Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Daughter of Smoke and Bone - A Must Read!!

Like most things, the first time I heard about Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, it was on Twitter. Specifically, it was Myg gushing about how amazing this book is holyshit everyone needs to read it right the fuck now (I'm paraphrasing here. <--Not really, that was pretty much what I said. But I did say it over and over and over again. ~Myg).

There are some people who, when they suggest I go read something, I immediately do so without question. Myg is one of them.


Unfortunately for me, when I read her tweet on my phone,  I was stuck in the Austin airport and couldn't get a signal on my Kindle to save my life, which meant I couldn't download the mother fucking story right then and there.

It was also unfortunate for the mother of the little girl walking by at the moment who now knows a whole new vocabulary of swear words. The little girl, not the mother. Years later, when she's in high school or college, someone is going to throw out dog-cunt-licking-mother-whorebag-fart-fucker and that little girl will remember the strange woman who smelled like whiskey and looked like she hadn't slept in days.

Anyway.

You must read this book. It is, by far, one of the most captivating and well-written stories I've read in a very long time. It's a love story, yes. But it's so, so much more.



The premise (snatched right from Amazon)

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Taken from HERE

The characters are beautifully fleshed out and real, in all their demonic (or angelic) glory. Karou is a quirky seventeen year old who manages to be completely otherworldly but somehow familiarly typical. Her "family" is as loving as they are terrifying. Most of all, it takes the age-old story of good vs. evil and turns it on its head and asks the question, "can love survive either?"

It's mystery and mythology, love and hate, good and evil... all wrapped up in one amazingly addicting package. 

So go!! Check out Daughter of Smoke and Bone!

Myg here. I just have to chime in to say I first read about this book at Swoontini. If you don't visit Swoontini often, please rectify that and follow @lolozilla and @seeCwrite. Swoontini is a blog on Young Adult lit, and trust me, they know what you like. 


I'd always meant to read Daughter of Smoke and Bone because Lo went nuts for it in the fall, but I never got around to it. Once I picked it up I could not put it down for an entire weekend. You know the deal, dishes piled in the sink, laundry thrown all over the floor, kids eating Cheerios for dinner--twice. The characters are complex and strong, the world is rich and compelling. The good news is that this is a trilogy! The bad news is that this is the first book, and the next won't be out until November, last I heard. But don't let that stop you from reading now, because you'll probably want to read it again (and then maybe again) before November. So what are you still hanging out here for? Go, go, go! Oh, and follow @lainitaylor on Twitter too, because she's so swell and because she named her daughter Clementine Pie, and who doesn't love pie? 

36 comments:

  1. Ordered it based on Myg's rec on twitter a few days ago. It's collecting dust on my nightstand (yes, I still read real books, I can't give them up!), but I will open it soon, promise!

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    1. I can't give up physical books either. I want to but I just can't seem to!

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    2. I can't give up physical books either, but I also use ebooks as a back up. It's nice to be able to pull out my phone or ipad and read if I get stuck waiting somewhere, even if I didn't grab my book before I left the house. But I love the feel of a book in my hands (and how they look lined up on all my bookshelves!).

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    3. It was very difficult for me to go to an e-reader, I'll admit it. I still have oodles of "real" books but I find the Kindle is much easier to lug around on my lovely commute. Plus, the instant gratification of downloading something totally makes my day.

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  2. Hmm....I've got a month off and a bit before baby comes. After I'm done running around cleaning and organizing shit like crazy. It sounds like that'll be the perfect excuse to sit my arse down. Thanks for the rec!

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    1. DO IT!!! You'll totally have plenty of time to read before AND after the baby. Right? ;P

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  3. Ooh got it in audio book, will give it a listen at work.

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  4. I'm a fan of real paper books, too, and this sounds like one that should go to the top of the "Must Read!" list!

    JJ, you had me at "Morkengel" - although as you all know, I prefer to stumble across my trilogies (and...quadlogies? aaaand now we know where "Saga" came from) after they are complete.

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  5. Its another book on my list of to reads. The hubs gives me shit for the 3ft stack of books on my side of the bed...yet for my birthday last week he gave me .....wait for it..Two books! I wanted them and I finished them this Monday. The new BDB book is out and Im dying to get it. (friday, waiting until Friday)

    Used book sale tomorrow at the elementary school...its a fund raiser. Really, I need to play a trip to the beach so I can sit and read all day....the sun and I arent friends.

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  6. I am reading it right now! Loving it too. I actually rec'd this book to many in bookstores based on Lo's recs before I even started reading it. Go! Read it! Let's chat about it. Xoxoxo

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  7. It's on my list. I've got to stop reading so much fanfic and try some real books. Maybe then when someone asks what I'm reading I'll be able to tell them!

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    1. I'm with you on that one. It's bloody difficult but it can be done! It's nice to discover new characters that aren't Edward and Bella for a change.

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  8. It's in my stack of TBR books, I've seen it rec'd a few places now. I've been trying to make more time for pleasure reading between work and school, looks like this one will have to move up the list when I manage to sit down and read! :)

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  9. Damnit, my to-read pile is teetering as it is. And that's just the physical one, I have a virtual one too. I don't think I'll be able to resist adding this one, it sounds awesome. Thanks! I mean that both genuinely and sarcastically. Yes that is possible.

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  10. It is now on my "books to read" list. Thanks!

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  11. You guys are awesome and this was Lo's favorite book of last year.

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    1. Dude, I am not kidding when I say my heart skipped a beat to see that handle and that avi pop up here. MWAHS.

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    2. Yay! And Lo has very, VERY good taste. But we already knew that.

      And like Myg, I got a wee bit excited to see you here as well. :)

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  12. I read this with my book club a couple of months ago and LOVED it! I was the same as Myg...totally had to neglect my household duties because I just could not put it down! Laini's imagination and description of this crazy world and characters was amazing! It was fun picturing all the different types of people/creatures she wrote about. Can NOT wait for the sequel :) Everyone should go run and grab a copy!!!

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  13. I read DoSaB a while ago. LOVED it so much I immediately reread it. One of the most creative, well told fantasies around Plus it has Akira...

    The book I'm rec'ing these days... Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers (comes out April 3rd) Two words: ASSASSIN NUNS!

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  14. This book sounds awesome. Definitely going to add to my needs-to-be-read list. Thanks for the rec. It's about time I read something other than fan fiction.

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  15. I have an Amazon e-gift card burning a hole in my e-pocket. Sounds good. Thanks for THG referral way back when, by the way, was the perfect read in the jungle.

    Something pretty special about YA genre. It seems to be one area in our society where we acknowledge that teenagers are passionate raw people living close to the bone, and capable of mucking around in some pretty heavy shit.

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  16. I don't think I have read an "adult" book in a very long time. for some reason the YA books seem to hit the spot better than anything else. This is coming from a 40 year old. Maybe I will be a YA at heart forever!

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    1. I just think that YA is really misunderstood as a genre. The books are about young people, but their appeal is so universal, you know? Some of my all-time favorite novels are YA, and Daughter of Smoke and Bone is way up near the top of this list.

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  17. I know this wouldn't happen, but let me just mention that Ioan Gruffudd would be the perfect Akiva in the movie (and of course the movie rights have been bought, but nothing has been hinted at yet in terms of the film.)

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  18. I currently have this book waitiing for me on my Kindle app and I can't wait to read it! Can't. Fucking. Wait. In fact, I may start it tonight. If I don't fall asleep on the couch first.

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  19. @Myg you inspire me! You write, you read, and you raise twins. How is this possible? I need a nap just thinking about all that you do. I appreciate the book rec and the update on our favorite former fanfic authors. I will definitely add this on my TBR list. I'm going to have to break down and start a "Good Reads" acct.

    I too have a book rec. Although I haven't personally read it yet, my sis-in-law told me about one that sounds interesting. It's called "The Walk" which is the first book in a trilogy. They're based on a true story about a guy here in Seattle who looses everything. His wife is killed in an accident, he looses his job, etc. Needless to say he is depressed so one day he decides to take a walk. He grabs a backpack, leaves Seattle and heads towards the Florida Keys. The books are all about the people and events he encounters on his journey. So yeah, that one's on my TBR list too, along with about 1,000 Twilight FanFics still... Thanks again Twitards, keep it up.

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  20. I saw Myg's tweet about it and NEED to read it. Not sure if you know but I review books for http://thereadiacs.com ...so I'm definitely going to read and post about it. I just emailed one of the other bloggers and she said she has it and will send it to me to review. Stoked! :)

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  21. Thanks to all who recommended other books! I'll need to put them on my list. ML thanks you for it (not). However, I am ALWAYS on the prowl for new recs so bring 'em on!!

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  22. I will add this to my list, as well, thank you for the recommendation. Just finished Game of Thrones and will be moving on to Fifty Shades tomorrow. I know it's old news, but G of T is awesome, it's one of the very few shows that is as good as the book. I'm dying for Sunday night, Season 2 premieres!!

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    1. I PLOWED through those books. Seriously. I couldn't put them down and I had no idea that there were two more that hadn't been published and... yeah. He needs to get on that, lol.

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  23. Last year when you mentioned a little book named "The Hunger Games" I said, hell why not? O.M.G. I finished the three in a week or less, I was on my vacaction perdiod, so I'm gonna give a chance to this one too, thanks for recommend it, I was so worried about what was I going to read while I'm waiting for the new Charlaine Harris book to be ready.

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  24. I just....bought it on the kindle Thursday, then went to B&N Saturday to buy it because I was 9 chapters in and knew I needed to own the hardcover. I finished it Saturday night and realized I now have to wait for a fucking sequel. WTF?! I guess I'll have to re-read this thing. Aww shucks. Maybe I missed something (I didn't).


    It seriously was THAT GOOD, though. Now I'm on to The Fault in Our Stars, another rec from Swoontini (THANK YOU MYG, I didn't know they had their own blog!). I'm stoked to start it......................Right now.

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