The Best Friend and The Other Guy

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I finished reading The Iron King by Julie Kagawa last night and found myself surprised at how I enjoyed reading a paranormal romance novel again. I’ve mentioned it many times already that I have started avoiding paranormal romances and some contemporary romances because they always seemed to have the same thing: girl meets guy with a secret, they fall for each other, but girl has a guy friend who is also in love with her and is always the safer choice. Or roles can be switched too — guy meets girl, guy and girl fall in love but there’s a girl best friend who knows the guy better. And yes, I understand, there are other variations, so I’ll let you guys fill that in.

Photo by iann7 – from deviantArt

A bit of a spoiler for The Iron King — the same kind of love triangle is also there, although it wasn’t that pronounced yet in this book. I have a feeling it will be expounded on the next book, though, and right now I already feel sad for one of the guys because I am sure who the heroine would end up with. I realized then as I was reading that for fictional love triangles, I always seem to side with the best friend. I never really declare my “teams”, but I always find myself more sympathetic to the plight of the best friend. Case in point (slight spoiler warning for the books listed):

  • Twilight – I liked Edward in the first book, but when Jacob Black made his presence known, I liked him more. In the end, though, I felt that Bella did not deserve Jacob, so I wasn’t really rooting for Jacob to win in the love triangle but to be able to move on. Still, on the overall love triangle arc, I liked Jacob more.
  • The Hunger Games – I have no problems with Peeta, but I liked Gale more. Sure, Peeta is the golden boy and I liked him as he was, but I honestly thought Katniss and Gale was the better pair. But as I always say whenever people asked me which team I was for in The Hunger Games, I never made a real choice, except that I am just partial to the best friend. Come to think of it, that just meant I’m Team Gale. :P
  • Song of the Lioness Quartet – Angela asked me about who I wanted for Alanna while I was reading the books in the series, and I said I was for Jonathan, who ended up as Alanna’s best friend. I liked who she ended up in the end of the quartet, even if I liked Jon more than who she chose.
  • The Mortal Instruments – A bit of difference for this one, since I actually liked Jace for Clary. I did feel a bit triumphant for Simon when Clary paid more attention to him that is not platonic. Although I didn’t root for their love team as much, I don’t think I would have minded if Clary ended up with Simon.
  • Privileged (TV Show) -While my friends and I agree that Will (played by gorgeous Brian Hallisay) is extremely hot, I felt myself gravitating towards Charlie, Megan’s best friend, who has always been in love with her. And true enough, I was heartbroken when Megan told him that he’s just a friend. :( (Note: the book that the TV series based on has no love triangle, so I had to specify the TV show)

And finally, The Iron Fey. Like I said, I don’t know what’s going to happen in The Iron Daughter since I haven’t read it yet, but I have a feeling that the love triangle will be explored more here. And I already feel bad for the best friend.

I don’t really know why I favor the best friend in the fictional love triangles I read/watch, except maybe because I am kind of sympathetic to the best friend plight. I can’t say I have been in an almost similar situation before (maybe, but since I am a girl, I doubt it’s as painful as the ones I have read). Or maybe it’s just because I tend to gravitate to the underdog because I always hope they’d win somehow? Or maybe it’s just because I always thought that a boyfriend who is your also your best friend is a really good thing?

But then again, what do I know about that? I’ve never been in a relationship before. *shrug*

What about you? Do you “fall” for the other guy, or do you find yourself siding with the best friend?

Edited to add: I just realized there was one love triangle that defied my “best friend” example – Brigan, Fire and Archer in Kristin Cashore’s Fire! Although I thought Archer was a pretty sweet and charming guy, I was for Brigan and Fire all the way. :P

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Freedom in Grace

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Grace by Elizabeth ScottGrace by Elizabeth Scott
Dutton, 208 pages

A fable of a terrifying near future by critically acclaimed author Elizabeth Scott.

Grace was raised to be an Angel, a herald of death by suicide bomb. But she refuses to die for the cause, and now Grace is on the run, daring to dream of freedom. In search of a border she may never reach, she travels among malevolent soldiers on a decrepit train crawling through the desert. Accompanied by the mysterious Kerr, Grace struggles to be invisible, but the fear of discovery looms large as she recalls the history and events that delivered her uncertain fate.

Told in spare, powerful prose, this tale of a dystopian near future will haunt readers long after they’ve reached the final page.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with Grace when I got it. Okay, so I posted a WoW post about this because I was curious, even if I’m not (yet) a fan of Elizabeth Scott. So far, out of all Scott’s work, the only book I liked was Stealing Heaven, and I am not so sure if I want to read her other books after that. But I made an exception for this because it is dystopian, and I have been liking that sub-genre a lot lately.

Grace was raised as an Angel, a suicide bomber trained by the People to fight against Keran Berj’s oppression. She was brought to the People by her dad after her mother died, and she knew that she will be herald of death, a girl chosen by the Saints to fight for freedom against Keran Berj’s cruelty against the land. She grew up knowing what an honor it would be to die for the cause, but knowing is not the same as believing. On the day that she was supposed to kill the Minister of Culture, Grace decides not to die and instead escapes. She is joined by a mysterious, seemingly compassionate man named Kerr as they rode the train to a border that they were not sure if they could reach.

The story is simple, both in prose and plot. It’s confusing at first, because the story wasn’t told in a linear manner, but in flashbacks and anecdotes of Grace’s past and the history that she knew of about their land and Keran Berj’s rule. After some time, though, as I got used to the narration, I finally got the hang of it and it was easier from there. The chapters were short, sparse and almost poetic and but it does not lack the emotion or action that would pull the readers in Grace’s bleak world. There is very little hope as what little of Grace’s story unfolds, and I felt afraid for her as she rode the train to the border. This is not a book you would want to read for a quick and easy read because it’s not. However, despite all that, Scott manages to weave a little bit of hope in the story, a little spark in the darkness that Grace had lived in almost all her life. Just like Grace, I was hesitant to believe in that hope, but I wanted her to hold on to it because I wanted to believe that there is still something good in the world she lives in.

This is a depressing book. It reminds me a lot of those war movies and books that I avoid, particularly ones about World War II and the Nazis. I never liked watching those movies because it’s scary, and I hate the idea that it could possibly happen again. I know it’s weird coming from someone who likes dystopian fiction, but there is a certain level of separation between reality and the dystopian books I have read. Grace is different, because there is a definite sense of reality in the story, a question that I can’t help but ask as I read this book. That is the most terrifying thing in this novel. This is not fantasy. There’s no magic, no special high technology, nothing. The lack of out-of-this-world elements in this story makes you wonder if this is really happening somewhere else…and if it is, is there anything we can do to stop it?

Rating: [rating=5]
→ Depressing. Terrifying. Hopeful. Grace is simple but it packs a lot of punch as it paints a part of our world that could be existing right now, and yet, it still manages to give hope.

2010 Challenge Status:
* Book # 98 out of 100 for 2010
* Book # 3 of YA-D2 Reading Challenge

My copy: hardbound from Fully Booked

Cover image & Blurb: Goodreads

Other Reviews:
Persnickety Snark
Chachic’s Book Nook
The Frenetic Reader

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The Lipstick Laws

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The Lipstick Laws by Amy HolderThe Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Number of pages: 240
My copy: ebook review copy from Netgalley

At Penford High School, Britney Taylor is queen bee. She dates whomever she likes, rules over her inner circle of friends like Genghis Khan, and can ruin anyone’s life as easily as snapping her perfectly manicured fingers. Just ask the unfortunate few who have crossed her.

For April Bowers, Britney is also the answer to her prayers. With zero friends and nothing close to a boyfriend, April is so unpopular, kids don’t know she exists. That is, until Britney notices her. One lunch spent at Britney’s table, and April is basking in the glow of popularity.

But Britney’s friendship comes with a price tag.

How much is April willing to pay?

* * *

The Lipstick Laws is one of those books that is good to read when you have been too immersed in out-of-this-world books, particularly ones full of magic or suspense or people chasing other people to kill them. This is the kind of book that you’d want to read to get back to reality, to remind you that real life could also be as exciting (and sometimes, as terrifying) as fantasy ones.

I picked up The Lipstick Laws as a palate cleanser after reading books about witches and warlocks and zombies. Even if I have been reading a few contemporaries in between the fantasy ones, I felt like my brain needed something easier, something with less mystery and emotional baggage than the ones I have read recently. I’d gladly read a book that would discuss shallow things like make-up and acne-pills to give me a dose of reality.

April is practically invisible in school, until she gets paired with popular Britney Taylor, who accepts her into her circle of friends. Even if Britney was a horrific friend, April could not resist the lure of popularity, especially if it would make her new crush, Matt Brentwood, notice her. Before she knows it, she takes The Lipstick Oath, and it sends her life spiraling out of control because of the silly rules and the price of Britney Taylor’s friendship.

I have never watched Mean Girls movie in full, but this book reminds me of that. Britney was absolutely horrible and shallow and it’s easy to dislike her for her stuck up attitude, at least until the author reveals why Britney changed and what she had to live with. This gives Britney more dimension as a villain in April’s life, even if it doesn’t excuse her attitude. April, on the other hand, can get a bit frustrating at times because it took her so long to realize what she was in danger of turning into something she was trying to destroy. While her epiphany on how she was acting didn’t make heavenly light shine upon her but instead felt more like a light bulb moment, it felt like a natural realization for someone April’s age to think as she assess her situation. I like how the author gave the heroine and the villain unique voices and yet still manage to juxtapose their lives for us readers to see how similar they can be.

Reading The Lipstick Laws makes me very thankful that my high school life wasn’t like that. My high school life was relatively boring, really, save for some contests won and Student Council projects and trips. Then again, I wasn’t a part of the popular clique — I wasn’t even sure if there was a popular clique in my school. This lack of similar high school experience prevents me from empathizing with the characters in this novel, but it certainly did not make me enjoy this book less. :)

The Lipstick Laws will be out on April 2011 from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Much thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reading copy ebook!

Rating: [rating=3]

Other Reviews:
Reader’s Dialogue

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In My Mailbox (10): Hodge-Podge

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It’s been a while since I did an In My Mailbox post, and I’ve been meaning to do one for the past weeks but life has been a little bit hectic lately. So I apologize. Like I mentioned in one of my last posts, we moved to an apartment down the street because our house is being renovated. Moving is a pain when you have so many books, and I realized as I was packing that I do have a lot of books. More than I thought I owned!

This next picture is rather depressing, but I promised my books they’d have a better home once the house is finished by early next year (my parents promised me a bigger shelf in my room). I am planning to let go of some of my books though, but I’ll sort them out soon, probably after NaNoWriMo.

So, my books. In 9 huge plastic bags:

I’m pretty sure my favorite ones won’t be dented in those plastics.

Anyway, so the moving thing kind of stopped me from acquiring books since I really have no place to put it. But…does that stop me? Of course not. Especially when there are ebooks to get and read! And I’m using books as a reward for me to get to certain word counts in NaNoWriMo!

But now you also know why my word count is way behind. Shiny books = procrastination. :P

Anyway, here are the books I got for the past few weeks for today’s In My Mailbox post! In My Mailbox is a weekly book meme hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren, where bloggers post about what books received that week, be it via  mailbox, library or store.

I guess I should start with the books in picture, first. :)

  1. Storm Front by Jim Butcher (Fully Booked). I gave in to curiosity because I know a lot of people like this and recommend this. The only reason I’m hesitant to jump in this series is because it has 11 books — too much investment, IMHO. But let’s see. Got this as a reward for myself in reaching 12,000 words last week. :P
  2. The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley (Libreria). I’ve been eying Robin McKinley books in Fully Booked ever since I’ve heard praises about her from Chachic, so I was really planning to buy Sunshine first (the sparkly vampire book LOL). But I never got around to it, then Chachic reviewed her latest book, Pegasus, and she said that she recommends reading other McKinleys first before reading that, especially Beauty and The Blue Sword. Just my luck, I got to visit Libreria earlier with some Filipino Book Bloggers (more detailed accounts of that in Jason‘s and Blooey‘s blogs), there was a copy of The Blue Sword. :) I call that fate. :P
  3. Seventeenth Summer by Maureen Daly (Fully Booked). This one is an impulse buy, really. I don’t know why I got it, except I know it’s really a reprint of a YA book published in 1942. I guess I was feeling the need to read some contemporary books, and this one just jumped out at me. I know Chris from Ficsation liked this one, so I thought it was worth a try. :)
  4. Skin by Ted Dekker (Book Sale). I’ve been wanting to buy more Dekker books, but some of them are just too expensive. I saw the hardcover of Skin in Booksale, and well…I didn’t let it go. :)

Not in picture:

  • The Reapers are the Angels by Alden Bell (Book Depository). My first Book Depository order is a zombie book. Not surprising, of course. I’ve been looking for this book for ages but I can’t find it here, so I got it online. And I think I love Book Depository already, especially for hard to find books. :) There’s a more detailed post on how to order in Book Depository in Ariel’s blog if you’re curious.

Ebooks (no more background stories for this one, since I’m a bit tired of writing…plus I don’t think I should explain why I got free ebooks, right? :P):

  • Awaken by Kate Kacvinsky (NetGalley)
  • Cryer’s Cross by Lisa McMann (Simon and Schuster Galley Grab)
  • The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell (NetGalley)
  • Savannah Grey by Cliff McNish (NetGalley)
  • Deceit by Brandilyn Collins (Amazon)

Pretty hefty mailbox. Of course, I have no idea when I’ll be able to read this, but I think that’s a given already. Mt. TBR, hello!

So, what’s in your mailbox this week? :)

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So much for normal

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Paranormalcy by Kiersten WhiteParanormalcy by Kiersten White
(Paranormalcy # 1)
Harper Teen, 335 pages

Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie’s always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours, but still. Normal.

Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie’s dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies. She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths. Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.

I heard about Paranormalcy early this year, and I even did a Waiting on Wednesday post on it. The thing is, when the book finally came out, I lost interest in getting it. I’m not sure why but it may be because I got tired of reading paranormal books around that time, and sometimes the hype kills whatever want I have for the book. It’s not just for this one, though, so don’t think I’m singling this one out. Sometimes I get disinterested with all the hype, and this just became a victim.

But anyway, I eventually found myself reading Paranormalcy last week after I decided to get it in my Kindle. I was pretty skeptical about how much I would like it because I heard some mixed reviews, but I decided to just go and read and see how much I would like it. I’m not the type to give up on books, so I was determined to see this through.

Thankfully, it wasn’t that hard to see this one through. Paranormalcy tells the story of Evie, who works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency (IPCA), making sure all paranormals in the world are well-accounted for. Evie is an orphan and she grew up in the IPCA, so she thinks everything is normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid and she can see through the glamours of the paranormal creatures, but as far as she knows, everything else is normal about her.

But when a shape-shifter breaks into the IPCA and she befriends this shape-shifter, she starts having doubts about her normalcy. Suddenly, she finds herself wondering if she was just an employee in the Center, or if they were actually holding her in for what she can do. It also did not help that paranormals were dying all over the world, and they have no clue on what is killing them, and her faerie ex-boyfriend keeps on stalking her. Suddenly, Evie’s “normal” life is not as normal as she thought.

I enjoyed reading Paranormalcy mainly because of how it was written. I find the cover of the book a little misleading, given its overall dark and depressing tone. However, inside, the story is quite funny. Evie is funny, sarcastic and yes, real. She may be a bit naive at first, believing only what she grew up to believe, but as the story unfolded Evie grew into a character stands up for herself. Another endearing quality is Evie’s innocence of all things normal — the real normal, that is. I found myself empathic of her joy when she was finally able to experience what she could only see on TV before, and I also wished for her to really have all that.

The romance part of the book is pretty acceptable too. I’ve avoided paranormal romance for a while because I feel that there was nothing new about it, but Paranormalcy‘s romance is actually quite cute. I liked how it started with just Evie and Lend talking and then Evie realizing she had a crush on Lend and then…well, if I say anything else, it’s going to be a spoiler now. The romance is very clean, though, and very high school. It did not give me the “tingles” that I got from other books, but it did make me smile, so that’s a plus.

I have little complaints for the story, too. I thought the idea of IPCA was smart, even if it’s not new anymore. In a way, Paranormalcy is like a YA version of Kate Daniels or even Dulcie O’Neil (but in the case of the latter, this has a better plot execution), with almost the same kind of action. I kind of have to agree with Peep with what she said about the paranormal creatures here, though: they seem a bit too weak and seemed to generate little fear among the humans — it was almost like some of them (particularly the vampires) were there more for comic relief.

But that may be just me nitpicking. It still fits in the overall theme of the novel. The ending, while not really that much of a surprise, kind of had a Beautiful Creatures feel for some reason, but it may be because I felt like there was some similarities over the villains from both books. However, I’m pretty sure that’s just me again.

Overall, Paranormalcy is a very enjoyable book. I liked it very much. Not all questions were answered here, though, but that’s because this is book 1 in a trilogy. I think I like this one enough that I will definitely read the next book in the series, Supernaturally, which will be out next year, regardless of the hype it gets near its release date.

Rating: [rating=3]
→ Light, fun paranormal read with just enough romance. Plus you can never go wrong with a heroine that loves pink and calls her favorite pink taser “Tasey”. ;)

2010 Challenge Status:
* Book # 97 out of 100 for 2010

My copy: ebook from Amazon Kindle store

Cover image & Blurb: Goodreads

Other Reviews:
Attack of the Book
Voracious YAppetite
Read Now Sleep Later

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