Book Review: My Lady Jane

TITLE: My Lady Jane
AUTHOR: Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, Jodi Meadows
CATEGORY: YA
PUBLISHED: June 7th, 2016
GENRE: Historical Fantasy
PREMISE: A humorous alternate history retelling of Lady Jane Grey's time as queen.
MY REVIEW: I'll be honest, I was a bit skeptical at first of this book. Lady Jane Grey, for those who don't know, had a very sad ending in her life. I wasn't sure how one could make a humorous story out of that. I should learn to trust YA authors more. They managed it.
This book mostly works for me due to its tone. The premise is silly and the tone owns that. In the beginning the narration point blank says hey, we're screwing with history here. The humor is very Discworld-Gail Carriger like and that made very enjoyable.
If you're looking for a serious historical fiction book, this is not going to be your book. But, if you like hilarious takes on history with badass females in it...I highly recommend this one. It looks like this one is a stand alone, but apparently the authors are working on another book like this about the Bronte sisters. I can't wait.
WHO SHOULD READ: Discworld fans, humor book fans, parody fans, historical fantasy fans
MY RATING: Four out of Five shapeshifting royals

Reading Through the Classics: Flatland

TITLE: Flatland
AUTHOR: Edwin A. A Abbott
PUBLISHED: 1884
CATEGORY: Adult
GENRE: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Parody
PAGES: 118
SUMMARY ON GOODREADS: "Imagine a vast sheet of paper on which Lines, Triangles, Squares, Pentagons, Hexagons, and other figures, instead of remaining fixed in their places, move freely about, on or in the surface, but without the power of rising above or sinking below it … and you will have a pretty correct notion of my country and countrymen."

Narrated by A. Square, Flatland is Edwin A. Abbott's delightful mathematical fantasy about life in a two-dimensional world. All existence is limited to length and breadth in Flatland, its inhabitants unable even to imagine a third dimension. Abbott's amiable narrator provides an overview of this fantastic world-its physics and metaphysics, its history, customs, and religious beliefs. But when a strange visitor mysteriously appears and transports the incredulous Flatlander to the Land of Three Dimensions, his worldview is forever shattered.

Written more than a century ago, Flatland conceals within its brilliant parody of Victorian society speculations about the universe that resonate in Einstein's theory of relativity as well as the current "string-theory" of nature. 

This was...an odd little book. I don't remember where I first stumbled upon it, but it was on my TBR list and info said it was short, so I picked it up. It's a parody first and foremost. It's sort of written like a guidebook. It actually reminds me a lot of Diane Wynne Jones' A Tough Guide to Fantasyland (which is brilliant btw). It's interesting mostly in how it shows some of the issues going on in society back then and that authors using books to comment on these issues in fantasy is certainly nothing new. I highly recommend looking at the notes in the front. They're actually pretty interesting because it goes into the history of this story and Edwin Abbott's life. 

I'm not sure who, I'd recommend this one for. Hardcore sci-fi fans maybe? Those interested in parody fiction? It's not a terribly well known classic so I'm not sure how widely available it is. My library system only had one copy and this system incorporates ten libraries. 

Book Review: Red

TITLE: Red
AUTHOR: Alison Cherry
PUBLISHED: October 2013
CATEGORY: YA
GENRE: Realistic Fiction...sort of, Parody (was supposed to be anyway)
PREMISE: In a town where redheads are revered, Felicity has a dark secret: she's not a redhead. But if anyone finds out, her popularity is in severe jeopardy.
MY REVIEW: It pains me to say this, but this one was sadly, kind of a mess. I say sadly, because this could have been great. Subversive, at the very least. Unfortunately, it fell entirely flat and that was mostly due to its set up.
I admit, I was wary of this one mostly because the scenario of people discriminating against you for not having red hair (which by the way, is a pretty rare natural hair color) seemed ridiculous. But I gave it a chance because sometimes ridiculous premises can work out well (look at Hunger Games). Unfortunately, this was very much a case of not thought through. Apparently, the redhead thing only happens in this particular town. Apparently, no one in the town thinks it's bizarre when the rest of the world doesn't treat non red heads like dirt. No reason is actually given for why red heads are even considered special! They just are in this place for some reason. Not helping matters, is the main character, who isn't that likable, uses the system to her advantage, and mostly fights just to keep her popularity. Not at all against a system that is wrong. Oh, and the kicker? The blackmailer who is fighting against the system is treated like the horrible one. Oh, the character does go through SOME sort of revelation at the end. But she seriously never out right admits that the blackmailer has a very good point. She's just miffed that she got dragged into all of this.
The biggest surprise for me though, came when I went to do background info on this book. Turns out, this was supposed to be a parody. A parody of what, I don't really know. But apparently it was. The thing about parodies though, particularly written ones, is that I'm supposed to know as I'm reading it that it is a parody. If I don't think it is at all while reading and wind up surprised to learn that it was...that kind of implies that this is not a good parody. This read like a regular book. Not like a parody at all.
So...this was a disappointment all around for me. Cherry's actual writing is okay (has good grammar, dialogue, etc.) and it was a interesting idea...the execution of the story just fell entirely flat.
WHO SHOULD READ: Um...honestly, I have no clue who to rec this too, sorry.
MY RATING: Two and a half out of Five dyed hair jobs

Book Review: The Friday Society

TITLE: The Friday Society
Book 1 in a series?
AUTHOR: Adrienne Kress
PUBLISHED: December 2012
CATEGORY: YA
GENRE: Steampunk, mystery, adventure, satire
PREMISE: Cora, Nellie, and Michiko meet under dire circumstances involving murder. When it becomes clear that no one else is going to do something, they step up to the plate to solve things themselves.
MY REVIEW: So this is one of those books that debuted with little fanfare and received many mixed reviews. I'm surprised it wasn't more hyped because this seems like a very commercial friendly book to me and steampunk is becoming a thing now (which makes this steampunk fan very happy let me tell you). I'm not so surprised about the mixed reviews because it is satire/parody humor. I've said it several times but I'll say it again: satire is not for everyone. People will either get your sense of humor and what you're doing and enjoy it, or they just don't get that you're having fun with the genre stereotypes or don't enjoy the humor, whichever. So doing satire in books is risky.
Luckily for the author, I love satire books and this mostly appealed to me. I do wish more had been done with Michiko because hers was the most interesting story to me, but I'm pretty sure this is going to be a series so chances are Michiko (and Nellie) will have their chance to shine in other books. There were also a few cases of funky writing here and there. For instance every so often a modern word would be thrown in which was rather jarring considering this is a steampunk Victorian setting. I get it's satire but still...
Other then a few writing flaws this was mostly a fun adventure. I enjoyed the girls very much (can we also marvel at how a author had a book centering around female friendship? With no love triangle or boys getting in the way of said friendship? THANK YOU, author). It may not be the most deep or thought provoking novel out there. But it does its job which was to entertain.
WHO SHOULD READ: Steampunk fans, satire fans, Discworld fans
MY RATING: Four out of Five badass vigilante girls

Book Review: Team Human

TITLE: Team Human
AUTHOR: Justine Larbelestier and Sarah Rees Brennan
PUBLISHED: 2012
CATEGORY: YA
GENRE: Vampires, urban fantasy, parody/humor
PREMISE: Mel is not a fan of vampires. When a vampire starts going to her high school and her friend falls for him, she knows she has a big problem on her hands.
MY REVIEW: This my friends is the book I've been wanting since vampires became a thing in YA. First off, I will do a disclaimer: this is a parody. Book parodies are apparently not everyone's thing for some odd reason so there is a good chance you won't be a fan of it or of the humor (and admittedly some of the humor did wear thin at times). Luckily for the authors I adore book parodies. It's totally Terry Pratchett's fault. I've been waiting for a vampire parody since forever and here's one and it's glorious.
Okay yes, Mel can be annoying. Also some of the jokes did fall flat as they sometimes can in these types of books. But for the most part, this gave me a major happy. I think it's clever how it handles the vampire subject. It does mock it yes, but it does so lovingly and actually has arguements for both sides of the vampire arguement. Surprisingly it doesn't just bash vampire books for kicks (although there are one or two mocking grins Twilight's way but c'mon. It's TWILIGHT. If one does a vampire parody then one must include Twilight. It's like an unspoken rule) Also for a parody I thought the plot and the characters were pretty well done. There's diversity in the characters, Mel is called out on her flaws and she actually grows as a character, there's actual female friendship and the interaction/dialogue between the characters is fabulous.
So this is pretty much a personal favorite of mine. I loved it so much I'm thinking of giving Justine Larbelestier another chance despite being less then impressed with the one book of hers I've read. Perhaps Liar is better. But again, I must point out: parody. So I write this knowing there is about a fifty percent chance people who read this review may not love it as much as I did.
WHO SHOULD READ: Parody fans, Twilight fans with a sense of humor about the series, vampire fans
MY RATING: Four out of Five Team Human shirts because there need to be some.


Book Review: Losers in Space

TITLE: Losers in Space
AUTHOR: John Barnes
PUBLISHED: 2012
CATEGORY: YA
GENRE: parody/science fiction/dystopian
PREMISE: A group of teens in the future have a plan to get famous in a future where fame is everything. But then things go wrong...
MY REVIEW: So this book is kind of difficult for me to review. A large part of me loved the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy sort of feel to it. I totally got what the author was trying to say with it and I dug the overall message. Plus the notes for the interested could sometimes get hilarious and I adore the snarkiness of the authors note in the beginning. If you think he's kidding about the "hardcore" science fiction readers, no. He seriously isn't.
On the other hand though...another part of me found it hard to get into. Mostly because I found the characters endlessly irritating. I don't think there was one character I liked. I mean the MC had her moments for sure but her intro was ruined by how just plain bitchy she was and still was through out the novel. Flawed characters are interesting sure, but when you find it hard to actually like anyone...that's a problem. Plus, as fun as the snarky tone of the book was, it dragged. Like a lot.I'd wadger about a hundred pages or so could have been cut. It's bad when you find the notes explaining things in the world more interesting then the actual plot itself.
So my conundrum is: I find the book well written and I like the ideas going on in it....but it's rather boring and I don't see many people, except for really big science fiction readers getting into this.
WHO SHOULD READ: Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy fans, parody fans, Terry Pratchett fans
MY RATING: Three and a half out of Five broken space ships

Book Review: Beauty Queens

TITLE: Beauty Queens
AUTHOR: Libba Bray
PUBLISHED: 2011
CATEGORY: YA
GENRE: parody/satire
PREMISE: A group of beauty queen contestants get stranded on a island.
MY REVIEW: Here's the tricky thing about Beauty Queens: it's an issue book as well as satire. Why is that tricky? Well because it's a issue book there's about a fifty fifty chance the reader won't like it whether it be the issues talked about, the point the author is making, etc. The problem with satire is simply that not everyone likes satire and I get it, satire can go very badly sometimes.
Me personally though, I loved every minute of this. It was hilarious (most times, I admit some of the jokes were a bit forced) and I enjoy humor like this that has something to say even if I didn't always agree with what was being said. Is the book revolutionary? No. Is it Bray's best work ever? Hardly. But it was a fun read especially for this feminist. I especially loved all the made up commercials which are so accurate it's painful.
So while I loved this and whole heartedly recomend it, I do so realizing that there is a good chance you yourself may not get into it so I say your best bet is to probably check it out from the library and see if it's for you.
WHO SHOULD READ: feminists, Libba Bray fans, fans of satire
MY RATING: Four out of Five bikinis

Book Review: Good Omens

TITLE: Good Omens
AUTHOR: Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
PUBLISHED: 1990
CATEGORY: Adult
GENRE: parody, fantasy
SHORT PREMISE: The end of the world is coming in one week.
MY REVIEW: According to a prophecy the end of the world is coming in one week. So the forces of good and evil assemble as they do in these things and with varying levels of anticipation. Unfortunately, someone seems to have misplaced the anti-christ...
I'll sum this book up in one word: hilarious. Seriously, this book had me rolling on the floor. Granted the plotting is a wee bit zany and I sometimes had no clue what was going on but it's a parody and plots aren't super important in parodys. But it does have that humor and sly social commentary that I've come to associate with these two fabulous writers.
If you're looking for a book to put you in a good mood I highly rec this book.
WHO SHOULD READ: Terry Pratchett fans, Neil Gaiman fans, fans of Discworld, fans of Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, fans of Monty Python
MY RATING: Four and a half out of Five angels and demons

Book Review: I Shall Wear Midnight

TITLE: I Shall Wear Midnight
Book 4 in the Tiffany Aching series that is part of Discworld
AUTHOR: Terry Pratchett
PUBLISHED: 2010
CATEGORY: Young adult
GENRE: fantasy, adventure, parody
PREMISE: Things are changing in Tiffany's world. Now she must face a horrible danger that she unknowingly brought as a result of kissing Winter.
MY REVIEW: Okay, before I start my annual gushing cause I freaking LOVE these books. I will say that sometimes they feel rushed and it would be nice if there was maybe more character growth and the ending was a bit abrupt.
But other then that, this was Pratchett's usual best. Tiffany really comes into her own in this book. You can see how much she's grown up and learned (my character growth issues has more to do with minor characters, not main characters). This is actually a bit darker then the previous Tiffany books but it is still not without Pratchett's trademark humor and spot on social commentary. I love how he takes common tropes in fantasy and twists them around and pretty much laughs at them.
Possibly this is the last of the Tiffany books which makes me sad because she has been my favorite among the Discworld witches. But I also look forward to whatever Pratchett has in store for us. If he has anything because I know he's been fighting a disease recently. If you are a regular Discworld reader, you know what to expect from Pratchett. If you haven't read Discworld, I suggest you pick up Color of Magic or the first Tiffany book, The Wee Free Men. I promise, you won't be sorry.
WHO SHOULD READ: fans of Discworld, those that have read the first 3 Tiffany books
MY RATING: Four out of Five feegles

Book Review: Wintersmith

TITLE: Wintersmith
Book 3 in the Tiffany Aching series which is part of Discworld
AUTHOR: Terry Pratchett
PUBLISHED: 2006
CATEGORY: Young adult
GENRE: parody, fantasy
PREMISE: Tiffany and the Wee Free Men are back. Now they have to deal with the Wintersmith, a winter spirit who has his sights set on Tiffany, thinking she's the summer spirit...
MY REVIEW: The Tiffany Aching books were my first introduction into Terry Pratchett's Discworld and even after trying out the other Discworld books, they remain my favorites. I love Tiffany and her no nonsense style and I love, love, LOVE the Wee Free Men. Possibly they are the coolest sidekicks ever.
I also like that with each of these books, Tiffany is growing up but the books never lose that humor that is the trademark of Discworld. There is actual romance in here but it's never the sappy kind and the characters still remain themselves. I personally really like Roland and Tiffany's growing relationship. I look forward to seeing what Pratchett does with it in the future.
If you've read these books before, then you already know that these are some crazy books sometimes and occasionally they make no sense. But they are nevertheless hilarious and enjoyable. I can't wait for the next Tiffany book, Shall Wear Midnight which comes out later this year.
WHO SHOULD READ: fans of Discworld, if you've read the first two Tiffany books
MY RATING: Four out of Five wee free men

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Book Review: The Color of Magic

TITLE: The Color of Magic
PART IN SERIES: Book 1 in the Discworld series
AUTHOR: Terry Pratchett
PUBLISHED: 1983
CATEGORY: Adult
GENRE: parody, fantasy
PREMISE: A bumbling wizard and tourist get stuck on a journey together through the crazy world of Discworld.
MY REVIEW: So I finally have officially started this series (yeah yeah I know, it's sad I haven't picked it up till now). Now Pratchett may not be for everybody. If you like logical clear cut stories...he's not for you. Discworld is first and foremost a parody of fantasy novels (I'm pretty sure Rincewind is supposed to be a parody of Gandalf...could just be my opinion though...). The first book contains random adventures that the two have so it's not exactly a organized book.
But what makes this book is the humor. Pratchett is one hysterical writer. He takes all the common tropes that are in fantasy books and runs with them and has a blast while doing so. There are some hilarious one liners in this book. In fact, someone needs to come up with a quote book just for Discworld alone.
So in short, the book is hilarious. It may not suit all tastes, but if you don't mind somewhat chaotic storytelling (and in this case I certainly don't) it will be utter fun for you.
WHO SHOULD READ: parody fans, fans of Monty Python (there are echoes of it in here)
MY RATING: Three and a half out of Five demon boxes

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Book Review: Nightlight

TITLE: Nightlight: A Parody
PART IN SERIES: Standalone book
AUTHOR: The Harvard Lampoon
PUBLISHED: 2009
GENRE: Young adult, humor, parody
PREMISE: It's a parody of Twilight, that pretty much says it all.
MY REVIEW: Well, I'll be honest, it's not great literature. But it's a parody. Expecting parodys to be fantastic works of art is like asking soap operas not to be corny and overdramatic. Some of the jokes are kind of lame, but others are hilarious and most are just kind of snort worthy and there to make your eyes roll which is what all parodys are like to some extent (seriously, watch Scary Movie sometime...there are some lame jokes in that thing but there is also some hysterical stuff going on).
But this does do what parodys are meant to do: point out the ridiculousness of the subject it is making fun of. With Twilight...well the jokes pretty much write themselves with that series. Not only do they have fun with the characters, the writers have fun with how Meyer writes as well and I for one loved it. Twilight fans may or may not be appreciative of this (it would probably depend on the Twilight fan and how much of a sense of humor they have about the series) and anti-Twilighters such as myself will probably get a huge kick out of it.
WHO SHOULD READ: Twilight fans who don't mind their books being made fun of, anti-Twilight fans
MY RATING: Three and a half out of five eaten apples

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Book Review: The Wee Free Men

TITLE: The Wee Free Men from the Discworld series
AUTHOR: Terry Pratchett
GENRE: young adult, fantasy, series, satire
PREMISE: Young Tiffany discovers magic in her no nonsense world and also discovers a group of small people. When her brother is stolen by a creature she enlists the help of the wee free men to bring him back.
MY REVIEW: So, my first Pratchett book and I have to say, I loved it. While there were a few times I scratched my head I enjoyed it mostly for the humor. There were some hysterical things going on in this book, mostly due to the Wee Free men. They were a riot. Tiffany herself was also a hoot. Add them all together along with Mrs. Tick and her toad...well you have a very enjoyable set of characters that you start to adore.
I also liked some of the sly social commentary that Pratchett added into the story. This is satire that is well done and has you rolling on the floor but also makes you think about a thing or two. If you like romance, you may find it boring because there is no romance (unless you count the hysterical scene with Tiffany and Rob Anybody, which I don't particularly). But if you don't mind that, I strongly urge you to pick up this book. I am now definitely going to be checking out the sequel to this book as well as the other Discworld books. So, all in all, well done book. I can now see why Pratchett has legions of fans.
WHO SHOULD READ: Discworld/Pratchett fans, fantasy lover fans, people who like satire, if you like strong female leads who take care of business
RATING: four out of five wee free men

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