{"id":24146,"date":"2014-03-03T22:31:13","date_gmt":"2014-03-04T02:31:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=24146"},"modified":"2014-03-03T22:47:27","modified_gmt":"2014-03-04T02:47:27","slug":"stand-out-authors-laini-taylor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=24146","title":{"rendered":"Stand-out Authors: Laini Taylor"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>I’m doing a series on Stand-out Authors<\/a> — Authors whose books are 2013 Sonderbooks Stand-outs<\/a>, but are not making their first appearances on my lists.<\/p>\n

Laini Taylor is another who has a Sonderbooks Stand-out for the fourth time this year.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>I first read her books in 2009. The first one I read was Dreamdark: Blackbringer<\/a><\/em>, which I thought was excellent, and gave a starred review. Then I read its sequel, Silksinger<\/a><\/em>, and was completely blown away. Silksinger<\/em> was #6 in Fantasy Teen Fiction on the 2009 Sonderbooks Stand-outs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The same year, I read Lips Touch: Three Times<\/a><\/em>, an innovative collection of three highly original stories. That book was #8 in Fantasy Teen Fiction the same year.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Laini Taylor began a new series in 2011, which is consistently excellent. The first book, Daughter of Smoke and Bone<\/a><\/em>, was #2 in Teen Fiction, Fantasy on my 2011 Sonderbooks Stand-outs<\/a>, with an amazing story about a devil in love with an angel.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>And I read the second book in the series this past year, and wasn’t a bit surprised when it was also a Stand-out. Days of Blood and Starlight<\/a><\/em> was #7 in Teen Fiction on my 2013 Sonderbooks Stand-outs<\/a>, continuing the dramatic story.<\/p>\n

What I noticed about Laini Taylor’s books right from the start is she has the resonance of folklore themes — but not your traditional western folklore. There are twists to these fairies, angels, and demons. She has a whole new perspective, and her imagination stands out. I have no doubt whatsoever that her books will continue to appear on my Stand-outs lists for many years to come.<\/p>\n

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