Book Recommendation: Hex Hall

Okay, so this book has been out for awhile. And there are sequels. And I might read them even. Here's the thing: Hex Hall has been on my TBR list for a long time, and I think that long lead time worked in HH's detriment. This is the blurb from goodreads:


Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters. By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire student on campus. 

Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect. As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

Hex Hall was published in 2010 (I know, super behind. In my defense there have been lots of babies around here since, oh, 2006). Anyway, if I'd read Hex Hall in 2010 I think I would've liked it way more. Reading it now though it felt a little tired. The suspense didn't pull me in and Archer--oh, I want to love him more. Should you read Hex Hall? If you've got a spare afternoon and a warm day, (and a hammock, why not?) then for sure.

And just a note, I did listen to this book.

If there is anything cuter in the world than an eighteen-month-old, I don't know what it is.

And yet. They sure do keep you busy.

But because of that busy I've been listening to more books and I've got a new! (qualified) book recommendation for you.

I just finished listening to Dan Well's Partials. 

From Goodreads:

The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials--engineered organic beings identical to humans--has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out. Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic-in-training, is on the front lines of this battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws have pushed what's left of humanity to the brink of civil war, and she's not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will find that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them--connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there.

 Well. Sounds kind of amazing, right? I mean Kira is definitely a tough cookie. And you know what I liked best about her? She doesn't assume because smart people have been working on a problem for a long time that she won't be able to solve it. Isn't that important? I mean, so what if people who have more experience, are older and are wiser or whatever have been working on a problem. That doesn't mean the young whipper-snapper won't be the person to think of the solution. I don't mean that to sound snarky: it is really what I enjoyed about her. A specific kind of fearlessness.

 Unfortunately, Kira and I aren't bound to be BFFs (which is a word my boys just learned on the bus. They crack me up sometimes). Kira is a well-drawn character. At least, she should be. And maybe for some people she is. But there was something missing for me. That extra little bit of humanity or common experience that takes a character from interesting to living. So I leave this to you. If you like sci fi and post-apocalyptic novels, you will likely enjoy this. Dan Well's is clearly an excellent writer. And he attended my alma mater, so I like him for that too.

Books to Read: Sapphire Blue

Things I learned from reading this book: I always spell "sapphire" wrong on the first try. Other things I learned: good characters trump everything. Is there good plot going on in Sapphire Blue? Yep. Lots of adventure, beautiful dresses, hot smooches and danger. But mostly, there is Gwyneth. I love her.

From Goodreads:

Gwen’s life has been a rollercoaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit of their blood (gross!), she’s been trying to figure out what all the mysteries and prophecies surrounding the Circle really mean. At least Gwen has plenty of help. Her best friend Lesley follows every lead diligently on the Internet. James the ghost teaches Gwen how to fit in at an eighteenth century party. And Xemerius, the gargoyle demon who has been following Gwen since he caught her kissing Gideon in a church, offers advice on everything. Oh, yes. And of course there is Gideon, the Diamond. One minute he’s very warm indeed; the next he’s freezing cold. Gwen’s not sure what’s going on there, but she’s pretty much destined to find out.

I keep trying to figure out why this series works so much better for me than other urban fantasy books have. You think you've read enough of a category that you couldn't be engaged by it again, but then...

And I keep coming back to Gwen and Gideon. Really, all the characters here. I care about them. I want them to succeed. And I am totally convinced that there is some bad stuff coming. 

This is a definite read, especially if you like a little adventure and romance while you're, say, doing the dishes.

Audiobook Recommendation: The Raven Boys

It's Jan again. I'm going to guess Janine has been unable to post because her house is crawling with a stomach virus, so it is my turn. Like Janine I really enjoy audiobooks. Not all books are wonderful as audiobooks but the right book can be enhanced and really shine with the extra dimension of a good narrator.

The Raven Boys is one of those books.

From Goodreads: It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive. Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

Stiefvater has such a lovely writing style. From the beginning I felt connected to Blue, and wary of the Aglionby boys. And Stiefvater always gets the best narrators for her books. Like The Scorpio Races, which was another brilliantly-narrated book, the narration of The Raven Boys adds to the beauty of the writing. Excited to read the next in this series.

It Must've Been Fun to Be Three

I have a three-year-old daughter. And I'm not totally sure she has any kind of legitimate grasp on reality. She inserts herself into every story. She's been a princess, a member of the Voltron Force, a Power Ranger, a mermaid, a ballerina and my sister/aunt/mother. She'll start with "remember when," and follow it with any random thing that pops in her head. "Remember when I was a ballerina and I danced Swan Lake and you were the bad guy who tried to stop me?"

Me: "Um, no?"

After a number of these conversations it occurred to me how fun it would be to be three. Reality is all relative and you're practically a time-traveler. It would be like living in your favorite book all the time, only it would be a total choose-your-own adventure.

Sadly, I can't go back. Instead, I listen to audiobooks and only half listen to her constant stories (hey, never claimed to be a perfect mom). And I've got a good one for you today.

Ultraviolet by RJ Anderson

Sixteen-year-old Alison has been sectioned in a mental institute for teens, having murdered the most perfect and popular girl at school. But the case is a mystery: no body has been found, and Alison's condition is proving difficult to diagnose. Alison herself can't explain what happened: one minute she was fighting with Tori -- the next she disintegrated. Into nothing. But that's impossible. Right?

Let me first say I probably wouldn't have finished this book had I been reading and not listening. Which would have been a mistake. This book was twisty and turny with a nice plot twist at the end. I don't want to give away any spoilers but I'm excited the second book is out because now I need to know what happens next.

On Messy Houses and Cottage Cheese

This post actually has nothing to do with cottage cheese.

Here's a thing I've noticed: I don't like cleaning. I like things to be clean, but I don't love cleaning. Much like I am terminally disorganized. And how cooking is fine, but the dishes...

So, yeah. Work isn't my favorite and my best. It. is. work. And, I'll own it: I'm lazy. Thank goodness for audiobooks. Because, quite frankly friends, I need a story. There's no narration doing the dishes (incidentally, this is also the reason I'm terrible at math). I like tasks with a story. And, since the advent of e-audiobooks at my library I've got narration for everything. I remember the exact part of Inkheart I was listening to when I painted the flowers on babygirl's walls. Weeding the garden: Pillars of the Earth made me weep. Airman caught me by surprise while I was scrubbing eggs off my no-longer-nonstick frying pan. I was parts angry and parts excited listening to Mockingjay while I mopped the floor.

You know, since I was little I'd tell myself stories to put myself to sleep. I like my head filled with stories. I like a plot arcing through the drudgery of everyday.

There really isn't a point to this post, except to say life would be pretty sad without stories.