Yes, I realize that I real a lot. And by a lot, I mean UH LAWT.
I just finished reading the second book of the Wings series, by Aprilynne Pike. This particular story has me feeling sort of torn. Instead of going on and on and on and on (Yes, I realize that I do that. Occasionally.) trying to explain why, I will just list the pros and cons of this particular series:
(Now, before you read this and send me hate mail, please keep in mind that books are incredibly subjective. One mans yawn is another mans WOO HOO! That being said, there is humility in knowing that Ms. Pike has an agent and a book deal, and I do not. This counts for something.)
Pros:
1.) I am not normally drawn to fantasy. I've been reading more of it only because I read the Twilight series, which led to the phenomenal Wolves of Mercy Falls Series (Shiver
, Linger (Wolves of Mercy Falls, Book 2)
), which led to the aforementioned Hunger Games series...yadda yadda yadda...you get the picture. I dabble in fantasy. (I've even read a fantasy book that has yet to be published! It turned me into a fan.) But I digress, what I am getting at is: This series was a fantasy story that kept my interest long enough to get through two books in the series. That, too, counts for something.2.) This is an easy read. When I read Suzanne Collins or Wally Lamb or even Jodi Picoult (at times), I feel like I have to go back and reread, because I am too thick skulled to get it. I hate that. I hate books that make me feel any more stupid than I already am. But this one doesn't. This series won't make you smarter, but it will entertain you.
3.) You can let your daughter/niece/kid sister read it. It is romantic and charming without being questionable. And take it from a woman who likes herself some heat, but doesn't like it when young women get their hands on that same heat until they are of the age to be legally having sex themselves.
4.) Aprilynne Pike was, at one time, an inland northwest girl. And hey, I gotta give props to a girl from my hood. (Although, now she lives in AZ...and we are back to the age old question of WHY THE HELL DO PEOPLE LIVE IN A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN BAKE A CAKE IN YOUR DRIVEWAY!??
5.) The way that Ms. Pike has put her own spin on Faeries and how they live, what they look like, etc...it is genius. I commend her for that. I am compelled and sold on her vision.
Ok, on to the cons:
1.) This book tries to be naughty, but falls short. This could be attributed to being a Y/A novel, so it's easily forgivable. However, as a 34 year old woman, who wants to dig into some human vs. faerie procreation action...it falls short. They kiss, but then it stops just short of being nifty. The main male character drinks at a party, which feels unnecessary to the plot, and sort of random. The bad guys are rotten and ugly and mean, just stopping short of vicious. If a troll kidnaps a person with the intent to kill, it seems like there would be a bit more MEAT to the scene.
2.) The writing feels a bit bland. Now, this is coming from an UN-published writer (lest we not forget) who tends to detail the Sh** out of everything, to the point of being a handicap to her books. So Ms. Pike may have written it this way on purpose. But it feels so.....oatmeal in places. Instead of waffles and eggs and cheese and a nice fruit platter, you get a small bowl of plain, unadorned oatmeal. Very "See Dick run. See him sit. See him kiss Jane. See him happy. See him sad." for me. It makes me wonder how she (and other authors) manage to be published, and I (and others) don't. Seems sort of backwards. Again, that could be a Y/A thing, I'm not sure. I don't often read Y/A, until recently, and some of the other works I have read were pretty cut and dry as well. So I could be completely missing the mark here.
Again: Writing is incredibly subjective!!
Ok, that having been said, I will have to admit that I am looking forward to the next book. I hope Aprilynne Pike makes her characters mature with each book. That would please me. Maybe I'll get that meat with my dinner? Does anyone find it funny that I attribute everything to food? I do.
So the above link is for the second book in the series, Spells. The first is called Wings (Aprilynne Pike (Quality))
and if you want to understand a stinkin' thing about Spells, then read Wings first. I hope you enjoy it... :)Now this fat girl is hungry for meat.
Brooke Moss.
