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Aug. 19th, 2006 10:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jennifer_book_geek38/50 Firebirds Rising edited by Sharyn November: This is a YA antholoy of mostly fantasy stories, with a few science fiction stories mixed in there too.
Huntress by Tamora Pierce: I was a bit disappointed with this story. I expected something along the lines of Pierce's books, not a contemporary fantasy. I also didn't expect it to be so dark. I liked Pierce's explanation of where the story came from though and her philosophy about the goddess coming back to protect young women.
Unwrapping by Nina Kiriki Hoffman: I will definitely have to read Hoffman's novels because I loved this story. I thought it was awesome that Brenna accepted Nadia's true self. The only problem I had was that the story was too short.
The Real Thing by Alison Goodman: This reminded me a lot of Tamora Pierce's story. I liked Joss and Mav's partnership.
Little (Grrl) Lost by Charles de Lint: Very cute story that made me want to read more by de Lint.
I'll Give You My Word by Diana Wynne Jones: I loved this story so much! I confess that I haven't read any of Wynne Jones' books, but I am anxious to now.
In the House of the Seven Librarians by Ellen Klages: This story was so cute and as someone who grew up with a Carnegie Library, it was close to my heart.
Wintermoon Wish by Sharon Shinn: This is set in the same world as Shinn's YA series, so I knew I would love it before I even read it. I like that Shinn includes Easter Eggs of a sort with the cameos by the previous protagonists in each of the subsequent books, and this story is no different. Lirril is the daughter of one of the twins from The Truth-Teller's Tale (I think it's Eleda because something is mentioned about Lirril's mother's honesty). This was really sweet and I love Shinn's heroines in her YA works.
The Wizards of Perfil by Kelly Link: I didn't really like this story very much. I found it depressing and hard to read.
Jack O'Lantern by Patricia A. McKillip: McKillip's use of language is amazing and the scenes her words bring to mind are sublime. I loved the Jenny and Will.
Quill by Carol Emshwiller: While I like the idea of feathered dinosaurs, this story didn't work for me. Another depressing story that I had to drag myself through.
Blood Roses by Francesca Lia Block: I think this is the shortest story in the anthology, but there's so much there for so few words. Block is one of my favorite authors. I love her offbeat view of the world.
Hives by Kara Dalkey: I had a problem with the basic premise of this story, so I never could suspend my disbelief and just enjoy it, plus I thought some of the SF aspects of the story were silly, like high schools being named after Microsoft and Condoleeza Rice.
Perception by Alan Dean Foster: Yet another depressing story. I liked the alien, but I hated how the story ended.
The House on the Planet by Tanith Lee: Very nice story and the three different POV characters didn't mess with my brain too badly.
Cousins by Pamela Dean: Ooh neat, a Liavek story. I have three of the Liavek anthologies and I've read a story here and there from them, but I'm waiting until I have all five anthologies before I read the whole series. This story was kind of confusing, but Dri was really cute.
What Used to Be Good Still Is by Emma Bull: This was a bit bittersweet without being crushingly depressing. I liked the protagonists and I wish they had an HEA.
Huntress by Tamora Pierce: I was a bit disappointed with this story. I expected something along the lines of Pierce's books, not a contemporary fantasy. I also didn't expect it to be so dark. I liked Pierce's explanation of where the story came from though and her philosophy about the goddess coming back to protect young women.
Unwrapping by Nina Kiriki Hoffman: I will definitely have to read Hoffman's novels because I loved this story. I thought it was awesome that Brenna accepted Nadia's true self. The only problem I had was that the story was too short.
The Real Thing by Alison Goodman: This reminded me a lot of Tamora Pierce's story. I liked Joss and Mav's partnership.
Little (Grrl) Lost by Charles de Lint: Very cute story that made me want to read more by de Lint.
I'll Give You My Word by Diana Wynne Jones: I loved this story so much! I confess that I haven't read any of Wynne Jones' books, but I am anxious to now.
In the House of the Seven Librarians by Ellen Klages: This story was so cute and as someone who grew up with a Carnegie Library, it was close to my heart.
Wintermoon Wish by Sharon Shinn: This is set in the same world as Shinn's YA series, so I knew I would love it before I even read it. I like that Shinn includes Easter Eggs of a sort with the cameos by the previous protagonists in each of the subsequent books, and this story is no different. Lirril is the daughter of one of the twins from The Truth-Teller's Tale (I think it's Eleda because something is mentioned about Lirril's mother's honesty). This was really sweet and I love Shinn's heroines in her YA works.
The Wizards of Perfil by Kelly Link: I didn't really like this story very much. I found it depressing and hard to read.
Jack O'Lantern by Patricia A. McKillip: McKillip's use of language is amazing and the scenes her words bring to mind are sublime. I loved the Jenny and Will.
Quill by Carol Emshwiller: While I like the idea of feathered dinosaurs, this story didn't work for me. Another depressing story that I had to drag myself through.
Blood Roses by Francesca Lia Block: I think this is the shortest story in the anthology, but there's so much there for so few words. Block is one of my favorite authors. I love her offbeat view of the world.
Hives by Kara Dalkey: I had a problem with the basic premise of this story, so I never could suspend my disbelief and just enjoy it, plus I thought some of the SF aspects of the story were silly, like high schools being named after Microsoft and Condoleeza Rice.
Perception by Alan Dean Foster: Yet another depressing story. I liked the alien, but I hated how the story ended.
The House on the Planet by Tanith Lee: Very nice story and the three different POV characters didn't mess with my brain too badly.
Cousins by Pamela Dean: Ooh neat, a Liavek story. I have three of the Liavek anthologies and I've read a story here and there from them, but I'm waiting until I have all five anthologies before I read the whole series. This story was kind of confusing, but Dri was really cute.
What Used to Be Good Still Is by Emma Bull: This was a bit bittersweet without being crushingly depressing. I liked the protagonists and I wish they had an HEA.
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Date: 2006-08-21 06:20 am (UTC)i love, love, love Diana Wynne Jones (shelved under Jones, usually) and i hope you enjoy her long fiction. the Chrestomanci books are a natural place to start, but many of her other books are also excellent. Howl's Moving Castle, Fire & Hemlock for something a bit darker/more complex, Deep Secret for something rather fun and fluffy; i'm also extremely fond of Archer's Goon, Tale of Time City, and Eight Days of Luke, but everyone has their own favorites.
i enjoyed the Nina Kiriki Hoffman novel i've read, and will probably read more eventually.
i like Shinn generally but haven't read her YA; i'll have to check those out.
[i'm very fond of Emma Bull, Pamela Dean, and Francesca Lia Block; i like some of Tamora Pierce's books very much, and really liked the one de Lint book i've read... haven't read any of the others, i believe. i've tried reading McKillip (Riddlemaster of Hed, i think) but haven't been able to get into it. maybe someday.]