Review - Blue Noon

by Scott Westerfeld
Publisher: Eos
Date of Publication: February 2006
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 378
Source: local library

From Goodreads:

The darklings will hunt once again.

The secret hour when time freezes arrives every night at midnight in Bixby, Oklahoma. It's a dangerous time, when five teenagers are the only humans awake and dark creatures crawl out of the shadows, but at least the midnight hour is regular and predictable.

Until suddenly, the blue time comes . . . in the middle of the day.

The noise of school stops. Cheerleaders are frozen in midair, teachers brought to a standstill. Everything is the haunted blue color of the midnight hour.

The Midnighters can't understand what's happening, but as they scramble for answers, they discover that the walls between the secret hour and real time are crumbling. Soon the dark creatures will have a chance to feed after centuries of waiting, unless these five teenagers can find a way to stop them.

A desperate race against time, a mind-blowing mystery of paranormal logic, a tale of ancient evil and spine-chilling sacrifice: blue noon is the exhilarating third volume in the Midnighters series by acclaimed author Scott Westerfeld.

This is the third and final book in the Midnighters Trilogy by Scott Westerfeld. Out of the three, I'd say that this is my second favorite Midnighters book after Touching Darkness.

This book begins a couple of weeks after the big ordeal at the end of the last book. Though life is never normal for the Midnighters, things are going as normal as possible until the blue time of the secret hour happens during the day, and it's up to the Midnighters to fix things. This book was a fitting end to the trilogy, full of the usual action and twists.

I only had a couple of issues with this installment. First, the plot seemed to be stretched out when it didn't have to be, but then ending went rather fast, which was a little jarring. Second, the epilogue was unsatisfying.  It did give enough information to tie things off, but I don't think it gave the audience enough time to process what the recent events really meant for the characters. Plus, it just made me a bit sad, because not only is it the end of the series, but the end of the Midnighters as they were before.

The perks of this book were the major leaps and bounds some of the characters took. By the end I loved Rex and Melissa more than ever before. Unfortunately my favorite character, Des, had less plot time than ever, and I missed her being truly important to the story. Jessica and Jonathan were about the same, and Beth's appearances were great for the family tension but I think more could have been done with her spying on Jessica.

Just as with Touching Darkness, I enjoyed Blue Noon, and Westerfeld definitely ties up the loose ends with the darklings, the Midnighters, and the secret hour. However, the ending was open enough to allow another book or two in the Midnighter world, though they probably would not be anything like this series since the Midnighter world is so changed.

I'm glad I picked up this series. It was a step out of my reading comfort-zone, but Westerfeld proved to me that his reputation as a good author is well-deserved.

Where you can buy Blue Noon:

Amazon / IndieBound / The Book Depository

*Note: This review originally appeared in its unrevised format on Writer Quirk.

Forced Vacation for Marla

Hey, everyone!  I know: long time, no see.  As you can tell from the title of this post, I am here to announce a vacation that it is now evident I have to take.  Between holiday preparations, sick family members, and a perpetually crapped out internet connection, I have come to realize that I am going to have to take a break until the new year.  Thank you all for a great 2012 and I hope that 2013 can be even better.  I'll see you next year!  ;-)

Happy New Year!

Review - Touching Darkness

by Scott Westerfeld
Publisher: Eos
Date of Publication: March 2005
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 330
Source: local library

From Goodreads:

The Midnighters of Bixby, Oklahoma, know that their town is full of secrets. These five teenagers are the only ones who know about the mysterious hour at midnight when the world freezes, except for them and the creatures that inhabit the darkness.

But they do not know why earlier generations of Midnighters all disappeared, or why they are now the only Midnighters in town. As they learn more about the secret hour's twists and turns, they uncover terrifying mysteries woven into the very fabric of Bixby's history, and a conspiracy that touches both the midnight hour and the world of daylight.

At the same time, the Midnighters' own secrets start to emerge, including some that were never meant to come to light, changing the fragile dynamics among the five.

This time Jessica Day is not the only Midnighter in mortal danger, and if the group can't find a way to come together, they could lose one of their own — forever.

A story of courage, shadowy perils, and unexpected destiny, the secret hour is the first volume of the mesmerizing Midnighters trilogy by acclaimed author Scott Westerfeld.

Though I had to stop and start many times (work, sleep, life, etc) I read this book quickly.  The more I learn about the individual Midnighters, the more I'm interested in their fate.

Des is still my favorite character. There was a lot going on with her in through most of this book, so that was great. It became less from her perspective toward the end, but the action in the plot didn't really concern her, so while I missed her, I understood the necessity. Unlike the others, who are coupled up somewhat, Des is her own person, even before all the mess with Jessica. She continues to be herself, but I found it interesting how she reacted to Madeline and what Madeline's existence (or lack-there-of) in Bixby meant.

The dynamics between Melissa and Rex changed through this story and I found myself liking them more. Though I probably wouldn't want to be super-close with Melissa, she did grow as a character, which is always fun to watch. That didn't mean she stopped being Melissa, but I understood her better. And while Rex was still pretty neutral, what happens to him in this book makes me want to read more about him to see how he's dealing and what the changes in him mean for the group. More character growth expected.

Another character that grew was Jessica. I mentioned in the review for The Secret Hour that she seemed a tad out of character while with Jonathan. This quirk continued, but the way it played out in this book seemed more like growth and less like OOC-ness. While she was still fairly flat while near Des, Melissa, and Rex, possibly because they are each strong personalities, she was consistent in being bold around Jonathan.  Jessica's relationship with her sister, Beth, also played into this story, which was a great way to learn about both of them. I think Jessica may actually be less passive than I originally thought and is only really herself when comfortable, which seemed to be only when Beth or Jonathan were involved. I also liked seeing how her midnight power affected her, which was interesting considering my view of her.  There were very subtle hints about something being off with Jessica, something about her eyes, and these hints were in the first book also. I'm anticipating what that means, hoping I'm not reading too much into it.

Jonathan is steady through this book, not really changing any but having a couple hero moments. Beth was a great addition. Madeline was a completely new character and her story along with the new revelations about the darklings and the humans that work with them was both interesting and sad.

While I thoroughly enjoyed Touching Darkness, even more than The Secret Hour, it's not one of those series that just carries me away. Maybe I'm just picky. It might be that Westerfeld ties up all the loose ends at the end of one book and starts new ones at the beginning of the next, so the flow of the series doesn't compel you to find the next book. Or it might be that the world of these books is so similar to our own that I don't really find myself engrossed. Still, I am impressed with what Westerfeld is doing in this series and really loving the characters. I also have high hopes for the trilogy's conclusion, Blue Noon, and will be reading it as soon as I can.

Where you can buy Touching Darkness:

Amazon / IndieBound / The Book Depository

*Note: This review originally appeared in its unrevised format on Writer Quirk.

Review - The Secret Hour

by Scott Westerfeld
Publisher: Eos
Date of Publication: February 2004
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 297
Source: local library

From Goodreads:

Nobody is safe in the secret hour.

Strange things happen at midnight in the town of Bixby, Oklahoma.

Time freezes.

Nobody moves.

For one secret hour each night, the town belongs to the dark creatures that haunt the shadows. Only a small group of people know about the secret hour -- only they are free to move about the midnight time.

These people call themselves Midnighters. Each one has a different power that is strongest at midnight: Seer, Mindcaster, Acrobat, Polymath. For years the Midnighters and the dark creatures have shared the secret hour, uneasily avoiding one another. All that changes when the new girl with an unmistakable midnight aura appears at Bixby High School.

Jessica Day is not an outsider like the other Midnighters. She acts perfectly normal in every way. But it soon becomes clear that the dark creatures sense a hidden power in Jessica . . . and they're determined to stop her before she can use it.

A story of courage, shadowy perils, and unexpected destiny, the secret hour is the first volume of the mesmerizing Midnighters trilogy by acclaimed author Scott Westerfeld.

The Secret Hour is the first book in the Midnighters Trilogy, and also the first book I have read by Scott Westerfeld. I've heard he is a top world-builder, and though the world in this story is pretty contemporary, there are definite allusions to those skills in this book.

The story presentation was well done. I wasn't in the characters heads exactly, but I was with different ones at different times, able to get a glimpse of how they saw each other and the world around them. The change in point of view made the story more interesting and I did not find it distracting or hard to follow. I had expected the book to center on Jessica, but it doesn't. Not only is this a good thing, but it also made me understand that the story/series is really about all the Midnighters and that Jessica's arrival is the catalyst that turns the rather peaceful secret hour into a time of danger.

Despite liking the POV switching, the characters were definitely my favorite part of the book. While I liked Jessica, she was a little flat (super normal with a good heart and a streak of naivete), but she gets better as the book goes along. The only exception to this is in regards to her relationship with one of the other characters. I thought several times she was acting out of character by being very bold, something she did not seem to be any other time, so those bothered me a bit.

My favorite character by far was Des, who was witty, intelligent, quirky, and good at the core. She seemed to be very strange at the beginning, but by the end of the book I loved her and would want her as friend if she were real. Her Midnighter ability was pretty cool also, and it seems she hit on something big near the end of the book that will affect things later on.

The other character I liked was Jonathan, mainly because he was pretty swoon-worthy, but he also had a great ability that I would love to try out if it were possible. Rex and Melissa, the remaining two Midnighters, were less likable, but it worked well for the story, as it would have seemed a little odd, not to mention unrealistic, if all the characters were perfect people. Rex is a decent guy but has definite flaws, while Melissa....well, she has her agenda and doesn't want it messed up. She also is not very nice most of the time, but her Midnighter ability makes her life difficult 24 out of 25 hours in the day, so I could understand that at least.

Another aspect I liked about the book was the lore surrounding the secret hour, the dark creatures, and the Midnighters themselves. Westerfeld did a wonderful job on these elements, as it was all creative and described well.

My only real qualm with the book was that it took it a while to become a page-turner. It wasn't exactly slow at the beginning because plenty happened that was interesting, but I liked the pace once the characters started working together much better. This may have had a bit to do with Jessica, as it is mostly about her the first quarter of the book, and like I said, she was not the most intriguing character of the bunch.

Overall, The Secret Hour is a strong paranormal YA read that is unique and well-written. I cannot think of another novel like it, and with Westerfeld's skill at storytelling and characters that stand out, readers should definitely take note of this series.

Where you can buy The Secret Hour:

Amazon / IndieBound / The Book Depository

*Note: This review originally appeared in its unrevised format on Writer Quirk.

Review - Wings of Arian

by Devri Walls
publisher: Stonehouse Ink
date of publication: April 24, 2012
format: ebook
pages: 462
source: from the author for review

From Goodreads:

Kiora thought she had never heard a lie until she was sixteen. But she was wrong. Her entire existence was based on nothing but. She thought that evil did not exist. Lie. That magic was not real. Lie. And that the land of Meros was all there was. One more lie.

With Aleric telling her that evil is knocking on the door and that she is the only one who can stop them she has a choice to make. Refuse, or start the wildest most painful ride of her life.
She reluctantly dips her toe into her new existence of magic and threads, dragons and shapeshifters, and the person who wants to take control of it all: the evil Dralazar.

However, this journey was never meant to be hers alone. She will be accompanied by a Protector. To her disbelief, and utter irritation they name the hotheaded, stubborn, non -magical, (albeit gorgeous) Prince Emane. They will have to trust each other with their lives, but right now Kiora would settle for a non hostile conversation.

And now it comes down to this, If you had never heard a lie, would you know when you heard one? Is knowing good from evil innate? Kiora finds herself having to decide who lives and who dies on those very questions.

First off, I really need to thank Lindsay from The Violet Hour for pointing me toward this book.  Otherwise, I don't know when I would have heard about it and might not have had the chance to read it when I did.  Wings of Arian is just the sort of tale of fantasy and adventure that I like, plus there is such a nice amount of romance that becoming immersed in the story is simply a matter of sitting down and diving in.  Now that I know this series is out there, I'm sure to be well supplied with great fantasy stories.

Kiora and Emane give the impression of getting along as well as cats and dogs at first glance.  However, as they are thrown together in the dangers and adventure Kiora is to face as a budding magician and soon-to-be heroine, they begin to uncover qualities about each other that changes their dynamic from then on.  Their interactions are well done and engaging and I very much enjoyed reading of their journeys and the discoveries they made in the far reaches of their kingdom.

The world building in Wings of Arian was lovely.  From the verdant forests where Kiora undertakes the first part of her training to the deep caverns of the shape shifters' realm, there are so many wonderful places to experience right along with the characters.  Not only is the world building enchanting, but there is also a cast of characters of every fantastic variety imaginable: dragons, faeries, shape shifters, wizards, pegasus, and more.  All come together to form a great framework of magic and action that is sure to entertain fantasy lovers everywhere.

The only thing about Wings of Arian that gave me pause was the high number of typographical errors and punctuation mistakes.  However, the version I read was a review copy, so I do not know if those problems remain in the finished version or not.  For that reason, I can't fault the quality all that much, especially when the story, itself, is so wonderful.  I feel very glad to be able to look forward to reading the next installment in the series, Wings of Tavea, very soon.  I am eager to find out where Kiora will go and what she will experience next.  Devri Walls has laid the foundation for a fun, magical tale and I, for one, will be following along with enthusiasm.

Buy Wings of Arian at the Following Locations:

Amazon / B&N

Obligatory legal statement: This digital review copy was provided to me free of charge by the author. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

Review - Fathomless

by Jackson Pearce
publisher: Little, Brown & Co. BFYR
date of publication: September 4, 2012
format: hardcover
pages: 304
source: from the publisher for review

From Goodreads:

Celia Reynolds is the youngest in a set of triplets and the one with the least valuable power. Anne can see the future, and Jane can see the present, but all Celia can see is the past. And the past seems so insignificant -- until Celia meets Lo.

Lo doesn't know who she is. Or who she was. Once a human, she is now almost entirely a creature of the sea -- a nymph, an ocean girl, a mermaid -- all terms too pretty for the soulless monster she knows she's becoming. Lo clings to shreds of her former self, fighting to remember her past, even as she's tempted to embrace her dark immortality.

When a handsome boy named Jude falls off a pier and into the ocean, Celia and Lo work together to rescue him from the waves. The two form a friendship, but soon they find themselves competing for Jude's affection. Lo wants more than that, though. According to the ocean girls, there's only one way for Lo to earn back her humanity. She must persuade a mortal to love her . . . and steal his soul.

Ever since I read the very first of Jackson Pearce's fairy tale re-tellings, Sisters Red, I have been a big fan of her characters, settings, and her approach to the werewolf concept.  At the end of Sweetly, I was dying to find out what would happen next.  The ending of Sweetly hinted at so many great story elements that I was eager to continue on into the next part of the story.  When Fathomless arrived at my door, I was happy about the prospect of finally continuing that journey.  What I expected and what I found, however, did not exactly mesh this time around, and I found myself left with feelings equaling much less than enthusiasm.

At first the Reynolds twins prove to be an intriguing set of characters due to their abilities and their dynamic as triplets.  When the full extend of Celia's differences come to light, there is more interest and the potential for an engrossing narrative.  However, I found myself struggling to fully connect with Celia.  I wouldn't necessarily say that she strikes me as a push-over, but neither does she exhibit much by way of personal strengths.  Even her struggles with her untruths didn't provide as much development as I would have hoped.  I found Lo, the other MC, to be far more intriguing as she struggled to maintain her grasp on humanity and to uncover the truth behind her past.  With Lo, you know you are faced with a wonderfully dynamic character, thus leaving her chapters amongst my favorites throughout the entirety of the book.

As was hinted in Sweetly, the concept behind Fathomless was everything I hoped it would be.  The mermaids Lo lives amongst are such an alien group even given their human shape.  They may not have fish tails, but they are still very obviously not human.  Everything from their behavior to bluish skin hints at their lack of any shreds of humanity.  With the exception of Lo and a few others, none know who they once were, nor do they care.  It all made for an exceptional approach to the concept of mermaids and one I was very glad to see.

Though Fathomless didn't ring my bell as much as Sisters Red and Sweetly, there was still much to enjoy about the book.  When it comes to Lo and the nature of mermaids, there is so much to discover and ponder.  If you enjoy fairy tale adaptations and re-tellings, Fathomless is very much worth your time.  Even though I didn't enjoy this particular set of Reynolds siblings as much as those that appeared in the previous books, they did lend a continuity that made for a nice touch to the series overall.  If you are looking for a mermaid story with a darker slant, Fathomless just may be the book you are looking for.

Buy Fathomless at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

Obligatory legal statement: This digital review copy was provided to me free of charge by the publisher. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

Review - Forgive My Fins

by Tera Lynn Childs
Publisher: HarperCollins
Date of Publication: May 2010
Format: Hardcover
Pages:293
Source: blogger giveaway

From Goodreads:

Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life.

When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

I won this book in a giveaway hosted by Caitlin at Written Word Review. This was my first mermaid book as well as my first Tera Lynn Childs book, so I was excited to get it.

This novel was an easy read. I finished it quickly and enjoyed every minute of it. It was written well and simply. The fishy lingo was fun, though the usage was too heavy in the first half of the book, but eventually it tapered off to a decent level so as not to be overbearing and distracting. A lot of it was funny as well and I liked the creativity that went into crafting the phrases.

I did have a couple qualms, such as Lily, the MC, was very naive to be almost eighteen. It got annoying to see her fawning over Brody all the time while ignoring/hating Quince. Also, I feel there should have been more time spent showing Lily interacting with her best (human) friend Shannen, her best (mermaid) friend Peri, and Rachel, Lily's aunt, whom Lily lives with while on land. There just wasn't enough there to really get a feel for those relationships.

Going back to Quince (because he was definitely my favorite part of the book), I loved how he called Lily on her carp even though it hurt her to hear the truth. It made him more believable as a character because he didn't just do the love/serious/impress-the-parents thing or the jerk/not really/just-want-to-be-near-you/sexy-bad-boy thing, even though both of those things worked just fine for him.

See, he also did the I'm-in-love-with-you-but-you're-being-an-idiot thing, which I respect more than unrequited love because it shows just how much he was willing to do for Lily, even if it made her dislike him. Quince also had some great lines which let his personality shine and smolder. Definitely one of the more swoon-worthy love interests that I've read about in a while.

Overall, I had a lot of fun reading this novel. I was simultaneously sad/glad about the ending, but I'm curious as to what lies ahead for Lily and company. Some might say that the story was predictable, but that did not take away from my enjoyment of it. I recently finished the second installment, Fins are Forever, and look forward to reading the next book in the series, Just for Fins.

Where you can buy Forgive My Fins:

Amazon / IndieBound / The Book Depository

*Note: This review originally appeared in its unrevised format on Writer Quirk.