Playing Favorites with Y.S. Lee!

It has been said that playing favorites isn't nice, but sometimes it's impossible not to! Join me at The Hiding Spot as I share a favorite author... and the author shares a few favorite things too.

Y.S. Lee

Genre: Historical Mystery YA

Book(s):

A Spy in the House Review

The Body at the Tower
The Traitor in the Tunnel (2012)

 

Y.S. (Ying) Lee's novels may be set in stiff Victorian London, but that doesn't mean they're dry. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Mary Quinn's adventures as a spy are filled with danger, intrigue, and romance!

MY FAVORITES

Novel: A Spy in the House.
I love both of the Mary Quinn mysteries, but I had to pick A SPY IN THE HOUSE as my favorite since it's Mary's first adventure... and she meets James for the first time. James is completely swoonworthy and the banter between the two is filled with romantic tension and humor. But, trust me, if you read the first one, be sure you have the next one ready to dive into immediately - you're not going to want to wait!


Character: Mary.
She is, without a doubt, one of my all time favorite heroines. She's smart, brave, and has a strong personality. I can't wait to dive into Mary's next adventure! (Which won't be out until 2012! *sniffles*)

Scene: The Wardrobe.
I decided I would share one of my favorite scenes instead of my favorite quote, then I realized how incredibly difficult that would be - there are so many scenes that I think back on with a smile, but many are spoilery! Then I remembered the passage I fondly refer to as "The Wardrobe Scene;" I love it so much that I mentioned it in my review of A SPY IN THE HOUSE! It occurs early in the novel when Mary is searching for clues in her employer's office and must duck into a closet to avoid detection. Of course, she doesn't realize that the closet is already occupied...

THE FAVORITE FAVORS

BOOK: "Middlemarch" by George Eliot
I think everyone in the world should read this novel. It’s absolutely beautiful – a quiet, subtle, detailed portrait of a small community that says everything you need to know about Victorian England. Just stunning.

FOOD: Steamed Dungeness crab with ginger and spring onions. Or maybe potato chips.

WORD: Quiddity.
(I was going to choose “fisticuffs”, but Courtney Summers beat me to it.) It’s fun to say. Its primary definition (the inherent “thingness” of something) is awkward. It has secondary, totally different definitions (related to “quibble”). And I love that it sounds so solid yet is so tricky. I haven’t yet worked it into a Mary Quinn novel, but remain hopeful.


CHARACTER: Peter Wimsey...
...from Dorothy L. Sayers’s detective novels: perfect wit and dazzling intelligence in one effortless-seeming package.


HOLIDAY: Driving through rural Malaysia with my husband.
We met so many warm, interesting people, the food was astounding, and every hour was an adventure.

For more information about Ying and her novels

check out the links below:

Website

Twitter

GoodReads

Review: Daughter of the Flames by Zoe Marriott

Title: Daughter of the Flames
Author: Zoe Marriott
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Date Published: 2009
Genre: Young Adult
Main Themes: Love, Religion, Orphans, Fantasy
Pages: 342
Plot:
From inside jacket flap: "What if your deadliest enemy was the only one who could save you.

In an ancient temple in the mountains, fifteen-year-old Zira trains in the martial arts to become a warrior priestess, defending the faith of the Ruan people. Then terror strikes at everything Zira loves, and the only home she knows is destroyed byt the occupying forces of tyrannical King Abheron. To survive, she must unravel the secrets of her identity, decide her people's fate - and accept her growing feelings for a man who should be her enemy."

I've been waiting for a new Zoe Marriott book ever since I read her first novel, The Swan Kingdom about a year or so ago. Marriott is one of the authors that I've come to count on when I need a good young adult fantasy book to read. She may not be very well known, but she knows what she's doing when it comes to writing a satisfying book!

I really liked the main character, Zira. She was a strong character, and even after she fell in love she was still independent and fierce - there is nothing worse than a heroine who falls to pieces after she has found a big, strong man who sweeps her off her feet! I am a romance junkie, but I still appreciate it when author's allow their female leads to have a brain!

I think that the cover of this book is really eye catching, but a bit of disappointment because the girl isn't a very good representation of a Zira. She is missing a scar of her face that is important to the story line...


Ratings (Out of 10):
Plot: 10
Characters: 10
Writing Style: 10
Romance: 10
Original: 10
Total: 50/50 (A)

Review: Guyaholic by Carolyn Mackler

Title: Guyaholic
Author: Carolyn Mackler
Publisher: Candlewick
Date published: 2007
Type of book: Young Adult
Pages: 179

Ideas expressed/message/plot: From inside cover: “V Valentine is the queen of meaningless hookups. Ever since her mom dumped her with her grandparents, she has bounced from guy to guy. Bu then, in the spring of senior year, a fateful hockey puck lands her in the lap of Sam Almond. Right from the start, things with Sam are different. V is terrified to admit it, but his might be meaningful after all.
On the afternoon of graduation, V receives some shocking news. Later, at a party, she makes an irreversible mistake and risks losing Sam forever. So when her mom invites her to Texas, V embarks on a cross-country road tip with the hopes of putting two thousand miles between herself, Sam, and the wreckage of that night.”

I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I was expecting it to be a short, cute read (based on the cover and title), but it actually was a deeper, more honest portrayal of first love and mistakes than I ever would have expected. I definitely want to read more of Mackler’s books. I like the brutal honesty – there was no dancing around unsavory descriptions in this book. Other books to read by this author include The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things, Vegan Virgin Valentine, Love and Other Four-Letter Words.

I found myself liking V - even though she was the cliche slut, that in real life most girls would hate. This book shows that you can't judge people only by their action or at face value - V had motivations that observers wouldn't be able to understand from their point-of-view. I liked that Sam wasn't present in the novel - she found her way back to him on her own, this is more true to life than a lot of other YA love stories.

Ratings (Out of 10):
Plot: 10
Characters: 10
Writing style: 10
Romance: 10
Memorable: 8
Total: 48/50 (A)

I recommend getting this book from the library. I liked it, but I probably wouldn't read it again.