Friday Blog Hops #4

Feature & Follow Friday is hosted by Rachel at Parajunkee and Alison at Alison Can Read. Participating in Follow Friday is a great way to connect with other bloggers.

This weeks question is: It's that pesky magic book fairy again! She has another wish: What imaginary book world would you like to make a reality?

It would be so hard to pick just one! So aside from Harry Potter (I mean who wouldn't want to do magic and play quidditch and eat all that neat-o candy), I think I would choose to make the world from the Fever books by Karen Marie Moning real. I really enjoy the story of the fey and Jericho is awesome! I've only read the first book, but already the world is so engrossing that I need more! I also love the fact that it is set in Dublin which is pretty much a whole other world to me already. And also the Sookie Stackhouse universe (more True Blood than the novels though) because there is never a dull moment in Bon Temps and it seems like everyone is something special be it a vamp, were, shifter, or faerie!

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

An Abundance of Katherines
John Green
Published September 21, 2006 by Dutton Juvenile
Source: Purchased

When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton’s type is girls named Katherine. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Nineteen times, to be exact.
On a road trip miles from home, this anagram-happy, washed-up child prodigy has ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a bloodthirsty feral hog on his trail, and an overweight, Judge Judy-loving best friend riding shotgun but no Katherines. Colin is on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he hopes will predict the future of any relationship, avenge Dumpees everywhere, and finally win him the girl.
Love, friendship, and a dead Austro-Hungarian archduke add up to surprising and heart-changing conclusions in this ingeniously layered comic novel about reinventing oneself by Printz medalist John Green, acclaimed author of Looking for Alaska. - Goodreads

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An Abundance of Katherines was my first foray into John Green land. I had high expectations for this book after all I have heard of John Green, and I hate to say that it didn't meet them and here's why:

The idea of a geeky child prodigy, Colin, having nineteen girlfriends all named Katherine is stretching the imagination a bit too much. It's fairly unbelievable that he knew that many Katherines in his short life, let along dated them all. Of course if that wasn't the case, Colin would have to think up something other than "The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability" for the name of his most important life's work.

Secondly, Colin, our main protagonist, isn't very likable at all. He is admittedly self-centered. needy, clingy, whiny, oh and apparently a genius. Therefore, I found myself not really caring about whether or not he got his happy ending. He was just too nerdy. Anagrams, math, speaking other languages; it was all too much to take crammed into this rather short book.

When I realized that Colin and Hassan where going on a road-trip at the beginning of this book, I was excited. Woo hoo, my first roadtrip book! The first place they stopped was to see Archduke Franz Ferdinand's grave site in, of all places, Gutshot, Tennessee. Sounds pretty cool. "I can't wait to find out all the cool things they see on this trip," I thought to myself. Until I kept on reading and they never went anywhere. They stayed in Tennessee. Not really a road-trip book in my estimation, but then again I have nothing to compare it to.

The shining light here is that I enjoyed the writing. It was light-hearted, conversational, and fresh. I enjoyed the realistic teenage conversations (except for the constant use of the word fug, fugged, and fugging, which while at first was cute, became extremely annoying). Even though I didn't care for this one, I'm not giving up on John Green.

★★★

Teaser Tuesday #1

Teaser Tuesday is a bookish meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. I thought I would switch it up and join in this week. Here are the rules:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
• (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Right now I am reading An Abundance of Katherines by John Green. Here is a few snippets.

"Dating after all, only ends one way: poorly. If you think about it, and Colin often did, all romantic relationships end in either  (1) breakup, (2) divorce, or (3) death."  - pg 16

So far I am really enjoying John Green's writing style. (Although he uses the word "fugging" a lot instead of another certain word. It's awkward, yet funny.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Graceling
Kristin Cashore
Published October 1, 2008 by Harcourt Children's Books
Source: Purchased

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug.
When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po’s friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone. - Goodreads

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I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this book. Is that enough of a review? No? Ok, I guess I will have to tell you why then. I am first and foremost, a fantasy lover. It has, and probably always will be my favorite genre. Kristin Cashore takes all the elements that one would find in an epic fantasy tale, and craft it into a stunningly well-written young adult novel. The world-building is simplified yet satisfying. It even includes a map at the beginning (which I absolutely adore!). The well-developed characters are not overwhelming in number, a common occurrence in adult fantasy. I think this is a great title for someone to pick up if they are perhaps transition from young adult to fantasy or vice versa.

In a land where being a Graceling is feared and avoided, there are non more formidable than Katsa. Her grace is the ability to kill with ease. Her name and the stories of the acts she was forced to commit on behalf of her king (and uncle) have reached all Seven Kingdoms. Her tell-tale one blue, one green eye is the last thing anyone wants to see on their doorstep. Katsa didn't choose this life. She doesn't want to commit these despicable acts just because she can. Doing something good with her Grace was the only way to combat the feelings of hatred for what she is welling up inside of her. Katsa creates The Council where she, basically, punishes evil men of the kingdoms and rights the wrongs. A medieval, female, Batman if you will. So on one of these missiones, Katsa meets another Graceling fighter, the Lienid prince, Po. She makes quick work of him with her ninja skills, and succinctly drops him to the ground to carry on her missive.

But Po is not done with Katsa. Of course, there has got to be a bit of romance going on in this book. And, as you might be able to surmise, it is not a damsel in distress, hero on horseback type romance. Katsa and Po find their connection through their unique yet frightening graces. Their long and treacherous journey across the Seven Kingdoms on the quest to find out the truth behind a kidnapping, bring them together in a way that is deep and soulful. Even though this book has some dark themes and events, it is not without its humor. The following is a humorous passage about Katsa trying to hide her true feelings from Po:

"She glanced up at him, and in that moment he pulled his wet shirt over his head. She forced her mind blank. Blank as a new sheet of paper, blank as a starless sky. He came to the fire and crouched before it. He rubbed the water from his bare arms and flicked it into the flames. She stared at the goose and sliced his drumstick carefully and thought of the blankest expression on the blankest face she could possibly imagine." - pg 192

The relationship between Katsa and Po is so wonderful. It isn't the typical immediate affection or constant musings that is prevalent in other books, it is a romance built on a true connection and likeness of mind and convictions.  Plus Po is such a charmer I think he's going to be my new book boyfriend.

Technically, Graceling is a standalone novel, but there is a companion book out there that has one main character in common with the characters in Graceling. And while, I'm disappointed it isn't going to continue the story of Katsa and Po, I did read the prologue and I cannot wait to pick up a copy of Fire.

★★★★★

In My Mailbox #5

In My Mailbox is a greet weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It is kinda shocking, if you think about it, that I'm always able to post an IMM every week. That means, that not a week goes by that a new book doesn't enter my house. I'm a total book buying addict right now. So here's what came in the mail this week.

Won:

How the Mistakes Were Made by TylerMcmahon

About the rise and fall of a punk rock band in 1990's Seattle.

Swap:

The First Days by Rhiannon Frater

Zombiessssssss

Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

Teenagers and Zombiessssss

Paper Towns by John Green

I got another John Green book and still haven't read any of the ones I have. I have faith that he is as great as everyone says.

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

Can't wait to read some more dystopia!

Timbuktu by Paul Auster

Another heart-warming tale about a man and his dog, but this story follows the viewpoint of the dog. Awesome!