"My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories" edited by Stephanie Perkins

This was another great compilation of holiday themed tales. 12 original short stories written by bestselling contemporary authors do not disappoint. In fact, I thought the book got better and better with each new story. Even though most are written as contemporaries, there are a few fantasies/fairy tales. Each one follows a character during the holiday season as something magical and life-changing happens to them. I also might note that not all of these are purely Christmas stories, some focus on New Year's and Hanukkah.

As I read the book, I was trying to select the stories that I particularly liked. In the end, I decided they were all equally excellent just different in some ways. Mark de la Pena made me laugh out loud and Holly Black brought me to tears. Laini Taylor's piece is pure magic and Kiersten White focuses on finding miracles right where we are in our daily lives... Overall, a great book. If you got this for Christmas, do not wait to read it until next December. Dive right it. You can always re-read it again - that is what I will do next year for sure!

For those who are not familiar with Stephanie Perkins' writing or do not recognize the names of some authors in this book, this is a great introduction to the work of these writers. I for one definitely want to read their other books.

"Twin Souls" by DelSheree Gladden

I picked up Twin Souls because I really enjoyed DelSheree Gladden's Destroyer trilogy (see my review here). Her writing is fast-paced and addictive. You get immersed in the story and keep wanting more long after it is over. Twin Souls was no exception, and luckily it is a trilogy so I have two more books to go. 

Unlike The Destroyer trilogy, this is not a dystopian novel. Twin Souls is an urban fantasy, rooted in the Native American mythology and legends. Personally, I love mythology and I had high expectations about the book before I even started reading it. 

As all great legends, it is centered around a love story of a great hero. Uriah and Claire seem to be made for each other and despite her father's objections, they are making plans for a summer wedding. Following their parents' wishes, they go to the elders to receive permission for a wedding on the tribal lands. To everyone's utter shock and dismay, the tribe's shaman denies their request. She claims to have gotten a vision which precludes her from granting them permission to get married. Nothing like this had happened for as long as anyone can remember, and if the shaman is telling the truth, all legends and fairy tales Uriah grew up with are real. This visit to the elders sets in motion the chain of events which will test Uriah and Claire's love and put Uriah on the path to self-discovery and realization of his own nature and destiny. 


The book is well-written. The story is unique and authentic. I highly recommend this book to everyone who likes mythology, legends and the supernatural. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series.

"Let It Snow" by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle

This is definitely a nice book to read around Christmas. It is a compilation of three stories by three different authors. All three stories are set in the same location and have common characters. Each story zeroes in on a different couple, but you will see them again in the following stories. Reading this book reminded me of watching "Love Actually" or "New Year's Eve", the movies that have several story lines, but the characters all one way or another know each other and all come together at the very end. Overall, I would say the stories get progressively better as you go along. So I liked the final one best of all. John Green wrote the second one, and I was a bit disappointed in it. I guess I had high expectations for his writing. Definitely a great book to curl up with near a Christmas tree with a cup of hot chocolate. These are all fluffy love stories with couples finding true love or reuniting on Christmas Eve/Day. It will also make a great holiday present for a book-lover in your family.

Reading during Holidays

With Thanksgiving behind us, my next several posts will be centered around holiday reads and reading during holidays.

My most cherished childhood/college memories have to do with reading during winter breaks. Growing up, my parents did not have much money and my brother and I did not get lots of presents for Christmas. However, I always got a good book as a gift from my mom. I remember the feeling of anticipation that I would get a new book to read and then actually reading it late into the night sitting on the couch by the twinkling Christmas tree in the family room. Those are the moments I treasure as I think about holidays. It is also a reminder to me that it does not matter how small is the gift, what we will remember is how that gift made us feel. Books were always my favorite presents to get, and my family always knew the types of books I loved: a mix of adventure and historical fiction, mysteries or detective stories. That love for books never died, and I still prefer getting books to just about anything else for the holidays. So this year, I already got quite a few books to read over the holidays and December is definitely shaping up to be a great reading month for me. Stay tuned for updates on the best holiday reads!

"The Infinite Sea" by Rick Yancey

Unlike some other readers who reviewed this book, I really enjoyed this sequel. If you have not read it and are hesitant to pick it up because of lukewarm reviews, I suggest you give it a try first. I liked The Infinite Sea much better than The 5th Wave (see my review here). The first book was really slow going for me, especially the first 150 pages or so. The Infinite Sea, on the other hand, is well written, things move along at a nice pace and a new twist to the whole situation is gradually introduced. Since this is part 2 in a trilogy, there is not much I can share about the plot without giving away too much. The story continues where it left off in The 5th Wave. The main characters are still trying to survive and evade silencers, Commander Vosch and his recruits. Cassie, Evan and Ringer are really starting to question everything they know about the alien invasion. In particular, they try to make sense of why would a technologically advanced species need to stage several waves of invasion when they could have easily wiped out the entire humankind. I really liked diving deeper into the minds of the main characters (especially Ringer). Overall, this is a very good sequel, I can't wait to read the conclusion

Let's Talk about Series

It is the last day of the month so I thought I would do another post on what I have been reading.

I started a new series that's been sitting on my shelf for quite some time: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. I finished the first book last week. This book seems to have gotten mixed reviews: some find too many similarities with Twilight, others think there is too much emphasis on romance and not enough action. I personally liked this book. I liked the writing - it is very lyrical almost poetic at times. Sure, it is about werewolves, but it does not mean it could not be beautifully written. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

I also inadvertently got sucked into reading Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard. The first book was free on Amazon so I read it. I had never watched the TV show and did not know what the book was about. However, because it is a mystery, I felt I needed to keep reading just to find out who the bad guy was. What a mistake! You do not learn ANYTHING until book 4 and even then, it is not even close to the end of the story.  Book 4 was the only one in this series that I thought was half way decent. Books 1 through 3 read more like a soap opera with an undertone of a bad horror movie (lightning flashing, figures appearing out of nowhere, etc, etc). Book 4 was interesting, finally provided some closure and really pulled me in. I am now reading book 4.5 - a collection of holiday stories about the main characters, and these are also quite disappointing. I don't think I'll be continuing with this series.

"The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander

The Book of Three was mentioned by one of my favorite authors as her childhood favorite. It was published in the 1960s and since then has won the hearts of many readers. This is the first book in a five-part series. I have only read the first one so far. The story is inspired by Welsh lore and mythology and is set in the land of Prydain, where fantastical creatures walk the earth, magic is real and valiant heroes get into sword fights with evil sorcerers. The book follows the adventures of Taran the assistant Pig-Keeper and an aspiring hero, who is thrown into the thick of war between good and evil and is able to overcome tough situations not so much through his swordsmanship, but through the greatness of his heart. If you enjoy high fantasy and want to read a well-written and original story, this book is for you. It is pretty short (around 200 pages), so you will breeze through it in no time. Happy reading! 

"The 5th Wave" by Rick Yancey

I read this book last month, but just have not gotten around to posting a review. Also, I was hoping to read the second book in the trilogy (The Infinite Sea) and do a joint review of both books. However, I am waiting for the sequel to become available at my local library and feel like I need to review the first book while it is still fresh in my mind. Overall, I would rate The 5th Wave four out of five stars. This book is very popular and a lot of people like it very much. The only reason I am not giving it 5 stars is because it starts out really slow. Things start moving along only once you get past the first 150 pages or so. I also could not shake the feeling that the premise of the story was very similar to The Host by Stephenie Meyer. I am not sure if anyone else felt that way, but the whole concept of aliens taking over human bodies felt eerily familiar. This feeling did go away once I got past the slow start and the story picked up the pace. I thought the plot was very original and I liked how Yancey keeps you guessing about who the bad guys are throughout the book. If you like sci-fi and aliens, definitely check this one out. I personally do not read many books about alien invasions and I thought the plot was a bit darker than some other sci-fi novels. I am looking forward to reading the sequel and will post a review of it as well.

"That's None Of Your Business: And Other Things God Told Me" by Donna Davis

I must admit I knew nothing about the book when I first dove into it. It is a self-published Kindle edition and you can get it very inexpensively from Amazon. The author does not have any other published books that I know of. However, if this is her literary debut, what a way to start a writing career!

Davis begins her book by recounting an experience she had a few years ago. Once when witnessing a man dying on the street she felt moved to come up to him and share some spiritual truths she'd been learning at the time. The man who seemed to have passed on at one point, regained consciousness and got up. He did not thank her. In fact, he probably did not even notice her. However, that experience led her to uncovering many practical spiritual insights that help her live her life more fully every day. This book is her attempt to share those lessons with others.

Davis gives an honest account of her every day struggles and how her spiritual study and communion with the eternal help her overcome the seemingly insurmountable challenges. Her story is written with humility, compassion and deep love for fellow men. The spiritual insights and practical lessons that she shares are not intrusive or pushy; nor does she claim to have all the answers. But the things she shares did have a practical impact on her life and she genuinely offers her experiences to others.

This book is a great inspirational read. I would highly recommend this to all who are searching for a higher meaning in life or simply trying to understand their place in this world. 

"The Grisha Trilogy" by Leigh Bardugo

          

There is something to be said about book covers... I know you are not supposed to judge the contents of a book by its cover, but these are just so pretty!!! And in this case, the books do live up to the expectations. I literally flew through the first two books, and had to really pace myself while reading the third one because I did not want to leave the world created by Bardugo. These are a real treat for fantasy lovers. Unlike most high fantasy books that loosely base their world on Medieval Europe, Bardugo got her inspiration from Russian/Eastern European medieval culture and folklore. 

My review below does not contain any spoilers, as I believe it is better to go into these books blind. The only thing I'd like to say is that Book 3 of the trilogy is by far my favorite in the series. In the first book, readers (along with the main character Alina) are confused by their feelings for the Darkling. He is powerful, mysterious, impossibly attractive, but also so very bad.... Some of us were hoping he wasn't really bad, and would at any minute turn into a good hero... Alas, never happened. In the second book, as Alina learns to master her power, she is still not sure of herself or her destiny. She is surrounded by three men vying for her love, and the one she really wants feels he has to give her up. Reading the second book, I still was not sure where Bardugo was going with the plot and what she had in store for Alina. The third book made all things clear and brought the story to a wonderful conclusion. I could not be happier with the way the story ended.

I am not going to comment on all the Slavic references "gone wrong" in this book. This is not historical fiction. It is a fantasy that loosely integrates bits and pieces of Eastern Slavic language and culture into the story. I thought Bardugo did a wonderful job with that and created a unique world that I loved immersing myself in. Enjoy the trilogy - I highly recommend it!

"To All the Boys I've Loved Before" by Jenny Han

This book is about three sisters whose mother had died when they were little and they live with their dad.  The oldest sister goes away to college, so the middle one - Lara Jean - has to be the "big sister" now, take care of 9-year old Kitty, be responsible, get over her fear of driving and yes, deal with some boy drama among other things. Lara Jean never had a boyfriend but she was in love several times - five times to be exact. Every time she wanted to get over a crush, she wrote him a letter, sealed and addressed the envelope and put the letter in a hatbox that her mother had given her a long time ago. This was her way of letting those unrequited infatuations go and move on. Well, one day, soon after her sister leaves for college, her letters get mailed by someone, and all of a sudden the quiet and day-dreaming Lara Jean has a lot of drama in her life...

I loved this book. It is so sweet and heart-warming, I literally could not put it down. It also made me happy and reminded me of all the good things about being a teenager. I loved reading about the Song sisters relationship. It's one of those books that you don't want to end and yet you can't stop reading. If you are feeling sad or down, read this book. It'll make you happy - it sure put me in a good mood!

"The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde

Reading this book was part of a promise I made to myself to read more classics. In fact I set a very manageable goal: to read three classic novels in 2014. Well, 9 months into the year, I realized I had read none, so I decided to pick up "The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde. I did not know anything about the plot going into this book. But I love Wilde. I adore his plays, he is always witty and his characters make me laugh out loud. Well, this book is a lot darker than his plays. As a lot of classical fiction, this novel explores human nature and deals with the subject of good and evil. What is the most valuable thing in life? Can one indulge in sin without consequences to their character? Is it possible to silence one's conscience? Is goodness utterly boring and only sin can bring joy? And ultimately, is a sinner capable of remorse and worthy of redemption? All are timeless questions and examined by a true master and an expert in human nature. Wilde shrewdly discerns character flaws and brings them to the surface. I really enjoyed the creativity of the plot and Wilde's witty writing. The only reason I did not give this book a five-star rating is because in a few places the narrative did drag for me. Perhaps the readers in Wilde's time had a longer attention spans and had more tolerance for lengthy descriptions. Other than that, it is an amazing excellent novel, and I highly recommend it. It is also very manageable in size - just over 200 pages.

"A World More Bright, the Life of Mary Baker Eddy" by Isabel Ferguson and Heather Vogel Frederick

Once in a while I enjoy reading biographies. I especially like books about strong women that left their mark on history. Mary Baker Eddy was definitely such a woman. A sickly girl born in early 1800s in the country side of New Hampshire, she had her fair share of struggle: early widowhood, forced separation from her only son, health problems, poverty, abandonment by her second husband... However, her story is not about what she suffered although those trials definitely molded her into who she became. Her story is that of triumph. In her 40s she wrote a book that has influenced not only the American religious thought, but has had an impact on countless lives around the world. It still stirs its readers with questions like: is God all good? If so, is He also the source of evil? Her book, of course, is Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. Eddy went on to establish a church, a college, a publishing house, and launched what would become a multiple Pulitzer-prize winning newspaper The Christian Science Monitor. She accomplished all of this and more during the time when women did not even have a right to vote...

This new biography is an excellent introduction to the life of a great American religious leader and thinker. The book is very well written. I loved all the colorful pictures and side bars that provide additional glimpses into the time period and customs of the day, thus providing an excellent backdrop to the story. The book is also very manageable lengthwise - just a little over 200 pages. Overall, this biography felt very fresh, unlike some that you take off the shelf and feel like blowing dust off the cover. So if you like books about late 19th-early 20th century and want to learn more about a woman who was in her day a real celebrity, this is definitely a book to check out. 

"Ready Player One" by Ernst Cline

I had conflicting feelings about this book. On the one hand, I heard wonderful reviews of this book from readers of different ages. However, what made me pause was the fact that much of the action was supposed to take place inside a video game. I never liked video games and was not sure I'd want to read a book about being in one... In addition, I heard the book described as being filled with 1980s trivia. Frankly, I was not sure about my 1980s trivia knowledge... Nonetheless, I decided to give it a shot; and what a great read this turned out to be!

The book is funny, well-written and very engaging. The 80s references were very understandable. The characters were interesting and likable. I loved everything about this book. Now about the video game. This is not the correct description, at least in my mind. The story is set in 2045, when the human civilization takes a downturn due to diminished natural resources. The only diversion humans have is this massive online virtual reality where everyone spends most of their waking hours. This is where you work, shop, watch movies and news, meet friends, go to school, etc. Seeing how even today we spend a lot of time doing things online, I can totally see the possibility of such a virtual reality being created some day. Cline does a fantastic job describing what it feels like to be inside this virtual reality. He is also good at portraying the loneliness his characters experience in real life even though their virtual lives are packed with adventures, friendships and even romance.

The main character (Wade, aka Parzival) and his friends are engaged in a once in a lifetime game/online puzzle set up by a renown video game designer who had recently passed away. The winner will get his entire fortune valued in billions of dollars. The story is filled with twists and turns. The relationships in the book are sweet and heartwarming, and the story has a really good ending. I rated this book at 5 out of 5 starts on Goodreads and I highly recommend it to everyone who likes science fiction and adventure stories.

Reading Challenges

I have not posted anything for a couple of weeks, so thought it was about time. September has been a slow reading month for me so far mostly because I am taking a very reading-intensive class which does not leave a lot of time for reading for fun. However, I did finish a children's book called The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer. It is the first book in his The Land of Stories series and is a great book for middle graders. It is vaguely reminiscent of The Magic Tree House books in that the two main characters (a brother and a sister) journey into another world. However, Colfer's book is definitely more complex and intended for an older age-group. If you or your children like fairy tales, you will enjoy this book. Without giving too much away, the two main characters literally fall into a book of fairy tales and then spent the rest of the story traveling through the magic world trying to find their way back. My daughter will definitely enjoy this book. Colfer has released two more books in the series so if you get into it, you'll be busy for a while. I am not planning on reading other books in this series simply because I can only stand so much middle grade fiction.

I have started reading Ready Player One by Ernst Cline. I am only 50 pages into it and I love it! I had heard a lot about this book and was really looking forward to reading it. It is an adult sci-fi/dystopian novel and most of the story takes place in a virtual online reality. The book is filled with 1980s trivia and references and is a lot of fun. I will definitely post a full review once I am finished with it.

I do still have quite a bit of books on my to read list on goodreads (you can follow me here), so hopefully once I am done with this class in mid-October, I will be able to get through some of them. I am yet to start on the three classic novels that I was planning to read this year (see my post from July here). Overall, the reading challenge I set for my self for 2014 was 60 books. I am at 41 right now. This is without counting 3 mammoth-size textbooks I read for school. So this has been a pretty good reading year so far despite the usual lack of time and well, life in the real world!

"Eleanor and Park" by Rainbow Rowell

This book is very popular with book reviewers and booktubers and I had heard a lot of good things about it. So I got this book as a birthday present for myself this year. I actually finished reading it a couple of weeks ago but could not bring myself to write about it. It is one of those books that you savor and just enjoy the feeling it gives you.

About the plot: it is a young adult novel set in the 1980s. It is a story of two misfits who completely by chance  end up sitting next to each other on a school bus. They gradually become friends and fall in love. The book is filled with 1980s music and TV references. It very realistically describes the feelings of teenage insecurity, bullying and first love. However, it is not a fluffy romance story. Eleanor has a difficult life at home and at school; and Park has his own struggles with identity. The story is very engaging and will keep you interested until the very end.

Now to the writing: Rainbow Rowell is an extraordinary writer. Check out her website/blog if you get a chance to get a taste of her writing. It is witty, original and authentic. I ended up getting two more books by her: Fangirl, which is another YA novel and next on my list to read, and Attachments, an adult novel that I also cannot wait to read. She also has a new adult book out that just came out earlier this month called Landline. If you have nothing to read for the Labor Day weekend, I would highly recommend that you choose a Rainbow Rowell book. She is amazing.

"The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen

I absolutely loved this book! I am not a runner, in fact, I never even liked jogging, but I loved every sentence in this book. It is so well written, you can visualize and sense what the writer is describing. The Running Dream is about a teenage runner who loses a leg in a freak accident. It is a story of her determination, grit, and ability to dream big no matter the odds. Jessica is an extraordinary character, and the story is truly inspirational for so many reason. Please do not pass by this title. Read it and have your friends read it. If you are depressed, unhappy with your life, or feel you've been dealt an unfair hand, read this story. You will see your circumstances in a different light. Difficulties CAN be seen as opportunities for growth in strength, love and compassion. A truly amazing read!

"Anna and the French Kiss" by Stephanie Perkins

If you like such movies as Princess Diaries, Ella the Enchanted, or Ten Things I hate about You - you will love this book. It is sweet, well-written, and goes down like chocolate ice cream on a hot summer day. If you have a teenage girl in the family, this is a perfect book to give to her as a summer read. It is a bit of a Cinderella story set in modern day. The characters are sweet and likable, and the setting is in Paris - what's not to like? Some of the criticisms I read about this book are that it is about a bunch of rich kids with no real problems. True. This book does not tackle any large social issues and does not reveal any profound truths. Nor did Perkins ever set out to do that. It is a sweet romantic story about a girl who is sent to a boarding school in Paris and falls in love for the first time. It reveals all the insecurities of that age, doubts and confused emotions - a very realistic portrayal of what it feels like to be seventeen and in love. If you like this book, Perkins has two companion novels - they are stand alone books with new characters but they do give you an opportunity to catch up on what is going on with Anna and her friends. Great summer reads!

"Allegiant" ("Divergent" No. 3) by Veronica Roth

I am finally ready to review Allegiant, the final book in Veronica Roth’s Divergent trilogy. I hate to say this, but I must agree with a lot of readers that Allegiant was disappointing for a lot of reasons, and the death of the main character is not one of them. First of all, I absolutely loved the first book – Divergent. It was fresh, engaging and fun. Insurgent (Book 2) was not as good, but it was ok. It provided additional information about the world and created a nice set up for a highly anticipated finale. Now, come the final installment, and… I just could not get into this book. I got half way through it and then actually abandoned it in favor of reading two other trilogies back to back. That is how uninterested I was in the narrative. First of all, this third book is a massive information dump. We had learned close to nothing about the dystopian world outside of the closed city of Chicago in Book 1. Book 2 provided some answers in the very end, and then in Book 3 we are faced with this massive avalanche of information that is really not that engaging. In addition, the narration is alternated between Tris and Tobias’ POV. But they sounds exactly the same! Without noting the heading of the chapter, you would not be able to tell who is speaking. So as you see I was hugely disappointed in this book before I ever got to the “good part”.

The plot itself has a few flaws: the entire premise that the society is split into genetically pure and genetically damaged seems weak. People seem to be literate, yet, no one has access to historic records, and the GPs are blamed for all the evils. Seems like a pretty weak argument for such a technologically advanced society (my head was spinning from the variety of all the serums!). The narrative actually got better once Tris died. It almost feels like Roth really wanted to kill her off and Tobias’ grief is the only part in this book that felt authentic. I will stop my rambling here because I could go on and on about everything that I did not like about this book. Sometimes it happens with series. This simply was not a good book; not a strong finish at all. So if you are thinking of reading the series, do read Divergent and then proceed with caution. I would not recommend books 2 or 3.

Let's Talk about Classics

I noticed that my recent reads have all been YA dystopian novels. So it is time to mix things up and jump into something different. I have not done a review of any classics on my blog so I decided to list some of my favorites as well as come up with a "to read" list for classics. In order to make this more manageable, I will limit myself to three favorites and three to be read titles.

First of all, by classics I mean books that have been in print for a very long time and basically withstood the test of time. So classics is not really a genre. They are truly the best of the best of various genres that were written mostly in the 17th, 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. My favorites tend to be from the 19th and early 20th centuries and those are the ones you will see listed below.

A lot of people, myself included, are sometimes intimidated by classics, and I think some of it has to do with the differences in language/archaisms; and some of it is the fact that the classics we do read tend to be required readings for school. And if you are made to read a book, it is hard to call it enjoyable. Nevertheless, it is very possible to read classics for pure enjoyment and fun. I thoroughly enjoyed all of these and would encourage everyone who has perhaps been intimidated by classics to give them a try.

1. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - I love this book. I cannot even tell you how many times I've read it. It does not get old for me. The heroine has an amazingly independent free spirit, and passion for life despite having come from humble beginnings and a really awful childhood. It is also an incredibly romantic love story, so I would definitely say this is my favorite classic work of literature.
2. My second favorite is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I love all of her novels, but this one has to be my favorite. It is sweet, funny, romantic and very easy to read. This is the kind of book that gets one hooked on classics. There are also multiple film adaptions of both of these books, so you can visualize the characters as you read.
3. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. This is a mammoth of a book - 4 volumes. However, I liked it so much that I actually read it twice. Do not be put off by its size. Tolstoy is a great writer and this is an epic story that follows the lives of several families during Napoleon's war with Russia. It has everything: incredible romance, war, heartbreak, coming of age, etc. You will grow with the characters and come to love some of them and hate others. There is truly a reason this book is still in print.

I have several classics on my bookshelf that I've been meaning to read. So I decided to set a manageable goal and try to read three classics over the next six months. Here are the titles I've chosen:
1. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. I've been planning to read this book for the past 15 years or so and just never got to it. So I think this is the perfect one to start with.
2. The Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. This is another book I've been meaning to get to. It has also been mentioned in some books I recently read which sort of renewed my interest in reading it.
3. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde - I've had this book on my Kindle for a while, so it is probably time to read it. I love Wilde's plays and this is his only novel, so I hope it is just as witty and clever as his plays.

"Shatter Me" Series by Tahereh Mafi

I just finished this series and am still trying to understand what I think about it. If you are contemplating "to read or not to read", I would definitely say "read". Tahereh Mafi is an amazing writer. She is the queen of simile. So you will definitely enjoy the style, it is fresh and unusual. Her prose is very poetic. She crosses things out, she ignores punctuation rules and writes out sentences in a column for emphasis.

What drew me to the book was the promise of a strong female character with an awesome superpower. Ever since I finished The Destroyer Trilogy by DelSheree Gladden, I've been trying to find a book with a similar feel. The series consists of three full-length novels and two novellas. The novels are written from the female lead's point of view (Juliette), and the novellas are written from the point of view of the two main male characters: Warner and Adam. We find Juliette locked up in an asylum because she is considered to be a danger to society: she kills people simply by touching them. The reader spends a lot of time in Juliette's head as she deals with her fears, insecurities and yearnings. Without giving too much away, I will say that Juliette goes through an amazing character transformation in this series. If you like love triangles, this book is definitely for you. There is a lot of romance and an amazing love triangle is set up early on in the story. I think this book is marketed as young adult fiction, however, I must say that some scenes in the last book are a bit racy for YA audience. I'd say it is better suited for 17-18 and older, and definitely not for younger readers. Juliette (in my opinion) is way too eager to jump into a physical relationship and I am not sure this sends the right message to younger readers.

Overall, the narrative moves along at a nice pace, the characters are interesting and well fleshed out and the trilogy has a very strong conclusion. I would definitely bring these books along to the beach or on a long airplane ride.

"The Maze Runner Trilogy" - Book 3

I really liked the first two books in this series, but this third and final installment was a bit of disappointment. It almost felt like the author ran out of steam. The first two books are non-stop action and really keep the reader on the edge of the seat. The Death Cure starts out really slow - we are talking 300 pages into it I felt like the characters were aimlessly roaming around and was not sure where the author was going with this. I was also puzzled by Thomas' decision not to get his memories back. It almost feels like in the end, he never got all the pieces of the puzzle. He realizes that he played an important role in setting up the trials, but ultimately chooses to stay in the dark about the details of his personal involvement. It almost feels like he wants to distance himself from his own past and not to accept responsibility for his own actions. This decision also robs him of his past with Teresa - I was disappointed he chose not to remember that part of their life. In addition, the overall ending to the story is kind of depressing. The immunes basically escape and start a new society whereas the rest of humanity is left to die a horrible death. In sum, I read the third book because I wanted to know how the story ends. However, the book itself does not live up to the standard set up in books 1 and 2. I think the final book should have been a lot stronger.

"The Maze Runner Trilogy" - Books 1 and 2

I really enjoyed "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner. I heard about this book when I finished reading the Hunger Games trilogy a few years back. However, I did not get interested in reading it until I heard that a Maze Runner movie is coming out soon. We all know that a lot of recent YA film adaptations have not been successful. I sure hope the Maze Runner will do better. The book itself is fast-paced and kept me interested. I finished the book in less than three days and immediately dove into the second. I am now reading book 3, but still do not know the entire story. The post-apocalyptic world is slowly revealed to the reader as the main character gradually regains his memories or gets glimpses of the world from others. I think Dashner is a great writer. I was not distracted by trite word choices or long descriptions. The story moves along smoothly and it is easy to visualize what the author is trying to present. In addition, I think his portrayal of what it would feel like if someone woke up with his/her memory erased is very believable. His characters overall felt authentic and very real. They did not act super human and their reactions and feelings seemed logical to me. In addition, the fact that the first two books have only hints of the main character's possible romantic interests was refreshing and completely different from some other YA novels that tend to overemphasize teenage angst-filled infatuations. There is so much action going on and the main character is so focused on surviving and keeping his friends alive that there is simply no room for a parallel romantic story line. I can't wait to see how book 3 ends and I definitely recommend this book to those who are into dystopian fiction. 

"The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

I began reading this book kind of spontaneously. It was not on my "to be read" list and I was not even curious about the book although I had seen it in bookstores before.  The reason I picked it up was because it was among the new e-book arrivals on my library overdrive app. So I downloaded it and dove in...

The story started out slow especially since I had just finished a few real page-turners. However, the book gradually pulled me in. It is very well written and has an usual structure. The author uses several different points of view (but not so many that you get confused or lose track of what is happening). In addition, her story moves along two different timelines (one of them lags behind the other) until both timelines converge at the end of the novel. So as you read this book, pay close attention to the dates in chapter headings. Once I realized they jumped around, I actually had to go back to make sure I had my timeline perspectives correct. This structure I thought worked really well for this book. Much of the story is occurring in the magical circus, and the unusual narrative structure adds to the dream-like effect of being trapped in an illusion.

The story itself is pure magic. I am sure the author had a lot of fun writing it. The main characters are two magicians who use the night circus as the dueling ground for their skills.  They were chosen for this challenge when they were children, trained by magicians from two different schools of thought and now must battle in the ultimate display of their skill, endurance and strength.

If you are looking for something different to read, this book is a real treat; the kind you savor and read for pure enjoyment of the written word. I highly recommend it.

"Hush-Hush" by Becca Fitzpatrick

The Hush-Hush saga is a fallen angels YA series. Before I started reading this series, I looked at reviews on goodreads.com and was surprised by the number of negative reviews that this book received. However, any positive comments included really high praise for the work. Naturally, I had to read the series that can elicit such critical and extolling comments at the same time.  It sounds like people either loved it or hated it: no middle ground.

I was also surprised that some readers felt this book was very much like Twilight. I have to admit I have read the Twilight series and, the Hush-Hush books are nothing like Twilight. Sure, there is a boy and a girl in the story, but the comparison ends there. The Hush-Hush books are action-packed page-turners. Patch is no Edward, and Nora is nothing like Bella Swan. The books are entertaining and allow the reader to lose him/herself in the story - these are precisely the reasons why I read books like these. It is a form of escape and enjoyment. In that sense, they are great reads. The story line is not boring and the twists and turns are not predictable. So if you are looking at reviews trying to decide whether to read these books or not, I'd say go for it. Read the first book and see what you think. And speaking of comparisons, I liked this series much more than Fallen, another popular fallen angels series.

Free e-books and my discovery of the Destroyer Trilogy by DelSheree Gladden

Many of you probably know about free e-books that are available both from Amazon and iBooks (those are the two e-book formats I am most familiar with). In fact, I get daily e-mails with free or bargain priced e-books offerings. I have read a couple of those by "undiscovered" writers, and they were a huge disappointment. Nonetheless, a few free book titles do catch my eye every now and gain and I download them onto my e-reader. To make the long story short, last week I read an amazing book that is available for free on Amazon called Inquest by DelSheree Gladen. It is Book 1 in a trilogy, and what a way to hook you with a free offer! It is an urban fantasy book and is completely different from anything I've read so far.

The events occur in the present time, but the world is completely different. There are no countries. The world is ruled by one President and his army of Guardians. All humans have super-powers called "talents" and they are Strength, Speed, Naturalism, Spiritualism, Perception, Vision and Concealment. Most people have 2, 3, or 4 of them at the same time. The talents are revealed on children's sixteenth birthday and reach their full potential when they turn eighteen. The main protagonist is a girl named Libby who is about to have her talents revealed. As you might guess, she is not like everyone else. She is the prophesied Destroyer, born with all seven talents and is destined to destroy the world.

When I started reading this book, I knew nothing about the author or the story line. In other words, I had no preconceived notions or expectations. The book captured my attention from the first chapter and I literally could not put it down until I finished book one and then read the rest of the trilogy. You do have to pay for books 2 and 3 (but they are very reasonably priced). Gladen is an amazingly talented writer. Her story is unique and fresh, her writing moves at a nice pace, and her word choice is not trite or eye-roll worthy. The way she describes what the characters feel is amazing. You get sucked into her world and walk among the characters. I love the way she wrote the relationship between Libby and Braden (you'll have to wait for book two to really get into this, so I won't give you any spoilers). The entire trilogy is well outlined and all the different story threads are nicely tied off at the end. I had a lot of fun reading these books. My only complaint about the e-books is the number of typos that they have. They can be quite distracting. These are excellent stories and it's a shame the publisher does not take the time to fix typos.

In conclusion, if you are planning a beach trip, have a long airplane ride ahead of you or simply want to spend a weekend curled up with a good book, get your free copy of Inquest. It will not disappoint.

So Many Books So Little Time....

I just saw online that close to 300,000 new books are published in the United States every year. WOW! I hope someone is reading them! I wonder what happens to all these books in a generation or two. Will our great-grandchildren read Twilight and Harry Potter, or will those books be a distant memory like The Three Musketeers and Oliver Twist?

There is something enigmatic about discovering a gem of a book that was written many years ago and then was left forgotten in a grandmother's attic. I saw a Guardian article this morning about 10 of such books that the author recommends looking up: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/may/06/10-overlooked-novels-how-many-you-read. I scrolled down through the titles and have to admit that from that list I have heard of only three of the authors (Tyler, Goncharov and Goethe) and one of the novels (Oblomov), but have never read any of them. So if you are looking for something off the beaten path, you have ten books to start from.

"Little Bee" by Chris Cleave

I got this book at a used bookstore because I was intrigued by the description on the back cover which did not really give anything away about the story while promising an unforgettable read. Now that I am done with the book I can honestly say that readers will not be disappointed. The book focuses on a story of a Nigerian refugee who flees a local oil war to seek asylum in Britain. What happens to her in Nigeria is horrific. No less horrific is the treatment she gets by the immigration authorities in the UK. She spends two years locked up in a refugee detention center outside of London and then gets deported back to Nigeria because her home country is considered to be safe by the UK immigration officials.

Little Bee's immigration woes are just part of the story. Back in Nigeria before she ever sets foot in the UK, she meets a British couple who came to Africa on a holiday despite the local oil war raging in the country side. This encounter changes their lives for ever. The author examines how humans react when faced with extreme danger and atrocity. What motivates one to save another human being or decide to pass by, and if one refuses to help how does that person cope with guilt and continues on living? These are timeless questions, and the author thoroughly explores them. Cleave is an extraordinary writer. The story alternates between the voices of a Nigerian and a British woman, and Cleave has no difficulty writing from a female point of view. If you are looking for something to read, look no further. I must warn though: the book has pretty graphic violence/rape descriptions.

"The Glass Castle: A Memoir" by Jeannette Walls

I read this book a few years ago, but it is one of those stories that really touches you and stays in your mind. I find that I keep recommending this book to friends when they look for something good to read. Walls writes a very candid memoir about her childhood. Her parents had four children but did not believe in a traditional way of providing for the family. Neither the father nor mother had steady jobs. They moved around a lot, sometimes even camped out in the wilderness. The mother painted and wrote but never really cooked a decent meal for the children. The father (when sober) taught them whatever he knew about sciences. Eventually, the family settles down in a small town in West Virginia. Walls remembers them being the poorest kids in school, going hungry and dirty while their dad was gone for days and the mother refused to take responsibility for providing for the family. It was clearly a lifestyle choice for the parents, one that Walls, now an adult, has a hard time understanding. For me, as a reader, this story was very eye-opening. I personally never encountered a family which makes the choice to live a life of wandering, subjecting their kids to experiencing hunger, want and humiliation from early childhood. Hardship did not break Jeannette Walls. It motivated her to escape and build a better life for herself. She clearly knew what kind of lifestyle she did not want for herself. She became a successful author and wrote this amazing story of going through dire poverty in the midst of the wealthiest country in the world.

I hope this book will touch you as much as it has touched me.

"Divergent" by Veronica Roth

So here we go back to dystopias! Divergent by Veronica Roth has been on my Kindle for probably more than a year, but I had too many other books to read and, frankly, I was a bit weary of the genre. However, now that the movie is out in the theaters, and it seems to be doing fairly well compared to other young adult book to movie adaptions, I decided to give it a shot.

Divergent does not disappoint. It is action-packed, fast-paced, and features a strong female character. The book is set in a distant future in Chicago. The society is divided into five factions. Each faction is centered around a predominant character trait which defines the life of its members: courage, intelligence, selflessness, kindness or honesty. At sixteen, all children undergo a test which is meant to identify which faction they belong to. Regardless of test results, children get to choose which faction they will join. They can go with their test results or pick some other faction. The main character - Tris - gets an inconclusive test result. She shows equal aptitude for three out of five factions. This phenomenon is called the divergent, which is extremely rare and dangerous. Dangerous because divergents are hunted and eliminated. And so we follow Tris on her journey to self-discovery as she joins an unfamiliar faction, makes friends, confronts her fears and ultimately comes to terms with who she is.

This book was clearly conceived as a trilogy from the very beginning. There is not a lot of world-building in the book. Tris seems to be pretty uninformed about the politics of the society she lives in and does not even know what lies "beyond the fence" of the city of Chicago. Readers are left wondering about why the society is divided the way it is and what the rest of the world is like in this distant future. These questions are tackled by the author in Insurgent and Allegiant which I have not read yet, but intend to do so.

In sum, I do recommend the book especially if you liked Hunger Games and are looking for a similar feel. The book explores what true courage really is and what motivates one to face and overcome his or her fears. Roth is an amazing story-teller and I can't wait to read the other two books.

"Ukraine: Birth of a Modern Nation" by Serhy Yekelchyk

Once again, Ukraine has been making headlines with its political unrest and uncertainty. Even after being independent for over 20 years, the country is still struggling to figure out its national identity. A lot is being said in the press about the country being divided into the "pro-Russian" and the "pro-Western" factions. If you are curious to learn more about Ukraine and Ukrainians, I highly recommend Serhy Yekelchyk's Ukraine: Birth of a Modern Nation. The book came out in the wake of the so-called Orange Revolution in Ukraine in 2004-2005, when the world watched as Ukrainians refused to accept the results of a rigged presidential elections and poured into the streets to demand justice.

Most other books I've seen about Ukraine tend to either overemphasize its historic ties with Russia or completely disregard those ties. I think Yekelchyk's book offers a balanced view of Ukraine's history which underlines the fact that this constant tension between leaning towards the West or towards Russia has always existed throughout Ukraine's history. The trick for this nation is to figure out how to balance these opposing forces and to stand on its own. A house divided cannot stand. It is time for Ukraine to realize that its strength is in unity and independence. It is a great nation that can stand tall without being subservient to either Russia or the West. Enjoy the book!

"The Cuckoo's Calling" by Robert Galbraith

By now it is common knowledge that The Cuckoo's Calling was penned by J.K.Rowling. It is interesting that she released two books almost simultaneously: one under her own name (The Casual Vacancy - see my review of this book here); and the other under the name of Robert Galbraith. While the first book did not receive positive reviews by critics, the second was hailed as "one of the best books of the year" (USA Today). 

One might speculate how big a role expectations played in such a difference in reviews. The highest expectations were placed on the famous writer, whereas not as much is usually expected of a debutante. Having read both, I must agree with the critics. I liked The Cuckoo's Calling a lot more than The Casual Vacancy. Even though the latter takes up a social issue, the novel drags in places and there are just too many points of view to easily keep track of. The message gets lost among the variety of issues raised. 

The Cuckoo's Calling is a detective story which plunges the reader into the world of the rich and famous as the main character - private eye Strike - is hired to investigate a suicide of a famous supermodel. The story moves along at a nice pace, the characters are interesting and multidimensional and the denouement is not obvious until the very end. Even if you are not a fan of detective stories, I think you might enjoy this one. It is exceptionally well-written and funny, and it also examines the perils of fame and wealth. J.K. Rowling allegedly promised to write more books with detective Strike as the lead character and I am looking forward to reading those.

"I am Malala" by Malala Yousafzai

I am Malala is a touching story of an amazingly brave Pakistani girl who is an advocate for children's education around the world. At the age of fifteen, she was shot by the Taliban for speaking out for girls' education, but miraculously survived and went on to address the UN and write a bestselling book. Her father founded a school for boys and girls in Pakistan and was a community leader advocating for peace and education. From an early age, with her father's encouragement, Malala was vocal about girls' rights to education. When she was eleven, she wrote a blog for the Urdu BBC website about her life under the Taliban; and later traveled with her father around the country visiting schools and making speeches about the need for education and peace. Her book provides an insight into the Pashtun culture and way of life. She draws a very clear distinction between Islam and the teachings of the Taliban. Reading the book, I was struck by the purity of her soul. She lived through the horrors of public executions, school bombings, constant threats to her father's and her own life, and finally her own brush with death. Despite all of this, she preserved her passion for knowledge and desire to bring education and better chance in life to all children. Her prayers for the world are deeply moving. Malala was just a child trying to do her best at school and dreaming of making her country a better place for everyone. Her passion for life and knowledge is contagious. As long as there are Malalas in this world, humankind has a chance. What an amazing young lady! Everyone should read this book. If nothing else, it will teach us to be grateful for what we have in life.

"Zealot: the Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth" by Reza Aslan

I just finished this book, which has received quite a bit of attention lately, and honestly, I cannot say that reading this book was a worthwhile undertaking. To be fair, I think the author did a lot of reading and research in preparation. However, his book is filled with contradictions and will be frustrating for any serious student of the Bible. For example, the author states multiple times throughout the book that Jesus and his disciples were illiterate, uneducated day-laborers. But at the same time, he goes on to say that Jesus picked an obscure prophecy from the book of Daniel to confirm his status of Messiah. How could a simple illiterate peasant do that?

Aslan also disputes portions of the New Testament and brands them as total fiction with the aim of proving that Jesus was just another failed "messiah" who tried to rouse a Jewish rebellion against Rome. At the same time, he admits that Jesus never advocated violence and was a miracle worker, healing the sick, casting out demons and raising the dead.

Furthermore, the author devotes a good portion of his book arguing that Jesus never claimed to be the Son of God, and most certainly never talked about his divine origin. However, he unequivocally states that something miraculous must have happened (i.e. Jesus' resurrection) for Jesus' movement to persist and for his followers to choose gruesome death over rejecting Christ's resurrection. Aslan also claims that the majority of the New Testament is based on Paul's teachings which were not in line with the teachings of the Apostles and therefore, not in line with the teachings of Jesus. The sole point of disagreement which he cites though is whether Christians must follow the Jewish law and rituals.

Needless to say, I found the book extremely frustrating; and moreover, I think it could be misleading to those who are not familiar with the Bible. Aslan cherry picks some portions of the Scriptures to support his claims and outright dismisses others. He also relies heavily on and does not dispute the verity of the writings of Roman historians, Josephus in particular.

I decided to get to the end of the book just to see what conclusion the author arrives at. It was a huge disappointment. Aslan basically concludes that "the Christ of Paul's creation has utterly subsumed the Jesus of history." He seems to think that Jesus was a zealous revolutionary who challenged Rome and tried to establish the Kingdom of God on earth, but that this Jesus is completely lost to history.

To me, the fact that Aslan failed to disprove Jesus' miracles or his resurrection speaks volumes. He in fact admits that Jesus most probably did work miracles, and something miraculous (such as his resurrection) must have occurred for Jesus' movement to persist. As such, Jesus' works speak much louder than anything else Aslan might have said in his book.

In sum, I think Reza Aslan did a great job marketing his book, but reading it was utterly frustrating and disappointing.