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: Aru Shah and the End of Time (Pandava Quartet #1)

Release Date: March 27, 2018
Author: Roshani Chokshi
Publisher: Rick Riordan Presents
Length: 368 pages
Source: NetGalley Review Copy

Twelve-year-old Aru Shah has a tendency to stretch the truth in order to fit in at school. While her classmates are jetting off to family vacations in exotic locales, she'll be spending her autumn break at home, in the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture, waiting for her mom to return from her latest archeological trip. Is it any wonder that Aru makes up stories about being royalty, traveling to Paris, and having a chauffeur?

One day, three schoolmates show up at Aru's doorstep to catch her in a lie. They don't believe her claim that the museum's Lamp of Bharata is cursed, and they dare Aru to prove it. Just a quick light, Aru thinks. Then she can get herself out of this mess and never ever fib again.
But lighting the lamp has dire consequences. She unwittingly frees the Sleeper, an ancient demon whose duty it is to awaken the God of Destruction. Her classmates and beloved mother are frozen in time, and it's up to Aru to save them.
The only way to stop the demon is to find the reincarnations of the five legendary Pandava brothers, protagonists of the Hindu epic poem, the Mahabharata, and journey through the Kingdom of Death. But how is one girl in Spider-Man pajamas supposed to do all that? 

    

Review:

Protagonist: Aru Shah is a liar. To fit in at school she will stretch and manipulate the truth, but when her lies catch up with her, in order to save face with a few of her classmates, she lights a cursed lamp in her mother's museum and unwittingly unleashes the Sleeper, a demon hell-bent on awakening Shiva, the God of Destruction. After the dust settles Aru learns that she is the reincarnation of one of the legendary Pandava brothers and in order to save the world from destruction she must team up with another newly awakened Pandava and travel through the Kindom of Death, super easy right? I loved Aru, she's snarky and the ways in which she stretches the truth are astonishing. While it took me a little while to get used to her as a protagonist, once I did she was fantastic, she adds a lot of great humor to this story without making feel like an outright comedy. Aru's journey through this story, at least internally, allows her to really grow into herself and blossom into a character to root for. Aru is a very sympathetic character, in fact, her feelings of inadequacy with her classmates were very relatable to me, as is her vivid imagination and her penchant for twisting the truth. I loved seeing how she would react to things because even if she surprised me her motives always felt like they had some sort of tie to who she is a where she came from. Aru is a fantastic character who, like anyone, has flaws and sometimes makes mistakes, but she'll take the consequences and hopefully grow as a person.

World Building: While I don't know too much about Hindu mythology or the Mahabharata after reading this story I want to learn as much as I can. It's no wonder Riordan picked this story for his new imprint as it fits with his brand so well. This most definitely feels like a Riordan mythological adventure, but Chokshi's writing is what set it apart. It's like if there was a "Build Your Own Rick Riordan Adventure" kit, but instead of making one of the pictures on the box, Chokshi took those building blocks and created something wholly new and unique with her own signature style. I loved learning about the various characters in Hindu mythology and the roles they played in both the story and their origins. Now, you're not going to come out on the other side of this story with a vast and unending knowledge of Hindu mythology, but I can almost guarantee you that you'll come out knowing some pretty cool stuff with a want to know more. I've also seen this story compared to Sailor Moon, a popular anime from my childhood, and honestly, the connections ARE there, but unfortunately, there are really only a few with the promise of more in the future, and I'm straight up holding the author to that promise. I liked the connections we did get and honestly the fact that they sort of quiet down for a while didn't bother me, I was sucked so far into this story by that point I wasn't getting out anytime soon.

Predictability: On the foreshadowing standpoint, I feel this author did a fantastic job of weaving foreshadowing into her narrative while holding back on some of the bigger reveals for later. Now, arguably the biggest twist in this story was easy to predict and I honestly felt the author was a bit heavy-handed when it came to foreshadowing that giant twist. Leading up to the reveal I even remember wishing that the author had been more subtle as the reveal would carry more weight, however, while my guess was correct, I love how the author subverted my expectations and added layers to the twist that I didn't see coming. That's just the biggest twist, while there is quite a lot of foreshadowing (this is a Middle-Grade book after all) I still found myself, more often than not, still being surprised at how the story unfolded and how the author layered her reveals so that I never quite knew what would happen next.

Ending: The final climax of this story is outstanding. I mean, what a way to use your characters to their full potential and really show off how far they've come since the beginning. Now I won't go into specifics, but this final climax was a grand slam if ever I saw one. I love how it set things up for future installments as well as providing a great visual for how far things have come. After the final climax though, well there's a rather extended cooldown period. Don't get me wrong, I love cooldown periods in books where we can learn how our characters adjust to their new reality while continuing to set things up for the sequel, but the last couple of chapters felt more like the first few chapters of Book Two instead of the last few chapters of Book One. By the very end of the story, however, I do feel that it makes up for that in some ways.

Rating:

So... when I got to the end of this book and saw the title and release date of Book Two I let out a devastated scream because well, frankly I don't want to wait a year and a half (quarter?) to continue this magnificent story. I love the characters, I love the world, and just when it starts ramping up again it's all torn away from me! I had high expectations for this book, with it being the first book from Rick Riordan's new imprint as well as Roshani Chokshi's Middle-Grade debut, this story not only met those insanely high expectations, it far exceeded them as well!

Book Review: The Dire King (Jackaby #4)

Release Date: August 22, 2017
Author: William Ritter
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Length: 352 pages
Source: Review Copy from Publisher

The thrilling conclusion to the New York Times best-selling series the Chicago Tribune called “Sherlock Holmes crossed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer” sends the eccentric detective and his indispensible assistant into the heart of a war between magical worlds.

The fate of the world is in the hands of detective of the supernatural R. F. Jackaby and his intrepid assistant, Abigail Rook. An evil king is turning ancient tensions into modern strife, using a blend of magic and technology to push Earth and the Otherworld into a mortal competition. Jackaby and Abigail are caught in the middle as they continue to solve the daily mysteries of New Fiddleham, New England — like who’s created the rend between the worlds, how to close it, and why zombies are appearing around. At the same time, the romance between Abigail and the shape-shifting police detective Charlie Cane deepens, and Jackaby’s resistance to his feelings for 926 Augur Lane’s ghostly lady, Jenny, begins to give way. Before the four can think about their own futures, they will have to defeat an evil that wants to destroy the future altogether.

The epic conclusion to the New York Times best-selling Jackaby series features sly humor and a quirky cast of unforgettable characters as they face off against their most dangerous, bone-chilling foe ever.

    

Review:

Protagonist: The final battle is about to begin as Abigail and Jackaby prepare for war over the worlds. With the Dire King planning on ripping the veil from between Earth and the magical realm that exists just beyond, there's a lot on the line and lives are put in serious danger. I love these characters, I mean, I know I titled this section "Protagonist" but I'm going to just gush about these characters for a while. Abigail is one of the fiercest and most strong willed women I've read about, and she's not even much of a fighter, she's proof that being a "strong female character" doesn't always mean being physically strong. I love how brave in the face of all she fears is and how she handles herself in this story. Jackaby is the quirkiest and most charming character I've ever had the pleasure of reading about. He, like Abigail, is also strong in his own way. He's very much a man of the mind and keen Sight, and how he uses those skills to his advantage in this story are astounding. Jenny has sort of had her story told, but she still has a little development left in her dearly departed self. Jenny is another bit of proof that strength isn't always muscle and sinew, given all that she's been through in the previous book, you'd think she'd hole herself up in her room for a while, but no, she's ready to take on even the toughest challenges. Then, rounding out our crew is Mr. Charlie Barker, a member of the Om Caini race, and his involvement in this story, is a bit heavy, while at the same time much lighter than I anticipated. I'll get into more specifics later, but I love Charlie, he's such a paragon of goodness, it's astounding, yet not grating as you'd expect it to be. Charlie knows what he wants out of life and if people around him would give him a second to voice his desires maybe he would get a chance to grasp them.

Romance: So, there is romance in this book, and as says the description Abigail and Charlie's romance does deepen as Jackaby gives way to his feelings for Jenny, but... there's a war about to start and there's not much of a time for romance. I'm serious though, while I did enjoy the romance in this story, that's not the main focal point and that's made abundantly clear, and I'm okay with that. I felt like there wasn't much need for a lot of romance as you know, the world is in danger of imploding or whatever it is that would happen, so I was actually very okay with the light touch of romance this book had, and let's be honest this isn't a series that's known for its romances.

World Building: So, the thing that made Ghostly Echoes my favorite installment in this series, tying storyline in that book to the rest of the series, was something that left me in awe, and the author manages to do it again, this time tying some things back even before the start of the series to Jackaby and his companions and their misadventures in New Fiddleham. In this story, we also learn more about Charlie and his family. We learn the life Charlie left behind and the responsibilities he shirked off to be a police man in America. Getting this look, not only into Charlie, but the supernatural race he belongs to is marvelous. It adds a new layer to the story and while there were elements that we didn't quite see played out and more skipped over, they were elements I still enjoyed nonetheless. This world is incredible and I loved every second of reading about it. We get to delve deeper into the magical realm beyond the veil (I forget what it's called and I'm too lazy to get up and get my book to check.) and learn more about its storied past and why it's separated from the human world.

Predictability: So, I was about to say that this book is full of twists and turns, but honestly other than one twist, maybe two but I called that twist I just gave up on it before it happened, I pretty much called every major twist in this book. Don't get me wrong I second guessed myself A LOT, but I still guessed the twists. The one I couldn't guess, or maybe I could have but didn't, shook me because that twist made me second guess a bunch of other twists that I did correctly guess but wasn't revealed yet. This twist shook the foundation of my prediction skills, and I'm not even sure we got a good enough explanation for it.

Ending: I want to just rant and rave about all the things that happen in this ending, the good and the bad, but no matter how I swing it, I can't say anything without, pretty much, implying spoilers, which I try and avoid doing at all costs. I will say this, the majority of the ending I loved, in fact, while there was one thing I wasn't too keen on, I kind of moved on rather quickly. However, I'll just say that the "Supplemental Materials" which is pretty much code here for epilogue, is what I want to rant and rave the most about. So, if/when you read this book and you want to rant and rave about the end too, I'm here for you if you want.

Rating:

So, I loved this book, yes I wasn't too keen on the ending, but I don't hold that against the author or the story, and honestly, I'm waiting to see what his (the author's) next move is before declaring any hatred toward this beautiful and wonderfully crafted world!

Book Review: The Hammer of Thor (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard #2)

Release Date: October 4, 2016
Author: Rick Riordan
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Length: 480 pages
Source: Purchased Book

Thor's hammer is missing again.

The thunder god has a disturbing habit of misplacing his weapon--the mightiest force in the Nine Worlds. But this time the hammer isn't just lost, it has fallen into enemy hands.

If Magnus Chase and his friends can't retrieve the hammer quickly, the mortal worlds will be defenseless against an onslaught of giants. Ragnarok will begin. The Nine Worlds will burn.

Unfortunately, the only person who can broker a deal for the hammer's return is the gods' worst enemy, Loki--and the price he wants is very high.

    

Review:

Protagonist: Magnus Chase has died, been taken to Valhalla, and stalled the Norse Apocalypse, called Ragnarok, for the time being. Now, with Thor's hammer, Mjolnir, still missing, the giants of Jotunheim are growing restless and preparing for war, the only thing that can stop them is to find the Hammer of Thor, but of course it isn't as simple as just locating the hammer. On this adventure, Magnus will make new friends, learn more about the pasts of his current ones, and with any luck save the world... again. I have to say that out of all of Riordan's protagonists Magnus is probably my favorite followed closely by the hilariously vain Apollo, and in this book he shines like never before. Now that Magnus has had some time to get acclimated to his new situation, train, and learn about what it means to be an Einherjar he's a bit more confident, but he still has a great sarcastic streak to him. Looking back over the book I tried to see if he had any really noticeable or overly significant character development, but there was nothing that conspicuously stuck out at me. Nonetheless, he's still spectacularly well-rounded character and narrator.

Romance: So Magnus doesn't really have a romance in this book, though there is some more implied romance or foreshadowing to a possible romance or I'm reading way too much into things. Anyway if what I may be reading too much into is true than Magnus does get a love interest in this book, but the romance is pretty subtle, i.e. no kissing or declarations of feelings, but (again if I'm reading the situation correctly) there's some really great chemistry that left me shipping the hopefully future couple. Romance isn't a large plot point in this series, however, it does come up here and there and one place it comes up is with Magnus's (best?) friend Sam and her betrothed, Amir. Amir has a slightly larger role to play in this story and Sam and his relationship is very compelling to read. It's easy to see how much they care for each other and even though they are a romantic pairing established prior to the start of the series, they are really easy to root for and you don't find that very often with couples who get together prior to the start of a book or series.

World-Building: Reentering the world of Norse myths I was really excited. If you've read my review of the first book in this series you know there were parts of this series' world-building that I wasn't very impressed with, i.e. there were just enough parallels to the Percy Jackson series to make me uncomfortable. The being said though I still really enjoyed this world and was excited to get back. Once again this world is steeped in Norse Mythology and this one as you may be able to guess based on the title and cover features myths about Thor and/or Loki most of all. Don't get me wrong there are shot outs to plenty of Norse tales and myths but Thor and Loki definitely take center stage. I love learning more about Norse mythology and all of the variations on tales I'd already heard. I'm by no means as knowledgeable about Norse mythology as I am with Greek or even Egyptian mythology, but I was pleasantly surprised with all of the tales I already knew.

Predictability: This book has some good, if not fantastic twists in it. Without giving too much away, or really anything if I can help it, there were a few times when I thought I knew what was going on and what would happen only for this author to throw a huge curve ball. There are of course easily predicted moments, and for the most part, it's easy to see where the story's headed with got me to notice something. This story and the story in The Sword of Summer have a lot of parallels. I'm not going to name them since I don't want to spoil anything but there are a few too many similarities between the two that, like with the first book, it made me a bit uncomfortable. Unlike with the first book, it wasn't "plot specific" details that were paralleled but the adventure itself. There were certain points in both adventures that were mirrored and once I saw the first couple it was impossible to unsee. There aren't a whole lot, but, again, like last time just enough to make me a bit uncomfortable.

Ending: Dear lord this ending was intense! Going into the final climax things were going according to plan, or well they were going the way I had expected them too, and while the ending was *mostly* predictable, there were a few moments that made up for it in the gravity of their twists. After the dust settles things are set up for the final book in this series, I'm sad that there's only one book left but Rick Riordan did throw readers a pretty big bone with one of the best, and probably most excruciating to wait, cliffhangers yet. (Excluding the one in Mark of Athena)

Rating:

I loved this new adventure in the Nine worlds! Even though the two quests have so far hit similar notes in a slightly uncomfortable and seemingly unintentional way, since I enjoyed this story so much I think I'll reserve judgment to see how this trilogy comes together.

Cover Reveal: The Hands of Time (Elementals #5)

So I've been trying to figure out what to say before this awesome cover reveal that I haven't said before. If you haven't yet read the Elementals series yet, you really should. While the first book does set up this world really well, the romance is a bit rushed. However, in the second book, there is not only some fantastic world building you'd expect from this series, but some of the things that were hard for me to love were made much more palatable. By the third book I was hooked, well technically I think I was hooked long before that, but the third book was definitely the best of the bunch so far and really showed off how far this author was willing to go. The fourth book, which comes out in just a week, Builds up the suspense even more and while I wasn't wild about the near ease in which the ending went, I am extremely pumped to see what will happen in this final installment of the series. Now without further ado, I give you the cover for Elementals 5: The Hands of Time.

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SYNOPSIS:

Time is running out. War will be waged. Sacrifices will be made.

Months ago, Nicole Cassidy’s life was turned upside-down when she discovered that she was a witch descended from the Greek gods. She and the four other witches gifted with elemental powers fought all over the world—and in another dimension—to battle the supporters of the Titans and fight for the people they love.

Now the Elementals must stop Typhon—the most dangerous monster in the world—from rising, and seal the portal to the dangerous prison world of Kerberos. But they won’t be able to do that without facing their hardest decision yet… a sacrifice so great that it may be one they’re not willing to make.

Get ready for the stunning, action-packed conclusion to the bestselling Elementals series, with twists and turns that you’ll never see coming!

The Portal to Kerberos comes out on September 20, 2016

Pre-Order Now!

The adventure began in the first book in the series, Elementals: The Prophecy of Shadows. To grab a copy of the first book for free, visit www.michellemadow.com or the bottom of this blog post. 

The Elementals series is available on Kindle Unlimited, so subscribers can read it for free!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michelle Madow writes fast-paced YA (young adult) fiction that will leave you turning the pages wanting more!

She grew up in Baltimore, and now lives in Boca Raton, Florida, where she writes books for young adults. Some of her favorite things are: reading, pizza, traveling, shopping, time travel, Broadway musicals, and spending time with friends and family. Michelle went on a cross-country road trip from Florida to California and back to promote her books and to encourage high school students to embrace reading and writing. Someday, she hopes to travel the world for a year on a cruise ship.

Want all three parts of the Transcend Time Saga—Michelle’s first YA romance series—for FREE? Click here to learn about the series and claim your books

To get instant updates about Michelle’s new books, follow her on Amazon!

Author Links:

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Nicole Cassidy is a witch descended from the Greek gods… but she doesn’t know it until she moves to a new town and discovers a dangerous world of magic and monsters that she never knew existed.

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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: Thor's Serpents (The Blackwell Pages #3)

Release Date: May 19, 2016
Author: K. L. Armstrong & M. A. Marr
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Length: 368 pages
Source: Purchased Book

For fans of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, the thrilling conclusion to The Blackwell Pages, written by New York Times bestselling YA authors, K.L. Armstrong and M.A. Marr.

Thirteen-year-olds Matt, Laurie, and Fen have beaten near-impossible odds to assemble their fellow descendants of the Norse Gods and complete epic quests. Their biggest challenge lies ahead: battling the fierce monsters working to bring about the apocalypse.

But when they learn that Matt must fight the Midgard Serpent alone and Fen and Laurie are pulled in other directions, the friends realize they can't take every step of this journey together. Matt, Laurie, and Fen will each have to fight their own battles to survive, to be true to themselves, and to one another - with nothing less than the fate of the world hanging in the balance.

    

Review:

Protagonists: Picking up soon after the shocking, and a bit annoying ending of the previous installment, our heroes have everything they need to fight at Ragnarok, but now, with Fen trapped by wulfenkind magic to lead a pack of Raiders into a fight where they're best bet is to fight against his friends, things aren't looking so good. Matt and Laurie work to fight off monsters and find the battleground of Ragnarok before it's too late and they can't save the world. Things are looking bleak but these characters know how to get out of a tough spot. I really enjoyed how these characters interacted with the world around them, while there is still a bit of growing and developing for each of them to do, what I enjoyed most was how they were able to figure things out in a realistic way that didn't feel too much like a Deus Ex Machina, and I'll get to it in a bit, but there are a few moments that didn't work so well.

World-Building: Going into this final book Ragnarok is immanent and these final battles will begin, however, there is still much to learn about this world before we get to Ragnarok. There are characters that resurface, and origins that we have yet to see. There are many intricate things going on that all lead up to the final battle. There were a few things that did bother me, and I'm not quite sure if I even should be. Without giving too much away there are moments when certain things are hinted at, that it would have left a stronger impact if they were just flat out acknowledged otherwise they should have just been left out entirely. Granted, I could have misconstrued things or put too many dots together that weren't really there. And I know it's a middle grade novel, but some of these things can totally be handled by an average Middle Grader. Overall, I did really enjoy the revelations and new content added to this story as our time in this world was wrapping up.

Predictability: There were quite a few things that I was wrong about. First off, there was something that I thought was confirmed in the previous installment, that turned out not to be true and I just misinterpreted the information, which kind of bummed me out. Though I will say I wasn't 100% wrong, just a good 99.5%. Secondly there were a few things that I thought there was foreshadowing in this book for that I just totally missed. Don't get me wrong, there were a good bit of twists I called, it's jut that all the good ones slipped past me. And I will say that all but a few I really enjoyed being shocked by.

Ending: I've talked before about my newfound fascination with endings of standalones or series and the idealistic factor attached to it. The ending of this book is Ragnarok, and if you think that's a spoiler you're crazy, anyway since the ending is Ragnarok I expected some serious fallout and for the ending not to be too idealistic, even for a MG novel, and granted it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, but there seemed to be quite a few Deus Ex Machina moments where even things that felt planned and plotted out, came off as some last minute shot to make things work out right. Like I said the ending not 100% idealistic, but it did feel like things fell a bit too much into place.

Rating:

I love this series and even this specific installment a lot, too cheery ending aside. Anyway, these authors did a fantastic job at creating a fun and adventurous tour through Norse Mythology. If you're waiting in agony for the next Rick Riordan book, whichever one that may be, give this series a try if you haven't already!

Book Review: Gilded (Gilded #1)

Release Date: March 1, 2014
Author: Christina Farley
Publisher: Skyscape
Length: 352 pages
Source: eGalley via NetGalley

Sixteen-year-old Jae Hwa Lee is a Korean-American girl with a black belt, a deadly proclivity with steel-tipped arrows, and a chip on her shoulder the size of Korea itself. When her widowed dad uproots her to Seoul from her home in L.A., Jae thinks her biggest challenges will be fitting in to a new school and dealing with her dismissive Korean grandfather. Then she discovers that a Korean demi-god, Haemosu, has been stealing the soul of the oldest daughter of each generation in her family for centuries. And she's next.

But that’s not Jae’s only problem.

There's also Marc. Irresistible and charming, Marc threatens to break the barriers around Jae's heart. As the two grow closer, Jae must decide if she can trust him. But Marc has a secret of his own—one that could help Jae overturn the curse on her family for good. It turns out that Jae's been wrong about a lot of things: her grandfather is her greatest ally, even the tough girl can fall in love, and Korea might just be the home she's always been looking for.

    

Review:

Protagonist: Jae is a fierce, spirited, girl who wants nothing more than to move back to the US. She doesn't feel as though she fits in in Korea, even though it's where her family is from and her heritage is. Soon though, just as she is maybe starting to like some of the things Korea has to offer, she get entangled in an ancient curse, and now she needs to find a way to break it, or she will be captured by the terrifying demigod Haemosu. Overall, I really liked Jae, she didn't put up with people's crap and she could probably drop kick out if you got in her face. She has a fiery temper that she probably needs to get a better handle on, but as the story continues she begins to find balance within herself.

Romance: I really wanted to care about this romance. I mean, Marc's a good guy, he's a perfectly fine love interest, I just couldn't find myself caring. First off, the romance is a fairly small sub-plot of the books, and more often than not it just felt like it was getting in the way of the larger plot. And, granted while it took some time for things to start with Jae and Marc, once their feelings were revealed, it doesn't take long for things to move really fast. I just don't understand certain authors and their need to rush romances. It feels like as soon as you get them to kiss and acknowledge their feelings for each other, as long as they're not secondary love interests, they can't wait until the next book to have them declaring their love for each other, just please draw it out some.

World-Building: So, I'm not well versed on Korean Mythology and Folk Lore, but after a cursory search of the internet, other than tweaking a few things here and there to serve her story, Farley did a very faithful job in introducing these myths to a new reader. There's a really strong tie in with the spirit world and various mythological creatures that roam around and make Jae's life even more complicated. I really enjoyed the fantasy aspect of this book and how it's weaved into modern day Seoul. The author really does a fantastic job at describing the world and it's inhabitants in rich detail making this story a real immersive experience. With this first story down, I'm interested to see what other myths and legends this author will tackle next.

Predictability: In all honesty, I'm not quite sure how predictable this was. I mean, there were the bigger grand story telling elements that I could see how they would turn out, and here and there I'd call something before it happened, but I don't know. Maybe I just wasn't invested enough to really get into what's coming next and how the story would twist here and there. Also, if I'm being honest there wasn't a lot in this story that I would consider a twist. I mean, nothing really surprised me or even really felt like something that was supposed to.

Ending: Since I knew going into this book that it was the first in a series I was expecting a much more open ended finale. I mean, there's still plenty of story left to tell, but there was far more closure than what I was expecting. That being said though, given how this book was going, the fact that there were many elements that were tied up wasn't too surprising, I just wasn't expecting it going in. Anyway, I really enjoyed the final climax of the book, there was a lot of tension and there were some amazing scenes. The cooldown was rather extended, again I'm assuming adding in everything could to tease the fact that this is indeed the first book of a series. We get a vague idea of where the book is heading before ending on a rather plateaued ending that doesn't really have me chomping at the bit for the next book.

Rating:

Wow, I really thought I was going to give this book 4+ stars, but in all honesty, while there were many elements of this book I found enjoyable, the world building, the mythology, the protagonist, between the half-assed romance, my lack of desire in picking up the next book ASAP, and the fact that I couldn't get super into this book, dragged the rating down.

Book Review: The Hidden Oracle (The Trials of Apollo #1)

Release Date: May 3, 2016
Author: Rick Riordan
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Length: 384 pages
Source: Review Copy from Publisher

How do you punish an immortal?

By making him human.

After angering his father Zeus, the god Apollo is cast down from Olympus. Weak and disorientated, he lands in New York City as a regular teenage boy. Now, without his godly powers, the four-thousand-year-old deity must learn to survive in the modern world until he can somehow find a way to regain Zeus's favour.

But Apollo has many enemies - gods, monsters and mortals who would love to see the former Olympian permanently destroyed. Apollo needs help, and he can think of only one place to go . . . an enclave of modern demigods known as Camp Half-Blood.

    

Review:

Protagonist: One of the key selling points of this book is that it's told from the Point of View of a god, more specifically of the god, Apollo. Now, I don't know why, but for some reason I didn't think that the idea of a godly narrator would be that special or different, but these are the Greek gods we're talking about. They are all vain, egotistical, and not afraid to let others fight their battles. Not to mention that Apollo embodies these characteristics the most. You'd think reading from the point of view of a character so full of himself and pompous would get annoying eventually, but since we know that Apollo is a good guy at heart and that he will undoubtedly grow and mature over the course of this series, it definitely came off as a lot more humorous than annoying. Plus it's secretly satisfying watching someone learn that the world doesn't revolve around them, even though the world does revolve around the sun of which Apollo is the god.

World-Building: There is so much to cover in this section I can't even tell you. First off let me say that I went into this book very blind. I only knew that this series revolved around a now human Apollo who needs to earn Zeus's favor again, and that he travels to Camp Half-Blood for help. I dond't know who the villain of this book was, I didn't know what the quest for this series is, none of it, and since it's been over a year since I read the last Heroes of Olympus book, I didn't remember all that much about where this world left off. Luckily there's a lot of checking in done in this book. We check in with a bunch of the Camp Half-Blood crew including but not limited to Percy, Will, Nico, Chiron, and a certain fan favorite demigod. Then of course we have a whole cast of new demigods to learn about. Don't worry though it doesn't look like all these new characters will be permanent fixtures for the series, just a few. Now one thing I was really interested to see is that in a lot of ways this feels like the beginning of the end of Camp Half-Blood books, which if I'm being honest I'm fine with. I love this world and there will always be a part of me that won't want to see it go, but I think fifteen Camp Half-Blood books is plenty.

Predictability: I love how Riordan foreshadows his books. I have to say out of everything he does right, foreshadowing is near the top. There are quite a few twists in this book and it's weird saying that as an adult I was caught off guard by a Middle-Grade novel, but I totally was, it wasn't the first time and it hopefully won't be the last. There were a few of the twists where just before the big reveal, something gives it away, just enough so that my mind goes haywire and then when it's confirmed I freak out for a bit. Honestly, I'm trying to think if I caught on to any of the twists in this book, but I have to say that I don't think I did. I mean there were things that I expected to happen, or not happen, as it would completely ruin the entire book if it did, but there wasn't really a moment where I was annoyed about a twist the I called forever ago, or got frustrated about the author hitting me over the head with a twist they tried to pass off as surprising.

Ending: That was quite an ending. Since this is the first book is this new series, the ending of this book doesn't have a Mark of Athena-esque cliffhanger and it doesn't leave our heroes in a dark and hopeless place. There's quite a bit revealed toward the end of this adventure. There are actually two very climactic moments in the end that sort of make for one very large final climax, or well at least that's how I chose to interpret it. Old friends return and as this installment comes to a close there's a bit of information about where the next installment is going. I have to say I'm really excited for what's teased here at the end. There's still a lot to do and more trials for Apollo to pass, but hey at least there's no cliffhanger.

Rating:

So, some people may want to flay me alive for this, but I think this may be my new favorite Riordan series. Look I love all his other series, and the Magnus Chase series is still ongoing, but there's something about this series that I just love so much. Some of it's the fan service, which is there but it's not abundant, and some of it's the plot and direction for this series, which I'm going to be mum on because I think it's best to go into this series as blind as possible. I don't know if I can wait another year for The Dark Prophecy.