Musing Mondays (56) Favorite Genre Characteristics Part #1

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme hosted by Jenn at Books and a Beat, that asks you to muse about something book related each week.

My Musings for the Week...

Random Weekly Question from July 4th:What is your favorite book title?

Actually, this is a good question. I have a lot of favorite book titles, mainly because some of them were just catchy while others come from books I genuinely enjoyed. Plus some titles are a combination of both while also entirely fitting for the story they're attached to. So, I'll drop a short list of a handful of my favorites below...

• Daughter of Smoke & Bone
• Days of Blood and Starlight
• Illuminae
• Love Fortunes and Other Disasters 
• Love Charms and Other Catastrophes
• The Diviners
• A Wind in the Door
• Wintersmith
• Ironside
• The Iron King

Other Musings...

After writing out the majority of this post, I realized how long-winded it turned out to be. I thought this was going to be a shorter post an easier one to write, but the actual length burst my original estimate by a mile. In light of that, I’ve decided to divide it between two Musing Mondays post. So, expect part 2 next week.

Anyway, today, I’m here to talk about some of my favorite genre characteristics. When done right—or just given a fresh twist—I think any common characteristic can be used effectively to enhance a novel, rather than detract from it.

Paranormal & Urban Fantasy

Oh, this is a good one. I read paranormal novels just for the heck of it. I have enjoyed a lot of books from this subgenre. It has a lot to offer. What I like most about it is finding new authors who use common characteristics of paranormal creatures and conflicts and put a good spin to them. It’s all in the use. So, it doesn’t matter the similarities a given book might have with another as long as there’s something about the book to set it apart. A good example of this one is The Night Has Teeth by Kat Kruger.

Science Fiction (Sci-fi) (Space Opera)

Science fiction is another favorite genre of mine. This one is a little easier to describe since I mainly look for a couple of things—technology, and the what if such and such situations about some topic. I like the ships, the battles in space, and the adventurous aspect combined with futuristic elements. I’ve also enjoyed books with more of a focus on the scientific aspect like The Martian. In retrospect, it doesn’t only have to focus on the science aspects. If topics like social issues come up, I wouldn’t mind seeing a story like that set against the backdrop of space or some alien civilization.

I’m going to end this part of the post here. Next week, I’m going to go into what I like about fantasy and contemporary, which will bring this set of posts to a close. What are some of your favorite genre characteristics?

The Friday 56 (70) The Torn Wing by Kiki Hamilton

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Synopsis from Goodreads...

London 1872 -

A bloody escape, a deadly threat, a shocking revelation...

As an orphan who stole the Queen's ring - only to find the ring was a reservoir that held a truce between the world of Faerie and the British Court - Tiki’s greatest fear suddenly becomes all too real: the fey have returned to London seeking revenge. As war escalates in the Otherworld, Queen Victoria’s youngest son, Prince Leopold, is attacked. In order to protect her family and those she loves, Tiki needs to know the meaning of an fáinne sí, the birthmark that winds around her wrist. But will she be brave enough to face the truth?

"It took thirty minutes for Tiki and Fiona to walk from Grosvenor Square to Charing Cross railway station. They cut down Saville Row and over to Regent Street, the roads busy with carriages and omnibuses ferrying the masses through the heart of London."--The Torn Wing by Kiki Hamilton 

What are some of your favorite books that feature fairies?

Review: Love Charms and Other Catastrophes by Kimberly Karalius

Title: Love Charms and Other Catastrophes
Author: Kimberly Karalius
Source/Format: Purchased; Paperback
More Details: Young Adult
Publisher/Publication Date: Swoon Reads; May 17, 2016

Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Depository

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Sometimes love comes gift-wrapped…literally...

Aspiring love-charm maker Hijiri Kitamura was excited to come back to Grimbaud for her sophomore year—until she learned about the upcoming charm-making competition. She, along with her friends and fellow rebels, had worked too hard to free the town from Zita’s tyrannical love fortunes to allow some other charm maker to move in and take over. The only solution is for Hijiri to win the contest herself.

Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done, especially when Love itself has decided to meddle in Hijiri’s life. Concerned that its favorite charm maker has given up on finding a love of her own, Love delivers a very special gift—the perfect boyfriend, specially crafted just for her...

Last year, Love Fortunes and Other Disasters was one of my favorite books. So, it’s easy to see why I was so excited for the sequel, Love Charms and Other Catastrophes. I was ready to go back to Grimbaud and see where my favorite characters ended up. Plus, I also wanted to see what happened to the town now that it was free from Zita’s tyrannical monopoly on love.

So, over 4th of July weekend, I stopped by Barnes & Noble and finally picked up a copy. Needless to say, Love Charms and Other Catastrophes was a spectacular follow-up. It was just as charming and entertaining as the first in the series. However, rather than a rebellion against Zita, there’s a new danger present in Grimbaud: love charm makers and shady business practices. Plus, Love was back and meddling again, only this time the focus was on Hijiri’s love life.

I was really glad that Karalius decided to tell Hijiri’s story since her perspective was so interesting. I was rooting for Hijiri to get a happy ending since she played such a fundamental role in both books. It was also great to see Fallon, Sebastian, and the rest of the club members again. There was a lot of character development going on since the characters were getting older, and for some, their time in high school was coming to an end. So, despite the magic of the story, there were moments when ordinary troubles were addressed.

Love Fortunes and Other Disasters was a strong opening for the series. The groundwork was all there—characters, setting, and convincing conflict and themes that could and were carried over to the sequel. Love Charms and Other Catastrophes had good plot and pacing. From page one I was hooked. Karalius’ writing was fantastic, and captured the charming atmosphere of the setting. The extra details only added to the pre-established world, and fleshed-out secondary characters both new and old.

So, while it might have taken me a while to get my copy, Love Charms and Other Catastrophes was well-worth the wait. It was a delightful novel with a satisfying ending, and deserved its place as the sequel to one of my all-time favorite books. Now, I’m just curious to see what Karalius writes next.

Quarterly Recap: April-June

It's hard to believe that 2016 is more than halfway over, and its already time for another quarterly recap. These past three months have been pretty good, but June was definitely a slower month. Anyway, I'm going to get on with it, starting with reviews for the month of April, May, and of course, June...

April Reviews:

• Batman V Superman
• The Illustrated Compendium of Animal Facts
• Flora Segunda
• The Wide-Awake Princess

May Reviews:

• Oleah Chronicles: Justice
• Founding Myths:Stories that Hide Our Patriotic Past
• The Darkest Part of the Forest
• The Body At the Tower
• Dead is a State of Mind
• Brain Freeze Journal

June Reviews:

• Need
• From the Notebooks of a Middle School princess
• Rain: A Natural and Cultural History
• Royal Wedding Disaster

Other April Posts:

• Musing Mondays: What I'm Reading This Week
• Release Day Blitz for The Glittering Court
• Thursday Tracks #1
• January-March Quarterly Recap 
• Release Day Blitz for The Rose & the Dagger 

Other May Posts:

• Random Weekly Questions
• It's All Historical
• What I'm Reading

Other June Posts:

• Recent Nonfiction Favorites
• Weekend Tidbits #7
• Random Weekly Questions
• Release Day & Giveaway: Eternal Sacrifice by Stacey O'Neale

I've had a moderately productive three months (plus my co-blogger dropped in with a new review). The majority of the books I picked up were either just okay or extremely good. So, I hope that that trend continues (fingers-crossed, that it stays that way; I hope I didn't just jinx myself).  Anyway, I also want to go back and read more of the older books I might have missed. I've had a ot of fun with that so far.

The Friday 56 (69) Love Charms and Other Catastrophes by Kimberly Karalius

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Sometimes love comes gift-wrapped…literally...

Aspiring love-charm maker Hijiri Kitamura was excited to come back to Grimbaud for her sophomore year—until she learned about the upcoming charm-making competition. She, along with her friends and fellow rebels, had worked too hard to free the town from Zita’s tyrannical love fortunes to allow some other charm maker to move in and take over. The only solution is for Hijiri to win the contest herself.

Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done, especially when Love itself has decided to meddle in Hijiri’s life. Concerned that its favorite charm maker has given up on finding a love of her own, Love delivers a very special gift—the perfect boyfriend, specially crafted just for her...

"When he tried speaking, his voice caught in his throat and he coughed into his fist. Ken looked down at his hands, staring at his palms as if he could see through them. He tried again. This time, his voice was soft but firm."--Love Charms and Other Catastrophes by Kimberly Karalius

Comments: I was really excited to pick up this book since Love Fortunes and Other Disasters was one of my favorite 2015 reads. I've already read Love Charms and Other Catastrophes, but figured I might was well mention it here, as my Friday 56. What are you reading this week? 

Review: Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett

Title: Wintersmith
Author: Terry Pratchett
Source/Format: Purchased; Paperback
More Details: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: HarperCollins; October 2, 2007 

Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Depository

Synopsis from Goodreads...

The third in a series of Discworld novels starring the young witch Tiffany Aching...

When the Spirit of Winter takes a fancy to Tiffany Aching, he wants her to stay in his gleaming, frozen world. Forever. It will take all the young witch's skill and cunning, as well as help from the legendary Granny Weatherwax and the irrepressible Wee Free Men, to survive until Spring. Because if Tiffany doesn't make it to Spring—

—Spring won't come...

Wintersmith is the first and only book I have by Terry Pratchett. I also remember reading the first chapter a long time ago then setting the book aside for some reason or another. And honestly, I don’t know why I did that, because Wintersmith was one heck of a fun book. Sure, it began on a more somber note as winter tightened its grasp on an already weather-beaten town. But, from that point on, the story delved into how that opening chapter was relevant to the plot.

Wintersmith is about Tiffany Aching who made an unfortunate mistake one night, by interrupting a story that wasn’t her own—a story that might as well have been as old as time itself. So therein lays the problem. Tiffany’s accidental mistake had unintended and far-reaching consequences that she couldn’t have foreseen.

The POVs in this book alternated between a multitude of characters, but this worked to benefit the story. The different perspectives sort of fleshed-out the world a little more—by showing what was happening in other parts of the setting, from the perspective of other characters. There were moments of genuine humor that had me laughing out loud, and I also liked how Pratchett approached magic. It seemed almost natural for the world of Wintersmith.

Tiffany was an interesting character. Currently away from home, she was spending time with witches while learning magic. I liked how dedicated she was to learning what she could and couldn’t do with her abilities. The Wee Free Men were interesting, and their antics were often entertaining as they strived to help Tiffany. Who else? Oh, yes, the other witches—Miss Treason, Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and a few others. There was plenty going on with them. Miss Treason was certainly one of my favorite characters from Wintersmith, besides Tiffany that is.

So, while I'm unfamiliar with the majority of the series, I had no trouble getting into Wintersmith. It was an easy and highly entertaining read.

Happy 4th of July!

The Friday 56 (68) Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Tiffany Aching is a trainee witch — now working for the seriously scary Miss Treason. But when Tiffany witnesses the Dark Dance — the crossover from summer to winter — she does what no one has ever done before and leaps into the dance. Into the oldest story there ever is. And draws the attention of the Wintersmith himself. As Tiffany-shaped snowflakes hammer down on the land, can Tiffany deal with the consequences of her actions? Even with the help of Granny Weatherwax and the Nac Mac Feegle — the fightin’, thievin’ pictsies who are prepared to lay down their lives for their “big wee hag.”

"You couldn't even say precisely what they did, although Miss Tick thought they were a way of finding out what things the hidden bits of your own mind somehow knew. You had to make a shamble from scratch every time, and only from things in your pockets. "--Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett

Comments: This is the only book I have on my shelf by Terry Pratchett, and I look forward to giving it a try. What are you planning to read this weekend? 

Review: Royal Wedding Disaster by Meg Cabot

Title: Royal Wedding Disaster
Author: Meg Cabot
Source/Format: Won, Hardcover
More Details: Middle Grade, Contemporary
Publisher/Publication Date: Feiwel & Friends; May 10, 2016

Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Depository

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Olivia Grace Clarisse Mignonette Harrison still finds it hard to believe that she's a real live PRINCESS OF GENOVIA. Not only does she get to live in an actual palace with her newly discovered family and two fabulous poodles (who all love her and think that she's anything but ordinary!) but she also gets her very own PONY! Of course, things aren't going exactly like she imagined. Her half-sister Mia is very busy learning how to take over the country while trying to plan a wedding and her father is actually getting remarried himself-to Mia's mother!-and spends most of his time "renovating" the summer palace, although Grandmere says he is just hiding from the wedding preparations. Olivia hardly gets to see either of them. Fortunately, Grandmere has her own plans for Mia's wedding, and needs Olivia's help to pull them off. Just when Olivia starts to think that things are going to work out after all, the palace is invaded by a host of new cousins and other royals who all seem to be angry at Olivia (although Grandmere says they are just jealous).

As the day of the wedding gets closer and closer, Olivia becomes more and more worried. For such a carefully planned event, it seems like a LOT of things are going wrong... Can Olivia keep this royal wedding from becoming a royal disaster?

I really enjoyed From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess by Meg Cabot, and after the ending of that one I couldn’t wait to pick up Royal Wedding Disaster. Mostly, I wanted to see the continuation of Olivia’s story and how she would adjust to changes that happened in the last book. Royal Wedding Disaster was far from a disappointment, and was definitely a good and entertaining follow-up to From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess.

This book is basically about Olivia adjusting to her new life in Genovia, while learning how to be a princess with Mia’s wedding date looming in the distance—with nothing ready. I liked Royal Wedding Disaster better than the first book in the series. The plot was pretty interesting. There wasn’t much of a mystery aspect, since Royal Wedding Disaster was more about Olivia’s life rather than anything else; however, the book was still a good one. As I mentioned above, it was entertaining.

As for Olivia she has sort of adjusted to her new life, but maintains her personality as she learns how to be a princess. It’s not all peaches and roses, and it isn't free from sudden hurdles—like learning how to dance, adjusting to a new school, and the stresses of helping with the wedding preparation; just to name a few. On the plus side, she also had a family who really cared about her, who didn’t exclude her every chance they got, and were willing to offer much needed advice when necessary. Olivia wasn’t a one-note, cardboard character—she was capable of being happy, sad, and even frustrated at times.

Several new characters were introduced, like Olivia’s cousin, Luisa. Olivia’s friend, Nishi, was also present. She was a good friend to Olivia in From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess, and she was also great in Royal Wedding Disaster. Cabot did a good job depicting their friendship as very ordinary and supportive—so two thumbs up just for that.

Overall, Royal Wedding Disaster was really good, I certainly enjoyed it.

Release Day & Giveaway: Eternal Sacrifice by Stacey O'Neale

Today is the release day for Stacey O'Neale's Eternal Sacrifice. Check out the book below, and keep scrolling for a chance to win a $100 gift card...

About the book...

Title: Eternal Sacrifice

Author: Stacey O'Neale

Publisher/ Publication Date: Phoenix Reign Publishing; June 28, 2016

Goodreads     Amazon 

Synopsis...

The explosive conclusion to Stacey O'Neale's award-winning Mortal Enchantment series reveals the secrets of the fantasy world!

Valac has stolen two of the sacred objects. In a bid to rule all four courts, he has threatened to use Excalibur to cut the mist that protects Avalon--ultimately ending the lives of thousands of elementals. As the Akasha, Kalin has the power to stop him. And she refuses to lose anyone else she loves. Will she have to sacrifice herself to save them? Desperate to save Kalin's life, Rowan searches for the long-lost creator of the mist. But what he finds is the very last thing he expected. Everything he thought he knew about his past is turned upside down, and he questions whether he's meant to be the savior or the elemental that destroys them all. Told from Kalin, Rowan, and Marcus's perspective, the final installment to the series follows their journey of courage, duty, sacrifice, and love...

About the Author...

Award-winning author, Stacey O'Neale, lives in Annapolis, Maryland. When she's not writing, she spends her time fangirling over books, blogging, watching fantasy television shows, cheering for the Baltimore Ravens, and hanging out with her husband and daughter. Her career in publishing started as a blogger-turned-publicist for two successful small publishers. Stacey writes young adult fantasy and adult science fiction romance. Her books always include swoon-worthy heroes, snarky heroines, and lots of kissing. Stacey loves hearing from readers. Follow her on Twitter @StaceyONeale, look for her on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Goodreads. You can also visit her blog at staceyoneale.com/.

To celebrate the release of Eternal Sacrifice, O'Neale is giving away a $100 gift card (winners choice). All you have to do is enter on the widget below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Musing Mondays (55) Recent Nonfiction Favorites

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme hosted by Jenn at Books and a Beat, that asks you to muse about something book related each week.

My Musings for the Week...

Random weekly question from June 13th: What book have you wanted to read for a long time, but still haven’t?

Oh, probably Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor. I read the first two books in the trilogy, Daughter of Smoke & Bone and Days of Blood & Starlight. I really enjoyed them, and despite the books being some of my favorites I haven't gotten around to actually finishing the trilogy, 

Other Musings...

2016 has been a very good year for nonfiction. I haven’t read many biographical works of nonfiction, so I can’t really comment on whether or not I have a specific dislike for them. So, the ones I’ve read have mostly concerned history and/or science as the subject. Today, I’m going to share my recent nonfiction favorites. 

The Illustrated Compendium of Amazing Animal Facts: This was a cute book with random animal facts, illustrated by the author. It was kind of random, just featuring a bunch of interesting facts—some of which I had already known about, but others were totally new to me.

Rain: A Natural and Cultural History: This book was about rain facts. Of all the nonfiction that I've read, there hasn't been one specifically about rain. So, I was really excited to give Rain a try. Barnett did a good job of organizing the facts, plus the writing was excellent and engaging. The overall reading experience was interesting since Rain’s focus centered on the weather and the environment—and how changes to the natural landscape could have unintended consequences. Rain was definitely a highly memorable read.

Founding Myths: Stories that Hide Our Patriotic Past: This book can be summed up as: food for thought. It pointed out many historical inaccuracies that are sometimes considered to be actual fact related to the revolutionary war and the subsequent time after the end of it. Like Rain, Founding Myths left a lasting impression. It was memorable. Overall, a great read.

So, that’s about it for today. What books have you read recently?

The Friday 56 (67) Royal Wedding Disaster by Meg Cabot

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Olivia Grace Clarisse Mignonette Harrison still finds it hard to believe that she's a real live PRINCESS OF GENOVIA. Not only does she get to live in an actual palace with her newly discovered family and two fabulous poodles (who all love her and think that she's anything but ordinary!) but she also gets her very own PONY! Of course, things aren't going exactly like she imagined. Her half-sister Mia is very busy learning how to take over the country while trying to plan a wedding and her father is actually getting remarried himself-to Mia's mother!-and spends most of his time "renovating" the summer palace, although Grandmere says he is just hiding from the wedding preparations. Olivia hardly gets to see either of them. Fortunately, Grandmere has her own plans for Mia's wedding, and needs Olivia's help to pull them off. Just when Olivia starts to think that things are going to work out after all, the palace is invaded by a host of new cousins and other royals who all seem to be angry at Olivia (although Grandmere says they are just jealous).

As the day of the wedding gets closer and closer, Olivia becomes more and more worried. For such a carefully planned event, it seems like a LOT of things are going wrong... Can Olivia keep this royal wedding from becoming a royal disaster?

""Uh," Mia said, looking around, because even though the walls of the school are pretty thick--almost every building in Genovia is made of three-foot-wide stone, since the village was built in medieval times with the goal of keeping out marauding invaders--you could hear someone screaming from somewhere in the lower-form building. I couldn't believe it."--Royal Wedding Disaster by Meg Cabot

What are you reading this week?