Tag: Fantasy (Page 34 of 121)

BOOK REVIEW: The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air #2) by Holly Black

March 6, 2019 / Arielle / 0 Comments

The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air #2)
by Holly Black
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.

The first lesson is to make yourself strong.

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.

“Carda—” I remember myself and sink into a bow. “Your Infernal Majesty.”

I honestly feel like I am one of the last people on GR to have read this book. I want to commend all of you, though, because even though I did skim a lot of reviews and saw a million different versions of the sentence “WTF THAT ENDING, THO” I never once was spoiled! Do you know how rare that is?!?!? I think you all probably do. So great job, everyone. I really appreciate it because even though I was dreading/terrified of finding out what the ending was, I really thought I might have figured it out before I did. Hahahahahah nope. What a sucker punch. You better believe I have loads to say about it under a spoiler tag later on…

Cardan gives me a look up through his lashes that I find hard to interpret and then rises, too. He takes my hand. “Nothing is sweeter,” he says, kissing the back of it, “but that which is scarce.”

Soooo basically this book was WAY better than the first. I liked the first, I liked the characters, but looking back I hadn’t connected like I should have. I was sucked into this one immediately. It seemed like we hit the ground running with Jude, right on the very first page. She already had so many schemes going on and I was so nervous for her. Honestly even though Cardan is the appeal factor in this series, Jude makes the entire thing. SHE IS SO BAD ASS. I’ve been thinking about this for a few days now and I think Black went above and beyond with her character. There were points in both books where I would…get annoyed (?) whenever she mentioned being frightened when she was around a certain character or her life was being threatened. I kept thinking, ‘Jude, you’ve lived in this place all your life and look how far you’ve made it! Why are you scared??’ BUT. YOU GUYS. That is so dumb of me because she’s human! And mortal! And her body is relatively so fragile. And…I honestly think that all of those facts make it that much more impressive that she tricked Cardan into taking the crown and became his seneschal and literally every other plot she’s put into movement. And the fact that she’s tricked faeries that have been alive for probably centuries is just….it’s so good. I love her. And I also love that even though she’s accomplished all of those things, she’s completely clueless when it comes to feelings involving Cardan. I’m leaving that subject alone though haha. That’s for the reader to enjoy alllll on their own.

“You made me the High King, Jude. Let me be the High King.”

AND SPEAKING OF CARDAN. I fell so much deeper in this book. My interest was certainly piqued in the last 25% of CP but in this one we get to know him so much better and find out that he has so much more to him than you initially would think. He’s funny AF. SO FUNNY. He *cares* about Jude. He has what it takes to truly be a really great king. I mean, wow. I was glued to very single interaction between him and Jude. Like she just didn’t get it and that can’t be more funny to me (while also wanting to hug her and then let her know) hahaha. How could he have been more clear??!?!

Now it is time for me to spew spoilers under a tag below this SO IF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW, DON’T LOOK!

Maybe I wouldn’t have to be afraid to love him. Maybe it would be okay. Maybe I wouldn’t have to be scared of all the things I’ve been scared of my whole life, of being diminished and weak and lesser. Maybe I would become a little bit magic.

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BLOG TOUR + GIVEAWAY + REVIEW: To Best the Boys by Mary Weber

March 1, 2019 / Arielle / 2 Comments

To Best the Boys by Mary Weber
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Every year for the past fifty-four years, the residents of Pinsbury Port receive a mysterious letter inviting all eligible-aged boys to compete for an esteemed scholarship to the all-male Stemwick University. Every year, the poorer residents look to see that their names are on the list. The wealthier look to see how likely their sons are to survive. And Rhen Tellur opens it to see if she can derive which substances the ink and parchment are created from, using her father’s microscope.

In the province of Caldon, where women are trained in wifely duties and men are encouraged into collegiate education, sixteen-year-old Rhen Tellur wants nothing more than to become a scientist. As the poor of her seaside town fall prey to a deadly disease, she and her father work desperately to find a cure. But when her Mum succumbs to it as well? Rhen decides to take the future into her own hands—through the annual all-male scholarship competition.

With her cousin, Seleni, by her side, the girls don disguises and enter Mr. Holm’s labyrinth, to best the boys and claim the scholarship prize. Except not everyone’s ready for a girl who doesn’t know her place. And not everyone survives the maze.

Review:

What do you want?
I want my mum to live.
I want the right to earn an education.
I want to be the first female scientist.
I want to create my own happiness.
I want . . .

Okay this was a really interestingly good book. Like I almost don’t even know how to begin this review???? This is another case of me starting an ARC, being interrupted and reading a million other books, and then finally finishing it. Luckily, I finished the last 52% today all in one sitting so it’s still really resonating with me at this moment.

I think the biggest thing that stuck out to me was the writing. Weber is a new-to-me author so I really had had no idea what to expect. Sometimes though, you can tell right away whether or not you are going to like an author’s writing or not. With this book, I literally was entranced within the first paragraph. I can’t really put my finger on what it is about it but I can tell you right now that it was quality writing. I’m actually really happy I immediately thought of the word entranced to describe it. I think the same can be said about the actual story, too.

Like…..it was just so unique. There were times throughout the book where I found myself very interested in this world that Weber created because it all could feel very foreign at certain points but never in a way that made me feel disconnected. At times the language that was used and customs that were mentioned seemed to be a nod at almost a medieval, old fairy tale kind of place??? They all referred to each other and Miss and Mr and women were expected to just become mothers and wives but then Rhen and her father also worked on vaccines and she experimented on rats and dead bodies and there was a king and also an eccentric old man who no one had ever seen but hosted a game within a labyrinth and all these other things that kind of didn’t make sense together but also weirdly meshed and made sense and the same time. That was an incredibly long and convoluted sentence but that’s also how I felt reading this at times lol. BUT NOT IN A BAD WAY! That’s why it’s so hard to explain!

So basically I’m just going to stop trying so that you can pick this book up for yourself and be sucked into this new world and be entranced yourselves!

I will say this, though. I LOVED the characters. Rhen was so amazing and was a genius (while also having dyslexia and never letting it slow her down). She never tried to be anything other than who she was or tried to pretend like her interests (medicine and science and dead bodies) were any different to impress ANYONE. In fact, I loved that when she was truly happy she seemed to word vomit facts about the human body and it made me laugh and love her a little more every single time. Seleni and Beryll, too, were interesting and well fleshed out and I LOVED how Seleni always supported her cousin to the very end. And Lute. OH LUTE. BBF. Like from the very first time he was mentioned I knew I was going to love him and he never let me or Rhen down. Ugh what a dream boat.

This, overall, is just purely a tale that warmed my freakin heart. I loved every single bit of Rhen and what she achieved over the course of this book (just all sorts of women empowerment in general). I loved that she didn’t have to sacrifice any bit of her happiness at the end, either. I was worried she might have to for a hot second. I also loved that note from Weber at the end explaining that certain characters were representative of people in her own life (Rhen having dyslexia and Lute’s brother having what seemed like autism to me). So while those things might seem different to other people who have dyslexia or know people with Down syndrome and autism, these specific characters and traits came from the people she knew and loved. I had an uncle with Down syndrome and he lived with my parents and me for the last four years of his life when I was in high school and community college. You don’t know what it’s like to be a caregiver to someone with those special needs unless you actually are one. Even with this challenges and specific quirks, I LOVED having him with us because it meant that I now have a better understanding and love for people with Down syndrome. I loved him more than almost anyone in my entire life so knowing Lute acted as caretaker for his mother and brother like that made me love him so much more than I already did.

Gotta wrap things up before this gets too crazy long but I also kind of liked that this was a standalone? Or is it??? Seems like it is. I haven’t read a great fantasy standalone in who knows how long but everything was tied up perfectly in my opinion. I very much recommend!

“You take this world and make it what it should be. And don’t let the beliefs of a backward system define you. You are the one who has to live with the future, baby girl. So you live it. You understand?”

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.♥

Giveaway:

✮ Enter to win 1 of 2 finished copies of To Best the Boys by Mary Weber (1 INTERNATIONAL winner & 1 US ONLY winner)

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About Mary Weber:

Hi. I write books. I eat things. I kiss things. I believe in mermaids.

I’m also the author of the Storm Siren Trilogy, The Evaporation of Sofi Snow series, and the March 2019 release, To Best the Boys. When not working, I sing 80’s hairband songs to my three muggle children, and ogle my husband who looks strikingly like Wolverine. We live in California, which is perfect for stalking aging movie stars while wearing fanny packs and sweatpants.

For those who like to know such things (mainly my mom), Storm Siren was featured in the Scholastic Book Fair and my novels have been endorsed by such nice humans as Marissa Meyer, CJ Redwine, Shannon Messenger, and Jonathan Maberry (in fact, Marissa Meyer and I have a fun interview in the paperback of her book, CRESS). Also, Boba tea & sweatpants are life. {We can chat about life (in sweatpants over tea, obviously) in my Newsletter.

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BOOK REVIEW: The Lost Sisters (The Folk of the Air #1.5) by Holly Black

February 27, 2019 / Chelsea / 1 Comment

The Lost Sisters (The Folk of the Air #1.5)
by Holly Black
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Sometimes the difference between a love story and a horror story is where the ending comes . . .

While Jude fought for power in the Court of Elfhame against the cruel Prince Cardan, her sister Taryn began to fall in love with the trickster, Locke.

Half-apology and half-explanation, it turns out that Taryn has some secrets of her own to reveal.

The Lost Sisters is a companion e-novella to the New York Times bestselling novel The Cruel Prince by master writer Holly Black.

Let’s start with a love story.
Or maybe it’s another horror story. It seems like the difference is mostly in where the ending comes.

LOOK. We all know this girl is OBSESSED with her boy Cardan, her homegirl Jude, and this wonderful world of twists and turns, lies and betrayals. Is it really so shocking to know I loved this story, too? Even if it was about that-that-Ugh, That GIRL Tarryn? I did like Tarryn-frankly, I still do. Especially since I get what it’s like to be enraptured by a guy and all the stories he’s woven around you. I get that part-even sympathize.

Be bold, be bold, but not too bold.

HOWEVER. HOWEVERRRRR. I hate Locke-and I HATE something about WK to do with Tarryn. I know. I KNOW. That’s not fair to this story! But, alas, life is not fair and I didn’t get this review done before finishing WK, so SUE ME OKAY. I HAVE FEELINGS, OKAY.

Fairy tales have a moral: Stay on the path. Don’t trust wolves. Don’t steal things, not even things you think no normal person would care about. Share your food but don’t trust people who want to share their food with you; don’t eat their shiny red apples, nor their candy houses, nor any of it. Be nice, always nice, and polite to everyone: kings and beggars, witches and wounded bears. Don’t break a promise.

SO, I was debating giving this a 5 because…well, why not? I really enjoyed it. It kept me satiated while I waited to get back to the main show, Cardan and Jude. But what I WILL NOT and CANNOT forgive is what is in book three, and I have to say that this book only slightly helped her plight…in that sense. Before WK, I was kind of extremely sympathetic. Now I’m like…burn in Hell with Locke, B****.

Be good, but not too good. Be pretty, but not too pretty. Be honest, but not too honest. Maybe no one got lucky. Maybe it was too hard.

So. Yup. My feels are, once again, scattered across the wind and spread across faerie where my heart truly lies. Cardan <3

************

Annnndddd who’s finally ready to DEVOUR Wicked King tomorrow??

Guiltyyyy.

I’ll probably write a small review on this one…probably ha I don’t much care to read anything more on Locke, so eh

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BOOK REVIEW: The Winter of the Witch (Winternight Trilogy #3) by Katherine Arden

February 22, 2019 / Chelsea / 2 Comments

The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Following their adventures in The Bear and the Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower, Vasya and Morozko return in this stunning conclusion to the bestselling Winternight Trilogy, battling enemies mortal and magical to save both Russias, the seen and the unseen.

Now Moscow has been struck by disaster. Its people are searching for answers—and for someone to blame. Vasya finds herself alone, beset on all sides. The Grand Prince is in a rage, choosing allies that will lead him on a path to war and ruin. A wicked demon returns, stronger than ever and determined to spread chaos. Caught at the center of the conflict is Vasya, who finds the fate of two worlds resting on her shoulders. Her destiny uncertain, Vasya will uncover surprising truths about herself and her history as she desperately tries to save Russia, Morozko, and the magical world she treasures. But she may not be able to save them all.

**ARC Provided via netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

Many say, better to die, until the time comes to actually do it, Morozko had told her once. He was right.

So, this series was a true love-hate thing for me. Yet, as a month and a half has passed since I finished it and have had sour thoughts about since, I can’t help, as I start writing this review, to have fond feelings for this story-so I guess that tells more than any nasty feelings that lingered. I hated the first, but loved the setting, the vivid storytelling (when it wasn’t talking about something totally triggerish for me), and, of course, Morozko. So I read the second-And I just plain adored it. Many times it’s not enough for the guy to be the only appealing thing to me, but, for this one, I really just had to know more about the mysterious Winter King and his oddly protective personality-even though, over the course of the series, he said time and again that he couldn’t always be around to protect Vasya, that it was taking him away from his duties, and that he wouldn’t ever do it again so be warned. Yet, every single time she was in danger…a certain freezing cold and rain or snow would assist our daring Vasya, and we just knew who couldn’t help himself from not letting her die. How romantically thrilling.

“I do not like him.”
“I fear,” said Sergei, “that he does not care in the slightest.”

And I finished this book around Christmas, or right before, what-have-you…and couldn’t find the words to write the review. After everything, this is what we were left with? Yeah, it was good. But, gone was what made me fall in love with this series, which was how Vasya was so strong, and how Morozko picked up the pieces and was relentless when she couldn’t be. I loved that. No matter how trigger-happy, nor how angry I got, I always loved that about this series, which is why I finished in the first place. Morozko had sacrificed so much over the course of this series, therefore he was at his weakest in this book-so we didn’t get to see many of theses moments (Though, he still continued to sacrifice all he had, in the only ways he could). It hurt me deeply, even though I know the goal was to show Vasya’s growth and what she can do to save her city on her own. But, with all the bullcrap surrounding these epic moments, the lack of Morozko was hard to swallow.

“…that is the only way you can play for everything, when you do not fear to lose.”

For all the triggers in all the lands of these books, one thing has stood out above all that that I just….just…could not stand, and that’s that bastard priest that was a thorn in my side from book one on. Can he just not, like, DISAPPEAR?! Go. Away.

YOU CAN’T SIT WITH US. He ruined so much and caused so much pain, heartache, and desperation that I could barely stand the series because of it. But, alas, he’s gone nowhere, and here we are.

Raising her head, she snapped at him, “Did you bring me here to watch me bleed to death? You are going to be disappointed. I am getting used to spiting people by surviving.”

TRIGGERS: Death, animal death (TRAUMATIC), child deaths, scary moments for weaklings such as I, and, like, so much more? What am I forgetting? Abuse at the hands of a misinformed and angry mob? And, for book two, which is what really hurt me most out of this whole series…a baby death. I have never been okay with this moment and, had it been erased from this series and book two, I think I could stomach it more.

“I knew you couldn’t do without me!” cried Ded Grib, triumphantly. “Even if now you have allies that are bigger.” He gave the Bear a very hard look.
“This is going to be a terrible war,” the Bear interjected. “What damage do you expect to do with a mushroom?”

I am a very sensitive soul, so when a mother is weeping for her child (book one) or an animal is slaughtered (1, 2, and 3) or burnt to death (2) or a baby dies traumatically and because of a selfish heroine (2) I cannot. I cannot I cannot and I will not. Yet, again, here we are. I feel fondly of this series…even after all this. All the tears. All the heartache. It all hurts. But I still, in a weird way…imagine skimming all that to get to the bright and amazing and shining parts. So I guess, again, that speaks louder than my angry reviews.

Which leads me here-Do I want these absolutely STUNNING books on my shelf? Yes. Will I get them? I don’t know. Is it worth it? There is so much heartache and sadness. Despair. But then-Morozko. Romantic peril. My baby Solovey. And those gorgeous covers. Here we are. Again. And again. And again.

None of the tales spoke of both wanting and resentment, of grand gestures and terrible mistakes.

Most enjoyable, to me, in order:

The Girl in the Tower (Favorite, might even just buy this one)
The Winter of the Witch
The Bear and the Nightingale

******************

ARC from Netgalley!!!

If I’m being frank, this series was one of the most confusing I’ve ever read-My emotions were all over the place. One minute I would hate the books, then next I would love them. I was sad. I was angry. I was annoyed. My heart would beat fast for Morozko. My heart would leap when Solovey was around. Back to angry again. It was a mess. I was a glass case of emotion. And, if I’m being honest, here is the order of enjoyment of these books:

A Girl in the Tower
The Winter Witch
The Bear and the Nightingale

And I’m not sorry about it.

RTC.

********************

I figured, why not walk straight into the fire? My soul is already broken anyway

Also, BR with the lovely Candace who has kept me sane through all this!

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BOOK REVIEW: Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

February 20, 2019 / Chelsea / 4 Comments

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
OND ELDR. BREATHE FIRE.

Raised to be a warrior, seventeen-year-old Eelyn fights alongside her Aska clansmen in an ancient, rivalry against the Riki clan. Her life is brutal but simple: fight and survive. Until the day she sees the impossible on the battlefield—her brother, fighting with the enemy—the brother she watched die five years ago.

Faced with her brother's betrayal, she must survive the winter in the mountains with the Riki, in a village where every neighbor is an enemy, every battle scar possibly one she delivered. But when the Riki village is raided by a ruthless clan thought to be a legend, Eelyn is even more desperate to get back to her beloved family.

She is given no choice but to trust Fiske, her brother’s friend, who sees her as a threat. They must do the impossible: unite the clans to fight together, or risk being slaughtered one by one. Driven by a love for her clan and her growing love for Fiske, Eelyn must confront her own definition of loyalty and family while daring to put her faith in the people she’s spent her life hating.

My heart pulsed in my veins as the fear pressed down on me, making me feel heavier. It was terrifying—that feeling—like there was something tying me to him. Because if one of us fell into the darkness, the other would too.

Ugh, Guyssss, I keep writing other reviews before this one!!! WHAT. IS. MY. DEAL. Has to be the weather-that’s the only plausible excuse, honestly. Lol. But, really, how can I put into words all the wonderfully conflicted feelings I..ahem..felt while reading this book?

I tried to summon her to me—that Eelyn who would choose her people over anything else. I searched for her within myself, but she was different now. I was different. And it was something that was already done. Something I couldn’t change.

I’ll admit that it took me a minute to truly give myself over, to really immerse, because I didn’t really know what to expect. I’ll say up front that I hate the animal sacrifice shit. I HATE THAT. No matter how small the part, it always twinges my heart-it’s not okay, it’ll never be okay. But, as you can see, I gave this a 5, so I’ll shut up now.

It was what we’d been taught our entire lives—vegr yfir fjor—honor above life.

So why a 5? Easy. Enemies to lovers. Perilous. Hero saves heroine (damsel in distress woot woot!) multiple times. Family bonds. EPIC FINAL BATTLE SCENE OMG (how do so many authors screw this up?). And…I’m sorry…that slow burn romance. I AM TRASH FOR IT, OKAY?! It all added up into a symphony of chaos of epic proportions, and, at some point, I was hooked.

I sat down on the cot, curling up on my side and tried to stay quiet as I wept. But the thing writhing inside me was too angry to be calmed. It was too hurt to be hushed. It was a living, breathing thing and it was trying to swallow me whole. And maybe it would. I cried until I couldn’t cry anymore and only the sound of the fire remained.

I also have always loved books that have that day to day activity stuff. I really have. Especially recently: This. Outlander. The Wall of Winnipeg and Me. KIND OF Diviners. I just have really taken to it. Back a few years ago I’d have been sooooo booooored with all these books where not enough happens and we have to rely on character fueled story-lines. Now, if I find a fantasy where there’s action and then day to day stuff? I am SO SO SO addicted and done for. It’s the weirdest freaking thing.

Something sounded deep inside my chest. Something grinding, breaking against me, like the crack of an avalanche. Something so desperate and angry that it could tear me open.

I don’t think I’m doing this book justice, but I just have so many feelings, yet I can’t explain them. I want to be clear that it had its issues (see above), but just shined too bright for me to not fall hard for it. Like, okay, the brother situation. She needs to grow up a little-after a certain point, it is what it is-take the opportunity and run with it-or pout and lose him in a different way. I think people would disagree with me, but it got repetitive and it was a bit much at times. Then, also, the way she talked about being loyal to her God, like it’s even her choice? At some point, again, I got tired of hearing about how she would be forsaken because she was forced into doing things she didn’t want to do. I couldn’t relate to that. And, at times, the writing, when it was descriptive…lost me. I can’t explain it-I just didn’t always flow with it correctly, and I do that sometimes. It’s a reader error, and I know that, I just have a specific type of writing I love. And, while this bordered on close to perfect to what I like, it lacked the flow I love most.

I stared at the floor. “Is there anything Fiske wouldn’t do for Iri?”
“He loves Iri more than he loves himself, but this isn’t about Iri anymore.”

But, TRULY, these were my only complaints, because everything else was so epic. Fitz was so wonderfully loyal to his family. So kind-hearted. Fierce. Devoted. Heroic. Vengeful on her part-he seeks justice in a way that…ugh, be still my heart. He saved her even when he hated her and feared she’d take a member of his family. The amount of love I have for him is immeasurable, even as I’m too tired to write this review-I’m doing him a great injustice, and it breaks my heart. But, just know, the way he falls for her and does everything in his power to protect her from those who mean her harm-even people he has known his whole life-it makes my heart swell.

He was right. But I wanted to say no. To ask why. I wanted to run as far from Fela as I could. As far from the deep whisper inside of me that spoke when Fiske looked at me the way he looked at me now. The way he did at the river. Like he knew something I didn’t.

And, finally, that last battle scene. Not only was it super well-written, but the way the heroine and hero try to watch out for each other, as they fight separate sides on the battle-I can’t even. Hands down one of my top favorite scenes in this book. I won’t mention the ones that make me sound masochistic, but I will say-one scene, where we (Haha SHE-we knew, a while ago) find out he is in love with her, is one of the most heart-stopping and beautiful scenes I’ve ever read. The vivid imagery and the breathlessness of the moment make your heart yearn and ache, and the vulnerability-both of the heart and of the ice they stand on-it’s indescribable, the feeling you get. So you just have to read it.

And that was the way of it. Things belonging where they didn’t. Like two night skies on a frozen lake. One looking down from above and one looking up from the deep.

It took me forever to read it, but I’m so glad I did. Epic beyond words with a wonderfully dense, yet not overdone, story-line, I’d be happy to read another of this author’s books in the future. I just hope the next hero can be like Fitz, too! And, ya know, enemies to lovers again!

*********************

Action-packed, slow-burn, enemies-lovers romance, and a story where even the strongest heroine can be a damsel in distress (like, fav thing EVER)…this book won me over whole-heartedly.

RTC!

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