In My Mailbox (06)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren where bloggers showcase the books they received over the week.

I've been having an awesome week in terms of books. I got a few good books in the mail, and then I bought a few books that were on sale.

Library:

 From top to bottom:

-Evernight by Claudia Gray; I've been hearing a lot about this series, both good and bad, so I thought I might check it out.

- Wolf Blood by N.M. Browne; This looks pretty cool. It's set in the first century AD and about Celts being invaded by Romans. And I'm guessing it has werewolves in it? Awesome.

- Spellbound by Cara Lynn Schultz; I'm not sure what to expect of this book. I've heard both good and bad things. *fingers crossed*

- All I Ever Wanted by Vikki Wakefield; This looks... interesting. I look forward to diving into it. Plus, it's Aussie, so I'm pretty sure it's going to be great.

- Anything Goes by Lucy Moore; For NaNoWriMo this year, I'm writing a book set in the 1920's, and this seems to be the only book my library has on the topic of flappers. Pretty much research, but it looks like it'll be fun.

- A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness; I've heard ridiculously good things about this book, so I'm really looking forward to this.

Bought:

 - The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin; I was really excited for this book, until the bad reviews came rushing in. Now I'm slightly wary about it. *fingers crossed*

- The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor; I'd been anticipating this book all year, and as soon as it found its way onto my doorstep, I started reading it. And let me tell you, it does not disappoint. Be on the lookout for a review on it soon. (also, I LOVE the cover. It's so pretty and shiny in the light, and fades in the darkness. Brilliant!)

- Chapter after Chapter by Heather Sellers; I'm in need of some books on the craft of writing, and this looked pretty intriguing. Plus, it was a nice price, which is amazing, since books (and non-fiction books at  that!) are expensive here in Australia.

- Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu; I'd been looking forward to this book for ages. I flicked through it when I first got it, and man, it has such beautiful pictures. I really can't wait to start this.

- The Incendiary's Trail by James McCreet; I got this from a discount book store (for any Melbournians out there, it's where the Angus & Robertson used to be on the corner of Bourke and Elizabeth street. Check it out), where each book was $5. And, it looks pretty cool.

- Android Karenina by Tolstoy and Winters; I've never tried the redone classics, so I figured this might be a good time to start them.

- Zombie Apocalypse! created by Stephen Jones; I love zombies. And this looks cool as. It's told from a whole bunch of different forms of media, which is pretty awesome. I'm interested to see how it unfolds.

- The Legend of Sigurd & Gudrun by J.R.R. Tolkien; I'm a massive Tolkien fan, but I never bought this book because it was always so overpriced. Well, I finally got it from the discount book store, and I can't wait to read it.

- Writing Young Adult Fiction for Dummies by Deborah Halverson; Once again, I'm in need of books on writing, and this looks like the best to learn the bare bones of the craft.

Now, this last one isn't quite new. I got it a few weeks ago, but I still feel that I ought to mention it. It's the cause for my lack of posting lately.

Meet the newest member of my family: Layla. She's a white German Shepherd and an adorable little fluffball who just loves sleeping in cute and interesting positions. :)

What did you get in you mailboxes this week? What do you think of the books I got? Feel free to leave your links in the comments

In My Mailbox (05)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren where bloggers showcase the books they received over the week. 

I had a fantastic mailbox this week. I'm so excited for all the books I got, and have no idea what to start first. Have a look and tell me in the comments what you think I should start with. :)

Bought:

From top to bottom:

-The Drowning City by Amanda Downum; Pirates, thieves and necromancers? Man, this sounds like my kind of book!

- Ganymede by Cherie Priest; Can I just say 'AHHHHHHHHHH'? I love Cherie Priest's Clockwork Century series, and I'm so super excited to dig into the newest installment.

- The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson; So, I've been seeing talk about this book for a while, and apparently it has something to do with Jack the Ripper? That sounds like my cup of tea.

- Angel Arias by Marianne de Pierres; I still haven't read the first book, even though i own it, and it's signed, so maybe now that I have the second, I'll have more incentive to read it. Apparently it's great.

- Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins; OH MY GOSH, I am so excited for this. I really loved Anna, and have high expectations for this one.

- The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern; I've heard mixed reviews about this one, so I'm curious to check it out. Here's hoping I'll like it. *fingers crossed*

Won:

- Sisters Red by Jackson pearce; I won this from Jackson Pearce's #sweetly day. I kind of almost screamed when the postie came to drop it off. Thank you so much, Jackson!!! 

Library:

 - Special A by Maki Minami; I love manga, and I love discovering new manga. Has anyone read this series before? If so, what do you think of it?

- Love in Complete Sentences by Mary E. Mitchell; This looks... interesting. It's not usually what I go for, but I'm willing to try new things.

-Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep; I've been hearing talk about this series for a while now, and I really want to see what the fuss is about. Is this just another fad, or something worth reading?

- The Fear by Charlie Higson; This is the third book in the Enemy series, and OH MY GOSH, I am so excited to read this. The last two books kept me gnawing at my nails from the suspense. Seriously, guys, if you haven't read the first two books, do it immediately.

-Fables, vol 12: The Dark Ages by Bill Willingham; Man, this series is such a ride. I'm depressed that I'm slowly catching up to the current issues. Waiting a year or more for each volume is so not appealing. *sighs*

- Jack of Fables, vol 1: The (Nearly) Great Escape by Bill Billingham; This is a spin-off series from Fables, so I'm sort of excited to start this. I want as much Fables as I can get my hands on.

What did you get in you mailboxes this week? What do you think of the books I got? Feel free to leave your links in the comments.

* Don't forget to enter my Dark Angel giveaway. It's international, and is open for only 6 more days.

Review: The Iron Duke

The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook

Pages: 378, paperback

ISBN: 9780425236673

Publisher: Berkley Trade

Date Released: October 5th, 2010

Genre: Adult / romance / historical / steampunk / action

Source: library

Premise: 

First in an all-new series where seductive danger and steampunk adventure abound in the gritty world of the Iron Seas.

After the Iron Duke freed England from Horde control, he instantly became a national hero. Now Rhys Trahaearn has built a merchant empire on the power-and fear-of his name. And when a dead body is dropped from an airship onto his doorstep, bringing Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth into his dangerous world, he intends to make her his next possession.

But when Mina uncovers the victim's identity, she stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens the lives of everyone in England. To save them, Mina and Rhys must race across zombie-infested wastelands and treacherous oceans-and Mina discovers the danger is not only to her countrymen, as she finds herself tempted to give up everything to the Iron Duke.
(Taken from Goodreads)

Buy it From: Book Depository / Amazon

This was something that I'd been looking forward to for a while I love steampunk with all my heart. In fact, I constantly wish that I had been born in an alternate reality where society depended on steam and clock powered machinery, where the limits of society could be pushed. And that's what I think is the most appealing thing about steampunk: that the real social rules and gender expectations can be changed. In a dark, bleary world filled with smog and machinery, everyone needs to be strong, even the women. Here, there's a chance to make strong women who can handle their own.

The world building here is amazing. From the beginning, we're thrown into a world where England is recovering from being taken over by a foreign power called the Horde. They're technologically advanced,  depending on nanoagents to survive in the smoggy streets of London. With each word, I got more and more hooked into this incredible world.
And it doesn't just stop at London. No, they travel across the English channel, in an airship, sailing across a ravaged Europe that's been taken over by zombies. Even their time aboard the airship is fantastic, because it's new, it's steampunk, it's described as this awesome setting.

I loved most of the characters, except for the Iron Duke (more on him later). There was no shortage of strong female characters. Mina is a half-English, half-Horde detective, and because of that, she's seen as a sort of abomination. People still resent the fact that they had been dominated by the Horde for so long, and a lot of them express distaste towards her appearance.
In that regard, I liked the way the Horde was portrayed, because she herself has it running through her veins. But it didn't stop me from feeling uneasy every time the Horde was described as a people. The way the text described them was done so in a fairly racist manner. The Horde was clearly meant to be an Asian power of some sort, due to the constant amount of times they were described as Mongols, and having slanting eyes, and that an entire race of people are made into the bad guys, well, it just doesn't sit well with me. Now, I'm sure it wasn't the author's intention to villainise  an entire race/culture, but it's still kind of awkward to read.

Another strong female character that I loved was Yasmeen. Man, she was tough. She sure doesn't take shit from anyone. She's a captain of her very own airship, and literally does what she wants, when she wants (and sometimes for a hefty fee). Like I said, the strong female characters are certainly present.

There is so much action here, that you wouldn't believe. There's always something ridiculously fast-paced going on, and sometimes, there isn't time to take a breath before you get plunged into the next action-packed scene. This book has it all: plenty of explosions, zombies, kraken, devious plots, sword-fights. You won't tire of the story here.

One major downfall, though, is the romance. This is described as a romantic--or at least sizzling--steampunk novel. For the first half of the book, the Iron Duke harasses Mina, begging her for kisses and constantly propositioning her, despite her saying no very clearly, and many times.
Then he sexually assaults her, thinking that she couldn't possibly say no to sex if he shows her what she's been missing out on. After all, she just hasn't witnessed the greatness of his dick, or something along those lines.
Then, he rapes her twice: once while she's sleeping, and another time at the very end of the book--where she very firmly tells him no. But it's okay, because he's so sexy, that it makes the whole situation romantic, right? Ugh.
This book would have been a 5 star book, and would have earned a place on the favourites shelf and I would have bought myself a copy immediately. But the rape-y bits just made me squirm uncomfortably.

So, avoid this book if you're prone to being tirggered by mentions of rape. I wish I had known about that.

I'm really looking forward to the next book in this series, Heart of Steel, which comes out in November of this year, and apparently follows Yasmeen, which I'm excited about. 

10 Second Review: Fantastic world building, strong female characters, and enough action to make you think you're stuck in an 80's action flick. WARNING: rape scenes dressed up as romance.

Cover Art: 3
Plot: 5
Characters: 3.5
Writing: 3.5
Level of Interest: 4


Total Rating: 4/5 stars

Review: Leviathan

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

Pages: 440, hardcover

ISBN: 9781416971733

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: October 6th, 2009 (First published September 22nd, 2009)

Genre: YA / steampunk / alternate history / adventure

Source: bought

Premise:

Prince Aleksander, would-be heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battletorn war machine and a loyal crew of men.

Deryn Sharp is a commoner, disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She's a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.

With World War I brewing, Alek and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way…taking them on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure that will change both their lives forever.

(Taken from Goodreads)

Buy it From: Book Depository / Amazon

The first thing I have to mention here is the cover and the drawings. The cover just draws you in, making you feel like a part of the story. I won't lie, this cover is a million times better than their revised cover: ICK.
And the drawings add this whole new aspect to the story. They're beautifully done, and I could just stare at them for hours. They definitely added a lot to the story.

I should mention that the only issue I had with this book was the language. Bum-rag? Seriously? Now, I understand that this is a YA book aimed at the younger side of the spectrum, but it kind of ruins the flow of the story. It makes me roll my eyes and groan in pain.
Other than that, the writing was lovely and descriptive.

Now onto characterisation. I love Deryn. In summation, she's a steampunk Mulan and doesn't take shit from anyone. She has her dreams, and she follows them, despite her gender. She's smart, independent, and just a little bit stubborn.
Alek was also strong. For a boy who'd just lost his parents and has a whole empire thirsting for his blood, he handles the situation snd himself quite well.

The two different views, the Darwinists and the Clankers, they added so much depth. The way they were described--from both perspectives--it was just amazing. Deryn and Alek's views on the life of the other gave us so much insight. Alek thought that the Darwinist creatures were Godless beasts, and Deryn saw the Clanker machines as soulless pieces of metal. They each think that their own views are the correct ones, and it reminds me of certain religious groups, how they think they're so correct, and that anyone who disagrees is wrong and soulless.

This is an amazing book, one that I would recommend to everyone. Though written for the younger side of YA, I think even adults can get a lot out of this. I'll be reviewing the sequel, Behemoth, sometime soon.

Art: 5
Plot: 5
Characters: 4
Writing: 3
Level of Interest: 5

Total Rating: 5/5 stars

Review: Magic Under Glass

Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore

Pages: 225, paperback

ISBN:9781408802120

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Date Released: February 1st, 2010

Genre: YA / fantasy / light steampunk / romance / faeries

Source: bought

Premise:

Nimira is a music-hall performer forced to dance for pennies to an audience of leering drunks. When wealthy sorcerer Hollin Parry hires her to do a special act - singing accompaniment to an exquisite piano-playing automaton, Nimira believes it is the start of a new life. In Parry's world, however, buried secrets stir.

Unsettling below-stairs rumours abound about ghosts, a mad woman roaming the halls, and of Parry's involvement in a gang of ruthless sorcerers who torture fairies for sport. When Nimira discovers the spirit of a dashing young fairy gentleman is trapped inside the automaton's stiff limbs, waiting for someone to break the curse and set him free, the two fall in love. But it is a love set against a dreadful race against time to save the entire fairy realm, which is in mortal peril.

(Taken from Goodreads)

Buy it from: Book Depository / Amazon

I had been so excited to read this book, and it wasn't what I had expected. In a good way.

The most important aspect about this book is the magical elements and the world building. It was done in such a way that, not only does it feel believable, it feels natural. From the Victorian-esque universe to the prejudice that Nimira has to face for her skin colour and background, and the slight hints of steampunk, it created this nice blend.

I really liked Erris and the way that he interacts with Nim when they're first getting to know each other. Though the book is short--too short for my liking; I wish it had gone on for several hundred more pages--their relationship grows into something sweet. That said, I didn't feel too much character growth on Nim's part, which I feel was partly due to the shortness of the novel. Nim started off as a well-rounded character: strong, independent, dealing with the pressure of coming from a well-off background to being looked down upon because of her ethnicity and occupation.

The political intrigue in this book was the bast part, I thought. It was all explained in such a way that didn't make it seem dull, or like a history text-book, which I found most surprising. I haven't come across too many YA books that deal with that sort of thing and come off natural like this book does.

Now for the magical aspect: the fey, the alchemy, how Erris works, it was so wonderful to read about, and I loved it. Everything was very well-thought out. This is a world that I would love to immerse myself in over and over again.

I can't wait to read the sequel, Magic Under Stone. I have high expectations of it.
Also, the US paperback to this book came out on the 24th of May, and you can find info here.

Cover Art: 4
Plot: 4
Characters: 4
Writing: 3
Level of Interest: 5

Total Rating: 5/5 stars

Review: Behemoth

Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld

Pages: 485, hardcover

ISBN: 9781416971757

Publisher:

Date Released: October 5th, 2010 (first published September 25th, 2010)

Genre: YA / steampunk / historical
Source: library

Premise:

The behemoth is the fiercest creature in the British navy. It can swallow enemy battleships with one bite. The Darwinists will need it, now that they are at war with the Clanker powers.

Deryn is a girl posing as a boy in the British Air Service, and Alek is the heir to an empire posing as a commoner. Finally together aboard the airship Leviathan, they hope to bring the war to a halt. But when disaster strikes the Leviathan's peacekeeping mission, they find themselves alone and hunted in enemy territory.

Alek and Deryn will need great skill, new allies, and brave hearts to face what's ahead.

(Taken from Goodreads)

Buy it from: Book Depository / Amazon

To start off with: I hate the cover. It is such a disaster compared to the masterpiece that was the original Leviathan cover. What went wrong? If I were some random browsing the aisles of the YA section of my local bookstore, I would have shrunk back in disgust, and quickly averted my eyes, as if the horrific cover might somehow infect me. In fact, that's exactly what happened when I did encounter this book. I had heard news of Behemoth's release, and I eagerly went forth to buy the book, which I had pictured would be similar in majesty and beauty as Leviathan had been. But no, I was met with this monstrosity. Once again, I ask, what went wrong? What were Simon Pulse thinking? I actively avoided buying this book for almost a year, until I managed to get my hands on it for $1 when a Borders was closing down. Even then, I was reluctant. Was I willing to pay $1 to have this accident of a cover sit next to my beloved copy of Leviathan? Finally, I caved in, but only because I had already borrowed it from the library and loved what was between those frightening covers.

And this is coming from a hardcore fan of the first book. I had waited impatiently for over a year to read Behemoth. I loved the first book so much. I reread it several times. And you know what the worst thing is? That the cover for Behemoth would have been even more stunning than it was for Leviathan. Here, have a look. Aren't you just seething with rage? It's beautiful, isn't it. I don't understand what Simon Pulse were thinking. They had potentially lost a customer (me) and maybe many more with their hideous reboot covers. (and to be brutally honest, I don't know who's who on the reboot covers. Whoops. :-/ )

Now, cover rant aside, I loved this book. If I thought Leviathan was good, then this is just a work of art, meant to be savoured.

This book deals with a lot of emotional baggage, from Deryn's experience with her father dying a few years earlier, to her developing crush on Alek. But, poor girl, she can't reveal her feelings to him without revealing her true identity! And with that came a fresh and delightful dose of drama. Especially when a new girl enters the picture, causing jealousy to spark from poor Deryn. The results were completely unexpected and hilarious, and I couldn't have been more pleased at the maybe-love-triangle.

And while Deryn is struggling to hide her true identity, so is Alek. He's in a new world, filled with the enemy. At any moment, he could be found and killed. The similarities between the experiences of Alek and Deryn make this a great tool to understanding their characters and their motives. They mirrored each other in so many ways, and it was awesome reading about their characters.

The plot is just as exciting as it was in Leviathan, with explosions starting right off the bat (if you're into that sort of thing). And after that, there's non-stop action and suspense all throughout the book, making it literally impossible to put down. I sat with Behemoth in my hands for four hours, braving a grumbling tummy and neglected housework. It will leave you completely hooked and wanting more.

The writing is amazing, but, it still uses the annoying over-used vocabulary like bum-rag and such. Thankfully, the descriptions make up for it. Everything was described so vividly that it was really easy to imagine what was happening, and what everything looked like. This is especially amazing in the completely new setting of Turkey, where everything feels surreal, exotic and wild. The city actually felt like a whole new character, just like how the Leviathan felt like a character in the first book. For that, I applaud Westerfeld. It's hard to pull off a setting like that, and to make it feel like a living, breathing characters with its own flaws and characteristics.

And, lastly, I have to give an honorable mention to Keith Thompson, whose artworks also feature in this book. Once again, they have left me speechless with their precise beauty. They certainly add depth to an already fantastic book.

I'm eagerly awaiting Goliath, but, unless they go back to the original covers, I probably won't buy it. The cover just looks bad. I'm very picky with my covers, as you can see. But August can't come soon enough.

Cover Art: 0
Plot: 5
Characters: 5
Writing: 4
Level of Interest: 5

Total Rating: 4/5 stars