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Review: The Falconer by Elizabeth May

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The Falconer by Elizabeth MayThe Falconer
Elizabeth May
Chronicle Books
Published May 6, 2014

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Ever since Aileana witnessed her mother’s brutal death, she has hunted for the killer. Maintaining the balance of her daylight life as a wealthy, prominent young woman in Scottish society becomes increasingly difficult as faeries, the monsters who prey on humans like her mother, begin to find Aileana everywhere. Then Aileana learns more drives her than her thirst for vengeance. She’s the last of an ancient race with the ability to fight even the most powerful faeries. And she’ll need all her sleeping gifting to wake if she has any hope of stopping terrible creatures from forming an army and destroying all of humanity.

At first I had a little trouble reconciling all the various parts of the story. The setting has this sort of Jane Austen feel. The terrifying faeries bring a pretty serious suspense, almost horror element. And the strange mechanical devices Aileana depends on and invents give the story a steampunk flare. Once I acclimated to all these things, though, I felt like they complimented each other pretty well. The story needs all those things in order to complete its plot.

The characters—just, wow. I loved the banter between Aileana and her best friend Catherine and of course Aileana and her mentor Kiaran. Pretty much every character surprised me in some great way through the course of the story. I felt like their emotions were complex and realistic, and the fact that sometimes I spotted things before Aileana did (she was rather determinedly clueless about a couple of things) really added to the story and made it believable, if that makes sense. I guess it gave her blind spots and flaws.

I’m crazy eager to get my hands on the second book in this series. I stayed up way too late last night finishing The Falconer and I can tell you I would have jumped straight into the second one if I’d had an ARC on me. I’m hoping there’s still time to get one, but if not, I might have to break down and pre-order this one. It’s too good to miss.

I think if you liked the complex story world and banter between characters in Six of Crows, then The Falconer will definitely appeal to you. Fans of Julie Kagawa might find the faery lore similar and enjoy the human versus fae dynamic.

Recommended for Ages 13 up.

Cultural Elements
All the characters are from Scotland, so pretty much white and upper class.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used with moderate frequency.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief kissing. Aileana is very aware of propriety and strives to behave herself like a lady even when circumstances make that difficult. At one point, rumors circulate that she and a young man have been caught in a compromising position, but those rumors are false. At another time, a man enters her bed chamber to clean and dress a wound of hers.

Spiritual Content
The story contains faeries and monsters who possess magic. Some humans have specialized abilities which allow them to sense faeries or resist their magic.

Violent Content
Several intense battle scenes. Some were a bit gruesome.

Drug Content
Alcohol is served at gatherings. Aileana’s friend drinks quite a bit of liquor to get drunk. A pixie living in Aileana’s closet gets drunk on honey and acts silly.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

April 2017 Monthly Wrap-Up

News and Fun, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , ,

April 2017 Happenings at The Story Sanctuary

As we get near to the end of the school year, things always start to speed up. April always feels like the breath before the plunge into May. I’m pretty excited about the number of books I managed to read. Six are currently in the queue, reviews already written and ready to post this month! Most of those came as part of a challenge with Bookshelves and Paperbacks to catch up on some languishing ARCs. More about how that worked out in a second.

You also may have spotted me on Book Addicts Guide in Brittany’s Book and a Beverage feature in which she interviews bloggers. Yay! Big thanks to Brittany for hosting me. I love reading the Book and Beverage posts, and it was fun to have a chance to participate.

April 2017 OwlCrate Box

I also got an OwlCrate box for April that made me cry. I haven’t read anything by Becky Albertalli yet, though I own a copy of Simon & the Homo Sapiens Agenda that I bought with a Christmas gift card from my in-laws. Anyway, each OwlCrate box comes with a book and a letter from the author. Becky’s letter had me bawling in my kitchen. In a good way. She talks about missing her grandmother, whom her protagonist was named after and who passed away while the book was being written and which still makes me misty-eyed. Grandmas are so special. I miss mine every day.

She also talks about feeling different than everyone else or feeling like the last person to do something. There’s so much pressure out there to find the right label, to establish who you are, to rush into new experiences. We need voices saying it’s okay not to know all the answers about who you are and not to rush into everything. So I’m really interested in reading her book, The Upside of Unrequieted which explores some of these issues.

You can see photos of the boxes and order a box of your own here.

April 2017 AVA Reading Challenge with Bookshelves and Paperbacks

Okay. Onto the ARC Challenge! I sort of did this on a whim. Another blog I follow was participating and I thought, hey, I’ve got this stack of ARCs I need out of my queue. Let’s go for it! So I made a handy little picture of my choices and went for it. If you’re a regular follower, you probably saw my Saturday Challenge updates.

So here’s how it all ended up. I’m two books away from finishing my whole list. I’m reading The Falconer now. I like it a lot, but for some reason the blend of genres (it’s kind of Jane Austen meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer only faeries instead of vampires?) keeps kind of throwing me for a loop. It’s like I can only keep one of those ideas in my head at a time. But so far, I’m enjoying it. Last but not least is The Lost and the Found, a story about a girl whose sister was kidnapped and suddenly returns home. I’m not sure why this one got bumped to last. I interviewed the author Cat Clarke, and she left me super intrigued about the book. I’m still planning to work it in, hopefully this week.

Here are the books you missed last month.

Perfect by Cecelia Ahern

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

This is a dystopian story that reminded me a little bit (in concept) of Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies series, except instead of the focus being on physical beauty, it’s about achieving an appearance of moral perfection to avoid being cast out as a pariah. A girl who has sacrificed her “perfect” image to help someone in need becomes a voice for many who’ve been cast out as Flawed people.

The Star Thief by Lindsey Becker

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

I liked this middle grade book a lot. The sense of adventure kept me turning pages and the imaginative approach to the origin of constellations definitely had me hooked. Readers who liked The Map to Everywhere will probably enjoy this one.

Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

I got Letters to the Lost as an ARC at the last minute, and I am not at all sorry! The story had so much heart. I laughed, I cried, I read it super fast. This has to be one of the top must-read YA books this year.

Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

I can’t believe it took me so long to read Three Times Lucky. Fantastic characters, amazing setting, great story! If you know me in real life, don’t be surprised if I chase you around with a copy of this book. You need to read it!

Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

I’m more of a light sci-fi girl than true sci-fi reader, but the characters in this story absolutely made me swoon. I was a fan of Abel right from the beginning. The ending was a bit tricky for me, but even if I’d known that, I would still have read it.

Dream Magic by Joshua Khan

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

This reminded me of Leah Cypess (whose books I love!) but for a slightly younger crowd. It’s a bit dark because it’s set in a kingdom of the dead (zombies, vampires, that sort of thing) but it’s got a lot of spunk and humor to balance it out.

Spindle Fire by Lexa Hillyer

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

I’m usually a sucker for fairy tales re-imagined, but this one is something extra special. It has elements of Alice in Wonderland and Sleeping Beauty mashed up together and a compelling voice in both its heroines. If you’re a fan of fairy tales, don’t miss it!

Angelfall by Susan Ee

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

Initially I think I was drawn to Angelfall because it reminded me a bit of one of the moments in the series by Laini Taylor. There’s a moment when angels, which aren’t really angels at all but creatures from another world, invade earth. Angelfall has a similar-ish plot. I liked the characters and diverse cast.

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

Another must-read. Jacqueline Woodson shares memories of her childhood in simple, powerful lines of poetry. Gorgeous and moving.

Unblemished by Sara Ella

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

I feel like this book gets the most-surprising-book award for me this year. The description sort of underwhelmed me but to be honest, there aren’t a lot of Christian YA books coming my way, so I pounced on it anyway. And I’m so glad I did! I loved the story world and several times the plot swung in a direction I didn’t at all expect. After reading it, I requested an ARC of the second book, and I’m already excited about reading it.

The Rift Uprising by Amy S. Foster

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

If you told me this book had a lot of military and sci-fi elements I probably would have passed on reading it. Which would have been totally sad, because I really enjoyed it! If you liked Hayley Stone’s Machinations, you need to add The Rift Uprising to your to-be-read list.

Hit the Ground Running by Mark Burley

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

Suspense plus parkour? Um, YES! I feel like suspense is what historical YA used to be for me: that genre I had no idea I enjoyed. It’s the opener of a series, and always the big question is whether I’d follow the series to the next book, because often I don’t. I’ll definitely be watching for more of Mark Burley’s tale, though.

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What’s Next?

I toyed with the idea of doing an informal challenge this month to try to catch up on some more books I’ve been meaning to read since the April challenge went so well. Unfortunately, I think this month is going to be a bit too crazy what with end-of-year school stuff and all. So I’m going to stick to my handy review calendar this month and work extra books in where I can. This summer, my daughter and I are thinking about doing a weekly bookish activity, so I’ll be organizing those as well. Once we have our list together, I’ll post some information about it so you can read or craft along with us!

What about you?

Any interesting bookish plans for the summer (or winter, depending on where you are)? Going to any events or looking forward to a book release? Ash and Quill by Rachel Caine is at the top of my summer release list. How about you?

Review: Hit the Ground Running by Mark Burley

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Hit the Ground Running
Mark Burley
Blue Moon Publishing
Published April 25, 2017

Amazon | Goodreads

A terrifying video from his brother leads Eric to think something is terribly wrong. When he learns his parents are missing, and confirms his brother’s disappearance after the video seems to show him captured and possibly shot, Eric vows to help them. He can’t do much from his remote boarding school location, but with the help of the lovely and talented Tess, who agrees to play his girlfriend in an effort to throw off pursuers, and Tess’s friends who possess some pretty amazing online skills, Eric just might have a chance at cracking the mystery and bringing his family home safely.

What Eric finds as he reaches his parents’ lab in California changes the whole game. Secret artifacts point to a dangerous ritual, and deadly assassins close in on Eric’s trail. Eric must outwit those chasing him in time to locate his family and plan their rescue.

This book pretty much had me at parkour. Apparently I’m a total sucker for stories which feature characters with an unusual interest (see my review of Graffiti Moon or Everything, Everything, which happily features another parkour kid!) so this book had me really curious.

I feel like Blue Moon Publishers has been a little hit and miss with me in terms of books I like. Hit the Ground Running was a huge win. The sense of mystery and high stakes yanked me through page after page well past my bedtime. Eric’s concern for his family and his conflicting feelings about Tess won me over superfast. The story isn’t completely from Eric’s point-of-view. Several chapters are from Tess’s point-of-view, and we get a couple of other characters sneaking in from time to time to give us their input.

If you like action-packed stories with high stakes, you will want to have this one on your summer reading list.

Recommended for Ages 13 up.

Cultural Elements
Major characters appear to be white. One of Eric’s allies is wheelchair-bound. He and his twin sister still enjoy a lot of active sports like surfing.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
A brief kiss.

Spiritual Content
Eric tells his allies about a strange situation his parents looked into, in which a dead person resurrected to exact revenge. He calls this person a Revenant. He learns his parents may have found an artifact which can be used in a ritual to grant something like resurrection, but without the gory grossness that comes from being Revenant and needing revenge, still decomposing.

Tess’s necklace shows a Makara, a mythical creature from Hindu mythology. There’s a brief description of some Hindu beliefs associated with the Makara and creation and such.

Violent Content
Eric sees video which shows a dark image of his brother getting shot. He discovers the body of a man whose throat has been cut. Bad guys chase him, he tries to escape. Some depictions of kidnapping (bound captive tossed into a trunk).

Brief reference to torture.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

April AVA Reading Challenge Update Part 2

Lists, News and Fun, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , ,

This month I’m participating in the AVA Readathon Challenge with Bookshelves and Paperbacks. I listed the ARCs (advance release copies) of books I’m planning to read this month in an earlier post, and last week, I posted an update on what I’d read so far. This week I read a few more from the list, so I’m posting another quick update.

Here’s an updated list from the one I posted at the beginning of the challenge:

Note: I originally included Between the Lies by Cathy MacPhail by mistake, since it doesn’t come out until September 2017. I’ve replaced it with Shadow and Thorn by Kenley Davidson which came out in March and I haven’t managed to read yet. Also, you can see I’ve greyed out the covers of the books I read and talked about at my last update. Here are my reviews for Defy the Stars and Letters to the Lost.

What I Read This Week

Unblemished by Sara Ella
I wasn’t at all sure what to expect from this story. Thomas Nelson books have been hit or miss with me lately. The voice in this novel totally rocks. It’s different– much more immediate-felling than typical first-person narrative, but it gives El’s character a real punch and made the story a lot of fun to read.

The Lovely Reckless by Kami Garcia
I had put this one off because I worried it’d play too much to the typical good-girl-meets-bad-boy romance. Right from the beginning, though, I found Frankie to be deep and fascinating and love the stuff about street racing and the play between the two communities of the Heights and the Downs. All in all, I’m super glad I finally got this one read!

Up Next: The Falconer by Elizabeth May, which I’m super excited about, since Krysti at YA and Wine said she really liked it!

What about you?

Have you read a book lately from someone’s recommendation? How was it? Have you recommended a book to a friend recently? How did that work out?

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Review: Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

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Brown Girl Dreaming
Jacqueline Woodson
Nancy Paulsen Books
Published August 28, 2014

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

From Goodreads
Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child’s soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson’s eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become.

My Review
After reading her novel-in-verse Locomotion, I knew I had to read Brown Girl Dreaming. I loved the descriptions of character and emotions in each poem. It’s easy to feel the family connections and the love of places, especially her grandmother’s home in South Carolina.

It’s funny—I think there’s this idea that reading and writing always come easily to people who grow up to be writers. Sometimes that’s really not the case. As a little girl, Jacqueline’s relationship with story far exceeds her ability to read or write, something that I think gives a lot of hope to young readers who struggle. There’s a strong element of courage that runs through the whole story. I loved feeling the connections between family members and the strength each one carried and how those relationships affected Jacqueline in her life and her quest to understand her place in the world.

Brown Girl Dreaming would be a great pick for a child struggling with reading, both because of the way it’s told and the struggle in the story itself. It’s also a great place to begin introducing the Civil Rights movement to younger readers.

Recommended for Ages 8 up.

Cultural Elements
Jacqueline Woodson writes about growing up as a young African American girl in South Carolina and later in Brooklyn in the 1960s.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Jacqueline’s grandmother brings her and her siblings to services to learn about being a Jehova’s Witness. They attend classes and go door to door to spread their faith.

Violent Content
She learns about a woman who fell down stairs and died.

Drug Content
Her grandfather smokes cigarettes.

April AVA Readathon Challenge Update

Lists, News and Fun, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, ,

This month I’m participating in the AVA Readathon Challenge with Bookshelves and Paperbacks. I listed the ARCs (advance release copies) of books I’m planning to read this month. Some have been lingering in my to-be-read stack for far too long. Others were a bit of a cheat because they come out this month, so I wanted to read them anyway.

Here’s the list I posted at the beginning of the month:

Note: I don’t know why Between the Lies ended up on this list, since it doesn’t come out until September. Probably I got it mixed up with something else, though now I can’t remember what. So that one is last on my list for now.

What I’ve Read So Far

Racial Profiling: Everyday Inequality
This is a basic breakdown of what racial profiling is and the areas in our society in which it’s still having a profound impact on our lives. While it’s a pretty charged and political topic, I felt like the author worked very hard to make this a really informative look with a lot of statistics and historical context. I think it was a great read for me, though I want to go back and look at a few passages again because sometimes the statistics were a bit overwhelming to me.

Letters to the Lost
I met Brigid Kemmerer at ApollyCon in March and recognized the cover of her book. I thought I’d requested the ARC already via NetGalley, but apparently I did not! So I sent off my pretty-please-can-I-review-this request and sure enough, Bloomsbury sent me a copy. Yay! Gotta say– this is one of the best angsty (but clean, apart from a bit of language) romances I’ve read in a LONG time. I loved it.

Defy the Stars
I’d been meaning to read some Claudia Gray since hearing buzz about A Thousand Pieces of You. The characters were fantastic and the plot took me some interesting directions. I was a bit disappointed in the ending, but overall, the characters and story world still make this one a win for me.

Next on my list?
Up next is Kami Garcia’s The Lovely Reckless. I’m still hoping to work through my list by the end of the month, even though I’m running a little bit behind. I hope to have a bit more time this weekend and next for some catch-up reading.

What are you reading?

How about you? What book have you been meaning to read, but haven’t gotten around to cracking open just yet? What book has you cranking through pages right now? Leave a comment to let me know. I would love to commiserate over impossibly long TBR lists and celebrate finding a great read with you.