Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (Book Review)

Posted May 2, 2013 by Jana in Book Review, Young Adult Fiction / 19 Comments

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (Book Review)Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Series: The Grisha #1
Also in this series: Siege and Storm, Ruin and Rising
Published by Henry Holt and Co. on June 5, 2012
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Romance
Pages: 356
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased
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The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, crawling with monsters that feast on human flesh, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka.

Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the lavish world of the kingdom’s magical elite—the Grisha. Could she be the key to unravelling the dark fabric of the Shadow Fold and setting Ravka free?

The Darkling, a creature of seductive charm and terrifying power, leader of the Grisha. If Alina is to fulfil her destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him.

But what of Mal, Alina’s childhood best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can’t she ever quite forget him?

PEOPLE. I have no idea why I took so long to read Shadow and Bone. Maybe it’s because I’m not a huge fan of fantasy, but I AM NOW! This book was chock full of awesomeness and excitement and mystery. I just can’t contain my love for this book, and for Leigh Bardugo, who I am now a fan of for life. As always, my main points are bolded. :)

1. This WORLD. Oh wow. My absolute favorite thing about Shadow and Bone is the world Leigh created for us. I love all of it, from its setting in futuristic Russia, to the elaborate keftas, to the mysterious Shadow Fold (a dark and barren wasteland filled with volcra, which I swear are some kind of dragon on steroids), and all the awesome talents of the Grisha. This world is complicated and complex with its own language. It’s amazing.

2. Leigh’s writing is out of this world. OH man. Have you seen that episode of Friends with Ross’s wedding in London, and Joey is having a hard time figuring out how to read his map, so he puts it on the ground and stands on it, putting himself INTO the map so it made more sense? That’s what Leigh did to me! I was IN the book, and I could picture and see everything. It all made so much sense, and I absolutely loved everything. Had the writing not been so amazing, this book would have flopped.

3. Alina. Oh, Alina. Talk about an amazingly bad-a heroine. I love her! She’s just a run of the mill girl one day, and then all of a sudden she’s Ravka’s everything. She gets swept up into the magic and excitement of the lavish castle, and gets to wear fancy clothes, dine on yummy foods, and be the topic of every conversation. But through it all, she stays humble, really just wanting to become a part of the wall or the floor rather than shine. She’s timid and scared and confused, and she feels inadequate. But as the story progresses, she grows into this brave, confident young woman who will sacrifice and cause problems and fight for herself.

4. Oh, the Darkling. MAN. I’d heard stories about him floating around the blogosphere, and now finally understand what everyone has been talking about! He’s dark and sexy and charming and dangerous, and people are just drawn to him for some mysterious reason. Reading about him was rather intoxicating. I was drawn to him too! But like I said, he’s dangerous… and I swear, I always love the dangerous character!

5. MAL. Can I have Mal for myself? Mal is Alina’s childhood friend, who she has never really been able to live without. But when she is taken to the castle, and he is made a tracker for the kingdom, they lose each other. What a beautiful friendship they have. He’s brave and protective and SO full of secrets and depth. 

6. The romance is perfection. There’s not too much, not too little, nothing really insta-love… it all makes sense for the circumstances. I loved it. And that’s all I will say, because it’s too good to even come close to spoiling.

7. I feel like everything happens! Shadow and Bone is chock full of adventure, mystery, action, emotion, romance, opulence, relationships, and questions. The ending is just… urg.se.rgusheg;sghus.ergisjherg!

Clearly, I loved Shadow and Bone. I have nothing bad to say about it, and can’t stop thinking about it at ALL. I read this one really fast, and when I was not reading I was thinking about it. If you love fantastic world-building, strong characters, mystery, intrigue, romance of extreme proportions, and beautiful writing, you will love Shadow and Bone.

Watch the book trailer for Shadow and Bone! Pretty amazing!

Pizza, Love, and Other Stuff that Made Me Famous by Kathryn Williams (Book Review)

Posted August 23, 2012 by Jana in Book Review, Young Adult Fiction / 7 Comments

Pizza, Love, and Other Stuff that Made Me Famous by Kathryn Williams (Book Review)Pizza, Love, and Other Stuff that Made Me Famous by Kathryn Williams
Published by Henry Holt and Co. on August 21, 2012
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance
Pages: 240
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher (ALA)
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Can a spot on a teen reality show really lead to a scholarship at an elite cooking school AND a summer romance?

Sixteen-year-old Sophie Nicolaides was practically raised in the kitchen of her family’s Italian-Greek restaurant, Taverna Ristorante. When her best friend, Alex, tries to convince her to audition for a new reality show, Teen Test Kitchen, Sophie is reluctant. But the prize includes a full scholarship to one of America's finest culinary schools and a summer in Napa, California, not to mention fame.

Once on-set, Sophie immediately finds herself in the thick of the drama—including a secret burn book, cutthroat celebrity judges, and a very cute French chef. Sophie must figure out a way to survive all the heat and still stay true to herself. A terrific YA offering--fresh, fun, and sprinkled with romance.

Have you ever been on a strict diet and then all of a sudden decide that you need to chill out and eat a little comfort food, or else you just might go crazy? Pizza, Love, and Other Stuff is my comfort food. This book is exactly what I needed to make me smile. It was an adorable, quick read with such a unique sounding storyline that I knew I would love it. And honestly, it had me at the title. I gobbled this book up like I did the delectable pizza I had in Siena, Italy this past May. As always, my main points are bolded. :)

1. I’m kind of a reality TV junkie. I love all of it. The drama, the excitement, the fact that I’m watching real people rather than polished actors. When I read about this book, I knew we’d make a great pair. It embodies all that is reality TV, but also gives you a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes happenings that we all know hold more truth than the show itself. The idea behind the book is so fresh and unique to me. Reality TV meets young adult novel. I’m all for it!

2. The characters are all so likeable. We’ve got Sophie, the main girl, who is this sweet thing with broad hips and a love of food and her foodie family. I love her family. They’re right out of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and I loved that. Her best friend, Alex, being the true friend that he is, has her back and gets her on the show with a little coaxing and many pep talks. The contestants on the show (two of which become Sophie’s best friends) all fill a very specific role for a very specific character. You know how reality TV is. You’ve got the sweetheart, the villain, the brooding anti-social, etc. I really enjoyed them all, especially when they stirred up drama. The judges were all the sterotypical, dramatic judges you see on TV, and we even had Tommy who is the spitting image of The Chairman on Iron Chef. And then… there’s the hot French guy who, off camera, has Sophie swooning and daydreaming. The cast of characters was a winner in my book!

3. The FOOD. Oh my! I loved reading all the yummy-sounding descriptions of the dishes that the contestants made. Each week they were on the show focused on different genres, if you will, of food. There was a Latin week, an Asian one, a French one, a Mediterranean one, and a Pastry one. This book made me so hungry! Of course, the author included some of the recipes for these meals and desserts, so if you feel the need to satisfy any resulting cravings, you’re encouraged to do so.

4. I was worried about whether or not I would believe the excitement of the kitchen during competition time, but I did! I got really excited and read faster. It was like reading an episode of Iron Chef. I really enjoyed it.

5. The romance was minimal, but there. I really enjoyed the small glimmers of romance, but appreciated that they were not the focus of the story.

6. I also appreciated that the book was not predictable. It was not perfectly wrapped up into the obvious conclusion. It made things more realistic for me.

Overall, Pizza, Love, and Other Stuff that Made Me Famous was stinkin’ cute. It was quick, light, happy, sweet, and savory. I loved the idea, and the execution was done really well. The writing was witty, and the characters were all loveable. I’d recommend this to anyone who needs a little comfort food in their life.