Temeraire - Naomi Novik

Title: Temeraire - Naomi Novik
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Series: Temeraire #1
Service: Own
Release Date: 06/08/2007
Pages: 342
Format: Paperback

Rating: ★★★★★

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Captain Will Laurence has been at sea since he was just twelve years old. Rising on merit to captain his own vessel, Laurence has earned himself a beautiful fiancée, society’s esteem and a golden future. But the war is not going well. It seems Britain can only wait as Napoleon plans to invade.

After a skirmish with a French ship, Laurence finds himself in charge of a rare cargo: a dragon egg bound for the Emperor himself. Dragons are much prized: properly trained, they can mount a fearsome attack from the skies. One of Laurence’s men must take the beast in hand and join the aviator’s cause, thus relinquishing all hope of a normal life.

But when the newly hatched dragon decides to imprint itself on Laurence, the horrified captain’s world falls apart. Gone is his golden future: gone his social standing, and soon his beautiful fiancée, as he is consigned to be the constant companion and trainer of the fighting dragon Temeraire…

Give me one word…

Why do you say that?

Will Laurence is a captain in the navy during the Napoleonic war. After defeating a French ship his crew take charge of a dragon egg that soon hatches an Oriental dragon, Temeraire.

The story line takes us with Laurence as he adjusts from being a man of the navy to becoming an aviator and learning to live alongside and train his rare dragon.

This book is such a beautifully written and heart warming story. The relationship between Laurence and Temeraire grows from something that Laurence could potentially be resentful of to something that he could not imagine his life without. There were many points in the book where you could almost forget that Temeraire is a dragon and imagine him as more of a brother.

By the time their relationship is established you are introduced to a variety of other dragons and their trainers and see the difference in their techniques. The emotions you feel seeing the rest of the aviators would not nearly be as strong had Novik not successfully made you fall in love with what can be described as the ‘bromance’ between Temeraire and Laurence.

I did have one or two issues with the book although they were not major. Novik throws a lot of information at you rather quickly sometimes. There was some military/ship terminology that I was not 100% sure of and we got introduced to different breeds of dragons with not a lot of information. However the latter point was resolved by the end of the book with a short extract from Sir Edward’s book about dragons.

All in all, if you are looking for a book with action and friendship I would highly suggest 'Temeraire'.

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist - Rachel Cohn, David Levithan

Title: Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist - Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
Publisher: Ember
Series: N/A
Service: Own
Release Date: 28/08/2007
Pages: 183
Format: Paperback

Rating: ★★★

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Nick’s just seen the girl who dumped him walk in… with a new guy. What else can he do but ask the strange girl next to him to be his new girlfriend for the next five minutes?

Norah would do anything to avoid conversation with the not not-friend girl who dumped Nick… and to get over Evil Ex whom Norah never really totally dumped. What else can she do but answer Nick’s question by making out with him?

With one electric, unexpected kiss, the five minute couple of Nick and Norah set off on an uncharted adventure called the ‘first date’ that will turn into an infinite night of falling in and out (and in and out, and maybe in and maybe out) of love. Theirs is a first date of music, laughter, heartache, confusion, passion, taxi driver wisdom, and a jacket named Salvatore. And of course a killer soundtrack.

As Nick and Norah wander through the middle-of-the-night mystic maze of Manhattan, they share the kind of night you want never to end, where every minute counts and every moment flickers between love and disaster.

Give me one word…

Why do you say that?

Nick and Norah meet by chance in a club when Nick sees his ex girlfriend, Tris, walk in with her new boyfriend. Wanting to not look like the sad sap that is still hung up on her Nick asks Norah to be his ‘girlfriend’. One kiss leads them into a night of adventure.

I loved both Nick and Norah’s characters however they weren’t without their faults. Nick was very hung up on Tris throughout the book, which did get irritating and Norah seemed very fickle. It was their interaction with each other that I loved. They seemed to balance each other out. Norah appreciates his music and Nick appreciates her humour and you could see why these two would make a good couple.

At the beginning of the book I really disliked Tris and although I can’t say that I like her character there are points in the book where she behaves like a human being and I respect her for that.

I really enjoyed the fact that this was not an instant love story. The amount of twists and turns and changing emotions made me feel like it was a little more realistic than love at first sight. Even at the end of the book when they both seem to have gotten over their demons there is still the niggling questioning thoughts in Norah’s mind and I liked that. The realistic doubts of whether to take a chance on someone and getting hurt.

It was nice to read a book that was not afraid to let the main character swear however at times the cussing felt quite excessive and I did question whether or not it was necessary.

If you are looking to read a book that is fuelled on alcohol, stale oreos and sleep deprivation I would recommend 'Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist'. However if you are offended by language I might give this one a miss.