Okay, I'm trying something new. Very short summary or possibly just a trailer (if there's one I like) for books and then a review that's too the point. Writing my own summaries is time consuming and somewhat boring, and I always feel cheap stealing the official blurb. So on to the first review...
Ballad
by the amazingly talented Maggie Stiefvater
(I had this beautiful music--which Maggie wrote herself--playing in my head throughout reading the novel because it fits so well)
Ballad brings James from Lament into the spotlight with Dee as a much smaller, almost background character and a new homicidal faerie who is fascinated with humans. And it was amazing!
Maggie Stiefvater's writing walks the line between beautiful and suddenly humorous. If you liked James before, you will absolutely love his narration and his egotistical thoughts and quick comebacks that have you laughing even in intense scenes. And believe me, there are plenty of intense scenes.
I loved Nuala as a character and though at first I wanted to smack her and get her away (*glowers darkly in Nuala's direction*) from James, she became incredibly easy to feel sympathy for. I wish Paul had been given a slightly more important role, but I'm thinking he--and Sullivan, too--will play a bigger part in the next sequel (...there will be one, right?).
On the whole, a thrilling novel that will keep you up into the late hours of the night!
Ballad will be available at indie and chain bookstores near you on October 1st.