Feature & Follow (August 24) – Worst Cover on a Great Book

Welcome to the Feature & Follow Hop, hosted by Parajunkee’s View and Alison Can Read!

If you’re here for the first time, I’d love if you could follow via email, RSS, LinkyFollowers or Networked Blogs. Just let me know your follow method of choice in the comments, and I’ll be happy to return the favor.

And if you’re not new, welcome back! Repeat visitors are better than a Snuggie on a cold night. (Come on. You know Snuggies are awesome.)

This week’s question:

Q: Worst cover? What is the worst cover of a book that you’ve read and loved?

Oh good, this one’s easy. I really, really loved this book. I hate the cover. So much that I will never buy a physical copy of this book, even though I am all about physical copies, because I don’t want it on my shelves. Digital only for me.

1. I understand that the tear of blood is actually very  relevant to the plot, but ewwwww.

2. WHY IS SHE WHITE? NO. Unacceptable. (If you haven’t read it, the main character is Asian.)

(Seriously though, it’s an awesome book).

 

Review: Defiance by C.J. Redwine (@cjredwine @harperteen)

I’m so glad I finally get to share this book with you guys. I’ve been sitting on this review for months, itching for time to move faster so that I could gush about just how awesome it is. And the day is finally here! Defiance by C.J. Redwine comes out NEXT WEEK (8/28/12) and trust me, this is one you want to get your hands on as soon as possible.

(Go here if you’d like to read my interview with C.J.!)

The Plot (From Goodreads, because it’s too complex for me to summarize on my own)

“Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city’s brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father’s apprentice, Logan—the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father’s survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city’s top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor’s impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can’t be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.”

My Thoughts

This book had literally everything I love in a story.

The action and adventure was incredible. There were scenes that literally left me gasping and curling into a ball, and that’s not something I typically do while reading. I’m normally a much more…stationary…reader. But the tension in some scenes was nearly palpable, and I couldn’t help myself. I was  invested.

It also was a mishmash of all my favorite genres. There were elements of sci-fi, post-apocalyptic, steampunk, romance, and of course, fantasy. And when I say “mishmash,” don’t misunderstand me. I mean it in the best possible way. This book may have a genre identity crisis, but that’s just because it defines its own new genre of pure awesome. So no, I’m not quite sure how to categorize it, and with some books, that would be a problem. Not here. Defiance blends genres seamlessly, and left me hungry for more fantasy-sci-fi-post-apocalyptic-steampunk-romances.

Too bad I don’t know of any.

The characters of Rachel and Logan were strong, personable, flawed, and passionate. They each had their own unique voice, and I loved how the narrative shifted between the two of them. The characters balanced and complemented each other well, and their relationship quickly skyrocketed to the top of my list of favorite YA pairings. I thought their alternating voices kept the story constantly fresh, and I was completely engaged from beginning to end.

The character of the Commander made for a deliciously evil antagonist. The kind you want to slap every time he enters a room, or maybe cower from underneath a table. Just when I thought he couldn’t be more despicable, he was. But he also wasn’t a caricature of a villain. He seemed frighteningly real and terrifying.

And as for the story itself, it was unique, exciting, and thrilling. I wasn’t really shocked by anything that happened, but I also didn’t find it at all formulaic.  There were no twists for the sake of twists, nor were there any payoffs that didn’t feel earned. The story simply unfolded the way it needed to.

Since I don’t want to write a 100% gushy review (much as I may want to), I’ll mention the couple tiny criticisms I had with the book, so you don’t think that C.J. fed me some crazy-making Kool Aid. First, I wasn’t completely in love with the ending. It’s good and exciting, but I like my endings to have more resolution, even if they are part of a trilogy (which this is. Yay!) Would it keep me from recommending the book? Heck no. But I do wish a little more was wrapped up by the end.

And the only other thing — which is so small as to be inconsequential, except that I’m noticing it in a lot of YA fantasy books lately — is the overuse of the word “crimson” in regards to blood. As in, “her hands were stained with crimson.”* This is not unique to Defiance. As I said, I’ve noticed this a lot lately in YA fantasy. A couple times, it works. But after a while, I just kind of want authors to use the word “blood.” Or even “red.”

But as I said, that is a tiny, tiny gripe. Mostly because I feel like I need to gripe about something to keep it real.

Overall, Defiance was a fantastic, exciting read that kept me riveted. It’s unique and special and splendid. One of my absolute favorite books of 2012. If you love a good adventure with magical elements and strong characters, this one is for you.

Content Guide: Contains fantasy violence

*No, that is not an actual quote from the book. It’s just an example of how the word could be used.

Blog Tour: Circus Summer by Kailin Gow – Dream Cast (@kailingow)

Today I’m happy to be part of the blog tour promoting Kailin Gow’s newest book, the circus dystopian Circus Summer! I’ll be putting up a review at a later date, but today I have something that I always find rather fun. Kailin is guest posting and letting us know her dream cast if there were ever a movie version of Circus Summer!

And seriously, if there was ever a movie version, it would be super-awesome, because this book has crazy action, monsters, romance, and circus funtimes. Honestly, who wouldn’t want to see that?

So now you’ll know who Kailin had in mind as she was writing Circus Summer, and that’ll make your life easier when you read it. Or at least, it should. That’s how my brain works, at any rate.

As a bonus, if you want to go buy the Kindle version of Circus Summer, there’s a contest/giveaway for the chance to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card hidden in the pages!

Say what?

*Looks ruefully at paperback*

*Considers buying Kindle version in spite of already owning signed paperback*

Ahem.

Oh, also, if you are intrigued and would like to purchase a copy of Circus Summer, email your receipt to info(at) theEDGEbooks(dot)com, along with a comment saying that you heard about the book from me. Whichever tour host generates the most sales gets goodies. And I like goodies. Obviously.

So without further ado, here’s Kailin!

Guest Post  – Kailin Gow

Dream Cast

Circus Summer (Circus of Curiosities #1)

When I thought up the idea of the Circus of Curiosities Series, I pictured a world in sepia and red.  A world that has been devastated by war and poverty, but where people still have the willpower to survive and love despite all the devastation.

Out of the ashes from the devastation in this post-apocalyptic world, emerge the champions of humankind.  Everything is cryptic in Book 1 (Circus Summer), as seen through the eyes of Leela Sinclair, who is kept innocent and ignorant of the Invaders, the War, and the mysteries behind the Capitol.  Like most citizens in the United, this is intentional, as is the Circus’ purpose to entertain and distract while displaying the height of human capabilities as well as faults.  However to those who know a bit more about the War and the Circus, such as Zachary Niles, the Circus presents an opportunity to change things, an opportunity he must keep secret.

Dex Hightower (Dr. Dex)

Dex Hightower is the mysterious and charismatic, handsome, quirky,  and charming ringmaster of the Circus of Curiosities.  He can be cruel yet kind at the same time.  He has a connection to Niles and Leela’s mother, as well as an intriguing bad boy past in Sea Cliff, the little town the Circus of Curiosities have stopped at to perform this summer.  Somewhere in the beginning of writing, Johnny Depp kept popping up in my mind as a strong contender for the role of Dr. Dex.  He has the smoky and sexy quality that gives him an allure that allows him command the attention of all those in the crowd, as well as the circus performers.  He’s also charming, smart, and mysterious.  He can be a villain as well as a hero, which Dr. Dex walks the fine line with in his Circus.

Zachary Niles (Zach)

Zachary Niles is the gorgeous, popular and charming boy in Sea Cliff, whom Leela Sinclair had always had a crush.  His parents own the only marketplace in Sea Cliff, which makes Zachary the richest boy in school.  He volunteers to be in the Circus, although no one can figure why, since he doesn’t need the opportunities, food, and money as the others who enter.

Thomas Tattenbaum

?

Thomas is Leela’s best friend and family friend.  He’s handsome in an All-American boy next door who’s a hunky hottie way.  He and Leela have always been done things together like dive for oysters and go rock climbing together.  He’s Captain of their school’s swim team, and very much in love with Leela.

For some reason, I didn’t picture an actor specifically to play Thomas.  But from reading Circus Summer and about Thomas, who would you cast?

THCW vote: 

or maybe…

(And yes, I realize I cast Matt Lauria last time I did a dream cast too. What can I say, I want to see FNL actors in EVERYTHING.)

Leela Sinclair

?

Leela Sinclair is a hard-working teen living in Sea Cliff with her ailing mother and little brother.  Her older brother has been drafted to the War and her father, who used to be a doctor, was sent to the War to help.  Leela is the provider of her family, which means she couldn’t have time for anything other than school, work, and taking care of her family.  When the Circus of Curiosities rolls into town, she finds the Circus, as morbid and dangerous as it is, a way to help her family and a way for her to do more with her life.   She’s a natural beauty, who is athletic  yet feminine at the same time.

Again, I’m leaving the character of Leela Sinclair open.  Who would you cast after reading Circus Summer and getting to know Leela?

THCW vote:

(Again with my great love for FNL.)

Well, there you have it – the main cast of Circus Summer.

Thank you for letting me share Circus Summer with you!

Kailin

About the book:


In post-apocalypse America, every season, the Circus of Curiosities visits the city, bringing with it the most fantastic circus acts that are beautiful, majestic, curious, and death-defying. Every season performers for these acts are chosen from the young men and women in each town, trained, and sent to perform in a live grand performance, performed literally to the death. Two performers from Sea Cliff, a beach town at the outskirts of The Center find themselves chosen to be in this Summer’s Circus Act. Both must win at any cost, but could they ignore their feelings for each other? Leela Sinclair needs to win in order to get to The Center where she can get medical help from the best physicians for her ailing mother, plague with a condition no one have heard of. For Zachary Nile, his reasons for becoming a performer at the Circus is more mysterious. Only the ringmaster and the Circus of Curiosities owner Dex Hightower (Dr. Dex) knows what the touring Circus is really about amidst the magic and splendor. Despite the Great War and the poverty surrounding the land except for the towns fortunate enough to be near the Center, Dr. Dex and the Circus performers all know, “The show must go on.”

About the author:

Kailin Gow is the author of over 100 books, with the majority of them for young adults. Her most popular series are:  The Frost Series, PULSE Series, Desire Series, Wicked Woods, Steampunk Scarlett Novels, and more.  A full-time author, she is also a producer, having worked in radio, television, and film.  She grew up in Southern California, lived in Texas and England, and had traveled extensively around the world.

Links:

Website: www.KailinGowBooks.com

Blog: http://KailinGow.Wordpress.com

Twitter: http://Twitter.com/KailinGow

Facebook: http://Facebook.com/KailinGowBooks

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/KailinGow

Top Ten Tuesday (July 24) – Top Ten Most Vivid Worlds/Settings In Books

It’s Top Ten Tuesday again, hosted by the fabulous folks over at The Broke and the Bookish! And the topic this week is one of those things that I think helps set “great” books apart from “good” books.

Top Ten Most Vivid Worlds/Settings In Books

World building! That feeling that you’re actually in the setting of the story instead of simply reading about it. Sometimes a book has a really interesting plot that engages me, but I have a hard time picturing the world, making the book simply “good.” Other times, I feel transported to a different time or place, and those are the books that really stand out to me.

So here are my Top 10 books that have the best world building, in alphabetical order:

Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb

Defiance by C.J. Redwine

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Harry Potter (entire series) by J.K. Rowling

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb (Yes, this is technically the same world as Assassin’s Apprentice, but the two series focus on totally different aspects of that world, so I think it’s valid to include both)

Top Ten Tuesday (July 17) – Top Ten Books For People Who Like The Hunger Games

Welcome to another Top Ten Tuesday, brought to you by the masterminds over at The Broke and the Bookish!

This week, we’re picking book recommendations for people who liked a certain book, and while I’m sure my choice is going to be popular, I’m doing it anyway because when I finished this book, I could have used a list like this. Don’t get me wrong — this list exists, all over the Internet, and I’m sure many more versions are going to pop up today. But the ones I found led me wrong. They suggested books I didn’t like. So I’m making my own.

Warning: I’m going to genre-hop a bit.

Top Ten Books for People Who Like The Hunger Games Series…

…for the Action

The Maze Runner by James Dashner.

…for the Dystopian Setting

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

…for the Action AND the Dystopian Setting

Divergent by Veronica Roth

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

…for the Strong Heroine

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Defiance by C.J. Redwine

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

…for the Plot

Battle Royale by Koushun Takami

[Disclaimer: I have not read this book, but I hear the plot is very similar to Hunger Games. I’ve also read interviews with Suzanne Collins where she said she didn’t know this book existed prior to her writing HG, and I believe her. Sometimes people just have similar ideas. It’s happened to me. It could happen to you. But I also think this list would be incomplete if it didn’t include the book that Hunger Games is most often compared to.]

Happy reading everyone!