ARC Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. BYR

Publication Date: June 5th, 2012

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee. 

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. 

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

I almost don't even want to post a review of this book; I almost just want to say, "Go. Buy. It. NOW!", and leave it at that.  Shadow and Bone is THAT good, people!  I can honestly put this High Fantasy is the same class as the brilliantly beautiful Graceling by Kristin Cashore.  In fact, when someone asks me (or even when I'm not asked, because, yes, I loved this book enough to rant to strangers!), I say, "OMG!  No words!  It's the best High Fantasy since Graceling!".  Obviously, I've given this book 5+++ stars...  That should be enough of an endorsement, but in case it's not, read on...

Leigh Bardugo is a brilliant storyteller.  She manages to weave a multi-layered tale of magic, love, betrayal, desire, and darkness against a beautifully rendered backdrop of a land both gorgeous and twisted.  Her words flow like honey, allowing the reader to savor each and every one, while becoming completely absorbed into Alina's world, experiencing a full range of emotion that connects and bonds tightly.

And speaking of Alina...  Human to the very core, but a kick-ass female heroine, nonetheless.  Alina differs from some of my favorite heroines in that respect.  I love my strong female leads like Katsa (Graceling), Katniss (The Hunger Games), and Tris (Divergent); we all do, but they are often so very kick-ass that they sometimes lack vulnerability.  Alina is as insecure as any teenage girl, and it shows, but when she needs to be strong, they don't come any stronger.  There were times when I thought her humanity would get her killed, but in the end, it's what saves her, and I love her for that!  As far as the other characters are concerned, there are several really great ones.  They were well developed enough that you understand their importance, but they never take the focus off of the most important characters.  And of course, there is something of a love triangle...  I found Mal endearing and perfect for Alina, but damn, that Darkling is one sexy, if *ahem* dark, dude.

This story was so original, with such depth, I could not put it down.  With every word, I became more invested, and was frequently and pleasantly surprised when it would change direction so seamlessly that my reactions were delayed.  I loved how the betrayals almost didn't feel that way and I loved how perceived betrayals were anything but.  Nothing was easy in this story, but it still left me satisfied, and it doesn't get better than that!  I wish I could tell you more because I SO want to discuss, but I really need each and every one of you to go buy this book.  NOW!  You won't be disappointed!  I can't wait for next year's release of of book number two, Siege and Storm.  Here's to hoping I can say it is the best HF sequel since Fire!

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ++++ 

Grade Level Recommendation:  There are a few hot and heavy make-out scenes, but nothing graphic.  Otherwise, this book is clean.  I would say it is fine for 5th grade and up+ (ages 10+).

Review: Supergirl Mixtapes by Meagan Brothers

Publisher: Henry Holt & Company BYR

Publication Date: April 24th, 2012

After years of boredom in her rural South Carolina town, Maria is thrilled when her father finally allows her to visit her estranged artist mother in New York City. She’s ready for adventure, and she soon finds herself immersed in a world of rock music and busy streets, where new people and ideas lie around every concrete corner. This is the freedom she’s always longed for—and she pushes for as much as she can get, skipping school to roam the streets, visit fancy museums, and flirt with the cute clerk at a downtown record store.

But just like her beloved New York City, Maria’s life has a darker side. Behind her mother’s carefree existence are shadowy secrets, and Maria must decide just where—and with whom—her loyalty lies. 

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

I was drawn to this book because the cover and title made me think of my Jr. High days.  Like most girls, my middle school experience was full of ups and downs, and music (especially mixtapes) played a big part.  I didn't know what this book was about, but the fact that it triggered memories (good and bad) from so long ago made me want to read it.  It wasn't at all what I expected, and I had no idea I would connect to it the way I did.  This review is one that has been one of my most challenging to write, and I had to sit on it for over a month before I could properly form my thoughts...

This book takes place in the mid-1990s and I wholeheartedly related to so many of the pop-culture references.  I graduated high school in 1994 and I remember the tears my friends and I shared when Kurt Cobain took his life; I remember the Doc Martens, baggy jnco jeans, flannel shirts, the music, all of it... I grew up in Upstate NY and it was common for us to go down to The City for the weekend to hang out in the Village where all the coolest people hung out.  These are common experiences I shared with many teens my age, at that time.  For that reason, I think there are a lot of readers my age who would relate to, and enjoy this book.  I related to it on that level, but on a deeper level as well.  Maria's mom is a self-absorbed addict; a woman who wants to give a shit about her daughter, loves her daughter unconditionally, but doesn't want to be a PARENT to her because that would require putting another person's needs ahead of her own.  Instead she tries to be a "friend", which is the last thing Maria really wants or needs from her.  We could name Maria's mom "Michelle" and she would be my mom.  Like Maria, I thought I would be happier if I lived with my "cool" mom.  I wanted to know her better, she had fewer rules (actually, she had no rules) than my dad, she had great taste in music and clothes, liked to party, and had a cool, younger musician boyfriend.  She was an artist, she wrote poetry, she was the picture of freedom.  I kid you not, I could have written parts of this book from my own life experiences, so reading it kind of gutted me in a way.  This book made me realize that there are people everywhere who have mothers who should probably never have been mothers.  Those people will get a lot from this book.  Maria is a wonderful, misguided girl; she learns a lot of valuable lessons over the course of this story, and I hope that they carry her on to a happy well-adjusted adulthood despite what she went through.  She is so real- imperfect, impressionable, naive, and eager to please- my heart ached for her as I saw her making many of the same mistakes I made at her age, often blaming herself for her mother's mistakes, always trying to be the responsible adult because her mother wasn't going to be.  It was nice to find a kindred spirit, even all these years later, and even if she is fictional.  This is a touching story that I won't soon forget.

So I gave it five stars, right?  Unfortunately, I couldn't, and here's why... I did love this story, but it was because of my own deeply personal feelings toward it.  When I review books, I try to think of the "typical" YA reader, and this isn't a book that would come to mind.  It will have a niche, but most teens are not going to relate to the protagonist, are not going to understand a lot of the pop-culture references, and are going to be hard pressed to care about what is going on in this story.  Add to that the fact that the object of Maria's affection is not some hottie, but a chubby, rather dorky guy, and I just don't see it.  Honestly, I think this book would be better marketed to 30-somethings who remember being a teen during the time period this story takes place.  It's almost as if the reader needs the benefit of those extra 10-15 years of life experience to GET this book.  If I were reviewing it for them, I would say 5-stars in a heartbeat, but for the YA market, its appeal is way too narrow.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ½ 

Grade Level Recommendation:  There's language, sex, drug use, and teen rebellion.  There are definitely mature themes here.  I would say this book is for high school aged students and up (grades 9 and up, ages 14+), but as I mentioned before, I really see this as more of an adult novel, not for content, per se, but because I don't think the average teen is going to relate as well.