Book of the Month Chat: Gameboard of the Gods, by Richelle Mead

Welcome to our book of the month chat. Like last month, Kenya and I (Alicia) again welcome authors D.T. Dyllin (also known as Dara) and Megan D. Martin to our blog. For July, I chose Gameboard of the Gods, by Richelle Mead. Tune in below for our discussion!

GAMEBOARD OF THE GODS
by Richelle Mead

In a futuristic world nearly destroyed by religious extremists, Justin March lives in exile after failing in his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims. But Justin is given a second chance when Mae Koskinen comes to bring him back to the Republic of United North America (RUNA). Raised in an aristocratic caste, Mae is now a member of the military’s most elite and terrifying tier, a soldier with enhanced reflexes and skills.

When Justin and Mae are assigned to work together to solve a string of ritualistic murders, they soon realize that their discoveries have exposed them to terrible danger. As their investigation races forward, unknown enemies and powers greater than they can imagine are gathering in the shadows, ready to reclaim the world in which humans are merely game pieces on their board.

Dara: Yay! About time we had this discussion, chicas! :p

Alicia: Some of us have day jobs, ya know.

Kenya: Yes. Alicia works on the streets. The streets are hot now. Corner work is no joke!

Alicia: Not during the day. Business would be too slow.

Kenya: Awww.

Alicia: Okay, so let's kick off this discussion.

Dara: I'm ready! (to get it over with) :p

Kenya: Can I say that our book discussions get around 2000 views on the blog? Pretty cool.

Alicia: For July, I picked Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead.

Kenya: I feel like it's due to me.

Alicia: Can I go on? x-(

Kenya: *waits for you all to thank her*

Dara: Yes, continue...

Megan: Of course.

Kenya: So Gameboard of the Gods, or as I like to say it...constipation of the soul.

Alicia: Throughout the month, there was lots of grumbling about the book on Twitter. So the first thing I wanna know is, besides me, who finished it?

Megan: I did...not...

Dara: I quit as soon as I got to 30%. I couldn't take it. AAAAAHHHH!

Alicia: And if you didn't finish it, how far did you get?

Megan: 30%

Kenya: My doctor said I couldn't finish because it was battering with my insides. 30%.

Alicia: Honestly, I would have quit too, if I hadn't picked the book. Plus, I didn't want us to be on this chat with everyone having quit.

Kenya: Why not?

Alicia: Then we'd just be like an angry mob. Not so great for a discussion.

Kenya: Awww. Richelle Mead suck up.

Megan: I kind of like being an angry mob. With our chain poms.


Dara: I don't DNF very many books and I happen to love Richelle Mead's other series, but...this...ummm... *yawn*

Alicia: I found some good things about the book—kind of. So I will attempt to be the devil's advocate.

Megan: Good luck.

Alicia: I'm gonna need it. So what did you guys think about Mae, the main character?

Megan: Boring!

Kenya: Boring!!

Alicia: And Justin?

Dara: Meh.

Kenya: Meh.

Alicia: Could you be more specific please?

Kenya: Really boring.


Dara: I have no feelings for Mae. I just couldn't...I just couldn't...meh.

Alicia: You ladies do realize that one purpose of these discussions is to inform readers about the book? You're failing at that.

Kenya: She came off cold and one-dimensional. If I was given a quiz about her, I couldn't pass it. What does she like? Does she smile?

Dara: Okay...how about this: I think I fell asleep during the sex scene.


Megan: The first scene at the funeral practically put me to sleep. I just didn't care.

Alicia: Thank you, Megan, for a useful comment!

Kenya: What makes her happy? Sure she can fight, but I can't relate to her at all.

Megan: Lol, I know it's bad when you say my comments are useful.

Alicia: I’m being a cheerleader.

Dara: I just wasn't emotionally invested at all.

Megan: I wish she would have given us a little more background about RUNA and the world.

Kenya: I didn't care if the hero or heroine died. In fact, their deaths would have been an improvement.

Dara: I thought the world building was too much. We get it. Damn...more emotions please.

Kenya: There was no world building, just the placement of insignificant details of futuristic shit!

Megan: I didn't even know what RUNA stood for until I went back and read the blurb.


Kenya: It fucking pissed me off!

Alicia: You know how when it's a home game and your team is getting slaughtered, and it's clear to you why they're getting slaughtered, but it's your job to cheer? This is me. And I have to disagree that there was no world-building

Dara: Ummm...there was tons of world building. Too much. I like to use my own imagination, thank you.

Alicia: But I also think a lot of details about the world that seemed all over the place came together toward the end.

Dara: Well I wouldn't know about the end.

Alicia: Early on, I was thinking: Why do I care about the Cain disease, which has nothing to do with nothing? But it turned out to be relevant.

Kenya: The RUNA is the Republic of North America. I searched it on Goodreads.

Megan: Lol!

Alicia: And all these religious groups, and religions being outlawed, and genetic scores...Why? But it came together.

Kenya: When? At 50% of the damn book?

Alicia: Even though I thought the world-building made sense and was not superfluous, I also thought the presentation of material was not well done.

Megan: I thought the POV of the younger girl was super boring.

Kenya: Dear god, yes.

Megan: I wanted to scratch my eyes out.

Kenya: I mean seriously? WTF, Richelle? WTF?

Alicia: Oh yeah, that chick's POV was totally pointless—that's coming from someone who read the entire book, by the way. It never got better.

Dara: I wanted to quit when the sex scene bored me. I mean...how can a sex scene make me yawn? But it did.


Kenya: Let's discuss what drugs the author was doing at the time of writing it. We all do drugs when we write, right?

Megan: LOL @ Kenya! Yes that sex scene...oh man that was bad.

Alicia: Wait. For a minute there, I forgot I was the cheerleader. Okay..cheerleader's back.

Kenya: I get when you don't want to info-dump the world building, but goodness throw us a bone. And throw the bone in the first 5%.

Alicia: Do you guys know why the sex scene was boring? Why didn't it work for you?

Kenya: Because it had boring characters involved in the sex...

Megan: ‘Cause we are sick fucks?

Dara: I just wasn't emotionally connected to the sexy time she had going on. I'm honestly not even sure why.

Alicia: I'm seeing like a 22% effort from you ladies at providing helpful comments. Can we bring that up to 50% please?

Dara: Hey, hey, I bet our chat is more interesting at 22% than the book.

Kenya: How about you kiss my ass! You assigned this drivel!

Alicia: Yeah...sorry about that. :-/

Kenya: Back to Bukakke and its relation to this book? Anybody?

Alicia: Okay, so I’m ignoring Kenya, and now I am going to say good things...

Kenya: After reading 30%, I felt like someone spurted all over my face! And not just one…many.

Dara: *sigh* Kenya

Megan: I am laughing so hard...my dog thinks I'm nuts.

Alicia: The last 25% or so of the book was actually not bad. It became clear that some gods were struggling for power. Justin got more in touch with his spiritual self. They both interacted with supernatural beings. There was fighting and stuff. So back to you guys: Is there anything at all that you liked about the book? Any redeeming characteristics?

Dara: I liked that I didn't have to read any more after 30%.

Kenya: So can you answer this for me, Alicia? Did you end up being glad you finished?

Alicia: Kenya, if I hadn't picked the book, I would have quit at about 5%. Quitting at 50% would have been the worst-case scenario, because then I would have put in a lot of investment and gotten zero payoff. I did think there were some good scenes toward the end. That being said, did I enjoy the book?...I am the cheerleader...so...I'm gonna pass on that question.

Kenya: Richelle can write, but we all know that. I think she was being more experimental this time, and it just didn't work.


Dara: The concept of the book was good, but my major problem was the snooze fest. The characters just didn't make me want to care about them. I still love Richelle, just not this book.


Kenya: I mean seriously? WTF, Richelle? WTF?

Megan: I can't really think of anything about the book that I liked.

Megan: I didn't get the impression that Justin was a doctor or whatever in the beginning. That just didn't fit how she presented him.

Alicia: He wasn't a doctor. Where did you get doctor from?

Kenya: He was a scientist.

Alicia: No, he wasn't. Wow, people. Wow.

Megan: Yes, but he had a doctorate title is what I mean.

Kenya: Wtf was he?

Dara: He was boring.

Kenya: He talked to people in his head. And he invented shit.

Megan: Lol @ the crows in his head!

Kenya: Oh, they were crows?

Dara: The crows were messengers of the Gods. Or I'm guessing since I didn't finish reading it.

Kenya: I thought they were spirits in his head. The shit isn't clear.

Alicia: You're right, Dara! Gold star,

Dara: Yay! Gold Star! Whoot-whoot!

Alicia: Messengers from just one god, actually.

Dara: See, I didn't need to read it.

Alicia: He's a "servitor." His job was basically make sure religious cults stayed in line, and to take away their licenses to practice as needed.

Kenya: Yeah but before that. He was a doctor.

Megan: I thought he was just nuts.

Alicia: I don’t think he was a doctor.

Kenya: He was so a fucking doctor!

Megan: They called him Dr. Whateverhisnamewas.

Kenya: Thanks, Megan. You tell her!

Alicia: You didn't even read the book. Shush. You know nothing, Kenya Wright.

Kenya: You know nothing, Alicia Snow!

Dara: He wasn't a doctor, guys. Just like, technically, you can call anyone with a PhD a doctor. Smh.

Alicia: Thank you, Dara. He wasn't a medical doctor!

Megan: Right, he had his doctorate though?

Dara: He was an equivalent of a profiler of some sort.

Kenya: That's what I meant.

Megan: Can we start calling me Dr. Megan? I think I am more qualified than Justin.

Kenya: But didn't he invent stuff beforehand?

Dara: Dr. Dara has a nice ring to it. ;)

Alicia: I have a Master's. You may call me Master Alicia. Thanks for your cooperation.


Kenya: So…Bukkake…

Dara: Call me Domme Dara. ;)

Alicia: I think we're done beating this dead horse. We’re not even interested in the book enough to actually discuss it.

Kenya: Yes. Dear god!

Alicia: Star ratings, people. How much did you hate it? I bet Dara declines to rate, ‘cause she's a pussy.

Dara: I'm back to my "no comment" policy. ;)

Alicia: Told ya so.

Megan: I don't really even want to rate it...but I will give it one star.


Kenya: I give this 1 star.


Dara: Don't care. You can call me whatever. :p

Alicia: Okay, pussy.

Kenya: Smdh. So mature, Alicia.

Alicia: That's Master Alicia

Kenya: Dear god.

Megan: Oh hell.

Kenya: What is your star rating, Alicia?

Alicia: 2 stars :-/


Kenya: Smdh. Why a second star? Such a suck up.

Dara: Wow, after all of that only 2 stars?

Alicia: I know *hangs head* worst cheerleader ever.

Kenya: Ever!

Megan: You're off the squad!

Alicia: The squad makes me work too hard anyway. It's tough work cheering for a losing team.

Kenya: Well at least I know you have taste.

Dara: Now we can put this book behind us and forget it ever existed. Except in my nightmares.

March Book of the Month: Written in Red by Anne Bishop

Our March book of the month was Written in Red, by Anne Bishop. It's the middle of April now. And just for the record, the reason it took me so long to post this is that Kenya couldn't be bothered to do her reading. Not that I'm throwing her under the bus or anything—but this is entirely her fault.

You can read more about our book of the month feature here.

WRITTEN IN RED
by Anne Bishop

As a cassandra sangue, or blood prophet, Meg Corbyn can see the future when her skin is cut—a gift that feels more like a curse. Meg’s Controller keeps her enslaved so he can have full access to her visions. But when she escapes, the only safe place Meg can hide is at the Lakeside Courtyard—a business district operated by the Others.

Shape-shifter Simon Wolfgard is reluctant to hire the stranger who inquires about the Human Liaison job. First, he senses she’s keeping a secret, and second, she doesn’t smell like human prey. Yet a stronger instinct propels him to give Meg the job. And when he learns the truth about Meg and that she’s wanted by the government, he’ll have to decide if she’s worth the fight between humans and the Others that will surely follow.

Alicia: So what did you think of Written in Red?

Kenya: It started off interesting but slow.

Alicia: I agree. It still intrigued me because of the differences between humans and the Others. But action junkies (like you) might have trouble with it.

Kenya: First of all, you don't start off with "A Brief History of the World." Are you fucking kidding me?

Alicia: Oh yeah, I skipped right over that.

Kenya: I was disappointed that she just info-dumped a whole chapter

Alicia: That was crap and so typical of why I usually skip over prologues.

Kenya: It is cheating. Slowly build the world. And once I got through all the history, I was pretty much bored. I also hated the different POVs.

Alicia: But sometimes multi-POV works for you. Why didn't it work here?

Kenya: Take George R.R. Martin. He picks a few characters and sticks with them the whole ride. The reader isn't shocked or surprised. Plus, Martin does it in a certain rhythm. By a quarter of the book, the reader knows to expect a switch at each chapter. I felt like this book was dipping in and out of different heads.

Alicia: I did find the switches in Written in Red to be unpredictable at times.

Kenya: With no format. And ASS.
:-(

Alicia: What does ass have to do with anything?

Kenya: Anne Bishop wrote this book with her ass.

Alicia: You just wanted to use the word ass.

Kenya: She stuck a pen in her anus and just wiggled out a novel.

Alicia: Oh gods. I'm going to pretend I didn't just read that.

Kenya: She writes good books. I read her fantasy series long ago. Something about hot demons, Satan, and this really powerful witch. Those books rocked. And they switched POV but in a practical way. Chapter to chapter.

Alicia: So here's how I feel about Written in Red: it's a concept book. The Others are feral and animalistic and they contrast with the humans. Each group of the Others has characteristics of its animal counterpart. The Wolves like to play and chase—and they eat meat, including humans. The Hawks eat mice. The crows like shiny things and like to play with pencils and sticks. That was really entertaining at times. But for a lot of people, it's not going to be enough. There really wasn't much going on except for exploration of these difference beings.

Kenya: Okay that was cool. But I couldn't figure out a set plot, besides "there is something mysterious going on."

Alicia: My main issue with it wasn't how slow it was, since I was entertained anyway. My main issue was that there was quite a bit of telling, instead of showing. Some entire scenes were made up of Simon or Meg just thinking about stuff that happened. That's cheating! Show, don't tell.

Kenya: *makes a ghost noise

Alicia: Okay, it took me a second to get that. You’re booing. :P

Kenya: Yes. Like I said she wrote it with her ass.

Alicia: I'm still ignoring that. Okay, so any favorite lines? Or awful lines?

Kenya: Oh yeah. It's a scene so be patient, but not a long scene.

Alicia: You are taking too long to type it. For the record, I already typed out my quote, and all I have to do is paste it in the chat window. But I also read the entire book, so we know which one of us is the slacker here.

Kenya: "Do you know the joke about what happened to the dinosaurs?” Burke asked as Monty opened the office door. "No, sir." Burke didn't smile. "The Others is what happened to the dinosaurs."
That's my favorite scene.

Alicia: Yeah, that was a good one. Okay, so mine is part of a letter written to the Others' advice columnist. The letter-writer is an Other who took home a human guy, and they were getting frisky. And the Other writing the letter for advice says, "I got a little excited when he began to play push-away after I nipped him and, well, I ended up biting him on the thigh. It wasn't a big bite—didn't even need stitching--and despite what he claimed, it really wasn't all that close to his chew toy."

Kenya: Huh? What's his chew toy? His penis?

Alicia: Are seriously telling me you don't understand a penis joke when you see it? You disappoint me.

Kenya: Chew toy. Ewww. Ur sick.

Alicia: Dude, it’s not like I wrote it. And I guess I should also mention that Wolf pups sometimes use animal penises as chew toys.

Kenya: Lmao! Wtf, that is so insane. I'm eating over here, dude!
:-/
Go on timeout!

Alicia: Well, you should have been giving me your full attention, instead of eating.

Kenya: I'm gonna need you to not talk to me for a few minutes.

Alicia: Sure. But first give me your rating for the book please. I give it four stars. How many stars for you?

Kenya: Two.

January Book of the Month: Pivot Point by Kasie West

This year, we've started a new feature—a book of the month buddy read. Each month we pick a book, and Kenya and I both read it. Then we discuss it in an instant message chat and post an edited version of the chat here.

Our January BotM was Pivot Point. Yes, yes, I know it's February now! We'll try to post the BotM argument discussion during the designated month, but we won't always have time for a proper argument discussion before the month's end.

You can read more about our book of the month feature here. And feel free to read along in the future!

Pivot Point
by Kasie West

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

The Characters
Alicia: What did you think of Addie? And Trevor and Duke?
Addie’s best friend Laila was a throwaway character. Same old outgoing chick who gets into trouble.
Kenya: This is true. She was the cliché I'm-going-to-push-you-to-date-guys best friend. I get that these girls are out there. I'm exactly like this with my friends. But I'd like to see a new best friend character type.
Alicia: So . . . you're a cliché?
Kenya: Yes. But a HOT SEXY CLICHÉ!
Alicia: I don't think clichés can be hot and sexy. “An expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has been overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect.”
Kenya: They definitely can. I'm living proof!
Alicia: I'm so turned on.
Kenya: *flicks on gay porn . . .
Alicia: I'm gonna need you to get over the gay porn.
Kenya: Not happening. It's my new love.
Alicia: So what did we think of Addie? She was relatively rational, and you know my YA pet peeve is irrational heroines. So that's a plus for me.
Kenya: To me, she seemed like two completely different people in each path. She runs from Duke in one path, but she's rushing after Trevor in the other.
Alicia: Yeah, but she pursued Trevor as a friend, and it just turned into something more. I actually think that was indicative of the same character trait that made her run from Duke. She didn't want to admit her feelings for Trevor. I also think that, when she was with Duke, she was kind of overshadowed by the popular kids. I liked her better when she was with Trevor.
Kenya: :-o @ overshadowed by popular kids. Good point. Duke was cliché for me.
Alicia: Yes!
Kenya: But I didn't finish the book so . . .
Alicia: There was a little twist with his ending, but it fit within his cliché desire to be the popular guy. I thought her relationship with Trevor was cute. How they started with jokingly passing notes about zombie-killing. Seems like something I'd do.
Kenya: I absolutely loved the zombie killing stuff! That was the best part of the book.

The Plot
Kenya: Truthfully, I stopped at Chapter 15 and still am not sure what the book is about. My assumption of the plot: A girl checks out two future paths to decide which parent to live with after a divorce.
*shrugs and continues watching gay porn
Alicia: I think it was about a lot. In one future, her dad was investigating a murder that seemed to relate to this one guy in particular, and in the other future her best friend kept running into that guy. And it kind of all blew up at the end. I really enjoyed how the plots wove together. Very Sliding Doors.
Kenya: It really is fascinating. (Gay porn, I mean.)
Alicia: I'm just ignoring you now.
And after the search was over, the choice she had to make was so hard because both futures had major downsides. It was a little heartbreaking. I had serious feels!
Kenya: You know what I hated? Addie was so mean to her mom, but not her dad.
Alicia: We're not discussing characters anymore! Stop trying to contribute when you didn’t do your homework! You get an F at reading.
Kenya: Fine! :-/

Favorite Line or Scene
Alicia: So . . . I didn't know we were going to do the fave line thing, so I didn't highlight any good ones on my Kindle.
Kenya: You suck! Let me get my iPad out. I always highlight. It is called Close Reading. As a writer you should be Close Reading.
Alicia: As a writer, you should be kissing my behind. And I think it’s only Close Reading if you actually finish the book.
Kenya: :-o
Alicia: Okay, I have one thing highlighted that I thought was cute, but I dunno if it's my fave. When Duke is trying to get with Addie, and she says they have nothing in common: "We're like magnets, Addie,” he calls after me.
Kenya: :-( You would pick that.
Alicia: I don't like your attitude.
Kenya: Here is my favorite scene: "You sound happy. Why are you happy?" Laila asks.
I start to put away my laundry. "Because I'm going out with Trevor and his friends on Friday."
Alicia: Are you going to type out the entire scene? ’Cause I'm bored right now.
Is this going to take long?
See how much I typed, and you haven't finished yet.
*bored
Kenya: "Aw, I'm like a proud mother bird watching my daughter fly from the nest. Fly, little bird, fly. Oh no! Don't fall. No, that's the ground. Addie, watch out for the ground. Man, tough luck. You'd better come back home."
Done.
(impatient a-hole)
Alicia: Oh, yeah, that was awesome. That definitely gets the best-line award!
Kenya: *returns to gay porn

World-Building
Alicia: World-building?
Kenya: Not bad. Decent. She didn't drag on and drop info dumps. She slipped in valuable info at great times.
Alicia: Yeah, I thought it was integrated well. And right away, she introduced the mental ability to change other people’s perceptions of their surroundings. The mental superpowers were cool.
Kenya: For example: Duke talks to her and says, "Are you a Naturalist? Do you want us to merge with Normal society?" Great slip in without boring me.
Alicia: It seemed realistic—like there could really be a compound where these psychologically advanced people hang out. Good example. I may increase your reading grade to a D.

Would you take it to bed with you?
Alicia: Well, I adored it. I thought it was so unique and fun, and the ending blew me away. So yes! I'm excited to get my hands on the sequel. I want to know what happens with Addie and her love interests because that was left open-ended after she chose one of the future paths.
Kenya: Yes. I would take it to bed with me, but only to prop under my feet as I read something else. I believe the writing and world rocked! But this book just wasn't my thing. I love dark, edgy, action-packed scenes or hot sensual scenes. This simply wasn't for me, but I believe that others will devour it.
Alicia: “Sensual scenes”? Dude, it's YA.
Kenya: Which guy did she pick?
Alicia: I'm not telling you that. If you had done your reading, you’d know the answer.