Five-Star Friday: The Name of the Wind

Five-Star Friday is a periodically regular (say what?!) feature that I’m planning on running on Fridays (but not every Friday) in which I talk about (or verbally drool over) a book that I’ve read and ADORED (sometimes they’ll be recent releases and other times they might be older…my piles are tall and the bottoms are old). Yay! I always feel so happy and light and wonderful when I am beside myself with delight over a book, and I want to share the love with you all in the hopes that we can all get together and have an embarrassing, squeal-filled love-fest full of lots of high-pitched “Ohmygod, I KNOW!s” and chest-clutching sighs of contentedness. Huzzah!^*

There are not many words for how much I ADORED THE NAME OF THE WIND by Patrick Rothfuss. I will endeavor to get them all written down here. Because guys? This book is SO LEGIT, I don’t even know if it’s possible for me to do it justice by talking about it.

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Fantasy Map Love

Not All Who Wander Are Lost

(Or, why I could easily navigate the way to Rabbit’s House/Monsea/the Gryffindor Common Room etc.)

So, maybe by now you guys know that I love fantasy. If you didn’t, well, I love fantasy. ADORE IT. When I read a high fantasy book that has a map, it instantly is one of my favorite things about that book. And when I read a high fantasy book that DOESN’T have a map? I feel like a big part of that book is missing. I want to be able to know the world, to see it, to understand how the author imagined the world as they were writing. Maps are, in my opinion, pivotal for context. Also, they’re pretty and often look old or antique, and this just tickles my history-loving fancy.

Because of this love, I wanted to show you some great fantasy maps. Some of these are from the books themselves, some of them are not. It’s certainly not an exhaustive list, but you can click on each to enbiggen. There were great maps that I couldn’t find images of online. I tried to keep it YA/MG, so it’s possible that I’ll highlight some adult high fantasies in future map nerdings.

But what do you guys think? Do you love maps like I do? What one map is a particular awesome favorite of yours? What fantasy that you’ve read most NEEDED a map (my personal vote for this is THE LOST CONSPIRACY)?

100 Acre Wood, by A.A. Milne

So, my map love probably started with this one: The 100 Acre Wood. I remember watching this cartoon in the mornings and loving how each episode started with a look at the map. SIGH. Winnie the Pooh 4 LIFE!!!

The Seven Kingdoms from Graceling, by Jeffery C. Mathison

The Dells from Fire, by Jefferey C. Mathison

Both of these maps appear in the published books of GRACELING and FIRE, so if you’ve read those books, you’ve seen these maps. But I still think they’re awesome and cool to look at and I LOVE Kristin Cashore, so Seven Kingdoms map love!

Ravka from Shadow and Bone, by Keith Thompson

You guys, I was already geeking out with excitement for SHADOW AND BONE by Leigh Bardugo when she posted this map of Ravka on her website a couple of months ago. If you haven’t seen it already, it’s totally worth an enbiggening. Plus, the illustrator, Keith Thompson, is the mad genius behind the interior illustrations in Scott Westerfeld’s Leviathan series.

Kingdom of Tortall, by Haley

Tamora Pierce writes SERIOUSLY amazing girl-power high fantasy and I LOVE it. There are so many great maps of Tortall, in the books and elsewhere, but I like this one. One of my favorite things about Tamora Pierce’s books is that they all take place in the same world, so each book we read only furthers our familiarity with the places. SWEET!

Llyvraneth, by Mike Schley

I haven’t read STARCROSSED by Elizabeth C. Bunce yet, but it’s sitting right next to me as we speak. I will read this one ASAP.

Map of Hogwarts, by gamma-ray-burst. Harry Potter fans, you can download this map from this artist's Deviantart page!

Seriously. AWESOME. I love this Hogwarts map. LOVE IT.

Narnia, by Daniel Reeve

So, I’ve never read the Chronicles of Narnia–GASP!–but that doesn’t stop me from appreciating the map, friends. 

Book Review: Above World (Above World #1)

Title: Above World

Author: Jenn Reese

Series: Above World, book 1

Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Dystopian

Publisher: Candlewick

Published on: February 14, 2012

Challenge: Debut Author Challenge

Source: ARC from the DAC ARC Tour

Summary: Thirteen-year-old Aluna has lived her entire life under the ocean with the Coral Kampii in the City of Shifting Tides. But after centuries spent hidden from the Above World, her colony’s survival is in doubt. The Kampii’s breathing necklaces are failing, but the elders are unwilling to venture above water to seek answers. Only headstrong Aluna and her friend Hoku are stubborn and bold enough to face the terrors of land to search for way to save their people.

But can Aluna’s warrior spirit and Hoku’s tech-savvy keep them safe? Set in a world where overcrowding has led humans to adapt—growing tails to live under the ocean or wings to live on mountains—here is a ride through a future where greed and cruelty have gone unchecked, but the loyalty of friends remains true.

Excuse Me While I Fangirl: Fantasy World

Sigh. This makes me so happy. First of all, look at all these amazing, imaginative places that I LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! Second of all, it’s a MAP. I am a nerd about maps. Terabithia? And Where the Wild Things Are? *happy dance* Also, Sodor! What up, Thomas the Tank Engine! Fantasy is AMAZING, guys.

Top Ten Tuesday (11)

Top Ten Tuesday: FREEBIE! Top Ten Series I Need To Read

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. It’s awesome. Every Tuesday, the lovely folks over at The Broke and the Bookish post a top ten list topic so that book lovers like you and me can pour over our shelves and make our own lists. You can check out all the other Top Ten Tuesday‘s on their site!

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