Sanderson has become one of my new favorite authors. I started this book a little wary, thinking there was no way he would be able to keep my attention for the thickness of this book (496 pgs hardcover). Not only did he keep my attention, I was riveted. Sanderson’s characters are the main motivation behind that: these are true heroes we are reading about. People who are certain they don’t have the strength to deal with what’s been laid before them, and yet, finding themselves facing tragedy, horrors, and more.

Elantris is one of those few books where, as you’re reading it, you can see it happening. You believe the magic, the science, and the internal struggle between politics, religion, love, and morality. Yes, there is love in this story, but its presence is something needed between the characters, and a great plot device. If anything, it’s natural and takes nothing away from the story. The writing is tight and concise; nothing is lacking and nothing is oversaid. And, though this book is close to 500pgs, it doesn’t have a dull moment: beauty and atrocity are tackled with the same deft hand. And get this! A fantasy/sci-fi that isn’t volume one of twenty! I find that incredibly refreshing.

Give it a try. Especially if your preferred genre is historical fiction. There is nothing better than reading something outside your comfort zone to bring an edge to your writing. And Brandon Sanderson, you get props and snaps for this. I’m really looking forward to your next book, Mistborn.

Ever wonder what would have happened if Sherlock Holmes, the master of dispassionate problem-solving, found his equal? Yeah, me too! Especially since the BBC’s most recent incarnation of Sherlock came out and boy do I have a mind crush on him.

Back to the point, Belinda. Why should you read this book? Because it’s about a woman who knows she has a talent and isn’t afraid to use it. It’s about a man who recognizes that talent and respects her for it, even if he doesn’t understand it. It’s about two highly intelligent people who are working together to solve a mystery, and in the process happen to ignite a passion between them that is intellectually, emotionally, and physically satisfying. You just don’t get that every day.

Quick has once again written a story that had me laughing out loud, eager to turn the page, and happy as both a fantasy/paranormal and historical fiction fan.

Originally posted at http://worderella.com/2010/11/book-the-perfect-poison/

If you're leery of supernatural books, the kinds with werewolves and witches practicing black magic, etc, don't let this book fool you. This book is so much more than magical creatures. Why is it that supernatural books are the ones that handle the topic of sexual abuse better than any other genre I've read? Anna is a fragile character, but she survived three years of sexual abuse. Survived, and wants to learn how she can heal some of those wounds in order to try a relationship with Charles, who is head-over-heels in love with her.

I loved the metaphor of Brother Wolf as the survival instinct we all have. When Anna feels threatened, such as the first time she tries to be intimate with Charles, her wolf comes "into ascendance;" essentially, she pulls on a deeper strength in order to swallow the timidity, fear, nausea that comes from anyone touching her. All because she wants it to work with Charles. I also loved that as the Omega wolf, her strength was in bringing out the best in others.

Read this book for an entertaining, gripping story that starts off running and continues at a loping pace. Read it for a tactful treatment of the aftermath of sexual abuse and the wish for a healthy, equal relationship. Another book to check out, if interested in another fascinating treatment of the same topic, is Robin McKinley's Deerskin.

This book had me chuckling on the first page. I follow John Green's Vlog Brothers, and looked forward to that intellectual snark that keeps me coming back for more, and I was not disappointed. First, let's address the main character's name: Colin Singleton.

Any computer programmer or mathematician would recognize the joke at once: here is a young man who is desperate to be known, to be recognized as unique and special. A singleton, in object-oriented programming, is a one-of-a-kind object. You can have a class of an object, say, Car, and then have different objects that belong to the class of Car: Honda, Ford, Toyota, etc. A singleton has only one element in its class or set: it is unique, special. Nerd!Belinda was ridiculously happy to see the intellectual snark and jokes went this far.

Read this book for a contemporary satire on the road trip story, while at the same time feeling heartfelt and snarky, as we all were in high school. A quick read, followed with an appendix where Green asked his mathematics professor friend to go through the math of Colin's Underlying Katherine Predictability. With graphs and everything. I've never been so happy to see a parabola in my life.

I read this book because I adore the movie. Now, usually, I tell people to read the book before watching the movie because the movie never delivers quite the same impact.

I'd say the same thing with this book, except that it's not just the impact, this book felt like an entirely different story from the movie! I was so accustomed to the pacing of the movie, the theme and what was important, that I often found myself bewildered and wondering what the point was with a particular passage.

I didn't dislike this book, I was just surprised by how different it was from the movie. It wasn't the sort of explicit magic the movie portrays. It's a quiet read, for sure.

This was a charming, light read that kept me smiling. It was nice to read about a heroine I could relate to: spunky, defending others, independent, and curious. It's a rather short book, so the romance moves quickly, and the murder mystery adds to the fun.

I want to have brain children with Brandon Sanderson. Every single one of his books has kept me up past reasonable and unreasonable hours, turning pages feverishly wondering what is going to happen next and will I figure it out before the characters.

Mistborn is no exception, and same with its sequel, The Well of Ascension. I can't wait to pick up The Hero of Ages.