Book Review: Bright Smoke, Cold Fire (Untitled #1)

Release Date: September 27, 2016
Author: Rosamund Hodge
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Length: 448 pages
Source: Edelweiss ARC

When the mysterious fog of the Ruining crept over the world, the living died and the dead rose. Only the walled city of Viyara was left untouched.

The heirs of the city’s most powerful—and warring—families, Mahyanai Romeo and Juliet Catresou share a love deeper than duty, honor, even life itself. But the magic laid on Juliet at birth compels her to punish the enemies of her clan—and Romeo has just killed her cousin Tybalt. Which means he must die.

Paris Catresou has always wanted to serve his family by guarding Juliet. But when his ward tries to escape her fate, magic goes terribly wrong—killing her and leaving Paris bound to Romeo. If he wants to discover the truth of what happened, Paris must delve deep into the city, ally with his worst enemy . . . and perhaps turn against his own clan.

Mahyanai Runajo just wants to protect her city—but she’s the only one who believes it’s in peril. In her desperate hunt for information, she accidentally pulls Juliet from the mouth of death—and finds herself bound to the bitter, angry girl. Runajo quickly discovers Juliet might be the one person who can help her recover the secret to saving Viyara.

Both pairs will find friendship where they least expect it. Both will find that Viyara holds more secrets and dangers than anyone ever expected. And outside the walls, death is waiting. . .

    

Review:

Protagonists: What I found most interesting about this Fantasy Romeo and Juliet retelling is that Romeo and Juliet aren't our main protagonists, instead they find themselves accidentally bound to our main protagonists. Paris never expected the chance to be bound to the Juliet, but after his only and most fierce competition Tybalt is killed he has to step up and take his place. However, before the ritual to bind Paris and the Juliet together can take place, Juliet runs off with Romeo and when Paris finds them trying to bind each other something goes wrong, it seems Juliet dies, and Romeo and Paris somehow wind up bound together. Runajo (which I could find no way to pronounce that rolled off the tongue well) has devoted herself to the Sisters of Thorn, who work to fortify the city against the Ruining. Runajo wants to find a way to save her dying city and on her search for a solution accidently pulls Juliet out of the Mouth of Death and finds herself bound to a girl who's bitter and angry and ready to kill. I have to say I really liked these characters. They both had flaws, like deep noticeable ones. They weren't pure lights in a deep darkness that were meant to banish all darkness away. They completely moral, but they'll do what they can to save and avenge those they love and have come to care for which I find very admirable.

Romance: So actually there isn't a lot of romance in this book. Barely any in fact. Paris and Runajo have no love interests, at least none of which I could see, and since we don't really get major scenes from Romeo or Juliet's POV it's hard to call that a real romantic plotline. That being said, there are, for lack of a better term, chapters that are told from Juliet's third person POV before the start of the book, and each one goes further back in time and shows her and Romeo's relationship as it is tested, as it thrives, and as it blossoms. It seems to me that this is more than your average insta-love, in fact, while there may be an instant attraction between the two, I wholeheartedly believe that true love came after, even if it did come rather fast.

World Building: I have a sort of love-hate relationship with the world building of this book. First, let me say that the world building is so vast and expansive. I mean, this is a fantasy world, and the author did such a great job at crafting it, coming up with the lore and have so many variations on the beliefs of these characters. I mean to see so diverse a cast of characters, some believing one things, others something completely different, or only marginally the same, is fantastic. How the magic system works in this world and everything that goes into not only weaving spells but fortifying them is gruesomely fascinating Then we have the parallels with the source material. I have to say that I wouldn't quite call this a retelling. Most of the story is already complete by the time the story begins, but there is definitely more here than other "retellings" I've read. I loved seeing these characters in a whole new light, though I'm a bit upset that Rosaline's facsimile character has a name change while most of the other major player don't, plus again Runajo isn't the easiest word to pronounce. Now on to the stuff I didn't quite like. Actually, there's only one thing and that's the pacing. I'm not sure why I was expecting a faster-paced story but I was and I have to say this was a sluggishly paced book. Each chapter felt longer than it was and it wasn't until the end that things really started to pick up.

Predictability: I have to say, on the whole, this book was pretty unpredictable. There weren't a lot of huge twists or anything, but it wasn't all that easy to see where the story was going to go. I think a lot of that was tied to the pacing. Things took quite a while to get done and by the time there was a set plot it was already too late and things were happening. I'm looking over my reading experience and I don't think there was anything that I predicted, at least not exactly, and there were some devastatingly huge twists too.

Ending: Going into this book I knew that it was going to be a duology, or ar least a duology, but since we only knew about one other book, for whatever reason I thought maybe it'd be a companion series. Before too long in this book though it became very clear that this was just the beginning. I can barely comprehend this ending but I'll do the best I can. There wasn't really a final climax, I mean, there was but it was very well sustained throughout the entire end of this book. There was no real cooldown and as things were revealed, betrayals were made and devastating secrets come to light, I could only think that I need to get my hands on the next installment.

Rating:

Oh my, there was so much to love about this book. The world building was mind blowing and the characters were so richly balanced. That being said there was a price to pay for such a gorgeously crafted story and that was that the pacing was very slow. However, if you enjoy richly detailed fantasy retellings than this is the book for you!

Book Review: The Head of Medusa (Elementals #3)

Release Date: June 29, 2016
Author: Michelle Madow
Publisher: Dreamscape Publishing
Length: 190 pages
Source: Review Copy from the Author

The epic story of witches, gods, and monsters that USA Today called a "must read" continues in the third book of the Elementals series!

When Nicole Cassidy moved to a new town, she discovered that she was a witch descended from gods. But that was nothing compared to learning that it was up to her and four others with mysterious elemental powers to help save the world from the Titans, who would soon return to Earth.

Now her relationship with Blake -- the fire Elemental -- is finally heating up. But she must remain focused, because Typhon, one of the deadliest creatures in history, has escaped from the weakening prison world. Only one object can destroy him -- the head of Medusa herself.

Follow the Elementals as they journey to the end of the Earth, facing choices that will put their lives and the entire world at risk. Will they all survive the mission? Find out in the riveting third book in the Elementals series, The Head of Medusa.

  

Review:

Protagonist: After the end of the previous installment in this series Nicole has never felt more free, she can date Blake without upsetting the dynamic of the Elementals group, they know about her ability to use black energy to kill, and now they all have a way to keep monsters from constantly coming back from Kerberos. Things couldn't get much better. That is, until she and her team find out that the deadliest Titan Typhon is rising and they don't have much time to gather the things necessary to defeat him before all is lost. Nicole does have development in this book, but it's more directly related to her romance, which I'll get to in a bit, and while I don't mind that she doesn't grow too much individually, at least not noticeably, she's still a character that has a good variety of strengths and weaknesses that are tested in this book, she still has some growing to do, but with any luck she's got plenty of time to do it.

Romance: There really isn't too much of a focus on the romance in this book. It's there sure, the first chapter is even Nicole and Blake's first official date, but as a sub-plot it's very small. They're there for each other, and for the most part the romantic sub-plot revolves around Nicole's ever growing feelings for Blake and her pondering over whether or not to tell him she loves him. Now, that's not a spoiler because it's in the first chapter. I really enjoyed that the author chose to really have her main character debate over whether or not saying that would be too soon. Too often these days YA love interests say "I love you" within days, sometimes even hours, of knowing each other, and while it's only been a couple of months with these two, that's where the whole "we've been through a lot with each other" thing actually feels realistic and not just some contrived way to get these two characters to say the "L" word to each other at a break neck pace. Overall, I really enjoyed the romance and after two books I'm actually rooting for these two all the way and actually really love them together.

World-Building: Even though our heroes now have weapons that can send monster to limbo for a year until the Portal to Kerberos is closed, that doesn't mean it will work on all monsters, especially not a Titan like Typhon. For that job, the only possible defeat is the Head of Medusa. However slicing off Medusa's head isn't going to be super easy, This adventure takes our heroes to new places and has them fight for their lives nearly every step of the way. One of the things I've really come to enjoy about this series is how tightly all these installments fit together. I mean, most series have great continuity and will bring back characters, or dole out the consequences of a past book well, but for some reason, that really stuck out to me in this book. Everything works so well together and this author does a fantastic job of leaving noticeable threads that you just know will be picked up later.

Predictability: Here's something weird. I honestly don't know how to describe what I was and was not able to predict. Let me try to explain. I would be able to predict one or two aspects of what was to come, but the specifics would be wrong, or the timing would be off. There are some pretty big twists in here and the author does a good job of mixing foreshadowing with misdirection. Sometimes I would think I predicted something big, only to be wrong, and vice versa. Sometimes I thought I'd have the perfect idea of what's going to happen, only for the details to all get switched around and for it to turn out much more hopeless than I planned.

Ending: I thought I had more time. That's really all I can think to say, at least the only thing spoiler free I could think  to say after finishing this book. As things just hit a high point of tension, the highest for the entire book to be honest. I expected things to wind down, for there to be a cooldown period of some sort. Nope it ends, it ends with literally one of the most infuriating cliffhangers I've ever read. Michelle Madow, you are evil and I'm okay with that, and I am not okay with that. There is a final confrontation I guess, but that's a bit too far from the end, and not nearly final enough to be the final climax. The final climax was intense and crazy and if I wasn't in a hurry to read the first two chapters of the next book (which are at the end of this book) I could probably sit here and rant about it all day!

Rating:

Finally a five star book for me in this series. It's not even that the other books were bad, they were great, even though the first book felt a bit too much like and introduction and not enough like a solid first installment, however I'm completely addicted to this series and am totally chomping at the bit for book four! Bring it on!!!

Book Review: The White Rose (The Lone City #2)

Release Date: October 6, 2015
Author: Amy Ewing
Publisher: HarperTeen
Length: 308 pages
Source: ARC from BEA 2015

Violet is on the run. After the Duchess of the Lake catches Violet with Ash, the hired companion at the Palace of the Lake, Violet has no choice but to escape the Jewel or face certain death. So along with Ash and her best friend, Raven, Violet runs away from her unbearable life of servitude.

But no one said leaving the Jewel would be easy. As they make their way through the circles of the Lone City, Regimentals track their every move, and the trio barely manages to make it out unscathed and into the safe haven they were promised—a mysterious house in the Farm.

But there’s a rebellion brewing, and Violet has found herself in the middle of it. Alongside a new ally, Violet discovers her Auguries are much more powerful than she ever imagined. But is she strong enough to rise up against the Jewel and everything she has ever known?

The White Rose is a raw, captivating sequel to The Jewel that fans won’t be able to put down until the final shocking moments.

    

Review:

Protagonist: Picking up right where the last book left off, Violet has just been told by Garnet, her mistress's son, that he will help her escape the Jewel and find somewhere safe. Now she, her romantic interest Ash, and her broken best friend Raven, must escape to the Farm, but Regimentals are on high alert for one member of their party and getting out won't be as easy as Garnet and Lucien had planned. There is so much that Violet learns in this book, about herself and those around her and that only helps to shape and sturdy her resolve against the royals and their barbaric ways. I loved Violet so much, she has a sharp tongue when need be, and a calm and clear head when things get tough. She still has her flaws however, though those keep her grounded and whole, and keep her a realistic character at heart.

Romance: If I had to point out one element of this series that I didn't care for it'd be the romance. Since the romance was so rushed in the first book, by the time I got to the second I didn't really care about Ash. In fact, while I don't think I ever disliked Ash in the first book, in this book he got on my nerves a lot. There are many characters in this world that blame themselves for the actions of others, but no more so than Ash, who has a chip on his shoulder the size of the Lone City itself, however if we actually spent time in the first book getting to know his character more and learning more about him as his relationship with Violet grew over time instead of a whirlwind, I think I would have been able to accept his angst annoying rants about how things are all his fault or how if he didn't do that, than this wouldn't have happened. In fact, the most compelling romance in this book was the one given very little time to shine and was only really hinted at.

World Building: One of the things that drew me into this world so much was it's interesting blend of dystopian and fantasy, with these surrogates holding dominion over some rather magical powers. However, the first book in this series focused much more on the dystopian aspect and really paid little mid the the magical and fantasy part, making the latter seem all the more mysterious. In this novel though, we finally get to see the magic shine. We learn about the Auguries, their origins, and their true purpose. This deep dive into the Auguries gives this book much more of a fantasy flair than a dystopian at times. However, the dystopian crisis is still at a large and plans are being made to put an end to it, plans that include Violet somehow, but she doesn't want to be just another tool anymore, this time she wants to fight on her own terms.

Predictability: While I did have some problems with the first book, in many areas, one of those areas was most definitely not predictability. I would expect a love triangle, only to be left with a straightforward romance, I'd expect a daring escape at the end fraught with dramatic tension, only to have it end with Violet imprisoned fearing for her and Ash's lives only to get a glimmer of new hope. Things never turned out the way I expected, and this book is no different. One of the things that struck me the most was how I thought the name of this book was going to relate to the story. I had one idea so firmly implanted in my mind only for it to be something completely different. There are many twists and turns this book takes and I was only able to guess a handful of them, and that was mostly sheer dumb luck.

Ending: Another thing this author knows how to do well, is end a book on a devastating, and unpredictable, cliffhanger. I'm trying to find the final climax and while there isn't one in any typical way, there is a lot of tension going into the finale of this book. There are things revealed that shake our group to it's core and set them back quite a bit. Then there are things that are only hinted at that I'm expecting to see in the final installment of this trilogy. It's easy to see where things are going and I'm kind of incredibly excited to know what'll happen next. Oh yeah, that cliffhanger was evil in more than one way!

Rating:

I really enjoyed this book, other than not really caring about the romance, there wasn't really anything that bothered me about it. It's an addictive and quick read, that just keeps building until the explosive finale. I can't wait to see how this story will come to a close!

Book Review: The Novice (Summoner #1)

Release Date: May 5, 2015
Author: Taran Matharu
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Length: 368 pages
Source: eGalley from NetGalley/Library Book

When blacksmith apprentice Fletcher discovers that he has the ability to summon demons from another world, he travels to Adept Military Academy. There the gifted are trained in the art of summoning. Fletcher is put through grueling training as a battlemage to fight in the Hominum Empire’s war against orcs. He must tread carefully while training alongside children of powerful nobles. The power hungry, those seeking alliances, and the fear of betrayal surround him. Fletcher finds himself caught in the middle of powerful forces, with only his demon Ignatius for help.

As the pieces on the board maneuver for supremacy, Fletcher must decide where his loyalties lie. The fate of an empire is in his hands. The Novice is the first in a trilogy about Fletcher, his demon Ignatius, and the war against the Orcs.

    

Review:

Protagonist: Fletcher grew up as an orphan in a small town, becoming the ward and eventual apprentice of the town's blacksmith. When he learns that he possesses the rare power to summon demons that ends disastrously he flees his home and finds his way to an academy that trains young summoners to fight in the war. The tagline on the inside of the dust jacket for this book reads: He can summon demons. But can he win a war. which led me to believe that Fletcher might be a chosen one of some kind, but surprisingly that theory turns out to be false. Fletcher is just an ordinary boy with an extraordinary talent and do to some fortunes of chance he is set slightly apart from the other novices at the academy. I really liked Fletcher, he's a believable character with a good heart. He's clever and brave and those traits will take him far in this world of deceit and betrayal.

World-Building: There is so much about this world to love. The political intrigue alone sets this book apart from other YA fantasies. There is so much going on in this world and it only gets more and more complex as the story continues, though luckily it never gets confusing or convoluted. There is some definite Harry Potter inspiration to this world, although it stays well away from getting uncomfortable, mainly sticking with character tropes and minor themes. I did have one problem with this world, one which is totally based on my opinion, and that's that there are too many entitled asshole characters, one of which is a very unprofessional teacher. Now, I don't mind an entitled asshole character here and there, but the amount that's in this book makes my blood boil. I understand why the author put in so many and it does add depth to the world, it's just hard for me to deal with at times.

Predictability: I have to say that the foreshadowing in this book is done really well. While there were many times that it was easy to pick up on the foreshadowing and know what to expect out of this story, it was always done in the best way possible, a casual reference or two, maybe brought up again if the need dictated, but it was never beaten over the reader's head as if they were too stupid to pick up on the subtle nudges here and there. There were also times in which the foreshadowing was so subtle or non-existent that when the twist or surprise was revealed it made for a very exciting shock and sizzle of excitement. There never seemed like there was a time when I knew before hand something I really wasn't supposed to know, which as you'd expect made for a very enjoyable reading experience over all.

Ending: So, I have a confession to make. For some reason I thought that this series might be a companion novel one, so I wanted to vaguely skim the synopsis of book two for Fletcher's name to be sure, in doing so I had a vague idea of how this book ended. Nothing was concrete but I had a very strong idea of what to expect. That being said, the ending was still the sucker punch in the gut I'm sure it was intended to be. After a spectacular final climax full of action and deception, the reader is treated to a very short cooldown period before the uncharacteristic (at least for the first book in a series) cliffhanger was presented. I have to just say, this ending id pure evil genius.

Rating:

So, going into this book I head some mixed opinions on it, nothing specific, but I ended up loving this book. My only qualm is the abundance of the aforementioned "entitled asshole characters" which is totally based on my opinion on that character trope in general. If you're a fan of fantasy this book is a must read!

Book Review: Ruined (Ruined #1)

Release Date: May 3, 2016
Author: Amy Tintera
Publisher: HarperTeen
Length: 368 pages
Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Emelina Flores has nothing. Her home in Ruina has been ravaged by war. She lacks the powers of her fellow Ruined. Worst of all, she witnessed her parents’ brutal murders and watched helplessly as her sister, Olivia, was kidnapped.

But because Em has nothing, she has nothing to lose. Driven by a blind desire for revenge, Em sets off on a dangerous journey to the enemy kingdom of Lera. Somewhere within Lera’s borders, Em hopes to find Olivia. But in order to find her, Em must infiltrate the royal family.

In a brilliant, elaborate plan of deception and murder, Em marries Prince Casimir, next in line to take Lera’s throne. If anyone in Lera discovers Em is not Casimir’s true betrothed, Em will be executed on the spot. But it’s the only way to salvage Em’s kingdom and what is left of her family.

Em is determined to succeed, but the closer she gets to the prince, the more she questions her mission. Em’s rage-filled heart begins to soften. But with her life—and her family—on the line, love could be Em’s deadliest mistake.

    

Review:

Protagonists: When Em's parents are killed and her sister is taken all she wants is revenge and to get her sister back. She's puts into action a plan that involves killing and taking the identity of a princess set to marry the son of the man who orchestrated her parents' deaths, finding out where her sister is being held, and then burning everything to the ground. Cas doesn't want to marry a princess he doesn't know, but his parents arranged it and to keep the peace between the two kingdoms and to cement Lera's hold on the Vallos throne, he has to. Honestly I wasn't quite sure what to expect of these characters going in except that Em's a bit of a bad ass who kills a princess in the first five pages, but then, she does have a softer side that comes out eventually. Cas however isn't exactly like other fantasy princes. Most fantasy princes I've read about have harsh and abusive fathers, so when it comes to opposing their father's laws and policies it's not that hard, but Cas's father, while having certain prejudices against the Ruined, isn't an obviously cruel person, so Cas has a harder time thinking for himself. I really enjoyed both these characters both together and on their own as they figure out the world they live in.

Romance: Let me ease your minds. First there is no love triangle. So far there is only a romance between Em and Cas and I hope it stays that way. Second, there is no insta-love. While the romance may or may not move faster than I had anticipated, I was actually delighted to see that it wasn't smooth sailing for very long. I really loved the romance between Cas and Em, even while Em is masquerading as Princess Mary, she doesn't pretend to know Mary's life so when she talks with Cas about her life, she doesn't lie, at least not when she doesn't have to. The romance is a bit slow burning moving from apathy, to friendship, and then finally to romance.

World-Building: So I have to say that while the political intrigue in this series is amazing, each country having some sort of stake in the power struggle, learning a lot about each of these countries, there isn't all that much we learn about the Ruined magic. Of course, I understand why that is, Em doesn't have any magic, and since the only other semi-important character that does have it is incognito there isn't all that much time to learn about it. However I would have liked a bit more about what the powers can do at the very least, we some a bit, but does everyone have the same powers, do some people have wildly different powers, are they all some form of telekinesis? I know we'll undoubtedly learn more about the Ruined power in upcoming books, it's just that it would have been nice to have a bit more of a grasp on it during this installment.

Predictability: So.... This book didn't quite go the way I was expecting. While I did catch on to rather a few little twists here and there, for the most part I wasn't quite sure what was going to happen next and I believe most of that is due to the fact that this book isn't paced quite the way I had expected. Going into this book I knew that it was a planned trilogy, and while I can definitely see how there's enough for three whole books now, there were times when I thought that this story more felt like the first half of a duology rather than the first installment in a trilogy. However, as the more or less second half of this book started there were a lot of things I didn't see coming and while it did take a little while I could easily see how the author could stretch this story out for two more books.

Ending: As the ending got closer and closer I was waiting for a final climax that just didn't seem to come. Sure there were quite a few intense moments as we got towards the end of the book, but things were still building. Then the final chapter came and all hell broke loose. I have to say the final chapter of this book has so much in it, so much that is revealed, so much that happens, that it's hard to put into words my feelings about it. Let's just say that after I finished the book the only words that came to mind were "Holy mother of God!"

Rating:

The ONLY thing keeping me from giving this book five stars is that I really wanted to know more about the Ruined powers and while I still totally understand why we didn't, not knowing some key facts about them just made this book the tiniest bit harder to fully comprehend.

Blog Tour Book Review: Rise (The Order of the Krigers #1) + GIVEAWAY!

Release Date: May 17, 2016
Author: Jennifer Anne Davis
Publisher: Month9Books
Length: 300 pages
Source: eARC from Publisher

The people of Nelebek live in fear of persecution from the evil Morlet, who reigns with a dark and destructive magic. The kingdom’s only hope lies with the Order of the Krigers—twelve warriors with mysterious powers linked to magical weapons.

For over a century, Morlet has been annihilating the Order, picking them off one by one. Eleven Krigers have been hunted down, tortured, and imprisoned in his dungeon. Now, only one remains.

Sixteen-year-old Kaia survives by keeping her head down and minding her own business. But when she finds herself in the middle of a public execution where the mysterious Morlet is in attendance, an odd compulsion she can’t resist comes over her.

Kaia looks into Morlet’s eyes.

Soon, an ancient power awakens and Kaia can no more blend into the scenery. Will she heed the call of the Krigers or will Morlet’s dark magic destroy the last of the Order?

    

Review:

Protagonist: Kaia has always known to keep her head down and out of trouble. However when she finds herself in running an errand to save her sick father she comes face to face with the evil tyrant who runs the kingdom she lives in she can no longer fade into obscurity. Now she's on the run from a terrifying enemy and learns of her destiny to help eleven others band together to fight and ultimately bring down the fearsome Mortlet. I really like Kaia, she's stubborn and fierce with a caring side to her. It's really hard to describe because she's more than just those things, she's a very well written and developed character.

Romance: So the romance in this book isn't a large plot point, and I was completely okay with that as it let this incredible plot shine all the more. So, I'm trying to figure out how to describe the romance without giving some rather large spoilers away, so I'll say this, while there isn't really a love triangle in this book, at least not one that I can take seriously, there is more than one person that comes into Kaia's life that will contribute in one way or another to the romance. The romance between Kaia and her main love interest is great though, it's slow moving, and has a lot of great tension in it. It didn't take too long for me to really start to root for them.

World-Building: Wow, this world is incredible. I said on twitter, not too long after starting this book, that the prologue to this story is incredible, it hooked me so easily and never let go. In this world there is magic, though humans don't have it unless it's given to them. Which is how the Krigers were born. They each have a weapon that links them to their magic which I found to be an incredible idea. I was eager to see how Davis would handle a magic system, since her True Reign and Reign of Secrets series don't have a magic aspect, and I have to say she did a phenomenal job. Then there's the world itself and while we don't learn too much about it, what we do learn is very well presented and there's some hints at things that I think we'll discover more in the future.

Predictability: So I'm going over in my head all of the twists in this book and there aren't all that many. There are some sudden turns in the story that I didn't quite see coming that were incredible, and even the twists that I did see coming I still really enjoyed. The sort of big twist to this story was actually pretty easy to guess, though not until after learning a key piece of information, but even then with the twist so obvious, the author didn't really try to continue to hint at it beating it over our heads, in fact even the main character starts to catch on to a few things. In the end I was probably more excited with how things fit together than whether or not I was surprised when they were finally revealed.

Ending: This ending did not take the turn I thought it would have. While I knew in my mind where the logical end point for this installment was, there were things in it that just seem to happen almost too soon. There are two more installments in this series and now I'm extremely curious as to what the next installment is going to bring. The final climax of this book had quite a few twists and turns in it, some I saw coming and a few I never quite expected. This all leads up to a rather killer cliffhanger.

Rating:

Wow, going in to this book I expected to like it, but I seriously can't wait to see what's going to happen next. The world is so richly developed and I feel such a connection to so many of the characters. If you're a fan of fantasy, this book is a must read!

About the Author:

Jennifer Anne Davis is the award-winning author of the bestselling TRUE REIGN series. After graduating from the University of San Diego with a degree in English and a teaching credential, she married her high school sweetheart. Jennifer is currently a full-time writer and mother of three highly energetic children. Her days are spent living in imaginary worlds and fueling her own kids’ creativity.

Author Links:

Website † Twitter † Facebook † Instagram † Goodreads

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Crystal Storm (Falling Kingdoms #5) by Morgan Rhodes (WOW #17)

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that everyone’s excited about!

An epic clash between gods and mortals threatens to tear Mytica apart... and prove that not even the purest of love stands a chance against the strongest of magic.

MAGNUS and CLEO are forced to test the strength of their love when Gaius returns to Mytica claiming he's no longer the King of Blood but a changed man seeking redemption.

LUCIA, pregnant with the child of a Watcher, has escaped the clutches of the unhinged fire god. Her powers are dwindling as she goes forth to fulfill a prophecy that will keep her baby safe . . . but could mean her demise. 

JONAS treks back to Mytica with a plan to overtake Amara, but fate takes hold when he runs into the beautiful Princess Lucia and joins her on her perilous journey.

AMARA has taken the Mytican throne, but with no way to unleash the water magic trapped within her stolen crystal, she'll never be able to seize glory and get sweet revenge.

And what kind of darkness will descend--and who will be safe--after Prince Ashur reveals the dangerous price he paid to cheat death?

Crystal Storm releases on December 13, 2016 from Razorbill

Gah! This is pretty much my all time favorite series! Every single book is better than the last, and I can't wait to see what's to come in this series. I love all of these characters, minus maybe Amara and Gaius... and Nic (sometimes.) These characters have endured so much since the first installment in this series, and with it so close to wrapping up I can't wait to see what happens.

So, what are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Empire of Dust (Blood of Gods and Royals #2) by Eleanor Herman (WOW #16)

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that everyone’s excited about!

In Macedon, war rises like smoke, forbidden romance blooms and ancient magic tempered with rage threatens to turn an empire to dust 

After winning his first battle, Prince Alexander fights to become the ruler his kingdom demands—but the line between leader and tyrant blurs with each new threat. 

Meanwhile, Hephaestion, cast aside by Alexander for killing the wrong man, must conceal the devastating secret of a divine prophecy from Katerina even as the two of them are thrust together on a dangerous mission to Egypt. 

The warrior, Jacob, determined to forget his first love, vows to eradicate the ancient Blood Magics and believes that royal prisoner Cynane holds the key to Macedon's undoing. 

And in chains, the Persian princess Zofia still longs to find the Spirit Eaters, but first must grapple with the secrets of her handsome—and deadly—captor. 

New York Times bestselling author Eleanor Herman entwines the real scandals of history with epic fantasy to reimagine the world's most brilliant ruler, Alexander the Great, in the second book of the Blood of Gods and Royals series.

Empire of Dust releases on June 28, 2016 from Harlequin Teen

So, I'm still not sure about these new covers. The original one for the first book felt so epic fantasy but these new ones, while nice, feel a bit too Historical Fiction, for how epic the series is so far. While I do have characters I couldn't care less about *cough* Jacob *cough* I am really interested to see where all of these characters end up, especially Zofia who's story I sort of felt cheated out of in the first book.

So, what are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Book Review: Warrior Witch (The Malediction Trilogy #3)

Release Date: May 3, 2016
Author: Danielle L. Jensen
Publisher: Angry Robot
Length: 384 pages
Source: eGalley via NetGalley

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:

Protagonists: As with many final books in series, our heroes have come a long way and grown a lot since the beginning of the first installment. Céline is now a fairly powerful witch who's not afraid to enter into the line of fire to save her race and those she loves. Tristan is no longer the pompous and self-loathing troll he once was and is now a thoughtful and wise leader who will also do what he must to protect humans and those who stand with him. Throughout this book there's still quite a bit of growth left for them to go through as they fight off threats from multiple fronts and try to hold on to hope even when all may seem futile. I have to say that while I liked these characters in the first book, as the series went on I really grew to love them, they're flawed and damaged in places but they learn to over come or subvert those flaws in the pursue of the greater good.

Romance: Since this is the last book in the trilogy there isn't all that much romance, or I should say that with no apparent threats keeping them apart there isn't all that much to the romance. While there is a bot of romantic drama here and there, there isn't all that much to tell. In this book Céline and Tristan have to make some tough choices and hard sacrifices, not only as it pertains to the people they are trying to protect, but as it pertains to their marriage. That being said though, even though the romance is a much smaller sub-plot than it has been in this series, it's still very interesting to me and I'm still heavily invested in it. Plus, since there's less of a focus on romance there's more of a focus on the kick-ass plot and world-building.

World-Building: This book picks up pretty much right after the previous one. The barrier keeping trolls in has been broken, The Winter Queen has sent her message, and now Tristan, Céline, and their friends need to go to war to help protect the humans on the Isle of Light from the trolls that would see harm and enslavement come to them. Pretty much the entirely of this book is about the war that began at the end of Hidden Huntress. Though it's not really a focal point, we do learn more about Arcadia and the Fae that live there. Tristan and Cécile both have debts to the Winter and Summer rulers respectively, and since this is the final book in this series you bet that the complications surrounding those debts come up in a big way and cause unforeseen consequences.

Predictability: So if I had to pick a book in this series that's the least predictable it'd probably be this one. On the whole the bigger vague questions as to where this series will end I, for the most part guessed, but as always it's those smaller and more specific details that are the real surprises in books. For instance, it's been proven that this author isn't afraid to kill of characters, even those that may seem important to the story, so logically I assumed that at least one character would die, but it's who that death belongs to, and mild spoiler alert: more than one person dies, that's the real surprise. The foreshadowing for this book, nay this series, is fantastic. There's never too much to clue you in to those larger plot twists, but at the same time, once they happen it's not to hard to see the little seeds that lead up to that particular twist.

Ending: So as this book and series was drawing to a close, part of me felt like, somewhere in the back of my mind, that this series might not truly be the end. That maybe this author has a spin-off series in mind. As everything lead up to that final climax I still thought that maybe there was possibly another story left to tell in this world. The grand finale of this book was spectacular. Thing definitely didn't quite go the way I was expecting them to, and in the end I felt as though that last final climax was the perfect way to end the conflict for this series, and then came the most emotional, for lack of a more descriptive term, epilogue I've ever read. I won't spoil anything, but I will say that my thoughts that there may be more left to discover in this world, is most likely wrong (I'll give it 98% because I'm sure if the author wanted to she could probably come up with another story in this world, even if it didn't feature any of these characters.) The ending of this book and series very much ties up all loose ends. And so this epic tale comes to a close.

Rating:

While I cannot speak for anyone else's opinions, mine is that this was the perfect ending to this series. For me there are no more lingering questions and I'm excited to see what comes next from this phenomenal author!

Book Review: Hidden Huntress (The Malediction Trilogy #2)

Release Date: June 2, 2015
Author: Danielle L. Jensen
Publisher: Angry Robot
Length: 464 pages
Source: eGalley via NetGalley

Sometimes, one must accomplish the impossible.

Beneath the mountain, the king’s reign of tyranny is absolute; the one troll with the capacity to challenge him is imprisoned for treason. Cécile has escaped the darkness of Trollus, but she learns all too quickly that she is not beyond the reach of the king’s power. Or his manipulation.

Recovered from her injuries, she now lives with her mother in Trianon and graces the opera stage every night. But by day she searches for the witch who has eluded the trolls for five hundred years. Whether she succeeds or fails, the costs to those she cares about will be high.

To find Anushka, she must delve into magic that is both dark and deadly. But the witch is a clever creature. And Cécile might not just be the hunter. She might also be the hunted…

    

Review:

Protagonists: After being separated Cécile and Tristan try and so whatever they can to be reunited. Cecile is in Trianon, where she works tirelessly to try and find the witch Anushka so that the curse on the trolls can be lifted and that she can find her way back to her husband. Tristan on the other hand is dealing with all of the fallout of the previous installment, the betrayal of not only his father, but of his supporters has put him in a tough and humble place that he needs to dig himself out of if he's ever going to make Trollus a safe and equal place. I was surprised to find how much I enjoyed Tristan's arc in this book. He does start out every bit the self-loathing troll I hated in the first book, though a bit more tolerable, however his growth into a much more focused and wise character was very much appreciated and made me really connect with him in a way that I never did in the first book. Cécile's development is very closely tied with her desire to free the trolls, namely does she want to risk unleashing them all, or is she letting her feelings for Tristan and her friends believe that breaking the curse is worth the consequences. While I also enjoyed seeing this development and seeing her really put thought into her decision, I have to say that in my book it paled in comparison to the development of Tristan.

Romance: Okay so there isn't all that much I can say about this without giving away spoilers. I will say a few things though. There is a bit of romance in this book, and yes it's between Tristan and Cécile, who else? I won't say on what grounds it occurs, however I will say that I've really come to love this couple. First off while they do have their issues like any normal couple would, it doesn't take them too long to resolve them, at least not in this installment. Secondly, they just balance each other out so well. Tristan is a pragmatic and thoughtful character, whereas Cécile likes to dive in regardless of the consequences and ask questions later. As the story develops you can really see their influence on each other, Tristan will strike while the iron's hot and Cécile will carefully consider what she's doing. Their romance is so well crafted and despite what other characters might thing *cough* Sabine *cough* I think they're perfect for each other.

World-Building: So in this installment we get out first real look at the Isle of Light. In the previous installment Cécile wasn't above ground long enough for us to really get a sense for what the Isle is like, but in this book, Cécile spends most of her time around humans and interacts and partakes in the politics of Trianon society. In addition to learning more about the world, we also learn more about their denizens, such as Cécile's mother who's cold, calculating, and very strict, but seems to love Cécile in her own twisted way. We also learn more about human magic and witches and just what their powers can do. What I found most interesting was the political intrigue woven throughout this tale and how wrapped up the human politics are with the troll ones, for better or worse. P.S. this book did what I thought was impossible it made me really like the character of Chris.

Predictability: So the central mystery of this book is both who Anushka is, and how she's been able to survive for so many years. The first of these mysteries, believe it or not, I actually figured out in the first installment, I don't know what drove me to predict it, but it just sort of clicked, the fun for me in this installment was picking up on all the foreshadowing and figuring out her secret to immortality, which surprisingly enough also clicked without much proof one way or the other. However regardless of if you figure it out or not, I'm sure you'll still enjoy watching everything unfold. The foreshadowing is fairly subtle and vague so it doesn't really beat you over the head with the answer or anything, in fact there were a few times when I doubted my hypotheses.

Ending: Wow, there was a lot packed into this ending. There was a lot of tension as the final climax started. In it there was a lot that was revealed to the reader, some hard truths from the past that were still relevant in the present. As the climax came to a close, I wasn't sure what out heroes would do, but then it happened and before any real sort of cool down period could emerge things picked up again and left the story with one doozy of a cliffhanger. Once again I'm happy I chose to wait to read these book because if the cliffhanger at the end of the first book didn't do me in, the one at the end of this book would have.

Rating:

After finishing this book I wasn't quite sure on the rating, but as I wrote the review I knew that this book rightly deserves five huge stars. This book is everything I wanted and more, I can't wait to see how this author will conclude this, so far amazing, trilogy!