STARDUST by Neil Gaiman

I received a review copy of this special edition published by HarperCollins' William Morrow which includes an early Wall story called Wall: A Prologue. The edition I received has a blue cover and gold-embossed art by Charles Vess.

I'm usually not the kind of person who can go to a bookstore and pick out a book I like.  Typically, I will see a movie I really like and will want to read the book, or I may buy a book at my wife's suggestion.

Stardust is one of the former.

Just like any young man in love, Tristran Thorn made a promise to a girl he loved (who didn't entirely love him back) that he would go so far to find a falling star for her, if it would mean her hand in marriage.  On his journey, he runs across many of the things you would find in fairy tales: unicorns, witches, human transformations, teleporting, etc.

From Goodreads:

In the sleepy English countryside of decades past, there is a town that has stood on a jut of granite for six hundred years. And immediately to the east stands a high stone wall, for which the village is named. Here in the town of Wall, Tristran Thorn has lost his heart to the hauntingly beautiful Victoria Forester. One crisp October night, as they watch, a star falls from the sky, and Victoria promises to marry Tristran if he'll retrieve that star and bring it back for her. It is this promise that sends Tristran through the only gap in the wall, across the meadow, and into the most unforgettable adventure of his life.

Stardust was made as a fairy tale for adults, so it ends up being very fun for any adult reading.  The movie left me with high hopes for the book, and I ended up loving the book even more.  There were scenes that were told so much better in the book than Hollywood could portray.  Also, the book never had many of the scenes that I didn't like in the movie.

The plot was very well done.  Any tension the author creates during the book is finally put at ease as you get near the end of the book.  The characters were also very unique, including Prince brothers that would literally kill one another, but have an unwritten obligation to seek revenge for another's death if done by someone other than family.

 I wanted to see how the book compared to the movie and in this case, the book was much better than the movie. I recommend it.

The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson

The 12th book in the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. A "friend" turned me on to this series of 14, yes 14 books and I'm still friends with him.

On goodreads

This is the first one written by Brandon Sanderson due to Jordan's death in 2007. (How can he die before he's done?) I can't say that the books would stand alone well, but the character development is amazing. This one left me happy for the growth of the main characters and hopeful for their future. I can't wait to start the next one. Sanderson has to get us to the last battle  in these final two books and I'm wondering if such a build up of storyline will live up to its promises. I'll let you know.

MEMENTO NORA by Angie Smibert

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The Blurb:

On an otherwise glossy day, a blast goes off and a body thuds to the ground at Nora's feet. There are terrorist attacks in the city all the time, but Nora can't forget.

In Nora's world you don't have to put up with nightmares. Nora goes with her mother to TFC--a Therapeutic Forgetting Clinic. There, she can describe her horrible memory and take a pill to erase it so she can go onlike nothing ever happened. But at TFC a chance encounter with a mysterious guy changes Nora's life. She doesn't take the pill. And when Nora learns the memory her mother has chosen to forget, she realizes that someone needs to remember.

With newfound friends Micah and Winter, Nora makes a comic book of their memories called Memento. Memento is an instant hit, but it sets off a dangerous chain of events. Will Nora, Micah, and Winter be forced to take the Big Pill that will erase their memories forever?

Angie Smibert's remarkable debut novel takes readers on a thrilling ride through a shadowy world where corporations secretly rule and consumerism is praised above all.

The Afterglow:

Memento Nora had me from hello. The title caught my interest because it was so different. Then the blurb held my interest. I immediately put it on my to-read list on goodreads, hoping to spend money on it another day since I was already maxed out that month (a common problem for me). It was just before Christmas that I remembered it. Maybe you can figure out why from the timing. I thought about all the things people wish they could forget, things they can't explain, traumatic things. And I wondered how it would be handled in a book where a pill can help you forget a trauma. 

It was handled well.

From three different points of view, Angie Smibert leads you into this world where consumerism is more than a fashion thing, it's a way of life. And if you stop consuming/buying things long enough to notice what's wrong in society, you might just disappear. 

Things I loved:

• a friendship where half the dialogue takes place through thoughts and facial expressions because they're just that tight. And it actually works. 
• a romance that didn't hit me over the head, was subtle and realistic in a surreal world. 
• a character with an artistic temperament (read: crazy) who builds kinetic sculptures!
• accidental revolutionaries
• unique characters with solid back stories
• the ending. Here's where I always have to be careful because I don't want to give any spoilers. I'll just say that the ending is both inevitable and surprising, troubling and satisfying. Can't figure out what that means? Me neither. Just read the book!

Also, the voice is fantastic! There's art in much of the prose, but it doesn't detract from the story at all. In fact, Winter's POV wouldn't be Winter without it.

As with many excellent books these days, this is the first in a series. I'll be hopping into the next one here soon:

add it on goodreads

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

This book was worth the time I stayed awake to read it. After all, we've all taken a day or two of being sleep deprived to finish a delectable tale. Beautiful Creatures was my latest 'eye opener'.

The Blurb:

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

The Afterglow:

I'll be honest, with Beautiful Creatures being made into a movie this February I was enticed. Just seeing a two minute preview had me wanting to dive into Beautiful Creatures just so I could know how it ended.

How did I feel?

Book One knocked me off my feet. The words read like a sweet melody. Lena and Ethan's relationship is so unique and unforgettable you'll be glad you're picking up the novel now when the other part of the series have previously been released as well.

I love that the authors chose to shy away from the term witch and create Castors, a term that allows them to truly branch out and add unique flavor to each individual who possess a power. So whether you want Lena to turn to the light or to the dark this is a tale you'll want to jump on the moment you have avaiable free time!!

Next on my agenda: Beautiful Darkness

OBSIDIAN by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Lux: Book 1)

I just read and reviewed Jennifer L. Armentrout's prequel novella, SHADOWS. And pretty much immediately vaulted into OBSIDIAN, Book 1 of the Lux series.

On goodreads

The Blurb:

Starting over sucks. 

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring.... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.
And then he opened his mouth. 

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something...unexpected happens. 

The hot alien living next door marks me. 

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. 

If I don't kill him first, that is.

The Afterglow:

Knowing all the background from the prequel novella SHADOWS really saved me from wanting to strangle or punch or otherwise shank Daemon in OBSIDIAN. He is a world-class jerk from the word go. But you get it if you read the prequel first. If you don't, well, you'll probably still love the tension between Katy and Daemon... even though your heart will break for Katy half a dozen times first.

The story is told entirely from Katy's perspective, which makes for some confusing overheard bits. If you like being a detective-reader, you'll love that. As a paranormal romance, it also has a very satisfying ending - not gushy, not devastating.

I'm actually in the middle of Book 2, ONYX, now, so that tells you how good OBSIDIAN was! It's candy for the mind. The love, the passion, the humiliation, the terror. It's all told in emotive detail.

Oh, and the main character has a book review blog! Gotta love that, right? Right?

Warning:  If you start this series, you may not be able to stop.

SHADOWS by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Lux 0.5)

On goodreads

THE BLURB: 

The last thing Dawson Black expected was Bethany Williams. As a Luxen, an alien life form on Earth, human girls are…well, fun. But since the Luxen have to keep their true identities a secret, falling for one would be insane. 

Dangerous. Tempting. Undeniable. 

Bethany can’t deny the immediate connection between her and Dawson. And even though boys aren’t a complication she wants, she can’t stay away from him. Still, whenever they lock eyes, she’s drawn in.

Captivated. Lured. Loved. 

Dawson is keeping a secret that will change her existence...and put her life in jeopardy. But even he can’t stop risking everything for one human girl. Or from a fate that is as unavoidable as love itself.

THE AFTERGLOW:

I just put this down with the tranquil feeling of inevitability, fate, and romantic tragedy. This is a prequel novella to the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. It's the first book I've read of hers, recommended by a passionate reader on twitter.

I can see what the hullabaloo is about!

I didn't want to put this novella down. The voice was interesting and active, never a dull moment. The love story was so fated and beautiful... and melodramatic. Right up my alley! I'd say Twilight fans will easily adapt to Armentrout's world of aliens made of light and capable of human love.

My initial impression of SHADOWS wasn't good. There's a split infinitive in the very first line:

"A shadow glided over the frozen hills, moving too quick to likely be cast by something of this Earth."

I had to tell my grammar police to stand down and just enjoy the story. But I was happy to see there were few grammar offenses after that, and the story itself is so tense, fun, exciting, and moving, that I didn't bother bringing the police out again. Afterglow Book Reviews is for books that move us, that make us fall in love and roll with the tragedy and triumph of the characters. SHADOWS did that. I will definitely be reading Book 1, OBSIDIAN to continue with the series.

Have you read Jennifer L. Armentrout? She has quite a collection of novels, including the Lux series and the Covenant series.

*happy sigh*

Always wonderful to discover a new favorite author.

New breath for THE CLEARING in SHADOWS OF THE HIDDEN by Anne Riley

Find it on goodreads

I am beyond stoked that Anne Riley's book, formerly titled THE CLEARING, has been given new life and a gorgeous new cover by Compass Press. SHADOWS OF THE HIDDEN now has the cover I pictured when reading it for the first time. Okay, so I didn't picture it exactly, but this was basically it. I love it!

Here's my original afterglowing review:

The short version: Just finished reading The Clearing by Anne Riley and it was a very satisfying read! The twists and emotional intensity really got me. It dealt with the reality of bereavement very well in the midst of a supernatural plot, and made me cry more than once.  

The self-indulgent version: 
*Happy sigh* 

Yeah, I liked this book that much. 

After I read the author's blog--and liked her so much I snagged her for a guest post over at The Best Damn Creative Writing Blog--I started to worry about the inevitable moment of truth: What if I read her book and didn't like it? After all, there are no guarantees about any given book, even those published by the big houses and buzzed all over the place as the next HP or Twilight! So what would I do if I didn't like THE CLEARING? This anxiety kept me from reading it at first, even when I had the lovely paperback sitting on my night stand. It waited patiently for me to grow a spine, which I did, thankfully. 

All my stress, it turns out, was for naught. In fact, Riley's debut novel is right up there with the best in the urban fantasy genre. THE CLEARING boasts a suspenseful, spooky plot and relatable, tortured characters. I thought about it for days afterward. I wished for a sequel or companion novel to continue in the unique world Anne Riley created. I cried multiple times as the protagonist Natalie dealt with such serious issues as bullying at school and her parents' deaths. The twists are sublimely surprising, and the magical escapism enchanted me. Doesn't every girl hope deep down that she's special? Especially those of us who were bullied relentlessly in school! 

And that is as specific as I'll be with the spoilers. :)  

Enjoy! It gets FIVE STARS from me. Well done, Anne! I hope to enjoy many more books with your name on them.

The new edition comes out December 10, 2012. Merry Christmas!

Visit Anne at her website/blog, on twitter, facebook, and look for her as a featured author at Operation Awesome's free, online New Year's Revisions Conference January 4-6, 2013.