Tag Archives: adventure

Around the Interwebs: Volume XX

18 Mar

“Sherlock” Confirmed for a Fourth Series Because There Might Be a God After All (via Hypable)

Sherlock Watson History of the World GIF

What is this GIF? I can’t even. Even though “Sherlock” series three has only just begun filming, Benedict Cumberbatch himself has confirmed that the show has already been picked up for a fourth series. Which is amazing since Steven Moffat (AKA Satan himself) has already hinted that the third season of the Sherlock Holmes inspired series will leave fans “as frustrated as they ever were.” Thanks a lot Beelzebub. Thanks for not actually killing anyone, we guess.

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Kelly Reviews “Code Name Verity: Friendship is Tragic” by Elizabeth Wein

16 Jan

Code Name Verity - Elizabeth WeinCode Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Genre: Young adult, adventure, fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary: (from the back cover) I have two weeks. You’ll shoot me at the end no matter what I do.

That’s what you do to enemy agents. It’s what we do to enemy agents. But I look at all the dark and twisted roads ahead and cooperation is the easy way out. Possibly the only way out for a girl caught red-handed doing dirty work like mine — and I will do anything, anything, to avoid SS-Hauptsturmführer von Linden interrogating me again.

He has said that I can have as much paper as I need. All I have to do is cough up everything I can remember about the British War Effort. And I’m going to. But the story of how I came to be here starts with my friend Maddie. She is the pilot who flew me into France — an Allied Invasion of Two.

We are a sensational team.

So I first heard about Code Name Verity at LeakyCon this past summer. During the panel on gender in YA, the authors and agents were talking about the structures that dominate girl-centered novels. There is usually romance or a badass heroine saving the world or supernaturally-toned werevampangels fighting over a sassy lady. Then someone (whose face escapes me 5 months later because I am getting old, y’all) said we needed to read Code Name Verity, because it did not conform to the de facto rules dominating YA. “Bah, a girl YA novel without werewolves abs? I have never heard of such a thing!” I thought to myself.  And because grad school ruined my life for the past 15 months, I finally got around to picking this book up.

Confirmation: You all need to read Code Name Verity. Right now.

But first – I am going to be slightly spoilery in the review, because I can’t really talk about some things without revealing an interesting bit of plot structure. So, if you want the book to be a complete surprise, stop here. All I will say is: be prepared for a heart-stopping wartime adventure, two truly likable and beautifully developed protagonists, and a tightly twisting plot.

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Bibliomantic Book Club: “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”

11 Jan

The_Hobbit-_An_Unexpected_Journey_74The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Release Date: December 14, 2012
Genre: Epic fantasy, Is “Lord of the Rings” a genre now?

Summary: Bilbo Baggins is just your average hobbit who enjoys eating, smoking a pipe, sitting around, and that’s pretty much it. His quiet, peaceful life is very suddenly disturbed when Gandalf the Grey appears at his doorstep inviting him on an adventure. Soon his home is invaded by thirteen dwarves who are on a quest to reclaim their home from the dragon Smaug. A grand journey commences – encounters with trolls, capture by goblins, and of course the discovery of a certain all-powerful ring start us off on the first leg of the tale. Bilbo must learn to be brave and everyone must learn that friendship is magic.

The excitement and nostalgia levels were high among the Bibliomantics as we ventured to the midnight showing of the highly anticipated movie adaptation of The Hobbit. As we settled into the theater, we reminisced happily about our trip to see Return of the King at midnight. How Stephanie and Cassie-wa’s father had to drive us all squished into the car because we weren’t old enough to drive more than one person or after 10pm. How Cassie-la had walked up to a stranger and started eating his pretzel bites. (Okay, she knew him.) And then we mostly just realized that we are really old because that was NINE YEARS AGO.

It was surreal to be back in a theater at midnight – going back to Middle-earth. Despite our complaining about the pointlessness of the 3-D, our bafflement at how Peter Jackson could possibly stretch the story out into three movies, and even though it wasn’t perfect, I think we are damn glad that the story’s not over yet. Plus there’s musical numbers and shenanigans.

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Bibliomantic Book Club: “Days of Blood & Starlight” by Laini Taylor

3 Dec

Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor
Release Date: November 6, 2012
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Drama, Awesomeness (That’s a genre, right?)

Summary: After the stunning revelations in Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Karou has a new purpose in life: doing whatever she can to help the remaining chimaera of Eretz survive to fight another day. Unfortunately, none of her newly re-discovered brethren seem to trust her. Especially not rebellion leader Thiago, who had her executed a lifetime ago. When Thiago’s attacks against the enemy become increasingly pointless and disturbing, Karou begins to question whether what she’s doing is right or only driving her world further and further away from the dream she and Akiva shared years before.

Since losing Karou for the second time, Akiva  is once again forced to question his own place in the war. He gains fame amongst his brethren as the “Beasts’ Bane,” but nobody but his brother and sister know of his true skill with magic, and that he’s using it to help chimaera civilians escape from the slaughter his father has commanded. Can he continue to fight for his father… or can he do the unthinkable and fight against him? 

In this thrilling sequel to Daughter of Smoke and Bone, it’s time for everyone to pick a side. But who says the war only has two sides?

After much anticipation, we finally got our hands on the phenomenal book known as Days of Blood and Starlight. From the gorgeous language to the Monty Python references, to the heartbreaking reality of a war torn world – everything about this book was just epically awesome. Laini Taylor has captured our imaginations and we hope she never lets us go! Guys, we loved this book a lot. Slightly spoiler-y reviews ahead!

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Bibliomantic Book Club: “City of Lost Souls” by Cassandra Clare

16 Jun

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare
Release Date: May 8, 2012
Genre: Young Adult! Action! Adventure! Romance! Drama! Snark!

Summary: Picking up right where City of Fallen Angels left off, City of Lost Souls finds our heroes desperately searching for Jace, who appears to have been kidnapped by the totally-not-dead Sebastian. Things get tricky when they discover Jace hasn’t been kidnapped, he’s gone off with Sebastian willingly and the two are apparently BFFs now. Unable to go to the Clave for help, the kids decide to rescue Jace on their own. But as always in the lives of our favorite Shadowhunters, things are not as they seem…

City of Lost Souls!!!! Here’s the breakdown:

Simon is the best.

Clary does what she wants and it’s pretty stupid.

Jace, for once, wants to be happy with Clary instead of being a withdrawn, emotionally self-flagellating weirdo, but unfortunately it’s because he’s kind of EVIL.

Isabelle learns that it’s okay to need people. <3<3<3

Alec is an idiot dummy stupid idiot.

Magnus has SEQUINED BATTLE ARMOR.

Maia and Jordan are basically happy, and therefore boring.

Sebastian tries to convince us that he’s really nice now.

All of the adult characters… are there adult characters in this book?

Everyone is a snarky sassy-pants.

WARNING: Very slightly spoilery reviews ahead!

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Going Out With a (Paranormal) Bang: Kelly Reviews “Sliding Beneath the Surface” by Doug Dillon

31 Dec

Sliding Beneath the Surface by Doug Dillon (Submission)
Genre: Young Adult paranormal adventure
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Summary: Just as Jeff Golden is about to start classes at St. Augustine High, he finds himself up to his eyeballs in paranormal experiences. Scared out of his wits, he relies on his friend Carla Rodrigues, and Lobo, an old Native American shaman, for help. Despite this guidance, things get even worse, making Jeff realize he is in danger of losing his sanity and even his life. Finally, forces he doesn’t fully understand push him to leap headlong into the unknown in order to save himself. In doing so though, Jeff has risked something even more valuable than his own existence.

I’ve been a bad blogger! Grad school kicked my butt, but I’m back for one last hurrah in 2011. Maybe this procrastinator will learn to keep her perennial resolution of better time management in 2012. (But probably not!) We’re ending the year on a paranormal note, with Doug Dillon’s first book of The St. Augustine Trilogy.

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Cassie-wa Reviews “Daughter of Smoke and Bone” by Laini Taylor

20 Nov

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Adventure, Romance
Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars

Summary: 17-year-old Karou has a pretty interesting life, considering she has her own apartment in Prague and goes to art school. She’s a great mystery to her friends, never talking much about herself except to say with a wry smile that she doesn’t remember getting the eye-shaped tattoos on her palms, her hair is naturally blue, and the strange creatures she fills dozens of sketchbooks with, such as Issa, the snake woman, and Brimstone, the wishmonger, are real. 

Of course the creatures, called chimaera, are real–they’re the only family she has in the world. Her hair is naturally blue (because she wished that it was), and she knows as little about her mysterious tattoos as she knows about her past. When she’s not in school, she’s running errands for Brimstone, using portals to travel around the world and collect teeth for him, although she doesn’t know their purpose.

Just when she’s on the brink of discovering who she is, all of the portals go up in flames. Karou is completely cut off from her family, and finds herself stalked relentlessly by a vengeful angel named Akiva, who might be able to reveal to her once and for all the secrets of her past.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone is beautifully written, utterly fascinating, and doesn’t explain a single thing about what’s going on until the very end of the book.

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Bibliomantic Book Club: “Goliath” by Scott Westerfeld

2 Oct

Goliath by Scott Westerfeld
Release Date: September 20, 2011
Genre: Alternate history, young adult fantasy, steampunk

Summary: The Leviathan continues its breakneck journey around the world, with Alek and Deryn hanging on by the ratlines. Picking up the mysterious Nikola Tesla in the wilds of Siberia alters their course in unexpected ways, as he claims he has a weapon so powerful it will stop the war. Heading towards America, Alek and Deryn must figure out their place in the war, the world, and in each other’s hearts. Burning questions are answered, identities revealed, and adventure awaits!

The end of a series – always a bittersweet time for the Bibliomantics. While we love reaching the conclusion of a story, it means it’s over. No more steampunk whale ship, no more of Deryn’s cleverboots cursing, no brooding, secret-heirs to the throne. It’s rather depressing. But Goliath sends us off with a bang. This action-packed conclusion takes us to Asia and America, introduces new characters while bringing back old friends, and delivers a beautiful, hilarious, and deeply satisfying ending. We were left with one thought – Goliath is barking brilliant.

WARNING: Here be spoilers. Especially from Stephanie. ::glares pointedly::

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Kelly Reviews “Wildwood” by Colin Meloy (and no, it’s not about the Jersey Shore)

8 Sep

 Wildwood by Colin Meloy, illustrated by Carson Ellis
 Genre: Children’s Lit, Adventure, Fantasy
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Summary: Prue McKeel’s perfectly ordinary life in Portland is taken from her in the same instant a murder of crows carries her baby brother Mac off into the Impassable Wilderness, the uninhabited forest outside the city limits. Determined to get him back, she enters the woods. Following Prue is Curtis, a school friend who is ostracized by their other classmates. Together, they discover that the forest is far from the empty wilderness they’d envisioned. There are all sorts of creatures living in the forest; from the militarized (and talking) coyotes to the Mystics living in the North Wood, the Wildwood is filled with political coups, mystical beings, and more adventure than either of Prue or Curtis bargained for. 

Musicians writing books. It’s something I have to deal with in the library profession. Invariably, people want whatever crappy book the musician “wrote” and we have to oblige them. It goes for other celebrities as well (Snooki, Paris Hilton, god my brain cells are killing themselves in protest), but musicians’ books are easily the most requested. People want the glamour, the behind-the-scenes drama from their favorite artists.

Enter Colin Meloy, of The Decemberists. Unlike most musicians, he offers not a rock-and-roll memoir or a thinly veiled fictional representation of his life. His first foray into the world of fiction is a children’s novel in the great literary tradition of leaving home and going on a grand adventure. Coming from the frontman of a hyperliterate indie band who wrote a rock-opera heavily influenced by fairy tales, this really doesn’t come as a surprsie.

What did surprise me was how wonderful Wildwood is.

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Cassie-wa Reviews the Audiobook of “Summerland” by Michael Chabon

7 Aug

Summerland by Michael Chabon
- Audiobook narrated by the author! -
Genre: Fantasy/Folklore, Adventure, Baseball (really)
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Summary: 11-year-old Ethan Feld and his eccentric engineer father moved to the remote Clam Island after his mother passed away. There he was forced by his overly-enthusiastic father to join a little league baseball team, despite really sucking at, and consequently not being particularly fond of, baseball. 

Just when Ethan decides to quit the game once and for all, he’s recruited by the famous pitcher (and hero scout) Chiron “Ringfinger” Brown and a group of tiny, fairy-like baseball enthusiasts called “ferishers” to be their champion in a bid to save the four worlds from destruction at the hands of the formidable Coyote. 

And when his father is kidnapped to further Coyote’s nefarious purposes, Ethan and his friends have no choice but to go after him. Along the way they pick up a strange collection of new friends who help them on their quest and, as you may have guessed, play baseball. 

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