Review: Graceling

Title: Graceling
Author: Kristin Cashore
Pages: 471
Release Date: October 1, 2008
Publisher: Graphia, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt



 




 

Goodreads Description:

In a world where people born with an extreme skill—called a Grace—are feared and
exploited, Katsa carries the burden of the skill even she despises: the Grace of killing.
She lives under the command of her uncle Randa, King of the Middluns, and is expected
to execute his dirty work, punishing and torturing anyone who displeases him.

When she first meets Prince Po, who is Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of
how her life is about to change.

She never expects to become Po's friend.

She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret
that lies hidden far away...a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words
alone.



I couldn’t say why it took me so long to open this book up and read it, but I really regret
procrastinating! I bought the book a LONG time ago and it’s been sitting patiently on my
shelf while I kept passing it over to read other books. That was a GINORMOUS mistake
on my part!

Kristin Cashore creates a world that the reader effortlessly falls into. It is very well
written (from a third person point of view)-creating a good balance of language
appropriate for the time/setting of the book while not turning off the target age range.
GRACELING takes place in a time of castles and kings, where knives and swords are
the weapons of choice and horses and ships transport you through the land of the seven

kingdoms. I absolutely love stories set in this time period but what I loved more was the
kick-butt female lead character, Katsa! She is fierce, deadly, and powerful and is a really
nice change from some of the other “weaker” female characters that have been popping
up in YA books lately. Throughout the story, she develops as a person tremendously but
in a seamless manner making it feel more realistic.

Katsa shows her skills, or rather her grace, in the first pages and the action keeps pace
from then on. The plot has many twists and secrets (who kidnapped the grandfather and
why) that kept me feverishly turning the pages and at the same time, not wanting to keep
reading because the book was bound to end. The best bittersweet situation for all book
lovers! There is a love interest in the book that doesn’t not consume or deter from the
original storyline.

This book is aimed toward 14 years and older, but parents should know that there are
a few scenes that hint toward some characters engaging in sex. The book does not go
into detail or come right out and say it, but it definitely implies it. I would liken these
situations to the “sex scenes” from Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series-nothing over
the top. The book also takes a firm stand against marriage as Katsa finds it to be too
suffocating and somewhat demeaning to women.

All in all, this book was a fantastic escape to a fantasy world with magic, love, and
friendship. Cashore has two companion novels, Fire and Bitterblue, that I expect to be
just as amazing!

Author Interview/Giveaway

Head over to I am a Reader, Not a Writer and read this awesome author interview with Michele Poague, author of The Healing Crystal trilogy. Be sure to enter the giveaway as well! This series sounds so exciting!

Four is Free!!!

WooHoo! Four if free! If you are a Divergent fan you know what I'm talking about. if you have no idea what Divergent is, well, you should go read Veronica Roth's awesome novel right now!!! Not sure what it's about? Go check out my review HERE! Because the pre-orders for Insurgent, the sequel to Divergent, reached 35,000 copies, Veronica Roth wrote a little something for all of us Four fans! You can check out Roth's blog HERE and you can check out the Four is Free short scene HERE!

The Maze Runner Review

Title: The Maze Runner Book 1
Author: James Dashner
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy
Publisher: Delacorte Press; Reprint edition (August 24, 2010)
Pages: 400
ISBN: 978-0385737951

From Amazon.com:

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.


For the longest time I put off reading this book due to some unsavory reviews I read. Do I ever regret that decision! This was a fantastic book! I didn't really know what to expect as far as the direction the story might take. There were many surprises and heart-pumping moments that I never saw coming.

The story centers around Thomas, who is thrust into a completely unknown place, The Glade, with no recollection of his life previously. The Glade is home to a hundred or so young boys who have created a working society from the ground up. Surrounding the Glade is an enormous maze that seems impossible to solve. Thomas has a burning desire, a desire that could have fatal consequences, to be a maze runner in hopes of solving the maze. As if being stranded in what seems to be a never-ending nightmare isn't enough, Thomas is not well-liked by some of his new companions to the point of being accused of things Thomas has no memories of. Dashner writes in true form from a male perspective but does it uniquely to gain readers of both genders. The timing and pace of events throughout The Maze Runner coincided perfectly, creating a well-written thrill ride.

4 Lattes: When a story has the ability to keep the reader turning the pages feverishly, it is these types of books that will hold a place on the book shelf. This is one of those books! I cannot wait to read the next two in the series!

Divergent Review

Title: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
Genre: Dystopia
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (May 3, 2011)
Pages: 496
ISBN: 978-0062024022

From Amazon.com:

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

After The Hunger Games ignited my desire for Dystopian novels, I was on the hunt for something to quench my thirst. Divergent was the answer! Author Veronica Roth does an amazing job of creating a world that is believable enough to engulf the reader. This was one of those books that had me up late, aching to know what happened next. The characters are flawed in all the right ways and really display certain aspects of our cultural and societal standings and viewpoints.

The reader gets the chance to learn with the main character, Tris, which I find to be one of the strong points of this book. As Tris chooses her life's path, which is starkly different than what she was raised to become, she must evolve into her faction or risk being banished from society for life. Roth did a fantastic job of making it easy to relate to Tris and follow her on her journey as she learns life lessons. Some of these lessons are hard and it's a nice change of pace from the books that aren't willing to create characters and situations that mimic reality. But do not fear, for what would a great book be without a little romance? Tris finds herself falling for someone that is not altogether safe, making for an exciting twist to the already thrilling ride that is Divergent. This book was a thoughtful take on the Dystopian genre. I am impatiently awaiting the next book in the series, Insurgent!

My rating: 4 lattes for a fantastic adventure! The ride, though just beginning, was an amazing start to what I expect will be one great journey!

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is weekly meme hosted by Mizb at Should be Reading.

Just grab your current read, open to a random page, include the title and author, and share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page. Be careful not to include spoilers! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)



They both disappeared-knife, books, and all-before Thomas could utter another syllable. There one moment, grappling and bleeding, gone the next.

Title: Green
Author: Ted Dekker
Page: 136

The Twenty-One Balloons-Review

Publisher: Puffin Books (division of Penguin USA, Inc.), 1986
Pages: 180
ISBN: 0140320970

(picture from Goodreads; description from back cover)


When Professor William Waterman Sherman leaves San Fransisco in a hot-air balloon, he intends to fly across the Pacific Ocean. Instead, through a twist of fate, he lands on Krakatoa, a legendary island of unimaginable wealth, eccentric inhabitants, and fantastic balloon inventions. Once Professor Sherman learns the secrets of Krakatoa, he must remain there forever-unless he can find a means of escape.


William Pene du Bois' book is categorized as a young adult book, though it can easily become a beloved story for all ages. Though this book was originally written in the 1940s, it is a timeless classic. Winner of the Newbery Medal, this story can truly be read over and over again and still maintain the excitement. I found this story completely engaging from the beginning. The characters are unique and quirky with something to hide-making the story a fun and thrilling read. The civilization as well as the island seem to have appeared out of nowhere and the mystery of it all kept me reading to find out the secrets of the island and it's inhabitants.

I read this book as a younger teen and absolutely loved it. Being so, I decided to share it with my fifth grade class last year. We were reading nonfiction information about the real island of Krakatoa and this book fit into comparing the fiction story to the nonfiction information. The kids really enjoyed the outrageously hilarious events that occurred in the book. I highly recommend this book to readers of fantasy and adventure. It is a great read.


My rating: 5 lattes because it is an absolute pleasure to read. It is grammatically sound and the plot kept my interest with it's twists and turns. I never get bored reading this book over again.