Valkyrie Rising by Ingrid Paulson

Series: Valkyrie

Author: Ingrid Paulson
Page Count: 352
Published: October 9th, 2012

Publisher: HarperTeen

  5 Stars ★★★★★

Ellie goes to Norway to visit her grandmother for a part of the summer. There she learns about the rumors surrounding her grandmother and the locals' superstition. Young men have been going missing and some people believe that her grandmother may have something to do with it. 

When her older brother, Graham, and his infuriating yet irresistible friend Tuck join her, she grows closer to Tuck and finds herself caught between her attraction towards him and the impossibility that they will ever be together. After all, she is constantly being overshadowed by her seemingly perfect brother, and he is fiercely protective of her.

When her brother is kidnapped, Ellie must go on a quest of self-discovery and bravery. With the help of Tuck and Norway's Valkyrie-hunting citizens, she journeys to save the kidnapped boys before it is too late. 

I usually don't enjoy books based around mythology such as Norse, Celtic, etc, but I decided to pick this one up on the bargain table at the bookstore. I am so glad I did!  This book made me re-evaluate my attitude toward books about mythology and it completely surpassed my expectations. My main problem with books about such kinds of mythology is that some authors will assume you understand the basics of whatever mythology they are working with, and thus do not explain certain details of the story, resulting in readers such as myself being completely lost. Ingrid Paulson did the opposite of that; she explained everything in detail and I was able to keep up with the story despite my lack of familiarity with Norse mythology. If anything, this book expanded my knowledge!

Ellie is an admirable character. She is strong-willed and intelligent, yet the reader learns that she has an insecure side and has issues just like everybody else. She pushes past the barriers that the issues create and as a result, this book is sort of a coming-of-age story. She stands up to affirm her position in the world, in her case as a Valkyrie, and she OWNS it! 

The romance was sweet and touching. Yes, the author worked with some of the "mischievous boy" clichés but she did it well. Tuck was realistic and had flaws, unlike other YA male love interests, which made this book stand out for me. They had a history together because they had known each other for a long time, which eliminated any sort of "insta-love" concerns I may have had.

I am definetly looking forward to the sequel! I am hooked on Ellie and her story and I feel like I'm living out my "badass" side through her! Not to mention that I am insanely interested in Norse mythology now! 

I recommend this book to those seeking a YA novel with a strong female character, sweet romance, and themes such as mythology, self-discovery and loyalty.

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Quote of the Day

“Books are the ultimate Dumpees: put them down and they’ll wait for you forever; pay attention to them and they always love you back.” 

-John Green

The Girl With Borrowed Wings by Rinsai Rossetti

Series: N/A

Author: Rinsai Rossetti
Page Count: 290
Published: July 19th, 2012

Publisher: Dial Books

  4 Stars ★★★★

Frenenqer Paje has wings. But they're not real, of course, only imagined. She is quiet and obedient, living in a loveless household with her father always on her case, her only escape through her books. 

She saves a cat from his death one day, and brings him home to find that he is actually a Free person, able to shapeshift and to make his own decisions. He takes her to new places on his own, real wings, but will Frenenqer be able to push past her father and society, and finally become her own person? 

First off, this book was incredibly unique. It was a paranormal fantasy, with elements of contemporary and romance. A coming of age story in its own way. Set in "the oasis", Frenenqer lives in an oppressive home and a conservative society. I have never encountered a book like this one before.

The reader learns about Frenenqer as a person, about who she really is beneath who she pretends to be, beneath what her father wishes she was. I found myself rooting for her from the beginning, hoping that she'd break free of all that was binding her. Admittedly, I got very angry at her sometimes. "Just run away with Sangris, the shape-shifting Free person! It's easy: he can take you anywhere and you'll never get caught!" 

I also found myself angry at the society she was living in. I mean, it was dangerous for her to go outside with her arms exposed. I was sad for her, having to live in such a ridiculous place. 

Sangris was an amazing character. He was mysterious and mischievous, open and adventurous. He was everything that Frenenqer wasn't. They really complimented each other through their opposite personalities, they highlighted the qualities and flaws of the other.

I had some trouble getting into the story at first. I had to get used to the writing style, and I had to reread some lines to make sure I had understood them correctly. Besides this, I loved this book and I got emotionally involved with the characters and their stories. 

I recommend The Girl With Borrowed Wings to readers looking for a unique YA book. Those searching for an emotional story with themes about coming-of-age will enjoy this, and if you want to read about characters who genuinely care, and eventually love, each other, this novel is for you.

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Fool Me Thrice by Carley Esprit-Philip

Series: N/A

Author: Carley Esprit-Philip

Page Count: 192
Published: January 28th, 2015

 Publisher: Createspace

  4 Stars ★★★★

I received a copy of this book for free from the author in exchange for a review. 

In this book, the author gives a raw and deeply personal account detailing the events that unfolded during an interval of her life. Emotional and honest, the reader learns of all the ups and downs, the highs and lows, the gifts and losses that she endures.

This memoir was refreshing to read. It was sincere and offered me new perspectives on things I hadn't known much about before.

The author made me care about her story from the beginning. I had to continue reading because I wanted to know about what she had been through, how she had handled conflicts and the lessons she'd learned.

I like how the author was brutally honest about her relationships. She gave me insight on open relationships and the pros and cons of pursuing one. She did not censor her experiences; she often wrote about her partners and their time together with erotic language. 

It was interesting that she chose to include texts, emails, and other messages as part of her story. Through these messages I learned more about her and the people around her.

This book did get very emotional at times, especially when dealing with tough subjects such as mental illness. It pulled at my heart, to say the least. The personal language and brutal honesty made me feel like I was experiencing her struggles with her.

Sometimes I was confused as to what was going on, however later on in the memoir I would gain a better understanding of the previous events and their significance to the author's life. There were some typing errors, and sometimes words were without spaces between them so two would be together. While this got annoying at times, it did not diminish the memoir's over all appeal.

In summary, this book was very much worth my time as I gained insight and perspective from the author's experiences. I feel that the author is very brave to put all this out in the open for anyone to read. I appreciate this because very few people are truly honest as she was in this memoir: unafraid and unashamed.

I recommend this memoir to readers of non-fiction, and to those who would like to learn more about open relationships, especially ones including both opposite and same sex partners.

Give Up The Ghost by Megan Crewe

Series: N/A

Author: Megan Crewe

Page Count: 241
Published: September 15th, 2009

 Publisher: Henry Holt & Co

  4 Stars ★★★★

Cass can see and communicate with ghosts. That's how she learns of everything that's going on with her peers, and her secret behind calling them out on it. When Tim, a popular boy mourning the loss of his mother, comes to her for help, she is wary at first. She strikes a deal with him; she will help him contact his dead mother if he tells her all the dirt he has on the "popular" crowd, including her ex-best friend. What she doesn't expect is to actually start caring about the living again. I was not expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did! It was a unique YA book, great for those who want a break from romance novels, and a captivating read. I also found it very emotional at times. I like how the author made sure to make the reader aware of Cass' relationships with her living family, dead family, living friends and dead friends very soon in the novel. This made me want to keep reading, to see how these relationships would be affected. It made me care about Cass and her story. I recommend this book to those who love YA and paranormal, but who want a break from romantic books.\\

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