Review: Swallow’s Dance by Wendy Orr

Book Review and Content, Historical, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , , ,

Swallow's Dance by Wendy OrrSwallow’s Dance
Wendy Orr
Allen and Unwin
Published on June 27, 2018

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About Swallow’s Dance
I wonder if the first day of Learning is always like this – do the girls on the hill always feel the ground tremble under their feet? Leira is about to start her initiation as a priestess when her world is turned upside down. A violent earthquake leaves her home – and her family – in pieces. And the goddess hasn’t finished with the island yet.

With her family, Leira flees across the sea to Crete, expecting sanctuary. But a volcanic eruption throws the entire world into darkness. After the resulting tsunami, society descends into chaos; the status and privilege of being noble-born reduced to nothing. With her injured mother and elderly nurse, Leira has only the strength and resourcefulness within herself to find safety.

My Review
I wanted to read Swallow’s Dance because something about the story reminded me of Tracy Higley’s City on Fire. Like City on Fire, Swallow’s Dance is the story of a family who flee from a natural disaster. Leira’s family loses everything when a tsunami and volcanic eruption devour her home and village. But Leira’s unconquerable spirit drives her onward, fighting to survive in places where her once prestigious heritage is spurned. Her strength and fierceness made me invest so much in the book. I found myself really wanting her to find peace and happiness.

Honestly, I found it easy to invest in all of the major characters. Even though Leira’s mom suffers a brain injury and barely speaks, she’s a colorful character and never has trouble expressing her emotions. Even the cranky Nunu won me over with her devotion to Leira and her mom.

The cultural details about the girls studying to serve their goddess and gathering saffron all added a richness to Swallow’s Dance. I don’t normally read historical fiction and I don’t know much about this time period, so I can’t weigh in on how accurate the details are, but it all felt very well-researched and I found it easy to get lost in the vivid setting.

I liked the way the story blended prose and poetry, too. I’ve never seen that done before, but often I didn’t notice the transitions. I read the poetry faster, so it really worked to have that in the higher action parts of the story, because it felt like things sped up since I was literally reading faster.

Historical fans and readers who enjoy female-centered books like A Single Stone by Meg McKinlay will love Swallow’s Dance.

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Cultural Elements
All characters are Mediterranean.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
A couple very vague references to sex (like acknowledging that it’s a thing married people do which makes babies). Leira’s people wear ceremonial dress which leaves their painted breasts exposed.

Spiritual Content
Leira’s people worship an earthmother goddess personified by a volcano. Priestesses serve the goddess. Each town seems to have its own god and rituals. Some of these are described in more detail than others. At one point Leira witnesses a girl being carried off to be sacrificed to a local god.

Violent Content
Some scary or intense descriptions of earthquakes and injuries caused by falling rocks or buildings. Descriptions of the aftermath – references to bodies being found (no descriptions other than that they smell bad). Brief descriptions of slaves being beaten for disobedience.

Drug Content
Some references to ale being served as a beverage with food, not for the purpose of getting drunk.

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

Top Ten Tuesday: Thou Art a Villain

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

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl) is about amazing book villains. While there is no shortage of memorable villainish characters out there, I wanted to go a little bit of a different direction with my post and focus on stories that repaint a well-known villain or villain archetype as the story’s protagonist. So here we go.

Elphaba in Wicked: the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire

I feel like this list kind of had to include Elphaba, even though it’s not really a YA book (which is what I normally read and review). It’s a pretty dark book, but I was really fascinated with how Maguire incorporated the plot of the original Wizard of Oz story into this book and twisted things around to make a completely different story.

 

Raven Queen (daughter of the Evil Queen) in Ever After High books

This series was really fun and fast to read. My daughter and I read them together when she was in maybe third grade, and it was a blast.

 

Agnes in the School for Good and Evil series

School for Good and Evil is a little more serious (classical?) in its fairytale-ish-ness than Ever After High, which really just made me love it even more.

Kara in the In the Thickety books

I guess it’s not new for a witch to be the hero of the story, but I love the writing in this book and the creepy forest. Also, plot twists! I seriously need to finish reading this series.

Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos in The Descendants

Carlos DeVille pretty much stole the show for me in this book. I didn’t expect to be such a huge fan of a fairytale mash-up type cast, but now that I’m looking at my list, there are a bunch of those types of stories on here. And I really enjoyed them all. I could probably just do a top ten list of those.

Levana in Fairest by Marissa Meyer

Fairest was not my favorite book in the Lunar Chronicles, but it was cool to see a Levana origin story, and Marissa Meyer always does cool Easter egg type elements to her stories, so I enjoyed that aspect of it for sure.

Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Heartless is still on my to-be-read list. The Red Queen from Alice in Wonderland is one of those characters I can’t imagine being actually sympathetic, so I’m super interested to see what Meyer did with this one.

Xifeng in Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie Dao

Somehow I didn’t realize this was an evil queen origin story when I picked it up, so I was super confused by how dark it was. I kept wanting Xifeng to resist or thwart her dark destiny, and kept being disappointed when she didn’t. Then about halfway through the book I read somewhere that it was supposed to be a retelling of how Snow White’s stepmother came to be who she was, and I was like, ohhhhhhh. Suddenly it all made sense. After that, I got into the story a lot more.

Evie in Sea Witch by Sarah Henning

This one is still on my to-be-read list. I love the idea, though – an outcast witch girl who’s trying desperately to help someone only she ends up creating a big mess.

Vanessa in Rise of the Sea Witch by Stacey Rourke

Another from my to-be-read list. In this one, the Sea Witch and Triton are brother and sister, and it’s his treachery which provokes her to witch-y-ness. Yeah, I really have to read this.

Who are your favorite novel villains?

Leave me a comment with your top favorites or a link to your list!

Spotlight: Go Teen Writers: Edit Your Novel by Stephanie Morrill and Jill Williamson

News and Fun, , ,

A trusted resource has a brand new look. Stephanie Morrill and Jill Williamson released their reference book for writers back in 2013. The updated version features a brand new cover plus new content about historical fiction and self-publishing. I’m excited to see the new stuff and add this one to my writing shelf.

Here’s some more information about Go Teen Writers: Edit Your Novel:

Go Teen Writers: Edit Your Novel
By Stephanie Morrill and Jill Williamson
Available November 2, 2018

About Go Teen Writers: Edit Your Novel

You know your first draft has problems, but what’s the best way to fix them? How do you know where to start editing? Or for many writers the bigger question becomes, “How do I know when I’m done?”

Popular bloggers Stephanie Morrill and Jill Williamson have been where you are, and they want to help you understand, and even come to love—yes, love—the editing process.

In this revised and updated edition of Go Teen Writers: Edit Your Novel, you’ll learn:

·         Methods for efficiently editing your novel.

·         What problems to look for in your manuscript and how to solve them.

·         Where to start editing, and how to know when you’re done.

·         How to keep track of your story’s character, storyworld, and setting details.

·         How a critique group can help you.

·         The pros and cons of traditional and self-publishing.

·         An overview of pitching your novel and making writing your career.

·         And much more!

Teaching yourself how to edit a first draft can feel hard, discouraging, and isolating. But using this guide, you’ll feel as encouraged, empowered, and capable—as if you had a writing coach sitting alongside you.

Where to find Go Teen Writers: Edit Your Novel

Keep up to date with release information and get a sneak peek at the first three chapters by visiting Go Teen Writers.

Review: Chaos of Now by Erin Jade Lange

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

Chaos of Now
Erin Jade Lange
Bloomsbury
Published on October 2, 2018

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About Chaos of Now
Is it real if it happens online?

Life at Eli’s high school hasn’t been the same since his classmate Jordan died by suicide after being tirelessly bullied. Schools now have access to students’ online activities and students have less privacy than ever. Eli just wants to graduate—so he can get out of town, get away from his father’s embarrassingly young fiancée, and get himself a prestigious coding job. But Eli’s hacking skills get him roped into a vigilante website that—while subverting the school’s cybersnoops— seeks justice for Jordan and everyone else being bullied. Suddenly Eli finds himself in way over his head as his keystrokes start to have devastating consequences in the real world . . . This timely story from the author of Butter is a thrilling tale about the power of the internet, the young people who wield it, and the fine lines between bully and victim, justice and vengeance.

My Review
Chaos of Now took some directions I wasn’t expecting, and I really appreciated that about the story. I liked Isabel and Zack a lot, but Eli was a tougher sell for me. I didn’t like the kind of know-it-all attitude and his insensitivity to the people around him. That said, he grows a LOT as a character through the story, and by the end, I felt like I had a much stronger connection with him. I liked the way his relationship with Misty, his father’s girlfriend, changes over the course of the book.

I thought the topic of coding and of bullying online made for a really fascinating, intense read. At first I worried about the position the book would take. Eli had some really strong feelings about online freedom and the idea that people who don’t take precautions to seriously protect their data can’t be upset if someone accesses it. He learns that there are some definite flaws in his ideals when he faces unexpected consequences.

Sorry… I know that’s kind of vague. I don’t want to give away too much of the plot. But I definitely liked that he has this shifting view of life online because of what he experiences through his relationships with Mouse and Seth in particular.

While this probably wasn’t my favorite book this year—it’s a bit of an out-of-the-box pick for me—I did enjoy reading it. I think fans of Leopoldo Gout’s The Game series will enjoy this book.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
Major characters are white. Eli has a crush on a Latino girl named Isabel.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used fairly frequently. Some slurs used by kids bullying another kid.

Romance/Sexual Content
Eli overhears a conversation about a girl taking a pregnancy test. Eli watches a video of a classmate doing a striptease down to her underwear. Eli’s dad’s girlfriend is a former stripper. He makes some insulting comments about her previous life. Some kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
A boy hits Eli and slams him around in a bathroom. Eli describes witnessing a classmate light himself on fire and die by suicide.

Drug Content
Video footage shows a boy using steroids. In one scene teens drink alcohol from a flask and spoke pot.

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

Review: Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao

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

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns
Julie C. Dao
Philomel Books
Published on October 10, 2017

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About Forest of a Thousand Lanterns

Eighteen-year-old Xifeng is beautiful. The stars say she is destined for greatness, that she is meant to be Empress of Feng Lu. But only if she embraces the darkness within her. Growing up as a peasant in a forgotten village on the edge of the map, Xifeng longs to fulfill the destiny promised to her by her cruel aunt, the witch Guma, who has read the cards and seen glimmers of Xifeng’s majestic future. But is the price of the throne too high?

Because in order to achieve greatness, she must spurn the young man who loves her and exploit the callous magic that runs through her veins–sorcery fueled by eating the hearts of the recently killed. For the god who has sent her on this journey will not be satisfied until his power is absolute.

My Review

I picked up this book after hearing a ton of buzz about it on Twitter and review blogs. For some reason, though, I didn’t piece together what it was until I read something in an email when I was about halfway through reading the book. This is a re-imagined origin story about the Evil Queen (Snow White’s stepmother) in mythological Chinese setting. As soon as I realized that, I felt like a light went on for me.

Because wow, it’s so dark. The whole eating hearts thing is super creepy, and I kept thinking why is she doing this? She’s the protagonist! Why isn’t she resisting evil more completely? I kept waiting for her to break away from the dark magic, and was frustrated when she didn’t. Then I realized I didn’t understand the purpose of the story. Once I figured out where it was going, things made a lot more sense and I could enjoy watching the elements of the story unfold and appreciate the clever way certain things were re-invented (already there’s a dwarf character, an ambassador from another country, for instance).

The writing and the story world pretty much blew me away. It’s a much darker story than I realized before picking it up, though. I think fans of Fairest by Marissa Meyer will appreciate Forest of a Thousand Lanterns for its unapologetic, clever spin on one of the most iconic fairy tale villains.Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Cultural Elements
This is an origin story about the wicked queen from the Snow White fairy tale, but reimagined with Chinese characters/setting.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Xifeng has sex with Wei – few details. It says something about them fitting together like interlaced fingers. She definitely uses his love for her and the intimacy they share to try to control him and keep him from leaving her.

Spiritual Content
Guma uses rituals to access the magical ability carried down through her family. One such ritual involves eating a living heart. Xifeng eats the hearts of two rabbits in one scene. Horse-like creatures (also called demons) save Xifeng and her friends from assassins. The demon queen references a great destiny for Xifeng and talks about how there are two forces at war within her: one for evil and one for good. She warns Xifeng about the blood rituals and says there’s a price for them that she doesn’t know, as Xifeng’s aunt only taught her parts of the truth about them. She alludes to the idea that Xifeng’s aunt promised Xifeng to the serpent god in exchange for her power.

Xifeng wrestles with her connection to the serpent god, often finding herself at moments where she must decide to serve him or resist his influence. She recognizes as evil, but he offers her great power, which she craves more than anything.

Violent Content
Guma beats Xifeng when she’s displeased with her. She’s cruel and manipulative. See above regarding the blood rituals for magic.

Xifeng eats the hearts of her enemies to gain magical power. There are some pretty graphic descriptions of her removing a heart from a victim. (This happens several times.)

Drug Content
Xifeng learns someone poisoned an important character.

Review: Flow Like Water by Mark Burley

Book Review and Content, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

Flow Like Water
Mark Burley
Blue Moon Publishers
Published on September 18, 2018

Amazon | Goodreads

About Flow Like Water
Eric Bakker’s search isn’t over. The conspiracy revealed by his parents’ research goes deeper than he could have imagined, into a place and an organisation with as much history—and secrecy—as any in the world. Getting in won’t be easy, and he’ll need help from his friends more than ever. But when one of them commits a personal sacrifice so Eric can escape from the killers known as the Vidi, the fallout threatens to split the group apart.

Tess has been there from the beginning, but with the addition of Angel, the daughter of another researcher, she begins to doubt her role. Soon after, new information about her father’s death puts her at a crossroads that will force her to choose between Eric’s search for answers and her own.

For Eric, overcoming physical and mental obstacles is built into his parkour training philosophy, but the farther he goes in his search, the bigger the obstacles become. What he eventually discovers no one was ever supposed to find. Ultimately, his path leads to a violent encounter in Sicily, this time with no plan and no idea what he’s up against. Eric knows that whatever he encounters, he will have to adapt and react. As the saying goes, he will have to be like water. And like water, he will flow or he will crash.

My Review
After reading the first book in this series, Hit the Ground Running, I was really looking forward to reading Flow Like Water. I love the idea of a main character who is a parkour expert. Eric’s abilities didn’t figure into this book as much as they did in the first one, though. The big show-stopper in Flow Like Water is the large-scale operation that Eric and his friends seek to uncover. Along with his brother, Eric travels with snarky twins named Seth and Lakey who have some pretty useful hacking skills. Their one-liners definitely add some pizazz to what would otherwise be more serious moments. I think they were my favorites.

The story has a lot of minor characters which is something I always struggle with in a large cast. It’s hard for me to keep characters straight when there are a lot of peripheral named characters. So that made it a little tricky, but mostly I felt like I kept up with at least the main plot arc of the story.

I feel like there’s a reveal coming about Eric’s brother Michael. Or at least, I feel like something’s weird with him. A few times things would happen and Eric would notice something was off—like his brother could do something he shouldn’t be able to. So Eric would notice and then kind of shrug it off because, you know, bad guys were chasing them, no time for that now! So I wonder if the next book will explore-slash-reveal some new twist about something Michael went through. I’m intrigued by that idea.

On the whole, Flow Like Water was an entertaining read—much more plot driven than character driven, but a fun, suspenseful mystery. I enjoyed it. It would be great for readers who liked I Do Not Trust You by Laura J. Burns and Melinda Metz.

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Cultural Elements
Major characters are white or not physically described. One of the minor characters is in a wheelchair.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used very briefly.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to a kiss between a boy and girl. Some flirty or suggestive comments from other characters.

Spiritual Content
A group of people have unlocked the secret to immortality. Some scenes reference rituals which supposedly revive people from the dead. Eric and his team visit the Vatican and hear the Pope speak.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Several people are held against their will. References to people being murdered or tortured. A fire kills and severely burns some people. Descriptions are very brief.

Drug Content
None.

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