The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson, 2013

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More than anything, Joel wants to be a Rithmatist. Rithmatists have the power to infuse life into two-dimensional figures known as Chalklings. Rithmatists are humanity’s only defense against the Wild Chalklings. Having nearly overrun the territory of Nebrask, the Wild Chalklings now threaten all of the American Isles.

As the son of a lowly chalkmaker at Armedius Academy, Joel can only watch as Rithmatist students learn the magical art that he would do anything to practice. Then students start disappearing—kidnapped from their rooms at night, leaving trails of blood. Assigned to help the professor who is investigating the crimes, Joel and his friend Melody find themselves on the trail of an unexpected discovery—one that will change Rithmatics—and their world—forever.

(353 pages)

This is one of my favorite books and it makes me SO SAD that there doesn't seem to be a sequel in sight. I don't care that you haven't gotten inspiration to continue the series, Brandon Sanderson, I need to continue this story now!

Actually, having read a sequel written just because fans harrassed the author, scratch that. Wait until you're good and ready, Mr. Sanderson.

But seriously. This book is incredible. The worldbuilding is so fascinating, the idea of an America where each state is an island and where magic is done through chalk drawings, and where the main characters are focused on exploring the bounds of the magic system and trying to find the root of a lurking evil, is such a great concept that it would have been pretty hard for Sanderson to screw it up.

Luckily, though, Sanderson is well-known for being a great author. He pulled me into Joel's story almost immediately, and I was rooting for that poor chalkmaker's son to find a way to participate in the world he loved so much. I love the perspective in this book of the anti-chosen one, the character who has all the right characteristics to be the Harry Potter of the story but who doesn't get offered that chance. Nothing is handed to Joel, but he is so desperate to get involved that he forces his way into lessons and investigations that he has no place in. And I absolutely love it.

I read this book several years ago, and my mom did as well, and she still asks me once in a while if there's been a sequel yet. Just last year, when I was at college and didn't have access to a library copy, I bought a copy of this book just because I got such a strong urge to reread it. And if that's not a good indicator of how addictive it is, I don't know what would be. I love it, but I don't entirely recommend you read it since it sets up the start of a series that has yet to be continued.

My Favorite 2015 Books So Far

2015 has been an amazing year for books. Maybe it's because this is the first year I've really been seriously about blogging (which means I also keep up with the latest books a lot better than I used to!), but I've read so many amazing books this year - and not all of them were later books in series I already liked.

Here we go, in no particular order. Links go to my reviews for all of these except the last two, which go to Goodreads.

1. Masterminds by Gordon Korman

2. The War That Saved My Life by Kimbery Brubaker Bradley

3. All Fall Down by Ally Carter

4. Princess Academy #3: The Forgotten Sisters by Shannon Hale

5. Willow Falls #5: Graceful by Wendy Mass

6. Spell Robbers by Matthew J. Kirby

7. Gollywhopper Games #3: Friend or Foe by Jody Feldman

8. Genuine Sweet by Faith Harkey

9. The Palace Chronicles #3: Palace of Lies by Margaret Peterson Haddix (link goes to Goodreads)

10. The Missing #8: Redeemed by Margaret Peterson Haddix (link goes to Goodreads)

What are your favorite 2015 books? Check out more Top Ten lists over at The Broke and the Bookish!

Top Ten Inspiring Quotes From Books

Yes, I know this Top Ten is up later in the day than I usually post it. I don't know what to say, except that I've got one unit test, one final exam, and a capstone project that are all due by the end of the week. I was going to finish this post yesterday, but then suddenly it was bed time and I hadn't done it and there wasn't anything I could do about that. I have it up now, though: I didn't want to skip this week's Top Ten altogether because I really love the prompt. Here are ten of the quotes that inspire me! Many of these are from later books in series. Where I've reviewed a book in the series I've made the title a link to my review.

13 Gifts by Wendy Mass:

If everyone waited to do something good until they had purely unselfish motivations, no good would ever get done in the world. The point is to do it anyway. To do it at all.

The People of Sparks by Jeane DuPrau:

Being good is hard. Much harder than being bad.

Double Identity by Margaret Peterson Haddix:

I didn't have to ask anymore why Elizabeth died, why Daddy died, why I didn't. The new question I was obsessed with was, 'Okay, I lived - now what am I supposed to do with my life?'

The Secret Prince by Violet Haberdasher (link goes to my review of the first book in the series, Knightley Academy:

It is a good man who stands up for his friends, but an honorable man who stands up for his enemies.

The Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling:
It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.

Among the Brave by Margaret Peterson Haddix:
Maybe everyone is just waiting for someone else to save them.

The Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling:
We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.

The Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling:
Indifference and neglect often do much more damage than outright dislike.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan:
If my life is going to mean anything, I have to live it myself.

The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis:
Crying is all right while it lasts. But you have to stop sooner or later, and then you still have to decide what to do.

Just going through these quotes makes me feel better! Taken together, they remind me that a) the world does not revolve around me, b) kindness is always essential, and c) it's easier to be brave with the support of friends. What are your favorite book quotes?

My Top Ten All-Time Favorite Books

I'm participating yet again in Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's prompt couldn't have been more fun: it's "all-time favorite books from the last three years!" This is where Goodreads once again came in super handy for brainstorming my top ten - I sorted all of my books by release date, and went through them jotting down titles until I hit 2011. Then I cut my list down to only ten. Here they here, in no particular order:

1. Septimus Heap #7: Fyre by Angie Sage (link goes to Goodreads)
Sorry, no synopsis because of spoilers. I love this book so, so much, though, that I had to put it on the list even though it's the last in a series. I bought it the day it came out (for like eighteen dollars!), and sucked it in as fast as I could. It was amazing, one of the best tie-offs I've ever read. I also like the new spin-off series, TodHunter Moon, but even if the universe had ended with Fyre I still would have been perfectly content, because I got everything I'd ever wanted by the end of its many, many pages.

2. The Missing #7: Revealed by Margaret Peterson Haddix (link goes to Goodreads)
Sorry again, no synopsis for fear of spoilers. This is the seventh book in an eight book series, and it. Is. Perfect. I had been trying to guess Jonah's identity for four years , and it still took me completely by surprise. Haddix is a genius, and I will literally auto-buy anything she writes at this point. For those of you who haven't read this series (for shame!), it's a sci-fi time travel series about famous historical figures and hidden identities. It's one of my all-time favorites series, and I have no idea how I'll wait until September for the last book.

3. Ungifted by Gordon Korman (link goes to my review)
The word gifted has never been applied to a kid like Donovan Curtis. It's usually more like Don't try this at home. So when the troublemaker pulls a major prank at his middle school, he thinks he's finally gone too far. But thanks to a mix-up by one of the administrators, instead of getting in trouble, Donovan is sent to the Academy of Scholastic Distinction (ASD), a special program for gifted and talented students.
It wasn't exactly what Donovan had intended, but there couldn't be a more perfect hideout for someone like him. That is, if he can manage to fool people whose IQs are above genius level. And that becomes harder and harder as the students and teachers of ASD grow to realize that Donovan may not be good at math or science (or just about anything). But after an ongoing experiment with a live human (sister), an unforgettably dramatic middle-school dance, and the most astonishing come-from-behind robot victory ever, Donovan shows that his gifts might be exactly what the ASD students never knew they needed.

I am a huge fan of Gordon Korman's books, and have been for years. Ungifted came out a couple years ago and pretty much instantly claimed a spot on my favorites list. I was so happy last year when my brother gave me a copy for Christmas!

4. Praetor Wars #1: Mark of the Thief by Jennifer A. Nielsen (link goes to my review)
When Nic, a slave in the mines outside of Rome, is forced to enter a sealed cavern containing the lost treasures of Julius Caesar, he finds much more than gold and gemstones: He discovers an ancient bulla, an amulet that belonged to the great Caesar and is filled with a magic once reserved for the Gods -- magic some Romans would kill for.
Now, with the deadly power of the bulla pulsing through his veins, Nic is determined to become free. But instead, he finds himself at the center of a ruthless conspiracy to overthrow the emperor and spark the Praetor War, a battle to destroy Rome from within. Traitors and spies lurk at every turn, each more desperate than the next to use Nic's newfound powers for their own dark purposes.
In a quest to stop the rebellion, save Rome, and secure his own freedom, Nic must harness the magic within himself and defeat the empire's most powerful and savage leaders.

You should have seen my face when I found out I'd won an ARC of Mark of the Thief! As a long-time fan of Nielsen's amazing Ascendance trilogy, I'd been desperately scrabbling for any news of the book I could find. It lived up to my expectations, and the only real fault I could find with it was the fact that I have to wait a year for the sequel!

5. The Family Romanov by Candace Fleming (link goes to my review) 
Here is the tumultuous, heartrending, true story of the Romanovs—at once an intimate portrait of Russia's last royal family and a gripping account of its undoing. Using captivating photos and compelling first person accounts, award-winning author Candace Fleming (Amelia Lost; The Lincolns) deftly maneuvers between the imperial family’s extravagant lives and the plight of Russia's poor masses, making this an utterly mesmerizing read as well as a perfect resource for meeting Common Core standards.

I've been fascinated with the Romanovs for years, so this book was definitely up my alley. I heard about it from a friend right around its release date (she saw it in a bookstore and immediately thought of me!). I didn't get around to it for another couple months, but once I did I absolutely loved it. It reads like a compelling fictional novel told in third person, but it's actually completely true, based entirely on real accounts with no embellishment. It is awesome.

6. Willow Falls #4: The Last Present by Wendy Mass (link goes to my review) 

This is another book from the middle of a series, so no synopsis. I love the Willow Falls books SO MUCH, and this is a wonderful book because it's the happy ending book where some things get tied off and some things begin. I'm a bit nervous now that Mass is writing another book in the series,  because this is going to be a really hard act to follow. 

7. Half Upon a Time #3: Once Upon The End by James Riley (link goes to Goodreads)

Yep, another series ender. I'm sorry, but I often love later books more than the first ones because they build on each other so much. This is an awesome fractured fairy-tale series, which combines absolute hilarity with a phenomenal ending (thus my love for Once Upon The End).

8. The  Missing #6: Risked by Margaret Peterson Haddix (link goes to Goodreads)

Yes, this is the second book from this series that makes the list. What can I say? It's an awesome series! This one holds an extra special place next to my heart because it features the last Romanovs (which, as you may have noticed, is kind of a big interest of mine). Both as a book in the Missing series and as a book about the Romanovs, this is a stand-out. It's probably the darkest book of the series subject-wise, but it tackles the material perfectly - the characters are portrayed realistically, the time period is done very well, and the action is toned down for younger readers but still carries across the full weight of what happens.

9. Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage (link goes to Goodreads)

A hilarious Southern debut with the kind of characters you meet once in a lifetime
Rising sixth grader Miss Moses LoBeau lives in the small town of Tupelo Landing, NC, where everyone's business is fair game and no secret is sacred. She washed ashore in a hurricane eleven years ago, and she's been making waves ever since. Although Mo hopes someday to find her "upstream mother," she's found a home with the Colonel--a café owner with a forgotten past of his own--and Miss Lana, the fabulous café hostess. She will protect those she loves with every bit of her strong will and tough attitude. So when a lawman comes to town asking about a murder, Mo and her best friend, Dale Earnhardt Johnson III, set out to uncover the truth in hopes of saving the only family Mo has ever known. Full of wisdom, humor, and grit, this timeless yarn will melt the heart of even the sternest Yankee.

This is a hilarious, quirky book that I just love to pieces. Mo, the main character, is outrageous but never annoying, and has me laughing the whole time. The action is crazy and exciting, and the whole thing somehow manages to portray meaningful messages about identity and relationships without ever seeming to. I love it!

10. The Ascendance Trilogy #1: The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen (link goes to my review)
THE FALSE PRINCE is the thrilling first book in a brand-new trilogy filled with danger and deceit and hidden identities that will have readers rushing breathlessly to the end.
In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point -- he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage's rivals have their own agendas as well.
As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner's sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together.
An extraordinary adventure filled with danger and action, lies and deadly truths that will have readers clinging to the edge of their seats.

I could have chosen any of the books from the fantastic trilogy to put on the list, but I knew I had to use False Prince because it is literally one of the best books I've ever read. I could read it over and over and never get bored. And I have, in fact, read it more times than I could count!

So what are your all-time favorite books? I'd love to hear about them!

Note: I was sick yesterday, and I couldn't get on the computer for more than half an hour at a time without feeling absolutely horrendous. That's why this is late getting posted and doesn't have cover pics. I have to get back to school, but I'll try to post my Teaser Tuesday later. In case I don't have time, I'll let you know now: Friday's review is going to be All Fall Down by Ally Carter.

No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman, 2000

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Nobody understands Wallace Wallace. This reluctant school football hero has been suspended from the team for writing an unfavorable book report of Old Shep, My Pal. But Wallace won't tell a lie -- he hated every minute of the book! Why does the dog in every classic novel have to croak at the end?After refusing to do a rewrite, his English teacher, who happens to be directing the school play Old Shep, My Pal, forces him go to the rehearsals as punishment. Although Wallace doesn't change his mind, he does end up changing the play into a rock-and-roll rendition, complete with Rollerblades and a moped!
(180 pages)

This is one of my all-time favorites of Korman's - and that's saying a lot! I've read the vast majority of his books, and loved the vast majority of those. His books are funny, clever, witty, and always leave you with a smile at the end of the day. I own a bunch of Gordon Kormans, but this is one of my favorites - right up there with Schooled and The Chicken Doesn't Skate. I've read it literally more times than I can count, coming back to it again and again whenever I need cheering up or a reminder of why I love to read. I finally bought my own copy with one of the gift cards I got for Christmas, and I loved re-reading it yet again! It never grows old for me, and I could literally read it over and over again and never get sick of it.

This is a character-driven book, full of characters with just enough quirk to be hilarious and charming, but not enough to be over-the-top obnoxiously quirky. The traditional school roles of the jocks and the drama nerds are simultaneously affirmed and trampled in this book where the most happening event of the school year is the play, and the star of the football team spends far more time back-stage than he does on the field.

Speaking of Wallace Wallace (no typo, his first name is also his last name!), he is both heartwarming and hilarious. He unerringly tells the truth no matter what the question, or who is listening. This means that he is absolutely, rolling-on-the-ground, hilarious when people ask him questions that really warrant a white lie, not a detailed (and completely truthful) answer. I love him for being so honest, so straightforward, and so matter-of-fact about things. He wants more than anything else to be honest, but along the way he creates a big mess.

Of course, the story is not just about Wallace. It switches POV between many other characters as well, including Rachel (president of the drama club), Trudi (Rachel's ditzy best friend with a crush on Wallace), and Mr. Fogelman (the teacher who forces Wallace to participate in the play until he writes a positive essay about Old Shep, My Pal). The POV switches often enough to keep things fresh, without confusing the reader. Every chapter is narrated in first person by a different character, but each of them has such a different voice that it is impossible to forget who is talking. My favorite narrator would have to be Rachel, because I love her by herself and because I love seeing Wallace through her eyes.

I can't put into words why exactly I love this book so much, but I do, and I wholeheartedly reccomend it to anyone and everyone. Please, read it. You'll thank me once you're finished.

My Top Ten Favorite Book Heroines

Here we go, my next Top Ten Tuesday! To learn more about this meme, click here to check it out over at The Broke and the Bookish. This week's prompt is "favorite book heroines," which is probably my favorite prompt yet. Here are my top ten (links go to my reviews, or Goodreads if I haven't reviewed the book/series yet):

1. Hermione from Harry Potter - Okay, so everyone is going to have Hermione on her list. But there's a reason for that! Hermione is a strong, smart, independent girl who uses her brains instead of her brawns to win the day, and doesn't insist on being the macho, warrior-girl who steals the show. She loves her friends, protects the exploited, and she loves to read. I ask you, is there anything better than a main character who loves to read? No, there is not.

2. Jenna from Septimus Heap - I love those books so much. And I love Jenna, because she goes through so much (finding out she's adopted, training to be Queen, meeting her birth father, etc.), but never caves. She comes to grips with her identity as Princess as the series progresses, embracing what started out as nothing but a millstone around her neck, but never loses hold of her own identity. She is Jenna Heap, the only girl in a family with seven boys.

3. Aubrey from Love, Aubrey - How can you not love this poor, heartbroken heroine? Her father and sister died in a car accident before the  book begins, and her mother abandoned her out of grief. Aubrey moves in with her grandmother, and is both incredibly strong and incredibly weak - just like a real person is when they grieve. She has good days and bad days, wonderful ones and terrible ones, and I, the reader, absolutely love her for the way she comes to grips with everything that has happened.

4. Annabeth from the Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus books (link goes to my review of Blood of Olympus)- Can I get a "you go, girl!"? Everybody loves Annabeth. She's strong, smart, and clever, with just enough imperfection to make her the perfect heroine. She doesn't go gaga over Percy, date him by the end of the first book, and forget how to be useful by the end of the second. She takes
her time, she gets to know him first, and she puts the fate of the world before her personal feelings. That's my kind of heroine, and one that I would be honored to call a friend in real life!

5. Creel from the Dragon trilogy - Creel is hilarious, stubborn, and clever, more concerned about her friends the dragons than she is about her own safety. She turns down a handsome reward in favor of a dress shop in the city. I love her dress designs, and just reading about them makes me forget I don't actually care about clothes that much! I love her gung-ho personality, and the way she isn't afraid to rush out there and get her hands dirty. I also love her relationship with Prince Luka, who is a friend first and a love interest second.

5. Frankie from the Knightley Academy books - Frankie is so hilarious I can barely stand it! She stands out as the only girl at an all-boys boarding school when she gets kicked out of yet another boarding school and must come live with her father, headmaster of Knightley Academy. While she
isn't the main character, I love her to pieces (right alongside Henry, I'd have to say), and admire her guts, determination, and refusal to be anyone but herself. Also, she is really, really funny.

6. May from the Half Upon a Time books - May is, like a lot of the heroines on this list, a strong and witty female character who shares the stage with an equally strong and witty male character. What I love about May, though, is that her situation is different from most of the others. It's not just that she gets thrown into some terrible situation; her whole world is literally tossed upside down as she is kidnapped into a world where fairytails are real life (but fairies don't have tails), and her entire identity is thrown into question as she fights a battle that revolves around her grandmother, a woman not as ordinary as May once thought.

7. Amanda from the Willow Falls books - There isn't really anything in particular that I love about Amanda's personality or idenitity, as she's a pretty typical middle school girl. I just love her for the
situations she is put in, the way she deals with them, her willingness to use her predicaments to help others however she can, and her extremely sweet childhood friendship/blooming romance with her best-friend-since-diapers Leo.

8. Lina from the Books of Ember - The thing about Lina is that she is so strong in so many ways, but she still acts her age. At twelve years old she has lost both parents and loses her grandmother. She is the only family member left for her baby sister Poppy, and she takes that very seriously. She also entertains childish dreams about being the saviour of Ember along with her friend Doon, finding a way out of their collapsing underground city and announcing it grandly in front of everyone. She is determined, brave, and smart, but also has as many fatal flaws as the next person.

9. Molly from the Silver Bowl trilogy - I love Molly because she is strong, independent, and powerful, but she also knows her place. Growing up at the palace, she isn't broken. She merely chooses to obey her superiors so that she won't lose her job. Later, she is never forward with the prince: even when he has bad ideas, she remains respectful as she shoots his suggestions down in flames. I love her for her strength and suppleness, her sense of humor and adaptability that allows her to be a real, likeable character instead of the obnoxious brat she easily could have become with less self control.

10. Cimorene from the Enchanted Forest chronicles - Cimorene has been one of my favorite heroines since I was small. She is clever and independent, a princess who turns tradition on its head when she seeks out a dragon to "capture" her so she won't have to marry a prince. She is very practical, keeping house for her dragon friend and meeting every challenge that comes her way. Whether it's wizards (they dissolve in water mixed with lemon!) or the king of the Enchanted Forest (a cute young man Cimorene's age), she keeps her cool and gets things done as efficiently (and often hilariously) as possible.

What are your favorite book heroines? Let me know in the comments below!

Teaser Tuesdays: Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur (Feb 17)

Okay, so for those of you who are new to this meme, here's how it works:

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My current (re)read is Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

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on Goodreads

A tragic accident has turned eleven-year-old Aubrey’s world upside down. Starting a new life all alone, Aubrey has everything she thinks she needs: SpaghettiOs and Sammy, her new pet fish. She cannot talk about what happened to her. Writing letters is the only thing that feels right to Aubrey, even if no one ever reads them.
With the aid of her loving grandmother and new friends, Aubrey learns that she is not alone, and gradually, she finds the words to express feelings that once seemed impossible to describe. The healing powers of friendship, love, and memory help Aubrey take her first steps toward the future.Readers will care for Aubrey from page one and will watch her grow until the very end, when she has to make one of the biggest decisions of her life. Love, Aubrey is devastating, brave, honest, funny, and hopeful, and it introduces a remarkable new writer, Suzanne LaFleur. No matter how old you are, this book is not to be missed.

Here´s my quote, taken from page 12:

"Gram, read to me?"
 "Okay, darling, like when you were little? You always loved a story . . . " Gram doesn't finish her thought, but I hear it finish in my head. She used to say it a lot, and the same words always came next: "Savannah, she wouldn't ever sit for a story . . . "

Does this sound interesting to you? Check back on Friday for my review.

Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George, 2007

Synopsis (from Goodreads):
Many stories tell of damsels in distress, who are rescued from the clutches of fire-breathing dragons by knights in shining armor, and swept off to live happily ever after. 
Unfortunately, this is not one of those stories.  
True, when Creel's aunt suggests sacrificing her to the local dragon, it is with the hope that the knight will marry Creel and that everyone (aunt and family included) will benefit handsomely. Yet it's Creel who talks her way out of the dragon's clutches. And it's Creel who walks for days on end to seek her fortune in the king's city with only a bit of embroidery thread and a strange pair of slippers in her possession.
But even Creel could not have guessed the outcome of this tale. For in a country on the verge of war, Creel unknowingly possesses not just any pair of shoes, but a tool that could be used to save her kingdom…or destroy it.
(324 pages)

This is my third time attempting to review this book. I've been coming back to it periodically for almost a year now, never able to get my feelings about it down on paper. The first time I wound up just summarizing the entire story (pretty poorly, at that). The second time I got started talking about how much I love it and describing Creel, the main character. Somehow I lost my oomph halfway through my seventh line, and never really got it back. But now I'm trying one more time. Three's a lucky number, right?

Okay, I think I'll start with the characters. Creel first, because she's the main character and because, well, she's awesome. Creel is a fun character for many reasons, from her love for sewing (the clothes descriptions in this book are fantastic!) to her love for - well, someone. Of course, in this book the romance doesn't dominate the scene. No, it's just added to the story. What I love about Creel and the prince's relationship, is that it starts out as a comfortable friendship. It takes the whole first book to become anything more than that, which is really refreshing in today's fantasy novels. But anyway, Creel is fun. She's stubborn and single-minded and - well, and funny. Really funny!

Next, the girls who work at the shop. Not much to say about them without spoilers, but I love how Creel made her opinions about the other shopgirls the first time she met them, but then it turned out her first impressions were completely wrong.

Luka. He's sweet. He's funny. He's not a hunk of meat in shoes. He's an actual person, with an actual life, who becomes friends with Creel. They have things in common, they share a sense of humor, and they like each other as friends before any idea of romance ever comes into either one's head (okay, that might be an overstatement - but still!). I love him as a character, and my love for him has nothing to do with his physical description. He's just a nice person.

As for the dragons, the characterization here is really good. Each dragon has a unique personality without being a caricature, and the idea that every dragon hordes a different good is really cool. The first dragon Creel meets hordes shoes, another words stained-glass windows, and another collects dogs. The type of objects that the dragons collect provide a great reflection of their individual personalities.

The storyline is tight, compelling, and flawlessly executed. I honestly have nothing to critique about this book: I all-around love it. I cherish my signed/personalized copy like the treasure it is, and reread it every nine months to a year. I love the characters, the settings, and the plot. And this is why I've had such a hard time reviewing it: I have to fight to come up with anything besides "I LOVE THIS BOOK! GO READ IT RIGHT NOW! AND THEN READ THE SEQUELS!" Becase really, that's all I have to say about this book at the end of the day. So go. Read the book. Please.