Happy Labor Day everyone!

I, for one, have always found this an exceedingly strange holiday. Celebrating labor? Hmmm.....But, inevitably I go to school in the town where Labor Day was invented so I can't just ignore it and pretend like its just another day off like everyone else in the world. There are festivities!

There will be a small fair and fireworks tonight, which are usually pretty good despite the fact that the college is bigger than the town. But it will be fun. Maybe I'll post some pictures of the fireworks next time for those of you who are my loyal fans. :)

Now that I'm done with Wings, I'm trying to branch out in the world of young adult literature. Though fantasy is my first love, I do enjoy other genres as well, and one of those is historical fiction. On a recent trip to Barnes & Noble with some fellow book lovers, I resolved to buy some books based upon cover and cover copy only. After scouring the store for about an hour, I picked up two books. A Sweet Disorder by Jacqueline Kolosov, and another which shall be revealed after I read it.

A Sweet Disorder has a stunning cover. Not as blatantly dramatic as the Luxe novels, and just enough to keep you interested. It was the cover that first made me pick up the book. The next os the cover copy, which describes an epic struggle for a young woman independence with the only weapon she has in her arsenal: Embroidery. That along with the promise of backstabbing intrigue and lost love clinch the purchase for me.

I was always a huge fan of the 'Dear America' and 'Royal Diaries' series growing up, so I leave B&N with the hope and expectation that it will give me the same thrill. I started it that night, despite the face that I had mountains of homework looming over me, threatening to topple and suffocate me under a ten foot pile of paper. The book doesn't disappoint. It is by definition, a much slower book than say, City of Bones, which has much more of an action aspect to it. But once I got caught up in the intrigues of the English court I found myself turning pages almost as quickly as an action novel.

In this world where wearing the wrong color can mean your death or exile, it's not a physical battle, but a mental one. Kolosov brilliantly depicts the difficulty of being able to trust no one, even those who claim to be loyal. An added dynamic is the one of love. How must it feel to be in love with the court's most sought after knight, the man who was once betrothed to you. With every girl around her scrambling for the affection of the one she loves, the protagonist has a hard enough time just keeping her heart at a steady pace. Layer on the sting of betrayal and I'm not sure how our girl survives the emotional roller coaster.

My only qualm with this book was that it ended quickly. Once everything was laid out, it took almost no time at all for things to fall into a peaceful, happy balance. This was not at all out of place with the remainder of the book; there were no loose ends left, and the audience comes away satisfied that the character's lives are as they should be. It was only my personal opinion that it seemed like a swift end, and in the grand scheme of things, a very little smudge on the polish of a very well written book. It is very solid, and I enjoyed it very much.

Thank you all for being patient with me through school! I don't have nearly as much time as I would like to post to you all. I'm trying to make time as much as I can. If you have anything you would like me to write about, let me know! I'm running out of book reviews, since my school regimen does not allow me much free time to read anything other than textbooks. Feel free to leave a comment or e-mail me!

CV

P.S. Next time, my thoughts on Suzanne Collins' books: The Hunger Games, and Catching Fire!

P.P.S. Don't forget to fan me on facebook for news and novel updates!

Laurel’s parents agree to the bargain. A fair deal, since the diamond was appraised at 800,000 dollars. Woah now. The final chapter takes place in the forest, where Laurel has come to say goodbye to Tamani.

She wants to stay with him, but she recognizes that she can’t be a part of this world right now. She has to be human, and being human means being with David. He begs her to stay, to live in the house on the land, but she can’t. She has to protect her parents and her friends in case any trolls decide to come back.

He continues to beg, and she finally asks him why he loves her so much, if he barely knows her. Warning: Twist coming. They were child hood friends when they were young faeries. Not just friends, the best and deepest of friends. They had to erase her memory of everything, including Tamani form her mind when she was given as a human infant.

The ring he gave her wasn’t just any ring. It was hers. She had told him to give it to her so that she could try to remember. It didn’t work, but he said he had to try. He then tells her that he’s been watching her everyday for the past 5 years. How could he not have fallen in love with her? He says he wait. Forever if he has to. Wait just for her.

The time for goodbye has come. She’s almost to the car when she can’t take it anymore. She runs back after him, even though he’s disappeared. She run’s and kisses him (another well written, stomach flipping kiss) She feels once again torn between him and David. She doesn’t know how she’ll manage.

He thanks her for the glimmer of hope, and she says. ‘There’s always hope.” Then she turns away, and goes home.

The End.

I’ll write a post with my final thoughts very soon!!

CV

Tamani has been shot. In the leg only, but he’s still oozing sap like there’s no tomorrow. Without even hesitating Mr. Barnes shoots him in the other leg. All this is directly in Laurel’s line of sight. He tells her with signal’s to leave him, and go back to notify the other faerie’s, but she can’t leave him.

Mr. Barnes puts the gun down, and begins to question Tamani about why he’s there, all the while kicking his leg every time he doesn’t answer. In a last ditch effort to help Tamani, Laurel sneaks across the room, grabs the gun, and points it at the troll. But even after all he’s put her through, she can’t kill him. He lunges for the gun, and reflexively shoots him in the shoulder, dropping the gun in the process. Tamani manages to get the gun, and shoot, but by that point Mr. Barnes has already jumped out the window and fled.

David comes running, hearing the gunshots, and they hurry to get back to the other faeries. He’s bleeding (in the only way plants can) profusely and needs to be healed. After once again promising David that she’ll come back from the forest, She delivers Tamani into the hands of the faeries.

They take him through the gate. From the description it is bright and glittering, and the world Avalon on the other side is absolutely beautiful! An older Faerie trades places with Tamani, coming out of the gate to speak with Laurel. He is very kind to her, and expresses how proud he was of her for not killing the troll. Fall faeries are made for healing, not for killing. He also gives her an elixir as thanks. It is one of the only faerie potions that will work on humans, and it will save her father. ALSO, he gives her a golf ball sized diamond! It is payment to parents for the land if they will out it in a trust in Laurel’s name! Holy cow!

David takes her back to the hospital, and after administering several drops of the liquid into her father’s mouth; she gives her mother the diamond and the proposition. If I had been handed a rock that big I would be just as suspicious as Laurel’s mother is, and the explanation she then gives her about her life is not easy. Their reunion is complete when her father wakes up from his coma, and seems to be just fine.

Laurel goes back to see David who’s waiting at the car. After healing his large bruise from their encounter with the river, They finally take the step we have all been waiting for. Laurel kisses him, and shoves their relationship into full gear. Everything seems to be just right now.

Last chapter next!

CV

As we begin to race towards the conclusion of the story, I start to get more of the answers I’ve been so curious for.

David handles meeting Tamani better than the reverse, but that may have something to so with the near coma that waking up at 4 am induces. Nothing like getting up that early to go kick some troll butt! *rolls eyes*

And finally (drumroll!) the reason trolls are so ugly! Trolls are a glitch, the have no symmetry in their bodies. Laurel and Tamani, being faeries are the complete opposite. Faeries are precisely symmetrical in everyway (some of the reason they’re so gorgeous). Humans are somewhere in between, having middle symmetry.

I was wrong, Mr. Barnes doesn’t know what Laurel is! If he had, Tamani claims he never would have attempted to drown her. They figure that since the three times he has encountered her, other smells have covered up her lack of smell. David smelled like campfire at her house when he first visited, the hospital is full of smells, and David’s blood dripped on her when they were thrown against the wall, making her look human. Lucky for her.

After a brief fight about who is to stay in the car and who is to go, they reach the house. David has to stay, he’ll alert the trolls with his scent, and Laurel is too stubborn to be left behind. David implores her to come back, and she promises she will. They leave him with instructions on when to come closer, and if to go back and tell the other Faeries.

Not gonna lie, it’s pretty cool to see Tamani in action. He takes out three of the four trolls in a matter of minutes with a dart and a couple of neck-snaps, though that was rather unsettling to read. The dart was only a sedative for the strange ‘watchdog troll’, and he disposes of that one with a special spray to the eyes. Thankfully she was unconscious.

Three down, one to go. Mr. Barnes is the only one missing, and you can almost feel the tangible tension as Laurel and Tamani creep further into the house looking for him. When they find him, its only his shadow they see, the rising sun is useful for some things. :) Tamani whips out his handy dart blower, and Mr. Barnes shadow slumps down onto his desk. Well…that was easy. Too easy. He was faking!

Before we know it Tamani has been thrown against the wall and a dangerous game of cat and mouse progresses around the room. They seem almost evenly matched between Tamani’s speed and the troll’s strength. That is, until Tamani falters and gets thrown against the wall again, this time right across from Laurel, where she can see everything.

He’s injured this time, it’s pretty obvious. Despite that, he tries to lunge for the troll once again, only to be rewarded with another bone-crunching throw into the wall. Mr. Barnes isn’t going to be fooled with this time. He takes a gun from his belt, points it at Tamani, and pulls the trigger.

That’s all for now folks! I know that was a mega cliff hanger, but hold on, we’re almost there!

CV

I can’t even tell you! My heart is POUNDING after reading chapter 19! It is totally action packed.

Now spotted, David and Laurel are in trouble. Mr. Barnes breaks through the window, grabs them, and throws them against the opposite wall! WOAH! David tries to shield her, but she’s leaking fluid from her back, and we don’t know how badly she’s injured.

As Mr. Barnes interrogates them about what they’re doing there, David falls into the same trancelike state as laurel’s mother and answers the questions without even flinching. Laurel has to slap him, hard, in order to snap him out of it. But its already too late, he’s given away too much, and Mr. Barnes isn’t exactly just going to let them go.

The two ugly men threaten to break they’re legs, but no, they get a face far worse: drowning. Yes, Mr. Barnes tells his henchman to take Laurel and David to the river, weight them down, and drown them! It becomes obvious that Mr. Barnes knows exactly what Laurel is, because he specifically says he doesn’t want her around when the papers are signed. Hmm….makes you wonder what HE is.

As they’re driving, David starts to get sentimental, but Laurel refuses to say goodbye. As they arrive at the river, the men tie them to very, very heavy rocks. While they’re awaiting their fate, Laurel remembers they’re experiment in his kitchen where they shared breath. Not a bad idea if I do say so myself. Then get this; these men pick Laurel and David up with their rocks. One in each hand! And thrown them into the middle of the river.

There are a very few tense pages as Laurel, in the midst of sharing breaths with David, frees him. He’s swept away down river, and now she no longer has an air supply. Somehow, she manages, to free herself, though her feet are pretty injured in the process. David catches her further down river. She was underwater more than fifteen minutes after she freed him. Holy cow.

Moving on to chapter 20. They go to Tamani. David sleeps in the car while Tamani heals Laurel and she sleeps in the forest. When she wakes up (conveniently in Tamani’s arms) we finally find out some of the answers we’re looking for!

The ugly people are trolls, who are trying to take over the faeries, it’s one of those never ending grudge things. The reason the land is so important is that it contains a gate to the Faerie world. The trolls made Laurel’s father sick to force her mother’s hand into selling the land, which is now apparent, is really not a good thing.

They head off to fight the trolls, Tamani grumbling all the way about having to meet David. Looks like an exciting showdown is shaping up. More to come!

CV

Got an idea for a post? E-mail me! Charleevale@post.com

Things take a dark twist in these next two chapters.

Laurel’s father gets sick. We’re not talking flu sick, we’re talking deathly ill. He’s so sick that Laurel’s mom actually called an ambulance. And as we know, their family doesn’t do doctors or hospitals. Ever.

Laurel takes over hours at the bookshop, and her friends do her best to cheer her; but even cuddling with David isn’t enough to lift her spirits. David drives her regularly to the hospital her father has been transferred to. He really is being a great guy here! I’m impressed! But her father doesn’t improve; he gets worse. Te doctors have located a toxin in his body that if left alone will shut down his organs one by one. So far nothing they have done has been able to reverse it. (Something tells me Laurel is going to have to use her special new powers in order to save her father)

Things spiral further out of control as the creepy realtor Mr. Barnes keeps hounding their family about the land sale. After he thoroughly interrogates Laurel about why her parents are never home, she begins to screen her calls, never answering the ones from him. Can you predict the next thing that is going to happen here?
If you were an astute reader you would have figured out that this Mr, Barnes obviously isn’t going to give up that easy. If you guessed that, you’re right. An afternoon about two weeks into this saga, Laurel’s father has been given a week to live. David immediately takes her to the hospital, it no longer seems weird when they hold hands. Their relationship has progressed past friendship now whether Laurel wants it to or not.

As they enter the room, guess who’s there? You got it – Mr. Barnes. Laurel’s mom is smiling and nodding, singing her life away. She is almost trace-like happy for someone whose husband is dying. Her family is swimming in debt without health insurance, and no matter what she says there is no way Laurel can convince her otherwise.

Despite the fact that she understands, there is still something seriously off about Mr. Barnes. She decided to take off with David and investigate the office address on his business card. And let me tell you, this is where it gets really weird. The office address is a house; a very old house that looks like it’s abandoned.

David sees a light, and we find Mr. Barnes in addition to the house. Two creepy guys are with him, the look wrong – like their skin didn’t quite hang on them right. Also in the corner, a creature is chained up. It looks half-human, half-animal. Its jaws are distended, and from the rest of the description: YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW WHAT THIS IS.

Just as they’re about to run, it opens an eye, a blue eye, and looks at Laurel. Talk about a cliff hangar! Anyway, I’m really excited to find out what’s going on here. More to come!

Question for the comments: If you were Laurel, would really really have gone after that guy?

CV