Graceling by Kristin Cashore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Goodreads Summary:
Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug. When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po’s friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.
With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.
My Review:
How in the world did it take me so long to read this one!!! I ordered all three books in the series just before BITTERBLUE was about to be released, in hopes of having something good once I finished INSURGENT. And let me tell you, I was NOT disappointed!
I flew through GRACELING and would've read it much faster, had there not been so many pages that I had to re-read, then read again, because I loved the interaction between Katsa and Po! It's been a loooooong time since I've done that.
The world building that Kristin Cashore invites us into, I thought was brilliant. Reminiscent of Narnia, everything about the seven kingdoms unfolds around you - begging you to smell the dirt and the trees, feel the cold and the snowflakes, or get sick on the high seas with Bitterblue.
And then there's Katsa.
Katsa is exactly the heroine I've been waiting for. Don't get me wrong, I love, love, love Katniss - and Tris is right up there for me, too...but there's something about how raw and explosive Katsa is, that I completely relate to. She's strong and determined, yet stubborn and short-fused. Everything about her made the perfect lead character, and her flaws made her that much stronger.
And Po. Oh, Po. I loved this character from the very first page he showed up - and I just knew he was going to turn Katsa's world upside down. Not only was he laid-back and observant, but he was also incredibly humble...something which helped to ground Katsa, whether she wanted it or not.
All of the other characters in the book were well-written, focused, and rounded out the story completely: Bitterblue who offered her youth with charm and charisma, Raffin, with his fierce loyalty, Randa - Katsa's last blood relative - who deserved more punishment than he got, for how he used her...and of course, King Leck. This character was written so well, I wanted to kill him myself - and his cruelty to animals and children alone, made him the ultimate villain.
If I had to come up with any criticism for GRACELING, I'd say maybe it was a little slow at the beginning, but that's stretching to come up with something. I really enjoyed this book and the journey it took me on - and I'm very much looking forward to what comes next, with FIRE and BITTERBLUE. Stay tuned for my reviews!
View all my reviews
Blog Me MAYbe: What Inspired You to be a Writer?
It's Wednesday - and for today's Blog Me MAYbe post, I get to learn something about all of you!
There are many reasons why we all write. Plenty of us have always wanted to be a writer, ever since we could hold a #2 pencil in our hands. For some, it's because of an amazing author or teacher, that sparked the creativity inside of
Oh, so true... us. For others, maybe it wasn't until more recently that we realized writing can be an amazing way to express our creativity.
Whatever it is that made you decide, I'd like to know:
What or who inspired you to become a writer?
BLOG ME MAYBE: LA / Disneyland Week in Review
It's Tuesday and today's Blog Me MAYbe topic is sharing something about myself.
So most of you know I spent all of last week, down in LA - and what a week it was!
First off, my husband and I went to Osteria Mozza last Monday night for dinner - and you'll never guess who sat down next to me...as in, not even two feet away...as in, I seriously could've leaned over and touched his beautiful arm.
Holy bejeezus it was none other than Lenny Kravitz, aka Cinna from THE HUNGER GAMES!!!
Now normally I think I do pretty well when faced with those of celebrity status - after all, they're only human, too, right?
But...I am a huge Lenny Kravitz fan - and well, we don't need to delve into how much I love THE HUNGER GAMES. So needless to say, I was a little, uh, star struck, when he sat down. And a little embarrassed to say, when he turned and smiled at me, I sheepishly giggled and looked at my toes, and I possibly may have even blushed.
And then awhile later, I sneezed - and he turned and said, "Bless you"...and I could barely muster a mumbled, "thank you" in response.
Um, what????
No idea what was wrong with me. But at least by the time we left, I managed to say something somewhat intelligent about hoping he enjoys his dinner. Even though I really wanted to gush all over him and tell him how much of a fan I am.
And while that may have been the highlight of my week, we still did a ton of other things - like Disneyland on my birthday.
I even got me a pair of Mickey ears, with my name and birthday embroidered on the back. Didn't even blink that for 2 pairs of ears (my husband wanted a pair, too), it ran me $60, cause it was all about the experience!
And dinner at Yamashiro's was amazing - no celebrity spottings there, but I did manage to drag my husband to the mall down the street afterwards, and buy my copy of INSURGENT!!! Which, holy bajolly, I loved and devoured in 3 days. I would've read it faster, had I been allowed to hole up in my hotel room and plow through it...but my husband had other plans, such as:
Six Flags Magic Mountain.
And let me tell you, all the anti-nausea meds in the world, didn't have a chance against the thrill rides of this park.
But mostly because, I've come to learn that my husband is crazy.
There wasn't a kid in that entire park, that had the energy my husband had. Seriously, he ran from getting off the ride, back around to getting back in line for it again. And
it wasn't like we just sat in any ole' seat.
Nope.
We always had to sit either in the front or the back.
And while I may have felt like crap, my husband was having the time of his life...and considering he let me oogle like a school girl over Cinna, I at least had to give him this. And I'll admit, I was having a great time, as well.
But while the weather was poop - cloudy, overcast, and mid-sixties the entire week - I will say that it was so much better than having to be in the office!!
And at least we finished off the week with one of my favorite all-time eateries:
In-n-Out Burgers
All I can say is, yum - and I wish we had one up in Seattle!
Net / net: LA was a blast. And I'm sad to have to trudge back to work. But I can't believe Lenny Kravitz spoke to me! Holy squeeeeeee!
Which leaves me to ask:
What famous celebrity have you met, and were you able to say anything intelligent?
Blog Me MAYbe: My Favorite Writing Resources
Since today is Monday - that means the topic in our lovely Blog Me MAYbe blogfest, is all about sharing something that has to do with writing!
And what better way to start off the week, than to share some of my most favorite writing resources, be them books or websites?
First up: Favorite craft books on writing:
1. I've already mentioned this one before, but I love Stephen King's
ON WRITING.
Goodreads Summary:
"Long live the King" hailed "Entertainment Weekly" upon the publication of Stephen King's "On Writing." Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer's craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King's advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported near-fatal accident in 1999 -- and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery. Brilliantly structured, friendly and inspiring, "On Writing" will empower and entertain everyone who reads it -- fans, writers, and anyone who loves a great story well told.
This is one of my absolute favorite books on the craft of writing for a number of reasons. Not only does Stephen King open the door on how his writing career began (or actually, almost didn't), but he also lays down the honest truth, if writing is what you really want to do.
2. WRITING GREAT BOOKS FOR YOUNG ADULTS by Regina Brooks
Goodreads Summary:
From a top young adult literary agent, the only guide on how to write for young adults
With an 87 percent increase in the number of titles published in the last two years, the young adult market is one of the healthiest segments in the industry. Despite this, little has been written to help authors hone their craft to truly connect with this audience. Writing Great Books for Young Adults gives writers the advice they need to tap this incredible market.
Topics covered include:
Listening to the voices of youth
Meeting your young protagonist
Developing a writing style
Constructing plots
Trying on points of view
Agent Regina Brooks has developed award-winning authors across the YA genre, including a Coretta Scott King winner. She attends more than 20 conferences each year, meeting with authors and teaching.
Another great resource for writers, specifically those interested in the Young Adult genre.
3. WRITING AND SELLING THE YA NOVEL by K. L. Going
Goodreads Summary:
Get schooled in the art of writing fiction for teens
"Writing & Selling the YA Novel" offers a complete lesson plan for writing and publishing fiction for teens. Structured like a day of high school, award-winning young adult novelist K.L. Going takes her students through every stage of YA writing.
Learn how the YA genre has developed in History class. Toss around ideas during Gym. Create authentic teen characters in "English class." Craft convincing plots during Lunch. Add it all up in Math as you learn about agents and contracts. Along the way you'll find plenty of "homework" exercises to help you hone your skills - as well as input from actual teen readers.
At the end of your school day, you'll have all the knowledge a young adult author needs to write a book that speaks to teen readers - and get it published.
I haven't read this one yet, but I've heard many great things - it's definitely on my TBR list.
And of course, my Favorite Websites:
1. Mary Kole and KidLit.com:
About Me and Kidlit.com
Kidlit.com is an ongoing project for the passionate community of people who read and write children’s literature. My name is Mary Kole. I live in Brooklyn, am an associate agent at the Andrea
Brown Literary Agency and write young adult and middle grade of my own. My favorite things about kidlit change almost every day.
Agency Bio
If you want to find out more about me as an agent, please check out my bio on the Andrea Brown Literary Agency website by clicking here.
Not only is this site a fabulous resource for all things Kid Lit - but Mary does an amazing job allowing followers to interact with one another. In fact, thanks to Mary, I met one of my uber critique partners - Heidi S. - through one of Mary's Critique Connection posts a few years ago!
Straight from QueryTracker:
QueryTracker is not just another list of agents. In fact, our agent list is secondary to the real purpose and power of QueryTracker.
QueryTracker.net is a model for what I like to call "Social Data Gathering." Which means each QT user contributes data about their query and agent experiences. Alone, this data does not reveal much, but when combined with the data from our ever-growing membership, we can see trends and identify important aspects of an individual agent's actions.
I've said it a few hundred times before, and I'll keep saying it a million times more...for those in the query letter stage, this site is an invaluable resource.
3. The Write-Brained Network
Welcome to the Write-Brained Network, a writing community dedicated to connecting writers of all genres, stages, and levels.
There are so many talented writers that are a part of this group - not to mention, I head up their YA subgroup - the YAwesome Writers!
Within this subgroup, we've managed to pull together some pretty amazing critique groups, based on sub-genres...so if you're at all interested in finding a great CP, head on over - the more the merrier!
And I know...it's been awhile since I've been active on this site - and I so need to get on back over there and get with it! If anyone is interested, I'm thinking about starting a query letter workshop of sorts...maybe get a few folks to post their query, for feedback? Help others get started in the process? If this sounds like something that people would be interested in, I'm more than happy to get the ball rolling.
So pop on over to the WB, sign up if you haven't already, join the YAwesome Writer's subgroup - and let me know!
There you have it - a few of my favorite writing resources! I'm sure I've missed many...so that of course leads me to ask:
What are your favorite writing resources?
Blog Me MAYbe: A Little Something About Me!
Today is the first day of the Blog me MAYbe blogfest, hosted by the fabulous Sara McClung - a little something she pulled together, to keep all of us participating, motivated to blog on a weekly schedule.
And since it's Tuesday, that means the topic is: May I tell you something about myself?
I snagged the cool alphabet survey Katy Upperman posted on her blog last week, as I thought this would be a great way to share a few things about me.
Day one in the Blog Me MAYbe blogfest - and here goes:
A is for age: Today is my birthday - I am now...36.
B is for breakfast today: Haven't had anything yet - but I'm hoping for some pancakes!
C is for currently craving: Not gonna lie, would love a ball park hot dog and garlic fries right now...we may catch an Angels game this week, so I might just get my wish!
D is for dinner tonight: Since my husband I are in LA right now, we're having dinner at one of my favorite sushi restaurants: Yamashiro's. Love, love, love, this place!
E is for favorite type of exercise: Running, for sure. It's been awhile, but I also love CrossFit. Skiing and golf are favorites, as well!
F is for an irrational fear: Needles. *shudder*
G is for gross food: Not a huge fan of liver or any other entrails.
H is for hometown: I was born and raised in Renton, Wa. (about 20 minutes SE from Seattle).
I is for something important: My family. And my writing.
J is for current favorite jam: Yikes, not a huge jam fan - but if I had to pick, it would be my Aunt's homemade Guava jam from Hawaii!
K is for kids: Sadly, we only have the 4-legged kind, but not for lack of wanting the human kind. Never thought it would be this hard...but hopefully someday!
L is for current location: LA, California, in my hotel room!
M is for the most recent way you spent money: We went to Disneyland yesterday - it's been 28 years since I've been, and it was absolutely one of the best days I've ever had!
N is for something you need: A way to bring money in without having to go back to my day job!
O is for occupation: Creative development manager in the marketing department at T-Mobile. Aspiring author.
P is for pet peeve: Angry drivers. People who cut in line. Unruly children.
Q is for a quote: “Do one thing everyday that scares you.” ― Eleanor Roosevelt
R is for random fact about you: I constantly leave various lights on around the house for no real apparent reason, which drives my husband batty - he's always following behind me, and turning them off.
S is for favorite healthy snack: My morning smoothies made of: Kale, mango, banana, almonds, protein powder, coconut oil, and coconut water = YUM!!
T is for favorite treat: Haagen Dazs Chocolate Chocolate-Chip ice cream, and Haribo gummi bears (but only the red and the green ones).
U is for something that makes you unique: I am a handful of scuba dives short of my Dive Masters certification. I played the violin for 12 years. And was a gymnast for 14.
V is for favorite vegetable: Squash, peppers, and broccoli.
W is for today’s workout: Walking the infinite expanse of Disneyland!
X is for X-rays you’ve had: My heel (nasty heel spur from running!) and my teeth.
Y is for yesterday’s highlight: Amazing dinner with my husband at Osteria Mozza, in LA!
Z is for your time zone: Pacific.
That's me in a nut shell - so tell me, what is one random fact about you?
Blogging from A to Z Challenge: Day 26 - Letter Z
Today's the final day! We're down to the letter Z in our Blogging from A to Z Challenge - and my topic:
Zombies - My Favorites from Books to Movies
I'm not gonna lie, I absolutely love me some good zombies. I have no idea why I enjoy having the bejeezus scared out of me, particulary by those that were alive, then died, then came back to life again. Whatever it is, zombies are definitely a guilty pleasure for me - and here are a few of my favorites:
Favorite Book(s):
THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH by Carrie Ryan
Goodreads Summary:
In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?
Just the idea of having to live life inside a fenced-in village, surrounded by the undead who are constantly trying to claw their way in, sends chills down my spine. Carrie Ryan's Unconsecrated are the epitomy of things that go bump in the night. For more details, my review of THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH can be found here.
THE DEAD-TOSSED WAVES by Carrie Ryan
Goodreads Summary:
Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living. She’s content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry’s mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry. And suddenly, everything is changing. One reckless moment, and half of Gabry’s generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother’s past in order to save herself and the one she loves.
The second installment of TFOHAT trilogy picks right up where the first one left off. Equally entertaining and full of the undead that haunted me in the first book, this one takes a closer look at how things got to be the way they did.
THE DARK AND HOLLOW PLACES by Carrier Ryan
Goodreads Summary:
There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face before Annah left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the Horde as they swarmed the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters.
Annah's world stopped that day, and she's been waiting for Elias to come home ever since. Somehow, without him, her life doesn't feel much different than the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Until she meets Catcher, and everything feels alive again.
But Catcher has his own secrets. Dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah has longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah: can she continue to live in a world covered in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction?
I enjoyed all three of these books - but the third and final installment, is definitely my favorite. Not only are the characters faced with the Unconsecrated, but they also have what's left of a desperate human race to contend with as well...leaving you question, if the world actually were to come down to this, who would be worse? My review can be found here.
Favorite TV Show:
THE WALKING DEAD
AMC Summary:
Based on one of the most successful and popular comic books of all time, written by Robert Kirkman, AMC’sThe Walking Dead captures the ongoing human drama following a zombie apocalypse. The series follows a group of survivors, led by police officer Rick Grimes, played by Andrew Lincoln (Love Actually, Teachers,Strike Back), who are traveling in search of a safe and secure home. However, instead of the zombies, it is the living who remain that truly become the walking dead.
This show is hands down, 100%, absolutely a-mazing - and one of my favorites on TV. Fabulous cast, entertaining, yet thrilling plot, and all with some of the most incredible make-up and visual effects I've seen on TV - trust me, you'll wanna leave the lights on when you watch this!
Favorite Movie:
ZOMBIELAND
IMDB Summary:
A shy student trying to reach his family in Ohio, a gun-toting tough guy trying to find the Last Twinkie, and a pair of sisters trying to get to an amusement park, join forces to travel across a zombie-filled America.