Writing Quote of the Day
| February 22, 2012 | Posted by ljquillyn under Things that inspire me |
Writing is a form of therapy; sometimes I wonder how all those who do not write, compose or paint can manage to escape the madness, melancholia, the panic and fear which is inherent in a human situation.
– Graham Greene
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Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer
| February 21, 2012 | Reviews |
Cinder by Marissa Meyer In a nutshell: Cinder is a retelling of Cinderella. In this version, Cinder is a cyborg and the best mechanic in New Beijing. She spends her days working in her booth in the marketplace to earn money for her horrible stepmother to spend on fancy dresses. Things start to get interesting…
You’re right, Mr. Doctorow.
| February 15, 2012 | Things that inspire me |
Planning to write is not writing. Outlining, researching, talking to people about what you’re doing, none of that is writing. Writing is writing. –E. L. Doctorow Related Posts:Stuff I learned from Vampire AcademyWhat are you pretty good at?Fanfare for the writer, please?What will you say today? Don’t worry so much about your writing – just…
Believing in what I do
| February 14, 2012 | Musing on life, Writing with confidence |
“If being an egomaniac means I believe in what I do and in my art or music, then in that respect you can call me that… I believe in what I do, and I’ll say it.” -John Lennon Word. I believe in the work that authors do. I’ve been thinking a lot about this…
Stuff I learned from Vampire Academy
| February 13, 2012 | Improving your writing, Writing with confidence |
Well, I guess being sick isn’t all bad. I spent nearly all of last week reading. I’m too fatigued to do much of anything, so I can at least enjoy books! I used this opportunity to read the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. Honestly, I don’t know why I put off reading those for…
Review: Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy, book 6) by Richelle Mead
| February 12, 2012 | Posted by ljquillyn under Reviews |
Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy, book 6) by Richelle Mead
Spoiler alert: I mention something big from the previous book. If you haven’t read it yet, don’t read this!
In a nutshell: This is the final installment in the Vampire Academy series. The Moroi world is in turmoil after the murder of Queen Tatiana and Rose has been accused of committing the crime. Dimitri is still trying to convince Rose that he has no feelings for her any more. Rose is trying to convince herself to move on. Lissa might have a chance at becoming the new monarch. So much is going on! This book is about setting things right – finding the murderer, settling all the crazy romance drama, and bringing peace back to the Moroi/dhampir society.
What I liked about this book:
1. Again, suspenseful. Especially the second half!
2. The ending. I love the way things turned out (for the most part). I also noted that there were some loose ends that didn’t quite get tied up…. Bloodlines, anyone? I can’t wait to read that series.
3. Dimitri is a pretty awesome love interest. He actually kind of reminds me of Harry Dresden from Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files. Something about the constant presence of the duster and the ingrained need to do what’s right.
Drawbacks to this book:
1. It felt a little too long to me. There’s a section where the fugitives are hiding out at a Moroi/damphir/human commune that doesn’t seem to have too much bearing on the rest of the story. I’m wondering if that was set up for use in Bloodlines.
2. I figured out who the murderer was about halfway through the book, so I didn’t quite feel the punch I wanted at the end.
Urgency to read: Read this soon! It’s so good.
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Review: Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy, book 5) by Richelle Mead
| February 11, 2012 | Posted by ljquillyn under Reviews |
Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy, book 5) by Richelle Mead
In a nutshell: So much has happened to Rose in the last several months. She’s helped put the criminal Victor Dashkov in prison, killed Strigoi, hunted down her former lover turned Strigoi (though she didn’t succeed in killing him), saved lives, and seen some deaths. In the previous book, Rose learned that there might be someone who knows how to turn Strigoi back to normal. If there’s any shred of truth in this, Rose knows that she has to explore it for Dimitri’s sake. That’s what Rose and her friends set out to do in this book. The question is, how can things ever return to normal, even if Dimitri can be saved?
What I like about this book:
1. I love Lissa in this book. She’s come into her spirit powers and is determined to use them to better the world, even at risk to her own mental health.
2. Reluctantly, I have to admit that I like how the love story between Dimitri and Rose has evolved. She expected things to go back to normal after rescuing Dimitri, but after everything he’s been through, he’s not so sure. There was a lot of ugliness between them in the fourth book and he is not willing to let go of that so quickly.
3. The end of this book is surprising. I’m wondering if maybe our unhinged criminal is behind it even though Rose is being accused. Either way, I didn’t see it coming, even with the tarot reading.
Drawbacks to this book:
1. All of Rose’s progress toward becoming responsible and thinking about the consequences of her actions seems to have dissolved by this book. I’m trying to figure out if Dimitri’s influence was all that kept her on the straight and narrow or if she really did undergo change in the last few books and then revert once things got too tough. Releasing an unhinged criminal from prison, even if it is to get important information, seems like a risk that no guardian should take with her Moroi’s life. Aren’t there other ways to get information? So far, Rose hasn’t really seemed to suffer any consequences of this horrible decision. Waiting to see how that turns out.
2. I’m not sure how I feel about the change in venue for the story. For this book, much of the action takes place at the royal court. That’s fine, but I’m not sure about the daily activities of the recently graduated Guardians. Rose sometimes has duties, but often doesn’t. I’m just trying to figure out what the new Guardians are supposed to be doing during this time.
Urgency to read: Still the same as with the last installment. If you enjoyed Twilight, you’ll love this. Or if you just like ya fiction and vampires in general.
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Review: Blood Promise (Vampire Academy, book 4) by Richelle Mead
| February 10, 2012 | Posted by ljquillyn under Reviews |
Blood Promise (Vampire Academy, book 4) by Richelle Mead
Spoiler alert: I couldn’t really describe the premise of this book without hinting at what happened in the previous ones. If you haven’t read those yet, you might wait to read this review.
In a nutshell: Rose has done a lot of growing up in the last few books and this feels like a culmination of it. She’s lost the man she loves, the man who taught her so much about real life, love, duty, and (though she doesn’t really like to admit it) herself. Not only has she lost him, but in the worst possible way. Recalling a conversation they’d had at one time (check book 1, you know, when they agree that if they were ever turned Strigoi they’d want to die), Rose sets out on a journey to Siberia to make her peace. In the process, she learns that there might be some hope afterall – that is, if she and Dimitri don’t kill each other first.
What I like about this book:
1. This book is probably my favorite of the series so far. Rose’s character development through this series has been really well done. She starts out in book 1 as a brash, reckless girl who means well, but doesn’t understand the weight of her decisions. By book 4, she’s killed Strigoi, fallen in love, seen friends die, and begun to understand that not everything always works out how she would like.
2. This book made me cry. Several times. Usually, I don’t like books or movies that make me cry. This time, however, I wanted to grieve with Rose. I love the section of the book where she’s in Baia with Dimitri’s family, learning more about him and mourning with them. Reading as she recounts her memories was a sweet release after the horror at the end of book 3.
3. Dimitri really does go all dark in this book. He says and does ugly things. Just like Rose, I didn’t want to believe that Dimitri could lose all sense of himself that way, but he does. As an author, I would have a hard time writing a beloved character as a monster. That’s something I’m taking away from this – everybody has to go through darkness.
4. Fun, new characters are added in this book that give new complexity to the world of Vampire Academy. Love them.
Drawbacks to this book:
The only thing that I’ve started to notice is that I can’t keep track of time in these books. I get kind of confused by the descriptions because the vampire morning is actually evening. Unless I read the actual hour of the day, I really can’t always tell.
Urgency to Read: I’ve said this before. Go get the whole series immediately! They are such fun to read. I’ve been going through a book per day, approximately.
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Review: Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy, book 3) by Richelle Mead
| February 9, 2012 | Posted by ljquillyn under Reviews |
Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy, book 3) by Richelle Mead
In a nutshell: Rose’s bond with Lissa has always been the only effect she has felt from being shadow-kissed. She can sense Lissa’s feelings, location, and even see through her eyes if she chooses to. Now she’s starting to learn that being shadow-kissed links her not just to Lissa, but also to see spirits (just like the spirits, Rose has brushed with the world of the dead). This book explores Rose’s shadow-kissed state. In other news, there’s a massive Strigoi attack on the school and the romance between Rose and Dimitri heats up.
What I like about this book:
1. The suspense in this book kept me riveted. I couldn’t stop reading! There was so much going on with the love situations and the friend situations and figuring out magic and all that. I didn’t want the book to end, but I really wanted to know how it would resolve.
2. The end of this book is like a punch in the heart. It made my chest ache.
3. I love how the overall story spans the entirety of the first three books, but there’s a stand-alone plot in this one too. I know I said this about the first book, but this is how a series should be done. I was dying to read the next one, but also satisfied at the resolution of the current book.
Drawbacks to this book:
None. This book is fantastic.
Urgency to read: Extreme urgency for this series if you like YA Fiction and vampires.
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Review: Frostbite by Richelle Mead (Vampire Academy, book 2)
| February 8, 2012 | Posted by ljquillyn under Reviews |
Frostbite by Richelle Mead (Vampire Academy, book 2)
In a nutshell: We rejoin Rose and Lissa a few weeks after the end of the first book. That whole mess with Victor Daskov trying to abuse Lissa’s rare magical ability is behind them (for now) and things are returning to normal. That is, until there are more Strigoi attacks on innocent Moroi families. We’re talking horrible massacres of whole families (including their guardians and children). Rose, meanwhile, is trying to finish up her training at the academy so that she’ll be ready for her field experience and then graduation. When she’s supposed to take a test administered off-campus by a famous guardian, she’s excited. When she gets to his house and finds that he and a whole family have been killed (and right before Christmas), things change. The authorities at the academy decide that the best possible choice is to take all the students to a secure Moroi-owned lodge for winter break. That way families can come and enjoy the vacation, but the Guardians can control the security of the place. That’s all fine until a few students leave the lodge to go hunt Strigoi. Rose feels responsible because she’s the one who tipped them off to the possible location of said Strigoi. Plus there’s more stuff going on with magic. And in the romance department, there may be a new lady in Dimitri’s life.
*Useful Definitions:
Dhampir – Offspring of Moroi and another dhampir or Moroi and human. Always turn out half vampire, half human. Dhampirs live to protect the Moroi (most of them grow up to be guardians).
Moroi – Living vampire. Seem kind of like the enlightened class of vampires. There are 12 royal families that sort of switch off ruling duties. There are nobles and non-royals as well among this class.
Strigoi – Undead vampire. Humans can be made into Strigoi if they are drained and then fed vampire blood. Moroi can become Strigoi by killing the person on whom they are feeding. Strigoi are thought to be immoral and evil by Moroi and Dhampirs.
What I like about this book:
1. Again, just like the first one, I couldn’t put it down. I read it all in one day.
2. Great suspense in this book. I love when an author hints at the worst thing that could happen and then makes it happen. At first hint, you think, “No, no, that’s too terrible. The author wouldn’t subject me to such worry.” Oh yes she would!
3. Great teenage drama in this book. I love being inside Rose’s head. It is so familiar to what it was like when I was a teenager. I often found myself so worked up and frustrated that I’d say things I didn’t mean just to get a rise out of somebody (usually my parents – sorry mom & dad). As words tumbled out of my mouth, I found myself thinking, “Did I really just say that? I don’t mean it. Oh well, I’m so pissed off right now!”
4. Lissa and Christian are a really adorable couple.
Drawbacks to this book:
I’m having trouble thinking of any.
Urgency to read: You should probably just go to the library and pick up the whole series (or buy the whole thing, it’s the type of series you could read more than once). As I said before, YA fiction & vampire enthusiasts will enjoy this series.
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