Ch-ch-ch-changes!

A month and a half into my summer and I finally redid the the layout and designed a better header!  Please let me know if you like it or have any better suggestions.

Also, while I am pretty busy with real life and can't read quite as much as other book bloggers, I would very much like some ideas on what I could do on here between reviews.  I've browsed plenty of other blogs for ideas, but I really don't have the readership yet for contests (either to obtain things to give away or to have people to give them to!), and because of the limited scope of the books I review here, I can't really talk about my mailbox overflowing with non-existent ARCs or reiterating the same six or seven books coming out this year.

On a similar note, I can't be the only blogger who covers just one genre-- there has to be faery book blogs, werewolf book blogs, and about a million vampire book blogs.  If you have any favorites, please let me know-- it could lead to some quite interesting collaborations!

Wicked: Witch and Curse by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguié

Holly Cathers barely knew her cousins Amanda and Nicole when after a tragic white-water rafting trip, she becomes an orphan and moves in with them.  Jer Deveraux knows that the Cathers women are descended from a powerful line of witches, and he knows his father's plans for them.  But no one knows how deep the connections between their families go, or how Holly and Jer may be the key to unraveling a 400-year-old war-- and becoming thrall to a 400-year-old love.

This book was...okay.  The plot and magical concepts were good, but the characters were flat and largely unsympathetic-- even Holly eventually loses a good deal of the good will that being an orphan earned her in the beginning.  Jer isn't much better, because while he's less evil and power-hungry than his father and brother, he's also basically a jerk who shows no real inclination to take any real stance against them (though he does reach out to other sources for more ethical magical training).  Also, I found his and Holly's relationship to be forced.  There is some justification to that, since both are conduits for the spirits of their ancestors who were in love, but there is no real reason for Holly and Jer to be attracted to each other at all.

That said, this book has a number of good points.  I liked how, despite first impressions, neither the Cathers nor the Deveraux are completely good or completely evil.  The flashbacks to the Deveraux and Cahors (the Cathers ancestors) past are an engaging glimpse of history and political intrigue, both real and magical. And even though Jer is a bit of a jerk, his association with his other magical teachers gesture strongly towards a later transformation.  So not only is Jer not beyond redemption, I am not completely turned off by the idea of finishing the series!  So I'm going to give this one:

  

Madame Xanadu, vol. I: Disenchanted, by Matt Wagner and Amy Reeder Hadley

Madame Xanadu is a character with a long history in the DC Universe who has been given a fresh start with this new series from the Vertigo imprint (home of Sandman and Fables).  This first volume takes you on a wild journey throughout history, from her origin in Camelot when she was Nimue, sister of Morgan le Fay, to the palace of Kublai Khan from whence she took her name--Xanadu, to the French Revolution, the streets of Whitechapel during the terror of Jack the Ripper, and finally New York City on the eve of World War II as she bears witness to the rise of a new form of powerful beings--the superhero.

On each leg of her journey, Madame Xanadu is faced with dilemma after dilemma, forced to weigh the consequences of her actions. Whether to meddle in the affairs of state at Xanadu or the court of Louis XVI, despite the lessons she learned at the fall of Camelot, whether to save her friend Marie Antoinette or save herself, whether to protect the women of Whitechapel or to heed the cryptic warnings of the Phantom Stranger, who tells her there is a higher purpose at work-- each choice she makes has a dramatic effect on both her own life and the course of human history.

Wagner's writing is captivating and Hadley's art is breathtaking.  Every moment of Madame Xanadu's life, from her final showdown with Merlin to her bargain with Death Herself, comes alive and urges you onwards.

There are not enough good things to say about this series.  If you have never picked up a graphic novel in your life, this is the one to start with.  If you have, you'll love this one (especially if you're familiar with the DC Universe, you'll relish the new, unique encounters with such characters as Giovanni Zatara and the Spectre).  Go read it now.

You can read a PDF of the first issue of this volume on the Vertigo comics website.

    

Super-Witch Profile: Zatanna Zatara, Mistress of Magic

Zatanna Zatara makes her living as a stage magician and uses her real magical powers to fight demons and supervillains, both on her own and in the Justice League of America.  Her nearly limitless powers make her one of the most powerful people in the DC Universe.

Zatanna (nicknamed "Zee") is the daughter of magician Giovanni (John) Zatara and Sindella, a sorceress of the Homo magi race.  She learned magic from lost texts of Leonardo Da Vinci's--a distant relative of the Zataras--that she discovers in her father's study when he goes missing.  From them she learns the family trick of casting spells by saying them backwards.  After enlisting the help of various JLA members to help her find her father, she formed an association with the team, eventually joining it.

She has struggled with the moral weight her powers put on her-- and for good reason.  She has occasionally used her powers to alter the memories and personalities of villains, heroes, and civilians alike, and some of her magical exploration has gotten people killed.  But through it all, she remains fun-loving and optimistic.

Her new ongoing series started on Wednesday with Zatanna #1, and it's off to a great start!  Zatanna's help is sought by a skeptical cop looking for answers in a bizarre mass killing of mob bosses.  She quickly gets to the bottom of it, and after a tense encounter with the evil sorcerer-culprit, the chase is on-- which should give her and the cop some time to get to know each other... (To find a comic shop near you, go to ComicShopLocator.com.)

Some other Zatanna stories you might want to check out are:

Zatanna: Everyday Magic - A short graphic novel where Zee's old flame John Constantine interrupts her hectic life of touring and budding romance after his recent fling leaves him with a demon on his tail.  A good, fun introduction to the character.

Seven Soldiers: Zatanna - Zatanna goes into superhero rehab after a magical experiment goes awry, killing four other magicians and stripping her of her powers.  A young girl with magical powers of her own convinces Zee to take her on as an apprentice to help her fix her mistakes.  Technically part of a vast crossover with six other minor superheroes, her story stands fine on its own.  Unfortunately, the only way to read this story on its own is in the original four issues, readily available on eBay.

If you want to try some old-school comics and read Zatanna's first appearances, then check out JLA: Zatanna's Search.  Her first storyline that ran from 1962-64, this book tells the story of how Zatanna enlisted the help of various superheroes to help her find her missing father, plus a bonus story about how she first discovered her own powers.

Zatanna: Come Together is a 1993 mini-series, her first solo venture.  It's a highly experimental story about her exploring her mystical heritage from her mother's side with gorgeous art by Esteban Maroto.  Again, it hasn't been released in collected form, so your best bet is to get it on eBay.

Jinx by Meg Cabot

Jean Honeychurch is cursed.  She's knows she's cursed because she was born during a supercell storm, she's always finding new ways to hurt herself, and she has to move from Iowa to her aunt and uncle's house in New York City to escape her stalker.  She's doubly cursed because of the stupid nickname her rotten luck has garnered her: Jinx.  But when she gets to New York, her cousin Tory corners her with an old family legend-- they're descended from a real witch who was burned at the stake hundreds of years ago, and Tory is convinced they've both inherited her powers.  Jinx just wants to focus on fitting in at her new school and on her crush (and Tory's), the boy next door, Zach.  But Tory won't give up, and soon Jinx unwittingly finds herself locked in psychological and magical warfare with her cousin.  Just her luck.

This book is a fun, light read, much in the vein of Meg Cabot's other work.  The characters are incredible.  Jean is a total fish-out-of-water, and her confusion and frustration with NYC and its people are both sympathetic and funny. The conflict between her and Tory starts out as a simple crazy relative clash, but soon escalates to a full-on battle of wits, before making a sharp turn into the genuinely scary.  I envied her "just-a-friendship" with Zach-- anyone would love to be just-friends with such a sweet and funny guy that you can understand why she continues to hang out with him in spite of being convinced that he's got a crush on their au pair, Petra.  And as per usual for a Cabot novel, Jinx fails to notice how requited her crush on Zach is till the very end (but trust me, that's not a spoiler, because we all know it from the page he shows up on).  It's a good stand-alone novel-- a tight, coherent story that leaves you split between wanting more and not wanting to disturb them any further. One little niggle I had at the beginning was that Jean seemed to know a little too much about witchcraft for someone who claims to not want to have anything to do with it-- of course, there turns out to be a reason for this, but I feel like that hint could have been handled a little more smoothly.  Aside from that, I highly recommend this book-- pick it up for some fun summer reading!

You can read the first 54 pages on the HarperTeen website. (And you can finish out Chapter Six--which the preview ends in the middle of--at Meg Cabot's website)

   

Sweep: Book of Shadows, The Coven, & Blood Witch by Cate Tiernan

When Morgan Rowlands first sees the gorgeous new senior Cal Blaire at school, she falls for him, but remains firm in her belief that he would never be interested in her plain looks or flat chest.  But Cal turns out to be completely different from any other guy she's ever met-- to start with, he's a witch.  He invites Morgan to be a part of a new coven he starts up, and though she has no idea what to make of it at first, she decides to try it out. But after one circle, she knows she'll never be the same.  She discovers her hidden talent for magick-- a fact that has far deeper implications than she ever expected.  And as she taps in to her power and her history more and more, her relationship with Cal grows deeper.  Yet someone as powerful as she is is bound to attract attention, and not all of it good.  But how does she know who to trust?

Re-reading the first three Sweep books was like coming home for me.  As in Balefire, Tiernan builds a rich world, with a complex system of magick (based on Wiccan practices, but tweaked and enhanced to make for a more fantastic story) and an engaging cast of characters.  Morgan and Cal's magnetic attraction is a wonderful portrayal of first love.  And every single one of the supporting characters, no matter how minor, is fleshed out enough that you're rarely confused about their motivation (and if you are, it's probably because Tiernan is leading up to a reveal!), and even when they make bad decisions, you can't hold it against them, because you probably would have done the same thing.  The stories that intertwine, forming the overarching plot, leave you breathless with suspense, keeping you turning the pages desperate to know what happens next--only to leave you with yet another cliffhanger at the end!  Thankfully, there is plenty more where that came from.

The Sweep series (known as "Wicca" in the UK and elsewhere) originally came out from 2001 to 2003, which is when I first read it, and I can't help but feel it's finally gotten the treatment it deserves.  The first three books have been released in a fat bind-up edition (though for now it's only available at Wal-Mart; it will be released in all bookstores September 2nd, 2010, just a few days before the first book in Tiernan's new trilogy Immortal Beloved.)  The individual books are still available in bookstores if you can't wait, but keep in mind, they cost $7.99 each-- the same as the bind-up costs for three.  You can read the first 7 pages of Book of Shadows on the Penguin website.

    

Spell-Checkers by Jamie S. Rich, Nicolas Hitori De, and Joëlle Jones

Let's be honest, if any of us had magic powers in high school, we'd use them to get the hot guys, ace every test, gain popularity, and rule the school in every possible way. Jesse, Kimmie, and Cynthia have done just that. Since they got their hands on an ancient spell book in elementary school, they've been the queen bees, filling out tests with a flick of the wrist and sending magical clones to gym class. But in high school, it starts to catch up with them-- magically-created graffiti that challenges their status starts popping up around the school, and the charmed dolls that are the conduits of their powers begin to disappear. They turn on each other, pointing fingers, because after all, they're the only witches in school...right?

Let me just start off this review by saying, that if you have an aversion to swearing, smoking, cattiness, shallowness, and every other Mean Girls kind of behavior, this book is not for you. That said, if you don't mind those, you'll have a really good time. These teenage witches aren't tiptoeing around the shadow of some karmic law-- they use magic in the way that we all secretly wish we could at some point or another. The story is very original, and you'll find yourself cheering for some of the most unsympathetic characters ever put to paper.
 

The art (mostly) by Hitori De is energetic, able to portray the girls as simultaneously evil and cute, and the story would not work without it. The flashback scenes by Joëlle Jones reflect the childlike mischievousness of their origin story.
 

This book is labelled "volume 1" so hopefully we don't have to wait too long for the next installment! You can read a 22-page preview here on the Oni Press website. Oni books take a while to get to regular bookstores, so it is currently only available online and at comic book stores. You can find one near you at ComicShopLocator.com, and if you drop by participating stores today (May 1st) you'll be able to take advantage of Free Comic Book Day, where stores give away samples of various publishers' upcoming offerings! I don't know if there's anything particularly Witchy being offered, but for fans of all YA urban fantasy, a preview of the graphic novel adaptation of Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments will be available from Th3rd World Studios.

   

Magic or Madness by Justine Larbalestier

Reason Cansino, so named by her mother who wanted her life to be governed by nothing but logic, has grown up constantly moving around the Australian bush.  Her mother ran away from home when she was 12 because, as she tells Reason, her mother is a terrible, evil person who "thinks" she is a witch.  Unfortunately for Reason's mother, the book opens with her being committed to a mental hospital, and Reason being placed in the custody of her grandmother, Esmeralda.

Reason's fear and distrust of her grandmother is surprising to her new neighbor, Tom, who thinks that Esmeralda is the greatest person ever-- and small wonder, because she's been teaching him magic.  But despite their diverging views on Esmeralda, the two teens find common ground when Tom reveals that his mother is in the mental hospital too.  Reason puts her plans to run away on hold while Tom teaches Reason more about her family history and the secrets of her grandmother's house.  Namely, the back door's portal to New York City...

The first in a trilogy, Magic or Madness is a new and unique take on how magic works, while also serving as a backdrop to the many culture clashes that occur in the story.  The title refers to how in this world, something as powerful as magic takes its toll on the human mind-- an amazing idea that almost never gets explored in witchy fiction (yes, we all love karma and the Law of Three, but not all consequences are external!)  I loved the way Larbalestier described Reason's upbringing from her own perspective-- as if there was nothing unusual about moving around every few months, not always knowing where you are going or where your next meal is coming from.  Likewise, she presents very nuanced points of view between the different "factions" of characters: New Yorkers vs. Aussies, the pro-magic Tom and Jay-Tee vs. the anti-magic Reason-- even touching upon the subtle and not-so-subtle racism the half-Aborigine Reason faces in both countries.

This is the first book I've read (that I can remember) that presents magic as more of a problem than a power, and by the end you'll hope that they can find a way to get rid of their powers without losing their minds.  I have every intention of reading the rest of this trilogy and strongly recommend it!

If you're not convinced you can read the first two chapters on Larbalestier's website!

    

Balefire news!

I mentioned in my Balefire review a few weeks ago that the series will be collected in an omnibus edition around Decemberish.  Well, today Cate Tiernan posted the new cover of the bind-up on her blog:

I love it, though I would like the series title to be a bit bigger.  I can't wait for this to come out.  Even though I already have the individual books, I'm a sucker for big fat books, so I'll probably get this too.

(If I had to name who was who, I'd guess that Thais is the one on top and Clio's on the bottom--it's the look of innocence vs. experience.)

Still no Amazon listing or anything on the Penguin website yet.  I'll keep you posted.

Write Books! Win Books!

Exciting news today from two witchy novelists!

First up, Laurie Faria Stolarz, author of the The Blue is for Nightmares Series will be teaching three writing workshops for teens in Massachusetts this spring and summer.  The first one is this Saturday in Salem (appropriately enough) for $75.  I know, it's such late notice, but do not despair!  For she will be in Marblehead in July, offering a 4-day writing workshop on the 13th, 15th, 20th, and 22nd, with an afternoon session for 9-12 year olds from 4-5:45pm, and an evening session for 13+ from 5-7:45pm.  See the Books Make Great Lovers blog for more details.

Secondly, the latest book in the Seer series is coming out in October (the first book, Don't Die, Dragonfly is on deck to be reviewed here soon!) and author Linda Joy Singleton is having a contest!  You can win a full set of the first five Seer books, plus a complete set of her Dead Girl trilogy.  Also, if you're a YA or MG writer, she will critique the first chapter of your book!  Check out her blog for the full details of how to enter.

And finally, for those on the West Coast, you get your own really short notice alert-- Nancy Holder, co-author of the Wicked series, is appearing at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books this weekend.  Admission is free, and her schedule is on her blog.

(Isn't it reassuring to know that this isn't turning into a full on comic book blog? ^_^)

Comics News out of C2E2

This weekend was the Chicago Comics and Entertainment Experience (aka C2E2), and some witchy stuff came out  of there.

First up, the return of the Scarlet Witch!  She's been an Avenger and an X-Man, and she's the most famous Super-Witch of all time!  But she's been out of the picture for a few years, and many fans have been wondering when she would be coming back.  At C2E2, Marvel writer Allen Heinberg and artist Jim Cheung announced that she will be returning in July in the pages of their miniseries, Children's Crusade.  The mini will be a follow up to their 2005 series Young Avengers, about a team of teen superheroes, whose own Super-Witch, Billy Kaplan (a.k.a. Wiccan) has a mysterious connection to the Scarlet Witch.  I'm planning Super-Witch Profiles for both of them which will be posted before the mini starts.

Secondly, not really news, but writer/artist Terry Moore, who recently finished a stint on Runaways, posted a sketch of Super-Witch Nico Minoru that he did for a fan at the show.

Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough

Tasmin Greene was supposed to be the most powerful witch in the history of her family.  Supposed to be.  But when her powers fail to manifest at the right age, she withdraws from her family and tries to live as normal a life as possible, going to boarding school in New York City and dodging questions about her home life.

Until the day that Alistair arrives at her family's New Age shop and confuses her for her sister, whose power is to find anything.  He asks Tasmin to find an old family heirloom--a clock--that has been missing for over 100 years.  She takes the job, determined to prove to her family that she doesn't need her own powers to do what they do.  Ultimate relying on her childhood friend Gabriel's Finding powers, they travel back in time to the clock's last known location--and then things get weird.  Alistair may not be as he appears, and Tasmin may not be as powerless as she thought...

Once a Witch is a phenomenal book.  Tasmin's alienation from her family is eminently relatable, even for those of us from non-magical families.  It manifests itself in all-too-human minor rebellions--from flagrant smoking, to sneaking into clubs with her fake ID to her crush on an older man.  Her relationship with Gabriel is sweet but cautious, both because of their years of seperation and because of her self-consciousness at her lack of Talent.  And as her destiny unfolds, the magic crackles, leaving you begging for the sequel (Always a Witch, due next spring!)

You can read a PDF of the first chapter on Amazon.