The Grave Robbers' Chronicles: Cavern of the Blood Zombies

Today's post is The Grave Robbers Chronicles Vol 1- Cavern of the Blood Zombies by Xu Lei and translated by Kathy Mok. It is 233 pages long excluding author's notes, publishers information and a sample of the second volume in the series. It is brought to English readers by Things Asian Press. This is a horror/adventure story with I think men being the intended audience and I think that is because men are the important ones in China but that is just the feeling like I get from the book.

It is about a family of grave robbers in China. It is told in first person so I don't remember nor can I find the main character's first name but his family name is Wu. In fact only some of the side character names I know/can find easily. The main character is a young man who deals in rare books and the like from the different times of China's history. The translation is odd but you are willing to stick with it you will find a very interesting story. It is odd because the translator is going from being literal to spirit of the words which are the two main camps of translator. There are zombies (like the title promises), powerful ghosts, magic from mysterious characters. The only thing that I don't like about the book is the language. It has some very foul language and descriptions but I wish that the author/translator had chosen to use different words but the words are understandable in the story I'm just funny about language. I will be reading the next novel because I did enjoy this one. The author is now super famous in China and this series is a very big deal there. I didn't find it scary but if zombies are your thing then will not disappoint.

Rating I give it three stars because of the language.

Shadows on the Moon

This weeks post is Shadows on the Moon by Zoe Marroitt. It is 447 pages long excluding the author notes at end and it is published by Candlewick Press. This is a young adult story with young woman being the intended audience. It is a retelling of Cinderella with a very strong Asian flavor. The name character is Suzume. At the start of the book she is 14. Her father and dearest cousin are murdered and she barely survives the attack. Her mother remarries one of her father's oldest friends but Suzume believes that he has something to do with the murders. She discovers that she has an ability to shadow weave. She can make people see what she wants them too. Suzume uses this gift to help her survive living in her stepfather's house. When she learns the truth about the murders she is forced to hide as a cinder girl. In the end she has her revenge against her stepfather. There is love story going on the back ground and many other wonderful characters I don't want to spoil this read. The writing is excellent, when I sat down to read it, before I knew it I was over half done with it. It is broken into three parts for the three names that Suzume has over the course of the story. It is told in first person. I look forward to reading more books by Ms. Marriott.

Enchanted

Today's post is about 'Enchanted' by Alethea Kontis. It is 305 pages long excluding the author's note at the end and it is published by Harcourt. It is an interesting retelling of the Frog Prince. I really enjoyed this book. The writing is strong and never breaks the flow of the story. The tale goes between the frog prince Rumbold and Sunday. Sunday is the youngest of eight siblings and a cousin living with her family. Her other sisters are named for the rest of the days of the week and her brother is Jack Jr. Her family blames the prince for Jack jr.'s death. I don't want to give too much away but there are fairies, balls, a power mad king and of course true love. But like all loves stories the course of true love never did run smooth, this is no different. This story is a fun ride and I hope that the author continues this story by following her sisters. Definitely worth the read.

Lost in a Good Book

Lost in a Good Book by the very talented Jasper Fforde is the second book in the Thursday Next series.  It is published by Viking and it is 399 pages long. There are spoilers in this review, so if you do not want to know some details about this book then read the first and work your way through the series just like I am. This series is awesome! I'm so jealous that he has written this series and that I did not think of it. Literary detective Thursday Next stopped a madman in the first book The Eyre Affair and now she just wants to be happily married. But she does not get that because she trapped another villain in Poe's Raven. To get him back the corrupt company called Goliath, they basely erase her husband. So Next must learn how to control her book jumping abilities so she can get her husband back. But her father, a time traveler, needs her to help him stop the end of the world. To learn how to jump at will she is apprenticed to Miss Havisham from Great Expectations. This series I know sounds very hard but it is so easy to read. I have caught myself thinking about one of the many jokes in it. The jokes are all literary and so clever, it is just hateful. I think my favorite part of both books is the time she spends with her pet dodo Pickwick. If my next cat is okay with that name I am going to name them Pickwick and call them Pickers, just like Thursday. Pick up this series, I am not kidding! You will not feel bored and you will have a great time with it!

Grave Mercy very disappointing

Grave Mercy is by Robin LaFevers. It is the first book in the "His Fair Assassin" series. It is published by Houghton Mifflin is it an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing. It is 528 pages. I was disappointed in this book. It had a very promising plot line. I thought that I was going to be reading about a young woman, the main character is 20, learning to be herself in a world where she is an assassin for the god of death. Instead I got a average love story. I feel that the author broke the contract with me the reader. The writing is very good which is why I am giving it two stars because she is a wonderful writer. *Spoilers warning* I do not want to ruin the plot but my main problem was the main character had no reason to trust or like men. All her interactions with men had been violent. She should not have been swooning just from being touched by the male lead. She hints at being rapes, she is horrible beaten at the beginning of the book and when she gets to the convent all the women there have had similar backgrounds. I am just so disappointed in this book. I am very glad that I do not buy this book because I do not have money to waste.