Wolves!

Shiver

By Maggie Stiefvater

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf–her wolf–is a chilling presence she can’t seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again. Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It’s her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human–or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

When Grace was younger, she was attacked by wolves in the woods surrounding her home. As she lay dying, a wolf with bright yellow eyes fended off the other wolves and saved her life. As the years went on, Grace continued to find the wolf staring at her, keeping her safe. Grace begins to think of this wolf as “her” wolf and when a hunting party ventures into the woods she becomes terrified. Once at her house, Grace finds a naked, shivering boy on her porch who has been shot in the shoulder. Grace soon learns that this boy, named Sam, is indeed “her” wolf and has been watching and protecting her for years. The catch of his “disease” is that every summer, when it is warm, Sam turns into a human and once the temperature drops he becomes a wolf again. As the years go on however, Sam’s summers become shorter and shorter and he fears he will soon lose the ability to turn into a human all together. The story progresses and Sam and Grace work together to keep him warm, and human.

The cover of this book was what initially drew me in, and the fact that it was a book with a werewolf as a focus, a change from the typical vampire love story. I also really appreciated that the “change” for the werewolf isn’t brought on by the full moon but by the change in temperature. Unfortunately that was not enough to make me enjoy the story, I had a very hard time reading this book and found myself fighting against the storyline. I can definitely see why most readers would LOVE this book. For me, it was like the Twilight series, minus the vampires. The two main characters were head over heels, nothing can stop us, will do ANYTHING for the other in love. I had a hard time buying this, the characters were not very developed and their love was just supposed to be understood, with little evidence as to why they had fallen in “love” in the first place. Overall, I was a bit bored with the story and couldn’t really get into it; however I would definitely recommend it to readers who like teen romance and books like Twilight.

Rating: 2 out of 5

More Once Upon a Time...

In keeping with the fairy tale theme of this week’s review I have to shamelessly promote some things that I love, love, love.

First, the new abc series, Once Upon a Time starring Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White and Josh Dallas as Prince Charming. Though it has not been admitted that the producers of Lost used Bill Willingham’s Fables series as an influence there is a very similar plotline. The characters in Once Upon a Time are stuck in the “real world” much like the characters in Willingham’s Fables series.

 

Only a few episodes have aired but so far it is awesome!! The characters are likeable and Lost fans will enjoy the way in which the episodes are focusing on the past lives of the characters and what brought about the evil queen’s ire. I will be honest and say that at first glance I fell in love with Sherriff Graham, played by Jamie Dornan, and I am convinced that he has a big bad wolf alter ego (see below: love affair with Bigby Wolf) but I do have to admit that Josh Dallas has charmed (pun intended) his way into my heart after the last episode.

Definitely give this show a chance, it is quite loveable; also check out the website for some fun extras!

Once Upon a Time airs on Sundays at 8pm.

My second guilty pleasure is the fantasy miniseries, The Tenth Kingdom, which aired on NBC in 2000.

The Tenth Kingdom follows the adventures of a woman, played by Kimberly Williams and her father, played by John Larroquette, after they are transported from New York to the world of fairy tales. Ultimately they must help Prince Wendell save his kingdom from his evil stepmother after she has turned him into a dog! The show originally aired over a course of five nights and is almost seven hours long. There are many familiar faces on the cast including Scott Cohen as Wolf (LOVE him, I realize that this is probably shocking), Ed O’Neill as the Troll King and Dianne Wiest as the evil queen.

There have been many rumors about a second film being made but I try not to have high hopes, for now I will have to appease myself by watching my DVD over and over again :]

Check your local library for this movie, if you like fairy tales you will love this!!

Once Upon a Time...

Fables

By Bill Willingham

Once upon a time, all of your fairy tales turned out to be true…

Fables is a graphic novel series created by writer Bill Willingham. The series focuses around various characters from fairy tales and folklore that have been forced out of their Homelands by The Adversary. The Fables have created their own secret community in New York City known as Fabletown. Certain Fables who are unable to blend in with human society (The Three Little Pigs, Bageera, etc.) live at “The Farm” in upstate New York.

Bill Willingham has completely re-created the characters from popular fairy tales. Snow White is Deputy Mayor of Fabletown and her prince of old is not so charming. The story arcs are diverse, ranging from murder mysteries to a political war with a surplus amount of back-story on your favorite fairy tale characters!

Let me start off by saying I am not a “graphic novel” reader. Not that there is anything wrong with reading and enjoying them, I just never had the desire to pick up a comic book and take a gander. So it was no secret that I wasn’t too excited when we were assigned to read graphic novels for my young adult literature course last semester. I struggled with my choice, finally settling for a standard Batman/Superman theme. Soon after I begrudgingly read through my comic I noticed one of my classmates (and Goodreads friend) was reading the Fables series for our assignment. Suddenly I was taken aback, fairy tales as comic books? Umm yes, please!! I immediately harassed her for all of the information she had on the Fables series and Mr. Bill Willingham and that, my friends, is the beginning of a beautiful love affair between myself and the characters of Fabletown (primarily Mr. Bigby Wolf, I won’t lie).

So, in a nutshell, drop what you are doing and go to your local library, find these graphic novels and start reading!! Seriously, go now.

Oh and for those of you reading this thinking how daft I am for finally jumping on this bandwagon that you have been riding on for years, did you know Bill Willingham has other graphic novels? How about a novel called Down the Mysterly River? Bet you didn’t…

Series Rating: 5 out of 5

Graveminder

Graveminder

By Melissa Marr

Three sips to mind the dead . . .

Rebekkah Barrow never forgot the attention her grandmother Maylene bestowed upon the dead of Claysville, the small town where Bek spent her adolescence. There wasn't a funeral that Maylene didn't attend, and at each one Rebekkah watched as Maylene performed the same unusual ritual: She took three sips from a silver flask and spoke the words "Sleep well, and stay where I put you."

Now Maylene is dead, and Bek must go back to the place she left a decade earlier. She soon discovers that Claysville is not just the sleepy town she remembers, and that Maylene had good reason for her odd traditions. It turns out that in Claysville the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected; beneath the town lies a shadowy, lawless land ruled by the enigmatic Charles, aka Mr. D. If the dead are not properly cared for, they will come back to satiate themselves with food, drink, and stories from the land of the living. Only the Graveminder, by tradition a Barrow woman, and her Undertaker—in this case Byron Montgomery, with whom Bek shares a complicated past—can set things right once the dead begin to walk.

Although she is still grieving for Maylene, Rebekkah will soon find that she has more than a funeral to attend to in Claysville, and that what awaits her may be far worse: dark secrets, a centuries-old bargain, a romance that still haunts her, and a frightening new responsibility—to stop a monster and put the dead to rest where they belong.

Graveminder is best selling young adult author Melissa Marr's first novel for adults, though it has been said to be “a young adult book for adults” as the genres can overlap at times and the storyline is relatable to both young adult and adult readers. The atmosphere of this story was very interesting, the way in which Melissa Marr describes the alternate world ruled by Mr. D was extremely detailed and really heightened the intensity of the story. I really felt for Bek as she struggled with her choices in this story and I appreciated how conflicted she was as she worked to find her proper place in the world. This story is filled with love, through many different types of relationships, but it is also a horror story filled with murder mysteries and the residents of Claysville rising from the dead. A good mix, I must say!

Overall, Graveminder is a richly imagined story with a relatable and interesting plot filled with likable characters. Melissa Marr sets up the story so it can be turned into a series if she wishes. Personally, I hope the author runs with the story and decides to continue the story of Bek and Byron!

4 out of 5 stars

For more on Melissa Marr check out her website and best selling young adult novels!

What Should I Read Next?

For those of you that have a hard time finding a book to read check out this website, it is a great resource. I just added so many titles to my Goodreads "to-read" shelf from finding readalikes on this website! :]

The Child Thief

The Child Thief

By Brom

I first saw this book showcased on the shelf when I was working at Barnes & Noble. I was immediately intrigued and drawn in by the illustration on the cover. I thought to myself, “That looks like Peter Pan!” and lo and behold, it IS Peter Pan! Kind of...

Based in our modern world, Peter searches for children needing an escape from their brutal lives. Peter finds the desperate children, the ones grasping for any sense of light in a dark world. Peter waits until the opportune moment to reveal himself, knowing that at that time the children are most likely to follow him into the “paradise” he promises. However, as these children follow Peter they find that this paradise he promises is really a terrifying wilderness filled with things from your worst nightmares.

As time progresses, the children learn that this world, the world of Avalon, is slowly dying. Peter is dedicated to saving this world, his paradise, and the Lady that lives there. Peter believes the only way to save his world is to amass an army of children called the “Devils” to fight for the land he loves.

A little disclaimer: This story is NOT for children. It is NOT the story of Peter Pan from your childhood. It is harsh, sadistic and at times over the top. The children (and they are children) swear, maim and kill and they are tortured and killed in gory detail. That being said it is also one of the best books I have ever read.

Brom completely re-imagines the tale of Peter Pan, turning it into a thoroughly detailed and layered story. Avalon was once a magical and beautiful paradise, until man showed up on its shores. The “man” in question being the Captain and his crew (saw that one coming, didn’t you?) The crew is made up not of not savage men, but puritans (but really, what’s the difference?) looking to start a new civilization. As the story progresses these men do turn into beasts but the Captain remains whole and the reader gains a glimpse into his mindset. The question of who (or what) is evil is presented and as a reader I found myself wavering between the two, into an almost gray area. Brom tells the tale of horror, betrayal and dedication through a child narrator named Nick, a narrator I quickly fell in love with. Nick is a strong minded boy, who attempts to stand up for what is right while shirking away from what would be “easy.”

Although this was one of the best novels I have ever read I do admit that some parts were not so perfect. Most of the characters are extremely developed and layered with a detailed back-story. However, the character Uthger is barely fleshed out though he pays a very important part in the overall story. Also, I did not enjoy the ending. At all. I can’t go into much detail here but I will say that overall it felt rushed. The whole story leads up to this final act and suddenly it is over with no pretense. I do understand why the book ended in this way, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it!

4.5 out of 5 stars

Check out Brom’s website for a gallery of his amazing illustrations, many found in The Child Thief!

Grimm Reads...

A Tale Dark and Grimm

Adam Gidwitz

“Once upon a time, fairy tales were awesome.  I know, I know. You don’t believe me. I don’t blame you. A little while ago, I wouldn’t have believed it myself. Little girls in red caps skipping around the forest? Awesome? I don’t think so. But then I started to read them. The real, Grimm ones. Very few little girls in red caps in those.

The real Grimm stories are not like that. Take Hansel and Gretel, for example. Two greedy little children try to eat a witch’s house, so she decides to cook and eat them instead – which is fair, it seems to me. But before she can follow through on her (perfectly reasonable) plan, they lock her in an oven and bake her to death.

Which is pretty cool, you have to admit. But maybe it’s not awesome.

Except – and here’s the thing – that’s not the real story of Hansel and Gretel.”

This however, is the “real” story of Hansel and Gretel. It is a story about two children who run away after their father cuts off their heads to save his faithful servant, Johannes. These children have adventure after adventure, all the while searching for a parent figure who won’t try to harm (or kill) them. Their adventures start of course with the wicked witch who tries to eat them for supper after fattening them up on her house made of gingerbread. After escaping, the children find solace with a couple who recently traded their seven sons so that they could have the daughter (enter: Gretel) that they always wanted. After saving the seven sons and escaping these wicked parents (who had the best intentions) Hansel and Gretel begin living in a magical wood that unfortunately turns Hansel into a werewolf and leads Gretel to move to a nearby town, fall in love with an evil warlock and eventually sentence him to death by oil and snakes. While Gretel is suffering, being nearly killed by an evil warlock, Hansel is living the life in a kingdom nearby. Unfortunately, his new “father” has a gambling problem and gambles Hansel’s life away over a game of cards with Satan. That’s right, SATAN. Therefore, Hansel must use his wiles to outsmart the devil and escape Hell which turns out to be a hilarious endeavor that ends up with Hansel dressing as the “mother devil” and singing like a dead cat. Eventually, Hansel and Gretel find their way back to their home kingdom and are given the task of ridding the land of an evil dragon. This proves to be a little more than a personal problem and Hansel and Gretel are forced to come to terms with their lack of parenting yet again.

I loved this book. The narration style was hilarious with some aside statements made to both parents and children as well as to the characters in the story...

For a moment she stopped and considered following the rain’s advice. But then shook her head. “You’re being foolish,” Gretel told herself. “Rain can’t talk.”

No, of course it can’t. The moon can eat children, and fingers can open doors, and people’s heads can be put back on. But rain? Talk? Don’t be ridiculous. Good thinking, Gretel dear. Good thinking.

The narrator tells the reader how it is, even if it is not always happy and positive. In fact, the narrator often explains how bloody and terrible the situations coming are going to be and "prepares" them for what is to come. This book also reintroduces some classic fairy tales and some that are not as well known to a new generation, putting a brand new spin on the “Grimm” works.

It is no secret that I love a good fairy tale re-write, and although my first impression was that this story would be too juvenile for young adult (or adult) readers, after reading it I found it to be a refreshing change and relatable to readers of all ages.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Another contender for our top 10 of 2011 reads!