Book Review: Graceling

I've had Graceling by Kristin Cashore on my to-read list for some time. I heard really excellent things about it and the blurb was really intriguing. And the cover? OMG, so wonderful! I'm happy to say that Graceling lived up to my expectations.

From the book's blurb:

In a world where people born with an extreme skill--called a Grace--are feared and exploited, Katsa carries the burden of a skill even she despises: the Grace of killing. She lives under the command of her uncle Randa, King of the Middluns, and is expected to execute his dirty work, punishing and torturing anyone who displease him.
When she first meets Prince Po, who is Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change.
She never expects to become Po's friend. 
She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace--or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away...a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

Graceling was a little hard to get into at first, mainly because it was difficult to work my way inside Katsa's head. I think this was more of a personal preference, however, than any flaw in the narration. Also, I think it had to do with me in the YA reading mode, and this...yes, it's labeled YA, but it felt more like strictly fantasy to me. It didn't have that YA feel. First off, the age of the character (if mentioned) isn't all that relevant to the story. It's not a coming of age story, though the MC does grow into her power and gain confidence as the story progresses. The romance is a little more...mature. (No, not in sex scenes, but in the way it is viewed by the MC. No straightforward love story here.) I think the only thing, in my mind, that qualifies this as YA, is the unadorned style of the narrative. It's simple, it's straightforward. And it works.

The more I read, the more I had to read. The pace picks up significantly after Po comes to Randa's court and the plot just gets better and better. The ending was satisfying, leaving me with that ah-that's-a-good-book glow. However, while I liked Katsa as a character and enjoyed watching her grow into herself, it was Po who captured my heart.

Rating (out of 5 stars): 4.5

Recommended: Yes, for fantasy buffs and readers thirsting for a strong, dynamic female MC.

Monday Madness: The Invisible Post

That's right. It's invisible. Too bad. It's chock full of useful information that would probably land you an agent faster than you can snap your fingers. And it has a handy dandy spell that turns poorly written novels to solid gold (get cash for gold now!).

And, yes, I'm totally lying.

The truth is, I'm so far behind on NaNoWriMo, I can't think of anything useful or clever to share with you. So here is my not-so-cleverness. If you'd like, feel free to rub my face in your own NaNoWriMo success. I have 7,000 words to write.

Toodles!

Book Review: Paranormalcy

Continuing my YA streak, I read Paranormalcy by Kiersten White over the weekend. Coming off of The Sky is Everywhere, it took me a while to get accustomed to this new MC, who was so different from Lennie that it was like crossing into a different universe (which is probably true, since there is an element of fantasy in Paranormalcy that was never in The Sky is Everywhere).

Evie, a sixteen-year-old operative of the International Paranormal Containment Agreement (IPCA), has the gift of seeing through paranormals' glamour, whether they be vampires, werewolves or faeries. At the beginning of the book, she comes across as a flippant, pop culture-obsessed teen...and a bit annoying. Thankfully, she's a dynamic character and doesn't remain so shallow throughout the story (whew). I actually liked her at the end of the book, which I wasn't so sure about in the beginning.

According to the book's blurb:

Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie's always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she's falling for a shape-shifter, and she's the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours, but still. Normal.
Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie's dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies. She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths. Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures. 
So much for normal.

Keeping with the light, airy quality of the MC, the story is pretty, well, optimistic. Bad things are happening, but they always felt a little distant, and they always had that edge of happy-go-lucky the MC brings along. Not sure why, but the dark aspect of this story felt more gray than black. Every character seemed redeemable, every prophecy taken not too seriously, which is remarkable in this type of story. This story was an easy, enjoyable read, but lacked the urgency I would have liked. Sure, you know a happy ending is going to happen, but I like having moments throughout the story where you second-guess that. Not so much here.

What I really liked about the book was the MC. Sure, I found her annoying in the beginning of the book, but annoying in the realistic way all teenage girls can be. A little shallow. A little too full of herself. A little too obsessed with TV shows and stars. Unlike Beautiful Creatures and The Sky is Everywhere, Paranormalcy showed the other side of the teenage girl spectrum: the silly, cheery girl who likes pink, fashion, shopping and boys...rather than the tormented artist whom no one understands. A refreshing MC.

And kudos to Ms. White for the creepiest "good guy" ever.CREEPY, I'm telling you!

Rating (out of five stars): 3.5

Recommended: Yes, for those looking for an easy, light-hearted read (overall).

Sharing the Inspiration

I thought I would share some of the things that have inspired me on my NaNoWriMo journey with The Morgue Tree. Enjoy!


"Shadows" by RED

My character sketch of Morgan the MC

"Whispers in the Dark" by Skillet

The Dark Tree by x horizon (DeviantArt)

"Breath" by Breaking Benjamin


What are some of your inspirations?

Monday Madness: Tips for Tackling NaNoWriMo

So, fellow NaNo-ers, how's it coming? Are you staying on top of your goals? Flagging behind? Have you suddenly sprouted extra fingers and are simultaneously banging out two separate scenes in your novel? (If so, can I borrow a pair?)

I'll admit, I'm behind. Because, well, I'm not the best at sitting in front a computer on the weekends so, yeah...

BUT, I will catch up. All I have to do is write 5,000 words and I'll be good. Think I can't do it? Think again!

I have some secrets up my sleeve. Okay, not secrets, but some nifty tools that help me out. And, because I'm feeling generous today (and riding a sugar high brought on by a powdered donut), here are some of the things I use to keep me on track.

Write or Die. I'm usually pressed for time and always easily distracted, so Write or Die by Dr. Wicked is a great tool to keep me on track. I usually write about 1,000 words at a time (to keep it down to manageable chunks) but you can set it for as many as you want (I think up to 50,000).

Pandora. I like to use music to get me in the mood to write, and nothing is better for that than a personalized radio station. If I have a certain theme in mind for a story, then I can enter a similar music style and create a station. For The Morgue Tree, I'm going with a lot of Breaking Benjamin, Fireflight and Paramore. Yep, it's emo.

Revising. This might sound a little counterproductive, but it helps me narrow the focus of the story. While using Write or Die, the things I write can be either raw genius or pure garbage. I do a lot of pruning and polishing, and, by doing this, usually have a stronger hold on the story. I usually add words, too. And, since I'm a perfectionist, I can feel more comfortable about moving on with the story, knowing that it's not a lot of crap just taking up space.

How about you? Have any tips that keep you on track? And are you on track?

Book Review: The Sky is Everywhere

I read The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson in one day. That's right. I started it yesterday on my lunch break and continued reading it when I got home (even including it in my workout). It's not a lengthy read, true, but that's not why I read it in one day. I read it in one day because it's one of those books that you can't NOT read. It grabs you. Sucks you in. It makes you want to laugh and cry. It steals your breath away.

It's YA, told from the first-person viewpoint of Lennie Walker, a 17-year-old clarinetist who's just lost her older sister, Bailey. It's about grief, happiness, life and death, and the many, many forms of love.

From the book's blurb:

Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they're the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can't collide without the whole wide world exploding.

It's an amazing and heart-wrenching story. I really can't say enough about it. But the thing that struck me the most about this story is the beautiful, unique imagery. Everything felt fresh, despite exploring familiar YA territory. Nelson's writing breathes on the page. Every paragraph, every sentence, was a treasure. There's nothing cliche about any of her descriptions. Honestly, when I grow up, I want to be Jandy Nelson. 


Read this book. Read it now.

Monday Madness: Do or Do Not...There is No Try

“Do or do not...there is no try.”

Aside from “Luke, I am your father” that famous line by Yoda is probably the most popular quotation from Star Wars. (Even if you’re not a Star Wars buff, you’ve probably heard it somewhere.)

As writers, it’s hard to distinguish between trying and doing. After all, we spend most of our time TRYING to polish our novel, TRYING to write a query, TRYING to snag an agent/editor, TRYING to get published. Whether we actually succeed depends on a mixture of skill and luck and timing, right?

Not quite.

See, there’s a difference between trying (which is often a soft excuse for not succeeding) than doing. If you’re TRYING to write a query letter, will it ever be finished? If you’re TRYING to get an agent/editor, will you actually ever get one? With TRYING there’s no guarantee of results, but with DOING, there is.

The main difference between trying and doing is perseverance and attitude. If you try to do something, there’s a big chance that you’re going to get discouraged and quit trying at some point, but if you’re doing something, then it’s a bit more difficult to stop.

Take NaNoWriMo, for instance. There's a lot of people out there who are going to "try" to participate, but by saying "try" they are not fully investing themselves in the process. They might be discouraged by other obligations, make excuses, half-heartedly invest in it. But if you approach NaNo with the "I am going to do this" attitude, then you're more likely to succeed.

So, let's say it together: No more trying. Now is the time to start doing. I AM going to finish that novel. I AM going to get an agent/editor. I AM going to get published.

Let's do it!