Category Archives: Book Review and Content

A Wow-worthy Sequel: Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

shadow-scaleShadow Scale
Rachel Hartman
Random House Children’s
Pubished March 10, 2015

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With war between dragons and humans exploding across Seraphina’s once-peaceful home, she vows to find the other gifted half-dragons and use their power to end the conflict. One of Seraphina’s would-be allies seems to have other loyalties. And unstoppable power.

Seraphina works to bring the isolated and fearful half-dragons out of hiding and teach them to operate as a team. Time is running out, however, as an army of dragons threatens to rain destruction down on Seraphina’s homeland. Alliances begin to unravel. A new, unpredictable saint dazzles the people, distracting them from the conflict at hand. In order to pull her own army together, Seraphina will have to understand and unleash the power she has buried inside herself.

The book begins with a clever note from a Goreddi historian summarizing the novel Seraphina, which precedes Shadow Scale. It’s a nice touch and brings readers up to speed nicely. Of course, since Seraphina is a whopping 499 pages, there are a lot of things that get left out. I read Seraphina just a few weeks ago, and I approached Shadow Scale wondering if I’d be able to enjoy it without the background of the first story. I think it could be done, but the second story is so much richer for having read both of them.

As her readers have come to expect, Hartman fills the pages of her tale with well-developed landscapes rich with history, culture and religion. I loved that the stories about the saints played a part in the grander plot. Though Seraphina is the main character, many other characters play important roles. They are well-developed and intriguing.

Readers who enjoyed Seraphina are very likely to enjoy this second book as well. Those who haven’t read Seraphina yet can still enjoy Shadow Scale, but I’d recommend reading Seraphina first. You’ll get a lot more out of the experience.

Profanity Content
none

Sexual Content
There’s a pretty intense kissing moment which seems like it could go further but the characters stop themselves, not wanting to be impulsive. There is a very brief girl-on-girl kiss. One culture uses a large number of pronouns to address its citizens, including a category for “emergent feminine.” It could be that Hartman means this as a way for transgender individuals to be more accurately addressed. It’s not deeply explored.

A dragon briefly discusses his hopes of being mated with another dragon in a conversation with Seraphina.

Spiritual Content
Citizens of Goredd worship a large collection of saints. The story often references various writings by different saints. In Porphyry, the people worship a god of chance and goddess of necessity.

Violence
Brief references to torture (no details.) In several scenes, dragons battle one another.

Drug Content
None.

Review: A Time to Die by Nadine Brandes

Book Review and Content, Christian World-View, Clean Fiction, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , ,

A Time to Die
Nadine Brandes
Enclave Publishing

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Seventeen year-old Parvin Blackwater has less than one year left to live. Her Clock started counting down the moment she was born. Until now, Parvin has hidden from that fact, burying herself in sewing projects and sleeping late. Now, with only months left to live, she wants her life to count for something. She wants to be remembered.

As Parvin pursues a noteworthy life saving Radicals and writing her story, she becomes tangled in a political web that reaches much farther than her small town. As an outcast on the other side of the Wall, she faces death at every turn. With newfound faith and a team of unlikely allies, Parvin races to bring the truth to her people before her Clock runs out.

Though the title makes this story sound like a suspense novel, it’s much more a dystopian fantasy. In this story, the United States has fallen and is now divided east from west by a Wall only crossed by dissenters and lawbreakers. In the east, most believe that crossing the wall is a death sentence. And indeed, Parvin finds the west to be a hostile world.

The story world and characters are a little bit uneven. Some descriptions and characters are vibrant and detailed and others seem more vague or stereotyped. The premise is the real power punch in this novel.

The countdown clock keeps the story moving and the stakes climbing as Parvin’s time on earth grows shorter and shorter. As time dwindles, Parvin obsesses over how little is left. By contrast, her companion has thrown away his Clock and refuses to let what it said rule his decisions and choices. It’s a fascinating question – if you could know how much time you have left on earth, would you want to? How would it affect your daily life?

Language Content
No profanity.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Parvin wants to follow God’s plan for her life but often instead constructs her own plans. She often puts her faith in the Clock – if she has so many days left, that means she can’t die tomorrow, so whatever venture feels less risky.

She encounters a tribe of people who believe in protecting nature to an extreme. Anyone who breaks healthy branches or cuts down a healthy tree will be subject to severe punishment.

Violence
All descriptions are brief.

Several people are punished by a tribe (see above) for harming trees.

Two people battle on wires, trying to throw one another off balance until one person falls.

An unidentified man shoots one of Parvin’s allies and threatens to harm Parvin unless he cooperates.

Drug Content
None.

Review: Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , ,

Graceling
Kristin Cashore
HMH Books for Young Readers

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Katsa’s gift makes her beloved of a cruel king and feared by his people. She is Graced with the ability to fight beyond ordinary human strength and skill. Forced to serve her ruthless king, Katsa spends her days dealing punishment on behalf of the Middluns king. Unbeknownst to the king, she forms the Council, a neutral organization without loyalty to any one crown. The Council deals swift justice to those who would prey upon the weak. As part of a Council mission, Katsa rescues a kidnapped prince and stumbles upon a greater plot and a king whose evil far outmatches any other. Katsa and her ally Prince Po race across mountains toward the home of the evil king. They must stop him before he destroys anyone else.

For the most part, I enjoyed Katsa and Po’s characters. Po was definitely my favorite though I think his name is silly. Most of the other characters are a bit under-developed and one-dimensional. Bitterblue, a ten year-old girl had really bizarre dialogue for her age. I wanted to like her, and I did, and then she’d open her mouth and I’d be confused. It just didn’t fit a character her age.

Since I recently read Seraphina by Rachel Hartman, I think it would have been difficult for any fantasy story to impress me with world building, as Hartman sets that bar really high. In this area, Graceling definitely left me wanting. There were a few strong elements – the idea that humans would be Graced with different gifts and how that could change lives for good or ill. The Leinid people had some interesting traditions. I liked that a lot. Many things are left really vague or over-simplified. The relationships between kings are rocky – why? Because they’re all vapid annoying guys. End of story.

The romance took center-stage a lot more than I expected from the book description. While I liked both characters and even liked the relationship they had, I tripped over some of the reasons behind it. Katsa maintains through the whole book that she intends never to marry. Okay, that’s cool. A few times other characters would straight-up ask, “Are you going to marry him?” in a context that didn’t seem believable to me – that instead felt more like a staged opportunity for Katsa to judge everyone for being marriage-obsessed.

I’ve read some reviews complaining about this book having a “feminist agenda.” Honestly, other than the few times it came up in dialogue, it wasn’t a big thread in the story. Obviously, though, this may not be the message some families want to send to their young girls – that being lovers is a superior alternative to marriage. So that’s worth evaluating and/or discussing.

Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
Kissing and references to sex. Katsa takes a lover and makes it very clear that she will not marry him, but is willing to live as his lover until either of them decide to part ways. Their sexual exhanges are not graphic, but they are obvious and not brief.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
Katsa has a reputation for carrying out punishment and torture on those who’ve displeased the king. Brief references to the things she’s done – breaking bones, etc. She does not like to kill anyone even though she is capable of doing so easily. In one scene, an archer shoots a woman in the back. In another, a man suffers a serious shoulder wound. Not too gory, but there are bits of violence throughout the story.

Drug Content
Po acts silly and Katsa accuses him of being drunk.

Review: Two Renegade Realms by Donita K. Paul

Book Review and Content, Christian World-View, Clean Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

Two Renegade Realms
Donita K. Paul
Zondervan/HarperCollins

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Cantor and Bixby have spent the last few years serving as Realm Walkers. They cross through portals to other worlds to keep peace and protect anyone in need. Now they join forces again to stop two realms on a collision course with their homeland. The Realm Walkers Guild stands mired in corruption, so Cantor and Bixby will find no allies or aid there. Instead they set out to locate Chomountain, a man supernaturally gifted by Primen. They will have to find and free Cho before their homes are destroyed.

While the first book in the Realm Walkers series had a middle grade feel, Two Renegade Realms begins later, with Cantor older, wiser and much taller. The story takes on more of a young adult tone though its content remains safe enough for younger eyes and ears. The characters and their quirks make for a warm cast.

Between the action sequences, characters shuffle through and rearrange hampers, which always seem to contain fresh, wonderful foods and useful items. They enjoy many picnics and meals together. While those scenes are cute, some of them feel like filler – not much is happening. Some of the conflicts resolve easily – once so easily that even the characters comment on how simple the solution was. Instead of the action and suspense building to a mountain peak as the story unfolds toward its climax, it has more of a slalom feel with conflict and resolution repeating through the course of the tale.

Fans of Cantor, Bixby and Bridger will enjoy following more of their story and seeing how their relationships with one another have changed since the earlier novel.

Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Cantor and his friends are devoted followers of Primen in a monotheistic religion similar to Christianity

Violence
Brief battle sequences and some instances of peril. No gory details.

Drug Content
None.

Review: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Paranormal, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , ,

The Scorpio Races
Maggie Stiefvater
Scholastic Press

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Every year the deadly capaill uisce emerge from the sea. Lucky riders will capture one of these bloodthirsty water horses and ride in the Scorpio Races, competing for a prize purse – it’s enough money to change a life. And it’s exactly what Puck Connolly is hoping to achieve. If she can win the race, she can keep her family together in their home. If she loses, she will lose everything.

Sean Kendrick knows too well the risks of the race. As a boy, he watched his father murdered by the violent water horses during the Scorpio Race. Sean isn’t too worried – he’s won before and he will win again. He intends to win freedom for himself and the horse who means more to him than anything.

The race brings Sean and Puck into one another’s lives as uneasy and unlikely allies. As their friendship begins to deepen, both know one simple, terrible truth: there can be only one winner to the Scorpio Races.

From the very first page, Stiefvater immerses readers in the tumultuous world of Thisby Island with its mythic history, charming towns and haunting cliffs. The story unfolds through lyrical, emotionally charged prose, introducing the desperate and headstrong Puck, her brothers and her beloved island pony. Opposite Puck, we find Sean Kendrick, a renowned horse trainer and thoughtful/silent type. The American buyer who follows Sean around works as a great foil to add humor and lightness to Sean’s reclusive nature.

As the story progresses, the stakes continue to elevate. Every time it seems like the characters find a way out, some new conflict arises – definitely kept me on the edge of my seat! And those capaill uisce are terrifying. One scene is so intense I still shudder to think about it! (Not gross, just really suspenseful.)

This is a fantastic story. Phenomenal characters. Absolutely incredible story world. High-energy storytelling. This is Stiefvater at her best. (I’ve read Shiver and the first three of the Raven Cycle series as well.)

Language Content
Infrequent use of mild profanity.

Sexual Content
Brief sexual reference.

Spiritual Content
Many of the islanders attend a Catholic church. Puck visits Father Mooneyhan to confess her sins. There are other references to things like whether playing cards or getting angry is a sin.

The water horses also have a lot of lore and magic surrounding them. Riders use charms like bits of iron and bells to try to control them.

Violence
The water horses are deadly and unpredictable. Puck and her brother discover several animals that have been mutilated and killed by the capaill uisce. Puck is attacked and threatened by them. Several islanders are killed by the water horses.

Drug Content
None.

Review: Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

Seraphina
Rachel Hartman
Random House
Published in 2013

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Seraphina has lived a carefully unnoticed life. Even as a talented musician, she’s always avoided the spotlight in order to protect a terrible secret that, if discovered, will threaten her life and that of her family.

When a prince of Goredd is murdered, rumors circulate that a dragon is the culprit. These rumors threaten the uneasy peace between humans and dragons. Drawn into the murder investigation, Seraphina helps the handsome captain of the guard, Prince Lucien, to bring the killer to justice.

Seraphina’s quick thinking and easy lying has always protected her in the past. Now her friendship with the betrothed prince threatens to out her. When the investigation reveals a terrible plot jeopardizing the entire kingdom, Seraphina is forced to choose between her secrecy and the survival of all she loves.

Political intrigue. Murder. Fantasy. Romance. This story has it all. Unforgettable characters march across each chapter. Dragon culture is well-developed and very different from other dragon stories. Hartman does a great job throwing the human and dragon characters in situations in which the cultures clash, sometimes in humorous ways. The murder investigation keeps the tension high. This is one book you won’t want to put down until the last page.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
No profanity.

Sexual Content
Brief suggestive comments.

Spiritual Content
Seraphina discovers she can use her mind to communicate with others. She also meets several others with varied unusual abilities.

It seems that the human population worship a large collection of revered saints at various shrines. One of the clever ways Hartman incorporates this into the story is through the use of colloquialisms based on different saints. “St. Daan in a pan!” someone might shout.

Violence
A prince’s body is found. He has been beheaded. No gory details.

Brief battles between human and dragon or dragon and dragon.

Drug Content
Seraphina consumes too much wine and nearly gives away her secret.

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