In April 2015, I
read 10 books. Here’s a recap of my favorites.
Not A Drop To Drink – Mindy McGinnis
Lynn knows every threat to her pond: drought, a snowless winter, coyotes, and, most importantly, people looking for a drink. She makes sure anyone who comes near the pond leaves thirsty, or doesn't leave at all.
Confident in her own abilities, Lynn has no use for the world beyond the nearby
fields and forest. Having a life means dedicating it to survival and the
constant work of gathering wood and water. Having a pond requires the fortitude
to protect it, something Mother taught her well during their quiet hours on the
rooftop, rifles in hand.
But wisps of smoke on the horizon mean one thing: strangers. The mysterious
footprints by the pond, nighttime threats, and gunshots make it all too clear
Lynn has exactly what they want, and they won’t stop until they get it . . . .
With evocative, spare language and incredible drama, danger, and romance, debut
author Mindy McGinnis depicts one girl’s journey in a barren world not so
different than our own.
Review: First, I need to point out the cover of this book. I think it’s
stunning. It definitely got my attention right away. Whoever designed it
deserves a serious pay raise.
I’ve lost count of how many young adult dystopias I’ve read over
the past few years. They’ve all started to blur together in my mind, but once
in a while, one stands out. Not A Drop To Drink is a standout. It isn’t
about a war, a plague, or a sadistic government that needs overthrowing. It’s
just about people doing their best to survive. That’s a refreshing addition to
the genre.
Lynn and her mother own a pond in a world where water is scarce.
They spend every day defending their water from the people who need it. Lynn
has no trouble shooting anyone who gets near her pond . . . until she climbs
down from her rooftop sniper perch and starts talking to her thirsty neighbors.
The writing is sparse, gritty, and powerful. I love the subtle
differences in the way that the country characters and the city characters
speak. This is a beautiful debut novel, and Mindy McGinnis may become one of my
new favorite authors.
The characters are the second-best part of the book (after the
writing). Lynn is so tough. She reminds me a lot of Katniss from The Hunger
Games, but Lynn is a more-willing participant in the deaths of her
neighbors. She’s strong minded. She knows exactly what she wants and how to get
it. I enjoyed seeing her change as she learns to trust the people around her.
I’m having a hard time coming up with something that I didn’t like
about this book. The romance probably could have used more development. Lynn is
very inexperienced with physical affection. At the beginning of the book, she
doesn’t understand what “Flirt” means, and she doesn’t know anything about sex.
She doesn’t even know how to kiss Eli, her love interest. Lynn and Eli’s
relationship becomes physical very quickly. It’s not unrealistic, and they
don’t have sex, but it still creeps me out because she’s so much less
experienced than him.
Not A Drop To Drink is a quick read with a lot of action. I read it in a few hours and
loved every second of it. I’m looking forward to the sequel.
Wizard and Glass – Stephen King
Roland and his band of followers have narrowly escaped one world
and slipped into the next. There Roland tells them a tale of long-ago love and
adventure involving a beautiful and quixotic woman named Susan Delgado. And
there they will be drawn into an ancient mystery of spellbinding magic and
supreme menace.
Review: Every time I review another book in The Dark Tower series, I say,
“This book is my favorite in the series.” This review is no exception. Book #4
is now my new favorite.
In Wizard and Glass, we finally get to see some of Roland’s
backstory. I’ve been waiting so long for this, and I was not disappointed. I
loved seeing Roland as an overconfident fourteen-year-old. Both his character
and the world become more developed in this book. I didn’t think it was
possible, but I like Roland even more after learning some of his history. He’s
a complicated character. His relationships with Susan and his teenage
companions—Cuthbert and Alain—are very believable. I hope the rest of the
series includes more stories from Roland’s past.
The world is so well-developed and creepy that I felt a sense of
dread the whole time I was reading. Based on the hints given in the previous
books, I knew that not everybody in this book would survive. I cared about all
of these characters, but I knew that some of them were going to die, so the
suspense was incredible.
I also like how this book overlaps with some of King’s other
works. I’ve read an embarrassing number of Stephen King books, and I enjoyed
seeing the references to stories that I read years ago.
This book does have some of the same issues as the previous books
in the series. For me, there is a fine line between scary and silly. This book
crosses that line a few times, especially at the beginning and the end. Blaine
the Mono and The Wizard of Oz castle made me roll my eyes. They’re just
a little too ridiculous for my tastes.
I’m still having fun with this series. I can’t wait to start the
next book.
A Darker
Shade Of Magic
– V.E. Schwab
Kell is one of
the last Travelers—rare magicians who choose a parallel universe to visit.
Grey London is
dirty, boring, lacks magic, ruled by mad King George. Red London is where life
and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing
empire. White London is ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne.
People fight to control magic, and the magic fights back, draining the city to
its very bones. Once there was Black London—but no one speaks of that now.
Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of
Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between royals of each London.
Unofficially, Kell smuggles for those willing to pay for even a glimpse of a
world they’ll never see. This dangerous hobby sets him up for accidental
treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse
with lofty aspirations. She robs him, saves him from a dangerous enemy, then
forces him to another world for her 'proper adventure.'
But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of
the worlds, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive—trickier than they
hoped.
Review: It took me a long time
to write this review because I’m slightly conflicted. The logical part of my
brain is saying, “I have some issues with this book.” The other part of my
brain is completely fangirling over wonderful adventures and Kell’s fabulous coat.
Seriously, I want that coat.
A Darker
Shade of Magic
is about a magician, Kell, who has the ability to travel between parallel
Londons. When he comes in to possession of a dangerous magical stone from Black
London, he teams up with a thief named Lila to destroy it.
The characters
have so much personality, and it’s easy to fall in love with them. The dialogue
is sharp, smart, and funny. The humor feels very organic and true to the
characters. It’s not just forced into the story in a lame attempt to lighten
the mood.
I was happy for
the mood-lightening dialogue because a few of the Londons are depressing
places. The world-building is impressive. The Londons are so vivid. They each
have their own unique culture, language, history, and architecture. It’s fascinating
to read about. I think White London is my favorite because it’s so creepy and
different from the other Londons.
The plot is
slow in the beginning, but the characters and world were more than enough to
keep me interested in the story. The action picks up a lot toward the end. I
read the majority of this book in one day.
I was too busy
enjoying the story to come up with too many criticisms, but I do have a few.
First, this book doesn’t feel very original. It’s just the latest blend of
thieves, rare magicians, royalty, and evil magic that I’ve seen dozens of times
before. Parts of it strongly reminded me of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings,
and His Dark Materials.
Next, I wish
that the magic system had been explained better and earlier in the story. It took
me a long time to figure out how the magic system works, and I’m still not sure
if I totally get it.
So, is A
Darker Shade of Magic a timeless work of literary genius? No. Is it
thoroughly entertaining? YES! I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.
~*~
I’m currently
reading Wolves Of The Calla by
Stephen King.
