Book Nook 8/30/2013: Briar Rose by Jane Yolen

This month's pick is Briar Rose by Jane Yolen.

The story roughly revolves around the fairy tale of Briar Rose, better known as Sleeping Beauty, and WWII. It follows the character Becca who journeys to find the true identity of her grandmother, Gemma.

It is overall a sad story, but with a satisfying ending. Not my most favorite, but it is worth the time. I will not give away much more than that, but be warned this book heavily deals with the concentration camps and the brutality of WWII. Not so heavy, but heavy enough.

Book Nook Pick 7/2013: The Prydian Chronicles - The High King by Lloyd Alexander

This month I have finished the Prydian Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander. The last book is titled The High King. This is the finale chapter of adventure of Taran and his friends including the final battle against the enemy Arawn of Annuvin.

Taran along with Gurgi are reunited with their friends Elionwy, Fflam, Gwydion, Rhun, Glew, Llyan, and Doli. Together do they journey and fight the evils of Arawn of Annuvin for the final time.

The series contains five books titled and in this order: The Book of Three, The Black Cauldron, The Caslte of Llyr, Taran Wanderer, and The High King. Overall the series is great light read, it is not too involving, but just enough to keep you interested and going. Only downside to it is that it is a bit old-fashioned in terms of gender and the hero's journey. So if you need a good light read, but not getting too much into then this is perfect.

Book Nook Pick 6/30/2013: Out of Oz by Gregory McGuire

I know haven't posted much and kind of lacked on the book nooks, but I am starting up again from June.

This month the book I've read is Out of Oz by Gregory McGuire.

This is the fourth and final installment in McGuire's Wicked Years series. The story follows the tale of the Wicked Witch of the West's granddaughter Rain Thropp. It is her journey through the ultimate political battle of Oz. It also brings back the returning characters of Glinda, Brrr, Lirr Thropp, and Dorothy.

Not one of my favorite series by far, but it was interesting to follow these various characters and know them through their thoughts, feelings, and actions. The part that the I dislike is the state of confusion I get myself in every now and then. I feel McGuire doesn't explain his world as much and just assumes we know right from the get go. If you like heavy politics, uncanny characters, and the world of Oz then you will enjoy this book and its series.

Finding Encourgement

For some strange reason I decided to read a little of my second draft just for the sake of reading. I found my second draft quite fascinating. It often amazes me that I am able to write and explain things so well. This seems to be far better than the first draft. So naturally, I got encouraged to continue writing.

If any of you watch ABC's Once Upon a Time, you will remember an episode where Emma is struggling to find a way to prove Mary-Margaret (Snow-White)'s innocence in the case of Katherine Nolan. August sits beside Emma by the docks and tells that she currently dealing with writer's block, but without the writing. August explains that when he has writer's block, he will go back to what he had already written and will find something that he has missed or overlooked.

I believe August is right and his idea actually works, but not just for getting passed writer's block. It also helps to encourage you with a renewed vigor you, that you only had when you started the journey into writing it. This is another one of those advice I would give to my fellow writers in struggle.

Lost at Sea

One of the most common downside to being a writer is that you are often alone or at least you feel this way. Sometimes you get unintentionally discouraged by people and more frequently you don't have the resources you need to go where you want.

Read a few biographies or autobiographies on your favorite authors. You will soon see you are not alone and they are the billions of stars above giving you distant, but small comfort because they too have been in your shoes once upon a time.

This is something I have felt enough number of times, but I have to find ways to keep myself going otherwise my ship sink. It is hard not to be too hard on those who unintentionally discourage because they mean well, but didn't realize it was more hurting than being a lifeline.

Book Nook Pick 1/2013: Path of Fate by Diana Pharaoh Francis

I apologize that December did not have a book review. I didn't read anything new for that month. However, this month I have read Path of Fate by Diana Pharaoh Francis.

Reisil is raised by a village after being abandoned an hour after her birth by her parents. The story starts with her as a young woman finally finding her place as a tark, a healer, and soon her village will declare her their tark. Once they do her cottage and village will become her true and permanent home. However, the Blessed Lady chooses her to be an ahalad-kaaslane - the judges, spies, and explorers of the land of Kodu Riik. They are bound to know one but the Lady Herself. Reisil rejection doesn't just affect her, the goshawk who needs her, but the entire safety of Kodu Riik from the horrors of war rests on her shoulders.

The protagonist Reisil is not too different from Karigan in the Green Rider series as far personality and their reluctance of taking up their new role in the novels. It was good light, simple, and short, but an intense read too. The story was relatively straight-forward. The dilemma and the character growth and development is very intriguing and realistic. I love the bond each of the ahalad-kaaslane have with their creature especially Saljane and Reisil. I am fascinated that Francis decided to make Reisil's goshawk female. Usually, the creature is often the opposite gender of the protagonist like Harry and Hedwig, Eragon and Saphira, Lyra and Pan, Karigan and Condor. 

The only two downsides I found was the lack of information on certain areas like explaining of the Blessed Lady and the Demon Lord. There was no explanation in the beginning who the Lady really was, but somewhere in the middle of story did I get an idea. I'm sure this might have been the intent to make me keep reading, but I was already willing to go the extra mile to see if it would be interesting. The other downside is the structure like knowing exactly how Kodu Riik functioned as kingdom or realm. I also would have liked to know more about Reisil's parents like they somehow had more of an important role, but I'm sure the other two books might explain them. 

Knowledge is Power

I have made many numerous attempts to write the second draft and it is indeed harder than writing the first. So today I decided to continue going, but I have no experience author to guide me and lend me a hand. I asked T.A. Barron my favorite author on facebook, but he hasn't responded yet. I am still stuck, but I may have found the answer.

I decided to try writing a prologue to help get me going into the second draft and make it more than my small feeble attempts before. Then it occurred to me that primary focus of the story is the fairy tales and I googled for a list and it made me feel small in the amount of fairy tales I really knew. Now I do know plenty about fairy tales, fantasy, and decent chunk into mythology. However, my knowledge if very tiny compared to what is really out there.

My next plan of action is simple I will be like Merlin and many more wizards of the past and actually do some good decent research. I plan on visiting my local Barnes and Nobles with a notebook, pen, and cup of hot chocolate or tea with a pile of books for me to explore.

Research is truly just acquiring knowledge. It can be fun if you are doing it of your own free will because honestly before when I was doing it for my classes it was not fun at all. So whenever in doubt and stuck then go to your local bookstore or your library and learn because you want to not because you have to. Happy New Year to all!