The Girl in the Steel Corset - Kady Cross

The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

(Add half star to my rating…Goodreads, my suggestion – we need half stars please!)

GENRE: Young Adult – Paranormal/Fantasy/Steampunk
FORM: eBook – Nook
SERIES: The Steampunk Chronicles  #1

SYNOPSIS: Finley Jane, living in England late 1800’s, seems to have a split personality. One side of her is a sweet, gentle, kind-hearted girl despite her pension for sarcasm, the other side is much darker and thrives on confrontation and is prone to egg on anyone who wishes to challenge her or gets her mad. It is this other side that, she believes, is responsible for her heightened sense of sight, smell, hearing, agility, and strength; combined with fast healing abilities, Finley Jane is a force to be reckoned with. She meets up with Lord Griffin King, and his group of friends, all of whom seem to have special ‘talents’ of their own. Together, they will investigate a series of machine mishaps, believed to be caused by someone who calls himself “the Machinist,” and also discover a few of the what’s and why’s of their abilities.

REVIEW: I was really psyching myself up for this book. It had popped up all over the review blogs, and Goodreads and other discussions. The more I saw it, the more drawn to it I was. Of course the beautiful cover didn’t hurt any. I had never heard of “Steampunk” until this book started popping up, and even now I’m not completely sure what it is, exactly. I do know that, while this book is set in the late 1800’s, Steampunk seems to a popular thing right now, (I just heard of a “steampunk’ed themed bridal shower.”) Someone is going to need to educate me, I think. Of course, I could always just google.

Anyhow, so I’m all excited to get this book, and I am going to say that now that I’ve read it, I think I psyched it up a little too much in my mind. There really were parts that I loved, and parts that I didn’t love so much. So, I’m going to just jump into that portion of my review template, and they will be a bit longer than normal…

WHAT I LOVED: Lets see…the setting. Victorian era, London…the perfect mix of beautiful and sludge. I really enjoy novels set in this time-frame. In this case, it was nice not to be a reading about a debutant in a Victorian parade of lace and tradition. I liked seeing a bit of the underbelly; people who are not necessarily a part of all the pomp and circumstance, but stand outside of it.

I also loved the characters themselves. Finley Jane has a slightly vindictive, sarcastic side that I love to read in books. That kind of attitude never seems to stop making me smile. Of course, it’s not so nice when it’s not coming out of a demon hunter; or, as in this case, out of a girl trying to protect her virtue. She is also just one of those female leads I love to read about; beautiful butt-kicker! Griffin was a well put together young man; he seemed to know exactly how to take advantage of his power and money. It was extremely convenient to write him as a rich young ruler (of sorts) with no real parental guidance. It makes doing whatever, whenever so much easier, right? Then there is the true “underbelly” character of the book, Jack Dandy. Good guy? Bad guy? Will we ever really find out?

I also really, really enjoyed the action/fighting scenes. They were just about perfect.

Okay, now comes the harder part.

NOT SO MUCH: Let’s see…I had a really hard time merging the modern technology with the Victorian setting. I understand this is at the cusp of invention, and of course the entire “FICTION” portion of this Fantasy book…but there was just so much. It was too much, too convenient, too easy.

I also felt, while I loved the characters individually, they didn’t fit together very well. I didn’t feel any real connection between them. We have (KIND OF) two love triangles going on in this book (which I also think is too much), but I could care less who ends up with whom. I have no opinion. I felt no heat, no real attraction. Some kind of connection was missing. The perfect place for some heat between characters would have been the tattoo scene. What about a light touch of his hand caressing her back. His breath on her neck raising goose bumps. It was like the perfect set-up – and when the scene was over I wanted to scream: “YOU MISSED IT!!!! Opportunity over.” It felt like there was so much time spent on including the “new” technology and machines, and on describing what the characters were wearing, that we missed out on some other important parts of what makes a really good book. I think finding a harmony here is what is needed. It was neat; the way they dressed, that they had special abilities, they had cool, new technology – but you don’t need to stop and beat the point in with a stick. The book needs to flow into relationships and the story itself. Maybe I’m trying to say, it felt a little bit disjointed.

I sort of hinted at this a little bit above, but I felt like the story was also drawling off of a very popular Cassandra Clare series…one that involves strong, sarcastic teenagers; fighters with abilities, tattoos, and machines, set in the Victorian era?!? Unfortunately, the two books make an unfair comparison. If this is the aim for the Steampunk Series, then as I have been saying; step it up on some of the character interactions. We need to see some more jealousy and tension, if there are to be love triangles. Random acts of passion. (A nice backing up against the wall scene is always nice). More sarcasm, less gloating about our particular skills. Keep the outfits, just dedicate less time to each of their descriptions.

OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES:
Coming in 2012:  The Girl in the Clockwork Collar










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Writing a Book, Advice from Authors

So, I’ve been working on…something.  A story.  A book.  I have mentioned on this blog before that I get idea, and randomly start writing.  Once I had over 10 pages worth or writing, then something happened and I ended up losing half of it, I got discouraged and stopped writing.  I posted an excerpt of this story on my other blog a while back.  Anyhow, I’ve been working on something new.  Now, I do not claim to be an author, or a writer…well, not outside of writing blogs anyway.  The thing is, I love reading, and I think it’s only natural that when you love something so much to every now and then want to try it yourself.  That is what I do, but more often than not, it ends up sort of like my knitting or crochet projects; a half finished semi-decent looking whatever-it-is.  Every now and then I do actually finish a project.  Sometimes it’s a little lopsided, or not the right size.  Every once in a blue moon, I finish a project and it comes out perfect.   That sounds like the perfect seg-way to me announcing that I have finished a book and it’s perfect, doesn’t it?  Well, that isn’t what has happened….

I’m about 18 word document pages, and almost 12,000 words into a book, and from my own estimation, about a third way through with the story.  Maybe.  This time things do seem to be moving a little bit differently than any of my other creations.  For instance, the story keeps moving forward.  I haven’t come to a breaking point, or a place where I just can’t come up with what happens next.  I have pushed forward on a few occasions, and I’m positive that if I were to go back and read, especially at these points, my story has a lot of jagged edges and rough spots, but I’m very proud to have made it as far as I have.   So here I’m actually having illusions of maybe submitting this work somewhere or having someone look at it.  How have I gotten to this place in my head???  On one hand, I seriously doubt this book is anywhere near that good…but what if it was?  What if I could?  Wouldn’t it be awesome if…..dare I think it?  

As I’ve gotten involved in the blog hops and have jumped around the internet, and in the past year have been increasingly coming in contact with self-published authors and aspiring authors, and I am realizing how extremely competitive and equally hard this business really is.  I really don’t know that I have what it takes to put up with that competition.  I sort of want to try though.  But for now, I’m going to write my story, because it continues to play out in my head and I HAVE TO GET IT OUT.  It’s kind of like when I’ve got a song stuck in my head and the only way I can be satisfied is if I listen to the actual song.  I hold off for as long as possible, but eventually I’m going to pull out my iPod and find the song that has been pestering me.  That is what my book is doing to me.  Even when I have a million other things to do, I’m being called back to my word document, because…what if I can’t remember how I want said scene to play out?

So what is the point of this post, you ask?  Well, I’ll tell you.  I needed some advice on HOW to write in first person.  Hmm..that came out wrong, as I do know how to do it.  Maybe, I need advice on what is the best method for writing in first person, is more accurate.  Do you write as the story is happening, this making all the tenses present, slipping in the past when necessary; or do you write as the person is telling their story and it’s all past tense?  I’m pretty darn sure, almost positive in fact, that my current work has a mishmash of both and is going to require a major fix on my part.  I’m dreading that.  Assuming I move forward with editing that is.  But I wanted to Google to see if anyone had written any advice on writing in first person format, and what was best to do…and instead came up with an article where many authors wrote down their ten rules, or ten pieces of advice for if someone who wants to be a writer.  This has absolutely nothing to do with what I was looking for, but enjoyed it none-the-less.  So below is the link to the article (please note there are two parts) and I have highlighted a few of my favorites below as well.  I will say, however, I did not agree with some of what was advised.  In fact, most of the first one I wanted to throw out the window because some of the “don’ts” mentioned in the first ten have been some of my favorite aspects of some of my more recent favorite books.  I can see how they would become annoying if over used though.

What I found most interesting was how each author interpreted their mission a little differently.  There is advice on how to chose a topic, on writing grammatically, on how to persevere, what to do in preparation, or just simply the content.  It seems as though they all answered a different question:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/feb/20/ten-rules-for-writing-fiction-part-one
 
Elmore Leonard: My most important rule is one that sums up the 10: if it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.

Margaret Atwood:  Hold the reader's attention. (This is likely to work better if you can hold your own.) But you don't know who the reader is, so it's like shooting fish with a slingshot in the dark. What ­fascinates A will bore the pants off B.

Roddy Doyle:  Do not place a photograph of your ­favourite author on your desk, especially if the author is one of the famous ones who committed suicide.

Helen Dunmore:  Finish the day's writing when you still want to continue.

Geoff Dyer:  Never ride a bike with the brakes on. If something is proving too difficult, give up and do something else. Try to live without resort to per­severance. But writing is all about ­perseverance. You've got to stick at it. In my 30s I used to go to the gym even though I hated it. The purpose of ­going to the gym was to postpone the day when I would stop going. That's what writing is to me: a way of ­postponing the day when I won't do it any more, the day when I will sink into a depression so profound it will be indistinguishable from perfect bliss.

Neil Gaiman: Remember: when people tell you something's wrong or doesn't work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong.

Anne Enright:  Only bad writers think that their work is really good.

Hilary Mantel:  Write a book you'd like to read. If you wouldn't read it, why would anybody else? Don't write for a perceived audience or market. It may well have vanished by the time your book's ready.

Fat Cat - Robin Brande

Fat Cat by Robin Brande
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

GENRE: Young Adult – Fiction
FORM: Audiobook
NARRATOR: Kirsten Potter

SYNOPSIS: Catherine (Cat) Locke has been overweight for a good portion of her life. Every diet she tries, she is somewhat successful, but then rewards herself with a pint of ice cream, or some brownies. This year, though, she is taking this incredibly hard science class with Mr. Fizer, where the science project is determined by a random picture pulled out of a box, and she is required to enter it into the Science Fair. Cat is determined to do very well, not only because she wants the letter of recommendation and scholarship money that could result from a good project, but winning would also mean beating her once best friend no enemy, Matt McKinney. The picture Cat pulls, early humans fighting over meat, changes not only her life, but the way she views life, as she goes on a journey of reverting back to a time before there were fast food restaurants and preservatives and additives in food, as well as computers and cell phones.

REVIEW: Fat Cat, is a hilarious and compelling story about food, friends, and…boys. Cat is great. Her personality is consistent throughout the book, even when she starts getting skinny and hot, she still thinks of herself as fat and unattractive. Even through one boyfriend and one…really hot dance…she has a hard time believing the new her is really her. She is such a believable character, I’m sure I went to school with her. She has normal fears and thoughts, no so smart she’s dumb, just the perfect kind of rightness for this book. The absolute best character of this entire story, though, is Cat’s best friend, Amanda. I found myself laughing out loud at her and some of the comments she makes more than once. Her relationship with Jordan was a little tiresome though. Yeah, they were the perfect couple, but I got tired of the “Hi Sweetie!” I, personally, don’t know very many guys who like to be called sweetie.

WHAT I LOVED: A book where the author had an informative topic she wanted to push, but didn’t do so it in a way that was demeaning or degrading to anyone who didn’t see things the same way she did. I was compelled, and maybe a little convicted, but I didn’t feel like I had sinned and was a going to hell. And aside from the agenda, the book was just fun! I loved listening to it. I feel like I “made friends” with the characters.

NOT SO MUCH: I thought adding the Café on top of everything else Cat was doing was a little but much, and unfair to Cat (if she were a real person.) It just didn’t seem all that necessary.

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Rules of Attraction - Simone Elkeles

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

GENRE: Young Adult – Fiction; Romance
FORM: eBook
SERIES: Perfect Chemistry Series

SYNOPSIS: Carlos is being forced to move to Colorado and in with his brother, Alex, “for his own good.” Figuring everyone expects the worst of him anyway, he figures he might as well act the part as well. The school he now attends is filled with mostly rich kids who don’t know what it means to live a hard life. His brother is consumed with thoughts and life with his girlfriend, Brittany. Everyone he has ever known has either left him, sent him away, or died on him. Kiara is determined to change a few things her senior year. Having gained some control over her stuttering, she does not intend to be the shy girl anymore, and while she’s not shooting for popular cheerleader or anything, she hopes to at least be able to hold her head high. Kiara and Carlos’ lives begin to collide right from the first day, when Kiara signs up to be Carlos’ peer guide, but neither one of them figured the relationship would last beyond the first week.

REVIEW: I really enjoy these books. They are opposites attract, boy meets girl…boy hates girl…boy loves girl. Can’t go wrong there. Plus, Simone Elkeles knows how to write some of the best steamy scenes! Kiara was a little surprising to me as a character. She was sort of shy and standoffish, and at the same time very bold and outgoing. It’s a strange mix, and not one you would find very often. She only really seemed shy or overwhelmed when she was put on the spot or being made fun of. She mostly just had a strong personality of a normal teenage girl in my opinion. Carlos was no surprise at all. He was exactly what I was expecting, tough, arrogant and a teenager who thinks he knows everything; but also there is a very vulnerable part to him, the part of himself he tries to hide at all costs.

WHAT I LOVED: I liked the progression of Kiara and Carlos’ relationship. It wasn’t love at first sight, not even really attraction at first sight. It was something that grew as they got to know each other, which is a nice healthy dose of reality.

NOT SO MUCH:: I sort of feel like Carlos didn’t get to tell his story much. Not the in the book so much, but to others. He always kept everything bottled up, so his brother never got to find out everything he didn’t do. Or how he got in trouble for protecting someone. Not that he wasn’t hot headed or anything, but people really did have a very low expectation for him, and while he was helped out in the end, there was nothing really done or said that would raise that much, other than the fact that family helps family, etc.

OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES:

 

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Book Review: Forever - Maggie Stiefvater

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

GENRE: Young Adult – Paranormal/Fantasy
FORM: Audiobook
NARRATOR(s): Jenna Lamia, Pierce Cravens, Dan Bittner, Emma Galvin, Maggie Stiefvater
SERIES: The Wolves of Mercy Falls

SYNOPSIS: Grace is starting to transition back into human form after several months as a wolf, and is still unstable making her shifting unpredictable. Another girl is found dead in the woods, killed by wolves. Using this as justification, some members of Mercy Falls start a wolf-hunt, complete with helicopter and sharp shooters, to kill off the wolf population. Set on savings lives, and finding a cure; Sam, Grace, Isabelle, and Cole work together to try and get the wolves out of Mercy Falls and into safety.

REVIEW: Maggie Stiefvater does not disappoint! Forever had me falling in love again, crying, and on the edge of my seat for almost the entire book. I have loved all three of these books. They are written so beautifully, it’s as if I were reading a novel’s worth of poetry. I feel like Maggie Stiefvater could walk through an art museum, write about what she sees, and you would end up loving the museum better through her descriptions than if you were to have seen them yourself.

The love between Sam and Grace is just affirmed and reaffirmed. I love that there is no swaying, no third party, no love triangle. Sam and Grace have a past, a present and a future, and they will allow nothing to get in the way. In the same way, I loved the development of Cole and Isabella’s characters. When first introduced, they were both unsettled in different ways. Through this book they seem to find a purpose, and a meaning to who they are, without losing some of their more admirable (or unadmirable) personality traits!

WHAT I LOVED: The last line of the book. To me it was just perfect!

NOT SO MUCH: It’s over. Why did I have to finish one of my favorite series, and watch the last Harry Potter in the same day?? That was just wrong.

OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES:

 

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