Book Lust Part I

It shouldn't come as a surprise that I love to read. I mean, you can't be a book-hating writer, after all! But here lately, I've really been reading, like, 3 or 4 books a week. I think the sudden increase has to do with the fact that we didn't have TV for a long time (okay, like a week or two, but still!) right after we moved, so The Husband and I just sorta got over it. So now we're book-binging (although, The Husband, being a Science Guy ala Bill Nye, is always reading these big, scary books about how the world is going to end while I'm gorging on YA. The contrast between the books on our nightstands is kind of hilarious.)

This week, I read Cassandra King's The Same Sweet Girls, which was FABULOUS and made me cry like a little girl. And I hardly ever cry during books, with the notable exceptions of Bridge to Terabithia and Where the Red Fern Grows, 'cause DAMN. Oh, and at the end of Libba Bray's The Sweet Far Thing. I cried so hard during that book that The Husband still makes fun of me about it.

I also, after much struggle, got to read Lauren Myracle's Bliss, which was SOOOO good, and I'm not just saying that because she commented on this here little blog, making me squee quite loudly. ;) But seriously, Bliss was worth the wait. Creepy as hell, a really interesting portrait of the South in the 60s (y'all know I love my Southern books!), AND it had one of the most likable and realistic heroines I've read in YA in awhile. Not to mention the OMGWTF? most messed up "villain" ever. *Shudder* So go read it! Hopefully, your local bookstore is not as evil as mine!

But today, I don't just want to talk about books I've been reading, but books I can't WAIT to read. I don't know about you, but I get as excited over upcoming books as some people do upcoming movies. And so I now proudly present my list of Books Rachel Wishes Were In Her Face (No, Not Her Hands, Her Face, That's How Excited She Is) Right Now.

1) City of Glass, Cassandra Clare

This is the 3rd book in Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments Trilogy. The first 2 are City of Bones and City of Ashes, and you should all run out and buy them RIGHT NOW. They are so highly enjoyable. They're about Clary Fray (great name!) who gets mixed up in the world of Shadowhunters, who are basically kick-ass demon hunters. And then there are werewolves, and vampires, and a whole hidden country where the Shadowhunters live... oh, it is awesome.

My favorite thing about these books is that they are totally over the top, but in the best possible way, if that makes any sense. Like, people actually have conversations that go something like, "I love you! But we can never be together. NEVER! And yet, we MUST!" and it doesn't feel silly or melodramatic. You're right there with them like, "I know! You TOTALLY SHOULD! But you CAN'T! AGGHH!"

The pace is breakneck, the plot twists are genuinely surprising, and the level of action/violence is ridiculously high, and therefore, great. Also, these books contain probably the angstiest couple in all of YA right now, Jace and Clary (see above conversation. See? So, so angsty!) I'm a sucker for forbidden love (as you'll all see when Demonglass comes out!), and MAN is their love forbidden. Like, really, really wrong. And I love it. Although I have a suspicion that they will get the forbidden-ness removed in this last book. Just... go read them, okay? You'll see what I mean!

This book comes out in March, so I have awhile to wait. But March is going to be a very fun reading month for me because that's also when...

2) As Shadows Fade, Colleen Gleason

comes out! This is the 5th and last book in her Gardella Vampire Chronicles, a series of books that I have inhaled like they were crack-coated candy. Lady Victoria Gardella Grantworth de Lacy is a vampire hunter, or Venator, who also happens to be a "proper" Regency miss. This series has been called Pride and Prejudice meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and it is that, but it's also a lot more. I've been burned by series before- I'm sure most of you have- where it feels like every book is the same, just with different villains or quests or whatever, but this series is most definitely not like this. It's just one big story that's told over the course of 5 books. And if The Mortal Instruments has the angstiest couple ever, then the Gardella books have one of the best love triangles ever. The annoying thing about a lot of love triangles is that either the heroine bounces around between the guys forever, or that the two guys are totally interchangable and nothing is sacrificed or gained in picking one over the other. Not the case here. In fact, this love triangle was so well done that I've kept it in the back of my mind as I work on Demonglass 2: Electric Boogaloo-never stopping that joke, sorry!-as Sophie has two guys to handle (not like that! Mind out of the gutter! Well... okay. KIND OF like that. ;) )in Book 2.

Oh, and guy readers, do not let all this talk of luuurve triangles and Regency period turn you off these books. They ARE in the romance section, but they're much more action-adventure-y/fantasy to my way of thinking. There just happens to be a romance subplot. But Victoria definitely spends more time kicking vampire ass than making out with dudes. That's actually another thing I love about these books; vamps= totally the bad guys. No sexy, souful Angel types. I'm kind of over vamps as romantic heroes these days, yes, even Sparkly Edward.

Stay tuned tomorrow for Part II of Books Rachel Wishes Were In Her Face (No, Not Her Hands, Her Face, That's How Excited She Is) RIGHT NOW. And hey, let me know if there are any books any of you are wanting in your face!