I bought this book as part of our Diverse Narrators Reading Challenge. Reading the synopsis and some of the reviews, I think this book is going to be relevant to what’s going on in our country. I’m really excited about jumping in.
The long national nightmare is over! Haha, just kidding. He’s still our President but I did find my Nook. It was in one of my many tote bags. Not sure why it was in a tote bag? I’m sure I thought I did it one of the many times I started to organize my apartment and got distracted and never finished it. Sigh. I found it and it’s now charging so it’ll be ready to go for tomorrow’s commute. And all is right with the world. Well, not really but at least I will be able to read my book and escape for a while.
I can’t find my Nook. This is a problem since the book I was hoping to read next is on it. I know I can read it on my iPad in the Nook app but it’s not the same. I actually don’t like reading on my iPad as much. It’s 3rd Generation so it’s big and kinda heavy. In a crowded train (where I do most of my reading) it’s hard to hold up to read. My Nook, an old Nook tablet is smaller and lighter and more convenient in a crowded train car. The thing is I can’t remember the last time I had it. I order most of my ebooks on my nook itself and the last time I purchased an ebook was on January 1st. All the books I have read this year have been physical books or a few digital readers copies, which is just easier to download to my iPad, then downloading to my computer and then downloading to my Nook. I know that realistically that my Nook is somewhere in my apartment. I’ve looked in all the usual places. My living room and my bedroom. My apartment only has three rooms so there isn’t that many places it could be. It’s not like someone would come into my apartment and only take my outdated Nook and leave my laptop, iPad and TV. It’s here, it’s just finding it. I may have to clean my apartment to find it. Ugh
and now for something completely different.
So let’s talk the controversy. I was excited about reading this book because I thought it sounded interesting and was curious how Veronica Roth would follow up her Divergent series. That was until reviews started to come in and people began talking about the racism surrounding the plot. Now, I don’t necessarily think it is intentionally racist but it is definitely problematic. So the plot revolves around two different races of people who share the same planet. The fair-skinned, peaceful Thuve people and the dark-skinned warrior race Shotet. Right there raised flags for me. That the more violent people are described as being dark in skin, eyes and curly hair versus the more light skinned, blue eyed, straight hair peaceful neighbors. Everything about the Shotet’s is described violently from their language to their tradition of marking their arms with every kill. It brings up images in our society about we are programmed to think that those with darker skinned are more dangerous then those of us who have lighter skin tones. That the lighter skinned people are somehow inherently just better people. And that is why at first I felt a little uncomfortable reading it. However, it didn’t turn me off either. As the story continued, I became more invested in the characters Akos and Cyra. I don’t think ever really got past the uncomfortableness of it but I did want Cyra to best her abusive brother and Akos to rescue his. They compliment each other really well. Cyra has a gift for pain. Pain that she inflicts on others but also lives in her while Akos gift is that he nullifies the current. In this world, everyone has a gift granted by the current. Each gift is different depending on the person. Cyra brother is the ruler of the Shotet people and has been using her as his own personal torturer. She has gained the reputation of being cruel when she is only doing what she is told to do but deep down she knows that she deserves the pain she feels thanks to her painful history. Akos is kidnapped by the Shotet with his brother when their fates clash with the Shotet ruler. Both Cyra and Akos really grow throughout the novel. They both see in each other that they don’t have to be what they raised to be. That they can choose their own paths. The ending was a little meh but it did pose one interesting question that makes me at least interested in the sequel. It might be too late for Veronica to fix the unfortunate world building choices in the sequel but I do hope that in the future she takes more time to ask herself, why she is making these choices in her writing. Is it because this is who the character really is or something that has been internalized in herself coming out on the page.
So this news is a couple days old but I’ve been vacation but LOOK AT THE COVER FOR MAGGIE STIEVFATER’S NEW BOOK! I would read anything that Maggie writes so I’m very looking forward to October for this one comes out. It’s sounds like it’s going to be a very Maggie type book.
The book, titled All the Crooked Saints, takes place in the 1960s in Bicho Raro, Colorado and follows the lives of three members of the Soria family—each of whom is searching for their own miracle. There’s Beatriz, who appears to lack feelings but wants to study her mind; Daniel, the “Saint” of Bicho Raro, a miracle worker for everyone but himself; and Joaquin (a.k.a. Diablo Diablo), who runs a pirate radio station at night
Squee! With the end of the The Raven Cycle last year, I need some more Maggie in my life and if you are like me then you do too. It’s only a standalone which I appreciate. I really don’t need another series in my life and we know that Maggie is working on a new Ronan Trilogy so I can live with only one book. In the meantime, here’s a little interview with her from Entertainment Weekly to tie us over until October..
So I’ve been holding on to this one for a while because of the talk of racism in the writing so I’ll see how this goes. I really loved Divergent so I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt.
**Spoilers I was lucky enough to receive a Advance Copy back in September. There will be Spoilers**
It was worth the wait. I really love Lish McBride’s writing. It’s fast paced and full of humor and just so wonderful. Pyromantic begins a month or two after Firebug ended. Ava and Cade are trying to figure out their relationship now that they know they are daughter and father. Ava is still smarting from turning down Lock for a date. Ava is still coterie but she can’t quite figure out her new boss, Alistair. Like, when is he going to start killing people for no reason because that’s what Coterie does, right? Let’s just say there is a lot to get used to. That’s when this strange and unpredictable things start happening that Ava, Lock, Ezra, Sid and Bianca now must investigate.
I love Ava. She’s funny, sarcastic and a little cynical. She is full of insecurities and considering everything that she has been through it’s not surprising. She lost her Mom after years of being on the run. She is forced to work for Venus and the Coterie like an indentured servant. She doesn’t have many friends outside of her team Lock and Ezra and Sylvie, who works at Cade’s bookstore. When Lock asks Ava out it throws her off. What if they break up? How will that effect that their friendship? So she avoids them both Lock and Ezra. When the strange a disease ravages the area they are forced to work together. After all the twists turn it makes for a great book. It’s so different. I mean who doesn’t love Kelpies who wear sweaters? Or Werehares who knit and in a biker gang? I love it all. But most of all I love the friendship between Lock, Ezra and Ava. They is a true sense of family with them. They love each other and they are there for each other. They tolerate each other faults and support each other when they are down. I’m also loving the friendship of Ava and Sylvie. They are both polar opposites. Sylvie is all sunshine and rainbows and Ava is just fire but it works. I’m know vague on the plot points but this was a wonderful sequel to a great book. I really hope you all go out and support Lish because she really writes some amazing stories that are weird and funny. I’m not sure what else to say but go read!
The great thing about being in vacation is all the time to read. I flew through Pyromantic and now on to some dragons.
Just finished Firebug and there was so many things I forgot that makes so much more sense in Pyromantic. By the way Pyromantic comes out on Friday may I suggest you pick up both this weekend.
2 Women, So Many Books 