Wondrous Strange, Lesley Livingston, HarperTeen, 327 pages

It has been about 7 months since I read this book so it’s taking me a little bit to remember what all I loved about it. And I did love it.

I’ve read quite a few faerie books lately, enjoyed most of them, but this one stood out. It’s a unique twist on the faerie world. Even though, yes, there are a few theme’s that pop up in several other books, faerie royalty, changlings, character that had no clue they were faerie, you get the idea, it still stood out.

Lesley has created this world where within ours “theirs” exists. And it makes me want to believe.

The main characters were awesome, I really liked Kelley because she seemed to have real emotions. It wasn’t easy for her to except the strange like a lot of books today. She balked at the mention of faerie’s or at least laughed. And she has doubts and questions things. Yet, she’s strong, or tries to be.

Sonny, of course is, slightly irresistable as a love interest. I love that The Story Siren, asks her mom for one in her review, found here. That cracked me up when I read it. And stayed with me long enough, apparently, to remember it for my review.

I thought the secondary characters were amazing as well. Which is sometimes very rare. And it wasn’t just a third character, it was like 5 or 6. They stood out among the crowd. They had their own very distinct voices and that was wondrous.

The plot laid out twists and turns and although I saw some coming others stayed hidden quite well until they were revealed.

Great story, go buy it.

Oh, you know what’s coming...

Sonny turned to her, his gray eyes dark. He pointed very deliberately to the west. “The sun is going down.”

Kelley crossed her arms. “It does that, I’ve noticed.”

She was thrilled and simultaneously horrified. She hadn’t been expecting visitors and was wearing yoga pants and a gaded hoodie. She was also covered in reddish strands of horsehair and Lucky Charms sugar dust. Yelping, she jumped behind the door.

“Sonny! What are you doing here?”

“I came to see you.”

“You can’t.”

“You’ve learned the art of invisibility?”

“What? No!” She blinked, and stayed behind the door. “Wait. Can I do that?”

Wings, Aprilynne Pike, HarperTeen, 290 pages

So unexpectedly brilliant. Seriously!

I thought this book would be good.

I did not expect it to be so, clever. NO, not clever, I mean, yes, but, more. SO much more.

I’m having such a hard time finding the words to express how much I loved this book.

It was so believable in a fantasy sort of way.

AM I EVEN MAKING ANY SENSE?!

Buy this book. Don’t get it from your library. Don’t borrow it from a friend. Get the money together and purchase it.

It is outstanding.

I loved the biology behind Laurel, and the fae, and how they are and what they are.

I loved David and how awesomely geeky, yet not, he was. What an awesome friend who wants more.

I loved Tamani and how charming and confident he was. And how open.

Aprilynne did an amazing, BLOODY BRILLIANT, job on the love triangle because honestly, I am Team nobody, or Team everybody. I want Laurel with both of them.

I love rooting for the “underdog”, which is kind of what David is. I want her with him.

But how can you deny a love like Tamani’s?

And, just for the record, I thought it was so cool about the different seasonal fairies. And how they get their coloring, and the pollenation. You’ll understand once you read it.

It was all just so stinkin’ cool.

I mean, really, have you ever seen me “yell” in my posts?

Go Get It.

"It's your call," he said softly, "but whatever you decide, I'll help you." He placed a soft, warm hand at the back of her neck and Laurel's breath caught in her chest. "Whatever you need, I'll be. If you need the science geek to give you answers from a textbook, I'm your guy; if you just want a friend to sit by you in bio and help you feel better when you're sad, I'm still your guy." His thumb slowly stroked across her earlobe and down her cheek. "And if you need someone to hold you and protect you from anyone in the world who might want to hurt you, then I am definitely your guy." His pale-blue eyes bore into hers, and for a second she couldn't breath. "But it's all up to you," he whispered."

“Doesn’t sound very romantic.”

“There’s nothng romantic about it at all.” Tamani replied, a confident smile spreading across his face. “That’s what sex is for.”

“You still...” she let the question hang.

Ballad, Maggie Stiefvater, Flux, 352 pages

(Oct. 27)So it seems that Maggie Stiefvater is one of my favourite authors...ever...to date.

I’m amazed at how much of a 180 Maggie did for me in regards to these two characters. In Lament, I enjoyed Dee and really wanted her to somehow get with Luke (I’m a sap, I know) and I liked James just fine. In Ballad, Dee just annoyed the snot out of me, every time she turned up I just wanted her gone and she really irked me with how she interacted with James. Speaking of James, I fell in love with him even more.

He is such a sarcastic, witty character, smart, funny, doesn’t seem to take crap from anyone and it was fun seeing his interaction with his mom.

The story was intriguing and well written, just like her other two books. She seems to be getting better and better with each book and that just doesn’t sound right because each book has been amazing.

Stiefvater breaks your heart, (there was an actual moment of teary eyes) without getting histerical. It’s this deep ache, I remember it when I finished Lament, and it’s back in full force with Ballad. My heart hurt, literally, throughout the book. It hurt for Dee (despite what I said earlier) it hurt for Nuala at different times despite the fact that she probably would have punched me in the face for it, it hurt for James especially after the incident with Dee (you’ll know).

The secondary characters were awesome as well. A lot of times they just kind of fall by the wayside but James’ roommate Paul was pretty great, and Mr. Sullivan was the kind of teacher I wished I’d had more of (thanks Mrs. Cawvey).

Now for my favourite part...the thing is is that I can literally open the book to any page and find a passage I’d like to share with you. There were so many good moments throughout this book. I will try to keep it short...sigh...

“James?”

My face was nicely smashed into my pillow. Without moving, I pressed my phone against my ear. “Mmmm. Yeah. What”

“James, is that you?”

I rolled onto my back and stared at the pale morning light that striped across the ceiling. I readjusted the phone so that I didn’t accidentally hang up. “Mom, why is it that every time you call my cell phone, you ask if it’s really me? Are there hundreds of other misplaced calls that you’re not telling me about, where you almost dial my number but it’s not quite right and you get guys who are almost me but not quite right?”

“Your voice never sounds the same on the phone,” Mom said. “It souds mushy or something. Are you hungover?”

I felt like throwing up.

I was only spared from hurling by Paul, making his way toward us.

“Dude,” he said. “What the hell.”

I clapped my hand on his shoulder. “That phrase applies to so many things at the moment that I’m not sure which you’re referring to in particular.”

Lament, Maggie Stiefvater, Flux, 325 pages

(Oct. 18) Such a good book!

This is the book that introduced me to Maggie. And I was not disappointed. Maggie has a way with words. I think it might have something to do with her music background but she sucks you in and doesn’t let go.

I really enjoyed Maggie’s take on faery’s and cloverhands, and how everything between our worlds really is. The “land” that she created was believeable to me. Totally and utterly.

Of course I thought James was hilarious, actually he was more than hilarious, he was awesome. I liked Dee and Luke together. Really anytime there was conversation between the two of them I was riveted.

The storyline wasn’t confusing but I did find myself trying to figure things out, like the information I had wasn’t quite enough. Left me guessing. I believe that quite a lot of research and thinking went into every aspect of this story. It just flowed so beautifully and and it surprised me how intricate the stories wove together. Lovely.

I’m super excited about Ballad, because even though I was broken-hearted at the end of Lament for reasons I will not share here, I really want to get to know these characters better. And besides, Maggie is one of my favourite authors this year.

This was such a great book and if you haven’t read this or any other book by Stiefvater you should run, RUN to your local bookstore or library and pick up a copy. You will not be disappointed.

And now for some quotes I enjoyed...

Delia surveyed his kilt, his unkempt hair, and his hands scrawled with various messages to himself.

“You’re the piper, aren’t you?” she asked coldly.

James smiled firmly. He had already identified her as a piper-hater. “Yes, but I do it against my will. The aliens won’t let me stop.”

Delia’s smile was iron. Not amused.

I said, “This is James, Delia. He’s the number two piper in the state of Virginia this year.”

“Soon to be number one,” James said with a charming smile. “I hired a hit man.”

James’ attire was a bit strange-he had accessorized a T-shirt that read You: Off My Planet with an iron fireplace ash scoop, which he held over his shoulder like a rifle. The combination was oddly appropriate.