire, Carver must decide where his true loyalty lies.

Full of whip-smart dialogue, kid-friendly gadgets, and featuring a then New York City Police Commissioner Teddy Roosevelt, Ripper challenges everything you thought you knew about the world’s most famous serial killer.

Okay, you say that there's not enough YA for boys? Here, gentlemen, is a title that should tide you over.

At least for a little while.

Carver Young is an orphan. He has no idea about who his parents are, or what happened to them, but he does know one thing: he is meant to be a detective. Of course, that's a bit of a dream when you're living in an orphanage and reading dime novels to make use of your time. However, everything changes for him when he's adopted by retired (cantankerous, eccentric - well, let's just say he's crazy) Pinkerton detective Albert Hawkings - you know, of the Pinkerton Detectives?

...Anyone?

Okay, let's just say that there were awesome. But look them up later.

Hawkings offers Carver a chance at a leg-up into the world of intrigue that he wants to be part of, with his own unique mission: find his biological father. Sounds like wading through phone books and old genealogical charts, right? But Carver finds himself smack-dab in the middle of a different web of circumstance than he thought: a serial killer, right on the streets of New York City, and he seems to be the only one to hold the clues to solving it all.

But, as the author says on the back cover, "You'll never guess how. Or why..."

Well, maybe you might.

Let me tell you: if you're looking for lots of historical truths that are way weirder than fiction (an old-lady cat killer! A hidden subway! An asylum hidden on an island!), chase scenes, street fights and gruesomely murdered bodies, this is the read for you. But, I'd steer clear of it if you're the type of person who gets frustrated with easy clues, almost-to-the-letter predicable twists and...well, some major writing gaffs.

And I quote, "Carver swooned."

...Swooned? Do boys swoon? And doesn't swooning involve a lot of hand-to-the-forehead, delicate sighs of distress, rolling eyes and buckling knees?

Carver lightly falls into a kneeling position on the floor. There is no hyperventilating involved.

Also, boys don't swoon.

They manfully stumble under pressure. They bend, not break.

But, to be fair, that's pretty much the only part of the book that really rubbed me the wrong way. I couldn't put it down, and I even mentioned to my sister that this is definitely something teenage boys will probably enjoy.

And the historical figures - Theodore Roosevelt and Alice and there's a mention of Nellie Bly! Have I ever told you how much I admire Nellie Bly?

Warnings: There are some moments where you will be screaming, "Oh my God - that's SO OBVIOUS!" Please refrain from damaging the book in the process. Throwing it at the wall is also frowned upon. Also, there is some mention of exactly what kind of women Jack the Ripper preyed on.

Bardugo, Leigh: Shadow and Bone (The Grisha, #1)

Expected publication: June 5, 2012
Henry Holt and Co. 
YA Fantasy, 368 pages
Acquired and read: Through NetGalley (one of the many reasons to love being a book blogger!) and I read it within an hour last night. I have no will power whatsoever when it comes to ARCs.

Challenge? 2012 Debut Author Challenge

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near-impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one unlikely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life– a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha… and the secrets of her heart.

Shadow and Bone is one of those amazing 2012 debuts that delivers everything the blurb promises you. And I mean everything.

Let's start off with Alina. The main character, the heroine, the poor lamb being led to the slaughter - well, that was how I felt for her more than once in the course of the storyline. For some reason, she also reminded me a bit of the cartoon Anastasia: tough, I can handle it, but also with a soft heart that is often bruised by her strained relationship with her childhood best friend and the fact that she has totally scary powers that she didn't even know about.

I mean, can you imagine how much pressure it must be on your shoulders, to be the Sun Summoner - to have people worship you like a saint when all you want to do is curl up in a ball and cry?

Yes. I did want to hug her a few times. I'm not sure how well that would be received though.

Mal. The childhood best friend, the love interest (at least the one that a reader feels like rooting for) and an awesome soldier. Of course, he had to taint it a little bit for me by being a total womanizer - at first - and not seeing the girl right in front of him. YA heroes. They can be so clueless.

I am very loath to mention the Darkling - a. because I will probably blurt out a spoiler that will have everyone who hasn't read this yet beating me over the head with their blog headers (ouch!) or b. the author will come after me with her scary makeup brushes and be like, "You spoil my novel, child? You die!"

Yes. My imagination gets way ahead of me.

Okay. What I will say about the Darkling is that he is young (of course), tall, dark and handsome (to be expected) and...he's on the Dark Side. What do you expect from the title? Just so you know - I wouldn't take any cookies to join his Dark Side. Nope. It's more trouble than it's worth.

On to the world-building (which, as you know, is pretty much the main reason why I love fantasy)...Alina and her world are amazing. Leigh Bardugo used Russian culture to weave her own amazing fantasy-world, where samovars and thick coats exist beside ancient evils the likes of which don't exist in this world...and royals who definitely would have deserved a little revolution had they actually lived in Russia.


Believe me. This tsar is a total pig.

Also, Keith Thompson drew a map of Ravka (see here on Leigh's blog)...yes, THE KEITH THOMPSON. Now you can hang it up on your wall and pretend there's a real place out there you can go to visit, if only to see the volcra in their native habitat and brave the dangers of the Unsea.

Warnings: (Or, things that even if this book was undoubtedly awesome, bothered me...) Mal and his buddies being a pack of womanizers - never in detail. Some instances of language, one or two kissing scenes, thematic violence and some pinches of innuendo.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1)

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1)
Sarah J. Maas
August 7, 2012

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men—thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the kings council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

I'm sorry that I missed this story's stint on Fictionpress, because now I'm going to have to wait all the way until August to read it! Gah. How will I survive? But seeing as the author assures all her past readers on her website that the edited version is even better, perhaps that's a good thing.

So initially, this story was meant to be a retelling of Cinderella - only Cinderella is at the ball to kill Prince Charming. Now, it is billed as a high-fantasy adventure with slight ties to the fairytale. Either way, it sounds   A M A Z I N G.

Also, I love it when the prince has some competition for the girl's affections. I mean, who always wants the royalty to win?

Unfortunately, seeing as we are nowhere near this book's release date, there is no cover.  Ah, well. Soon enough.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. For more information on participating, please check out the host blog.

Carey, Janet Lee: Dragonswood

Expected publication: January 5, 2012
Penguin Young Readers Group
YA Fantasy, 416 pages 
Acquired and read: Through Around the World ARC Tours - sorry for the late review! I read it in about two hours

Wilde Island is in an uproar after the recent death of its king. The uneasy pact between dragons, fairies, and humans is fraying, and a bloodthirsty witch hunter with a hidden agenda whips villages into frenzies with wild accusations. Tess, a blacksmith’s daughter from a tiny hamlet near the mysterious Dragonswood, finds herself caught in the crosshairs of fate when she is accused of witchery and has to flee for her life along with her two best friends.

Not even Tess’s power to see the future can help the girls as they set off on their desperate journey, but she keeps having visions of a man wielding a sword. And when she finally meets him, Tess has no idea how to handle the magnetic attraction she feels for him, or the elusive call she hears from the heart of the Dragonswood.

In this epic romance, an ancient prophecy comes true in a way neither dragon, fairy, nor human would have predicted.

Okay. If Janet Lee Carey wasn't already ranking on my list of favorite fantasy authors, she's really skyrocketed up there by now.

You probably remember my Teaser Tuesday/brief review of her previous book, Dragon's Keep - which as it turns out, is a prequel/companion to this new adventure. Where Dragon's Keep focused on Rosalind, the beautiful Pendragon princess with a hidden curse beneath her gloves, this story is all about Tess, an abused blacksmith's daughter who finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time and is accused of witchcraft. After she lets her friends' names slip under torture (and honestly, who can blame her?) all three of them have to flee their little hamlet and run headlong into adventure.

As usual, Ms. Carey creates a unique, believable heroine, under fire from all sides and with a thorny nature to protect herself from the threats she sees around her. I wasn't as fond of her friends - particularly the healer girl, Poppy, who despite her gift came off to me as self-centered, flighty and all too eager to capture male attention. Meg, married at fourteen and constantly concerned about her daughter and husband that she left behind in danger, was a bit more easy to sympathize with.

Of course, runaway witches disguised as lepers isn't enough. There are dragons (yay!) and a handsome, all-too-likable love interest Garth Huntsman - but is he more than just the King's loyal servant. I also loved the twist the author added in with Tess's surprising bloodline and the conflict within Rosalind's descendants.

Also, Lady Adela? Best evil witch hunter slash bad girl ever. I mean, I can't say I ended the story liking her a bit more, but  I did understand where she came from - doesn't mean I thought she deserved a happy ending, though.

Warnings: Illegitimacy (for those who it might trouble). Maybe some mild language and thematic violence here or there, but all in all an amazing fantasy read.

Final verdict: Try to get through the first chapter and put it down. You won't be able to resist. Trust me.