Blog Tour Book Review: The Outcast (Summoner Prequel)

Release Date: May 1, 2018
Author: Taran Matharu
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Length: 400 pages
Source: Thanks to Fantastic Flying Book Club Tours for including me on their tour, click the banner above to see the full schedule!

Enter an immersive world where the chosen few have the ability to summon demons...

Arcturus is just an orphaned stable boy when he discovers he has the ability to summon demons from another world. He is sent to Vocans Academy where the lost arts of summoning, spell craft and demonology are taught to the noble children of the Empire. As the first commoner gifted with this ability, his discovery challenges the nobility and the powers that be and Arcturus soon makes enemies. With no one but his demon Sacharissa by his side, Arcturus must prove himself as a worthy Summoner...

Set before the events of SUMMONER: The Novice this is the perfect introduction to the New York Times bestselling SUMMONER series

    

Review:

Protagonist: Arcturus was just a common stable boy, with dreams of leaving and forging his own destiny, he never could have dreamed he was a Summoner, an elite group of fighters who can summon demon companions and work magic, a group believed to only be among the nobility of Hominum. As the first common Summoner in history, Arcturus finds a lot of disdain at Vocans Academy where he is sent to train his summoning skills, however, there are a few friendly faces among the stuck-up nobles. With tensions mounting between the common folk and the nobility, Arcturus may just get caught in the middle. Of course, I love Arcturus from the main series and seeing this adventure from when he was young is a lot of fun. Honestly, Arcturus felt very much like Fletcher in terms of his personality, I mean he's a brave, moral, and kind person, just like Fletcher, though their adventures are very different.

World Building: Going into this book I wasn't sure what to expect, I've never read the previous Arcturus story, entitled Origins, though from my research I'd say the first sixteen or so chapters of this book ARE Origins, with the rest being an expansion on that story and really the main plot of this book. Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised to not only see familiar characters from the series, just younger and less experienced, but we also get to see characters that are only mentioned in the main trilogy. I loved seeing the familiar characters and loved getting to know the ones I only knew by name. Still, there were a few characters I wasn't so happy to see, characters who believe if you aren't a human noble that somehow you're beneath them. While this book focused more on the class divide in Hominum from the King's heavy taxes, there is still obviously a racial divide between humans and dwarves as well, even worse so than the main trilogy. If I had one complaint about this book, it would be that there was a tad too much fan service, characters involved in the story who felt sort of crammed into the story or put in the story, just for that feeling readers sometimes get when they recognize a name or a place from the series they know and love. In the end, it was really only one bit of fan service that really bothered me, something that truly felt as if it added nothing to the overall story and felt like it served no purpose other than to be recognized.

Predictability: Even though this is a trilogy, and I know the fate of all of the main characters, not to mention the state of the kingdom at the start of the main trilogy, so I wasn't expecting to be surprised very often in this book and in all honesty that was true. That isn't to say I was never surprised, I mean this story does have a few fantastic twists that really kept me on the edge of my seat. There wasn't anything too mind-blowing if you've read the main series, but the story is still exciting nonetheless.

Ending: For some reason, I was expecting a larger final climax that we got, but honestly once it came it felt like everything fit perfectly. I mean, I couldn't see this adventure ending any other way and while we didn't get a pulse-pounding one on one action scene, the ending still has some action and again, how everything is resolved, for better or worse, makes sense, again especially if you've already read the main trilogy. The final chapter feels like an epilogue of sorts and it's a great one, you can see where things are going, but nothing it too defined, it perfectly ties up this story in a way that only really leaves open things resolved in the main trilogy.

Rating:

This prequel was (nearly) everything I hoped for and more, while I could have done with a tad less fan service, particularly in one area, I still loved this book so much and hope that the author won't leave this world forever, it's just too rich to leave alone.

About the Author:

Taran Matharu is a New York Times bestselling author. He was born in London in 1990 and found a passion for reading at a very early age. His love for stories developed into a desire to create his own during early adolescence, beginning his first book at 9 years old.

Straight after graduating with a First Class degree in Business Administration, Taran was keen to explore a new avenue and get inside the publishing world, landing an internship in Digital Sales at Penguin Random House, from June to September 2013.

Thereafter, while taking time off to travel, Taran began to write ‘Summoner’ in November 2013 at the age of 22, taking part in ‘Nanowrimo 2013’.

Thanks to Wattpad.com and updating daily, its popularity dramatically increased, reaching over 3 million reads in less than six months.

After being featured by NBC News, Taran decided to launch his professional writing career and has never looked back.

His SUMMONER series is published by Hodder Children’s (Hachette) in the UK, Australia and Commonwealth, Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan) in the US and Canada, Hachette Jeunesse in France, Heyne in Germany, Planeta in Spain, Crown in Taiwan, Record in Brazil, EKSMO in Russia, Jaguar in Poland, Ecliptic in Bulgaria, Alpress in the Czech Republic, Ithaki in Turkey and Unieboek in the Netherlands.

Book Review: The Battlemage (Summoner #3)

Release Date: May 2, 2017
Author: Taran Matharu
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Length: 352 pages
Source: eGalley from NetGalley

One boy's ability to summon demons will change the fate of an empire ... The epic conclusion to the fantasy trilogy described as 'Harry Potter meets Lord of the Rings meets Pokemon'.

After the thrilling cliffhanger at the end of book two, we rejoin Fletcher and his friends in the ether, where they must undertake a mortally dangerous quest, all the while avoiding capture by enemies and facing foes more terrifying than anything they have yet encountered.

But this is nothing compared to what truly lies ahead for Fletcher, as his nemesis, albino orc Khan, is on a mission to destroy Hominum and everything and everyone that Fletcher loves.

Epic battles, dramatic revelations, and breathtaking drama await in the third and final book in the New York Times bestselling Summoner series.

    

Review:

Protagonist: At the end of The Inquisition, Fletcher's world got rocked when the prisoner he and his team were sent to recover wasn't Lady Cavendish as they thought, but Fletcher's own mother, long thought to be dead. However, before he could even let that twist faze him, they all had to jump straight into the ether, a place believed to be poisonous to humans. Fletcher's journey in this story is a pretty interesting one. His team looks to him as a leader and even when all seems hopeless he needs to think of something to get them through their ordeals in the ether. This isn't a role that Fletcher particularly likes as he hates the fate of others being in his hands. Over the course of this journey though that's not a feeling he can afford to have and he'll need to take action and lead his team if they're going to see their way out of the ether and protect the people of Hominum.

World Building: We finally get to see the ether! I mean, we technically saw a bit of it in the previous books, but not to this extent. This story definitely deals heavily with the world of the ether and the demons that dwell within it. Of course, there is the matter of the albino orc, Khan, and his plans for the world, that's a story that is woven throughout Fletcher's journey, both in the ether and after they've escaped. (If you think the fact that they eventually escape the ether is a spoiler than I'm sorry but it really shouldn't be.) Anyway, I did really enjoy what we get to see from this story. There is another major element to this world building that takes up a rather large chunk of the story, but I feel if I talk about it I really WOULD spoil something pretty awesome. There isn't a whole lot of new stuff that we get to see of this world, at least not in quantity, but the quality and in-depth look at what more we get to learn and see are pretty exciting and incredible.

Predictability: I'm looking back at the story and there wasn't all that much that I was able to predict. I mean, larger, more vague moments of the story such as the basic outcome for the main characters, sure, though even then there were a few things I couldn't predict. However, there was one thing, one thing that I was able to predict before ever even cracking open this story, and while I wish the author had taken this particular twist a bit further, it was still a pretty spectacular twist. As for the twists I was unable to call, there were some pretty intense things that go down in this story. This is an author that wants to show harsh realities over idyllic dreams and that means that things aren't always going to go the main characters' way, and well, that makes for some tension filled twists and revelations.

Ending: So I'm reading this story and noticing that I'm getting conspicuously close to the end. I mean, extremely close and while I can definitely see the potential for a final climax coming, it wouldn't be THE final climax of the series. As the end gets nearer and nearer I feel as though I've been lied to. I had heard about a "fourth" book in this series but was assured by the author that it was a prequel and that there would be a conclusion to the main arc in this book. As the end gets ever closer I begin to wonder if I wasn't given the full story and instead, like, ten chapters or so were missing from the final version. No, instead the ending is very rushed. There is closure, and THE final climax to this series does happen, but it all felt too rushed. There were so many things left to solve that are more or less addressed by the end, but honestly, as much as I hate this author's cliffhangers I kind of wish the "fourth" book would have been an extension of this story and given this story the ending that it deserved to fully flesh things out.

Rating:

I seriously debated whether or not to give this book 4 or 4.5 stars. In the end, as much as I loved the bulk of this story, I needed a more fleshed out and epic ending instead of the rushed one that we get. Either way, it's a thoroughly enjoyable read and I can't wait to see what the prequel will cover in this world.

The Battlemage (Summoner #3) by Taran Matharu (WOW #25)

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

One boy's ability to summon demons will change the fate of an empire ... The epic conclusion to the fantasy trilogy described as 'Harry Potter meets Lord of the Rings meets Pokemon'.

After the thrilling cliffhanger at the end of book two, we rejoin Fletcher and his friends in the ether, where they must undertake a mortally dangerous quest, all the while avoiding capture by enemies and facing foes more terrifying than anything they have yet encountered.

But this is nothing compared to what truly lies ahead for Fletcher, as his nemesis, albino orc Khan, is on a mission to destroy Hominum and everything and everyone that Fletcher loves.

Epic battles, dramatic revelations, and breathtaking drama await in the third and final book in the New York Times bestselling Summoner series.

The Battlemage releases on May 9, 2017, from Feiwel + Friends

Since the first two books in this series involve either main or secondary antagonists that are what I call "entitled assholes" who make life extremely difficult for our protagonist, leading me to hurt with fury and helplessness, I'm not quite sure if I'm ready for this book, luckily I still have some time. However, these books are exquisite, they are addicting and full of magic and mystery.

So, what are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Top 10 Books of 2016!

It's time once again for the obligatory Top Books of the year. This year I decided to stick with a Top 10 since I felt like 16 best books of the year was too much. The rules are pretty much the same as last year. All of these books I read, reviewed and were released in the year 2016. All of these books I gave 5 stars, to be as fair as possible only one book per author, and since it was really hard to rate them in a particular order, THESE BOOKS ARE IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER. Now, without further ado on to my Top 10 Books of 2016! (As always you can click on the book covers to read my full reviews of these books!)

1. The Darkest Magic (Spirits and Thieves #2) by Morgan Rhodes

Starting off this list is a book that either I don't think a lot of people have heard of or were turned off by because of the first book in this series. I'll be the first to say that while I enjoyed A Book of Spirits and Thieves immensely, I was pretty annoyed with the fact that most of it takes place in modern day Toronto and not in Ancient Mytica, which was pretty much the stronger storyline anyway. That being said, this second book more than makes up for it. It brings together the two plot lines wonderfully as well as gives a much more expansive look into the Ancient Mytican storyline. While I'm saddened to hear that book 3 has been postponed so the author can finish writing the Falling Kingdoms series, I'm still waiting with bated breath to find out what happens next.

2. Ghostly Echoes (Jackaby #3) by William Ritter

When I first heard that the third Jackaby book would be delving into one of the more anticipated mysteries of the series, the death of Jenny Cavanaugh, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it, and this was before Beastly Bones was even released. So when I got my hands on a sneak peek of the first six chapters or so I thought I'd be taken with it right away, however, I became concerned when I wasn't swept away by the free preview I got. I shouldn't have worried though because once I got the full book in my hands it became my favorite Jackaby mystery yet, I'm both highly anticipated and secretly mourning the release of the final book in this series, however after this series is complete I can't wait to see what Ritter will come up with next.

3. The Head of Medusa (Elementals #3) by Michelle Madow

When I first began the Elementals series by Michelle Madow, I thought it was a fun, almost guilty pleasure-like series. However, as the story developed I really grew attached to the world and it's characters and by the time I got to this third book, The Head of Medusa, I was fully invested in what was going on. I was so excited to find that I genuinely loved this installment, the pacing is a bit weird, with almost two parts to the story, but that's really easy to get over and this makes for one of, if not the most, intense installments in this series.

4. Traveler (World of Warcraft: Traveler #1) by Greg Weisman

If you told me at the beginning of 2016 that I'd give a spot on my Top Books list to a branded book like World of Warcraft: Traveler, I would have said you were crazy. It's not that branded books can't be good, it's just that usually they aren't. However, earlier this year my cousin, who's a big WoW nerd, found out about this series and asked me to read it. It's written by a producer and writer of one of our favorite shows, Young Justice, and so I decided to give it a try. While I would say some remedial knowledge of Warcraft lore is preferable, this book does do a lot to make sure you understand what's going on without holding your hand through it. The story is completely engrossing and I'm bummed that more people aren't reading it because it's truly phenomenal. I can't wait until the next installment comes out.

5. The Inquisition (Summoner #2) by Taran Matharu

Even though the beginning of this book made me sick with disgust at how the villains of this series behaved as they ganged up on our hero, in a way that perfectly showed off what bigoted and spiteful demons they truly are, I can't fault this book for that. In fact, I commend this author for not holding back on the trials and tribulations that our "good" main characters have to go through. After the extreme trials Fletcher has to go through, in the beginning, we see this world open up so much more than we got to see in book one, and led to one of the best cliffhanger endings I've ever read.

6. Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices #1) by Cassandra Clare

Going into 2016 I wasn't as excited for Lady Midnight as most of my friends were. Granted I hadn't read City of Heavenly Fire yet and I barely remembered the plotline of City of Lost Souls, however after getting those two books read this year my curiosity was piqued for this first book in a new Shadowhunters series. I was not let down when I started this book and I ended up devouring it in just a couple of days. I can't wait to continue this series in Lord of Shadows, and while it's still a bit more than a year away, I'm greatly looking forward to the start of the Last Hours series. 

7. The Hidden Oracle (The Trials of Apollo #1) by Rick Riordan

After a slightly disappointing, although still thoroughly entertaining, start to the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series, I was pretty apprehensive thinking that if a new series was far too reminiscent of Percy Jackson for my liking that a new Camp Half-Blood series might just be too much. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I loved nearly every minute of this adventure. Apollo is a hysterical narrator and I was excited to find that Riordan didn't lean too much on old characters, but instead seem to be using them as cameos and guest appearances as necessary which leave the series still feeling new and fresh.

8. Simon Thorn and the Wolf's Den (Simon Thorn #1)

I picked up a copy of Simon Thorn and the Wolf's Den at BEA 2015 and because I'd read some of Carter's previous works I thought I'd try her first foray into the world of Middle-Grade lit. I was not fully prepared for what I read. This book has a remarkably similar feeling to a Percy Jackson adventure, but instead with shapeshifting animals instead of Greek demigods. The world building of the series is phenomenal and I didn't expect a Middle-Grade book to keep me on my toes as much as this one did, but there were twists that shocked me to my core in this adventure. I can't wait for the sequel and in fact, I'll be reading it here shortly but first I want to give this installment a quick reread!

9. Dawn of Ash (Imdalind #6) by Rebecca Ethington

There were two Imdalind books that came out in 2016, this one, Dawn of Ash, and the conclusion to the entire series, Crown of Cinders, why I chose to include this one, other than simply enjoying it more, is how much was packed into it and how much it impacted the entire series. There are things that go down in this installment that I would never have expected. This book definitely derails the series in a fantastic way and if you haven't begun the Imdalind series by now you really should it's inexplicably amazing.

10. Burning Shadows (The Order of the Krigers #2) by Jennifer Anne Davis

Much like the Imdalind series, there were two Order of the Krigers books published this year, though both met the criteria to be included on this list. In fact, if I wasn't able to finish Burning Shadows by the end of the year, or if I didn't like it as much, the first book, Rise, would have taken its place on this list. Without giving away the plot of Rise I have to say that this installment takes this series to a whole new level. There were a few things I was worried about going into this installment, and yet I shouldn't have feared, Davis does and expert job and manipulating her characters and their predicaments to feel relatable and entertaining. I'm chomping at the bit to find out what happens at the end of this trilogy.

Honorable Mentions:

      

            

Final Bits: Much like last year I've left decided to keep the Honorable Mentions category for books that I read this year that probably would have made the main list had they been published in 2016. Each of these books was special in their own way, and each of the had a rather large impact on my year. I loved the messages about the consequences of spreading rumors and the power of lies seen in The Truth About Alice. Hidden Huntress led to some of the most intense world building I've read all year. The Exiled Queen led to a tipping point and compelled me to binge read the rest of the Seven Realms series as soon as I could. Finally, All In was one of the most shocking and unpredictable books I've ever read. Anyway, those are my top books that I read and reviewed over the last year. What books made your list? Leave a comment or link to your list below! Happy New Year everyone!

Book Review: The Inquisition (Summoner #2)

Release Date: May 10, 2016
Author: Taran Matharu
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Length: 368 pages
Source: Library Book

A year has passed since the Tournament.

Fletcher and Ignatius have been locked away in Pelt’s dungeons, but now they must face a trial at the hands of the Inquisition, a powerful institution controlled by those who would delight in Fletcher’s downfall.

The trial is haunted by ghosts from the past with shocking revelations about Fletcher’s origins, but he has little time to dwell on them; the graduating students of Vocans are to be sent deep into the orc jungles to complete a dangerous mission for the king and his council. If they fail, the orcish armies will rise to power beyond anything the Empire has ever seen.

With loyal friends Othello and Sylva by his side, Fletcher must battle his way to the heart of Orcdom and save Hominum from destruction…or die trying.

    

Review:

Protagonist: Fletcher is in a crap ton of trouble when this book starts off. First off he's been in jail for a year and still has yet to receive word of a trial for a crime he *technically* didn't commit. Like I said, Fletcher is in quite a bind when this book begins. It seems as if all his enemies have teamed up to see him suffer. However, if they hadn't Fletcher might never find out where he truly comes from. After the trial of his life Fletcher and other students from Vocans are sent deep into the orc jungles on not only a rescue mission, but the trim the orcs' growing armies before they can rise up. You know it's pretty much impossible to hate Fletcher when his enemies are such bigoted, racist, and classist assholes. Granted if they weren't I don't think I'd even come to disliking Fletcher. He's a great character, he has a fair sense of judgement and he strives to do what is best for his country. In this book he discovers who he is, but doesn't let that discovery change who he is.

World Building: So, if you've read my review of The Novice, the first book in this series, you know that I absolutely hated the people I dubbed the "Entitled Assholes," well they're back and stronger than ever. Luckily their hatred and bigotry is mostly grouped and concentrated toward the beginning of this book. The bad thing is though, while reading it I literally got sick with rage and disgust. That's not even anywhere close to an exaggeration, and I'm usually fairly apathetic when reading racist and bigoted characters because well, they're the bad guys, but this was a whole new level of it, but again once you get through the trial it's practically smooth sailing from there. Now this book opens up an entirely new world as we get a better look at the Orcs and Gremlins, the perceived enemy races to our heroes. There are a few new things introduced that add dimension and almost breathe new life into this story (not that it needed it) and as the story winds down there are hints at where this story looks to be going, and new questions to replace those that were answered in this book.

Predictability: "I CALLED IT!" I said that at least two or three times in this book with extreme vigor. Granted there were more than two or three twists in this book that I was able to predict, and more than a few that I was not, but arguably the bigger twists I called from early on. Now, that doesn't mean this book is super predictable. In fact for the final and arguably largest twist, there was a lot of evidence to crush my theory but I held fast and was VINDICATED! In all serious though this book has some fantastic and unpredictable moments, and even the ones I could figure out and solve were still fantastic wrinkles to this amazing story.

Ending: Gah! This ending, where do I begin. In all honesty I don't quite know. As I said before the ending of this book seems to set up some new mysteries for our heroes and looks to promise new adventure and things to discover. I'm pretty sure this is a trilogy, as the cliffhanger ending wasn't shocking, though where things are led was. The final climax of this book was epic and amazing. It left me breathless and then to top everything off the way that the author did was incredible. I'm kind of kicking myself for reading this book so soon, I'm not even chomping at the bit for the next book, I've chomped through the bit and am looking for something else to sink my teeth into..

Rating:

So the concentrated dose of Entitled Assholes at the beginning did make me seethe with fury and sick with disgust, but hopefully they'll all get their comeuppance in the end, I'm serious if this author redeems even one of them I'm going to lose it! Anyway this book is fantastic, and following the trial I everything was even better!

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!