Graceling

So, as I've been pretty much bedridden for a week and a half, I've been doing alot of reading. This one book has kept calling to me the past month or so, from it's cosy place on it's bookshelf, in various shops. But I could never quite make up my mind on whether I wanted to read it. Well, now finally I picked it up at the library, worried it wouldn't be good, and that I was just judging it on it's pretty cover.

That book was 'Graceling' by Kristin Cashore
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Graceling-Kristin-Cashore/dp/0575085304/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296636013&sr=8-1
I finished it over the space of a few days, and it was honestly one of the best things I've ever read. Although the world was nowhere near as vast or expansive as Tolkeins' in LOTR, Cashores' world sucked you in...I found myself knowing things about the places, and ways to get to each one, pretty soon after beginning, which really helps you get into the story.
Her characters were although in some way rather typical, still captivating. More so than the individual characters, you fell in love with their relationships. From beginning to end, I was screaming for Katsa and Po, to I quote 'JUST DO IT ALREADY!' But their relationship was so sweet and in an odd way pure, that I was willing to let them take their time :) You fell in love with everyone you were supposed to; Katsa, Po, Raffin, Bitterblue, etc...and you hated those you were meant to hate; Randa, Giddion, King Leck, etc...
And the ending, although predictable to me, was so touching, it genuinley warmed my heart

A wow of a read, and I loved it so much I hobbled down to the library to get the second book.
'Fire'
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fire-Kristin-Cashore/dp/0575085134/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1296636474&sr=1-1
The cover for this book even more beautiful than the first. This book is set about 30 years before Graceling, and the main character is 'Fire', the 17 year old monster. I loved that in this book Kristin had invented these 'Monsters', things so beautiful that they stole your breath before entering your mind, and then eating you. Easily you can envision these brightly coloured creatures swarming in this world that now exists in my head. In my opinion the characters in 'Fire' are alot easier to love than those in 'Graceling', I just feel like I was allowed more of a connection with them in this book. I have not yet finished it, and am still currently screaming now for Fire and Bridgon to 'JUST GET ON WITH IT ALREADY!' Although I feel sorry for Archer, and hope that he too is allowed a happy ending.

So inspiring, amazingly written, brilliant characters, touching relationships, emotion stirring...simply stunning.
If you get the chance...no....go out of your way to read these books, and look out for the 3rd installment ' BITTERBLUE', due to come out at some point in the future.