#12 - City of Ashes

City of Ashes
By: Cassandra Clare
464 pages
Published: 2008
ISBN: 1416914293
My Copy: Borrowed from library

The middle book or film in any series is really important to me. In my mind, I call these works "hinges" because they should connect the previous works with those to come, but also include some new elements to entice us to move forward.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire has a warm place in my heart because of this. The story connects itself to the past, but also changes to move it into the future. The Empire Strikes Back is my favorite Star Wars movie. The Two Towers is my favorite Lord of the Rings film.

A bad hinge story can bore us. If the tale simply rehashes what we already knew and leaves to many plot points hanging, then it has wasted our time.

City of Ashes isn't a bad hinge... but it's not a great one. It elaborated on some of the mysteries of the first book, but you can tell it's left all the good stuff until the end. It was a bit more of an effort to finish it off than with the previous installment. The one big accomplishment of the book was Cassandra Clare's stunning ability to make me not creeped out by the fact that a brother and sister are looking to get it on for half the book. Hell, I even wanted them to just do it already and I know that's weird. So, kudos to her. A lot of careful writing and character development has lead us to a place where we identify with and understand the feelings of Jace and Clary.

Now that I'm done with this one, I'm looking forward to City of Glass. I even went and bought it while I was out this weekend instead of waiting to get it from the library. So, yes, City of Ashes made me want to keep reading, but not much else.

Rating: B

I'm Not Proud to Have Read...

I saw this topic on Home Girl's Book Blog and could not resist. "Write a blog post wherein you 'fess up to reading a book that didn't make you proud."

Okay, the book I'm picking is one I recently read -- Stargazer by Claudia Gray. The reason I singled out this particular book is because it is at the end of a long line of shameful book choices and by the time I got to this place, there is no reason I should have picked it up and read it at all, let alone read it cover to cover in two days, being very entertained while doing so.

I decided to read the Twilight series the Christmas before last when I heard the first book was something like my favorite book of all time, Pride and Prejudice (speaking of a bastardization of great literature). And friends, I loved it. Shamefully, I ate through all four books in a week and by the time I finished, my head was spinning with dreamy visions of Edward Cullen. I breathlessly told my husband the plot of all the books and talked about them nonstop for days after finishing. I even hummed little songs about becoming a vampire. It was getting weird.

So, having read Twilight and having vampire-romance withdrawal, I promptly went to the bookstore and asked if they had anything like Twilight. After much prodding, one of the clerks recommended Evernight by Claudia Gray. "It's about a vampire boarding school," she said and I snapped it up right then and there.

And I read it straight through. It was no Twilight, but it did indeed have vampires and did indeed have romance so I was happy for a moment.

But the more I thought about Twilight and Evernight, the more I realized these were really horrible books. Engrossing though it was Twilight had so many flaws and annoying, silly characters, that there was no way I could actually like it. In fact, I had to hate it, right?

So, I thought to myself, there is no reason I should bother to read anymore of the new Twilight-spin-off vampire fiction out there. Evernight was a momentary lapse in judgment. I'm done with bad books like this.

Then, why oh why, when I was browsing for something to read at the library two weeks ago, did I pick up Stargazer, the sequel to Evernight?

Because I couldn't help myself. Because vampire romance is kind of cool. Because I really do love corny YA books. Because it was a quick and easy read.

And you know the sad part. I'm probably going to read the next book in the series, Hourglass, when it comes out next month. And I requested Evermore from the library yesterday.

Oh, the shame. The horrible shame. Yes, I read bad vampire romances. And I kind of like them.

#11 - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
By: J.K. Rowling
Narrated by: Jim Dale
352 pages (9 hours)
Published: 1999
ISBN: 0807281948
My copy: Borrowed from library (own the book, of course)

Of all the Harry Potter books, I'd have to say Chamber of Secrets is possibly my least favorite. The bit about the flying car is just not that exciting and it just drags in some places (even though those sections do add to the story). I was also rather annoyed by the fact that everyone seems to think they are about to get expelled at every turn. Harry and Ron are constantly ready to pack their bags and Ginny is terrified to tell what she knows about the Chamber of Secrets because she could be kicked out of school. Has anyone, except Hagrid, ever been kicked out of Hogwarts? And that was only because they thought Hagrid had killed someone. So it seems like the standard for expulsion is a little higher than the kids are making it out to be.

That said, the end is rather good and makes a lot more sense in light of the information we find out in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. J.K. Rowling said in an interview somewhere that she had originally intended to explain more about horcruxes in the second book, but, in the end, decided to save it all for the sixth book. I think I wish she had a put a little more into Chamber of Secrets, so everything revealed in Half-Blood Prince didn't seem like a big, too-late-to-introduce-this surprise.

But, I like that those two books parallel each other (just as, in my mind, the first and seventh book do). In Chamber, we meet the young Voldemort and in Half-Blood Prince, we learn more about his family background and his life among muggles. Harry also begins to wonder about the similarities between himself and Voldemort in CoS and then again in HBP. The second book also sets up the relationship between Harry and Ginny, which culminates in their kiss in the sixth book. Even the two new teachers from these books, Gilderoy Lockhart (who is a brilliant creation, by the way) and Horace Slughorn resemble each other in that both use the accomplishments of others to bolster their own importance.

All in all, a great book, though still my least favorite in an excellent series.

Rating: A-

#10 - City of Bones

City of Bones
By: Cassandra Clare
512 pages
Published: 2008
ISBN: 1416955070
My Copy: Borrowed from library

This book was recommended to me by my friend, Cassie, and I have already thanked her because I thoroughly enjoyed it. I also promptly ordered the next two books in the series because it was that good.

Part of it might be that, when it comes to fantasy, I find I like the work of female authors better. Does that sound strange? Well, it's true. For some reason The Lord of the Rings bored me. The one Xanth book I read was okay. But, I consistently enjoy fantasy series written by women. Harry Potter. Twilight (yeah, I know, sorry). Inkworld. And now I think I love The Mortal Instruments series. I will have to get myself some Ursula Le Guin and Octavia Butler when I'm done to fill the void.

City of Bones tells the story of Clary Fray as she delves into the world of Shawdowhunters and learns about her own mysterious family connections. Though the book is over 500 pages, it was a very quick read and I was intensely interested the entire time. Most of the characters are very well done. Jace and Clary were very cute together (though the witty banter between them seemed a little odd in the beginning, it grew on me by the end of the story). Alec and Isabelle could have used a little more back story to make us more invested in their fate (but maybe that is to come in future books). The actions scenes are well done and suspenseful and the twists and turns the book took were surprising and satisfying. I, for example, did not see the end coming at all. Other readers assure me there's more surprises to come, so I'm looking forward to it.

Rating: B+

It's Monday! What Am I Reading?

Right now I'm working on:

Jane Austen, Selected Letters
Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler

I'm listening to:

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

And, because we're reading it for book club in the next few weeks, I'll also need to get cracking on:

Everything Matters! by Ron Currie Jr.

Last week I finished:

Stargazer by Claudia Gray
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling
I Kissed a Zombie, and I Liked It by Adam Selzer
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

It was a good reading week! Hope this week will be just as fun!

PS - I am also anxiously awaiting the arrival of City of Ashes and City of Glass from the library and Villette (still) from PaperBackSwap, so hopefully those will be on next week's list!

#9 - I Kissed a Zombie, and I Liked It

I Kissed a Zombie, and I Liked It
By: Adam Selzer
192 pages
Published: 2010
ISBN: 0385735030
My copy: Borrowed from library

This book was more fun than it had an right to be. I started out a bit annoyed at the main character and her friends (they have that we-are-so-real vibe which can get kind of grating), but she grew on me throughout the book as she grows and changes in her relationship with Doug. The whole thing is kind of like a funny anti-Twilight piece. When Alley learns that Doug is a zombie she decides whether or not she wants to "convert." So she ventures down to her guidance councillor's office to pick up an informative pamphlet called Vampires, Zombies & You: Questions and Answers About Post-Humans for Teens. There are a lot of funny moments like that and I found the whole twist on the I-met-a-dead-guy-and-I-love-him-so-much story to be kind of adorable.

So, yeah, it's cheesy and kind of silly, but in a good way. Plus, I think the message is a little more healthy for teen girls obsessed with Twilight.

Rating: B

PS - Here's the book trailer (very cute):

#8 - Stargazer

Stargazer
By: Claudia Gray
352 pages
Published: 2010
ISBN: 0061284467
My Copy: Borrowed from library

This Evernight series really isn't that good. I only got it out from the library because I had read the first one and was looking for some YA books to read. The story is so-so, but at least it holds your attention (which is more than can be said for most books). It's got that Twilight vibe going on, but it just doesn't have the same sizzle. I pretty much think the main characters should not be together at all (and that's not a good sign, is it).

I believe this is the second in a four book series. I might move onto the other two (when they come out) if I'm bored enough. Otherwise, there must be better vampire fiction out there to read.

Rating: C-