Ash by Malinda Lo

Malinda Lo might very well have changed my outlook on Young Adult fiction. That is how good this was. Since about the moment I entered high school I refused to read the genre, but when I saw how this would be a retelling of the Cinderella story with a sappific twist the nerd inside me decided to give it a shot. It is so worth it. This novel had some dark moments that drew it away from the everyday girl meets boy and they fall in love theme that has become so prevalent in YA literature. Yes, it does go down the road of girl meets girl, but that is certainly not the focus of this story. Which I must say has me relieved. Lo’s portraying of a same sex relationship is that of normalcy, a basic understanding that it is love and not queer.

Aisling’s (Ash) journey into adulthood is complex and darkly twisted. Life puts her in circumstances that take away her power, yet through the help of a friend she is given the opportunity to make a choice. The reader gets to watch her mature and become strong enough to break away from all the people who bind her to misery. Lo’s writing style is calming and exciting all at the same time. It’s descriptive and easy to follow without being too obvious that it is written for a younger audience.

I have no doubt that if Malinda Lo writes another novel I will have it preordered,

Alyx Rae

Barking at the Moon by Nene Adams

I have to say that I am a supernatural geek and I do love the genre, but you will find no “sparkly teenage angst filled” anything in this book. (Incase you do not understand the reference I am speaking of it is the dreadful Twilight series which I am sure has left more than a few readers weary of the genre.) Instead Nene Adams creates a supernatural mystery with a suggestion of romance in Barking at the Moon.  The prose is engaging with unique dialects and witty one-liners that will have you laughing out loud, much to your own embarrassment. There is a sexual undertone rooted in the notion of soul mates and a possessive love. My only critique of this delightful novel is how short a read it was at only 156 pages, there are a few questions left unanswered. Presumably and hopefully they are left open on purpose for a sequel, which I would buy the moment it became available.

Annalee Crow is left to take up the role of Sherriff in her hometown after her beloved father is mysteriously murdered. Annalee has little time to spend on her father’s case as the body of well-respected preacher is found only a few weeks after his disappearance. The higher ups want answers, but the further she digs the more the facts draw her to the wolves that roam the woods. Through her investigation she finds lust, love, and a new family to fill the emptiness of her life. The novel promises, “love, murder, and things that howl in the night”, you will not be disappointed.

To get a taste of Nene Adams writing style or just to read some of her online works click the link below.

Nene’s Living Library

This was a very exicting and fun read,

Alyx Rae

Fresh Tracks by Georgia Beers

I originally decided to buy this book based on the fact that it won the Lambda Literary Award in 2006 for Best Romance. I was not only pleasantly surprised by the Georgia Beers’ humor but also her prose. Her characters are individuals that I came to love and respect. They are flawed but not overly so and their struggles are not only relatable but also so interwoven into the story that I found myself believing in their existence. Her sense of romance and timing lead me to question how strongly she was going to follow the predictable “romance formula”, where everyone is paired up in the beginning and they get together with their preselected partners by the end. I especially found myself drawn to the seemingly random, but probably carefully chosen, change in narrator. Fresh Tracks is unique, loving, and a fantastic read.

Amy Forrester and Jo Cooper have been together for 15 years. Their love and desire for one another is as strong as it was, if not stronger, then when they first fell in love. The holidays are in full swing and they invite their close friends up to their cabin, which is really more like a dream home thanks to Jo’s tireless renovations, for some much needed relaxation time. During their stay the guests work through relationship issues, exercising past demons, finding new loves, and dealing with Jo’s niece. Georgia Beers creates a story of connectivity and love with a good helping of hilarity that will have your heart melting and your stomach cramping from laughing so hard.

This has truly become on of my favorites,

Alyx Rae