Book Review: The Vampire Diaries Vol.1-2

Fiction: The Vampire Diaries Vol.1-2-The awakening and The struggle
Author: L.J Smith
Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Romance, YA
Rating: 7.5/10

Summary: [taken from Barnesandnobles.com]

Elena: the golden girl, the leader, the one who can have any boy she wants.
Stefan: brooding and mysterious, he seems to be the only one who can resist Elena, even as he struggles to protect her from the horrors that haunt his past.
Damon: sexy, dangerous, and driven by an urge for revenge against Stefan, the brother who betrayed him. Determined to have Elena, he'd kill to possess her. Collected here in one volume for the first time, volumes one and two of The Vampire Diaries, the tale of two vampire brothers and the beautiful girl torn between them.
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L.J Smith's approach to the vampire theory is mysterious and intriguing. Yet the whole making of the characters, their descriptions, their feelings for each other weren't exactly translated into words very well. The summary (see above) seems like it's a book worth reading, but when you read the book, you'll find that it's nothing special. Well, at least that's how I saw it.

A lot of people were comparing this to amazing well-written stories like Twilight or the Sookie Stackhouse Series, so I assumed it would be good. The story starts out strong but then falls apart when the characters realize their own feelings for each other. The plot was way too rushed and the author didn't spend enough time in deciding the characters' feelings for each other - to wring out some emotion from the readers. Elena instantly falls in love with Stefan and the way she wants to grab his attention seems kind of forced and desperate (as opposed to the introduced character). I didn't like her at all - her character development wasn't as strong and descriptive as I wanted it to be.

On the other hand, Stefan was your average good-looking vampire boy who tries to blend in but doesn't. He transfers to the school and instantly notices how Elena looks like the girl he loved in his past. That right there ruined it for me completely. It seemed like he didn't get over the first girl at all; he was falling for Elena was because of her looks despite Elena having the exact opposite personality from the girl he loved in the past.

My expectations for this story weren't met, but I enjoyed the [petty drama] of two vampire brothers fighting for the same girl and trying to win her over. Overall, it was an almost good-read if it weren't for the quick description of the characters, and their desperate attempts at finding love in each other.

By: Eli
Edited By: Annie

Book Review: Psyche in a Dress [Needs Editing]

Fiction: Psyche in a Dress
Author: Francesca Lia Block
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Rating: 10/10

Summary: [taken from barnesandnobles.com]

But this is what I could not give up:

I could not give up myself
Psyche has known Love—scented with jasmine and tasting of fresh oranges. Yet he is fleeting and fragile, lost to her too quickly. Punished by self-doubt, Psyche yearns to be transformed, like the beautiful and brutal figures in the myths her lover once spoke of. Attempting to uncover beauty in the darkness, she is challenged, tested, and changed by the gods and demons who tempt her. Her faith must be found again, for if she is to love, she must never look back.

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This is..
Only the most deep and astounding story there is. There is not a single word that can describe how beautifully written this story in form of prose is.

Francesca Lia Block writes about a young girl named Psyche who had found love in her childhood but in an instant she lost it. As time goes by, she grows and becomes a women. She then tries to fall in love again by meeting various man, only to realize that her one and true love will always be that man from when she was a little girl. Through all the struggles she goes through, she realizes that she's playing all the stories her lost love had told her when she was little, she realizes that she will not ever find anybody to love more than that man.
The way this book was written was amazingly deep and cunning, by fusing stories from Greek mythology, Francesca Lia Block paints a world filled with wonder and realism through the use of deep and expressing words which will leave you with a deep understanding of how much pain and suffering the character is going through. The story narrates through out Psyche's whole life as a women and a mother, and then at the end it leaves you wanting for more..
This book is poetry itself along with powerful and beautifully well written prose, you will re-read it again.
This book is raw literature itself. With a deep understanding of even the simplest things, it makes for a great and unique read. Honestly, I took my time reading this, for this makes you forget everything around you since the descriptions were so explained in detailed, you could actually see what was happening and for a moment, you can almost imagine the world Psyche belongs to.
Truly a deep and amazing read. For a mature audience. This book is a memorable one that will always stay in my mind as one of the most unique and amazing stories I've ever reading. There is not a single word that can describe such masterpiece.

Eli.

Book Review: Ink Exchange [needs editing]

Fiction: Ink Exchange
Author: Melissa Marr
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Mystery, Drama
Rating: 7/10

Summary [Taken from: Harpercollins.com]: Unbeknownst to mortals, a power struggle is unfolding in a world of shadows and danger. After centuries of stability, the balance among the Faery Courts has altered, and Irial, ruler of the Dark Court, is battling to hold his rebellious and newly vulnerable fey together. If he fails, bloodshed and brutality will follow.
Seventeen-year-old Leslie knows nothing of faeries or their intrigues. When she is attracted to an eerily beautiful tattoo of eyes and wings, all she knows is that she has to have it, convinced it is a tangible symbol of changes she desperately craves for her own life.
The tattoo does bring changes—not the kind Leslie has dreamed of, but sinister, compelling changes that are more than symbolic. Those changes will bind Leslie and Irial together, drawing Leslie deeper and deeper into the faery world, unable to resist its allures, and helpless to withstand its perils. . . .

I'm one of those people who judge books by their cover, but luckily I don't do the same for people.
This book should be put at the top of the list for it's amazing and captivating cover, unfortunately I can't say the same thing for the story itself.

I managed to painfully finish it and I was glad to get rid of it. The story itself was a little hard to follow since you had to remember a lot of names and I mean a lot but I managed to somewhat understand what the hell was happening.
First, the characters were well written and somehow captivating. Second, there were various plots to follow altogether, evil mothers, evil fairies with a lot of power, Irial's true love was dying and Leslie is being forced into marrying the summer king-Irial- in order to restore peace in the fairy world. As describe in the story, the fairies are really good looking creatures so of course all the girls were dying to be with Irial except Leslie since she was already in love with another guy.
The romance was constant since there were a lot of love triangles. The story was pretty good but the thing that just threw it off was the useless scenes that weren't needed, a lot of useless details and just continuous talk that just wasted my time.

Overall, it was an almost-great read. If you like fairies and just constant fantasy, then this is the book for you.

Eli.

Book Review: The Time Traveler's Wife

Fiction: The Time Traveler's Wife

Author: Audrey Niffenegger

Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Romance

Rating: 10/10

Unconventional, original and undeniably romantic – this story takes you around the bends of time where Clare discovers her soul mate at the age of six, and he (Henry) appearing to already be thirty-six at the time. It all seems rather surreal, though later on we uncover the whirl wind that is their untypical boy meets girl love story.

Niffenegger breaks barriers and boundaries of love in this novel, demonstrating the idea of fate in the most unexpected way. Impossible but true, Henry suffers from a rare condition where his genetic clock periodically resets and he finds himself pulled suddenly into his past or future. Through his misadventures in this unwanted time travelling, he finds himself to stumble upon a six-year old Clare, whom he already knows shall be his future wife. At this young age of pure innocence and naivety, Clare is already convinced that her heart can belong to no one other than Henry. Funny as it may seem, Clare grows up with the assurance of Henry being all she’ll ever want and need, thus it appears that she no longer has anything to worry about because as far as she’s concerned: the future is very well taken care of – it just seems to be a matter of waiting. Always waiting.

Personally, when I stumbled upon this book myself, it was in itself purely unexpected. I was clearing up in my mum’s room, and stashed away in some dusty yellow Selfridges bag was this book. The thick layer of dust over it made me hestitate to pull it out, but I am now glad beyond reason that I had disregarded its condition, for this novel has surely etched itself in my mind and heart. You will find that no matter how imperfect and struggling love can be, a moment’s bliss is worth all of it. An elegy to love and loss, and perhaps the reality of relationships and love itself, it is beautifully written, unmissable and dazzlingly imaginative.

I guess for me, what makes an amazing novel really worthwhile is the impression it leaves on you as a reader. It's safe to say that this novel has impacted me greatly; it offered me heart melting conversations, thought provoking concepts and genuine tears. I was taken away, lost in this story were ‘time is nothing’ – and finding that you can love whenever, wherever, forever. This story gave me hope, entertainment and impossible inspiration.

A must read.

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I have also just recently found out that it has been made into a film and will be released in August here in London, so I'm pretty surprised and truthfully ecstatic about it.

By: Ces

Edited By: Annie

Book Review: Peeps

Fiction: Peeps
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Genres: Fantasy, Comedy, Mystery, YA
Rating: 9.5/10

Summary:

"One year ago, Cal Thompson was a college freshman more interested in meeting girls and partying in New York City than in attending his biology classes. Now, after a fateful encounter with a mysterious woman named Morgan, biology has become, literally, Cal’s life.
Cal was infected by a parasite that has a truly horrifying effect on its host. Cal himself is a carrier, unchanged by the parasite, but he’s infected the girlfriends he’s had since Morgan—and all have turned into the ravening ghouls Cal calls peeps. The rest of us know them as vampires. And it’s Cal’s job to hunt them down before they can create even more of their kind. . . . "

This is something entirely different from what I usually read. Definitely a hilarious piece of work, I thoroughly enjoyed Cal's adventures of finding out where his ex-girlfriends were and the problems that he had to deal with that made him go..well, crazy. This book can be partly categorized into the theme of vampires, but the whole STD spin off made it tremendously different and interesting.

Peeps has some strong situations and language, and it turns out that it's just that much more attention grabbing. The effects of the disease parallels the conventional vampire setup, but it's definitely funnier and more lighthearted. The teen aspect of Westerfield's book is that unlike the usual way for someone to turn into a vampire (they need to be bitten by another one), the disease is sexually transmitted. Which... totally made me read the book. [Ed's note: ...and raises some eyebrows as to Cal's promiscuity].

Since Cal has a strong immune system that prevents him from turning crazy and allows him to stay in control, he joins an organization whose main goal is to hunt down peeps like his ex-girlfriends - those without that extra layer of protection. Perhaps the interesting part of the book is that in each chapter, Westerfeld includes a description of various real parasites and diseases; a taste of real science, so that while you read the book, you might come to believe that everything you read might happen for real.

The combination of action, romance and that extra dash of scientific commentary makes for a great read.

By: Eli.
Edited By: Annie

Book Review: Untamed

Fiction: Untamed [House of Night Series]
[Book 4]
Author: P.C Cast, Kristin Cast
Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, YA
Rating: 10/10

I was in my school library when I finally found the book I was desperately looking for.
[Whoo me!]

I was absolutely psyched to read it. My expectations were high, but they were well met once I finished reading the book. It was totally awesome. I am addicted to this series and can't wait to read the next book in the House of Night series, HUNTED.

A lot of mysteries were revealed in the 4th book. Neferet, Zoey' s enemy, has declared war against humans and is trying to awaken an ancient evil, who is more powerful than anything or anyone. This evil is someone beautiful and dangerous. On top of all of this, there is some kind of darkness surrounding the Academy and is targeting Zoey. Neferet has deceived everybody, and now, they think that this someone is related to their goddess, Nyx [the goddess of all vampires, basically]. Actually, the truth is that he is a fallen angel [a lot like Lucifer], who hates humans, especially women, and is now coming back to get revenge!

The good thing, though, is that Zoey has her friends back and maybe even her boyfriend, Erik Night. Her friends, who were dead, have now come back to life.

The weirdest thing that happened while I was reading this book was that I found myself visualizing everything that was happening. And, I have to say, I have a pretty awesome imagination. The way the author described everything was simply amazing, because it was easy to imagine how beautiful the fallen angel was. I really love this kind of action. Cast's use of words was superb and incredibly visualizing. I really enjoyed this book.

I am anxiously looking forward to the next book.

By: Eli
Edited by: Joey

Book Review: Chosen

Fiction: Chosen [House of Night Series]
[Book 3]
Author: P.C Cast, Kristin Cast
Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, YA
Rating: 10/10





What can I say about this series?I totally love it. These books are a must read.

Tagline?

A 16-year old girl has the future of humanity in her hands and her enemy is the strongest priestess in the House of Night Academy.

~
In the third book of the house of night series, Zoey Redbird struggles to get back her friends' trust and friendship. Her best friend, Stevie Rae, has been reborn from being undead and has acquired a new mark, which is completely different from the normal fledgings [students in the academy in the process of becoming vampires]. All in all, this book has lots of good and bad surprises along with a few steamy characters to die for.

The story is thrilling and filled with action. The drama is powerful, especially when some of Zoey's friends reject the change [into vampires] and die.

I am completely in love with the characters, especially Zoey, who is far from being a mistress in distress. There is a dash of comedy to it and quite a bit of romance, which will leave you completely satisfied at the end.

You can say these series have a litle of everything: romance, action, comedy, suspence, mystery and a touch of something special.

I love this series!

By: Eli
Edited By: Annie

Book Review: Betrayed

Fiction: Betrayed [House of Night Series]
[Book 2]
Author: P.C Cast, Kristin Cast
Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, YA
Rating: 10/10




The second book of the House of Night series is better than the first.
Following Zoey Redbird's new life as a vampire in training has become even more exciting. Along with becoming the high priestess of the House of Night, Zoey' s life has turned out to be way more complicated.

First, she encounters her ex-boyfriend Heath again and they imprint [When a vampire sucks the blood of a human and they form a special bond.]. Then, she becomes Erik's girlfriend, the hottest guy in the academy. And on top of this, she feels an attraction towards the most god-like teacher in the academy, Loren, and he feels the same way towards her.

Moreover; human students are starting to turn up dead from blood loss and all the evidence points towards the House of Night Academy. She also finds out that her high priestess (mentor), Neferet, isn't who everyone thinks she is. Many secrets are revealed and enemies become friends.

Along with other unexpected surprises that I'll leave for you to find out yourself, Betrayed has become a story impossible to put down. It was hotter than the first book; the scenes were surprising and steamy. It kept me at the edge of my seat and I seriously could not put down the book because of its amazingly well-written plots. The humor - which was in parts you'd least expect to find - was amazing and kept me laughing. The action was thrilling with the new enemies that were made and secrets that were uncovered. Zoey struggles as a new vampire who has been given the mission of finding out the secrets that surround the academy and the teachers themselves.





By: Eli
Edited By: Joey

Book Review: Marked

Fiction: Marked [House of night Series]
[Book 1]
Author: P.C Cast + Kristin Cast
Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, YA
Rating: 9.5/10

[The reason for taking 0.5 points away: I found the story to be lacking in some parts, but I did enjoyed reading it.]

I finished reading this book today and am totally looking forward to reading the second one and so on. The plot is very original - something I haven't read in a while.

From being a total outcast in her old school, to becoming the high priestess of the house of night, Zoey Redbird seems to have come to the right place. But the House of night isn't as peaceful or safe as her old school, as mysterious events happen and enemies begin to arise. Then, along with Zoey's new powers comes [the danger of living in a secret world.]

Overall, it's about a girl struggling to understand and fit into her new vampire school and about the changes that she goes through. An example is how she transforms from being completely grossed out by blood into totally liking it. Of course, don't forget meeting the school preps and getting to know the school's hottest guy, Erik Night.

The plot is interesting, the dialogue is of modern-age - funny and spicy. There are moments that leave you both laughing and crying, moments that take you from sadness to hilarity, and moments that makes you sigh as everything unravels for Zoey and her friends in the House of night.

Needless to say, I enjoyed this book to the core, mostly because I'm into every kind of vampire series. Since I am a devoted vampire fan, I am looking forward to the next books which I will surely be reviewing later on.

By: Eli

Edited By: Annie

Book Review: Twilight

Fiction: Twilight
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, YA
Rating: 10/10

I finished this book a long time ago, but couldn't help letting go for its well-written plot and originality. From time to time, I go back to reading it because I can't get enough of it.

This is one of the best vampire books I have read in my life. Honestly, the characters are well developed and the story keeps you wanting for more.

Isabella Swan goes to Forks, Washington to live with her father, Charlie. Upon arrival, she starts to attend Forks' high school and thereby meets Edward Collin, the biggest mystery to be ever known.

After a series of strange events, Bella starts to question Edward's real identity. This is especially true after he saves her from a car accident, and the story only escalates in suspense.

Stephenie Meyer can seriously write a thrilling story with powerful characters. [Her imagery allows readers to imagine incredible scenes] and get a clear view of what's happening in the story.

Her characters are thrilling to the core, especially Edward Cullen, whose personality is strong and is easy to befriend. Bella, on the other hand, is a curious character and intriguing character.

It's easy to get in deep with the story, since it's easily understandable. The descriptions of the characters, setting and [plot flow together into a masterpiece]. All in all, I enjoyed reading this one till the very end.

Romance, action, spellbinding characters, and a story to die for.

By: Eli

Edited By: Annie

Book Review: Graceling

Book Review: Graceling

Author: Kristen Cashore

Genres: Fantasy, YA

Rating: 3.5/5

The fact that I am the first person from my library to borrow this book is surprising but understandable, considering its inconspicuous hiding place. It was sitting in a dusty corner of the very lowest shelf, among books whose widths span the length of my hand. I happen to have a gift for finding great books (by looking in places where only the mightiest of heart traverse), and I congratulate myself on discovering yet another jewel among paperback trash (ie. Mates, Dates, etc books). However, I shall not indulge the reason behind why I picked it up (Ok, fine - the cover looked pretty), and will contend myself with simply providing you with my personal account.

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Blend of jacket cover and my edits:

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The setting is a familiar idea - a beautiful and fantastical land divided into seven countries. In this world, some people are born with an extreme skill - called Grace - and are often feared and exploited. Katsa, niece of King Randa of the Middluns, carries the burden of a skill even she despises: the Grace of Killing. For the most part, she is her uncle's toy, and is expected to execute his dirty work, punishing and torturing anyone who displeases him.

When she meets Prince Po, who is Graced with combat skills, her life suddenly takes a drastic turn. She never expected to become Po's friend, or to learn the truth about his Grace and her own. And for the first time, it occurs to her that there is a more important calling beyond the borders of her world, a secret that has the power to destroy all seven kingdoms... with simply words alone.

The characters were absolutely enthralling. Unlike many other heroines, Katsa had absolute power over almost every aspect of her life. She was a refreshing change from the girls in distress who are always squalling to be saved. And Po? It is simply too easy to fall in love with him. His lazy arrogance tainted with surprising intuition makes for a great secondary character.

I found the plot elements especially creative. I never knew what was going to happen next, but I could see both the plausibility and logic when it did happen. The world Cashore created was rather comprehensive for a YA (and for a non heavy-duty fantasy), and there is definitely a lot of potential for future books in the same setting.

There were, however, a few aspects of the book I had qualms with. The climax was too short, and too pitiful an end to what the whole novel built up towards. The pacing was wonderful in the beginning, but turned erratic near the end. Again, the climax was less than satisfying, and though I would love the book to be longer if only to admire the characters some more, the end was much too stretched out. There is no point adding more to the plot if it doesn't amount to something, and Cashore was only good at tying up the strings of the subplot as opposed to the main political intrigue.

Graceling is not deep as it is entertaining. It makes for a great, light read, but if you're looking for something to make you cry and laugh, this isn't the book for you. Not a winter night's tale, but a good bus-stop/ boring-class/ read.
~~~

Next on my reading list? The Hunger Games, A Curse as Dark as Gold, and Book of a Thousand Days. I'm open to any recommendations (apparently the Sword of Truth series are quite good? I shudder at the length of the books in comparison to my free time). Can't wait till the Break - then I can get down to the heavy ones.

Book Review: Summers at Castle Auburn

Book Review: Summers at Castle Auburn

Author: Sharon Shinn

Genres: Fantasy, Romance

Rating: 3.5/5

There are two large shelves dedicated to YA books at my public library. It is interesting to note that her books actually occupy a great percentage of that shelf space, though based on the two books I've read by her, I never felt that she deserved it. However, this is to show that I've never come across Summers at Castle Auburn.  

Coriel is the illegitimate child of the noble Halsing line, and spends three months of every year at court. Though she often feels out of place in a society where every action is first weighed against the gain and loss of favour, she continues to visit court to see her adoring half-sister, Elisandra. Elisandra is engaged to Prince Bryan, and though Coriel is at first infatuated with him, she soon begins to see the dark undercurrents beneath the idyllic life at Castle Auburn.

For a more comprehensive intro, click here.

The only major concern I had with the book was the great amount of ambiguity associated with the main character's feelings. Usually, I'm able to establish a great and understanding relationship with the main character and can perceive what he/she feels through her thoughts and actions However, Coriel was always a two dimensional character to me. She behaved in ways that suprised me, and it was only the justifications that the author provided afterwards that anything was truly explained. Had her character been logistically developed, I would have understood Coriel's actions a little better. Perhaps this sort of equivocal shadowing was on purpose, but I believe it could have been pulled off much better.

Apart from the perceptual shallowness of the story, I loved Shinn's vivid descriptions. She has the ability to paint beautiful pictures within the readers' minds. The pacing left little to be desired, and she was exceptional at crafting language between the lines. Not only does this book have a creative plotline, Shinn is great at solving the problems she creates within the story. This makes for a fast and absorbing read.

It is without reservations that I recommend this book.

Book Review and Interview: Daughter of the Forest; Juliet Marillier

Fiction: Daughter of the Forest
Author: Juliet Marillier
Genres: Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Romance

I remember that fateful day when I asked the librarian for an interesting fantasy novel and she picked one off the shelf, stuffed it in my hands and told me that I just had to read it. Little did I know that it would eventually become my favourite novel. If you’re a sucker for romance fantasy novels, perhaps you should flip through best-selling Daughter of the Forest and see how much you might like it.

Daughter of the Forest is basically a spin-off of a classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale called The Six Swans. Like numerous fairy tales, the main character Sorcha has to deal with an evil stepmother who not only spellbinds her father, but also curses her six brothers to become swans. Faced with the impossible task of overcoming challenging obstacles all on her own, Sorcha has to vow herself to silence and weave shirts of stinging nettles to break her brothers’ enchantment. However, with a twist of fate, Sorcha falls into the hands of the enemy, but also in love. Perhaps her biggest obstacle yet is deciding between “the life that she has always known and a love that comes only once”.

Unlike most fairy tale adaptations, Daughter of the Forest is not set against a backdrop of blue skies and pretty butterflies. More often than not, the impediments that Sorcha faces are realistic and meaningful. This is not a quick read, and sometimes deals with deep and grim situations. In addition, this novel also has a historic component to it. It’s set in Ireland and Britain in the ninth century, with a good description of the feud that pits both cultures against one another.

For the few days that I was engrossed in Daughter of the Forest, I think I was living in the world brought alive by Marillier’s “rich words”, as the librarian put it. I felt like I was brought to a world that I wished was in existence and was finally given the chance to experience; to watch a fairy tale play out before my eyes. One of the main characteristics of this book is its ability to incite emotions. I laughed and cried, both literally. For those who can’t get enough of it, there is a second and third book to this trilogy. However, I believe both are less compelling than the first one. To put it simply, this is a must read for all fantasy lovers.

- Annie

Short Bio

Juliet Marillier is an Australian best-selling author who was born in New Zealand and grew up listening to old Celtic legends and folktales. Some of her works include The Sevenwaters Trilogy, the Saga of the Light Isles and The Bridei Chronicles. They have been welcomed by many in eight languages. We were fortunate to get in touch with her through email and had this interview.

My Interview with Juliet Marillier


A: Is it really true that you wrote this all at one time as a 200 000 word blockbuster?

I did take three years to write Daughter of the Forest, because I was working fulltime in another job and was a single mother of two school-aged children. I worked on it evenings and weekends.

A: Was it hard for you to publish it? Did you get rejected at first?

Not very hard. I sent it to a local publisher for an opinion (I knew it wasn't the kind of book they published, but they had a policy of reading and commenting on any manuscript sent in by an author from this state.) They were very encouraging and suggested two mainstream publishers for me to try. Only one of those two accepted unsolicited manuscripts, so I sent an outline and three chapters to them. They asked to see the whole ms, and when they'd read it they made me an offer.

A: If I'm writing something and I get a writer's block, how do I get over it?

If you can't summon up the motivation to write something, it's probably better to put this piece of writing aside for awhile and try something completely different. I don't really believe in writer's block. You might get stuck on a particular piece of writing, but there should always be SOMETHING you can write, even if it's just a daily journal entry. If you're trying to write and can't get the flow happening, doing some exercise is a good circuit-breaker.

A: Did you get a chance to choose the cover you wanted for the book?

No. This is usually all done by the publishing house. Sometimes the author gets consulted - my Australian publisher is very good about this. Sometimes the author doesn't get to see the cover until it's all done. I found some of mine rather surprising! My best covers are the ones by the artist Kinuko Craft (American editions of Wolfskin, Foxmask, Wildwood Dancing and the forthcoming Cybele's Secret.) Kinuko always reads the whole book and captures the atmosphere perfectly in her painting.