TTT: Books I was "Forced" to Read

Books I Was "Forced" to Read

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Every week they have a different Top Ten list topic that a bunch of bloggers take and make their own list of those things.

1. Eleanor and Park

Okay, so I wasn't neccesarily "forced" to read this book, but the hype made me do it. Now that's a pretty serious thing considering I almost NEVER read contemporary. So for the reviews to be so good that I felt that I had to pick up a contemporary, you know it's serious hype-age. (Also, I'm so glad that I picked it up seeing as I loved it.)

 

2. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

I know, I know. But I was eight and I thought it would be too scary. But my mom told me that if I wanted to watch the movie with them then I had to read the book. So I did. And the rest is history. ;)

 

3. Eragon

Again, I know. This is one of my favorite series! How was I resistant to read it? But my brother loved it and I had tried to read it and got about a chapter in before deciding that I hated it. But my brother dared me to read it right before the third book came out, and as a young girl I could not turn down a dare. So I read it and LOVED it and of course, I completed the series and it became one of my favorites.

 

4. The Phantom Tollbooth

And by "forced to read it" I mean I was forced to listen to it. This was because my fourth grade teacher read it out loud to our class. This book made my fourth grade mind think pretty hard about some of the concepts, but I loved that about it. It quickly became one of my favorite books.

 

5. Alice in Wonderland

I had to read this one because my school put on a play of Alice in Wonderland. I was playing Alice and so I was supposed to read the book to get a feel for the full story outside of just the script.

 

 

6. The Giver

This was required reading in sixth grade and it was my first foray into dystopian literature. It made me look up other books like it and jump into the genre. And, for sure, some are better than others, but I will always thank The Giver for introducing me to the genre.

 

7. To Kill a Mockingbird

I had to read this in my Sophomore year for English class. This was a beautiful read and I absolutely loved it. It's become one of my favorite classics. (But the most annoying part about having to read this book in English class was when the kids in my class complained about how boring it was and I just wanted to slap their faces...but that's a different story).

 

8. Julius Caesar

This was required reading in my Sophomore English class as well. We read Romeo and Juliet for Freshman year and I thought it was good. But then I read this and I loved it. Of all the Shakespeare works I have read (including Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer's Night Dream, and Macbeth), this one is easily my favorite.

 

9. Poison Study

This was just a recommendation, but on steroids. My friend literally pushed the book into my hands and told me to read it right then and there. So I obliged. And I loved it! It still stands as one of my favorite fantasy books to this day.

 

 

10. The Hiding Place

This was required reading in eighth grade. I think it was my first book about World War II (Not including Molly: The American Girl books). It was heartbreaking and inspirational at the same time. It had me in tears at points (particularly the forgiveness scene. That scene still pops into my head quite often).

House of Hades

House of Hades

By: Rick Riordan

At the conclusion of The Mark of Athena, Annabeth and Percy tumble into a pit leading straight to the Underworld. The other five demigods have to put aside their grief and follow Percy’s instructions to find the mortal side of the Doors of Death. If they can fight their way through the Gaea’s forces, and Percy and Annabeth can survive the House of Hades, then the Seven will be able to seal the Doors both sides and prevent the giants from raising Gaea. But, Leo wonders, if the Doors are sealed, how will Percy and Annabeth be able to escape?

THIS BOOK. This book was so good (if not what I was expecting). It did remind me quite a bit of The Battle of the Labyrinth  in that a ton of stuff happens and the action is just as high, but it's also a set-up book. There are SO many possibilities and loose-ends for the last book. It's nearly impossible to guess where everything is going, but you just know it is going to be fantastic.

At this point I'd like to point out that this is a FREAKING LONG REVIEW. Sorry! I tried to cut it down to size, but I just had too much to say. Also, I should probably state that this is much more of a discussion than a review. It has quite a few spoilers, so if you haven't read the book I would turn back now.

 

Characters:

Percy: Oh baby. Ohhhh Honey. This book was a tough one. Anything that could break him would have to be a freaking nightmare. That's just what Tartarus was. I think we'll see the ramifications of their excursion to Tartarus hardcore in the next book. They literally went through hell together and you don't come back from that in one piece.
And I'd just like to point out the absolute, irrefutable truth of this line,

"Wow. When he started looking back on the war with Kronos as the good old days--that was sad."
 

As far as everything that already happened in Tartarus, wow. It was both fascinating and terrifying to see Percy and Annabeth at their breaking points. (The thing that got me was Percy with the poison-bending). This was a much much MUCH darker setting than we are used to seeing them in and yet they were there to support each other every step of the way.

It killed me to see him hurting so much over Annabeth's Calypso curse. But honestly, the irony of that was brilliant (and a perfect way to reintroduce her into the story). That was probably the scariest curse because it was the one time that Annabeth questioned Percy being there having her back. It was horrible seeing how helpless Percy felt about it all.

We saw Percy's fatal flaw again and again and again on their journey. He has to come to the realization that sometimes he can't save everyone. Sometimes he has to let friends and allies make sacrifices without intervening. His loyalty is unquestionable, but sometimes it clouds his judgment. That's why it is so interesting to see him and Annabeth fighting it out together. Because she isn't nearly as trusting as Percy. She hated trusting Bob and Damasen. Percy trusted that they had a better nature than their siblings.
I also love that Percy is still having doubts and regrets based on his own actions rather than just the actions of others. This is working to keep him humble and humanistic rather than just this unbeatable and invincible hero. When you fight for as long as he has the casualty count adds up and begins to weigh you down. I love that Percy doesn't escape that just because he is the hero of this story. Even if that does make it that much more heart-breaking.
Percy did a lot of growing in this book. He had to come face to face with the fact that these monsters that he's been working for years to kill will keep coming back long past his own mortal life. He could kill them as many times as he physically can and they would still come back to face his children and grand-children. But then I also love how he doesn't lose hope. I thought it was so adorable that the thought of him and Annabeth having kids kept him moving forward.

Annabeth: I actually loved seeing her in this book. She was allowed to cry and still be kick-butt at the same time. I think even when she broke down a bit she managed to keep it together. We see both her vulnerability and her strength. I think a clear moment of this was when she was almost killed by Arachne again and would have been if Percy hadn't been there. And can we just talk about how Annabeth managed to defend herself in the depths of Tartarus without a weapon and FREAKING BLIND. Even in those conditions she took down monsters. But she isn't just a fighter. I think it's important that we see her outwitting monsters as well as outfighting them.

Her and Percy trying to cheer each other up and raise their spirits in Tartarsus was simultaneously adorable and frightening. That they were together was quite literally the only thing keeping them both alive.

Now that we've covered Annabeth and Percy I would like to take a second to say how brilliant I think Rick was for separating the group in this book. Without Percy and Annabeth to save the day, the others were given their own opportunities to shine. They had to become the leaders and the fighters (not that they weren't those things before, but not to the same level as they became them in this book). We got one book with them all together for getting to know each other, but it was Percy and Annabeth holding them all together. I think it was really cool seeing all the different combinations for quests (Jason and Leo, Jason and Hazel, Nico and Frank and Hazel, Jason and Nico). I think one of the most interesting facets of the group's relationship was how nearly every one of them thought of their own power useless, but they all found the others' powers terrifying. Now they had to develop their own relationships with each other and it was wonderful. I think Rick knew that only by separating them again could they become fully cohesive.

Hazel: As if there was any doubt that this girl could kick butt and take names, Hazel Levesque brought it once again. She was meeting goddesses and learning magic and defeating monsters all over the place.
Rick Riordan never ceases to amaze me with his knowledge of his own characters. He uses their pasts as believable opportunities as well as problems. The best example of this is Hazel herself. She spent years among the dead and that sucked, but it also gave her the unique understanding of humans that she needed to operate The Mist. Our pasts are hardly ever straight good or bad. They're more often a confusing mix of both.
I am absolutely loving seeing Hazel come into her element. I knew she had the potential and to see it come to fruition is fantastic. I also loved her journey from kind of unsure of herself to a fighter and a magician.
Frank: YES. He's been one of my favorites since Son of Neptune, but I felt he wasn't given enough time in Mark of Athena. I adored this book for having so much Frank in it!
The beginning of his first section had me smiling because it was so perfect. He's kind of this really powerful, shy, goofball.

"Frank woke up as a Python, which puzzled him."

He had some fantastic development in this book. He grew into his own (apparently he did so physically as well as mentally). At the beginning of this book he was still nervous and quiet and kind of shy and he still felt useless, but by the end he was leading armies of ghosts as a Praetor and being the key to rescuing their friends in time.
I have always been a huge fan of Frank and Hazel together and I think we're seeing that grow. I loved that Hazel was mainly worried that his personality would change after his gift from Mars rather than caring that his physical appearance had changed.
It was great seeing Frank develop relationships with the others on board other than just Percy and Hazel. He was genuinely lovely to Nico about his mom and I loved that little moment when they bonded over playing Mythomagic. I also think that Frank and Leo have the potential to be really great friends. They aren't all that different when you think about it. They both don't think they're good enough or worth anything to the group. They've lost all their family and want to prove themselves using their abilities. They both feel like the goofy sidekicks to Percy and Jason. I think that that's way more than enough for them to bond over, so I really hope that happens more in Blood of Olympus.
Also can I just say that I would like to direct the Frank sections of this book to anyone and everyone who thinks he is a gentle giant or a weakling. Because DANG IT GETS IT DONE, MAN. And yet he still remains his adorable, goofy self. I think this is best stated here,

"Frank had trouble processing her words. Terrifying couldn't apply to him. He was just Frank."

And THAT is the true charm of Frank Zhang, my friends.
I also think that one of the best things about this book was Frank working really hard to get Coach Hedge home after he learned what was going on. He's caring and kind enough that even through the near end of the world he remembers what Coach Hedge is going through and tries to fix it without breaking his promise not to tell anyone. I just... You can't outdo Frank Zhang in terms of kindness.
Piper: Okay, so we didn't actually see that much of Piper in this book. She had one POV section as a highlight, but other than that she kind of stayed in the background. But of her section I'd say that the Khione fight was pretty awesome. She used the things she had available to outwit and outgun Khione, Zethes, and Cal. She might not be the strongest, but that does not make her wimpy. I really liked the little detail that she started learning how to fight with a sword. She took the initiative to not be taken without a fight again. Also, she learned how to take down enemies with a freaking cornucopia! That's pretty awesome, I think.
I also loved the mentions to Piper and Hazel's growing friendship. We got to see Annabeth and Piper become really good friends in Mark of Athena and I think it's really cool seeing all the girls get to know each other. They're all crazy smart, but in different ways. So you just know that together they would make a fantastic team. (I'm hoping for a scene where the three girls all fight together in the last book).
Jason: Ohhhh Jason. I really like you, but sometimes you're just a klutzy goofball (okay, so most of the time). There were three fights on the Argo II and during all of them Jason was incapacitated. He spent one trapped inside a net, another as a popsicle, and the third flying off a cliff while Hazel took care of things. It's not that he's not strong, it's just that he appears to have REALLY bad luck when it comes to, you know, staying conscious. He first section even started out with him being knocked unconscious #helpfuljason. (And I will admit that I started laughing REALLY hard when I read that).
Also, Jason seemed to become the giver of relationship and love advice on the ship? When did that happen... It was cool seeing him in that light though. He was there for Nico and Leo when they needed a friend.
I think it is so fascinating that Jason and Percy want to switch homes. It gives a weird, but cool, insight into their development as characters and in their relationships with their girlfriends. I just hope Percy doesn't have to completely leave Camp Half-Blood. That'd make me too sad.
Leo: This was a fantastic Leo book. Just brilliant. His fight against the Dwarves was so kick-butt. VICIOUS LEO IS ALSO ADORABLE LEO.  I absolutely love his perspective now that he's starting to see his own value to the team. I loved seeing him take out monsters without Jason's help, too. I think that's an important aspect of his development in this book.
Next I just have to talk about LEO AND CALYPSO. I loved x 100,000,000 this new aspect of the story and of Leo's character. I love that they started out sort of hating each other. I love that Leo was sad that he thought Calypso was out of his league. I love that she started wearing jeans when she saw his and that she was great at helping him with repairs. I love the idea of them starting their mechanic business together. I JUST LOVE THEM TOGETHER, OKAY? I have to see a resolution to this story in the next book. Please and thank you.
I also think an important moment for Leo in this book was the change in his relationship with Hazel and Frank. When he cared enough to ask for a fireproof bag for Frank's wood, I just about died. And I love that the tension is gone from his relationship with Hazel because I really love their friendship.
Really, I almost started crying at this line from him,

"Nah," he said. "I'm just a mechanic. But I figure my bisabuelo Sammy knew what was what. He let you go, Hazel. My job is to tell you that it's okay. You and Frank-you're good together. We're all going to get through this. I hope you guys get a chance to be happy."

Nico: An interesting book for him...to say the least. I still feel so bad for him. He's been through so much crap in his life. It was fascinating seeing him interact (or more like, avoid interacting) with the seven. His reasoning felt quite contrived to me and I had trouble believing it, but hopefully it'll work itself out. I don't really like this new addition to the story. I still sometimes see the little boy he was in the Titan's Curse peeking through, he just has a lot more power now.
Reyna: We didn't see that much of her either. Just a couple of glimpses into her journey. But I petition for Annabeth and Reyna to be friends for all time. Period. Their interaction was SO COOL to finally see without distraction. I wonder how much we're going to see of her journey with Nico and Coach Hedge in Blood of Olympus.
Also, We finally learned her last name!
Bob: I LOVE Bob. And now I need to finish reading The Demigod Files so I can see his original story. And bless his titan-sized heart for getting my babies through Tartarus alive. I loved the inner conflict that he was the catalyst for inside of Percy. He reminded me a bit of Tyson in the way that he talked and the side that he brought out of Percy. Also Small Bob made me laugh every time I read the name.
Damasen: I loved him, too. And his big moment when he comes flying in kind of made my life. We knew he was going to, of course, but still. It was pretty epic.
Coach Hedge: Awww. Him and Mellie. I was not expecting that to be his secretive secret, but I'm okay with it. Also CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT COACH HEDGE WAS THE ONE WHO BROUGHT CLARISSE TO CAMP! I would pay so much money to read that story. Like, I need that in my hands. Because that must have been freaking hilarious, man.

Plot:
As I mentioned earlier, this was sort of a set-up book. That's not to say that stuff didn't happen. Actually a TON of stuff happened and it was all action-packed. That just means that a lot of the stuff that happened is leading up to the last book, Blood of Olympus. I loved seeing the two separate, but connected, journeys of the two groups. One was clearly more misery-filled than the other, but they were both pretty freaking tough. There are so many possibilities for the last book that I have no clue where it's headed or what is going to happen, and I both love and hate that. (I love it because it amps up the anticipation but I hate it because I WANT IT NOW.)
I also loved all the connections to the past. We see Calypso again after so long and we finally find out how she is faring without Percy. We see Rachel Elizabeth Dare and Grover again (AND EVEN THE BLUE PLASTIC HAIRBRUSH! Which made me really happy. Ohhh the nostalgia.) And a lot of the monsters we've already faced resurface (like Hyperion and Kelli).

Relationships:
These are clearly a very important part of both the infrastructure of the group and the series as a whole. Also, I love them all so I'm going to talk about them. (There will also be a lot of quotes from wonderful moments between the couples.
Percy and Annabeth:
Ohhhh goodness. Those poor babies. Unfortunately (though to be expected), most of their moments were equal parts heart-breaking and heart-warming.
Here is a collection of some of my favorite moments:

"Tell me about New Rome," she demanded. "What were your plans for us?"
"New Rome...For us..."
"Yeah, Seaweed Brain. You said we could have a future there! Tell me!"
..."Architecture," Percy murmured. The fog started to clear from his eyes. "Thought you'd like the houses, the parks. There's one street with all these cool fountains."

"She...she would've killed me," Annabeth stammered.
Percy kicked the dust on the rocks, his expression grim and dissatisfied. "She died too easy, considering how much torture she put you through. She deserved worse."

"Percy had taken his girlfriend on some romantic walks before. This wasn't one of them."

"Despite being beat-up, sooty, and dressed like a homeless person, she looked great to Percy. So what if they were in Tartarus? So what if they stood a slim chance of surviving? He was so glad that they were together, he had the ridiculous urge to smile."

"She didn't want to sleep, but her body betrayed her. Her eyelids turned to lead. "Percy, wake me for second watch. Don't be a hero."
He gave her that smirk she'd come to love. "Who me?"

"For years, he had worried about Annabeth dying. When you're a demigod, that goes with the territory...But seeing Annabeth like this was too painful. He'd rather stand in the River Phlegethon, or get attacked by arai, or be trampled by giants."

"She couldn't lean on Percy any more than she had to. He needed her, too."

And can we all just take a minute to appreciate the drooling reference?
"For all she knew, she was drooling as badly as Percy did when he slept."

and the summation of their relationship,
"You promised, Seaweed Brain. We would not get separated! Ever again!"
"You're impossible!"
"Love you too!"

Frank and Hazel:
I love them. I love them. I love them. Oh, and did I mention that I love them?

"Frank was so pleased to be holding her hand, the crowds and the heat and the monsters suddenly didn't seem so bad. He felt needed---useful."

"Frank tried to hold it together. He scolded himself for feeling so weak. He could face an army of monsters, but as soon as Hazel showed him kindness, he wanted to break down and cry."

"Frank tackled her in a hug. "You're going to be fine," he said fiercely. "Everything is fine."
"But..." Hazel gripped his shoulders and stared at him in amazement. "Frank, what happened to you?"
"To me?" He stood, suddenly self-conscious. "I don't..."
...Frank was taller. His gut had shrunk. His chest seemed bulkier.
"Uh...I don't...Maybe I can fix it."
Hazel laughed with delight. "Why? You look amazing!"
"I-I do?"
"I mean, you were handsome before! But you look older, and taller, and so distinguished-"

Leo and Calypso:
THIS. THIS RELATIONSHIP. I absolutely adore them together. At first glance you don't think it would work, but then you realize that it is literally perfect for both of them.

"She smirked. "A job, eh? Making things in your forge?"
"Nah, we could start our own shop," Leo said, surprising himself. Starting a machine shop had always been one of his dreams, but he'd never told anyone about it. "Leo and Calypso's garage: Auto Repair and Mechanical Monsters."
"Fresh fruits and vegetables," Calypso offered.
"Cider and stew," Leo added. "We could even provide entertainment. You could sing and I could, like, randomly burst into flames."
Calypso laughed-a clear, happy sound that made Leo's heart go ka-bump."

"For all his joking and flirting, Leo had never kissed a girl before. Well, sisterly pecks on the cheek from Piper, but that didn't count. This was a real, full-contact kiss. If Leo had had gears and wires in his brain, they would've short-circuited.

"He understood how dangerous oaths could be. But Leo didn't care.
"I'm coming back for you, Calypso," he said to the night wind. "I swear it on the River Styx."

Tyson and Ella:
They didn't really show up in the story at all, but Grover mentioned that they're ACTUALLY A THING. And I am really excited.

Humor:
As it always is with Riordan, the humor was right on mark. It added levity to the story, but didn't hinder any of the dramatic moments. In fact, in most cases it added to the dramatic moments (as was the case with Gale the polecat). Some of my favorite laughs include:

"Nico looked around in a panic. "I-I just had the weirdest nightmare about popcorn."

"The voice cackled maliciously. "To curse you, of course! To destroy you a thousand times in the name of Mother Night!"
"Only a thousand times?" Percy murmured. "Oh, good...I thought we were in trouble."

"I appreciate the offer," he said. "But my mom told me not to accept curses from strangers."

"I mean...Annabeth is right!" Percy volunteered. "Bob brought us all this way because he thought you could help. But I guess you're too busy staring at that shield and crying. I can't blame you. It looks just like you."

"Piper didn't plan to shoot blueberry muffins. The cornucopia must have sensed her distress and thought she and her visitors could use some warm baked goods."

And Rick Riordan has this way of phrasing things to make them sound both humorous and terrifying, normally at the same time. Example,
"He realized he was taking a stroll across the most dangerous circulatory system in the universe."

"Back from Tartarus!" Leo whooped. "That's my peeps!"

Quotes:

"It is a tool, like a knife. Is a knife evil? Only if the wielder is evil."

"In ancient times, two great Roman roads met here. News was exchanged. Markets were held. Friends met, and enemies fought. Entire armies had to choose a direction. Crossroads are always places of decision."

"The Greeks invented tragedy. They knew that the greatest heroes didn't get happy endings."

"It's natural to feel fear...All great warriors are afraid. Only the stupid and the delusional are not. But you faced your fear, my son...This was your bridge, and you defended it."

"There wasn't much difference between longing and greed."

"Love is no game! It is no flowery softness! It is hard work-a quest that never ends. It demands everything from you-especially the truth. Only then does it yield rewards."

"Now she realized that the hardest test for a child of Athena wasn't leading a quest or facing death in combat. It was making the strategic decision to step back, to let someone else take the brunt of the danger-especially when that person was your friend. She had to face the fact that she couldn't protect everyone she loved. She couldn't solve every problem."

TTT: Best Series Enders

Best Series Enders

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Every week they have a different Top Ten list topic that a bunch of bloggers take and make their own list of those things.

1. HARRY POTTER
Come on. This was pretty much the best ending to any series ever (besides the whole so-many-people-dying-and-your-childhood-ending-and-your-heart-breaking thing). Rowling showed that she had this planned from the beginning. She knew what she was doing and the final battle was epic and sad and a worthy ending to a series as magical as this. *continues gushing for hours past anyone listening*


2. Clockwork Princess
That epilogue. 'nough said. *all of the tears of joy*


3. Quintana of Charyn
Oh man. A beautiful and worthy ending to a series with as much as importance and strength as this one had. We saw all the characters that we came to love developing and meeting each other and figuring things out. We saw Lumatere and Charyn collide and it was beautiful.


4. The Bitter Kingdom
Yes. Elisa finishing her story arc and her development meant a lot to me. I think her development was everything a heroine should have in the end. She learned her own strength, fought her own battles, and found a guy who appreciates that along the way. I kind of want to be Elisa when I grow up. ;)

5. The Last Olympian
That battle was fantastic. The prophecy was completed. Kronos was defeated. It had the same amount of humor and epicness. Rick Riordan is a genius and knows how to write a great ending.

 oh, and PERCY AND ANNABETH. "It was the best underwater kiss of all time." I mean, the beginning of their relationship was so freaking wonderful.

6. Mockingjay

I know a LOT of people disagree with me on this, but I loved this conclusion. It was dark and gritty and surprising. Plain and simple, it was war. People died and there wasn't time to mourn them. Things changed quickly. Horrible means were used by both sides to reach their ends. There wasn't necessarily a side that was 100% in the right. It didn't glorify war, it depicted it.

7. The Serpent's Shadow
As I said, Riordan knows how to write a good ending. I think my favorite part was seeing the development of Sadie's character and her maturing. (Also, you know, defeating a giant chaos snake. That was good, too.)


8. Forever Princess
Sweet and lovely. More Mia and Michael. Mia working things out with Lilly. Mia working things out for Genovia and coming into her own as a leader. I just loved this conclusion to everything that happened in the ten books. (I think a series that long would be hard to bring to a conclusive end, but this worked.)


9. The Last Battle
This is my second favorite book of the series. I love all the ties to Revelation. Yes, it was horribly sad, but it was also happy in a way.



10. Inheritance
Everything was fantastic about this. I was sad to see this end, being one of my favorite fantasy series. But the quality of the book was at the same level as the other ones and I loved it just as much. (Well, maybe not that last chapter...but I can pretend it didn't happen, right? ;) ) Anyway, I thought the war was realistic in length and span and everything came together in a way that fit the overall tone of the story. Eragon and Saphira got all grown up and stuff.

The Woman Who Rides Like A Man

The Woman Who Rides Like A Man

By: Tamora Pierce

Newly knighted, Alanna of Trebond seeks adventure in the vast desert of Tortall. Captured by fierce desert dwellers, she is forced to prove herself in a duel to the death -- either she will be killed or she will be inducted into the tribe. Although she triumphs, dire challenges lie ahead. As her mythic fate would have it, Alanna soon becomes the tribe's first female shaman -- despite the desert dwellers' grave fear of the foreign woman warrior. Alanna must fight to change the ancient tribal customs of the desert tribes -- for their sake and for the sake of all Tortall.

 

I can't even describe how much better this series is getting as it goes along. The character development is through the roof.

 

Characters:

Alanna: Not just a knight, now she's a shaman, too? I love that she defies the norms at practically every turn. It was cool to see her out in the world and especially with the Bazhirs, after two whole books taking place predominantly at Court. She's more free now and with that comes a lot of expansion to her character. In the first book she learned how to be a boy. In the second book she learned how to be a woman warrior. In this book she learns that other women are pretty cool, too. I think this is a healthy and thoughtful approach to her thinking patterns. Of course when she's smaller and living among all boys she is going to look mostly at herself being a girl to find out what that means. But now that she's revealed her secret she has found out that being a woman isn't a shameful thing (as she might have casually come to think through her time hiding it).

 

Jonathan: Okay, so I still love him. But he needs to get over whatever this is. He started to act like a bratty, presuming child. I hated how he ended up treating Alanna because it almost makes me think that he's never fully understood her, both her desire to fight and be a knight or her femininity.

George: I absolutely adored seeing a glimpse of George's kingdom at The Dancing Dove. I love that he truly cares for his people and feels the need to protect them even if they are thieves and rogues. He respects his responsibility to them deeply, because for a rogue and a King of Rogues he's still allowed to be big on loyalty.

George's reaction after her and Jon's separation was beyond fantastic. He wasn't pushy in the least. He was her best friend first and foremost. He only mentioned his interest a couple times to let her know that he would be there fore her. He waited for Alanna to make the decisions of when she wanted to pursue a relationship with him (the thing that got George into trouble). He just focused on making her laugh and smile again without requiring her undying commitment or promises she couldn't make for him at the time.

And can we just talk about this line for a minute?

 

"There's plenty more fish in the see than Prince Jonathan,...And this particular fish loves you with all his crooked heart."

 

Can you tell that I'm kind of in love with George? ...I thought so.

Thom: He is really scaring me. I thought his conversation with George had a really interesting dynamic. It was sometimes humorous, but only in the most terrifying way. They are both so smart and witty, I'd love to see them verbally face-off.

Myles: His adopting Alanna was everything I didn't know I wanted from this series. It was so great knowing that Alanna could have a future in Olau if she chose it.

 

The Plot and World:

I really can't wait to see everything that Jonathan being The Voice of the Tribes will mean. The Bazhir add a really different aspect to the story than what it was before. And with all the mentions to Duke Roger and Thom trying to raise the dead, you just KNOW that jerk is coming back. I am not looking forward to that, but maybe it'll finally let Alanna get over her guilt for killing her.

 

Quotes:

 

"I think as a human being," she retorted hotly. "Men don't think any differently from women---they just make more noise about being able to."

 

"It does not hurt men to know women have power, too."

 

"And think. IT's not granted to all of us to have one great enemy....The problem is once ye've vanquished such an enemy, life might be a little empty."

 

"Have you ever noticed that when you try to deny some part of yourself, things fall out so you need that part more than any other?"

 

 

 

In the Hand of the Goddess

In the Hand of the Goddess

By: Tamora Pierce

Still disguised as a boy, Alanna becomes a squire to none other than the prince of the realm. Prince Jonathan is not only Alanna's liege lord, he is also her best friend -- and one of the few who knows the secret of her true identity. But when a mysterious sorcerer threatens the prince's life, it will take all of Alanna's skill, strength, and magical power to protect him -- even at the risk of revealing who she really is...

 

I loved this even more than the first one! I practically inhaled this portion of the story. The world, the story, and the characters are just getting stronger and stronger. It's absolutely wonderful.

 

Characters:

Alanna: Can you believe it? She got MORE awesome. I love seeing her development. In this book she knows that she can achieve what she needs to, she's seen her determination put to the test. She's gained belief in her fighting and strength if not in her relationships yet. I thought it was brilliant how the first book focused on her learning how to become a passable page and a boy. This book put more time into her learning how to be a girl and a lady. I loved seeing her explore and accept her own femininity while maintaining that she could fight and kick butt just like any of the other guys.

 She faced the three fears addressed at the beginning and grew through them. She became a knight! What she's been working for in the last two books. I'm excited to see what that means for her development and for the development of the overall story. She's going off on her own to have adventures and learn about herself as a lady knight.

Also, can we talk about how sassy she is? It's easily one of my favorite things about her. For example,

 

"You are brave, kicking a chained prisoner. They must sing heroic ballads about you on winter nights!"

 

"Perhaps your mother betrayed your father with a warthog," Alanna said thoughtfully..."You both certainly have a warthog's manners. Jem there even has a warthog's looks."

 

George: Oh. I love him so much. He's grown on my slowly but surely. Now I don't know what I would do if something happened to him. He's adorable with Alanna and so sweet. (I loved the scene when him and Jon first saw her in a dress). I love that even though he's a thief, he's not a bad character. He's not irredeemable or evil. He's much more complex than that. He obviously has morals because he makes sure not to give Jon or Alanna anything that's been stolen. I just think he's a brilliant character and totally awesome.

Jon: I loved him from the start, but I'm learning to love him even more. It was interesting to see his relationship with Alanna expand past just friendship. He's a bit frustrating at times, but he means well and he's a great warrior and prince.

And I think some of Alanna's sassiness has rubbed off on Jon because this moment had me laughing and cheering out loud (thankfully alone rather than in public).

 

"Jem is very rash," Hilam told Alanna. I'm not. It's going to take far more than these little barbs to pierce my armor---"

"Perhaps my sword will pierce it, then? Jonathan asked coolly from the doorway."

 

Thom: I was wondering when he'd make his way back into the story in the flesh. I'm so anticipating where his ambition and sorcery will take him throughout the rest of the story. His dynamic with Alanna is weird and fascinating. It's especially fascinating because you just now realize that you don't know that much of his personality firsthand as he wasn't in much of the first book.

Gary: His reaction to Alanna's secret was my favorite thing ever. He's my favorite of all of the other knights. We didn't see as much of him in this one, but what we did see I loved just as much as before.

 

Plot:

I am loving the plots and arcs of these books because there are quite a few of them and they are all winding and they twist together in cool ways. I love that there is always something about to happen, something to keep the story engaging. (From the war with Tusaine to Duke Roger to Lady Delia). Now that some of those things have been resolved I am excited to see what comes along next to test Alanna.

 

Writing:

The writing is practically perfect. It's simple and to the point, but it manages to tell the story with this whimsical yet adventurous tone.

I would also like to draw attention to the voices of the characters. Each character sounds different with different tones and intonations. And the different ways of speaking match the characters' personalities and upbringing.

 

Quotes:

 

"Why do boys say someone acts like a girl as if it were an insult?"

 

"...she had learned that boys knew girls as little as girls know boys. It didn't make sense---people are people, after all..."

 

"All right---I'm afraid. But it won't do me any good to give into it, will it?

 

Alanna: The First Adventure

Alanna: The First Adventure

By: Tamora Pierce

"From now on I'm Alan of Trebond, the younger twin. I'll be a knight." And so young Alanna of Trebond begins the journey to knighthood. Though a girl, Alanna has always craved the adventure and daring allowed only for boys; her twin brother, Thom, yearns to learn the art of magic. So one day they decide to switch places: Disguised as a girl, Thom heads for the convent to learn magic; Alanna, pretending to be a boy, is on her way to the castle of King Roald to begin her training as a page. But the road to knighthood is not an easy one. As Alanna masters the skills necessary for battle, she must also learn to control her heart and to discern her enemies from her allies.

My resounding reaction to this book is 'DUDE. Why, oh, why didn't I read this as kid?' It's fantastic! I sped through this in a day and it was perfect. It had me dying to read the next one (which I am actually currently in the middle of). My friends, THIS is fantasy.

The Characters:
Alanna: What can I even say about her other than her obvious awesomeness? Okay, well, she's sarcastic and smart and brave and TOTALLY KICK-BUTT. I'm pretty sure every ten year old girl would want to be her (at least, my ten year old self would have wanted to). She's a bit naïve, but that's perfect for the character because she's so young. She takes sometimes unwise risks, but again, it just makes her believably flawed. I love her determination, her persistence. I also loved how it was showcased more than once in the book (through Ralon and Swordsmanship and various other things). I also loved how her transformation and subsequent deceit about her being a boy was done. You always remember that she's both a girl and kick-butt and that those two things aren't mutually exclusive.
Jon, Gary, Raoul: They are so great! They weren't given an excessive amount of page-time (except Jon), but I loved their friendship with Alanna. They're honest and teasing, but ultimately protective and caring. And they knew how to let her fight her own battles, too.
Myles: LOVE him. Smart, sort of cynical, and also a bit of a loner. But he takes Alanna under her wing and I loved their relationship. He makes a great father figure for Alanna when she really needed one.
George: Oh George. At first I wasn't so sure about him, but gahhhh. I love him so much. He's charming, witty, and complex. Sure, he's a rogue and a thief, but he has morals and understands friendship. I'm so excited to see more of him because I have a feeling he's going to be very important to Alanna.

The World:
Yeah, this is a pretty basic fantasy world (at least what I've seen of it so far), but that doesn't matter. The important part is what the story and the author does with it. And this handles it PERFECTLY. It isn't bland or uninteresting or played out. It's fantasy plain and simple and that's fantasy how I like it. It doesn't need frills. It is compelling in its own right just by its characters and plot alone.

So expect reviews of the other three books soon because I AM JUST SO EXCITED TO READ THEM.

Quotes:

"Was it possible adults weren't as sassured and powerful as she had always believed?"

"Am I a silly child? she thought angrily. "Or am I a warrior?"

"Oh, you'll be a great knight and rescue ladies and slay dragons and the like, but not all the monsters you meet are dragon shaped."

TTT: Book Turn-Offs

Top Ten Book Turn-Offs

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Every week they have a different Top Ten list topic that a bunch of bloggers take and make their own list of those things.
 
1. Insta-Love

I could be wrong, but I don't think I have ever heard of someone who actually likes Insta-love. I always find it sloppy, lazy, and a little cheap. It robs the story of the slow build-up, the tension that makes us all sit on the edge of our seats waiting for the characters to finally open their eyes. My hatred is mostly because I refuse to believe that relationships exist that don't start out at least a little bit awkwardly (unless it slowly turns from a friendship into a relationship, but that's not what insta-love is). If we all voted, do you think we could stop this madness?

2. Half-Hearted World Building
If the author isn't into the construction of the world, then I won't be either. I think if you decide to have your story take place in a different world then you have to devote a sizeable amount of time (at least in the first book) to making your reader understand the world. If you don't then the book with have an overall flat feeling.

3. Characters Keeping Secrets for No Reason
Character: "But...But I can't tell them this huge secret that could ruin all of our lives!"
Me: "Well, why not?"
Character: "Because something is holding me back."
Me: "Okayyyy, what?"
Character: "I don't want to."
Me: *puts book down and walks away*

(Obviously I'm not referring to times when it actually makes sense for the character or they have a good enough reason, like shame, guilt, trying to keep people safe, or things like that. But if it's merely to add drama UGH. Get it out.)

4. When Indecision Makes Up Most of the Plot
I'm a pretty decisive person. So when a character takes a whole book (or even half of it) to make one decision it tends to bug me. I mean, if other things are happening and the decision is only brought up every once in a while before being resolved, that's fine. But if it is just the character thinking about the decision for chapters on end I can't stand it.

5. Aimless Wandering
This is why I don't read a lot of contemporary. Sometimes it works (like with Little Women, which is one of my favorite books). But other times I just need the story to get places and for things to happen.

6. Language
This is more of a personal one. I know a lot of people disagree with this and that's totally fine. I personally don't cuss and prefer finding other words to describe how I'm feeling. For that reason I don't like reading excessive cussing and bad language. But I also understand its use in contemporary. Teens cuss. Usually a lot. So, as with the other things on this list, there are exceptions. I didn't mind it in Eleanor and Park because it was used for a purpose and to make a point about Eleanor's step-dad. It's when it's used just to be used that I have a problem with it.

7. Amnesia
I honestly don't know what it is about this storyline, but I CANNOT STAND the "this person woke up with amnesia and now must find themselves" plot line. I have tried over and over and over again to read these kind of books, but I always have the same negative reaction. I've even tried what some people call the best amnesia book they've ever read (Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac) and I still couldn't bring myself to enjoy it.

8. "Dark, Brooding, Handsome" and Boring Love Interest
I don't get this one at all. What is so desirable about a silent, sad, "strong" guy. Give me a genuinely flawed hero with a backstory and a heart over that any day. Heck, give ANY OTHER TYPE OF GUY CHARACTER. Just not the "strong and silent type." It's been done. It's played out. I never liked it and I never will.

9. When the Actions of a Character Don't Fit the Character as has been Described
This isn't referring to character growth or development. For example, I'm talking about when the book tells you that a character isn't rash or action-seeking and then a couple pages (and 100 rash and action-seeking decisions without the slightest hesitation shown) later they are a totally different character than we were just told. If you're going to do that then show the character hesitating or deciding to be brave and rash. (A great example of how to do this right is The Girl of Fire and Thorns).

10. "Forbidden Love"

UGH. Just like the brooding hero, this is a thing that I have never EVER enjoyed. I usually find the love to be superficial (and actually, it usually IS insta-love) and fueled only by adrenaline. I won't even pick up a book if its summary hints at this.