Blood Ninja by Nick Lake ★

Blood Ninja (Blood Ninja, Book 1)
by Nick Lake
August 2010
Simon & Schuster

Real adventure involves pain, loss, and blood.  Sometimes all at once.

I absolutely love discovering a new series just as the last book is about to be published!  Sadly, my library doesn't own them all yet, leaving me with only one book to share.  But that's okay!  Because there is plenty to say about this marvelous book with a premise that sounds like a train wreck but is in fact a masterpiece!

Premise: Ninjas are stealthy, creatures of the night.  It therefore follows that all ninjas are actually vampires!  Cheesy and preposterous are just two of the words that come to mind, right?  Well Nick Lake is a genius because not only did this work, but vampires in general make so much more sense now as a plausible fictional creature.  Lake explains so many of the things that we wonder about vampires.  "Why do they drink blood?" and "Why can they only come out at night?" are two questions that Lake addresses beautifully as he combines vampires and Japanese mythology.

Fans of Japanese culture and history will absolutely love all the historical references and the Japanese terminology throughout.  This is definitely a book for young Japan enthusiasts and manga readers.  I can't imagine anyone with a love of Japan not enjoying young Taro's adventures as a vampire ninja during one of the country's most defining moments; that of the rivalry between Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

If that isn't enough to convince you, here in the author's own words is his reasoning for the outcome of a fight between Twilight's Edward and Blood Ninja's Taro.

Absolutely no one at all has asked me who would win in a fight between Taro, the vampire ninja hero of BLOOD NINJA, and Edward, from those obscure, hard-to-find books by Stephenie Meyer.

Which is a shame, because I could answer them very simply: Taro would win. Why? Dude is a NINJA. As we all know, thanks to the mine of valuable information that is the internet, a ninja can whale on anyone's *ss. Even a pirate's. And yes, even Edward's. ESPECIALLY Edward's. Even if Taro wasn't a vampire, he'd win. Has Edward got throwing stars? No. 

I see no flaws in his logic.

For more books about Vampires, check out this reading list!

Blood Ninja Trilogy
Blood Ninja
Blood Ninja II: The Revenge of Lord Oda
Blood Ninja III: The Betrayal of the Living (TBR August 2012)

Crossed by Ally Condie

Crossed (Matched, Book 2)
by Ally Condie
November 2011
Dutton Juvenille

Rules are different outside the society.

For reasons beyond my comprehension these books continue to enjoy raging popularity.  Don't get me wrong, this is a great series.  But there are so many other wonderful dystopian young adult novels that follow a similar premise that one might think the success would be more evenly spread . . . In any case, I've finally read book two in the Matched Trilogy, which began (unsurprisingly) with Matched.  If you haven't read Matched, you should.  (Before you're the only one left on your block who hasn't.  Even the 11 year old boy next door who plays video games all day and eats dirt has read it.)

Crossed picks up close to where Matched left off.  Ky has been shipped off to who knows where and desperate to find him, Cassie takes on jobs in the outer provinces.  But before Cassie can go bounding into the wilderness in search of Ky, Xander shows up (Yes of course he's in this book.  What?  You thought the love triangle was completely resolved and tied up nicely in the first book?  Silly you.  Didn't you realize this was a trilogy?).  Cassie knows she needs to find Ky because she loves him.  But does her heart still long for her childhood friend Xander?  How does she keep them both?  And will she stay alive long enough in the wilderness to choose between them?

So many questions raised . . . that mostly went unanswered.  Crossed builds a nice bridge between Matched and what shall be the conclusion of the series.  This book takes you away from The Society and allows the characters the opportunity to get to know themselves and each other better than they were able previously.  Having gotten this far I will definitely be reading the last book in this series.  But if you haven't already, I do recommend that you try other dystopian novels such as Divergent or Legend in addition to the Matched Trilogy.  (Even if the other books don't have the same visually rockin' covers that these books do.)

The Matched Trilogy
Matched
Crossed
Reached (TBR November 2012)

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce ★

Sweetly
by Jackson Pearce
August 2011
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

"Where's your sister?"  They asked us questions.  They wanted to know why we had let her go.  What we last heard.  What we last saw.  They didn't believe me when I said it was a witch. 

Anyone who knows anything about me knows that I love two things:  1. Dark Chocolate and 2. Fairy Tale retellings.  Sadly, my passion for both leads to similar misfortune in the form of decreased supply and an ever increasing demand.  With fairy tale retellings especially, there never seem to be enough titles or authors to satisfy my craving.  Which is why I was particularly pleased to find this book!  Not only is Jackson Peace a new author for me, but the retold fairy tale is also new to me!  And I bet it'd be new for you too as it is none other than . . . wait for it . . . Hansel and Gretel!!  I know, right?  Jackson Pearce just blew your mind.  How in the world does one take a twisted story about a cannibalistic old crone and greedy children and make it into a young adult book with action, mystery, and even (gasp) romance?!  (Oh and there are also some werewolves thrown in for good measure.)  Like this of course:

Ansel and Gretchen don't like to talk about the day that their little sister disappeared.  But Gretchen swears it was a witch who stole her twin in the dark forest behind their home.  Years later, Ansel and Gretchen try to make a new life for themselves by moving to a sunny beach with no creeping woods to remind them of their past.  When their car breaks down, however, they find they are deep in the forest, at the mercy of a kind, and beautiful young woman who owns a chocolate shop.  Sophia is the most warmhearted person that Ansel and Gretchen have ever known and they are immediately drawn to her and her home in the woods.  But Sophia has a secret . . . and not everything is as sweet as it seems.

Darkly mysterious, with warm, lovable characters, Sweetly is a must read for fairy tale enthusiasts!  And now you'll have to excuse me while I go and read Sisters Red, which is apparently the first installment in this fairy tale inspired series.

If you love fairy tales too, check out this list of retellings!

Companion Novels
Sisters Red
Sweetly
Fathomless (TBR September 2012)

The Shape of Desire by Sharon Shinn

The Shape of Desire (Shifting Circle, Book 1)
by Sharon Shinn
April 2012
Ace Hardcover

What I have is so precious, so intense, such an essential part of my life, that I would not give it up for any inducement.  If I tried, or if someone forced me to, I truly believe I would die.

Sharon Shinn and I have a complicated relationship.  I always think her ideas for her stories are wonderful and intriguing which leads me to pick up the book and begin reading.  Unfortunately, the execution isn't exactly my style.  Shinn takes her readers on a relaxed journey through the lives of her characters that rarely accumulates much tension, making her a wonderful fantasist for readers who enjoy a little slice of life with their magic and mystery.

I picked this particular novel up because this book begins a new series about shapeshifters.  Maria Davane has been desperately in love with Dante Romano for fifteen years.  Unfortunately, he spends more of his life as an animal than as a human, leaving Maria only a few days each month with her lover.  But none of that is enough to keep her from loving Dante and looking forward to his visits as a human.  Due to his nature, however, Maria has been lying to everyone around her for years about him and their relationship.  When a string of strange animal attacks occur near her home, however, Maria is forced to consider who it is she's lying to and whether she really knows anything about this man at all.

Readers who enjoy a leisurely stroll through their fantasy should be huge fans of Shinn's work.  If you enjoy books about shapeshifters, check out this list of other paranormal fiction.

Shifting Circle Novels
The Shape of Desire
Still Life With Shapeshifter (TBR October 2012)

Eve by Anna Carey ★

Eve (Eve Trilogy, Book 1)
by Anna Carey
October 2011
HarperCollins

Where do you go when nowhere is safe?

Eve has grown up in New America; a place that survived after a deadly virus swept through humanity.  Men and women have been separated and young girls are taught to fear boys and to never speak to or allow them to get close.  Growing up in a protected orphanage and school for girls, however, Eve has never had to fear the savage men that live in the outside world.  Raised to intelligence, hard work, and beauty, Eve has no idea that the thing she has to fear most is the place she calls home.  What happens to the girls in the orphanage after "graduation"?  And how will Eve escape when there's nowhere to go?

This was certainly a new twist on the concept of forbidden love and a terrifying glimpse into a future where mankind is struggling to continue as a species.  I found myself completely engaged in the story and the characters' struggles.  I also appreciated the author's candid outlook and even her ability to let characters die in circumstances where it was implausible for them to live.  Many times while reading this book I even paused to wonder "What would I do in this situation?"  Eve is an extremely thought-provoking read and definitely deserves a spot close to the top of my list for dystopian young adult fiction!

For more dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction, check out this list!

Eve Trilogy
Eve
Once (July 2012)
Book 3 (TBR)

Awaken Me Darkly by Gena Showalter

Awaken Me Darkly (Alien Huntress, Book 1)
by Gena Showalter
May 2005
Downtown Press

There's beauty in her strength ~ and danger in her desires.

Hands down, one of the worst books I've read recently.  I think I might finally be done with Gena Showalter.  I have tried to get through so many of  her books and have never made it more than half way.  In a way I suppose that means this book wasn't all that bad considering I finished it . . . interesting thought.

Mia Snow is an alien huntress working for A.I.R. (Alien Investigation and Removal) in a world where many alien races now live and work with humans.  As a self proclaimed, sexy kick-a first grade b*tch, Mia has always dominated her mostly male workplace (which is full of fabulously handsome men who absolutely adore her).  While investigating a series of murders, however, her super sexy, very strong, kind and thoughtful human partner (who she would never sleep with because he isn't good enough) is fatally injured and Mia must find a way to save him.  Enter Kyrin en Arr, a gorgeous alien prince with the power to save Mia's partner . . . for a price.

If you think you might ever read this book you should probably stop reading here . . . 

This is obviously meant to be an edgy romance novel with aliens as sexual partners to spice things up a bit.  While this paranormal lover formula has totally worked for other authors I couldn't stop myself from periodically screaming "How does he have the right equipment for this?!"  at the book.  I'm just not sure how these aliens managed to be umm err compatible with humans.  Yeah, yeah, I know it's just a book.  It's fiction.  Right?

I can deal with that.  I love fiction.  But this book crosses the bounds of fiction and into the world of delusional with its twisted concept of feminism.  This book fulfills some kind of female dominance fantasy in that Mia Snow is the strongest character in the book and holds power over all she meets.  She displays this by not only beating up all the bad aliens, but also her co-workers, friends, and even her lover.  Seriously?!  These men are just going to take that kind of abuse?  I don't care how attractive she is, if women aren't supposed to put up with physical and verbal abuse, then why should men?

Above all, I guess I simply couldn't identify with any of the characters nor could I get over the *ewww* factor involved every time I tried to contemplate how an alien/human pairing was possible.  I do want to thank Gena Showalter, however, for writing this book so that I could add it to my paranormal romance reading list as one of the very few books out there written about alien/human relationships.

Alien Huntress Series
Awaken Me Darkly
Enslave Me Sweetly
Savor Me Slowly
Seduce the Darkness
Ecstasy in Darkness
Dark Taste of Rapture

Young Adult Spinoff Series
Red Handed
Blacklisted

Short Story
Deep Kiss of Winter

The Frog Prince by Elle Lothlorien ★

The Frog Prince
by Elle Lothlorien
September 2011
CreateSpace

Someday your prince will come.  Sort of.

I bought this book for my little sister's birthday a few months ago thinking she might enjoy it since it was topping the chick lit charts at the time.  If you think that's impressive, consider the fact that this book, which is Lothlorien's debut novel, is self-published!  Despite all the positive reviews, I have to admit I didn't trust it's indie status and honestly didn't think I was giving my sister a great book.  A few weeks later, however, my sister marched through my front door, shoved the book in my face and said "You HAVE to read this!"  So I did . . . and I totally loved it!

When Leigh Fromm treads on a handsome stranger's foot at her great aunt's wake she has no idea that the bleeding man is actually Prince Roman Habsburg von Lorraine, the would-have-been king of Austria.  Due to Austria's current system of government, Roman will never be King, and chooses instead to spend his time in a self-imposed exile in Denver, Colorado building tree houses and dancing like a star.  But Leigh doesn't mind hanging out with this handsome, delicious-smelling, phoney prince of Austria.  After all, he'll never be real royalty, right?  Right?

This romantic comedy has all the makings of a major film deal.  I honestly don't know how Lothlorien did it. I spent the first third of the book completely disgusted by the perfect guy who could do everything from dance like Patrick Swayze to fly his own airplane and his beautiful, model of a girlfriend who was brilliant but a total klutz.  Everything about the book and it's characters felt so cliche that I was getting pretty bored there for awhile.  BUT THEN everything changes and you're swept away with the characters, completely caught up in an adventure that no one expected or even dreamed possible (that's why this is fiction, people).  I truly have to say that if you enjoy chick lit, and spend hours drooling over the possibility of being a princess, this book is for you!

For more fairy tale reinterpretations, check out these books or read these other modernized fairy tales by Elle Lothlorien.

Other Once a Time Books
Sleeping Beauty
Rapunzel (TBR Spring 2012)