The Curiosities: A Collection of Stories by Maggie Stiefvater, Brenna Yovanoff and Tessa Gratton

From acclaimed YA authors Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton, and Brenna Yovanoff comes The Curiosities: A Collection of Stories.

- A vampire locked in a cage in the basement, for good luck.
- Bad guys, clever girls, and the various reasons why the guys have to stop breathing.
- A world where fires never go out (with references to vanilla ice cream).

These are but a few of the curiosities collected in this volume of short stories by three acclaimed practitioners of paranormal fiction.

But The Curiosities is more than the stories. Since 2008, Maggie, Tessa, and Brenna have posted more than 250 works of short fiction to their website merryfates.com. Their goal was simple: create a space for experimentation and improvisation in their writing—all in public and without a backspace key. In that spirit, The Curiosities includes the stories and each author's comments, critiques, and kudos in the margins. Think of it as a guided tour of the creative processes of three acclaimed authors.

So, are you curious now?

My Thoughts:

I don't think I could pinpoint exactly what I loved about this collection. But I loved it. I think I might be kind of a Brenna Yovanoff fangirl. Seriously. I love her. And her work. It's just... so... perfect. I picked up this collection of stories because of her and I'm so glad I did because I now have more authors to obsess over!

Ok, so, this collection of short stories exists because three unknown authors (Brenna Yovanoff, Maggie Stiefvater and Tessa Gratton) started a blog on which to post short stories and critique each other. Using this blog they each honed their already impressive skills and are now some of the best YA fiction writers out there. The really awesome thing about this anthology, though, was that it was published unedited and with notes in the margins explaining creative processes and how they critiqued each other and what-not. So it was interesting in a one-day-I'd-like-to-write-a-book sort of way. But the stories themselves were just good on their own. Which is amazing to me, considering that they each wrote a story a week. Granted, they did pick and choose which stories were going to be published and I'm sure a lot of not-so-stellar pieces were cut but I'm still amazed by what they could do with such crazy deadlines! A full short story a week! Talk about dedication to your craft.

Anyway, the stories. Usually I get a bit bored by a book that is a collection of disjointed stories with no connection to each other to speak of. Here, I was fascinated. I could not put this down. It's like I got a full novel every few pages, these stories were so rich and rounded. The subjects were ones I was interested in, that I craved to read. The characters were people I knew and liked or was interested enough in to want to know about them. I'm not gonna lie, there's a lot of weirdness going on in here. I think that's part of the reason these three talented ladies work so well together in this critique circle: Their talents complement each other and their subject matter tends to be similar. I loved all the weirdness. There are ghosts and trolls and zombies and magic and killer puddles and murderers and modern dragon slayers and pyromaniacs and all sorts of fun, strange little things going on. And the actual writing is so, so lovely. 

Now that I'm not looking at the book itself I'm having a hard time remembering which author wrote what. Which is a good thing. Because I picked this book up loving Brenna Yovanoff's words.

Now I think I might be in love with Maggie Stiefvater's and Tessa Gratton's as well.

Sexual Content: Mild (kissing, vague innuendo)
Language: Mild
Violence: Moderate
Drugs/Alcohol: Mild

Echoes of a Gloried Past by Ken Lozito

I am Aaron Jace of the House Alenzar’seth, the Lords of Shandara. The world of Safanar has been sheltered by the blood and sacrifice of my ancestors but no more, for I am the last.

The Drake, a construct of advanced Hythariam technology, has taken Sarah, and is using our love to change her into an assassin. I am her target. Some have advised me to abandon Sarah to her fate, believing that she is beyond saving, but that is something I won’t do.

Whispers of the return of the Alenzar’seth are spreading throughout Safanar. Nations are mobilizing to rebel against the tyranny of the High King, but there is a grave threat poised to strike the people of Safanar known to only a few. Everything is about to change.

The fall of Shandara may yet spell certain doom for the people of Safanar. The barrier between worlds is failing, and the Hythariam refugees living on Safanar have returned to honor the sacrifices of my family.

Aaron’s quest to save the woman he loves will take him to the very heart of Khamearra. Home of the High King and the Elitesmen Order, where he will find the most unlikely of allies. Time is running out for Sarah. She has only days before she is lost and if Aaron can’t reach her in time, then nothing he can do will save her from what she will become.

Echoes of a Gloried Past is the second installment of the epic fantasy adventure Safanarion Order series, continuing this not so traditional fantasy. The worlds of myth and science will coalesce in this epic tale of action adventure with ancient allies and enemies alike preparing for war.

My Thoughts:

Echoes picks up right where Road to Shandara left off:  Aaron is trying his best to think of a way to save his beloved Sarah, not caring what lengths he has to go to.

While trying to help Aaron fight the Drake, Sarah was taken by it and entranced.  There are these things called Nanites, which are technology of the Hythariam (who are more connected to the Drake and the Ryakul than you think), that the Drake infected Sarah with by breathing them onto her.  Aaron clings onto the mental connection he has with Sarah and knows that while she is fighting the effects of the Nanites, she is on borrowed time.  There is no way that she can fight them off.  Or is there?

Aaron’s new friend Roselyn, a Hythariam healer, thinks she has a way to help Sarah, but she will need the much coveted travel crystals used by the dreaded Elitesmen and the privileged people of Khamearra to work out her plan.

Aaron, determined as he is, decides to infiltrate Khamearra and steal some of the travel crystals so that he can save his lady love.  Once inside the tower that houses/charges the crystals, Aaron comes face to face with High King Amorak, who is also Ferasdiam Marked, and discovers the king’s true feelings toward his daughter.  The High King disowned her and stated that she chose her own fate (pretty much).

Once reunited with his friends, Aaron discovers that one of them has been killed by an Elitesman.  Talk about adding fuel to the fire.  The people are tired of the oppression they suffer at the hands of the High King and trouble is definitely brewing.

While some of Aaron’s friends are off trying to form alliances between kingdoms in preparation for the coming war, Aaron is chasing down Sarah (obviously).  He finds her, and the Drake, on a mountainside that is absolutely crawling with Ryakul, which are controlled by the Drake.

*This is kind of what I picture a Ryakul looking like, maybe just a bit smaller?*

Meanwhile, Mactar is scheming for his own means.  He intends to learn how to control the Ryakul and use them to his advantage.  I really didn’t like him and found myself really rooting for Tarimus to get his revenge.  Tarimus is a demon, basically, that Mactar had enslaved and was using to do his evil bidding, until Tarimus got Aaron to set him free (all in the first book).

Aaron and his friends do find Sarah, but he must heed to advice of an unexpected ally and is forced to confront a very difficult decision regarding their futures.

Holy cow...  It took me WAY longer to read this than I expected, and that’s not because it wasn’t a good book.  It was a great book!  I enjoyed this one just as much as the first one, but the spelling and grammatical errors were more prevalent in this one.  I’m not sure if it’s because it’s an ARC (although, I’m not sure if it is or not) or what.  I want to give Echoes of a Gloried Past 5 stars, because when I start reading it I just don’t want to stop, but the grammar takes one away for me.  I was definitely able to read it easily, it’s not like it gets confusing or anything.  They’re just simple spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors that were seemingly overlooked by the editor(s).

Great story though!!

*Mr. Lozito provided me with a copy of his book, and in return asked me to read and write a review.  Thanks Mr. Lozito!

Sexual Content: None

Language: Mild

Violence: Heavy

Drugs/Alcohol: Mild

Talon by Julie Kagawa

Coming Soon: October 28, 2014

Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser.

Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George.

Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey: and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him: and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons.

My Thoughts:

I have liked everything I've read by this author. So this wasn't a surprise to me, by the end, how much I love this author and her writings. 

At first when reading Talon I thought it was going to be too similar or exactly like the Firelight Trilogy by Sophie Jordan. I was almost cringing at how much they were similar...at first. But I continued and as the story progressed, yes there were a lot of similarities but Kagawa is really good at taking a story and making it her own. 

As you can tell just by looking at the cover and by my mention of Firelight, this book is about dragons. The kind that can change into human form. The problem with these types of stories for me is I have a hard time relating or seeing these things as "beautiful" haha I even tried finding a picture to match was I was trying to picture in my head. But they are all pretty terrifying. The story of Talon is about a secret society of shape-shifting dragons and the Order who hunts them down. Your typical YA dragon story. From the story Talon is all about it's own species preservation and doing whatever it needs to achieve that. After being hunted down almost to extinction they decided to infiltrate human society, when the Order of St. George finds out about a possible dragon they decide to send two of their best to track them down, know for sure if it's them and then kill them. The problem with that? is when one of the hunters starts to have feelings for the main female character. typical.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Truly, there wasn't really anything new here. However I love Julie Kagawa's writing, she can take an ordinary story and still write it beautifully in such a way that you enjoy the story regardless of the outcome you know is going to happen. The romance was a bit eye rolling even thought you held onto the book wanting to know where Kagawa was going to take you. 

Overall I still really enjoyed the story and couldn't put it down. I have yet to be disappointed with anything Julie Kagawa writes. 

Sexual Content: moderate (PG-13 sexual tension, kissing)

Language: moderate (I think it was more of PG- PG-13 I think it was more than I expected but not horrible)

Violence: mild 

Drugs/Alcohol: moderate (underage drinking, knowledge that a character gets drunk)

Road to Shandara by Ken Lozito

From Earth, A Hero Will Rise…

My name is Aaron Jace. Until a few months ago I’d never heard of the world Safanar or a place called Shandara. I was a normal guy about to graduate from college and now….now I’m being hunted, even in the solace of my dreams. My life has been a lie and I’ve been pulled into a war that spans worlds. I am the last scion of the house Alenzar’seth, the lords of Shandara. The ones on the hunt are after the one thing that will grant them ultimate power over the world….Me.

Aaron Jace is about to graduate from college when his grandfather unexpectedly dies. He finds a mysterious note that tells him he is a descendant from an ancient and powerful family called the Alenzar'seth, the Lords of Shandara. Along with the note is a family heirloom with a magic all its own, and two mystical swords forged as if they were made for him. The problem is he has never heard the name Alenzar’seth or of a place called Shandara. With the death of his grandfather, Aaron is thrust headlong into a war where the enemies of Shandara have the power to reach across worlds to pull him into the fight. He is being hunted and his family is in danger as Tarimus, a demon sentinel from the world of Safanar, leads the charge to steal the power of the Alenzar'seth before Aaron has a chance to learn his full potential.

In a race that begins on Earth, Aaron will journey to Safanar launching him on a thrilling fantasy action adventure in search of the fabled land of Shandara and learn that while some nations hold the Alenzar'seth in high esteem, others rejoice in its demise and are still searching for the source of power laid hidden amidst the ruins known only to a powerful few.

Aaron will discover that the world of Safanar is built upon the stuff of legends and fantasy with dragons and castles, to cities closely resembling the modern cities of Earth with hints to science and technology that even surpass that of Earth. The Road To Shandara is an epic tale of action adventure with ancient and powerful families on distant worlds involving sacred allegiances and loyalties that span lifetimes.

My Thoughts: 

Let me just say: I love the fact that this is a great story without having a ton of unnecessary language thrown in.  It’s really hard to find that nowadays, and that bothers me.  But I digress.

Our story starts with Aaron Jace, a soon to be college graduate, driving to the stables near his home when he is greeted by the flashing lights of police cars.  He runs into the home to find his grandfather in a back room, lying on the ground.  He crouches down beside his grandfather, who hands him a medallion tells Aaron to keep it safe.  Aaron holds his grandfather as he takes his last breath.  Cue the destruction of Aaron’s life as he knows it.

We follow Aaron as he learns things about himself and a past and future that he never, in a million years, would have thought for himself.  The training that his grandfather has been giving him all his life is about to take on a whole new meaning. 

Now, Aaron finds himself in another dimension, on another planet, hunted by Tarimus, a demon trapped between worlds and doing the bidding of a far more sinister person.  And that’s only the beginning!  While on his journey to his realm of Shandara, his true home, Aaron comes across the smooth talking Verona Ryder, sent by a guardian of Shandara to help Aaron on his journey.  Verona brings Aaron to his friends and after the initial suspicion, Aaron is accepted by them.  Later, Aaron meets a beautiful, cast aside princess, Sarah, and they fall for each other.  While I figured there would be some romance in this story, it seemed a little cliché at times, but oh well.  It’s not bad.  Sarah betrays her own to help Aaron and his band of friends to right the wrongs set in motion by forces unlike anything they can imagine.  At the same time, Sarah helps Aaron discover more about himself and the powers that he has.

I’m not going to spoil it because I think that it is a truly wonderful read for fans of fantasy books, and definitely worth it!  I feel like this book should be more popular than it is.  

Quotes I liked:

“What are we without our honor? Nothing but bloodless barbarians and chaos driven at that.” – Verona

“Anger clouds the mind even for those with the purest of intentions.” – Aaron

Sexual Content: None
Language: Very mild
Violence: Heavy
Drugs/Alcohol: Mild