Review - Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead

Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead

Series: Bloodlines #5

Published by Razorbill on July 29 2014

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Vampires

Pages: 380

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives. 

In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists. 

Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive.  

For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . . 

Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off

I’ve never written a review of a Vampire Academy or Bloodlines book, and I’m not sure how to go about it because I’m so infatuated with this series and, moreover, this world in general. I suppose a good place to start is to confess that I walked around town for an hour and a half on a hot, sunny Wednesday afternoon (the day after the book was released!) searching for a copy of this book. I had to have in my hands. Immediately. I also paid far more than I should have for it ($21 plus tax! Ouch!), but it was totally worth it.

This is the only series that I drop everything for. I have to read the newest books the moment they are released and no later. I’m lucky that Mead produces books so quickly, otherwise I’m not sure my sanity could handle it.

Unlike most people I know, I actually prefer the Bloodlines series to its predecessor, the Vampire Academy series. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the Vampire Academy books. But there’s just something about Bloodlines that makes me absolutely elated. Richelle Mead’s books give me a high like no one else’s. Maybe it’s all of the Adrian. Maybe it’s how much I love Sydney. I’m a die-hard Sydrian fan in a way that I just never quite got behind Rose and Dimitri as a couple. I liked Rose and Dimitri, but I love Sydney and Adrian.

That said, I found this book a bit difficult to read at times. I spent most of the first half (or so) of the book wanting to smack Adrian upside the head and tell him to stop feeling sorry for himself. Sydney needed him and he wasn’t there for her because he was too busy drinking and partying all night long. He’d shown so much growth, and to see him regress to his old ways was painful. But not as painful as what Sydney was going through in re-education. I swear, that girl is the most strong, resilient young woman. It’s frightening how well she keeps it together. I’d have been utterly and completely broken by what she endures, but Sydney is far stronger than I could ever hope to be.

I think what I love most about Sydney Sage is just that: she is incredibly strong, but not in a psychical sense like Rose was. She possesses a mental fortitude beyond my wildest imaginings, and I truly respect her for that. She has so many things stacked up against her, but she never lets them break her. Yes, she has the odd moment of weakness, but she believes in her convictions with every fiber of her being and I think that’s amazing. I aspire to be more like Sydney Sage. It’s clear towards the end of the book that Sydney has been emotionally scarred by her experiences in re-education and possible PTSD is hinted at, and I think that Mead made an excellent choice by including that. Even someone like Sydney can’t escape that kind of torture without serious emotional baggage.

Depiction of mental illness in a paranormal series is something that I commend Mead for. It’s quite clear for anybody who has experience with it that Adrian suffers from bipolar disorder, not to mention Lissa’s depression throughout the Vampire Academy books. With the addition of Sydney’s potential PTSD, I’m really impressed. It’s all been handled so beautifully, and more importantly respectfully. I don’t think I’ve read any other books that have achieved such a complex look at the entanglement between psychic ability and mental illness in paranormal stories (I honestly can’t think of any paranormal books that even include mental illness in any capacity). I think that what Mead has done with these books and characters is brilliant.

There were a few things that I wasn’t incredibly fond of throughout the book, but on the whole it was a solid 4.5 stars. If you haven’t read the Bloodlines series, you’re missing out. Trust me. I’m not someone who enjoys books about vampires – I don’t even really like the paranormal genre in general nowadays, but I keep coming back to these books because they’re consistently well written, well-paced, and have excellent plots and characters. I really don’t want this series to end, and there’s only one book left! Maybe we’ll get a spin-off of the spin-off?? About Trey or Angeline or someone else? There are so many parts of the Vampire Academy world that have only been glimpsed so far. I’m not ready to leave.

Review - The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Series: Standalone

Published by Scholastic Press on October 18 2011

Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Pages: 404

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die. 

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them. 

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

I’m hovering back and forth between 4 and 4.5 stars for this one, but I'm leaning toward 4.5 because I can't think of any reason why it doesn't deserve it. There are a lot of things that Maggie Stiefvater does right with The Scorpio Races. I try not to compare titles by the same author, but who am I kidding, I totally do anyways, and I must say that I’m much more impressed with this book than I was with The Raven Boys, which I read a few weeks ago.

I really love the setting of this book. The island of Thisby really comes alive on the page and I feel like it’s a place that truly exists, a dreamlike, sometimes nightmarish place that I could visit if I so chose. I think Thisby is supposed to be an island somewhere in the UK, but it is up to interpretation as to which country it is in. I was a bit thrown at first by the talk of American tourists as well as tourists from “the mainland,” which is never given a proper name, but it all came together quite nicely for me.

I think the writing had a lot to do with my ability to become well situated in Puck and Sean’s world. There is a timelessness in Stiefvater’s prose that really works for me. She paints pictures with her words and there is a complexity to her language. I also appreciated how she handled the dual point-of-view, which is something that I am generally not a big fan of. I thought it really worked in this case. The Scorpio Races wouldn’t be as impressive as it is if it was experienced through the eyes of Puck or Sean, rather than both of them.

All of the characters really impressed me, particularly the two main characters. I honestly cannot claim to like one more than the other.  I will admit that I struggle to call Puck and Sean's relationship a romance – I regard it more as a deep mutual affection. And that is something that I really loved about this book. There is an understanding between Puck and Sean that is so much older than their years. They don’t rush into things, neither of them looking for more than the other is offering. There is a respect between them that I wish I saw more in YA. Their relationship was one of my favourite things about The Scorpio Races, which is saying a lot because romance is usually one of my least favourite things in the books I read.

I did have a few qualms with The Scorpio Races, which is why I just can’t give it 5 stars. The first is that it was so slow. The first hundred (or more) pages were really quite difficult to get through. It felt like nothing was really happening, and from what I can tell this seems to be a recurring theme in Stiefvater’s repertoire.  The first time I tried to read this book, a few years ago, I barely made it through the first two chapters before getting bored and moving on. While I’m glad I finished it this time, I do wish the beginning was more captivating. My other complaint is that the ratio of men to women in this book is frighteningly high. Where are all of the ladies?? I can literally count on one hand the women in The Scorpio Races – Puck, Dory Maud, Elizabeth, and Peg Gratton. There are a few others who are mentioned, but they’re still extremely outnumbered by the men. Are there no girls anywhere near Puck’s age on Thisby? Not a huge deal, but it was something that I found bothersome as I was reading.

On the whole though, I'd highly recommend this book, and not just to horse lovers. I'm not a huge horse person myself, though I'll admit I wanted to be when I was younger. If you're looking for in-depth characterization and slow and steady pacing, this is a great book for you.

Review - Death, Dickinson, and the Demented Life of Frenchie Garcia by Jenny Torres Sanchez

Death, Dickinson, and the Demented Life of Frenchie Garcia by Jenny Torres Sanchez

Series: Standalone

Published by Running Press Kids on May 28 2013

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary

Pages: 272

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Frenchie Garcia can’t come to grips with the death of Andy Cooper. Her friends didn’t know she had a crush him. And they don’t know she was the last person with him before he committed suicide. But Frenchie’s biggest concern is how she blindly helped him die that night. 

Frenchie’s already insane obsession with death and Emily Dickinson won’t help her understand the role she played during Andy’s “one night of adventure.” But when she meets Colin, she may have found the perfect opportunity to recreate that night. While exploring the emotional depth of loss and transition to adulthood, Sanchez’s sharp humor and clever observations bring forth a richly developed voice.

My decision to read this book was pretty shallow, I’ll admit: I was drawn to the simple, gorgeous cover and couldn’t look away. It was just SO BEAUTIFUL. It totally captivated me.

The thing about books with lovely covers is that sometimes the inside of the book is so very disappointing. DEATH, DICKINSON, AND THE DEMENTED LIFE OF FRENCHIE GARCIA was anything but disappointing. It was exactly what I needed when I needed it, and I am so happy to have read this book.

I actually read the book aloud for the first four chapters (it helps when I’m having trouble concentrating, okay) and couldn’t stop. I think I read the first five or six chapters late into the night, and then proceeded to finish the rest of the book promptly the next morning. It’s not a particularly long book, at just under 300 pages, and it flies by. I almost wanted it to be longer, just so that I could spend more time in Frenchie’s head.

On that note, can we just talk about Frenchie Garcia for a second? What a protagonist. She’s a truly complicated girl, and I was along for the ride from page one. She’s unlike any other protagonist I’ve encountered in my broad literary past. Frenchie shows signs of depression – pushing her friends away, lack of interest in any of her favourite hobbies or pastimes, the desire to spend all day in bed – but she is so much more than that. As her “unofficial third best friend” Robyn says, Frenchie can be a bit harsh. A bit “cold … prudish … uninviting … bitchy … snarky … evil ….” She doesn’t have many friends because, as Robyn attests, people are scared of her. And that doesn’t really bother Frenchie. She knows how people see her, and she’s okay with it for the most part. Frenchie is harbouring a secret that is eating away at her life: she was the last person to spend time with Andy Cooper before he committed suicide four months ago. But the most important thing about Frenchie is that she is so dynamic. She is moody and snarky and independent, but she is also needy and sad and so freaking lonely that it hurts even to think about. I get Frankie.

As Frenchie attempts to relive that fateful night with Andy (alongside new friend Colin), she learns a lot about both Andy and herself. It’s Frenchie’s self-discovery that really makes this book. It’s executed to perfection and I really felt for Frenchie every step of the way. She was a real person, which is pretty much the highest praise I can give a character. Another thing I really loved was her relationship with her best friend, Joel. Frenchie spends the book angry with Joel for his tendency to abandon her for whomever he happens to be dating at any given time. What I love about this is that Frenchie isn’t jealous because she has a thing for Joel – she’s jealous because he’s her best friend and he isn’t there for her when she needs him. She feels like his girlfriend is threatening their friendship. No one in this book is completely in the wrong, and Frenchie isn’t such a martyr herself. These are selfish teenagers who get so wrapped up in their personal dramas that they forget to check in on each other and make sure everyone else is doing okay. It sucks, but it’s normal. It’s natural for Joel to want to be happy with Lily, for his plans to change. It’s natural for Frenchie to long for stability in the upheaval she is experiencing. Everything makes total sense.

Another fabulous thing about DEATH, DICKINSON… is that there is minimal romance. I know what you’re thinking – almost all of the YA bloggers I know love themselves some romance. I’m not one of those people. I find it can be too contrived, and sometimes it just doesn’t seem necessary or important compared to everything else going on in the characters’ lives. In this case, there is a budding flirtation between Frenchie and Colin, but it really isn’t a priority. When Colin holds Frenchie’s hand it could be taken as romantic, but it could also be that he’s trying to show her that he’s there for her; he has her back. He respects that she may not be ready for or even thinking about getting into a relationship. She has bigger things going on in her life. Honestly, I didn’t really like Colin when he was first introduced, but goddamn did he grow on me. If I were to have a book crush, it would probably be on Colin. Just sayin’.

Last point: Diversity! Frenchie is (assumedly) Latina, though the only description I recall of her is that she has long black hair, and best friend Joel is described as half-black (and he has dreads! Swoon!). I loved that these characters were non-white, but that they were neither stereotypical nor was their existence wrapped up in their race or ethnicity. They were just people who happened not to be Caucasian. Yay!