5 Stars
R- 3
Third Glass book
While it's no secret I love these books, I must admit some trepidation with this one. It's the end of the trilogy. The love triangle was going to have to be resolved (and I while I didn't think that was going the other way, I wasn't positive) and as far as I know, there are no more books planned for the series right now.
So it's bittersweet.
And it sat in my pile for.... well, a long time.
But I finally picked it up and was immediately swept into the world of Sitia and Ixia, Opal and Yelena. And Valek. Oh, how I've missed Valek. I was excited to see a lot of him in this one.
Oh, and the whole love triangle thing? Yeah, totally went the other way. Didn't really see that coming, even though I was nervous it might. Didn't really think it was going to. But by then I had changed my mind about who I liked better. I liked the resolution in the end. (For the record-- I still hate love triangles.)
And while there don't seem to be anymore planned books, the ending definitely leaves it open. Totally open. I'd LOVE more books about Opal and her family. (Hint, hint, nudge nudge, if you're reading this Maria.)
Alas, I don't think it was enough of a Valek fix... I think I need to reread the first trilogy. :D
Counts for the Support Your Local Library Challenge.
Showing posts with label Maria V Snyder. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Maria V Snyder. Show all posts
Monday, December 27, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Author Interview-- Maria V. Snyder!! (And GIVEAWAY!)
Welcome to Maria V. Snyder!!! Maria was kind enough to drop by for a little Inside Out interview fun!
Britt- I know you wrote Inside Out the same way you wrote your other books, from reading other interviews, but was it hard to switch genres like that? From the fantasy to the dystopian/sci-fi?
Maria- It wasn’t hard to switch. All of my books have a certain amount of world building, and writing Inside Out was just a different set of rules and details I needed to keep track of. The biggest difference is I had to keep a calculator next to me when writing Inside Out – to make sure my metric was correct and keep track of the weeks and hours J My books focus on the characters so the setting and genre are just part of the background.
Britt- How do you handle working on more than one writing project at a time? Is it hard writing more than one series, not to mention the short stories? How do you switch gears?
Maria- I work on one book at a time, and I keep a notebook for each book that has all the information and details for that book written inside. The short stories I write between novels so I’m usually done thinking about that book before I start the short story. In order to switch gears, I’ll write notes about the story and just thinking about it for a couple days before sitting down and writing.
Britt- Do you ever get your different series mixed up? Details here and there that want to cross over? ;)
Maria- No. I think my notebooks really help when I’m writing. I forget details all the time, and have to go back to the book and re-read sections to make sure certain details are consistent throughout the series (like the names of horses and eye color).
Britt- If you were an Upper, what job would you choose?
Maria- Since I use to be a meteorologist before becoming a writer, I think I would be working in the Air Plant, making sure the air is clean enough for everyone to breathe.
Britt- If you were a scrub, what job would you be assigned?
Maria- There is a scrub quiz on the book’s website and I wrote the quiz. I just took it and answered honestly and it said I would be a Laundry Scrub – lol after doing six loads of wash yesterday, I can relate and it’s better than being a waste-handling scrub!
(LOL! I can totally relate. With a baby in the house I do at least.... 9? loads a week. I took the quiz too, and I'd be a shepherd, which made me laugh.)
Britt- Is there a real Sheepy? Is there a story behind Sheepy?
Maria- Yes there is a real Sheepy and Mama Sheepy – you can see their pictures on my website. You may have to scroll down a bit to see them. They are my son’s and have been his sleeping companions for many years. I think I included Sheepy because in Trella’s hard metal world there is nothing soft and fun. Riley is having a hard time getting her to trust him and she thinks Uppers are all spoiled and entitled. Sheepy is a way for Riley to reach Trella – not as an upper and scrub, but as two young adults. It’s his only toy from when he was younger and Trella slowly learns her biases about the Uppers might not be true. I’m a big believer in getting to know someone first before judging or categorizing them. Some people just don’t make a good first impression and some are shy.
Britt- What book that you were assigned to read in school impacted you the most?
Maria- To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. The story really struck a chord with me and I loved the main protagonist, Scout. My son is reading it now for school and he’s surprised by how much I remember.
I’d like to thank you for inviting me on your blog! If anyone is interested in my books, but want to know more or would like to read a chapter of the book, they can go to my website and read the first chapter of all my books at: http://www.mariavsnyder.com/books.php I also have a bunch of FREE short stories they can read at: http://www.mariavsnyder.com/shortstories.php And there is a special website for Inside Out that has a video and lots of cool stuff: http://www.whatsinsideout.com/
Thank YOU, Maria!!
Maria was also generous enough to offer a giveaway! One lucky commenter will get a SIGNED COPY!! WOOHOO!! You have until Friday night-- I'll draw a name Saturday morning!! (Leave an email address in your comment.) USA and Canada only, please. :)
Britt- I know you wrote Inside Out the same way you wrote your other books, from reading other interviews, but was it hard to switch genres like that? From the fantasy to the dystopian/sci-fi?
Maria- It wasn’t hard to switch. All of my books have a certain amount of world building, and writing Inside Out was just a different set of rules and details I needed to keep track of. The biggest difference is I had to keep a calculator next to me when writing Inside Out – to make sure my metric was correct and keep track of the weeks and hours J My books focus on the characters so the setting and genre are just part of the background.
Britt- How do you handle working on more than one writing project at a time? Is it hard writing more than one series, not to mention the short stories? How do you switch gears?
Maria- I work on one book at a time, and I keep a notebook for each book that has all the information and details for that book written inside. The short stories I write between novels so I’m usually done thinking about that book before I start the short story. In order to switch gears, I’ll write notes about the story and just thinking about it for a couple days before sitting down and writing.
Britt- Do you ever get your different series mixed up? Details here and there that want to cross over? ;)
Maria- No. I think my notebooks really help when I’m writing. I forget details all the time, and have to go back to the book and re-read sections to make sure certain details are consistent throughout the series (like the names of horses and eye color).
Britt- If you were an Upper, what job would you choose?
Maria- Since I use to be a meteorologist before becoming a writer, I think I would be working in the Air Plant, making sure the air is clean enough for everyone to breathe.
Britt- If you were a scrub, what job would you be assigned?
Maria- There is a scrub quiz on the book’s website and I wrote the quiz. I just took it and answered honestly and it said I would be a Laundry Scrub – lol after doing six loads of wash yesterday, I can relate and it’s better than being a waste-handling scrub!
(LOL! I can totally relate. With a baby in the house I do at least.... 9? loads a week. I took the quiz too, and I'd be a shepherd, which made me laugh.)
Britt- Is there a real Sheepy? Is there a story behind Sheepy?
Maria- Yes there is a real Sheepy and Mama Sheepy – you can see their pictures on my website. You may have to scroll down a bit to see them. They are my son’s and have been his sleeping companions for many years. I think I included Sheepy because in Trella’s hard metal world there is nothing soft and fun. Riley is having a hard time getting her to trust him and she thinks Uppers are all spoiled and entitled. Sheepy is a way for Riley to reach Trella – not as an upper and scrub, but as two young adults. It’s his only toy from when he was younger and Trella slowly learns her biases about the Uppers might not be true. I’m a big believer in getting to know someone first before judging or categorizing them. Some people just don’t make a good first impression and some are shy.
Britt- What book that you were assigned to read in school impacted you the most?
Maria- To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. The story really struck a chord with me and I loved the main protagonist, Scout. My son is reading it now for school and he’s surprised by how much I remember.
I’d like to thank you for inviting me on your blog! If anyone is interested in my books, but want to know more or would like to read a chapter of the book, they can go to my website and read the first chapter of all my books at: http://www.mariavsnyder.com/books.php I also have a bunch of FREE short stories they can read at: http://www.mariavsnyder.com/shortstories.php And there is a special website for Inside Out that has a video and lots of cool stuff: http://www.whatsinsideout.com/
Thank YOU, Maria!!
Maria was also generous enough to offer a giveaway! One lucky commenter will get a SIGNED COPY!! WOOHOO!! You have until Friday night-- I'll draw a name Saturday morning!! (Leave an email address in your comment.) USA and Canada only, please. :)
Monday, June 7, 2010
Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder
5 Stars
R-1
First off, I LOVE the cover. Isn't it cool?
Second, I LOVED this book, but it gave me the WEIRDEST dreams ever. Probably because I finished it after midnight and went straight to bed. Go figure. :)
Anyway, it's no secret that I love Maria V. Snyder's books. She's amazing.
And this new YA distopian is no different. Fabulous.
Trella is a "scrub"-- spending all her days cleaning the pipes and ducts of Inside. (Okay, so "days" maybe isn't the best way to put it. They don't really have days. Just hours and 100 hour weeks.)
Trella really just wants to be left alone, but when she accidentally starts a revolution she realizes solitude maybe isn't all it's cracked up to be. And maybe the Uppers and the scrubs aren't all that different after all.
While this book could stand alone, happily there is a sequel in the works. Outside In will be available sometime next year. Yea! :D
I haven't actually read a whole lot of dystopian books, but they do seem to be everywhere of late. I know there are a ton on my TBR list. What's your favorite?
R-1
First off, I LOVE the cover. Isn't it cool?
Second, I LOVED this book, but it gave me the WEIRDEST dreams ever. Probably because I finished it after midnight and went straight to bed. Go figure. :)
Anyway, it's no secret that I love Maria V. Snyder's books. She's amazing.
And this new YA distopian is no different. Fabulous.
Trella is a "scrub"-- spending all her days cleaning the pipes and ducts of Inside. (Okay, so "days" maybe isn't the best way to put it. They don't really have days. Just hours and 100 hour weeks.)
Trella really just wants to be left alone, but when she accidentally starts a revolution she realizes solitude maybe isn't all it's cracked up to be. And maybe the Uppers and the scrubs aren't all that different after all.
While this book could stand alone, happily there is a sequel in the works. Outside In will be available sometime next year. Yea! :D
I haven't actually read a whole lot of dystopian books, but they do seem to be everywhere of late. I know there are a ton on my TBR list. What's your favorite?
Monday, October 5, 2009
Sea Glass by Maria V Snyder
5 stars
R- almost 3
I love Snyder's books.
I really need to go reread the Study books. I miss Yelena and Valek.
Now, don't get me wrong, we see Yelena in Sea Glass, but we see more of her brother than of her. I love Leif, so that's okay.
In some ways, Sea Glass is a typical "no one believes me, but I'm right, so screw them all I'll do it myself" kind of fantasy, but it's also more.
And I SOOOOO didn't see the ending coming... holy cow. What an awesome twist. (Nope, not going to tell you what it is. You'll have to read it.)
And can I just say, I am finding a nice, normal romantic relationship kind of refreshing. I'm getting tired of love triangles and romantic tension drawn out to the point of ridiculousness.
I now absolutely CANNOT wait to read the third installment in Opal's story, but I have to wait. Never fear, though, the statement in the back of Sea Glass saying that the next book comes out in 2011 is a MISTAKE. It will be out in 2010. Phew. I believe the intended title is Spy Glass and I'm seriously going to go nuts waiting.
So go forth and read, folks. But if you're new to Maria V Snyder's work, start with Poison Study. Everything makes far more sense when you start at the beginning.
R- almost 3
I love Snyder's books.
I really need to go reread the Study books. I miss Yelena and Valek.
Now, don't get me wrong, we see Yelena in Sea Glass, but we see more of her brother than of her. I love Leif, so that's okay.
In some ways, Sea Glass is a typical "no one believes me, but I'm right, so screw them all I'll do it myself" kind of fantasy, but it's also more.
And I SOOOOO didn't see the ending coming... holy cow. What an awesome twist. (Nope, not going to tell you what it is. You'll have to read it.)
And can I just say, I am finding a nice, normal romantic relationship kind of refreshing. I'm getting tired of love triangles and romantic tension drawn out to the point of ridiculousness.
I now absolutely CANNOT wait to read the third installment in Opal's story, but I have to wait. Never fear, though, the statement in the back of Sea Glass saying that the next book comes out in 2011 is a MISTAKE. It will be out in 2010. Phew. I believe the intended title is Spy Glass and I'm seriously going to go nuts waiting.
So go forth and read, folks. But if you're new to Maria V Snyder's work, start with Poison Study. Everything makes far more sense when you start at the beginning.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder
5 stars
R- 1-2
I love Maria V. Snyder. I really do. Poison Study had me hooked and everything I've read has been wonderful.
Storm Glass is no exception. I liked Opal as a narrator more than I thought I would and it was really interesting to see Yelena (the 1st person narrator of the Study books) through someone else's eyes. (I loved her interaction with her brother!!)
It's been five years and yet Opal is still struggling with the perceptions and repurcussions of her kidnapping and her sister's death. She sees herself as a "one-trick wonder" and just doesn't feel all that useful. Nevermind that even that one trick is unique and powerful.
Kade is a frustrated Stormdancer grieving the loss of his own sister, Kaya. The wounds are fresh and he's determined to keep everyone away. He's also determined to find out who's causing all the trouble his clan is having.
Ulrick is a glass-maker... or tries to be. His work doesn't please his demanding mother, but Opal sees potential. His glass sings to her similar to her own.
Add in some bad guys, a Master Magician, a possible coup and trouble with Ixia and you've got quite a storm brewing. (Pun intended.)
Confession-- I wasn't sure I wanted to read it. I love love love the Study books but just wasn't sure I cared about Opal enough to follow her story. And I was worried that if I didn't love it, it would detract from how much I like the Study books. Boy was I wrong. I lost any apathy towards Opal in the first couple of pages and found myself unable to put it down!
I do recommend starting with the Study books, though. I don't think Storm Glass would make sense without having read them. Start with Poison Study, since it comes first and all. :D I think I may need to reread them... and maybe Storm Glass too, before Sea Glass comes out in September!!
R- 1-2
I love Maria V. Snyder. I really do. Poison Study had me hooked and everything I've read has been wonderful.
Storm Glass is no exception. I liked Opal as a narrator more than I thought I would and it was really interesting to see Yelena (the 1st person narrator of the Study books) through someone else's eyes. (I loved her interaction with her brother!!)
It's been five years and yet Opal is still struggling with the perceptions and repurcussions of her kidnapping and her sister's death. She sees herself as a "one-trick wonder" and just doesn't feel all that useful. Nevermind that even that one trick is unique and powerful.
Kade is a frustrated Stormdancer grieving the loss of his own sister, Kaya. The wounds are fresh and he's determined to keep everyone away. He's also determined to find out who's causing all the trouble his clan is having.
Ulrick is a glass-maker... or tries to be. His work doesn't please his demanding mother, but Opal sees potential. His glass sings to her similar to her own.
Add in some bad guys, a Master Magician, a possible coup and trouble with Ixia and you've got quite a storm brewing. (Pun intended.)
Confession-- I wasn't sure I wanted to read it. I love love love the Study books but just wasn't sure I cared about Opal enough to follow her story. And I was worried that if I didn't love it, it would detract from how much I like the Study books. Boy was I wrong. I lost any apathy towards Opal in the first couple of pages and found myself unable to put it down!
I do recommend starting with the Study books, though. I don't think Storm Glass would make sense without having read them. Start with Poison Study, since it comes first and all. :D I think I may need to reread them... and maybe Storm Glass too, before Sea Glass comes out in September!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)