Blue Flame by K. M. Grant (Book One of the Perfect Fire trilogy)

I never finished reading this book, but if you've read it, let me know what you think!

Publisher:  Walker & Company (2008)
Pages:  246




Front Flap Description
Many years have passed since the Occitanian knights killed Richard the Lionheart while trying to protect the Blue Flame--sparked at the moment of Christ's death--from falling into the wrong hands.  Now it is in danger once again as enemies from the North draw near, preparing to stake their claim to the Flame's promise of power.
   In the midst of the looming battle, lifelong friends Raimon, son of a Cathar weaver, and Yolanda, daughter of a Catholic count, are falling in love.  But the arrival of an inquisitor to their beloved Castleneuf changes everthing, as his search for the Blue Flame endangers their relationship, their families, and their very lives.
   This deadly religious crusade sets boy against girl, family against family, neighbor against neighbor, South against North.  Though many seek to possess the Blue Flame, only one person is destined to wield its power to save the people and sovereignty of the Occitan.

Immortal by Gillian Shields

Details
Publisher:  Katherine Tegen Books (2009)
Pages:  360
Content:  L- None, S- Kissing, V- Mild
Recommended Age:  13+
Source:  Dorchester County Library


Front Flap Description
Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies, housed in a Gothic mansion on the bleak northern moors, is elite, expensive, and unwelcoming.  When Evie Johnson is torn away from her home by the sea to become the newest scholarship student, she is more isolated than she could have dreamed.  Strict teachers, snobbish students, and the oppressive atmosphere of Wyldcliffe leave Evie drowning in loneliness.
   Evie's only lifeline is Sebastian, a rebellious, mocking, dangerously attractive young man she meets by chance.  As Evie's feelings for Sebastian grow with each secret meeting, she starts to fear that he is hiding something about his past.  And she is haunted by glimpses of a strange, ghostly girl--a girl who is so eerily like Evie, she could be a sister.  Evie is slowly drawn into a tangled web of past and present that she cannot control.  And as the extraordinary, elemental forces of Wyldcliffe rise up like the mighty sea, Evie is faced with an astounding truth about Sebastian, and her own incredible fate.

My Thoughts
Let's start with the good.  I loved the atmosphere- the moors, the sea, the old abbey, the lake, the ruins.  It was such a darkly romantic setting and I longed to wander the grounds at night.  This was enhanced by the language of the story, which flowed nicely- the imagery was beautiful, the descriptions and dialogue felt natural, and it was easy to forget the words on the page and just get lost in the story.  I also enjoyed the main character, Evie's, interactions with the other students.  Her friendships and enemyships rang true and I could empathize with her loneliness in coming to a new, strange school so far away from home.  I also appreciated how neatly intertwined the stories of the past were with the stories of the present- a difficult task for an author and one executed well.  
   I did, however, have a few difficulties with this book.  The major issue for me was Evie's relationship with Sebastian.  I never trusted him, I never felt that he was a good enough person to form a romantic bond with, and I could not understand why Evie became so immediately attached to him, apart from the fact that she was lonely and he was handsome and intriguing. 
   Another problem was with the interspersed journal entries of Lady Agnes from the 1800's.  They did draw nice and, as it turned out, integral parallels with the story happening in the present, but I felt that they were sometimes too long and too frequent, thus detracting from the momentum of the main storyline.  They also tended to reveal too much information too early, so that the reader understood what was happening with Evie way before she caught on.
   My final issue may be one more of taste than execution.  As far as fantasy is concerned, witches and ghosts are definitely not my favorite supernatural beings, and as this book focused heavily on both, I did not find it as interesting as other types of stories.  (Just to be clear, I'm not biased against all books containing witches and ghosts- I love Harry Potter and that series contains many of both.  I also thought Paula Morris's Ruined was a good ghost story.  But the ones in HP were fun.  I'm not into covens of witches who call on the elements and perform sacred rites and such- just not my thing).
   While I wrote far more about the negative elements of the story than the positive, that does not mean that I didn't think it was good.  I did enjoy it and definitely thought it was worth reading once.  But I think the story ended in a fine place and I'm not going to bother with the sequel if there is one.

Rating
3.5/5

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Details
Publisher:  HarperTeen (2011)
Pages:  448
Content:  L- Sparse light swearing, S- Kissing, V- Mild paranormal
Recommened Age: 14+
Source:  Dorchester County Library


Front Flap Description
Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel.  Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.
   Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town.  When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place--and out of place at the same time.  Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.
   As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make--between honest and deceit, love and duty, good and evil.  When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

My Thoughts
While perusing the shelves of my library, I was drawn to this book by its gorgeous cover.  I know they say never to judge a book by its cover, but I admit that a beautiful cover combined with an intriguing one-word title gets me every time.  I had not heard of this book previously, so I had no expectations.  But I had hopes.  I hoped this would be a unique and interesting take on angels, I hoped the author would create a rich world that would pull me in, and I hoped the romantic aspects would be realistic and fun.  I was not disappointed.
  The majority of the story takes place in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and although I generally detest cold climates, I found myself wanting to ski and cozy up in a nice log cabin.  The main character, Clara, is very likeable and relatable, and the author portrays her honestly.  The leading men in the book are also very crushworthy- especially Tucker (in my opinion).  And the supporting characters- friends, family, classmates, etc. are well realized and fill out the book nicely.
  And then, of course, there are the angels.  I have read many books featuring fallen angels, and this is not like any of them.  This is likely due to the main angelic characters in this book being "angel-bloods" and not full angels.  They are very human with some extraordinary talents.  And of course, you can't have a good urban fantasy without a dark side, and Hand provides some not-so-good angels as well (that's an understatement- her Dark Wings are quite evil).
  This is not an overly fast-paced book, but in this case I didn't mind.  The author created a world that was developed well enough that I didn't mind settling in and enjoying the slice-of-life moments.  Overall, I was pleased with this book and how it handled the interweaving themes of destiny vs. agency, duty vs. love, and deception vs. trust.  And while the plot of this story wrapped up nicely, it certainly left a good deal of mystery.  I eagerly await the sequel.
   And if you have read the book and want to hear more of my thoughts on it, click here and join the discussion.

Rating
5/5  Loved it!

Ready to start blogging it up

About a year ago, I considered starting a reading blog.  I had just finished a ton of great books and I was eager to share.  But then I thought, "I've already read most of the good books.  What will I have to read and write about in the future?"  That was possibly the most ridiculous thought I've had in my life.  I have read so many great books since then, and there are so many more I am excited to read. 

Most people who know me know that I love to read, and they frequently ask me if I've read anything good lately.  I tell them that I have, but then I blank on the titles.  So this blog should be a good resource for keeping track of what I'm reading.  I have read hundreds and hundreds of YA books, and I can't possibly go back and write about them all, so I will only focus on the books that I am reading currently.  If you have read any of the books on this blog, please contribute to the comments- I'd love to hear what you think.  Happy reading!