Book Review: The Thief (The Queen's Thief #1)

Release Date: October 1, 1996
Author: Megan Whalen Turner
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Length: 279 pages
Source: Audible Audiobook

Nothing is overdone and not a word is out of place in this auspicious debut," wrote Kirkus in a starred review of Instead of Three Wishes, the first book by Megan Whalen Turner. Her second book more than fulfills that promise.

The king's scholar, the magus, believes he knows the site of an ancient treasure. To attain it for his king, he needs a skillful thief, and he selects Gen from the king's prison. The magus is interested only in the thief's abilities. What Gen is interested in is anyone's guess. Their journey toward the treasure is both dangerous and difficult, lightened only imperceptibly by the tales they tell of the old gods and goddesses.

Megan Whalen Turner weaves Gen's stories and Gen's story together with style and verve in a novel that is filled with intrigue, adventure, and surprise.

    

Review:

Protagonist: Once claiming to be a thief who can steal anything Gen is now rotting in prison in Sounis when the King's magus comes to retrieve him for a mission where he could gain fame and fortune or a knife in the back. Joining Gen and the magus on their journey are the magus's apprentices Sophos and Ambiades, as well as a soldier and bodyguard named Pol. On this journey, Gen often butts heads with his companions, but along the adventure, he proves to be a capable and cunning thief. I love that Gen's flaws don't come from his profession, something that has been established he excels at, instead, his faults come in his pride and, like most fantasy heroes, his stubbornness. Over the course of the story, I loved seeing Gen come out of his shell as well as learn more about where his true motives lie.

World Building: My favorite thing about this story is that throughout their journey the magus and Gen trade stories about the gods of this world, gods that are very obviously inspired by the Greco-Roman pantheon of gods. The stories are a joy to behold in this tale, while I was a little anxious as I wasn't sure if the stories would be based on Greek and Roman myths or if the stories would be brand new, while most of the stories are original there are of course bits and pieces that are pulled from Greek myths. The stories in this book deal mostly with the creation of the world as well as tales relating to a specific god and the item that our group seeks. There isn't a whole lot of development of this world in the story beyond setting up the three kingdoms that we see, however, there are five more books in this series so there's a whole lot more to explore in the future. As for any romance in this story, well, there isn't any, however, I did think that Gen and one of his traveling companions had slow-burning romance, but by the time the story was over, I realized just how wrong I was.

Predictability: This story isn't particularly long and while there are a fair number of twists, I felt like the characters pointing said twists out in the book lessened some of that gut punch that a good twist will give you. For most of the story, I had a vague idea of where everything was headed but was stumped on how it would end, which we'll get to in a second, the end had the most twists and turns and it was during the cooldown period where I was the most blown away with how everything ended up.

Ending: The final climax of this story is excellent. As the story winds to close things get crazy as our group of adventurers and treasure seekers find themselves in a few sticky situations and they are forced to navigate their way out. I don't want to say too much but there is at least one action scene and there may have been a plethora of emotions unleashed on me as this story not only overcame the final climax but came to a close during the "cooldown" period, I put cooldown in quotes because there are plenty of twists during this point and they didn't exactly cool down the story. The story doesn't end with a cliffhanger, and in fact, you could probably read this as a standalone if you didn't enjoy it, but for me, I can't wait to explore more of this world and the mythology the pulled me in in the first place.

Rating:

I loved this story and the only thing I feel I can complain about is that it's too short, but again, there are more books and more to explore and when I can I'll be diving right back in!

Book Review: Unearthed (Unearthed #1)

Release Date: January 9, 2017
Authors: Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Length: 336 pages
Source: Purchased Australian Edition

When Earth intercepts a message from a long-extinct alien race, it seems like the solution the planet has been waiting for. The Undying's advanced technology has the potential to undo environmental damage and turn lives around, and Gaia, their former home planet, is a treasure trove waiting to be uncovered.

For Jules Addison and his fellow scholars, the discovery of an alien culture offers unprecedented opportunity for study... as long as scavengers like Amelia Radcliffe don't loot everything first. Mia and Jules' different reasons for smuggling themselves onto Gaia put them immediately at odds, but after escaping a dangerous confrontation with other scavvers, they form a fragile alliance.

In order to penetrate the Undying temple and reach the tech and information hidden within, the two must decode the ancient race's secrets and survive their traps. But the more they learn about the Undying, the more their presence in the temple seems to be part of a grand design that could spell the end of the human race...

    

Review:

Protagonists: Mia and Jules find themselves on Gaia for very different reasons, Jules wants to study the lost civilization of the planet and Mia wants to scavenge it for all it's worth. These two characters collide in a fantastic way that really shows off just how well they work together. As the story moves forward we learn more about each character and why they decided to take a rather illegal trip to a mostly unexplored planet. I loved these characters so much, Mia is a serious firecracker who will put you in your place while Jules is a strict academic who's spent nearly his whole life dreaming of Gaia. These characters are fantastic separate from one another, but it's when they work together that they truly shine.

Romance: It's almost immediately clear from the moment they meet that Mia and Jules are attracted to one another, in fact, if I had to say anything bad about the romance in this book it would be that the attraction between the two was brought up a little too often and felt a bit heavy-handed at times. That doesn't, however, affect their chemistry in any way. These characters fit together in a way that's really hard to describe. While I've shipped my fair share of YA couples, there's something about this couple that sets them apart, a sense of rightness in their relationship, both before and after it becomes romantic. While the attraction between the two is clear from nearly the beginning, this is a rather slow burning romance as the secrets these two characters hide could very well tear them apart.

World Building: So, when I first read that this was comparable to Indiana Jones meets Lara Croft in space, I have to say I was almost instantly hooked. Now I've never really seen an Indiana Jones/Lara Croft style team up before, but if there's another one out there somewhere I'd love to see/read it because it seems so perfect after reading this story. I mean, I can't believe no one's thought about it before (maybe they have and I just don't know about it) because once things get going in this story they don't really stop. The Sci-Fi element to this story is amazing, a dying Earth in need of a miracle and a distant planet that just may hold the key to humanity's survival, it was incredible. I loved learning about the alien race on this planet and seeing how they would test the beings who received their call. These authors do suspense like no one else and there were many times throughout this story where I was genuinely worried about our protagonists and they narrate the freaking story.

Predictability: I feel that the perfect book is one that you can both solve some of the puzzles to while being completely caught off guard by fantastic twists and turns. This is one such story, or at least it was for me. If you know how to pick through foreshadowing, then one of the biggest twists of this book will be very apparent to you, that in no way means you shouldn't read this book, in fact, it's that reveal that even though I figured it out, still sent me reeling. Plus, there are all sorts of other twists this story has to offer. There was one twist in particular that had next to no foreshadowing, but utterly blew me away with how much it made sense once revealed. This book will take you on a wild ride, that's for sure.

Ending: So, going into this I expected a more or less standalone story, thinking that this was similar to the Starbound trilogy by the same authors and that the next installment would be a companion novel following the same threads that this story did. However, this is the first installment in a duology that from everything I can tell will have the same narrators and that completely changes how I went into the end of this story. The final climax is a high adrenaline and suspenseful ride that ends with a cliffhanger so crazy, that it just might make sense.

Rating:

Even with being a little heavy handed with the attraction between our two main characters, this story didn't fail to delight, entertain, and thrill. I can't wait until the next and final installment releases so I can figure out what will happen to these characters.

Review Tour Book Review: Long Way Home (Thunder Road #3) + Excerpt & Giveaway!

Release Date: January 31, 2017
Author: Katie McGarry
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Length: 448 pages
Source: eGalley from NetGalley

Seventeen-year-old Violet has always been expected to sit back and let the boys do all the saving.

It’s the code her father, a member of the Reign of Terror motorcycle club, raised her to live by. Yet when her dad is killed carrying out Terror business, Violet knows it’s up to her to do the saving. To protect herself, and her vulnerable younger brother, she needs to cut all ties with the club—including Chevy, the boy she’s known and loved her whole life.

But when a rival club comes after Violet, exposing old secrets and making new threats, she’s forced to question what she thought she knew about her father, the Reign of Terror, and what she thinks she wants. Which means re-evaluating everything: love, family, friends . . . and forgiveness.

Caught in the crosshairs between loyalty and freedom, Violet must decide whether old friends can be trusted—and if she’s strong enough to be the one person to save them all.

    

Review:

Protagonists: Chevy and Violet were each other's everything. They were friends since childhood, since before they could even remember, and along the way, they became something more. That is until Violet's father died and she blamed his death on the Reign of Terror, a legit motorcycle club that Chevy hopes to one day join and follow in his family's footsteps. Now they aren't sure what they are, they just know that they aren't together anymore. Violet hates the Terror, and Chevy feels like he's in one big tug of war, and doesn't know which side to choose because either way, someone he loves will get hurt. After a horrifying and scarring event that leaves Violet and Chevy both shaken and with old secrets about the Terror and their families come to light, they need to decide which road to take and what they're willing to give up to keep those they love safe. I was so excited to finally get to Violet's story, since from her debut in Nowhere but Here I found her story to be the most compelling, but what I didn't expect was that I would also be drawn in so deeply to Chevy's plot as well. Both of these characters are a bit broken, Violet's the type of person to not ask for help because she feels as though she can deal with anything that comes her way by herself, and even when she gets in over her head she struggles to appear vulnerable to anyone else. Chevy's mom has never liked or fully trusted the Terror, she was never a part of that life since Chevy was born out of a one night stand, because of that she wants more for Chevy, she wants him to experience life and live a normal life before dedicating himself to the Terror, and Chevy feels an incredible responsibility to continue his family's legacy and join with the Terror as soon as he's eighteen, and his need to please everyone in his family has left him at a stand still in his life. Both these characters are so richly presented and portrayed, every action, speech, and movement for them feels realistic and natural which lends so well to how immersive this series, and this installment especially, is.

Romance: Since I first heard that this book was going to be about Violet and Chevy I was interested in seeing how McGarry was going to handle the romance. We've never seen her tackle a romance between two people that have a long and complicated romantic history before, in fact, it wasn't until Chasing Impossible that we ever had two protagonists who we knew and had any sort of relationship before. I was pretty much already rooting for this couple before I ever began this book, the author had laid the groundwork for their relationship very well in the previous installments in this series, however, I was still anxious to see whether or not that could be translated well once we were in their heads. Granted, I should never doubt Katie McGarry because almost as soon as I began this book I knew I would be just as, if not more, invested and caught up in the romance between Chevy and Violet as any of her other romances. These two characters have so much electrifying chemistry that I never wanted their scenes with each other to end. They understand each other on a level that most others in this series just don't. They know more about each other than they do about themselves and it's so phenomenal to see them lean on each other and try and untangle the complications in their lives and in their relationship.

World Building: Gah! I love the mysteries that this series provides for our main characters but sometimes you wonder if the Riot isn't the true antagonist of this series, but the Reign of Terror themselves. So far with each book in this series there's been a mystery, involving the family of one of the main characters, Emily's parents' history, Razor's mom's death, and well I'm not going to spoil it but there's one more that involves the parent of one of these two characters, and the Terror is keeping some or all of the truth from them under some sort of code that is supposed to protect these kids, but inevitably only leads them to make decisions to find out these truths that put them in danger. The mystery for this installment is fantastic and every step we make toward finding out the truth only makes it more and more intriguing. There's also a lot of danger and darkness to this book, in fact, I would say this is one of, if not, the darkest book Katie McGarry has written so far. I really want to discuss what happens because it's such an interesting, and terrifying avenue to explore, it's something that sets the tone for this book and kicks off the main plot, and it's something that remains with our protagonists throughout the entire story. On a much lighter note, I was extremely excited when McGarry's two series come together in a marvelous way. I won't spoil how, but once I read a specific name from the Pushing the Limits series I nearly hyperventilated and when that avenue is explored later, well I just couldn't handle my emotions at that point.

Predictability: I don't know how Katie does it, but every time I go into these books I'm always expecting a happy ending, and yet when things get tense, when these characters are put in danger, specifically the narrators, I'm always scared that something will happen this time we might not get a happy ending. That ability to keep your readers guessing even when they feel they know it will end happily is a writing trait I envy. There are quite a few twists to this book, mainly because while it's easy to know these characters so well at this point, they're put into situations that, even thinking you know them so well, you aren't sure what they'll do. These aren't Mary Sue characters that will always do the right thing, these are characters that will act and react like the imperfect human beings they are. Then there are the secrets, secrets that the Riot hold, secrets that the Terror hold and secrets that strangers hold back from our characters that come to light in this book and some absolutely blew my mind. Honestly, looking back on this book I can only think of one thing specifically that I was able to predict before the revelation started.

Ending: Since this is the end of the "Rat Pack" as Olivia liked to call them, as they all have their own books and stories told, I was wondering about the future of this series. Granted, this series doesn't need to continue, but the author writes so many amazing side characters that there always seems like a new character to write about. Going into the ending of this book, it feels like the ending to this series, though. There are definitely more stories that can be told, but if this story was the last one in the "Thunder Road" series I'd be fine with that. The final climax of this book is intense and leads to an ending that feels final. Switching between Chevy and Violet's points of view during the final climax was almost like watching a movie that would have various scenes showing two sides that ended on excruciating cliffhangers. Then there's the cooldown that had so much to it. It wasn't just about whether or not our characters lived happily ever after. There were a lot of things that needed to be said at the end of the story and I loved seeing everything some together toward the end and seeing where everyone ended up.

Rating:

I have to tell you, I'm still debating in my head whether or not I loved this book or Chasing Impossible more. They're both amazing installments focusing on complex and compelling characters with issues that they have to sort through. I just hope I was able to convey to you how much this installment gripped me. I both love and curse Katie McGarry for making me feel so many emotions in this book! I can't wait to see what Katie will write next, be it a Thunder Road novel, a Pushing the Limits novel, or something completely new I'm sure I'll love it. P.S. If you value your sanity, do not read the excerpt from her new book that's in the end of this book, at least not right away. I did, and now I'm craving that book after only what I assume is part of a chapter.

Excerpt:

CHEVY

“Chevy,” Cyrus calls near the entrance, “We need to talk.”
Damned knot in the tug-of-war-rope and I’m starting to feel frayed. Mom doesn’t blink as she waits for me to say something. To tell Cyrus he can wait. To tell her what she wants to hear. But as much as I love her, I’m also drawn to the club. She’s right, I do want both.

“I’ll be back to pick you up later,” I say.

Mom throws the towel she had expertly throttled into the sink behind her, walks to the other side of the bar and the strobe light casts a red haze around her. If I didn’t know her better, I’d buy the flirty smile and the way she giggles in happiness as she leans on the bar to take a drink order. But that’s not her real smile and that’s not her real laugh. It’s part of her job, part of her act, because that’s what working her requires—performing.

With a kick to a barstool, I head for the exit. Cyrus walks out into the night and I follow. Once outside, Cyrus turns to me and his warm breath creates a cloud in the cool night. “We’ve had some trouble tonight with the Riot.”

The Riot would be a motorcycle club north of us in Louisville. They’re pissed at the Terror for myriad reasons, the main one being we’re a legit club and they deal in illegal. They’re also angry at one of our main members, Eli. They feel he stole their daughter and granddaughter from them. Eli didn’t steal a thing. Can’t call someone’s free will in walking away from crazy a crime.

Life sucks for the Riot and I’m fine with that. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah. Everyone’s safe, but we’ve had word that they’ve ridden past the boundary lines we set with them a few months back. It’s all rumor and no one on our side has confirmed it. Could be someone’s overactive imagination, but I’ll feel better knowing you’re off the road.”

I’m under eighteen, still a kid to him. Cyrus used to act this way with my two best friends, Oz and Razor, but both are eighteen and full members of the club now. The babysitting twists my gut, but then again, I’m not ready for the decision eighteen will bring. “How about Violet?”

“I’m on my way now to look for her. She’s also not answering her cell.”

Yeah. A lot of that going around. “If she took Stone to the game, she would have headed straight home. I’ll check on her on my way to Mom’s if you want.”

This gives me the excuse I need to see Violet. Because I won’t be able to sleep without knowing she’s okay. So I can thank her for what she did for me with the note. To gauge whether or not Violet is waving the white flag.

Cyrus lays a hand on my shoulder. “I’d appreciate that. I need to head back to the clubhouse to take care of some business. I’m serious about what I said though. Me and a lot of guys would love to hear about the game.”

I know they would and I’d enjoy being with them, but Mom’s already sore that I walked out on her to talk to Cyrus. “I’m beat. After I check on Violet, I’m crashing.”

Cyrus gives me a fast pat and a hug. We both mount our bikes and start our engines with a growl. My grandfather takes the lead and I follow him as long as I can before taking the path that leads away from him and toward where Violet lives.

Don’t Miss the First Two Titles in the Thunder Road Series! Grab your copies today!

NOWHERE BUT HERE

WALK THE EDGE
 

Pre-order LONG WAY HOME by Katie McGarry, and fill out THIS FORM, to receive three previously unreleased bonus scenes featuring important “firsts” in the lives of your favorite characters from the world of Katie McGarry! Complete the form to register your pre-order at https://wyng.com/campaign/820152. Offer Ends 1/31/17 at 11:59 pm EST.

Katie McGarry’s LONG WAY HOME – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:

January 23^rd

Aaly and The Books – Review & Excerpt

Angel Reads – Review

Books,Dreams,Life – Excerpt

Feed Your Fiction Addiction – Review & Excerpt

Girl Plus Books – Review & Excerpt

Letter Shelves Blog – Review & Excerpt

The Book Hammock – Review & Excerpt

January 24^th

Book Boyfriend Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Ficwishes – Review

Lovin' Los Libros – Review

MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Nose Stuck in a Book – Excerpt

Whatever You Can Still Betray – Excerpt

Zach's YA Reviews – Review & Excerpt

January 25^th

Always YA at Heart – Review & Excerpt

Bridget's Book Bungalow – Review & Excerpt

Friends Till The End Book Blog – Excerpt

Mythical Books – Excerpt

Resch Reads and Reviews – Review

Swoony Boys Podcast – Review & Excerpt

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Book Boyfriends – Review & Excerpt

January 26^th

A Bookish Escape – Review & Excerpt

Book Sojourner – Review & Excerpt

Crazii Bitches Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Dark Faerie Tales – Review & Excerpt

Guilty Indulgence Book Club – Review

SnoopyDoo's Book Reviews – Excerpt

January 27^th

Bookshelf Adventures – Review & Excerpt

Little Read Riding Hood – Review & Excerpt

Nerdy Soul – Review & Excerpt

Random Book Muses – Review & Excerpt

The Silver Dagger Scriptorium – Excerpt

Writing My Own Fairy Tale – Review & Excerpt

January 28^th

Abibliophobia Anonymous Book Reviews – Excerpt

Zili in the Sky – Review & Excerpt

Greyland Reviews – Excerpt

Chasing Faerytales – Review

Brittany's Book Blog – Excerpt

Dog-Eared Daydreams – Review

Movies, Shows, & Books – Excerpt

January 29^th

Book Angel Booktopia – Review & Excerpt

BookWorm221 – Review & Excerpt

Confessions of 2 Book Lovers – Review & Excerpt

It's All About the Romance – Excerpt

Milky Way of Books – Review & Excerpt

Waiting For Wentworth – Excerpt

January 30^th

Collector of book boyfriends – Review

Latte Nights Reviews – Review

Margie's Must Reads – Review & Excerpt

Oh My Growing TBR – Review & Excerpt

Readers Live A Thousand Lives – Review & Excerpt

So Bookalicious – Review & Excerpt

January 31^st

A crazy vermonters book reviews – Review

Desert Divas Book Addiction – Review & Excerpt

Little Bookworm Reviews – Review & Excerpt

What Is That Book About – Excerpt

With Love for Books – Review & Excerpt

The Cover Contessa – Review & Excerpt

February 1^st

A Leisure Moment – Review

Book Bite Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Never Judge a Book by its Cover – Review & Excerpt

Pages to Explore – Excerpt

Red Hot + Blue Reads – review & Excerpt

Stuck In Books – Review & Excerpt

February 2^nd

Actin' Up with Books – Review & Excerpt

2 girls who love books – Excerpt

Books, Coffee & Passion – Excerpt

Contagious Reads – Review & Excerpt

Go Read A Book – Review

The Book Maven – Review & Excerpt

The Heart of a Book Blogger – Review

February 3^rd

A Gingerly Review – Review & Excerpt

Bookish Hollow – Review & Excerpt

G & T's Indie Café – Excerpt

Lovely Reads Publishing – Review & Excerpt

Mary Had a Little Book Blog – Excerpt

Vera is Reading – Excerpt

I Heart YA Books – Review & Excerpt

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About the Author:

Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.

Katie is the author of full-length YA novels, PUSHING THE LIMITS, DARE YOU TO, CRASH INTO YOU, TAKE ME ON, BREAKING THE RULES, NOWHERE BUT HERE and WALK THE EDGE and the e-novellas, CROSSING THE LINE and RED AT NIGHT. Her debut YA novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS was a 2012 Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction, a RT Magazine’s 2012 Reviewer’s Choice Awards Nominee for Young Adult Contemporary Novel, a double Rita Finalist, and a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick. DARE YOU TO was also a Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction and won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Best Book Award for Young Adult Contemporary fiction in 2013.

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Book Review: Ghostly Echoes (Jackaby #3)

Release Date: August 23, 2016
Author: William Ritter
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Length: 352 pages
Source: Review Copy from the Publisher

Jenny Cavanaugh, the ghostly lady of 926 Augur Lane, has enlisted the investigative services of her fellow residents to solve a decade-old murder—her own. Abigail Rook and her eccentric employer, Detective R. F. Jackaby, dive into the cold case, starting with a search for Jenny’s fiancé, who went missing the night she died. But when a new, gruesome murder closely mirrors the events of ten years prior, Abigail and Jackaby realize that Jenny’s case isn’t so cold after all, and her killer may be far more dangerous than they suspected.

Fantasy and folklore mix with mad science as Abigail’s race to unravel the mystery leads her across the cold cobblestones of nineteenth-century New England, down to the mythical underworld, and deep into her colleagues’ grim histories to battle the most deadly foe she has ever faced.

    

Review:

Protagonist: Abigail Rook has assisted her employer, R. F. Jackaby, on two cases now and when they returned home from their most recent escapade involving a dragon, they find their friend and the ghostly resident of their home, Jenny Cavanaugh, has a new case for them, to solve her murder. Now, as new evidence appears that connects to Jenny's murder, Jackaby and Abigail must uncover new clues and discover not only who killed their friend, but what compelled this person to commit such a violent and gruesome act. Can I just say that I love all of these characters? I mean seriously, I know that Abigail is our narrator and primary character, but even so, it's just as easy to see who all of the major players are underneath and to see their development as this story goes on. None of these characters are perfect, but it's their flaws, no matter how big or small, that make them such realistic and three-dimensional characters

World-Building: Before I get too far into the world building I wanted to address the lack of a romance section. There is romance in this book, Charlie once again makes an appearance and there's a bit of romance between him and Abigail, and since a lot of this book delves into Jenny's past there's a bit of romance that involves her to, but there's not enough of it for me to feel as though it merits its own section. The main hook of this story is the fact that we finally learn more about Jenny and how she ended up dying. This mystery has been teased in previous installments, but I was overjoyed when in the previous book we see it ending with Jenny finally wanting to know what happened to her. as I said before we learn a lot more about Jenny and her life leading up to her death, but interestingly enough we also learn a lot about Jackaby's past and what led up to him becoming the Seer that he is. this book expands this world in immeasurable ways, there's something sinister going on in New Fiddleham and Jenny's murder and the other cases are just pieces of a much larger plot.

Predictability: With this being a mystery novel the predictability or lack thereof is very important. Luckily, this author knows what he's doing. I cannot begin to articulate how amazing this book is. There are so many wonderful twists and even when you think you know everything, even if you think you've uncovered what's going on before it's been uncovered in the story, there's always something else that puts a wrinkle in your perfectly logical prediction. Not that there aren't moments in this book that are extremely predictable, but it always feels like it's meant to be that way, it seems like the author purposely foreshadowed something a bit too easily just so that there could be a twist inside his twist.

Ending: If I didn't know going into this book that this was the penultimate installment in this series, by the time this book ends I would have figured it out. There are actually quite a few climactic moments towards the end of this book and they are unbelievably epic. These moments are when a lot of these characters shine their brightest. After all the dust settles, like with previous installments in this series, we get a taste of what's to come next. I don't want to give anything away, but the taste of what's coming up does feel very final, and like I said this is the second to last installment in this series. This book ends with on of these worst cliffhangers I've ever read (in a good way.) At this point, I want the next installment in this series probably more that I want to breathe.

Rating:

This is by far my favorite installment in this series yet. I've been trying to articulate just how and why this is my favorite and I can't, it's so complex and how everything ties together in this book leading to a very explosive cliffhanger just made this book my current favorite of the year so far!

Book Review: The Gray Wolf Throne (Seven Realms #3)

Release Date: August 30, 2011
Author: Cinda Williams Chima
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Length: 517 pages
Source: Library Book

Han Alister thought he had already lost everyone he loved. But when he finds his friend Rebecca Morley near death in the Spirit Mountains, Han knows that nothing matters more than saving her. The costs of his efforts are steep, but nothing can prepare him for what he soon discovers: the beautiful, mysterious girl he knew as Rebecca is none other than Raisa ana’Marianna, heir to the Queendom of the Fells. Han is hurt and betrayed. He knows he has no future with a blueblood. And, as far as he’s concerned, the princess’s family as good as killed his own mother and sister. But if Han is to fulfill his end of an old bargain, he must do everything in his power to see Raisa crowned queen.

Meanwhile, some people will stop at nothing to prevent Raisa from ascending. With each attempt on her life, she wonders how long it will be before her enemies succeed. Her heart tells her that the thief-turned-wizard Han Alister can be trusted. She wants to believe it—he’s saved her life more than once. But with danger coming at her from every direction, Raisa can only rely on her wits and her iron-hard will to survive—and even that might not be enough.

The Gray Wolf Throne is an epic tale of fierce loyalty, unbearable sacrifice, and the heartless hand of fate.

    

Review:

Protagonists: After being kidnapped by Micah Bayar and then nearly taken by Gerard Montaigne, Raisa is on the run for her life, hiding away from the High Wizard and his dastardly schemes. However it isn't long before she's pursued again and this time she may not get away so cleanly. Han Alister just wants to find the girl he knows as Rebecca Morley and make sure she's safe and sound, blaming himself for her disappearance. When he finds her near death in the mountains, he doesn't expect to soon find out that she's none other than Raisa ana'Marianna Princess Heir to the Fells, and the girl he begrudgingly agreed to protect. I honestly don't know how much more I can gush about how amazing these characters are. In other novels when a protagonist does something I've deemed stupid, even if I logically know they've done it because of a certain reason, I never quite believe it. In this book I believe it, and it's not just with stupid things. Everything these characters do, each hard choice and sudden outburst not only seem very realistic but very in line with the character this author has created. Each and every one of the characters in this book are so three-dimensional, no one is all black or white, just different shades of gray.

Romance: Man, does the romance in this book get super complicated and sometimes very aggravating, though since it's obvious the author intended to write it that way it's much easier to digest. First we have Amon and Raisa, a romance that just wasn't meant to be unfortunately. We don't get any progression in this book, only some much needed closure and a bit of pain. Then we have Han and Raisa, the romance that not only makes the most sense, but seems the most impossible. If Han and Raisa were to marry the whole country would be up in arms, possibly the whole continent. Raisa marry a street urchin wizard fostered by the Clans? That's just unspeakable. Not to mention the huge rift that grew between Raisa and Han after Han learns her true identity. There's a feeling of betrayal there and Han doesn't know how to sort out his feelings, so he lashes out. Honestly, while I'm very positive these characters will end up together, the "how" to that dilemma currently escapes me, unless Raisa can find a way to use Amon's ability to do nothing to hurt the line to somehow convince everyone that she and Han belong together. Then there are the romantic complications I kind of hope are eventually killed off. Ried Nightwalker and Micah Bayar attempt to reenter their hats in the ring for Raisa's hand. It's nothing to take seriously, just a constant, although semi-necessary, annoyance.

World Building: Even though I thought I knew what to expect going into this installment, I was not prepared for what went on in this book. There's a lot of preamble in this book. Things are steadily building up and what it's building up to is pretty fantastic. There's a turning point in this book, where the storytelling changes in a way, or the story itself changes, and the path I had expected it to go on, isn't the path anymore. As you can no doubt tell, I'm try to be vague and avoid spoilers. That being said, this book has the most political intrigue out of all of the books. Playing politics is a dangerous game, but these characters are smart, let's just hope they are smart enough to not only stay alive, but build a better Queendom. There's quite a bit of world building in this book. We see more of the clans, more of the Fellsian court, and learn some vital secrets that just may prove too dangerous to know. Honestly, there's so much I want to say, but I don't want to reveal more than I already have. Let me just say before I go, that when this book took a turn I wasn't expecting, it wasn't for the worse, but to catapult this story forward in an unexpectedly expected way.

Predictability: I'm pretty sure I've said it before, but I'll say it again, Chima has a fantastic way with foreshadowing. However, sometimes I just want the answer to my questions during the book in which they come up and that never seems to be the case. Take this book for example: In The Exiled Queen there was one mystery introduced, one I had felt I had pinpointed the answer to fairly early on, only to never get the satisfaction of saying that I called that twist during that second installment, however not fully two chapters in and it's revealed, I was right, but it was near torture to get there. That being said I'm not mad. There are plenty more twists and mysteries foreshadowed in this book that I am looking forward to finding out in the next installment, but that may just be because I'm reading the next and final installment after I finish this review.

Ending: This ending was weird, good weird, but still. There wasn't anything I could necessarily pinpoint as a final climax, save for some small climaxes in the final few chapters. The ending is very solid, full of hope as well as tension, and then there's the epilogue. I'm not sure why, probably because this is the book right before the end of the series, but I expected a gigantic twist at the end of this book. So going into the epilogue I had high expectations, but all I was left with was a puzzled look on my face and an intense desire to read the final installment of this series, yet not gigantic twist in sight.

Rating:

I mean, is this even a surprise at this point? It wasn't to me. I absolutely love this series and while didn't go into it planning on giving it five stars, it blew me away in it's slow paced and game changing story line. I have so many questions by the end of this book and I am about ready for some answers.

Book Review: Vicious (Vicious #1)

Release Date: September 24, 2013
Author: V.E. Schwab
Publisher: Tor
Length: 364 pages
Source: Purchased Book

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

    

Review:

Characters: Normally this is the part of the review where I take a good look at the protagonist, or protagonists of the story, talk about if I liked them as characters, if they felt realistic and just my overall feelings about the central character. However, even though there is a central character, one that I'd even go so far as to say is the protagonist, there is a whole cast of characters in this book and they don't all fit into "hero" and "villain" roles. There is one character who I feel like wholly encompasses a hero or "good guy/girl" role, but the rest are sort of anti-heroes and anti-villains. They look from the outside like the opposite of what they are, but knowing these characters, their true personalities come to light. I loved the complexities of these characters. It wasn't because they were multi-layered and realistic, which they were, but more that as I said before they don't fall into typical character stereotypes, everyone in this book is flawed in some way and some more than others and it's just fascinating to read.

World-Building: This book is full of flashbacks and time jumps that while I was fine reading it, it could, especially if you speed read, get a bit confusing. With that out of the way, let's talk superpowers. The main feature of this book is the idea that some people, through a certain series of events, can be granted ExtraOrdinary powers. What I really enjoyed about this world is that the whole idea of powers and the like springs forth out of science. There's a perfectly rational explanation for the distribution of these powers and why and how certain powers are given to certain people. Then there were the bits of exposition that tie this story together. For the first part of this story there is very little emphasis put on the present day chapters, they're short and while they can still be entertaining, they sometimes felt more like something to string the backstory chapters together and act as a bit of a drum roll for the second half of the book. The second half of the book mostly takes place over one day, with chapters here and there explaining the backstory of certain characters and filling in holes in the story in a smooth and entertaining way.

Predictability: I don't normally read adult books, and because of that I'm not at all attuned to the different formulas and styles of writing adult fiction. With this book, there weren't really any big twists or "gotcha" moments where something intense or chocking is revealed. Instead this story just sort of chugs along, the various climactic moments just sort of happening without the big reveals I'm used to. Even when things were revealed in this book, it was done without ceremony and just sort of felt dampened and like there was no need for excitement or shock over that last revelation.

Ending: Going into this book I had expected it to be a standalone. However, as I was getting ever closer to that final climax I went to the GoodReads page and noticed that there is a sequel planned for sometime in the future, now that sort of changed perspective on how I viewed the ending. First off, the final climax, which for all intents and purposes felt like the climax of a standalone, had an air of something unfinished added to it. Then there's the actual ending. Now, the ending to this book sort of has a dual purpose feel to it. On the one hand this book wraps up very well and there's no real need to dive into this world again if you don't feel inclined to, but depending on how you look at it, the ending is also a cliffhanger that, if you let it, can grind agonizingly on you until the release of the sequel, so tread lightly.

Rating:

Okay, so this book was very hard to rate. Not only is it an Adult book, which I don't read all that often, but it has got its own unique intricacies that made it very hard to rate. In the end I went with five stars because I really loved this book, its world, and its characters and I won't waste any time picking up the sequel as soon as it's released!