On My Radar

Inspired by the meme started by The Book Smugglers.

The White Forest – Adam McOmber
So the synopsis compares this to The Night Circus and while I haven’t read the book, I’m very much intrigued by it and so anything that sounds similar in tone, if not in story, to it is attractive to me.

The Thornthwaite Inheritance – Gareth P. Jones
This sounds hilarious. A pair of twins doing everything to off each other. Middle grade. Dark humour.

Crow Girl – Kate Cann
This has crows. And crow mythology. And the underdog finally winning. What’s not to anticipate?

The Ring of Five – Eoin McNamee
I like the cover. I’m not gonna lie. It looks badass. And it involves a male protagonist discovering himself and some powers and other sinister things. Cool things are cool.

Bunhead – Sophie Flack
1. Ballet. 2. A lot of my friends really like this one so…

Forty Rules of Love – Elie Shafak
This is the second book by this author on my to read list. I really need to get on and find her books. At least one, maybe this one first because I’m sappy like that.

my name on his tongue – Laila Halaby (A Review)

Paperback, 136 pages
Expected publication: May 7th 2012 by Syracuse University Press
Source: Net Galley

Synopsis:

Best-selling novelist and PEN Award winner Halaby presents readers with her first collection of poetry. Intensely personal and marked with a trenchant wit, these poems form a memoir following Halaby’s life as they explore the disorientation of exile, the challenge of navigating two cultures, and the struggle to shape her own creative identity. She shares the pain and confusion of growing up—the need for belonging and the solace of community—with tenderness and fearless candor. Rooted in her Middle Eastern heritage, these poems illuminate the Arab American experience over the last quarter century. Turning away from all that is esoteric and remote in American poetry today, Halaby’s lucid and forthright voice speaks to and for a large audience.

Review:

There are many things that make me cry. Cruelty to animals, elderly and children, Shah Rukh Khan (argh), war, good ice cream going to waste and others. Poetry, usually, is not one of them. While reading my name on his tongue, I was in parts awestruck, in parts jealous and in lots of parts weepy.

Confession: I don’t read a lot of poetry. Contemporary poetry even less The only reason I requested this title from Net Galley was simply because of the title. It intrigued me, piqued my curiousity and made me want to read the poem the verse was found in and I am so, so, so very glad that I took a chance with this. Halaby’s poetry is so exquisitely beautiful that I fear I lack the words to do it justice. More than the words she chooses to express herself in, it is the feelings embroidered in the punctuation, in the pauses, in the slight (written) hitch in breath you get as you read her poetry that marks it as genius.

Perhaps it is because I relate to the displacement that is one of the strongest themes in the book. Perhaps it is because I know what it feels like to be torn between two cultures, perhaps that’s why I teared up and cried as I read her contradictory feelings of grief and anger as she poetically navigates the murky American waters after the 9/11 attacks. Her yearning for home, her anger at the people tearing apart the place she finds her roots in, her voice, her passion – these are all so strong in this slim collection of poetry that you will pause and linger over her verses, read them again, muse over them and keep on thinking about them as you go about doing the mundane things that compose your day.

My favourite poem might be the first one but the one that made me cry was the last one. Do yourselves a favor, even if you do not read poetry usually, read this volume. It may change you in ways that you didn’t think possible.

May Releases That Made My List

These are the books that are going to be released this month and it is their good fortune to be present on my list. I’m just saying!

Fated – Alyson Noel (A Review)

Hardcover, 306 pages
Expected publication: May 22nd 2012 by St. Martin’s Press
Source: Publisher

Synopsis:

Lately strange things have been happening to Daire Santos. Animals follow her, crows mock her, and glowing people appear out of nowhere. Worried that Daire is having a nervous breakdown, her mother packs her off to stay in the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico with a grandmother she’s never met.

There she crosses paths with Dace, a gorgeous guy with unearthly blue eyes who she’s encountered before…but only in her dreams. And she’ll get to know her grandmother—a woman who recognizes Daire’s bizarre episodes for what they are. A call to her true destiny as a Soul Seeker, one who can navigate between the worlds of the living and the dead. Her grandmother immediately begins teaching her to harness her powers—but it’s an art that must be mastered quickly. Because Dace’s brother is an evil shape-shifter who’s out to steal her powers. Now Daire must embrace her fate as a Soul Seeker and find out if Dace is one guy she’s meant to be with…or if he’s allied with the enemy she’s destined to destroy.

Review:

The last book I read by Noel was the first installment in the Ever series after which I promptly decided that I didn’t care much either for the story or Noel’s writing. However, Fated presents an interesting mix of mythology that immediately caught my attention and when Caitlingss gave me an ARC, I may have done a dance in the secrecy of my room. And for the most part, (we’re moving onto the review proper now), I am extremely impressed by the improvement in Noel’s writing. Her descriptions, her imagery are bang on and, while a bit dense, do establish the mood and atmosphere perfectly. So yeah, nice surprise there.

I also liked Daire for a while which was another surprise. I thought she seemed kickass even if she kept on talking about how smooching the hottest guys in North America was no big deal for her. Hm. Yes. And the mythology as I had been expecting was very intriguing. I don’t actually know too much about First Nations mythology so learning about it, albeit in a somewhat structured and creatively meddled with way, was interesting. I also liked how Fated is so dynamic. There is movement, there is action and there is adventure.

My biggest (and ultimately overwhelming) problem with this novel was that Daire started to annoy me about a third in and didn’t really stop until the book ended. I liked her blase` attitude until it spiraled downhill and it’s not even her fault. I did not like the romance in this novel. It seemed overly melodramatic and if Noel had toned down the whole “soul-mate” thing that was not said explicitly but so subtle there were elephants, I would have liked the book a whole lot more. There was the potential for a really good book in this novel but I feel, personally speaking mind you, that to get that good book, you would need to extricate it carefully from all the sentimental and overly cliche tropes clogging it. That said, I believe other people who are not as picky about their romance as I am will enjoy this novel a lot more than I did. Don’t take my word for it. No really, don’t. Go read it and make up your own mind.

Revived – Cat Patrick (A Review)

Hardcover, 352 pages
Expected publication: May 8th 2012 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Source: Publisher

Synopsis:

As a little girl, Daisy Appleby was killed in a school bus crash. Moments after the accident, she was brought back to life.

A secret government agency has developed a drug called Revive that can bring people back from the dead, and Daisy Appleby, a test subject, has been Revived five times in fifteen years. Daisy takes extraordinary risks, knowing that she can beat death, but each new death also means a new name, a new city, and a new life. When she meets Matt McKean, Daisy begins to question the moral implications of Revive, and as she discovers the agency’s true goals, she realizes she’s at the center of something much larger — and more sinister — than she ever imagined.

Review:

The cover of the book is so gorgeous and it is only when I started reading the book that I realized the subtle meaning of it and nearly swooned at how sly the symbolism is. The book deals with coming back from death yeah? So the model pictured on the cover is tearing the “veil,” that is, she is literally coming back from the dead. Cool stuff, very cool stuff.

Okay, now let us move forth to the review proper. The premise is fresh and innovative (and the zombie free novel wins points too). Daisy is a likeable character with a readable voice. During the first few pages of the novel, I was immediately struck by her nonchalance where death is concerned. It does not seem to mean a lot to her. Especially the fact that despite knowing that she has a deadly allergic reaction to bee stings, she consciously leaves behind the medicine that could save her life. So that really did not sit well with me but I realized later that Patrick was laying down the foundation for Daisy’s education.

What follows is an intriguing mix of science, intrigue, romance and friendship. More on the romance later. First we need to talk about the friendship. I like how Patrick takes time and care to build up the friendship that is such a huge part of this novel. It is a genuine friendship and not a means to an end. The fact that Daisy makes her first real “normal” friend makes the culmination of the friendship even more poignant and you will need to read the book to figure out the cryptic statement. The romance. This is what I had some trouble with. Honestly, the love interest sounded amazing. Hot, kind and nice. You know, truly nice. Do you know how difficult it is to find truly nice, boyfriend material guys? Very difficult, I assure. And I was all gungho about him until he said something that made me take a step back and question myself.

Maybe it is because I am an older reader and maybe more attuned to stuff like this and perhaps more sensitive to it but in a scene when the protagonists are talking about the love interest’s ex-girlfriend, he, quite casually, says “She’s a bitch.”

Everything came to a screeching halt right then. I find it extremely off putting that just to assuage his current love, the guy is calling his ex names. It makes me wonder how he would react when and if his relationship with Daisy breaks up and it makes me question his niceness. There were so many other things he could have said but the fact that he called his ex names just to calm Daisy’s insecurities makes me lose all respect for him. Calling your ex names does not seem like love-interest-ey behavior to me.

That said, I found Daisy’s gradual journey to understanding death and grief fascinating. The book demands a lot emotionally from you but I think the pay off equalizes the demand. Would I recommend the book to you? Well, I liked it. I thought it was an interesting take on the paranormal. While the scientific portion that explains this Wonder Drug is missing, there is plenty of action and intrigue to make it an entertaining read. Make up your own mind.

 

April Round Up

All right! I’m in a pretty good mood despite the cold outside and the threats of rain. (I got my marks back, I did good, woot.) (And it’s over, so double woot.) Let’s do a quick round up of April!

I wasn’t able to read as much as I wanted to because I had finals and I also had to move. I’m actually not at all totally moved right now. That may take another month. :\ Either ways, these are the books I’ve read this month.

1-4. Two Flowers for the Dragon v4 – 7 by Nari Kusakawa
5. Fated – Alyson Noel
6. Talisman of El – Alecia Stone
7. Grave Mercy – R. L. LaFevers
8. The False Prince – Jennifer A. Nielson
9. Kill Me Softly – Sarah Cross
10. The Boy Recession – Flynn Meaney
11. The Immortal Rules – Julie Kagawa
12. Purity – Jackson Pearce
13. A Midsummer’s Nightmare – Kody Keplinger
14. The Hidden Warrior – Lynn Flewelling
15. All These Lives – Sarah Wylie
16. Of Poseidon – Anna Banks
17. Hemlock – Kathleen Peacock
18. When the Sea is Rising Red – Cat Hellison
19. Earthseed – Pamela Sargent
20. The Letter Q – Sarah Moon
21. Born Wicked – Jessica Spotswood
22. The Last Princess – Galaxy Craze
23. Castle in the Air – Diana Wynne Jones
24. Dark Kiss – Michelle Rowen
25. Changeling – Philippa Gregory
26. The Killing Moon – N. K. Jemisin

All in all, there were some interesting titles I read and for once, I think I actually reviewed ALL of them. Wow self, I’m really impressed with you. Anyway, what’s coming up on Bibliophilic Monologues in May? Lots and lots of reviews. Because that is, after all, what a book review blog is supposed to do, eh? Also, I’ve read some awesome titles that I want to share with you.

How did you do in April?

Hidden Warror (Tamir Triad #2) – Lynn Flewelling

Mass Market Paperback, 551 pages

Published November 26th 2008 by Bantam Dell

Source: Purchased

Synopsis:

As the orphaned nephew of the king, trusted companion to his cousin, and second heir to the throne of Skala, Prince Tobin’s future is clear. But not as clear as the spring in which a hill witch shows him his true face–and his secret destiny….

Now Tobin carries a burden he cannot share with even his closest friend, Ki, his squire. He is to rule–not as he is but as he was born: a woman. Given the shape of a boy by dark magic, Tobin is the last hope of the people of Illior–those who desperately seek a return to the old ways, when Skala was ruled by a line of warrior queens. They still believe that only a woman can lift the war, famine, and pestilence that have run rampant through the land since the king usurped his half sister’s throne. It is these outlaw wizards and witches who protect Tobin–and it is for them that Tobin must accept his fate.

With the unsuspecting yet fiercely loyal Ki at his side, Tobin must turn traitor against the only blood ties he has left. He must lift the masks of Skala’s rulers to show their true colors–before he can reveal the power of the woman within himself.

Review:

The second novel in The Tamir Triad trilogy loses none of the charm of the first. In fact, it makes an already intriguing world downright amazing. I loved how the characters are developed and the faint stirrings of romance between the two main characters promises that the conclusion to the trilogy will pack a punch in more than one way.

So the pace continued in its languid manner and I’m not gonna lie, I did for a minute or two wish they could just hurry up and get the reveal over with. However, at the end of the novel I was glad that Flewelling took the time she did because it has more momentum when it happens the way it did. I was surprised by how Korin’s character was developed and I thought that Flewelling’s careful attention to the grey in a person’s character was well done. The novel is populated by such wonderful characters that I wouldn’t mind reading all their individual stories. There’s Lutha and Nikides, Una, Ahra – it is actually an awesome compliment from me (ahem ahem) that I remember the names of the characters in the book because usually I don’t even remember the name of the main character.

And this book won my love by having cats being mini characters. I am a cat person (future cat lady? ha) and Flewelling’s portrayal of the felines was entertaining. Of course, on the other side of it, Niryn became slimier than ever. What is he doing with that Nalia? Okay, I’ll stop pretending this is a review because honestly, I just want to talk about the book. I thought that Tobin going naked in front of all those people took balls he didn’t have. I understood why it had to be done and I don’t even have to any trouble with it. I just thought it interesting.

Oh also, I hope Flewelling keeps Tobin/Tamir as ordinary as possible and not, you know, on a pedestal. That would interfere with the original dynamic too much and I don’t know…I kinda like it the way it is right now. I am not looking forward to see what that wizard has up his sleeve but I am looking forward to seeing how Ki copes with a female best friend.