Top 10 Tuesday (3): Settings I Want to See More of

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme from the Broke and the Bookish

So here are the top ten settings I want to see more of...

1. Deseret fantasy worlds or more like The Assassin’s Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke. I have gotten really tired of all the medievalish fantasy worlds out there. It gets boring after a while, but making a fantasy world that has deserts and is basically a fantasy version of Ancient Persia is awesome.

2. Farms. There is a lot of potential for great character development by sticking people in such close quarters for unlimited amounts of time.

3. Asia. Specifically Japan, South Korea, or India. I couldn't pick just one so I combined them by going with the continent. These countries have rich histories, mythologies, and current cultures that would help make some amazing stories. Besides doesn't Europe need a break from being the center of attention?

4. Other Planets. Sci-fi stories would be a great pace for this. The world building would need to be tight because of all of the thought that must go behind the technology they would have to use to survive on the planet. Also this would make for wonderful political intrigue stories.

5. The After-Life. Everyone’s interpretation is different and it can be mind-blowing when a really creative person sets their story in their version of the after life. There are so many different possibilities and everyone’s depiction is sure to be different.

6.  Circuses. They are a bunch of fun. Also who didn't want to go to the circus when they were a kid? There are also so many interesting characters already there just by virtue of their job. Not to mention the descriptions of the circus acts themselves would be pretty cool. Also like I said with the farm great character development opportunities.

7. Pirate Ships. Must any more be said? Pirates are pure wit and badassery, also you can imagine that the main guy looks like Johnny Depp. Also pirates make some of the most interesting characters in history.

8. Ireland. I admit this one is mostly because I want to have more Fearie stories. I don’t mean the little cute ones with tiny wings; no I mean the human sized manipulative ones they are so much fun to watch. Not to mention the fact that their wit is terrifying,

9. Russia. Especially in winter in Moscow. That has to be so beautiful. I can definitely picture that being so romantic. It also has one of the more definite cultures of Europe. Exploring that would be fun to see.

10. Retellings. I know retellings aren't technically settings but I am counting them. It is a true art to create a new place and story while still staying true to the essence of the old one.

I do realize that a lot of these sort of sound like pitches, but I really want to see these places more. So authors get to writing, please. 

Manga Monday (3): Arisa Vol. 1

Tsubasa thinks that her pretty and popular twin sister, Arisa, has the perfect life. Everyone at school loves Arisa—unlike the hot-tempered Tsubasa, whose nickname is “the Demon Princess.” But when Arisa attempts suicide, Tsubasa learns that her seemingly perfect sister has been keeping some dark secrets. Now Tsubasa is going undercover at school—disguised as Arisa—in search of the truth. But will Arisa’s secrets shatter Tsubasa’s life, too?

Arisa starts off light. Tsubasa has anger control issues so no girl wants to be her friend. In the opening chapter she is going to see her twin Arisa who is her complete opposite for the first time in three years. While they are hanging out Arisa throws herself out of a window. This catapults the story into a suspense filled mystery that does not let up. Something strange, mysterious, or scary happens every chapter. All orchestrated by a mysterious King. The King person is scary. You have no idea who he* is just that he has complete control over this entire class. They are his willing slaves. People even try to commit suicide when they have displeased him. That is terrifying. Natsumi Ando perfectly captures the eerie feel this manga has in all of her drawings. They are all very clear and beautiful. This is a great mystery manga with a creepy villain and wonderful drawings.

*Because we do not know who the King is we also do not know his gender but because in English King is masculine I will refer to the King as he.

I give this manga an A

Review: The Other Countess by Eve Edwards

England, 1582

Ellie—Lady Eleanor Rodriguez, Countess of San Jaime—possesses a worthless title, but her feisty spirit captivates the elite of the Queen's court—especially the dashing new Earl of Dorset.

William Lacey, Earl of Dorset, has inherited his father's title—and his financial ruin. Now Will must seek a wealthy bride and restore his family's fortune. If only he hadn't fallen for the beautiful but penniless Ellie . . .

Sparks fly whenever Ellie and Will are together, but circumstances—and the conniving interference of others—threaten to keep them apart.

There are two key components to making a good historical romance. They are capturing the time period effectively and of course the romance. Eve Edwards has done a good job on both of these fronts. You can tell she has done her research. There were plenty of historical details to give me a good sense of life back then. And the clothes were impeccably described. The other front was just as well done because the romance is perfect. It is slow and filled with witty banter and mutual respect.

Ellie and Will are a very good match. They are well suited for each other. This is not a case of opposites attract but rather like calling to like. They also stand on their own very well. They are each complete characters. As are all of the characters through whose eyes we see the story. There are many POVs here and it works because they are all distinct and most of them are able to add something to the larger story. The only one that did not is Nell’s. She is Lady Jane’s maid. Her side story did not seem to have a point, maybe she has something larger to do in the later books but right now her story feels superfluous.

I like the plot. It is interesting and it extends the romance over a few months. There is also a lot of intrigue but not one having to do with the Queen or country, just with the character’s lives. Also it did not stay in one place the characters traveled all over. My only problem with the plot is that some of the elements do not gel very well.

I give this book a B

Review: Circles in the Stream by Rachel Roberts

Three very different young teens, Emily, the shy one, Adriane, the outsider, and Kara, the power shopper, are all drawn to a secret place deep in the woods where they discover a portal to another world. Wondrous animals have emerged from the portal, desperately seeking the magic that will keep them alive. Though the animals are peaceful and good, what follows them through the portal is twisted and evil and bent on destroying them all.

The Fairimentals have chosen these three fourteen-year-olds to protect the magical animals. To save them and their world, the girls must overcome their differences and band together. They begin a perilous quest to discover Avalon, the lost, legendary home of magic, little knowing the terrible dangers they will face along the way.

First off I’d like to say how much I adore the covers for this series they are some of my favorites. The illustrations on all of them are magnificent. Also they are all unique while definitely being a part of a series. Now that that’s out of the way on to the review. This is a good, light mg book. It’s got a sweet message, lots of magic, and cute fuzzy animals. Roberts reworks the idea of familiars in an interesting way. People are bonded to animals and the relationships they have with their animals echo what has happened before with familiars in other stories, but in a new and slightly different way. The Ravenswood Preserve is a nice back drop. Also Ravenswood is a medium sized town which is nice to see after all of the big cities and small back water towns so common in mg and ya. The animals are all awesome, even the non-magical ones.

What push this book down are the length and writing. The small size doesn't allow for a lot of character growth which is disappointing. The only consolation for this is that there are 11 more books, but that also means 11 more books to get a hold of. The wording is strange in some places which brings down the writing. Also I’m not sure I would classify this as an mg. This is more a step in between children and mg fiction. It doesn't quite belong in either.

This is still a fun book with great a great world and message. Just if you are going to read this be forewarned that the reading level is that of a third to fourth grader and the character growth will not be great because it is being stretched out over 12 books.

I give this book a C

Review: The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

New York Times bestseller Maureen Johnson takes on Jack the Ripper in this captivating paranormal thriller!

The day that Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London to start a new life at boarding school is also the day a series of brutal murders breaks out over the city, killings mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper spree of more than a century ago. Soon "Rippermania" takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him--the only one who can see him. And now Rory has become his next target. In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

The Name of the Star is an intriguing mystery. It is very exciting and has great edge of your seat moments. I love how little things in the book came together. I also love that we get little tid-bits of the history, and myth surrounding Jack the Ripper. The setting is cool, it’s London how can it not be? I love that Rory was actually excited to go there. All too often in YA books the mc whines and complains, “oh poor me I have to go to some cool place overseas whaaa.” We get none of that with Rory. I also liked the little aspects of her personality, how she is studious without being obsessive, and her southern ability to talk people to death. The friends she makes in London are all people I would gladly hang out with. They are all unique and pretty well rounded.

My only complaints are that her normal friends Jazza, and Jerome seemed to drop off the face of the earth after she meets other people with supernatural abilities. Also I did not like Jerome as her love interest. He felt more like a puppy dog than a crush/swoon worthy guy. I feel the book would have been better if that sub-plot was taken out entirely. Even with those complaints this book is still a great spooky read.

I give this book an A.

Top 10 Tuesday (2): Top Ten Debuts

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme from The Broke and the Bookish 

                  This plays nicely with one of my reading goals this year, hopefully I can get to them all.


1. Ink by Amanda Sun










2. Reboot by Amy Tintera













3. Splintered by A. G. Howard











4. The Summer I Became a Nerd by Leah Rae Miller

5. Maid of Secrets by Jennifer McGowen









6. The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett

                                   7. Pantomime by Laura Lom










8. Since You Asked by Maurene Goo

                                    9. Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza

                                   10. Pivot Point by Kasie West

Manga Monday (2) Sailor V Vol. 1

Like Sailor Moon, Minako Aino is a normal 13-year-old schoolgirl until a fateful day when a white cat introduces himself to her and tells her she has the power to transform into the hero, Sailor V. Using a magic pen to transform, Sailor V fights the evil agents of the Dark Agency as she strives to protect the earth.

Codename: Sailor V, created by the author before she created the mega-popular Sailor Moon, has never before been available in the U.S. This books features:

- An incredibly accurate translation!
- Japanese-style, right-to-left reading!
- New cover art never before seen in the U.S.!
- The original Japanese character names!
- Detailed translation notes!

Sailor V is super cute. It is a fun light read. It is like Saturday morning cartoons just a bunch of fun. The chapters are very episodic and sometimes it can get a little ridiculous but that brings laughter instead of exasperation. Due to it's episodic nature there is not a lot of character of plot development in this volume. The drawings are very well done. There were only a few times when I became confused because of to many lines being on the page. This is fun and lighthearted where what you see is what you get.

I give this volume a B+