Ryn the Librarian's 2013 Faves

Oh peeps. It has been a long year hasn’t it? To think, I started off 2013 unemployed and lost on my career.  Now, I have an awesome job working with children and teens at a local public library. I know towards the end I was not posting as often as I had hoped, but sometimes personal/family emergencies do happen and there is nothing you can do about it.

To end the year of 2013, I wanted to share my personal favorite reads of the year. Out of the dozens upon dozens of books I have read this year (yeah I couldn’t even try to count them it was so many) these are ones that I felt need mentioning.  Not all of these are YA related, but I do read other things besides books to extend my career. So here we go in no particular order!

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. See my post here. This book is the latest from the greatest modern YA author, John Green.  A very powerful read filled with romance, thought-provoking philosophy, literature, and some hilarious cancer puns. The movie comes out over the summer and I may have to see it. Get tissues ready.

Eleanor and Park plus Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. In fact Rainbow Rowell in general. See my Eleanor and Park post here. I just finished Fangirl which was released in September of this year.  Rainbow Rowell is THE next John Green. Her characters and stories are interwoven beautifully and she demonstrates exactly how rough some teens really do have it. Eleanor, in particular, had me devastated throughout the entire book. I did relate to Cath more (from Fangirl) as she is a fellow introvert dealing with Freshman year of college. I feel like Rowell knows how to tug at my heart strings. She better write more!

Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan. I actually read this very early in the year – pre-dating this blog. I loved Atonement and was excited to read McEwan’s newest work. Sweet Tooth takes place in the 1960s-1970s Cold War England and deals with a different kind of spying from MI-6. I loved this story and it wasn’t as depressing an ending like Atonement. Recommend for those who love books where the main character is lover of literature.

Heist Society series by Ally Carter. See my posts here and here. This was my guilty YA pleasure series of the year. In all honesty I do not know why I am in love with this series. Each book is the exact same, the character development is meh, and the plot is almost exactly like the Ocean’s Eleven movies. HOWEVER, Ally Carter presents us with a fun group of books with fun characters. They were action-packed and mysterious as well as perfect books for tweens and teens who are reluctant readers. The real travesty is that Carter probably will not write another Heist Society for a while, ARGH!

 

 

Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt. See my post here. I read the School Library Journal review for this book back in June(?) and I thought it sounded cute. It had its moments of cheese, but overall a great, easy read. What I loved about this book was the family dynamics and the love between the sisters (Cath and Wren in Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl also have a great relationship). (SPOILER ALERT)Additionally, I loved that Mallory, our main protagonist, did not just get together with the next guy she likes for a rebound, but she actually decided to not date right away.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. I read this in the beginning of the year for an adult book club I attend. I just can’t explain my feelings for this book. It’s like this…I hate Amy AND Nick so much that I only kept reading to see what horrible things were going to ensue next. My mind said this, “I HATE YOU BOTH, NOW LET’s KEEP GOING TO SEE WHAT YOU DO TO EACH OTHER!”

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte the Audiobook. See post here. This was probably my favorite of all the audiobooks I listened to this year. I have listened to A LOT. The narrator’s distinguishing character voices as well as the love between Catherine and Heathcliff’s and its destruction on humanity made this a great read.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray the Audiobook. I just finished this audiobook before the holidays and I haven’t had the chance to write about it, but you should know that it was hilarious! An awesome satire for teens who are just learning about satire (as the satire is pretty obvious). I loved that Libba Bray did the narration herself and it was just perfect. I recommend this book to teens who have graduated from the Georgia Nicolson series by Louise Rennison. 

Ashfall by Mike Mullin. See my post here. Never has there been a book that has terrified me as much as this one did. Supervolcanoes are super scary motherf*#@as! I have yet had the chance to finish the series, but I may need to rectify that soon. Seriously this book scared my poopless.

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick. See my post here. Some romance books are too over-the-top for me, but this romance was fun to read. What I really appreciated about Fitzpatrick’s work is that she addresses feelings teens have and the uneasiness that comes in talking about sexual feelings. Samantha and Jase’s awkward discussion about virginity and the next step felt relatable.

There are of course some honorable mentions. Golden by Jessi Kirby (finished that 2 weeks ago), The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black, Zombies vs. Unicorns, Divergent by Veronica Roth, Bloodlines by Richelle Mead, and Everybody Sees the Ants by AS King.

I look forward to talking to you guys in 2014! Happy New Year!

What I've Been Doing So Far

Well I guess I should at least point out that I have done some reading and listening to audiobooks since the last September post (Maryland). Listed below are my accomplishments followed by those on my To-Read List.

HAVE READ:

Audiobook: The Expats by Chris Pavone. An adult spy novel, but not necessarily a thriller. This book has lots of double crossing, betrayal, suspicion, and intrigue. It’s just slow in a few spots, but this is easy to overcome as you will want to solve the mystery. This was for the adult book club.

Book: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. The Jungle Book, but with ghosts. Neil Gaiman has said that this work was inspired by his love of The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. This Newberry winner deserved its medal as it is a wonderful, whimsical read filled with horror, fantasy, and action. Definitely recommend for tween and teen readers. We did this with my Tween book club last month.

Book: This Is Not A Test by Courtney Summers. Not your average zombie tale. This book looks at the zombie apocalypse through conditions of humanity. It is not cheesy or funny. We meet a young girl who after years of parental abuse and after a sister’s abandonment, has lost her will to live. Then, the zombie apocalypse happens. While other characters focus on survival, Sloane awaits for her moment to leave our world and be at peace. This book was amazing and I highly recommend for older teens.

Book: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black. Traditional Vampires, but awesome. This book has vampires, which shouldn’t be exciting considering all the vampire fiction that has come out in the past 10 years (Thanks Twilight) BUT this is the famous Holly Black. She is pretty great with dark, twisted tales. I truly loved this book, but it took a little too long to get into. It had lots of action, some romance, and a kick ass female character. Highly Recommend!

ON MY PLATE:

Audiobook: Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson. ??????? My husband is a big Neal Stephenson fan so I thought I would give this a try as an audiobook. The problem is that it is LONG. 102 chapters long. The other problem is that even though I am halfway through it, I can’t tell you where it is going or what it is about so far. I am pretty sure it involves the development of cryptography and data havens?

Book: The Fairy Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley. I have not started, but this is for my Tween book club in a week. It seems like it will be awesome to read. Two sisters who follow in their ancestors footsteps to solve fairy tale crimes? Sounds amazing!

Book: Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini. This Massachusetts on the United States of YA reading list. I have not started…in fact I haven’t even checked it out at the library yet.

So LOTS to do peeps! I gotta get going!

Audiobook Awesomeness: Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

SUBTITLE: Where in the world is Ryn the Librarian?

Sorry folks, I know I have been absent. I’ve had vacation, family emergencies, and just a case of laziness. It has taken several weeks for me to realize I have not written a post about anything at all. Despite not writing, I have indeed been active with audiobooks and other works.

Back in late August, when I was feeling down about YA, I used the search tool Novelist to locate a recommended adult novel for those who love The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova.  With that as my base, Novelist popped out The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson. This novel seemed promising, though a little longer than I would like in a book. I know it’s lame, but I really don’t like books longer than 450 pages. Harry Potter, The Historian, Twilight, all these titles were enough in the length department for one life time. BUT with an audiobook, I could make The Gargoyle work for me (I have a one hour and 20 minute daily commute). As soon I finished disc 16, Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card came in (I was fifth on the waitlist back in June) and I knew I would need to start right away.

Now what is my point with all of this? Why am I not writing about The Gargoyle? This is primarily because The Gargoyle is truly an adult book. In fact, I can’t even really describe it as there are some seemingly, scandalous points about it that would need discussing. So I am just going to stick with Ender’s Game, as it features a young boy protagonist.

Plot via goodreads. Government drafts genius child Andrew "Ender" Wiggin to defend against alien Buggers, but rejects sadistic brother Peter and beloved sister Valentine. In orbiting Battle School, rigorous military training, skill and natural leadership elevates boy to isolated position, respected by jealous rivals, pressured by teachers, afraid of invasion. 

This military science fiction title was first published in 1985, but has remained a classic and favorite among science fiction readers. With talk of the movie coming out, I knew I should investigate this story to be able to recommend to readers of YA or adult fiction.

First, I loved this story in many ways. The action and military strategy were entertaining as well as the dynamics between Ender and his fellow students. The Battle School was especially interesting because even though all these kids are geniuses and are the best, they still had petty kid problems such as bullying and then bigger adult-like problems such as murder.

Also, I enjoyed the subplot on Earth with Peter and Valentine and their plan to take over the world. This subplot interested me because it demonstrated that even though our Earth had an alien enemy, of which we as human beings need to work together to destroy, there would always be imminent war among the Earthlings. Believe it or not, just because we are getting attacked by bug aliens does not mean everything will be “hunky-dorey” or “buddy-buddy.” It just means we will put aside our petty differences while we destroy this foe, but secretly plot to destroy one another once that task is complete. I do not know why I enjoyed that, but it is probably because that would be, let’s face it, realistic.

All that being said, I found the fact that little Ender was six years old when the military training began, quite disturbing.  All the terrible things the military personnel allowed to happen to him, the pressure of being the best, wanting him to break. This led to multiple times my shouting in my car, “He’s a KID!”. The fact that they were not at all fazed by Ender’s killings just made the circumstances even more off-putting. 

This book is a classic and you will inevitably get it for your collection, albeit probably the adult collection. I would recommend this book to young adult science fiction fans, but I never realized how young Ender was until listening to it. It has me thinking that Orson Scott Card is twisted some how.

Maryland: Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause

Sorry peeps. It has been a rough few days and I just somehow got behind. I do have a ton to talk to about as I have listened to an audiobook in addition to reading Blood and Chocolate. Well let’s just jump into it shall we. We are onto Maryland for the challenge.

Synopsis via goodreads. Vivian Gandillon relishes the change, the sweet, fierce ache that carries her from girl to wolf. At sixteen, she is beautiful and strong, and all the young wolves are on her tail. But Vivian still grieves for her dead father; her pack remains leaderless and in disarray, and she feels lost in the suburbs of Maryland. She longs for a normal life. But what is normal for a werewolf?

Then Vivian falls in love with a human, a meat-boy. Aiden is kind and gentle, a welcome relief from the squabbling pack. He’s fascinated by magic, and Vivian longs to reveal herself to him. Surely he would understand her and delight in the wonder of her dual nature, not fear her as an ordinary human would.

Vivian’s divided loyalties are strained further when a brutal murder threatens to expose the pack. Moving between two worlds, she does not seem to belong in either. What is she really—human or beast? Which tastes sweeter—blood or chocolate?

This paranormal romance took me no time to finish. I believe I read it over the course of three nights, making it a perfect selection for reluctant teen readers. The size is about 260 pages so it would not frighten lower level readers to check it out from the library. I will say that this title is for your older teens, not middle school readers.

Blood and Chocolate was released in 1997, a good eight years before Twilight was published. Yet, I had never heard of it until college (circa 2007) where one of my best friends said it was her favorite book. When she discovered there was a movie, we ran to Blockbuster to rent it and we lay about in her dorm room watching it. When I read this book just a few days ago, I kept thinking how the movie was nothing like the book. Like not at all. It even had a different setting! This led to an ending that was a lot more surprising than I originally anticipated.  That being said, it is a paranormal romance so there are some typical characteristics to be on the lookout. All in all, I liked it.

What I liked:

-Vivian in some ways. I liked her confidence and general bad ass attitude. She also protected her mother and Aiden from antics of the pack, which I think made a bit more endearing. She didn’t seem like a placeholder or Mary Sue character that many paranormal romances tend write as their female lead; however, she did have flaws as I will mention later.

-Female werewolf perspective. I appreciated this because some of my favorite books from this challenge have been paranormal stories where we have the female protagonist as the witch or angel or what-have-you. Perhaps I enjoy the character development and growth in that scenario? The female protagonist realizes her strength to save the day. This is more pleasant, as opposed to having the female be mere mortal while trying to get the immortal gentleman to court her.

-Not quite the ending I anticipated. I don’t want to spoil the ending, but Vivian does not end up in the situation I originally guessed. It was nice surprise.

What I didn’t like:

-Vivian in other ways. She was way too obsessed with her looks and frankly, she just seemed mean-spirited and manipulative. For example, the way she treated Aiden in some ways felt like he was a cute toy to mess with. Though she changes in some ways later, I still think she was too obsessed with her beauty and not her heart.

-Most of the secondary characters. In this case, I didn’t like Esme, Vivian’s mother, nor did I like Aiden, especially at the end. Gabriel grew on me towards the finish, but he started off so sketchy.

In general, this was a nice, action-packed read.  I am mad that I read this after reading the Twilight series. I felt like throughout the whole read all I did was compare the two, which really isn’t fair to Blood and Chocolate because it came out first.

Bottom line, my recommendation is to get this book if paranormal romances are still popular with your youth. Let’s face it, that statement is probably true so just get this title for your collection.

That’s 19 down, 31 more to go.

Summer Reads: The Heist Society series by Ally Carter

Synopsis via goodreads for Uncommon Criminals. Katarina Bishop has worn a lot of labels in her short life. Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. But for the last two months she’s simply been known as the girl who ran the crew that robbed the greatest museum in the world. That’s why Kat isn’t surprised when she’s asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners. There are only three problems. First, the gem hasn’t been seen in public in thirty years. Second, since the fall of the Egyptian empire and the suicide of Cleopatra, no one who holds the emerald keeps it for long, and in Kat’s world, history almost always repeats itself. But it’s the third problem that makes Kat’s crew the most nervous and that is simply… the emerald is cursed. Kat might be in way over her head, but she’s not going down without a fight. After all she has her best friend—the gorgeous Hale—and the rest of her crew with her as they chase the Cleopatra around the globe, dodging curses, realizing that the same tricks and cons her family has used for centuries are useless this time. Which means, this time, Katarina Bishop is making up her own rules.

Synopsis via goodreads for Perfect Soundrels. Katarina Bishop and W.W. Hale the fifth were born to lead completely different lives: Kat comes from a long, proud line of loveable criminal masterminds, while Hale is the scion of one of the most seemingly perfect dynasties in the world. If their families have one thing in common, it's that they both know how to stay under the radar while getting-or stealing-whatever they want. No matter the risk, the Bishops can always be counted on, but in Hale's family, all bets are off when money is on the line. When Hale unexpectedly inherits his grandmother's billion dollar corporation, he quickly learns that there's no place for Kat and their old heists in his new role. But Kat won't let him go that easily, especially after she gets tipped off that his grandmother's will might have been altered in an elaborate con to steal the company's fortune. So instead of being the heir-this time, Hale might be the mark. Forced to keep a level head as she and her crew fight for one of their own, Kat comes up with an ambitious and far-reaching plan that only the Bishop family would dare attempt. To pull it off, Kat is prepared to do the impossible, but first, she has to decide if she's willing to save her boyfriend's company if it means losing the boy.

For some reason of all the series I have experienced this summer, this is one that I wanted to continue. I wrote about the first one (as an audiobook) back in July.  I really enjoyed the plot, to the point where after catching up this past month, I went out to borrow these titles and read over a weekend.  I could not put them down! This series has now sort of become my guilty pleasure. I can’t explain it. I know I gave Delirium and Shiver some crap for being predictable and cliché, but this one I love? Perhaps it is because Ally Carter does not take it too seriously. This is supposed to be action-packed, fun, and plot driven, not super lovey dovey or dramatic. Also, I had a little crush on Hale. What can I say?! I found him to be adorable.

So this series is not exactly literary gold, but it’s a lot of fun and it will get reluctant teen readers reading. Additionally, aside from kisses, it’s not heavy on language or sex scenes so I think parents would be OK with these books.  I only have one issue, it looks like a Heist Society 4 may not happen for a few years! Grrrrrr! Maybe they will make an awesome movie.

I recommend these for teen mystery sleuths who have graduated from Nancy Drew.

Summer Reads: Looking for Alaska by John Green

Subtitle: Kentucky and Louisiana Bust

This past weekend was spent with my husband and his family. It required a plane trip and therefore I got to do some reading! Now it wasn’t the reading that I know it should have been. I did indeed read a few more pages from Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker until I realized that I knew what was going to happen. Well I decided to experiment my theory and went to the last 15 pages and read them. I know you would like to say, “Ryn, you are so childish” and “I bet you were surprised.” I, dear friends, was correct in my prediction.  Queen of Kentucky would be a great book for YA reluctant readers as it is a quick, summer read, but after nine weeks of starting and re-starting, I had to let this one go back to the library.

The Louisiana selection, Arise by Tara Hudson, had some promise to it. Ghosts, mystery, romance. The plot sounded intriguing, but then after some research I discovered that Arise is not the first in a series, but a sequel. After that epiphany I decided to return this book to the library as well because “ain’t nobody got time for dat!”. Again, to repeat from previous posts I have read more than 20 YA books this year alone (this is counting those in addition to the challenge) and they have all started to kind of blend together. I just need a little break to recharge. After chronically not-finishing four of the selections from the list thus far, I have 30 more titles to investigate.

Back to the airport conundrum. I needed a book! I decided to go with some John Green.

Summary via goodreads. Before. Miles "Pudge" Halter's whole existence has been one big nonevent, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the "Great Perhaps" (François Rabelais, poet) even more. Then he heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young, who is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart.

After. Nothing is ever the same.

I was a little worried that this book was going to turn into a boarding school story like many other YA novels, but then I remembered that this is John Green. As much as the boarding school setting is prominent, it is not the focus. I enjoyed this book very much. From the school pranks, to the search for self-discovery, then finally to the mystery behind Alaska, it was all very enthralling to read.

It didn’t make me tear up like The Fault in Our Stars did, but it wasn’t meant be that level of story. I would definitely recommend this to those readers who loved The Perks of Being a Wallflower. It has the shy boy looking for himself and getting caught up with a free spirited female. Additionally, the shy boy deals with all the symbolism in the world that has now seeped into his no longer cookie-cutter existence. I kind of love this type of book. Perhaps this is because I, too, am a shy person and would love no more than to lose control in search of the “Great Perhaps.”

Also, in John Green signature style this book was filled with great quotes. Not just the last words from dead historical figures (some of which are hilarious), but also from the smartest sounding students from around the country.  A few of my favorite are below:

“The only way out of the labyrinth of suffering is to forgive.” – This quote is used throughout the novel and very much represents one of the core themes.

-"Yeah, Pudge. My fox hat."
-"Why are you wearing your fox hat?" I asked.
-"Because no one can catch the motherfucking fox.”

-Conversation between Pudge and Takumi. I had to stifle a guffaw when I read this dialogue.

“They love their hair because they're not smart enough to love something more interesting.” – A reference to the bratty, rich Weekend Warriors.

“Francois Rabelais. He was a poet. And his last words were "I go to seek a Great Perhaps." That's why I'm going. So I don't have to wait until I die to start seeking a Great Perhaps.” – Miles’ explanation for going to Culver Creek Boarding School.

And so many more. I had to look up a few of these to remember the exact words, but these were my faves.

I can’t wait to get my hands on more John Green books! Should I read Paper Towns or An Abundance of Katherines next?

Summer Reads: Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

First off, I had to read this book pretty much because John Green said I should (see his NYT review). If John Green is telling you to read a book, then you should not only read it, but buy it for your collection. Now onto the synopsis via goodreads.

Eleanor... Red hair, wrong clothes. Standing behind him until he turns his head. Lying beside him until he wakes up. Making everyone see drabber and flatter and never good enough...Eleanor.

Park... He knows she'll love a song before he plays it for her. He laughs at her jokes before she ever gets to the punch line. There's a place on his chest, just below his throat, that makes her want to keep promises...Park.

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, ELEANOR AND PARK is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love – and just how hard it pulled you under.

After a few negative experiences with the past few selections, I was starting to give up on the YA genre. It was getting too cliché and too predictable–-that is until this book. Eleanor and Park has restored my faith in the YA genre. This is a beautifully written love story about the obstacles young love must fight, including peer pressure and domestic abuse. Additionally, Eleanor and Park fight against family, class level, and gender role definition and it just feels like all odds are stacked against them. Their fight is quite inspirational and they are a couple you can cheer for.

Even though this story takes place in the 1980s, it is a timeless classic. These characters could have been me or my friends in 2002 or my parents in 1976. Eleanor is a misfit for being “big” and having wild, red curly hair. Along with a love for comic books and reading, Eleanor is considered an easy target for bullying. Then there is her home life. Her stepdad is horrendously abusive and this leaves her mother in an hopeless situation which also leaves Eleanor and her siblings quite stuck. Eleanor’s life is one that many teens, unfortunately, resonate with.

Park is half-Asian and is having issues defining himself–-something that most teens experience. Park’s situation with his family is different than Eleanor’s, but is one that teens can still relate. Park’s dad wants him to be a more manly figure and not “puss out”, while his mother only wants perfection from him. I will say that Park’s parents are more likeable and more relatable parents than previous books I have read.

I definitely got teary-eyed towards the end shouting “BUT WHY?!” and “There’s got to be more!” But the ending just leaves you wondering about the couple. It’s just really unfortunate that I don’t see a sequel in sight. This was Rainbow Rowell’s debut YA novel and she has another coming out soon titled Fangirl. I sincerely hope she sticks around.

If you like Eleanor and Park, here are some suggestions via goodreads, Novelist, and my own personal judgment.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

OCD, the Dude, and Me by Lauren Roedy Vaughn

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexia

Audiobook Awesomeness/Minnesota: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Synopsis via goodreads. For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without.

Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human… until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

After almost 6 months of beginning this YA reading journey, I am starting to feel dissatisfied with these YA selections. It feels like I have read these books before. The YA genres of paranormal romance and dystopia are in overabundance to the point where it has become frustrating for me as a reader. It’s not Maggie Stiefvater’s fault or Lauren Oliver’s.  I have now read around 18 titles for this challenge plus numerous others and it is starting to bum me out how formulaic and (hate to say it) cliché they all are. Poor Shiver just came in at a time where I'm about fed up.

This book series is for all you Twilight fans out there. There were lots and LOTS of dreamy, whimsical romance scenes and of course werewolves. Again my eyes rolled throughout most of this book. It also did not help that I audiobooked this title. Listening to the narrators, who granted did a great job with expression, read and act this book made me giggle. Needless to say, I will not continue this series like so many prior books.

Ok this is starting to sound bad. There are some good, redeeming qualities that I did like about Shiver. For one, Sam and Grace’s feelings for each other felt realistic to everyday teens. This includes their sexual relationship. Sam’s hesitance in the bedroom was kind of adorable and it was nice to have a guy’s voice talk about this subject. Secondly, everything about the story was incredibly descriptive. I could imagine the location and smells and temperature of the setting quite vividly and I feel this is Stiefvater’s strongest writing quality.

With the audiobook, the toughest part is that the book itself switches narrators between Sam and Grace; therefore, the audiobook also switches narrators. The problem is that most of the book Sam and Grace are in each other’s company and with multiple narrators you also have different narration styles. To clarify, this means that Sam’s narrator not only did his own character’s voice, but also had to occasionally convey Grace’s voice. The female narrator did Sam’s voice differently than the male narrator and the male narrator’s attempt at Grace’s caused some snickers. I know it is difficult to match the two and besides this one tiny problem, they did an excellent job with expression and engagement. Remember peeps, I have a hard time getting past some details.

The bottom line is that as a YA librarian, I would buy this series for my collection. Paranormal romances are still popular and I have been asked about this series by several teens even before I read it. Maggie Stiefvater is becoming a prominent YA author and has many other popular titles out there. If I make it to the selection for Virginia, I will be reading her work once more in The Raven Boys.

Peeps, I may need a YA break here so I am going to get an adult audiobook for next time. That’s 18 down, 32 more to go.