Tag: Fantasy (Page 61 of 121)

BOOK REVIEW – Warrior Witch (The Malediction Trilogy #3) by Danielle L. Jensen

May 2, 2016 / Jen / 6 Comments

Warrior Witch (The Malediction Trilogy #3)
by Danielle L. Jensen
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
The thrilling conclusion to the breakout Malediction Trilogy by Goodreads Choice finalist Danielle L. Jensen.

Cécile and Tristan have accomplished the impossible, but their greatest challenge remains: defeating the evil they have unleashed upon the world.

As they scramble for a way to protect the people of the Isle and liberate the trolls from their tyrant king, Cécile and Tristan must battle those who'd see them dead. To win, they will risk everything. And everyone.

But it might not be enough. Both Cécile and Tristan have debts, and they will be forced to pay them at a cost far greater than they had ever imagined.

Review:

Warrior Witch was one of my most anticipated releases of 2016, and I was sadly let down. Immensely. I fell madly in love with the first book, Stolen Songbird. With the second book, I was devastated that Cecile and Tristan were apart, but they each stood on their own and I loved how the story become mysteriously intriguing. So I have been ecstatically counting down the days until I could find out how the story would end. But Warrior Witch was missing everything that I had previously fallen in love with. And that’s not even the worst part. Worst of all was that ending. That ending left me completely unsatisfied and utterly depressed.

✮Cecile Was Cruel and Illogical – I adored the risks Cecile previously took! Yes, she could be rash, but given her situations I would have done the same. So I expected that there would be a moment or few that involved Cecile’s rash or clever thinking. Yet what I found instead was two instances where she was cruel and illogical. And the Cecile I had admired wouldn’t purposely send someone in harm or deaths way. Yet she does. She put others at risk without a second thought of the consequences. And that angered me and left a bad taste in my mouth. The worst was the tent scene, that made me livid.

✮A Separated Couple – I was so excited with how Hidden Huntress ended! Cecile and Tristan together again. A united front. I had desperately missed their chemistry, and I was looking forward to all of their moments together in Warrior Witch. Oh, how I wish someone would have warned me. It felt as though they were apart and fighting separately for more than half the book. And the moments they were together lacked passion. It lacked their banter and their chemistry, and I kept hoping that the next time they’d be together that it would resurface. Yet it never did. I never got a glimpse of the couple I had previously fallen head over heels in love with.

✮A Happily Ever After that was NOT – What lead up to that ending was utterly depressing and heartbreaking. So no, I was not okay with that ending. It felt as though they were cheated out of so much happiness. And that left me feeling angry, depressed and so lost. And the “fix” to try to make this story have a HEA felt like a slap in the face. Was that supposed to make everything that happened before disappear in my eyes? Was that supposed to make me feel happy? Because it didn’t. It only made me even more depressed because of an element that happened near the end. That whole ending gutted me, and I hated every part of it.

I could continue this list to include the story-line being all over the place, to questions about certain characters powers, and plenty more, but I’m ready to step away from this series. Because this book let me down in every single way possible. I lost respect for a heroine that I loved, I failed to see why I had fallen for them as a couple, I can’t even talk about how Tristan plummeted off of my book-boyfriend list, and that ending left me feeling utterly depressed. So no, I can no longer recommend The Malediction Trilogy. Not at all.

PS If you’re still curious and want to read Warrior Witch then you HAVE to re-read or skim the previous books. There are no recaps or hints to what happened in the past. The aren’t references to how a character tied into their past. If you don’t have solid information for what previously happened, then you will most likely feel lost.

*ARC kindly provided by Angry Robot Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)
Stolen Songbird #1 Reviews: Jen Chelsea Anna	Hidden Huntress #2 Reviews: Jen	Hidden Huntress #3 Reviews: Jen

BOOK REVIEW+GIVEAWAY: Soldier (Talon #3) by Julie Kagawa

April 25, 2016 / Chelsea / 20 Comments

We are so honored to be one of the hosts for the Soldier Blog Tour! It is absolutely no secret that I adore everything Kagawa-From her vivid storytelling to her absolutely unforgettable characters to her punch-you-in-the-gut endings, there is literally nothing I can resist from this spectacular author. Many of you may know her from either her Iron Fey or Immortal Rules series, but here she has chosen to tackle yet another difficult genre (exceedingly well, I might add)-DRAGONS. For those of you who are skeptical, I find it imperative you give it a try-If not only because Julie Kagawa has the most amazing way with words....and absolutely breathtaking forbidden romances. I obviously adored this book (and so far, this series), so I hope my unabashed love persuades you to give this series a try! Below you can find my FIVE STAR review and a GIVEAWAY for the first three books in the Talon Saga!! Good luck and Enjoy!!

BOOK REVIEW+GIVEAWAY: Soldier (Talon #3) by Julie Kagawa

Soldier (Talon #3)
by Julie Kagawa
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
A fighter dedicated to saving humankind from dragons in strictest secrecy.

That was what Garret Xavier Sebastian thought he was part of as a soldier of the Order of St. George. What he learned from a fiery dragon hatchling twisted all he believed in and set him on a collision course with certain death-but not without a chance to put things right.

Betrayed and on the run again, Ember and rogue dragon Riley discover an unthinkable truth about Talon and St. George. They'll need Garret's skills and insider knowledge of the Order to negotiate an impossible deal-and if they fail, there will be no way to stop all-out war.

REVIEW:

His fingertips came to rest against the back of my hand, sending a zip of current through my whole body. “I’m done hiding,” he whispered. “Nothing has changed. I know we might not have a lot of time, but what we do have, I want to spend right here.”

That feeling…I know you’re familiar with it…when the air is sucked out of your lungs, when your world collapses beneath your feet, the world ceases to exist as it shatters to pieces around you, and that book you’re holding is all that matters in the world-it’s all I felt as this book came to a close…and for most of the story, really.

It had been her mercy, her refusal to kill a known enemy, that had made me realize the Order was wrong. It was because of her that I was here now, risking my life to protect the creatures I’d once driven toward extinction. Because a dragon had spared the life of a soldier of St. George, and everything had changed.

I’m not going to lie-whenever I get a chance for an ARC by an author I adore, cherish, and have never been let down by before, I feel a lot of pressure. I mean, this is Julie fucking Kagawa we are talking about here-the creator of Ash, the beautiful, deadly, fatal, and loyal Prince of the Fey. Zeke, the unwavering human who fell in love with the thing he once despised-A vampire. And now, here we are again with Ember and Garret (I refuse to acknowledge Riley has a chance-He does, but, no-I won’t support him as a love interest)-A soldier who was brought up to hate Dragons, to destroy them without a second thought, because they are humanity’s enemy-and Ember, the dragon who turned his world on it’s axis, making him fall in love with the enemy…and risk his life for her over and over again, if not only because he is desperately in love with her, but because it’s the right thing to do. Ahhh my beautiful soldier boy. He is just…PERFECTION.

But I would not break. I would not give up Ember’s location, or Riley’s underground. The next few hours might have me wishing I was dead, but I would not betray the girl I loved to the organization. They would have to kill me.

But I digress-Onto my point: Kagawa is the MASTER of forbidden romance. She is the queen of making love triangles almost bearable, making friends out of foes fighting for the same girl’s love. To think… I have finally gotten one of her coveted ARCs-something I have worked to earn for years…and I was super nervous-SO MUCH PRESSURE! But then, like always, I opened up this story and the world of dragons and forbidden love and stolen kisses totally enraptured me…and I was a GONER.

Helpless, I clenched my fists against my back, well aware that every mile, every minute that ticked by, took me ever farther from getting to them in time and closer to losing the red dragon forever.

What pressure is there, really, when one of your favorite authors is in the driver’s seat? From the minute I started reading about my boy, nothing else mattered. But then a different kind of pain surfaced, one that us avid readers know about all too well: The feeling of messy love. The feeling of falling for two different men, with two different styles, with two different ways of winning the heroine’s love. And, for once, Kagawa isn’t making it obvious who Ember is going to end up with…and it might be killing me inside.

“I couldn’t,” he finally whispered. “You were the one who taught me to live, to take chances. For a while, I convinced myself that we were too different, and that it was better to let you go. But now, I’ve come to the realization that my life is probably going to be very short. And I want to spend it doing something that matters. With someone that matters. I don’t want to regret that I gave up without a fight.”

So let me address the, ahem, dragon in the room (har har, I’m so clever). Yes, there is a love triangle. And YES, I like both men. Riley is Ember’s equal in dragon form. He is protective and ambitious, and he is working hard to right the wrongs of Talon by saving as many young dragons as he can. But along the way, he fell for a fiery, red-haired hatchling…while she was in the middle of falling in love with a soldier of St. George-their sworn enemy from as long ago as they can remember.

“Your friends are…interesting,” she said, making me snort. “I would hate to see your enemies.” She looked back at me, black eyes assessing. “You did not mention that one of the ‘friends’ you risked your life for was desperately hoping he could rip your head off.”
“I was a soldier of the Order,” I said wearily. “He’s the leader of a rogue dragon underground. I’m sure I’ve killed a few of his dragons in the past.” I’m also stupidly in love with the girl he considers his, and we both know it.

Should be simple, right? A human couldn’t possibly be in love with a dragon. It’s simply impossible. Weird. Unheard of-They don’t have a chance. WRONG. You are SO wrong. Garret, my loyal soldier, would do anything for this girl who changed his whole belief system. He’d go to the ends of the earth to keep her safe, even at the cost of his own life (How many times do I have to say this before it gets old? I DON’T CARE). His mission was simple: Kill the hatchling…but instead he slowly fell in love with her, even if he didn’t want to. Now, here we are with Garret, Ember, Riley, and Wes doing what they can to bring down the corrupted Talon and to show St. George everything they have been taught and know is a lie. But when more sinister problems arise, things become complicated. How are they going to get to the top of St. George to bring this to light? Who will they have to trust? How much are they willing to bargain? And who will make the ultimate sacrifice?

*flashback*

Our enemies-my enemies-wouldn’t win. The demon lizards had hurt me for the last time. Now, they had a new foe, and I would make sure they remembered my name when I destroyed them on the battlefield.
I would work hard.
I would excel.
I would become the perfect soldier.

To say this was my favorite installment of the series would be an understatement. Yes, book one is so close it’s unreal, because I enjoy when the love interests begin to fall in love, slowly losing their mind to something they can’t control. I love it when things are at the beginning and aren’t complicated with cliffhangers and deaths and perilous moments that test everything they possess in themselves to stay alive and stay together. I’m side eyeing you, Kagawa. But there is just something so sickeningly satisfying and…primal…about watching two guys duke it out for one girl, throwing it all out on the table for her love. There’s something so appealing about declarations of love as the world burns to ashes around them…even as the cries of love are too late. I. CAN’T. HELP. IT. I am a slave to peril and Julie Kagawa is my puppet master pulling my strings this way and that, ripping my heart to shreds with each new installment in each new series she creates. I’d say I hate her for making this crazy, annoying, obsessive, psycho fangirl…..but that would make me a liar, too.

My heart seemed to stop. Garret paused, as if gathering his thoughts, or his courage, then took a deep breath. “I know I’ve made mistakes,” he continued, shaking his head. “But there’s still the chance for me to fix them. I shouldn’t have walked out that night.” His brow creased, a flicker of pain and regret going through his eyes. “Ember, I know you can’t feel what I do,” he said. “I get that. But…I want to be with you. And if that’s not possible, I’ll be content just to be close. Fighting Talon with you and Riley, helping people, saving other dragons from the Order-there is nothing I want more. And nowhere else I want to be.”

I’m sorry, but I would not be ME if I didn’t obsess about MY choice in this race before I closed this review out. Garret is at his best: Declaring his love, using all the skills he possesses to keep his new-found friends safe, trusting with all his heart, even as danger lurks around every corner, so he can get the information he needs, and becoming an-even more-unforgettable BBF. And here is what I hope all of you will take from this: I may be someone who loves all kinds of boys in books, but Kagawa creates some of the most daring, tortured, beautiful, unforgettable male leads ever. If ever you wanted to read a book about a boy who falls madly, deeply, forever in love with the heroine of the story-despite dire consequences-look no further. If ever you wanted a story that is engrossing, deep, creative, vivid, imaginative, out of this world addicting, Kagawa is your woman. She creates a combination of worlds, plots, and men that make it impossible not to love at least ONE of her series, thus making her one of the most popular authors EVER, simply because her reach knows no bounds. I shudder to think of the day when a Kagawa book won’t have me gasping for breath, clutching my iPad/pillow, and sobbing uncontrollably into the dark as I close the final pages within one of her stories where a cliffhanger has killed me slowly from the inside out-once again. I SHUDDER to think.

One hand traced small circles against my back, and I pressed closer to him, listening to his heartbeat. “I used to think that having nothing to live for made you a better fighter,” he murmured. “Turns out I was wrong on a lot of fronts.”

She is the author that brought me out of my comfort zone, the one that taught me it’s okay to love out of this world things like fey and dragons (Dragons…DRAGONS! Really?? I’d have never thought), and not to be ashamed of letting my freakish fangirl flag fly, and I will be forever grateful that she led me to so many outlandish, wonderful series I am obsessed with today. If not for her, I don’t know that I would have stepped so far out of my comfort zone. And if I had, I don’t know that I would have liked it. She writes in a way that captures your soul, even if you are fighting it, and makes you beg for more. For anyone who has not given this woman a chance, I dare you to try her Iron Fey series and not fall in love with Ash. Or to read the Immortal Rules series and not fall for the good boy gone bad, Zeke. And now, I dare you to not get butterflies when Ember falls in love with the boy at Crescent Beach one carefree summer….Or, I GUESS, her Dragon guy, Cobalt/Riley, who would also risk it all for Ember, as well. See? That was hard for me-I really do like all the guys she creates, which is saying something. HOWEVER-this is my disclaimer-DON’T FUCK WITH MY HEART, KAGAWA-Don’t take advantage of my good-natured, and begrudging, like for Riley. I’m totally pointing an emoji finger at you!

We stared at each other, a thousand emotions simmering below the surface. My thoughts and feelings were a tangled mess, woven around each other until it was impossible to separate them. Garret stood there, wounded and beautiful, the shadow of the boy staring out through the soldier’s mask, and guilt settled in my stomach like a lead ball.

Lots of laughs, heartache, and heart dropping, soul-crushing moments invade this story, and if you liked the previous two stories, I know you will adore this addition. I also forgive Ember for the last book (You hear that, Ember? You are forgiven! However…you better keep my guy safe, or else). So, as I finished bawling at the end of the book on a lazy Sunday night, unexpectedly losing my shit and having to contain myself-again-lest I get thrown out of the house by a very angry husband as I silently shook and sobbed beside him in bed, I began to smile and slowly fall asleep, floating in feels.

CLICK BELOW TO ORDER SOLDIER NOW!!

ABOUT JULIE KAGAWA:

8ecb9863-5331-4922-89fa-3835b5a338d0 Julie Kagawa, the New York Times bestselling author of the Iron Fey and Blood of Eden series was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn’t getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel.

When not swimming for her life, Julie immersed herself in books, often to the chagrin of her schoolteachers, who would find she hid novels behind her Math textbooks during class. Her love of reading led her to pen some very dark and gruesome stories, complete with colored illustrations, to shock her hapless teachers. The gory tales faded with time (okay, at least the illustrations did), but the passion for writing remained, long after she graduated and was supposed to get a
real job.

To pay the rent, Julie worked in different bookstores over the years, but discovered the managers frowned upon her reading the books she was supposed to be shelving. So she turned to her other passion: training animals. She worked as a professional dog trainer for several years, dodging Chihuahua bites and overly enthusiastic Labradors, until her first book sold and she stopped training to write full time.

Julie now lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where the frequency of shark attacks are at an all time low. She lives with her husband, an obnoxious cat, an Australian Shepherd who is too smart for his own good, and a hyper-active Papillion.

Enter to win this FABULOUS GIVEAWAY!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And don’t forget to check out all the other stops for the soldier tour below!

Week 1:

4/18: Step Into Fiction

4/19: The Irish Banana Review

4/20: Across the Universe

4/21: The Cover Contessa

4/22: Vi3tbabe – Review

Week 2:

4/25: Star-Crossed Book Blog

4/26: Wonderland Novels

4/27: The Quiet Concert

4/28: Take Me Away to a Great Read

4/29: Jenuine Cupcakes

BOOK REVIEW: A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1) by V.E. Schwab

April 21, 2016 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1)
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Kell is one of the last Antari, a rare magician who can travel between parallel worlds: hopping from Grey London — dirty, boring, lacking magic, and ruled by mad King George — to Red London — where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire — to White London — ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne, where people fight to control magic, and the magic fights back — and back, but never Black London, because traveling to Black London is forbidden and no one speaks of it now.

Officially, Kell is the personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between the royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell smuggles for those willing to pay for even a glimpse of a world they’ll never see, and it is this dangerous hobby that sets him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She robs him, saves him from a dangerous enemy, then forces him to take her with him for her proper adventure.

But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save both his London and the others, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive — a feat trickier than they hoped.

Are you afraid of dying? Holland had asked him in the alley. And Kell was. Had always been, ever since he could remember. He feared not living, feared ceasing to exist. Lila’s world may believe in Heaven and Hell, but his believed in dust.

Gawd…will there ever be enough words to cover all the adoration and love I have for these wonderful books?? After I finish, I always know just what I want to say…and then I finally get the chance to write a review and it’s like, how in the world do you find the words-different words that aren’t the same old repetitive thing-to express your extreme obsession without always sounding like a babbling fangirl??

She kicked loose a stone. “Well, I mean, it’s another world, isn’t it? Another version of London? Is there another version of me?”
Kell frowned. “I’ve never met anyone like you.”
He hadn’t meant it as a compliment, but Lila took it that way, flashing him a grin. “What can I say,” she said, “I’m one of a kind.”

Well, I can’t guarantee this won’t be the case many times over…but I can guarantee that I will always try to do my best-for both my friends who have come to rely on my thoughts and for those who have chosen to trust me blindly-to be fair and explain things in the most beneficial way possible. There are many authors you will find that own my heart completely, making it hard to be totally unbiased…but I still try to explain things in a way people who don’t worship the author might be able to relate to. And most surprisingly, as it pertains to this review, this author is actually one of my closet obsessions.

“Pretty thing,” whispered an old woman from a doorway in Maktahm. “Pretty skin. Pretty bones.”
“This way, Master,” called another.
“Come inside.”
“Rest your feet.”
“Rest your bones.”
“Pretty bones.”
“Pretty blood.”
“Drink your magic.”
“Eat your life.”
“Come inside.”

Not many of you knew me when I read [DEVOURED] The Archived series. Wes stole my heart in a matter of chapters, taking me completely by surprise. None of my friends had read it and no one really joined me (WHOOPS! AMENDED! My darling snake read with me! How could I forget…..), so I was [kind of] on my own for this little adventure. So, fast forward a year or so, and I hear that this amazingly underrated author is coming out with another series…surrounding magic and London. I mean, come on!!!

Bad magic, Kell had called it.
No, thought Lila now. Clever magic.
And clever was more dangerous than bad any day of the week.

So I guess that begs the question: Well, if you love this author so much and were just so excited about it, why didn’t you read it right when it came out?? And the answer is simple, really-I just didn’t feel like it. I had it preordered, just like I did Six of Crows, but like Six of Crows I didn’t read it right away. They both appeared on my iPad and looked oh so gorgeous, but, at that time of my life, I just didn’t want to read fantasy. And with fantasy, if I’m not in the mood it sours the experience. I knew I would rate them lower, knew I wouldn’t enjoy them as much, and knew that if I waited, my fantasy urges would return and they would be well worth the wait.

“Where did you get this?” he asked.
“In a pocket in your coat,” said Lila, stretching. “By the way, did you know that your coat is more than one coat? I’m pretty sure I went through five or six to find that.”
Kell stared at her, slack-jawed.
“What?” she asked.
“How did you know what it was for?”
Lila shrugged. “I didn’t.”
“What if it had been poison?” he snapped.
“There’s really no winning with you,” she snapped back. “It smelled fine. It seemed fine.” Kell groaned.

And here we are, with SOC snd ADSOM at five stars and me at an all time high. I have been on a fantasy binge since February (for some reason, at the beginning of the year, fantasy steals my heart) and have had Nothing. But. Wins. Han, Varen, Cal, Garret, Kaz….and now Kell.

“I’m not going to die,” she said. “Not till I’ve seen it.”
“Seen what?”
Her smile widened. “Everything.”

My heart has been in a constant overdrive for the past couple months, meeting boy after boy, visiting some old favorites, as well, and feeling the love for them grow with each passing installment. And, if I’m being honest, this is probably the LARGEST win streak (with both boys and books) I’ve had yet. And it’s hard, I will admit, to let all these wonderful boys in to break my heart from one book to the next, an endless cycle of tortured eyes, shattered hearts, and broken voices. Fantasy boys are just…they are so hard to beat, seeing as they are always going through bad shit to get to their HEA…and even though my heart is stretching every which way to make room for them all (GAWD my Christmas list and BBF list are VERY long already!!!), it’s in a different way for each new guy, old guy, and favorite book or series (Yes, Snake, that was a reference). And I must say….after realizing this, it has made my reading experience so much more enjoyable. Why push anyone out?? I can love them all and still make room for more-I just love every single boy differently (says the book boy whore). And okay, wow, onto the point right???? Fantasy boys might just be my all time favorite boys (And that is truly saying something, seeing as how I love ALL DA BOYZ)….and Kell is no exception.

“What are you?” she asked.
“A monster,” said Kell hoarsely. “You’d better let me go.”
The girl gave a small, mocking laugh. “Monsters don’t faint in the presence of ladies.”
“Ladies don’t dress like men and pick pockets,” retorted Kell.
Her smile only sharpened. “What are you really?”
“Tied to your bed,” said Kell matter-of-factly.
“And?”
His brow furrowed. “And in trouble.”

I swear, I didn’t think I’d fall for yet another boy this month after reading about my beautiful soldier Garret (Who has always been a BBF) and my new found unforgiving bastard of a thief, Kaz. But as it turns out? My fickle little heart moved right on over for the kind, loyal, determined, and lonely Kell. I can’t even begin to explain (correctly, that is) what it is that Kell does, but I can try to show you the basics (VERY basic, I don’t want to spoil).

“I told you the worlds would be different. But you’re right, I should have warned you. Here English is a tongue used by the elite, and those who wish to mingle with them. Your very use of it will cause you to stand out.”
Lila’s eyes narrowed. “What would you have me do? Not speak?”
“The thought had crossed my mind,” said Kell. Lila scowled. “But as I doubt that’s possible for you, I’d ask that you simply keep your voice down.” He smiled, and Lila smiled back, resisting the urge to break his nose.

He has an awesome coat-for real, it’s awesome. He loves his family with all his heart, even if he feels he doesn’t belong. He is an Antari, possessing magic in his blood that allows him to travel between the four Londons. He has one blue eye and one black, marking him as this aforementioned title of Antari and …did I mention there were four different Londons??

“You don’t know anything about these worlds,” he said, but the fight was bleeding out of his voice.
“Sure I do,” countered Lila cheerfully. “There’s Dull London, Kell London, Creepy London, and Dead London,” she recited, ticking them off on her fingers. “See? I’m a fast learner.”

Yeah, so cool, right?? Red London and Black London and White London and Gray London. I’m not going to lie, this may have been part of why I didn’t jump right on this story. I knew this author was amazing, but this all sounded so complicated. Jumping between different worlds? Hmm.

Something flickered through his eyes when he touched her, but she didn’t think it was her touch that moved him. The stone gave a strange little shudder in her hand, as if it felt Kell and wanted to be with him. Lila felt vaguely insulted.
“Sanct!” he swore at her. “Just hold it up for all to see, why don’t you?”
“I though you wanted it back!” she shot back, exasperated. “There’s no winning with you.”
“Just keep it,” he hissed. “And for king’s sake, keep it out of sight.”
Lila shoved it back into her cloak and said a very many unkind things under her breath.

But from the moment I started this book I knew that, yet again, I had picked up a winner. Strange, beautiful, vivid, imaginative, and oh so creative with a cast of characters that sneak up on you when you least expect it. This book was so subtle in it’s magic, so complex in it’s world building, yet you never felt bogged down or like you didn’t understand. And even though its not all action and isn’t completely fast paced, the peril sneaks up on you (repeatedly) and steals your breath away. I swear, every time I thought they were just chilling, walking around, something (or someone) would slip up behind my dear boy, Kell, and make him fight for his life.

Kell had fought before, but never like this, never for his life. He’d gotten into his fair share of scrapes (most of them Rhy’s fault) and had had his fair share of bruises, but he’d always walked away intact. He’d never been seriously hurt, never struggled to keep his own heart beating. Now he feared that if he stopped fighting, if he stopped forcing his feet forward and his eyes open, that he might actually die. He didn’t want to die.

GOSH I could just go on and on and on!!! But I absolutely have to just say…Kell surprised me in the most wonderful way. He was so kind and loyal and caring…and even though he barely knew Lila, the thief who helps him get out of a pinch, he was protective of her and wanted only the best outcome for her life. His loneliness speared my heart and made my breath falter more and more as the book progressed, sneaking up on me in a way I can’t help but adore. He broke down more than once and cared only about protecting those that he loved-He would do anything to save them….even at the cost of his own life.

“Of course,” echoed Kell, shutting a cabinet. “You’re very fond of weapons.”
Lila stared at him blankly. “Who isn’t?”
“And you already have a knife,” he pointed out.
“So?” asked Lila, admiring the grip. “No such thing as too many knives.”
“You’re a violent sort.”

It’s no secret I could go paragraph after paragraph talking about the fiery Lila and the absolutely breathtaking Kell…but alas, I am tired and this review is already useless as it is. There were so many wonderfully evil things in this book I never expected, making me smile and cackle (and cringe) in glee, and it was just all so unexpected, making it all the better. And then there was the beginning of a small romance…and it completely gutted me. It was everything I could possibly want..and nothing has even happened yet! Well….kind of ;). I might give the award for sweetest kiss of the year [yet]. *shrugs* What can I say? I’m a TOTAL fangirl. 😛

***I wanted to note that this review was toned down quite a bit because of multiple things…such as:

A) Dogs in background
B) TV in background
C) Husband making sad eyes because I refused to give him my full attention lest I not be able to finish review
D) Him constantly talking to me and making me feel bad for not answering
E) Something horribly sad that happened RIGHT when I got home (or at least I found out about it at that point)

So, as you can tell, I am not completely happy with my review because I missed a lot things I wouldn’t have normally. And I totally toned down everything UGH because I was constantly trying to appease the husband. So, WHAT I MISSED AND DIDN’T TALK ABOUT:

-The spectacular, beautiful, draw-you-in-immediately writing
-Lila’s feistiness
-Kell and Lila’s hilarious banter

Anyway…I am sad, but I suppose if I love book two, I can make up for my lack of FLAIR for this review in that one ha

************************************
Guys…..I mean, come on. It seriously takes SO much to make my heart pound during a kiss anymore. SURRIOUSLY. But GAH this one just…it was…it…just YES. And the same with peril….it takes a TOOOOON for me to slow my roll and re-read and re-read and re-read a hardcore battle or scene where someone is fighting for their lives (which, incidentally, happened a lot in this one). Happy Chelsea is HAPPY. AS. FUCK.

This book isn’t all action.
This book isn’t romance.
This book isn’t about one thing or another.

This book is subtle and cruel and beautiful and vivid and imaginative and chaos.

This book is everything I love these days…and so much more. I cannot WAIT to read book two.

And I mean….KELL! GAH!!

RTC.

BOOK REVIEW – The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

April 16, 2016 / Anna

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

► I reckon the reasons for which The Scorpio Races weaved itself throughout my beloved favorites could cause an opposite reaction to other readers. Do I care, though? No, because every slow-paced page, every heartfelt and beautiful sentence, every haunting and atmospheric landscape, every inch of Sean’s bloody-stained jacket and killer horse reminds me that if nothing else, The Scorpio Races has a soul, and I’m consumed by it.

**“I am here on firm ground, but part of me is already down on the beach, and my own blood is singing I’m so, so alive“**

Sigh. I’ve been trying to put my thoughts into words for hours now, but it seems that The Scorpio Races joined the very exclusive club of the novels which mute my abilities to express myself. Puck and Sean’s story is burned into my brain, though, twisting my perception of the reality around me, Thisby’s landscapes forever ingrained in me. That’s why I cannot, I will not leave this space blank and no matter how impossible it seems at this time, I’ll try to do this wonderful book justice. Sorry in advance if I don’t succeed.

“Outside, the wind is a live, starving thing. The sky over Skarmouth is a dull brown, lit by the streetlights, but everywhere else is inky.”

■ If you’re – even a little – accustomed to Maggie Stiefvater‘s books, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the writing is nothing short of spectacular : compelling and beautiful, warming your heart a second and breaking it the next. How could I complain about the slow-pacing if I thought it was perfect for the story? I’ll tell you, I can’t. Is it subjective? Sure it is, and I understand the readers who were bored out of their minds. Yet I wasn’t. Never at any moment.

“Why aren’t you going?”
The question infuriates me. I demand, “Why is it that going away is the standard? Does anyone ask you why you stay, Sean Kendrick?”
“They do.”
“And why do you?”
“The sky and the sand and the sea and Corr.”

■ I genuinely think that your ability to enjoy – to love – the plot depends on your expectations. Does The Scorpio Races revolve around the sea killer horses and the race taking place every year on Thisby’s beach? Sure, but if you think that’s all it is about, you will be disappointed. Many readers pointed it, and they’re right : the race doesn’t start until the very end, and is only an excuse to deal with the real issues in my opinion.

What issues?

The raw and frightening feelings one can experience when not sure if he – she – belongs somewhere. Through Sean, Puck, Gabe, Finn’s eyes, we witness different ways to answer the difficult question of who they really are and what they need to do to find happiness. Is it staying, whatever it takes? Is it leaving? Is compromising themselves okay to reach their goals? As much as I personally find that the “coming-of-age” label is often misleading, in The Scorpio Races it rises to a whole new level. I couldn’t be indifferent to their struggles, because as strange as it might be (given the fantasy elements) they felt real and heartbreaking and oh so moving. Beware of the harshness, though : many parts are – really – difficult to handle, especially because it contains cruelty toward animals.

■ As usual Maggie Stiefvater nailed her characterization. If I sure didn’t agree with every decision they took, none of her characters felt wasted and all of them provoked contradictory feelings in me. Honestly, they’re just so freaking amazing : well rounded-up, fleshed-out, and a little heartbreaking. Sean, in particular, made it impossible for me to not love him almost instantly : his wildness, his loyalty to Corr, his sea horse, his intensity – that boy didn’t need to talk for me to be lost forever.

“All I know is that Sean Kendrick rode that bay mare and waited until he was nearly over the cliff edge before saving himself, and that the dead speak more than he does.”

► The Scorpio Races changed me, somehow, even if I can’t pinpoint in what way so far, and this story will linger for a very long time in my heart. Now, tell me, what better compliment could I give it? None.

The Rose Society (The Young Elites #2) by Marie Lu

April 15, 2016 / Anna

The Rose Society (The Young Elites #2)
by Marie Lu
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Once upon a time, a girl had a father, a prince, a society of friends. Then they betrayed her, and she destroyed them all.

Adelina Amouteru’s heart has suffered at the hands of both family and friends, turning her down the bitter path of revenge. Now known and feared as the White Wolf, she flees Kenettra with her sister to find other Young Elites in the hopes of building her own army of allies. Her goal: to strike down the Inquisition Axis, the white-cloaked soldiers who nearly killed her.

But Adelina is no heroine. Her powers, fed only by fear and hate, have started to grow beyond her control. She does not trust her newfound Elite friends. Teren Santoro, leader of the Inquisition, wants her dead. And her former friends, Raffaele and the Dagger Society, want to stop her thirst for vengeance. Adelina struggles to cling to the good within her. But how can someone be good when her very existence depends on darkness?

Bestselling author Marie Lu delivers another heart-pounding adventure in this exhilarating sequel to The Young Elites.

What indeed.

I AM SPEECHLESS. If there’s something I didn’t expect, it was to meet a female-lead who could equal Jorg of Ancrath‘s dark ambition.

Saying that I didn’t have great expectations before starting The Rose Society would be an understatement. Indeed I was part of the (very) few who weren’t convinced by The Young Elites, mostly because I felt that what I read wasn’t what I’ve been sold : I found the first installment boring, tame, in a word : disappointing. That’s why I’m glad to tell you that none of my complaints are still relevant.

➊ The pacing improved grandly : This sequel is an exciting journey whose pacing never wavers, letting you on the edge of your seat all the way. Although Marie Lu chose to write her story in several POV (which can be a no-no for me, if not handled well), there was NEVER a moment when I wasn’t hooked and eager to know what would happen next. No more useless and boring parts : the story was highly compelling through and through.

➋ What a formidable tale of ambition and revenge. Gah. Jorg would be so proud. While the first book only set the (needed, I realize) foundations of Adelina’s story, I didn’t care for the romance there (I know, I know, I’m such in a minority on this, but Enzo is flat in my opinion) View Spoiler » and her relationship with Enzo didn’t make much sense to me. Great news! The plot finally focuses on her ascension and no matter how painful some steps were (I sure don’t condone all her actions), the events taking place brought so many raw feelings that I can’t find in me to complain. Granted, the world-building is still a little sketchy, and there were inconsistencies in some parts, but Marie Lu managed to make them believable. (Please don’t make Magiano suffer ~~too much~~, though) (I ~~have a soft spot for~~ LOVE this little thief)

➌ Truth is, what can be annoying is also great : this is my second book by Marie Lu, and I can safely say that I don’t get her – I can’t wrap my head around the direction she takes her stories, and it used to make me lose patience in The Young Elites, especially during the boring middle. But. Here it definitely played in her favor, because I could never predict what would happen (I still can’t). Also, the twists were brilliant. Of course I loved that (I’m worried, though) (I did read Emperor of Thorns, you know).

➊ Adelina is a true villain in training : When my boyfriend asked me why I was so happy with Adelina and her Elites (why yes – clapping might have been involved at some point), I told him, “because they’re no good”. He raised his eyebrows (a little worried, I think), not sure of what to make of my answer (I swear, I’m a nice woman – most of the time). Really, though? I genuinely think that my fascination for unusual and darker characters lies in the large number of books I read. See, had I read 10 books in my whole life, hell, had I read 10 YA Fantasy series in my whole life, even, I would probably not seek this kind of characters out (or maybe – I’ll guess we’ll never know *smiles slowly*). But there’s only so many farmer boys soon-to-be heroes I can take, and in this ocean of one-dimensional super-villains whose goals are often vague as fuck, I thrive on meeting multi-layered and dark characters who twist the tropey rules and make their owns.

After The Young Elites, I didn’t think that Adelina had it in her to become the free female-lead I wanted her to be. I was wrong.

*cackles with glee*

Yes she threatens my boundaries and her decisions make my skin crawl sometimes, but I get her, I really do. I’m not sure what that says about me, though.

➋ Give me some sarcastic and unapologetic male-lead, pretty please : I loved Magiano (I can’t be the only one who roots for him, RIGHT?). Where Enzo’s passion seemed too similar to Adelina’s for me to really care, Magiano adds something different to the story, and if I’m not sure I understand all his reactions yet, he is endearing, mischievous, and he makes me laugh.

[creepy interlude]

Let it be known that his smile brightened my day and that I would defend him like a wolf.

Do. Not. Touch. Magiano. OKAY?

[/creepy interlude]

➌ Every one of these characters – Sergio, Teren, Violetta, Maeve, Raphaele – are fleshed-out, complex, and interesting to follow. None of them is wasted or one-dimensional.

► I closed The Rose Society out of breath, worried as hell and intensely satisfied by the daring direction Marie Lu took. What a great surprise really.