Tag: Magic/Supernatural (Page 7 of 29)

BOOK REVIEW: The Demon King (Seven Realms #1) by Cinda Williams Chima

March 31, 2016 / Chelsea / 1 Comment

The Demon King (Seven Realms #1)
by Cinda Williams Chima
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Times are hard in the mountain city of Fellsmarch. Reformed thief Han Alister will do almost anything to eke out a living for his family. The only thing of value he has is something he can't sell—the thick silver cuffs he's worn since birth. They're clearly magicked—as he grows, they grow, and he's never been able to get them off.

One day, Han and his clan friend, Dancer, confront three young wizards setting fire to the sacred mountain of Hanalea. Han takes an amulet from Micah Bayar, son of the High Wizard, to keep him from using it against them. Soon Han learns that the amulet has an evil history—it once belonged to the Demon King, the wizard who nearly destroyed the world a millennium ago. With a magical piece that powerful at stake, Han knows that the Bayars will stop at nothing to get it back.

Meanwhile, Raisa ana'Marianna, princess heir of the Fells, has her own battles to fight. She's just returned to court after three years of freedom in the mountains—riding, hunting, and working the famous clan markets. Raisa wants to be more than an ornament in a glittering cage. She aspires to be like Hanalea—the legendary warrior queen who killed the Demon King and saved the world. But her mother has other plans for her...

The Seven Realms tremble when the lives of Hans and Raisa collide, fanning the flames of the smoldering war between clans and wizards.

He called her Briar Rose, he said, because of her beauty. And her many thorns.

It’s not often that I find a YA fantasy series that enraptures me the way this one did. It’s no secret that I am very picky when it comes to reading these, as well. Needless to say, I’ve been side-eyeing this series for FOREVER, yet I have never taken the plunge. I’ve mentioned it to a couple of my closest friends and have felt there was something special about it for a long while. So why not leap right in then? I don’t know…because I’m stupid???

There comes a time when my cautious nature and blurred lines cause a lot of missed opportunities, and this one is by far one of the greatest. Had my great friend, Jen, not bought me this for my birthday (among many others, sigh, spoiled), it might have even been another year before I even considered it again. I go through phases, ya know? So, anyway, here comes my husband’s family vacation and I know I will likely have time to basque in the glory that is no drowsiness from work. Whatever should I read, I thought? Well, this one was on my list. My only mistake (besides having to listen to people incessantly talking in my ear 24/7 whilst I tried to cram read)? Saving this one for the end of the week.

Or was that a gift in disguise? It’s also no secret that I found another series I absolutely fucking adored from the minute I picked it up, enrapturing me for 90% of the trip, and for that I can’t say I made many mistakes. However, I do regret only having a couple days, in the end, of Han time. Because I waited, though, here I am getting to post a more coherent review than any of my poor Nevermore books did, and that breaks my heart, because there will never be enough time in my life to go back and re-write all those mini-reviews. I do plan to add quotes to them ALL, though, so be warned *pointy finger emoji*.

ANYWAY, my time is winding down even as I dawdle on meaningless chit chat. All I really wanted to portray in this review for my great friends is this: This story was addicting beyond words, creative beyond measure, and Han will steal your heart before you even realize the little thief has weaseled his way into your soul-He has an uncanny knack for such things. And, hey, even better, he hasn’t even fully developed into the hero I know (and hear, from a little snake/Dark Pup) he will become. I can’t even WAIT for book three and four (YES, I AM DONE WITH BOOK TWO).

He was not the sort to try and reconcile the warring souls that lived inside his body. There was Han Alister, son and big brother, breadwinner, deal-maker, and small-time conniver. There was Hunts Alone, who’d been adopted by Marisa Pines and wished he could melt into the clans for good. And finally, Cuffs, petty criminal and street fighter, onetime streetlord of the Ragger gang and enemy of the Southies. From day to day he slid out of one skin and pulled on another. No wonder it was hard to sort out who he was.

So why only four, you ask, while I wrap up this pitiful mini-review? I can’t be sure other than the fact that maybe I wanted a little more, in the end. For a fantasy, I found this book was not boring, but, in fact, unputdownable. From the beginning I was captured in it’s alluring web with no way out, and Han was nipping at my heels, making my heart beat faster than I could have possibly expected. But then, at the end (and maybe I was tired), I wanted more as the last 20% began to unwind. Oh yeah-I’m saving that last star for the last two books. Let’s hope they impress me in ways I can’t fathom, at this point.

Peril? Oh boy, this series is guna have it in spades.
Romance? I CAN’T EVEN.
World? What’s not to love?

I dunno. This isn’t what I wanted for ANY of my reviews in the last week, but at least this one got some more from me than just ‘oh my GAWD, I can’t even.’ *shrugs*

****************************** This. Book. Was. Excellent ! I can’t even begin to explain how happy I am that I loved this…I’ve been eyeing it for years and finally my lovely Jen took fate out of my hands and got it for me for my birthday…THANK YOU, LOVELY!!!! I ADORED this. HANNNNNNNNN.!!!! Onto book two…so frikkin’ excited I read this on my vacation. 😀 RTC! *fingers crossed* hopefully…

The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns #1) by Rae Carson

March 25, 2016 / Anna

The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns #1)
by Rae Carson
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.
Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can't see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he's not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people's savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

All in all incredibly underwhelming and somewhat both idiotic and infuriating. Trust me, I would love to tell you that my distaste only revolves around personal matters – as a strong case of “it’s not the book but me”, let’s say – but in all honesty, I really don’t think that and the problems I had with The Girl of Fire and Thorns were way too numerous to be left ignored.

“You must not lose faith, child. No matter what. Do not doubt God or his choosing of you. He knows infinitely more than we can imagine.”

The Girl of Fire and Thorns can be considered as fast-paced, if you don’t mind following characters you don’t care about ← I do mind. You know what I also mind? When quantity prevails over quality. Hé, sure, I cannot deny how action-packed the story is but I’d rather read about few in-depth plot points than a succession of superficial twists, because you know what? Wandering around (even in an active fashion) is plain boring all the same. Had the characters stand still for more than 5 pages, perhaps I would have been able to start feeling something. Sadly I didn’t.

Many of my friends loved this book, and because I am naturally trustful (alright, maybe not), I kept reading when I wanted to DNF the hell out of it around 40%. Did it pay off? Huh, not really. Although the plot does pick up in the last 30%, the way events take place stays way too convenient and simple for my liking.

Not to mention that the writing was terrible, and by that I don’t mean grammatical mistakes (there are none that I noticed) – No, I mean that everything was told to me and never ever shown.

True story : My favorite character is a 5 years-old boy whose appearance doesn’t last more than 5 pages. Huh-oh, I may have a problem here. Truth be told, none of these characters were rage-inducing. Nah. They were too busy wandering around, bland and flat as fuck.

First of all, I’m not sure how Elisa avoided to be called on her Mary Sue status. Is it because she’s fat and YA books tend to consider overweight as a synonym of ugly? The girl is God chosen, for crying out loud. Oh, she tells us that she’s useless, but then she tells us so many things, I LOST COUNT. Really, though? She gives war advices that get everyone happy, does wonders with children – she even spreads martyr vibes at some point (but on that aspect she improves, woot!).

I didn’t hate Elisa, because I didn’t care enough to do so, but it doesn’t mean that I liked the way her characterization was handled.

In my opinion, she conveys a disturbing and infuriating portray of overweight. Look, at first I was really happy to finally see a YA heroine who isn’t strikingly beautiful, skinny, and white. So much wasted potential unfortunately. A book isn’t body positive when the MC’s growth is linked to her lost of weight and when fatness is only seen in a negative light (God forbid that a fat girl be beautiful – yes, there is a pun in there).

You gotta love pig metaphors, really.

“… as if I am a juicy pig roast garnished with pepper sauce”

Seriously. What’s up with that? Did I miss a memo? Is it considered as normal and healthy that an overweight MC – one of the only ones I met in YA – constantly self-depreciates herself? Is repeating all over again that she isn’t worthy and beautiful because she’s not thin serves some purpose I somehow didn’t grasp?

Does she ever realize that her weight – past and present – doesn’t begin to define who she is? No, and really, how could she, when the plot never lets any room for that? I do realize that self-loathing can be linked to appearances, especially during the teenage years. I just wish that this important issue had been dealt with more complexity and depth, because as it is, I cannot condone it.

Then come the male-leads. Oh my GOSH what is it with these guys?

Who the fuck is Lord Hector? His entire characterization is built around the twisting of his moustache. I KID YOU NOT.

I won’t bother talking about the weak husband View Spoiler ». Oh, oops, I just did.

Do not fear, though! Just wait and meet Humberto, the smiling, puppy-like desert man who never convinced me enough to care.

THESE ARE NOT PEOPLE.

To be fair, I did enjoy Cosmé and Ximena when they were present, but I still feel as if Rae Carson only scratched the surface of their personalities, unfortunately.

And do not get me started about these painted-faced enemies we know nothing about. As a rule, all the villains are plain EVIL, without any nuances. BO-RING.

More generally, I found two ways of dividing the whole set of characters :
Way #1 : The Fat vs. The Beautiful
Way #2 : Those who like Elisa vs. Those who don’t like Elisa

This is the extend of characterization as far as I’m concerned, and I have yet to see some dynamics in there (at this point, I’m not even asking for chemistry).

Again, a fail. Let’s talk about the religious stuff, okay? I saw many readers stating that it wasn’t Christian at all (but then why not name the god something else, and why make it seem like a Bible parable, and why add some martyr vibes, I wonder), and I’m ready to acknowledge the fact that I have literally no patience for praying and sentences like “god knows all” in my books. Granted, it irks me something fierce in Fantasy, but let’s not take my personal taste into account, okay?

Let’s forget that I had to suffer from entire paragraphs like this :

“My soul glorifies God; let rejoice in my Savior
For he has been mindful of his humble servant
Blessed am I among generations
For he lifted me from the dying world
Yea, with his righteous right hand he lifted me
He has redeemed his people, given them new life abundant
My soul glorifies God; let it rejoice in my Savior.”

(for full disclosure, I have to point that they’re in church at this moment, and this is not the MC talking, but a priest)

Let’s also not mention the constant praying, okay? It still bothers me very much. Why, you ask? Because it may be one of the LAZIEST magical system I’ve ever read about. What the fuck is this shit, really? So she prays and the God Gemstone in her belly-button helps her …. Sometimes?

REALLY?! RANDOM MUCH?! I can’t believe how easy and idiotic it makes the plot. No explanation needed – because GOD. Pl-ease. Give me a break.

▶ Sigh. I could go on and on and on, it would remain that I’m in the almost non-existent minority on this one, and sad to be. In all honesty, I know that I can enjoy YA Fantasy, even tropey – I recently read and loved the Seven Realms series by Cinda Williams Chima. The Girl of Fire and Thorns doesn’t compare anywhere near the still predictable The Demon King. And I’m not even talking about the awesomeness of The Lumatere Chronicles.

BOOK REVIEW: Yellow Brick War (Dorothy Must Die #3) by Danielle Paige

March 24, 2016 / Chelsea / 4 Comments

Yellow Brick War (Dorothy Must Die #3)
by Danielle Paige
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
In this dark, action-packed third book in the New York Times bestselling Dorothy Must Die series, Amy Gumm—the new girl from Kansas—must do everything in her power to save Kansas, kill Dorothy, and make Oz a free land once more.

Amy Gumm’s mission to take down Dorothy Gale is not going according to plan. Dorothy has found a way to bridge the worlds of Oz and Kansas, and if the power-hungry dictator of Oz has her way, Kansas will be destroyed forever. Now, Amy has to team up with the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked to save her home, restore the balance between the magic and nonmagic worlds, maybe get the guy—and kill that not-so-sweet Kansas farm girl once and for all.

In the third installment of the New York Times bestselling Dorothy Must Die series, Danielle Paige’s twisted versions of beloved Oz characters are back, including the biggest, baddest, most famous of all: the Wicked Witch of the West.

Welcome to the other side of the rainbow. Here there’s danger around every corner, and magic shoes won’t be able to save you

I couldn’t help but wonder: What if, that afternoon in the trailer, my mom had decided just that once to take care of me? To drive me to safety-somewhere both of us could ride out the storm together? What if she had finally done the right thing? Was what I’d gained in Oz-strength, power, respect, self-reliance-worth what I’d lost?

I think by far my largest disappointment stems from my epic love of book one, the epic heartbreak of book two, and my obsession of the series as a whole. But slowly, surely, my heart was torn to shreds as I saw this story unraveling before my eyes. It’s not so much that it was a bad story-It wasn’t. It’s more that this series should have been a duology-at most.

Part of me felt way too old for that now. No, not even too old. Too tired. Too experienced. I’d fought in a war. I’d seen too much of the world to believe in any of that crap, even for an hour.
But at the same time, being back home, and seeing my mom like this, was doing something funny to me. It was like everything that had happened in Oz was drifting away. It was like I was waking up and looking around and realizing, slowly, that it all had just been a weird, terrible dream.

And I don’t blame the author for her decision to make this what I thought was a trilogy. I really don’t. I absolutely ADORED the cliffhanger in book one, was a mess after the cliffhanger of book two, and I thought perhaps book three would follow suit…but when I picked up this story it was only 288 pages long. And I’m sorry but come on….that’s like a long novella. And I HATE novellas, if you didn’t know that about me.

“Of course, once you weren’t around for a while-you know, I almost missed you. Almost. This is Dustin Jr., by the way.” She patted the baby, who made a burbling noise. Madison’s baby was downright ugly. Then again, I guess most new babies are. He looked like a little old man who couldn’t find his dentures. His cheeks were too fat and his face was squashed-looking, as if someone had stepped on his head. Plus, he was bald as an egg. But I felt bad for him. It wasn’t his fault that his mom was the biggest bitch in Kansas-well, second biggest, now that I was back.

I guess there’s nothing wrong with novellas, per se, but it was not one of this story’s attributes. Every scene, every chapter, every moment felt a bit rushed, and as the pages progressed (each page flipped causing the percentage read to rise by, like, 3% each page) my heart slowly began to fracture-I began to see that the book I’d waited a YEAR for was not even close to what I wanted it to be, and it wasn’t going to end like I’d have wanted it to…and then I found out there is a FOURTH book. WHAT??! This is a horrid thing…or maybe it’s good. If this author, who’s writing enraptured me from the moment I opened her first story and became a forever fan, can make things right, make the story longer, more fleshed out, etc, I will be the happiest person in the world. I just don’t see how that could happen.

“You,” she said, her voice more exhausted than angry. “It always comes back to you, doesn’t it.”

I’m serious-I’d have rather read a 1000 page Dorothy Must Die book and called it a standalone than to be disappointed in this manner….but it is what it is. And, not to be totally negative. There were a lot of things I loved, too! And I must say…..90% of the things I was in love with centered around one name: NOX.

I closed my eyes again and lost myself in the sensation of the kiss. He shifted his weight and grunted with pain, and I started to laugh again. After a second, he laughed, too. His mouth moved to my neck, and then my ear. “Amy,” he said softly, his voice rough with emotion. “I am so not supposed to be doing this, but-“

I just…ugh. From the moment I met him in book one with his asshole-ish warlock (NOT A WITCH! Bahaha) attitude, he had my heart. The way he looked, treated, and secretly liked Amy warmed my soul and made me an obsessive fangirl (I mean, duh, it’s me). And I missed him dearly over the last few months…VERY VERY VERY much. He was everything I could want in this story with his raspy voice during the more heartfelt and gut wrenching moments, his loyalty, his protectiveness of Amy, and the aspect of forbidden love that was thrown in (not that it wasn’t before, but even more so now). But, and it pains me to say this…he can’t be the only thing that I love about a story. He just can’t. He may be close to perfection, but it doesn’t hold a candle to my level of disappointment scattered throughout the story.

“Yeah, I know,” he replied. “But you know what I liked about it?”
“What?”
“It reminded me of you. Everywhere I looked, I couldn’t stop thinking, This is where Amy’s from. This is the dirt that she walked on. This is the sky that she grew up under. It’s the place that made you who you are. And that’s what made me like it.”

For instance: Amy. What. The. Fuck??? She acted like a total bitch. A whiney asshole. A lovelorn teenager. She became somebody I didn’t recognize. Gone was the girl who was a total badass, the girl with pink hair and an attitude that stretched as long and wide as Kansas. She was a wisp of the girl I had obsessed about from the beginning (And I never get obsessed with girls in a story so this was by far the largest disappointment of all). And, ya know, she got better near the end and realized how naïve and young she was acting…but by that point it was by far too little, too late. And that made me so tragically sad.

Suddenly, I thought of my mom. Magic for me was as destructive as pills had been for her. The same addiction-and the same results. I’d fallen in love with power the way she’d fallen in love with oblivion. I’d hated her for what her addiction had done to her-to us-but was I really any different?

So, ya know, all in all I loved visiting her home and meeting her mom. I loved the addition of old characters that we were taught to hate becoming allies we could grow to love and admire, making the cast of people to obsess over a little larger (her mom and a couple unexpected surprises 😉 ). I really enjoyed seeing Amy and her mother becoming a little closer before things began to crumble, disintegrate, turn to ash. These are the things (AND NOX BOY!) that almost made me love and rate higher out of loyalty. But, then we have the broader side of the spectrum where I feel I was cheated as a reader and a rather unwavering fan. The writing was rushed-there’s no way to hide such things-and that was one of the things that I had loved most about this series-the beautiful writing and unflinching and unabashed way of strangling the breath out of you, causing you to choke and sputter and start crying out of nowhere as one of your characters becomes perilously close to death (aahhhh that peril-she does it well :P). The writing seemed like it was a chore, like this was a book that had long since been put on the backburner. So, yeah. This sucks. I hate rating lower than four, and I hate feeling like I’m betraying one of my favorite series ever. I could go on and on about what I wish was different, but that’s not what I’m about. So, as much as I love and adore this series, this book was a major letdown…and I’d be lying if I said otherwise. Ugh.

**************
So this was…..disappointing. *sad face* I will have a full review when I get a chance. Also…..Am I the only one who didn’t know this series had four fucking books?? Yes??? Just me then…. *Frowns*

RTC

**********

FINALLY.

View all my reviews

BOOK REVIEW – The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury

February 24, 2016 / Anna

The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
She is the most powerful Jinni of all. He is a boy from the streets. Their love will shake the world...

When Aladdin discovers Zahra's jinni lamp, Zahra is thrust back into a world she hasn't seen in hundreds of years -- a world where magic is forbidden and Zahra's very existence is illegal. She must disguise herself to stay alive, using ancient shape-shifting magic, until her new master has selected his three wishes.

But when the King of the Jinn offers Zahra a chance to be free of her lamp forever, she seizes the opportunity—only to discover she is falling in love with Aladdin. When saving herself means betraying him, Zahra must decide once and for all: is winning her freedom worth losing her heart?

As time unravels and her enemies close in, Zahra finds herself suspended between danger and desire in this dazzling retelling of Aladdin from acclaimed author Jessica Khoury.

♥ BR with the astounding Chelsea and Jen ♥

“This place is haunted by ghosts, and I am one of them.”

Told in a beautiful and evocative writing enhanced with sparks of humor, The Forbidden Wish surprised me in the best way possible : indeed albeit being quite romance-focused, it manages to avoid the tropes I hate the most in Fantasy/PNR YA :

☑ There’s neither instalove nor love triangle.(*)
☑ The female lead is always sympathetic toward other women and there’s no such thing as girl hate.
☑ Aladdin’s not perfect by any means (more about him later), but one thing is certain : he’s not a controlling, abusing jerk, and if anything his flaws made him endearing to me.

“Wishes have a way of twisting themselves, and there is nothing more dangerous than getting your heart’s desire. The question is, are you willing to gamble? How much are you willing to lose? What are you willing to risk everything for?”

Enchanting, The Forbidden Wish is not an action packed novel, but not a boring one either. As a retelling of Aladdin’s story, we find layers of the original but that does not mean that Jessica Khoury didn’t add her stamp, because she most definitely did. While original events are seen in a complete different way View Spoiler », the twists make the story even more engaging and captivating (and women friendly). If the plot isn’t the most complex I ever read (hardly), I was hooked from the beginning and I enjoyed my read immensely.

Moreover, contrary to what we find in many retellings, the author made her jinni female and let me tell you : it was FANTASTIC. Oh, and funny :

“You’re a- you’re a-
Say it, boy. Demon of fire. Monster of smoke. Devil of sand and ash. Servant of Nardukha, Daughter of Ambadya, the Nameless, the Faceless, the Limitless. Slave of the Lamp. Jinni.
“… a girl! he finishes.
For a second, I can only blink at him, but I recover quickly.”

Ha, Zahra. I loved her. Witty and self-sufficient, she never comes as pretentious and yet, she knows her worth – She’s a jinni, thank you very much, and she actually sounds like one, which is so rare! Brought to life by Aladdin after a looooong traversée du désert (pun intended), she’s ready to grant his wishes but doesn’t forget her own agenda (her freedom, no less!).

However, despite her hidden goal, Zahra has been eaten by guilt for so long that she has doubts, and who wouldn’t? Trust me, this is NOT a case of “his abs convinced me to die for him, because YUM, can I lick them?”. Nope. Her struggles and hesitations are well-founded, and not driven by Aladdin alone. See, I realize more and more that strong heroines, if they never fail, never doubt, never waver, annoy me as much as their manly counterparts. I want strong heroines in my books, but I want them complex and realistic. What’s strength, really? Is it never hesitating? I don’t think so, and honestly, I sure hope not. I could relate to Zahra, and she never annoyed me – she’s not a heartless cyborg, and I liked her all the more for it.

As for Aladdin… I may be biased, but his character made me smile so much that I couldn’t hold his flaws against him. Yes, he is reckless, charming, flirty, but so endearing, loyal, and more than a little adorable. His past haunts him, and there’s a need for revenge starving deep within him. Their personalities, so different as they are, make for the funniest interactions and I absolutely loved how their dynamics played throughout the book.

“What did Caspida want?”
“To talk about elephants and dead queens.”
“What? Really?”
“Oh, stop frowning. She asked about you too – what you’re like, what kind of person you are. Don’t worry.” I pat his hand conspiratorially and smile. “I lied.”

As I said earlier, although the romance owns an important part of the show, it never bothered me (on the contrary) because what we see isn’t a stupid and very tropey instalove but the slow and believable growth of a friendship which perhaps, perhaps, will morph into something more. And trust me, I rooted for them something fierce. So, yeah, I fought the urge to roll my eyes at some cheesy similes, but I never stopped smiling – it does change something!

“We’re in together, aren’t we, Smoky?” He gives me a crooked, bemused smile.
“But… you’re the Lampholder. Whatever you say goes. I don’t have a choice.”
He laughs, and I frown at him in surprise. “You think it’s funny?” I ask.
“No! Sorry. I should probably say how awful it is you have to go wherever I want, but… When I look at you, I see a jinni who’s not afraid to disagree with me. If I make a wish, you could use it to crush me. You’ve done it before, haven’t you? Ruined your masters with their own wishes?”
I lift a shoulder in begrudging agreement.”

Last but not least, Jessica Khoury offers significant roles for other women. Now, this is so fucking rare : not only Zahra never shows any hateful spite against other women, but they play important roles in the story (and roles that aren’t defined by their relationships with men).

That ending, though? I have to admit that it did feel a little rushed and that I wish some parts had played out differently View Spoiler » but it was satisfying nonetheless.

(*) I am sure that some readers will state that there is a love triangle, but for me there’s really not. How many characters love each others? Two. No love triangle in my book.View Spoiler »

BOOK REVIEW: Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms #1) by Morgan Rhodes & Michelle Rowen

February 3, 2016 / Chelsea / 1 Comment

Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms #1)
by Michelle Rowan, Morgan Rhodes
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
In the three kingdoms of Mytica, magic has long been forgotten. And while hard-won peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest now simmers below the surface.

As the rulers of each kingdom grapple for power, the lives of their subjects are brutally transformed... and four key players, royals and rebels alike, find their fates forever intertwined. Cleo, Jonas, Lucia, and Magnus are caught in a dizzying world of treacherous betrayals, shocking murders, secret alliances, and even unforeseen love.

The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

It's the eve of war.... Choose your side.

Princess: Raised in pampered luxury, Cleo must now embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of magic long thought extinct.

Rebel: Jonas, enraged at injustice, lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country cruelly impoverished. To his shock, he finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.

Sorceress: Lucia, adopted at birth into the royal family, discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Heir: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, firstborn son Magnus begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword....

Weak things were so very easy to break.

(Yes, I used all Dylan O’ Brien Teen Wolf Gifs. Because…pretty)

There are times (well, most of the time, actually) when I know exactly what I want to read, when I’m going to read it, and in what order. This is when I have my [book] shit together. And, in all honestly, this really is a very common occurrence. But then there are times, like right now, where life is kicking me in the balls, the familiar sounds wonderful (ie, new books in my series I love), but I’m in a situation where I’m on the cusp of all my eagerly awaited releases almost being out, but not just quite, and I have a week and one day from tonight when they will be released, one after the other in a beautiful march of wonderful words. So-here I am.

With all this being said, it implies that I am in a slump…which is incorrect. In fact, there are so many books I want to read at this moment that it physically pains me that I can’t read them all at once. But…there comes a time when your mood is so dour that you don’t want to ruin your absolute favorites that you’ve been saving for the best possible moments. And, with this mood, you don’t want to ruin your streak with a wonderful new genre you’ve discovered and became obsessed with, lest you start to dislike it inadvertently because you read it at a bad time or moment in your life. SO. Sosososososoooooo…these zany thoughts led me here: What can you read that you know you won’t judge harshly, that you know you won’t hold a loss against, that you know is excellent but never feel like putting it above your current favorite genres? Well, Folks, that would be YA Fantasy.

All his life he’d endured so much pain and developed only a thin mask to cover his true feelings. But masks could easily be removed and smashed with only a few words.

I know I love it. I know it’s super addicting….but it also requires a certain amount of attention and devotion…And a certain mood. As it just so happens??? I want to be out of this world, out of reality, out of everyday inane activities-And fantasy is the genre to do just that. Well, at least until February 9, when my first release(s) comes out. Tee hee. And luckily my wonderful friend, Rachel, recc’d this to me last week and strongly influenced this decision. A savior, this one.

Oh, and let me preface this review with a little tidbit: I might or might not be drinking some margs while writing this review. Hm. Well. Whatever. Carpe diem and C’est la vie and all that nonsense. 😛

I’ll also cut to the chase fairly early so as to not make this any longer than need be, seeing as I had many base emotions while reading this: My absolute favorite thing about this book was not the action, nor the deception, lies, or magic. No, my favorite thing was not a plot, but a single person: Magnus. My dear dear tortured, dark, and brooding Magnus, the Prince of Blood. Yes *sighs* I am indeed in love with an incestuous little fuck. But…..I don’t know. He wasn’t…disgusting. I can’t even begin to explain away why he feels so strongly for his sister, but I can make it quite simple: He cares so deeply, so strongly for this forbidden desire that it keeps his heart from turning to stone.

Then his heart, now broken into a thousand pieces, slowly began to turn to ice.

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve had some margs and it’s making it increasingly difficult to find the correct words to describe what made Magnus so special for me, when normally the obsessive words slide off my tongue with the littlest effort. So, I’ll end it here, even if it kills me: He was perfect in every little tortured, evil, and wounded way, fighting the inherited source of evil that is expected to surface at every moment. He was vulnerable and trusted only one, his sister, who had the means to destroy his mind and fracture his very soul. Yes, he had a major flaw….but I don’t think so many people would love him if he was disgusting, hmmmm??????

Swearing under his breath, he pushed the tears away, vowing that they would be the last he ever shed. Strength, not weakness, was what he needed from this day forward.

One of my least favorite things ever is multiple, MULTIPLE alternating POVs, but in this case, it didn’t bother me. At least, not after meeting them all as their stories began to intertwine the farther the story progressed. I started this book because I needed an escape from reality, but I stayed because it ensnared me. I gave this a four because I just needed a little more-I mean, Magnus can’t do everything, you know?? I did adore more characters than just him, some even gaining more respect as the story came to a close, but something was just missing to make this perfect. Maybe some more peril?? I do love me some peril…. Where have we heard that before?

Minor insta-love in one POV (though it didn’t bother me because…reasons…READ IT YOURSELF), some dumb reasonings for everything behind another (though, to be fair, this might be the booze doin’ the talkin’), and some side characters I could easily see myself slicing the throat of, it wasn’t without it’s flaws. But then there were those constant moments where I didn’t want to put the book down, where I imagined immediately beginning book two right after I finished this installment, where I had a smile on my face and fierce butterflies in my heart even as my mood soured more and more. And frankly?? That means everything. When a book can make you feel as if you are happy even when you aren’t, then it’s more than just a filler-it’s a winner. And for that…I am extremely grateful. Thank you, lovely Rachel, you just partially salvaged my horrid weekend. *Muah*

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

An absolute shock and just what I needed to reset my system.

And I will admit….Magnus stole my heart with his dark, little tortured self. Even if some things were weird…

RTC.

View all my reviews

Tag: Magic/Supernatural (Page 7 of 29)

BOOK REVIEW: The Demon King (Seven Realms #1) by Cinda Williams Chima

Synopsis:

The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns #1) by Rae Carson

Synopsis:

“You must not lose faith, child. No matter what. Do not doubt God or his choosing of you. He knows infinitely more than we can imagine.”

“… as if I am a juicy pig roast garnished with pepper sauce”

BOOK REVIEW: Yellow Brick War (Dorothy Must Die #3) by Danielle Paige

Synopsis:

BOOK REVIEW – The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury

Synopsis:

“This place is haunted by ghosts, and I am one of them.”

“Wishes have a way of twisting themselves, and there is nothing more dangerous than getting your heart’s desire. The question is, are you willing to gamble? How much are you willing to lose? What are you willing to risk everything for?”

“You’re a- you’re a-
Say it, boy. Demon of fire. Monster of smoke. Devil of sand and ash. Servant of Nardukha, Daughter of Ambadya, the Nameless, the Faceless, the Limitless. Slave of the Lamp. Jinni.
“… a girl! he finishes.
For a second, I can only blink at him, but I recover quickly.”

“What did Caspida want?”
“To talk about elephants and dead queens.”
“What? Really?”
“Oh, stop frowning. She asked about you too – what you’re like, what kind of person you are. Don’t worry.” I pat his hand conspiratorially and smile. “I lied.”

BOOK REVIEW: Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms #1) by Morgan Rhodes & Michelle Rowen

Synopsis:

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BOOK REVIEW: The Demon King (Seven Realms #1) by Cinda Williams Chima

Synopsis:

Share this:

The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns #1) by Rae Carson

Synopsis:

“You must not lose faith, child. No matter what. Do not doubt God or his choosing of you. He knows infinitely more than we can imagine.”

“… as if I am a juicy pig roast garnished with pepper sauce”

Share this:

BOOK REVIEW: Yellow Brick War (Dorothy Must Die #3) by Danielle Paige

Synopsis:

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BOOK REVIEW – The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury

Synopsis:

“This place is haunted by ghosts, and I am one of them.”

“Wishes have a way of twisting themselves, and there is nothing more dangerous than getting your heart’s desire. The question is, are you willing to gamble? How much are you willing to lose? What are you willing to risk everything for?”

“You’re a- you’re a- Say it, boy. Demon of fire. Monster of smoke. Devil of sand and ash. Servant of Nardukha, Daughter of Ambadya, the Nameless, the Faceless, the Limitless. Slave of the Lamp. Jinni. “… a girl! he finishes. For a second, I can only blink at him, but I recover quickly.”

“What did Caspida want?” “To talk about elephants and dead queens.” “What? Really?” “Oh, stop frowning. She asked about you too – what you’re like, what kind of person you are. Don’t worry.” I pat his hand conspiratorially and smile. “I lied.”

Share this:

BOOK REVIEW: Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms #1) by Morgan Rhodes & Michelle Rowen

Synopsis:

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Star-Crossed Ladies:

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Jen’s Currently Reading

Chelsea’s Currently Reading

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“You’re a- you’re a-
Say it, boy. Demon of fire. Monster of smoke. Devil of sand and ash. Servant of Nardukha, Daughter of Ambadya, the Nameless, the Faceless, the Limitless. Slave of the Lamp. Jinni.
“… a girl! he finishes.
For a second, I can only blink at him, but I recover quickly.”

“What did Caspida want?”
“To talk about elephants and dead queens.”
“What? Really?”
“Oh, stop frowning. She asked about you too – what you’re like, what kind of person you are. Don’t worry.” I pat his hand conspiratorially and smile. “I lied.”