Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Title/Author: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Publication Date: September 27, 2012

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Source: Public library

Rating: 5 of 5 teeth



It has taken me so long to pick up this book and read it. I've checked it out of my library time and time again, never being in the right mood to read an indie novel, or not having the time, among other excuses. After finally sitting down with the determination to finish it, however, I find myself wondering why I wasted so much time ho-ing and humming about it. It was deliciously good!

From Goodreads: Around the world, black hand prints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

 Oh, so good! I love that the setting is in Prague! So many books for young adults are written in North America, but none that I've read have taken place in Europe, especially seeing as the book itself is written by an American. So much of Prague's culture, while not a major playing point in the book that I can see, is explored and explained.

And Karou. Oh, how I love her! She's such a normal girl, if you take away the fact that her "father" is a chimaera, or that her family is made up of half humans. Other than that, she's got an apartment, she's a talented art student, she has an ex-boyfriend and she has a best friend. She's so perfectly rounded and created. Her story could fit into three books, and yet Laini Taylor made do with just one for now, which speaks so much to her writing abilities.

Speaking of the writing... The story was told so poetically, but not it poem form. The wording, the language, the dialogue... It was fanciful and delightful! There hasn't been a book in a long time that has made me see such imagery as this one. There was so much focus on the details, it was like I was watching a movie instead of reading a book.

Overall, I loved this book! It took me a while to read, shamefully, due to all of my other running around and work I've been doing recently, but not for lack of trying. I picked up this book whenever I had the chance to read for ten minutes or so. The next book I read might just pale in comparison to the excellence of this novel by Laini Taylor, a woman with pink hair who wrote about a girl with blue hair.

Happy Reading!
Liz

Review: Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Title/author: Stargirl, Jerry Spinelli

Publication date: August 8 2000

Publisher: Knopf Books

Source: My library

Rating: 5/5 Enchanted places

Stargirl. From the day she arrives at quiet Mica High in a burst of color and sound, the hallways hum with the murmur of “Stargirl, Stargirl.” She captures Leo Borlock’s heart with just one smile. She sparks a school-spirit revolution with just one cheer. The students of Mica High are enchanted. At first.

Then they turn on her. Stargirl is suddenly shunned for everything that makes her different, and Leo, panicked and desperate with love, urges her to become the very thing that can destroy her: normal. 

What to say?

Ok got it.

This book is 186 pages of pure magicallyistisy (magic, just would not have sufficed). I'm having thoughts as bright as the sun, and thoughts that flow like water through fingers. I think what I'm trying to say is, its kind of hard to grasp everything in my mind right now. Honestly I still don't understand everything in this book, and I probably wont until I'm a little older. It would be like I'm walking down the street and BAM! I understand everything. Yeah.

Stargirl, is probably one of the most self-discovering books I have ever read. It's unique in it's own special way. It makes you think about how your living your life. Personally it made me think about the people I dislike (there's not many) and how I wouldn't go out of my way to help them (sad but true, not a lot of people would or maybe I have a poor opinion of the world...). It made me think about how tonight at dinner my mother started to bad mouth a girl who she doesn't even know. I stood up for the girl but it made me realize just how much people actually do that stuff. It's pretty awful. The main character of this book named Stargirl, is who I want to be like. She is caring, compassionate, loving, giving, sympathetic, innocent, unselfish, in touch with herself, and can see more clearly then a person with the best glasses ever could. Who wouldn't want to be like that?

From the school aspect of it, it was perfect. The two main characters, Stargirl and Leo, were complex and so real (even though I didn't like Leo much because of somethings he did and thought in the book. But I understand why he was like that. More people are like Leo then they are Stargirl). As well as all of the other characters were. It was like they were plucked right out of a real high school. The setting fit the book perfectly, like it went through everything the characters went through (you might understand that if you read it... or it might be my slightly crazy mind that makes little sense sometimes). Of course the conflict was deep. Also instead of just being there, there was a reason behind everyone going against Stargirl. And the plot. Swept me away, covered me in discovery, and then sat me on the porch to absorb. (wait what?)

I would recommend this book to everyone. It's one of those books where you can go back and read it again and get a whole deeper message then what you had before. It's also one of those books that could make you smile every chapter, and sometimes you need one of those.

Is this going to sound cliche? Probably. This book inspired me. I want to be a better person, for myself and other people. I want to be able to connect to the world and everyone around me. Enjoy and enjoy some more. Am I going to be nice to everyone every single day? No. I'm a girl, we are angry for no reasons at all sometimes. But I'm going to try and get there anyways. Am I setting myself up for failure? Maybe. But if you don't try how do you know if you can get there or not?

That got a little off topic. I apologize. I hope you enjoyed this review as much as I enjoyed writing it. Which was a lot aha. Don't be afraid to email me. I love talking and meeting new people.

P.S. Am I allowed to dedicate these things? Oh well, I am going to anyways.

This is dedicated to my old babysitter Amy who is so much like Stargirl. I love you forever.

- Meg

(Almost) Weekly Wednesday: We're Late and Sorry

Hello Friends!

First, I want to extend my most sincere apologies to you as Meg and I have barely posted a thing in the past month. I'll get to that in a minute. For now, Happy November! We hope you had a lovely Halloween and that you either gave or received lots of candy.

FUN FACT: One year for Halloween, I dressed up as a Kit-Kat bar. Two people took my picture.

Anyways, onto why Meg and I haven't posted a gosh darn thing in the past little bit.

I have forgotten how to read.

Okay, not LITERALLY. I suppose I should say that I've forgotten ABOUT reading. It isn't because I don't want to either, oh no! Here's the thing. I'm in the International Baccalaureate Programme (IB), or at least a part of it, anyways. In case you don't know what that is, let me provide for you a link: http://www.ibo.org/ 

If you read through all of that, you will see that I am insanely swamped and overwhelmed. At the moment, I'm feeling guilty about going on a trip this weekend because I have a lab report due on Monday. I have little to no time to read or write or think about anything besides numbers, chemisty and Macbeth (fabulous play, by the way).

But the sad thing is that I love it.

I don't exactly love all of the work, and sometimes I just want to scream. But when I get a paper back with a good mark, or I see that my teachers are impressed, I feel unbelievably proud. For nerds like myself, there is no better feeling than knowing that someone is pleased with your intellectual abilities. Heck, there's no better feeling than knowing that YOUR intellectual abilities are up to par. It's a real self-esteem booster, let me tell you that much.

Yes, I may be exhausted and have bags under my eyes. Yes, I might have been letting you guys down, and I'm insanely sorry for that. But I'm enjoying myself. I feel like I'm running on a moving sidewalk, and I'm going miles faster than I should be, but that's okay. With that feeling is also an exhilaration, and pretending I'm Superwoman. And sometimes, I scrounge for points so hard I feel like Mario attacking bricks and stomping on Goombas. And sometimes, I realize that I'm so delusional, I'm picturing myself as fictional characters.

Back to the main point. I love reading, and I love writing for you guys, but I just can't right now. I'm trying really hard to finish a book at the moment, and I'll  have a review up shortly. Until then, reread through some of our old ones, or go look for free samples of products. What those things have in common, I have no idea.

I'm an IB student, not a genius.

Your Superwoman,
Elizabeth

(Almost) Weekly Wednesday: I Have a Confession...

I... I wasn't ready to do this. Not yet. I kept thinking It's too soon. Hold on a little while, let them ease into your oddness. But I can't. I feel that we've bonded in these past two months, friends, and I can't keep such a secret from you. So, without further ado, I will make my confession.

*Ahem*

I coupon.

I know, I know! It's a little lame. Actually, no. You know what? What's wrong with couponing? I mean, if lame is saving heaps of money and feeling a thrill like none other when you hand over your coupons, so be it. It's really an adrenaline rush, or a runner's high, except without the physical activity.

Oh gosh. It took over again. It's an addiction, something I can't shake. At least it's better than gambling.

But the things that get me the most are the freebies. Oh Lordy, the freebies! At the moment, I have over a dozen freebies coming in the mail for me. That basically means that over a dozen companies are sending me free versions of their product because I just wrote my name and said I wanted it! That's it! And it is one hundred percent free! If you're lucky, they'll send coupons with the freebie too.

When I went to the movies the other day, I printed coupons for a sub shop that my pals and I could use to get 50% off. Do you know how happy I was to give the gift of free money to my friends? Insanely happy because a) their faces just lit up, b) I gave them their present and c) I'm really cheap, so it was a great, free gift!

There. It's off my chest now. I no longer have to worry about hiding the other, manic, dark side of me from you. There are worse afflictions to have, I suppose.

On a completely unrelated note... Does anybody want some adult diapers?

-Liz