I was intrigued by the premise and it was a pleasant story but I expected something a little more.

It wasn't really all that gripping. It was a little too convenient too. Everything worked together more like a modern fairy tale, a happy dream that these things could even begin to happen, even the end of the main situation isn't exactly happy. It's more strange and beautiful than believable.

For someone who loves a fairy tale, which is inherently not believable, it was a nice little book for a day when you want to read something a little light and not so serious. I did have some issues with certain lines that were a little off for our female protagonist, they were a little sexist, like an annoying bit about being accustomed to lying by virtue of being a sixteen year old girl and some assumptions about tears. Do girls do these things? Yeah, some do, and so do boys (more the lying because it's socially unacceptable for them to cry but they have manipulative equivalents), but part of it is the way that piece was written. Like all girls are like that and it's a girl thing. Like it's natural and obvious. It annoyed me but it wasn't a common theme throughout the story, so I chose to forgive it, but it was the kind of moment that made my skin crawl at the idea that any man actually thinks we all think like that. I hate it when that happens and it was  this sort of thing that drove me nuts in some of the Dangerous Women stories.

The book begins with the contents of the diary, which has some holes in the story of it all. It had made me not quite want to finish, but there was enough left to the story that I decided to carry on. They do get mostly resolved and the holes in the story of the diary are put there on purpose, and spur on the third part of the story. Still, it was all convenient, even when it was tragic. None of this stopped it from being a nice story to read but it all kept it from being something as gripping as All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, which was the level of work that I had been hoping for.

Still, it was nice to read something a bit more hopeful and something short and easy on a weekend like this past one. I had done a lot more reading than I thought I would because I hadn't anticipated choosing such short books.

Okies! So on I go. Here are the 10 debuts that I'm most excited to read in 2016.

The Loneliness of Distant Beings by Katie Ling

That cover is gorgeous and seems to indicate either a magical realism story or a literary, lyrical contemporary story, like Jandy Nelson's, where the metaphor is emphasized on the cover instead of the people within. The synopsis for the book is a little vague to the point where I'm not entirely sure what the book is about -- is Seren literally floating through space? Or is that a metaphor for her state of mind? And how do Dom becoming the Sun and Seren staying in his orbit play into loyalty to home vs. loyalty to each other? But regardless, I am intrigued, and looking forward to this book.

Update: Since I wrote this post & filmed the video, a review has been posted! It looks like the summary is literal so that these teens are actually on a spaceship and they're falling in love. Yay, outer space romance! Yay, new planets! Yay, lyrical cover & writing!

The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig

If there's a debut that everyone seems to be talking about so far for 2016, it would be The Girl from Everywhere, about a girl traveling to "places of myth and legend... aboard her father's time-traveling ship." I love the idea of traveling across the globe and through centuries with a time-traveling ship. I loved The Mapmaker's trilogy, and it involves map magic that takes the heroine across centuries and the globe, so The Girl from Everywhere sounds right up my alley, especially since the heroine's father in TGfE seems to need a map to travel. Plus the synopsis says that it should appeal to fans of Rae Carson and Rachel Hartman, so that's a double YAY.

The Reader by Traci Chee

A world where reading is forbidden & meant to appeal to fans of Shadow and Bone? Yes, please! I love that the summary emphasizes a survivor-oriented girl who's also emotionally vulnerable-- looking to rescue her aunt and avenge her father's death, and discovering a book that may help her discover the truth. Sounds like she'll be easy to relate to. This sounds like the sort of book that would discuss the wonder of reading itself... yaaaaass. Also, this last line of the synopsis: "overlapping stories of swashbuckling pirates and merciless assassins" Nice.

Burning Glass by Kathryn Purdie

An empath who feels emotions both physically and emotionally and who is then forced to serve the emperor? Sounds awesome! An empath charged to seek out assassins, a girl learning the limits of her abilities and trapped between her alliances to the emperor and his brother, and a looming revolution/betrayal? Yes. Political intrigue, magic, romance, betrayal -- everything in a good fantasy read.

The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye

This seems like it's going to be the big fantasy debut of 2016, judging from the reaction to the cover and Evelyn Skye's creation of the Tsar Guard. I like the sound of the enchanter magic, and that there's this Crown's Game duel between the only two enchanters in Russia and that that will lead to one of the characters becoming the Tsar's adviser. The fact that the enchanters may also fall in love - this seems like Shadow and Bone meets the Night Circus, with the looming threat of war with the Ottoman Empire, and I am intrigued, very intrigued.

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi

The Star-Touched Queen was "pitched as a Hades and Persephone-style romance infused with Indian mythology, about an unlikely princess who must overcome her sinister horoscope and embarks on a quest to unravel her true identity and find the one she loves." A.) We don't have enough YA fantasy that's actually diverse, and very little YA fantasy that aren't Western or European centric. B.) Indian mythology! C.) I don't even like Hades and Persephone that much, but I read The Star Maiden by Roshani Chokshi and her writing IS GORGEOUS. YES PLEASE to this book. Plus the synopsis promises political intrigue, magic, romance, and more, so um YAH.

A Fierce and Subtle Poison by Samantha Mabry

This one has already been blurbed by Nova Ren Suma, and I'm looking to read more YA magical realism because it pushes the boundaries of the typical YA narrative. The description for this is: "In this stunning debut, legends collide with reality when a boy is swept into the magical, dangerous world of a girl filled with poison." Um, yes, please. A Caribbean legend, Puerto Rican setting, magical realism, disappearing girls, girls filled with poison, boys caught in the middle... very interesting, if I'm getting the right impression from the synopsis. "A Fierce and Subtle Poison beautifully blends magical realism with a page-turning mystery and a dark, starcrossed romance--all delivered in lush, urgent prose." YAS, THIS HAS CHRISTINA written all over it.

Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst

The summary so far says --> "A princess with a forbidden magical gift is shipped off to a neighboring kingdom to marry a prince, but she has to choose between her duty and her heart when she falls in love with his rogueish horse-training sister instead." YES, I was literally talking to one of my friends about WHY this trope of the arranged marriage in fantasy has rarely been skewed in YA. I enjoyed Kiss of Deception primarily because there was a twist to that trope. And something I'd asked was why there aren't lesbian arranged marriages; this is fantasy, you can do anything. My friend said that it would depend on what was to be gained from the marriage (aka she was discussing heirs/reproduction), but I think that's kind of a lazy excuse. I mean history is full of bastards and illegitimate children and children who are born from lovers but who get claimed as royal heirs. Why can't you have gay royal marriages and the couple reproduces with mistresses or the magic system helps or whatever. Basically, I think that you could add in diversity to that trope if you really wanted to, and I love that this book is already promising that. Plus, there's the hint of magic and political intrigue with the queenhood and Game of Thrones comparison.

Even If the Sky Falls by Mia Garcia

This sounds like it should appeal to fans of Gayle Forman's Just One Day. A girl heads to New Orleans with her youth group, and then heads straight into the heart of New Orleans in Mid-summer Mardi Gras. She sees New Oreleans with a guy she just met, and they fall in love in one night, and then an oncoming hurricane is adding extra tension to whatever future they're imagining (is my guess). YES to the New Orleans setting-- one of my good friends lives there, and the visits I've made to NOLA have been fantastic. Yes to this cover which seems to hint at some diversity as well. Yes to this premise. I love the 24 hours sudden but intense love concept; I know some don't like instalove in narratives, but I do believe it can exist, and I love when books explore it as Even if the Sky Falls promises to do.

Bound by Blood and Sand by Becky Allen

The summary says --> "A new YA fantasy series in the vein of Tamora Pierce, exploring class and power. The novel follows a slave girl in a desert world where the magical Well is running dry; when she discovers a source of magic, she may have the power to save the water and her world, but returning the water means saving her slavers." Yes to class & power exploration, yes to magic, yes to magic relating to water, yes to the difficult decisions promised by this book. Yes to the Tamora Pierce comparison!

A couple of people have said how much they liked this Bradshaw book, and having read it I can totally see why. It’s a little sadder than most of her others, a little less clear-cut in terms of good vs. bad. While I’m not enamored of the male genius figures in fiction right now, I will make an exception for Bradshaw’s Archimedes, because he’s so sensitively drawn. And we do see him from other perspectives which I think helps balance that trope out. This has some of Bradshaw’s more lovely writing too. While I doubt any book will ever be quite as beloved for me as The Beacon at Alexandria, this is definitely one I can see myself re-reading.

Aggregate, Sand & Gravel

Corliss Resources, Inc offers many types of gravel, sand and rock products that can be used in variety of applications.  These products can be scheduled for delivery directly to your job site or you can pick it up from anyone of our plant locations (LINK to map). 

In certain situations, CRI can perform haul off or exporting services by removing from your job site certain soils, aggregate and concrete waste material.  Truck rental is also available.  For more specific information please contact Gravel Dispatch. 

Below is a summary of the products that CRI offers and some possible uses.  If you are interested in a product that you do not see on this list, please call to check availability as this list is only a sampling of our products.

Utility and Washed Sand

Used as a base for pavers and other residential applications like sand boxes or as a leveling base for portable swimming pools. Ideal for backfilling utility ditches.

Washed Pea Gravel

Great for drainage projects, sub grade under concrete, some walkways and patios, small dog kennels, or under swings sets and in other kids play areas.

3/4” Clean Crushed

Used as a decorative rock. Works well in walkways and has great drainage characteristics. Not a good rock to be used in gravel driveways.

7/8" Washed

Good drainage rock. Can be used as the aggregate in concrete.

1 1/4" Clean Crushed

Great for walking paths. Used as a capillary break layer under concrete slabs.

1 1/4" Crushed

Also called “CSBC” – Crushed Surfacing Base Course, this gravel is good for heavy traffic driving areas or as a base rock.

1 1/2" Washed

Primarily used for drainage projects and decorative rock in landscaping.

2" to 4" Quarry Rock

This rock is excellent for spreading into muddy bogs on roads and driveways. Good for roadways into and out of job site; as the truck leaves the jobsites the rock will scrape clean the tire treads so that less mud will be tracked onto the road.

4" to 8" Quarry Rock

This rock can be used for building small flower bed walls. Also used for industrial roadways. Like 2” to 4” rock, good for roadways into and out of job site.

Rockery Rock

Sizes vary from ½ man to 5 man rocks – these are very large rocks that can be used for building retaining walls. Also used as placement rocks for decorative purposes in landscaping projects.

Sand and Gravel Mix

This is sand and gravel that has been premixed to be used in concrete. Perfect for small home DYI projects that utilize smaller amounts of concrete, such as fence postholes.