{ about the book }
Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha NganPublishes November 6, 2018 by Jimmy Patterson Books
ARC provided by ARC club
ARC provided by ARC club
Each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. It's the highest honor they could hope for... and the most cruel.
But this year, there's a ninth girl. And instead of paper, she's made of fire.
In this lush fantasy, Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most oppressed class in Ikhara. She lives in a remote village with her father, where the decade-old trauma of watching her mother snatched by royal guards still haunts her. Now, the guards are back, and this time it's Lei they're after—the girl whose golden eyes have piqued the king's interest.
Over weeks of training in the opulent but stifling palace, Lei and eight other girls learn the skills and charm that befit being a king's consort. But Lei isn't content to watch her fate consume her. Instead, she does the unthinkable—she falls in love. Her forbidden romance becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens the very foundation of Ikhara, and Lei, still the wide-eyed country girl at heart, must decide just how far she's willing to go for justice and revenge.
TW: violence and sexual abuse.
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{ my review }
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Before I begin this, some trigger/content warnings: animal death, sexual assault/rape, violence, and abuse. There might be more that I missed—I’m so sorry about that—but I believe the finished book will have them printed in page!
The first thing that grabbed my attention about Girls of Paper and Fire—other than that cover—is how gorgeous the writing is without being overly purple prose-y. Ngan’s writing is flawless, both in describing the awful situation Lei is in and creating tension, to descriptions of food, setting, feeling. I was surprised by just how easy it was to fall into this book!
The writing, paired with the main character, Lei, is what kept me hooked the entire time. She—along with seven other girls—are all basically sex slaves to a demon king who only cares about power, in a court where everyone looks down at them for being what they are: courtesans, but also of the paper caste. I felt so much for Lei. Ngan handled her shifting, complex feelings extremely well. The guilt that shocked her when she found herself laughing, maybe even feeling happy in this place; her feelings for another Paper Girl. Lei herself was a very likeable character. Despite her traumas and tragedies, she never lets herself stop fighting in her own way. She never allows herself to be cruel to other people for it. I had so much respect for her!
The romance in GOPAF was amazing. A little slow in the beginning, but the build up was done super well. I loved both Lei and Wren—both characters were super well done—and how the two dealt with their issues, leaned on each other in times of hardship, and y’know, just made the best of what time they had.
There was some cattiness in the book. I hated it, but I felt that. By having other girls who did get along with each other almost made up for it. Blue might’ve been a mean character—even though Ngan added depth to her—but Lei’s friendship with the other girls was a nice change of pace.
And going off that, it was interesting to read about the different viewpoints. Clearly, Lei hated being there as a concubine for the Demon King, but it wasn’t so for all the other girls. It was something that was interesting to read about, how some of the girls were happy to be there, but others clearly had reservations.
My complaint would be the pacing. While well done, it took some time for the story to really get moving after Lei’s initial capturing. I get that a lot of it was for readers—and Lei—to get accustomed to court life, but it also kind of dragged for me.
Overall, I highly recommend this book! It didn’t end the way I expected it to—which was in a clean-cut, story-wrapped-up, kind of way. (I thought it was a standalone and now I will be disappointed if it is.) Anyway, 4 stars and I look forward to Ngan’s next work!
The first thing that grabbed my attention about Girls of Paper and Fire—other than that cover—is how gorgeous the writing is without being overly purple prose-y. Ngan’s writing is flawless, both in describing the awful situation Lei is in and creating tension, to descriptions of food, setting, feeling. I was surprised by just how easy it was to fall into this book!
The writing, paired with the main character, Lei, is what kept me hooked the entire time. She—along with seven other girls—are all basically sex slaves to a demon king who only cares about power, in a court where everyone looks down at them for being what they are: courtesans, but also of the paper caste. I felt so much for Lei. Ngan handled her shifting, complex feelings extremely well. The guilt that shocked her when she found herself laughing, maybe even feeling happy in this place; her feelings for another Paper Girl. Lei herself was a very likeable character. Despite her traumas and tragedies, she never lets herself stop fighting in her own way. She never allows herself to be cruel to other people for it. I had so much respect for her!
The romance in GOPAF was amazing. A little slow in the beginning, but the build up was done super well. I loved both Lei and Wren—both characters were super well done—and how the two dealt with their issues, leaned on each other in times of hardship, and y’know, just made the best of what time they had.
There was some cattiness in the book. I hated it, but I felt that. By having other girls who did get along with each other almost made up for it. Blue might’ve been a mean character—even though Ngan added depth to her—but Lei’s friendship with the other girls was a nice change of pace.
And going off that, it was interesting to read about the different viewpoints. Clearly, Lei hated being there as a concubine for the Demon King, but it wasn’t so for all the other girls. It was something that was interesting to read about, how some of the girls were happy to be there, but others clearly had reservations.
My complaint would be the pacing. While well done, it took some time for the story to really get moving after Lei’s initial capturing. I get that a lot of it was for readers—and Lei—to get accustomed to court life, but it also kind of dragged for me.
Overall, I highly recommend this book! It didn’t end the way I expected it to—which was in a clean-cut, story-wrapped-up, kind of way. (I thought it was a standalone and now I will be disappointed if it is.) Anyway, 4 stars and I look forward to Ngan’s next work!
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{ buy the book }
{ about the book }
Published August 16, 2007 by Razorbill
Only a true best friend can protect you from your immortal enemies...
Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with a rare gift for harnessing the earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest vampires—the ones who never die. The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, makes her a dhampir. Rose is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making Lissa one of them.
After two years of freedom, Rose and Lissa are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir's Academy, a school for vampire royalty and their guardians-to-be, hidden in the deep forests of Montana. But inside the iron gates, life is even more fraught with danger... and the Strigoi are always close by.
Rose and Lissa must navigate their dangerous world, confront the temptations of forbidden love, and never once let their guard down, lest the evil undead make Lissa one of them forever...
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{ my review }
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
I love this book.
I wasn't planning on reading Vampire Academy because I haven't thought about it in a while. But then I read Whirl, which was a blatant copy if I've ever seen—so I thought, why not?
Vampire Academy is better in every way. I mean, yeah, this book definitely has its issues, like many books published in the earlier era of YA. There's slutshaming, girl hate, far too liberal use of words like crazy or psychotic. But what VA did well that Whirl didn't was that Mead made her characters flawed and maybe unlikable at first, but also easy to root for eventually.
You have Rose: a strong, flirty, and caring main character. You see these parts of her throughout the entire book. You especially see how selfless she is for Lissa, how she would do anything for her—small things like standing up to a bully, or threatening to punch Mia. Or bigger things, like sabotaging a budding relationship or betraying one of Lissa's secrets. All of it for her good. (I mean, I do have reservations about this but I do admire it.) What's more is that Rose feels the shame, takes the blame for what her actions cause. I do hate how she hides things from Lissa—since it's for her "protection" and shit (I never buy that), but god. Rose would do anything to protect her, it makes me emo. Run mile after mile, wake up to sore muscles, the whole nine yards to be the best guardian for Lissa. Rose can be easy to hate, but to me, she's so easy to admire.
And I love Lissa too. I love how their relationship has its ups and downs, but they're still such a strong unit. I love their friendship. Rose may be the reckless one, going headfirst into a fight, but Lissa is strong and unique in her own regard. She's as loyal to Rose as Rose is to her—using her powers, despite how much it took a toll on her, to protect Rose from harsh rumors. GIVE ME A MOMENT. I just have so much love for this girl? This soft, gentle, character who would reach out to heal any animal in pain. Who wouldn't hesitate to do what she could do for Rose? Who trusts her without any hesitation? But would also call her out when necessary? I love.
I wasn't planning on reading Vampire Academy because I haven't thought about it in a while. But then I read Whirl, which was a blatant copy if I've ever seen—so I thought, why not?
Vampire Academy is better in every way. I mean, yeah, this book definitely has its issues, like many books published in the earlier era of YA. There's slutshaming, girl hate, far too liberal use of words like crazy or psychotic. But what VA did well that Whirl didn't was that Mead made her characters flawed and maybe unlikable at first, but also easy to root for eventually.
You have Rose: a strong, flirty, and caring main character. You see these parts of her throughout the entire book. You especially see how selfless she is for Lissa, how she would do anything for her—small things like standing up to a bully, or threatening to punch Mia. Or bigger things, like sabotaging a budding relationship or betraying one of Lissa's secrets. All of it for her good. (I mean, I do have reservations about this but I do admire it.) What's more is that Rose feels the shame, takes the blame for what her actions cause. I do hate how she hides things from Lissa—since it's for her "protection" and shit (I never buy that), but god. Rose would do anything to protect her, it makes me emo. Run mile after mile, wake up to sore muscles, the whole nine yards to be the best guardian for Lissa. Rose can be easy to hate, but to me, she's so easy to admire.
And I love Lissa too. I love how their relationship has its ups and downs, but they're still such a strong unit. I love their friendship. Rose may be the reckless one, going headfirst into a fight, but Lissa is strong and unique in her own regard. She's as loyal to Rose as Rose is to her—using her powers, despite how much it took a toll on her, to protect Rose from harsh rumors. GIVE ME A MOMENT. I just have so much love for this girl? This soft, gentle, character who would reach out to heal any animal in pain. Who wouldn't hesitate to do what she could do for Rose? Who trusts her without any hesitation? But would also call her out when necessary? I love.
This. This is the type of female friendship we should be seeing in books. Girl hate is such an ancient trope, I need it c a n c e l l e d already. Say what you will about the VA series—I can say Mead did this relationship, this wonderful friendship, right in the first book. (I'll have to see in books 2-6 lmao.)
I'd like to say that while the age gap between Dimitri and Rose make me uncomfy af, at least Dimitri is a good guy. Like, a genuinely good guy. And I'd like to add that Christian Ozera deserves love and I adore him.
There's just. So much to like about this. How the villain came off as. What the villain's motif was. Spoiler alert, I think?—but honestly, this came out over a decade ago and there's a movie, would this really bother anyone lol—but I just love how it wasn't a cliché evil thing, you know? Like. The person is doing it for their own good yeah but wow it is so much deeper than that at the same time? I'm reading too much into it, I think. I didn't expect this reread to impact me so much.
Back to so much to like: the humor! The dialogue! It felt so authentic, so unforced, that it truly made this novel.
Thank you for dealing with me with this review. I'm gonna go be emo about the rest of the series now.
Thank you for dealing with me with this review. I'm gonna go be emo about the rest of the series now.
{ about the book }
Whisper of the Tide by Sarah TolcserPublishes June 5, 2018 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens
e-ARC provided by netgalley
e-ARC provided by netgalley
Caro Oresteia spent her life waiting to be called by the river god, as those in her family had been for generations. But when she’s swept away on an adventure to save the Akhaian royal prince, Markos, her destiny is sealed by the sea god instead.
For now, Caro is landlocked, helping Markos reclaim his throne after nearly his entire family was assassinated in a political coup. Without any financial or military support, Markos is desperate for allies, and Caro has fought off more than one attempt on his life. When a powerful Archon offers his army in exchange for Markos’s marriage to his daughter, Caro must choose: Her love for Markos, or the fate of Akhaia? And more importantly: How much is she willing to risk to defy the sea god’s wishes and chart her own course?
With shipwrecks, lost treasure, old and new enemies, dark magic, and breathtaking romance, Sarah Tolcser weaves another epic story about chasing your fate.
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{ my review }
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
I am sort of sad that this series had ended, but at the same time, I’m also very happy with how it ended. Whisper of the Tide was definitely an up-to-par sequel to Tolcser’s debut, Song of the Current. (If you haven’t gotten to it, go!! read!! it!!)
Once again, Caro steals the show. I love love love Caro, she’s definitely one of my top favourite leading ladies. She’s tough, dedicated, and sarcastic enough that whatever her remarks were didn’t come off as annoying or whatever. One of the reasons Song of the Current appealed to me so much was because of her. Caro has never tried to be perfect and Tolcser does such a wonderful job with Caro’s flaws and insecurities.
I won’t lie, the beginning had me nervous. Caro and Markos aren’t at a very good spot, with all the royal things coming into play. There’s some relationship drama which had me super worried because I’m 100% trash for Markos & Caro. I mean, I get why it had to happen but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. But because of all this, it made their reunion so much sweeter! I love a couple who actually talk about things bothering them. (Even if this was kind of eventually…)
I won’t lie, I wasn’t expecting a lot of what happened in the middle of this book to, uh, happen. We have Caro stranded and separated and presumed dead. I love that she never gave up, but more than that, I love how we got to see her begrudgingly befriend one of her old enemies. It created for fun banter and exciting adventures.
Overall, this was just a fabulous book. Tolcser has done it again and I think she’s bound to be one of my favourite authors! I can’t wait to see what else she puts out. 4 stars and highly recommended!
Once again, Caro steals the show. I love love love Caro, she’s definitely one of my top favourite leading ladies. She’s tough, dedicated, and sarcastic enough that whatever her remarks were didn’t come off as annoying or whatever. One of the reasons Song of the Current appealed to me so much was because of her. Caro has never tried to be perfect and Tolcser does such a wonderful job with Caro’s flaws and insecurities.
I won’t lie, the beginning had me nervous. Caro and Markos aren’t at a very good spot, with all the royal things coming into play. There’s some relationship drama which had me super worried because I’m 100% trash for Markos & Caro. I mean, I get why it had to happen but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. But because of all this, it made their reunion so much sweeter! I love a couple who actually talk about things bothering them. (Even if this was kind of eventually…)
I won’t lie, I wasn’t expecting a lot of what happened in the middle of this book to, uh, happen. We have Caro stranded and separated and presumed dead. I love that she never gave up, but more than that, I love how we got to see her begrudgingly befriend one of her old enemies. It created for fun banter and exciting adventures.
Overall, this was just a fabulous book. Tolcser has done it again and I think she’s bound to be one of my favourite authors! I can’t wait to see what else she puts out. 4 stars and highly recommended!
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{ buy the book }
It's been like 3 years since my last MRC, but I'm back with mini reviews in this 6th volume!
Scroll down for my thoughts on 3 upcoming fantasy titles: Kiss of the Royal, Bring Me Their Hearts, and Heart of Thorns!
Scroll down for my thoughts on 3 upcoming fantasy titles: Kiss of the Royal, Bring Me Their Hearts, and Heart of Thorns!
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Kiss of the Royal by Lindsey Dugastandalone novel
publishes July 3rd 2018 by Entangled Teen
e-ARC provided by netgalley
goodreads
In the war against the Forces of Darkness, the Royals are losing. Princess Ivy is determined to end this centuries-long conflict once and for all, so her new battle partner must succeed where the others failed. Prince Zach’s unparalleled skill with a sword, enhanced by Ivy’s magic Kiss, should make them an unstoppable pair—but try convincing Zach of that.
Prince Zach has spent his life preparing for battle, but he would rather be branded a heretic than use his lips as nothing more than a way to transfer magic. A kiss is a symbol of love, and love is the most powerful weapon they have—but try convincing Ivy of that.
With the fate of their world on the line, the battlefield has become a testing ground, and only one of them can be right. Falling for each other wasn’t part of the plan—but try convincing their hearts of that.
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Well, colour me surprised, I didn't expect to enjoy this so much! I found the idea of Kiss very interesting, if a bit odd—the whole Royals having powers because of a kiss is very unique to me. In hindsight, it seems very unfortunate because royals can't technically make an army, not in numbers like commoners, at least.
Still! I liked the writing and I liked Ivy! She was a very dedicated character, hella intent on ending this war, even after pairing with someone who didn't believe in her ideologies.
That was part of why I liked this book so much! I'm a sucker for books where the main couple-to-be start off on opposite ends and don't see eye to eye at first. Gradually reading about them understanding the other's point of view is my favourite part.
I'll admit, it was a bit slow in the opening chapters, but after Zach was introduced, the plot really picked up. The more I read, the more I was intrigued by the whole concept of Love in this book. Ivy doesn't believe in it! Normally this kind of thing would annoy me—I hate exploring so much into love, but this wasn't about feelings... more like the whole concept of it. It's why it reminded me so much of the show Once Upon A Time.
In the end, I was sold on this book. Ivy had a great voice, and the plot was—well, not wholly unique, but fun nonetheless. The romance was great, and the whole Royal Kiss thing was intriguing. So, easy 4 stars from me and I'd recommend it!
Still! I liked the writing and I liked Ivy! She was a very dedicated character, hella intent on ending this war, even after pairing with someone who didn't believe in her ideologies.
That was part of why I liked this book so much! I'm a sucker for books where the main couple-to-be start off on opposite ends and don't see eye to eye at first. Gradually reading about them understanding the other's point of view is my favourite part.
I'll admit, it was a bit slow in the opening chapters, but after Zach was introduced, the plot really picked up. The more I read, the more I was intrigued by the whole concept of Love in this book. Ivy doesn't believe in it! Normally this kind of thing would annoy me—I hate exploring so much into love, but this wasn't about feelings... more like the whole concept of it. It's why it reminded me so much of the show Once Upon A Time.
In the end, I was sold on this book. Ivy had a great voice, and the plot was—well, not wholly unique, but fun nonetheless. The romance was great, and the whole Royal Kiss thing was intriguing. So, easy 4 stars from me and I'd recommend it!
Buy links!
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Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara WolfBring Me Their Hearts, book 1
publishes June 5, 2018 by Entangled: Teen
e-ARC provided by netgalley
e-ARC provided by netgalley
Zera is a Heartless—the immortal, unageing soldier of a witch. Bound to the witch Nightsinger ever since she saved her from the bandits who murdered her family, Zera longs for freedom from the woods they hide in. With her heart in a jar under Nightsinger’s control, she serves the witch unquestioningly.
Until Nightsinger asks Zera for a Prince’s heart in exchange for her own, with one addendum; if she’s discovered infiltrating the court, Nightsinger will destroy her heart rather than see her tortured by the witch-hating nobles.
Crown Prince Lucien d’Malvane hates the royal court as much as it loves him—every tutor too afraid to correct him and every girl jockeying for a place at his darkly handsome side. No one can challenge him—until the arrival of Lady Zera. She’s inelegant, smart-mouthed, carefree, and out for his blood. The Prince’s honor has him quickly aiming for her throat.
So begins a game of cat and mouse between a girl with nothing to lose and a boy who has it all.
Winner takes the loser’s heart.
Literally.
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To be completely honest, I'm very middle-of-the-scale here. (I don't think that's even a saying lol)
See, on the one hand, I really did enjoy Zera's voice. I enjoyed the relationship between her and the Lady Y'shennria, which had gone from deep displeasure to something similar to a mother-daughter connection. I even liked how the romance was done—no one fell in lust or love instantly, but rather realised their feelings over a long period of time, and even then, didn't succumb to them. In a lot of ways, Bring Me Their Hearts was a good novel.
But reading it at times, it felt like Wolf tried too hard. Especially with Zera and her sense of humour. Some of Zera's comments felt way too colloquial for a fantasy novel. Most of her other comments just seemed too forced to me. I did like her, for the most part, but I wasn't completely into all her remarks.
Otherwise, I really loved the concept of Heartless! Wolf did a good job with getting readers to understand why Zera is going through such a dangerous plot to become human again. I liked that her need to accomplish this was always a priority... which isn't always the case with similar plots.
Overall, I would recommend this! I was a little surprised with how it ended so I'm excited for the second book!
See, on the one hand, I really did enjoy Zera's voice. I enjoyed the relationship between her and the Lady Y'shennria, which had gone from deep displeasure to something similar to a mother-daughter connection. I even liked how the romance was done—no one fell in lust or love instantly, but rather realised their feelings over a long period of time, and even then, didn't succumb to them. In a lot of ways, Bring Me Their Hearts was a good novel.
But reading it at times, it felt like Wolf tried too hard. Especially with Zera and her sense of humour. Some of Zera's comments felt way too colloquial for a fantasy novel. Most of her other comments just seemed too forced to me. I did like her, for the most part, but I wasn't completely into all her remarks.
Otherwise, I really loved the concept of Heartless! Wolf did a good job with getting readers to understand why Zera is going through such a dangerous plot to become human again. I liked that her need to accomplish this was always a priority... which isn't always the case with similar plots.
Overall, I would recommend this! I was a little surprised with how it ended so I'm excited for the second book!
Buy links!
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Heart of Thorns, book 1
In the ancient river kingdom, touch is a battlefield, bodies the instruments of war. Seventeen-year-old Mia Rose has pledged her life to hunting Gwyrach: women who can manipulate flesh, bones, breath, and blood.
Not women. Demons. The same demons who killed her mother without a single scratch.
But when Mia's father suddenly announces her marriage to the prince, she is forced to trade in her knives and trousers for a sumptuous silk gown. Only after the wedding goes disastrously wrong does she discover she has dark, forbidden magic—the very magic she has sworn to destroy.
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I loved this book! Though, frankly, it might have to do with Quin, but I'll get there.
In the grand scheme of things, Heart of Thorns isn't entirely different from most other fantasy books. What does make it stand out is that only women have magic! And they're seen as demons. (Figures lmao) So of course our main character, Mia, is such a "creature"!
I loved Mia, though. Throughout the book, it was easy to sympathise with her, in more ways than one. Being forced into an arranged marriage, dealing with the loss of her mother, finding out she's one of the Gwyrach that killed her mother, all while giving up her goals and getting her sister to safety. It's a lot and it was heartening to see Mia push through whatever obstacle came her way the best she could. I had a lot of respect for her!
I really, really liked Quin! He's the love interest and he was introduced as a cold, detatched prince at first, BUT OH. HE WAS SO SWEET LATER ON, I'm emo. He's also bisexual! I haven't read any reviews of the book where that's mentioned but Quin is bi!!
I'm looking forward to future books because a) I'm so sold on this ship; b) the ending was both unexpected and slightly expected; and c) I really want to know more about the world. (I could do without the random scientific terms placed in, though.)
So! Overall, I would definitely recommend this!
In the grand scheme of things, Heart of Thorns isn't entirely different from most other fantasy books. What does make it stand out is that only women have magic! And they're seen as demons. (Figures lmao) So of course our main character, Mia, is such a "creature"!
I loved Mia, though. Throughout the book, it was easy to sympathise with her, in more ways than one. Being forced into an arranged marriage, dealing with the loss of her mother, finding out she's one of the Gwyrach that killed her mother, all while giving up her goals and getting her sister to safety. It's a lot and it was heartening to see Mia push through whatever obstacle came her way the best she could. I had a lot of respect for her!
I really, really liked Quin! He's the love interest and he was introduced as a cold, detatched prince at first, BUT OH. HE WAS SO SWEET LATER ON, I'm emo. He's also bisexual! I haven't read any reviews of the book where that's mentioned but Quin is bi!!
I'm looking forward to future books because a) I'm so sold on this ship; b) the ending was both unexpected and slightly expected; and c) I really want to know more about the world. (I could do without the random scientific terms placed in, though.)
So! Overall, I would definitely recommend this!
Buy links!
{ about the book }
Magic of Wind and Mist by Cassandra Rose ClarkePublished October 24, 2017 by Saga Press
Taking place in the world of Cassandra Rose Clarke’s Magic of Blood and Sea, this is the story of a would-be witch who embarks on an adventure filled with intrigue, mystery, mermaids, and magic.
Hanna has spent her life hearing about the adventures of her namesake Ananna, the lady pirate, and assassin Naji, and dreams to have some adventures of her own.
One day when Hanna is with her apprentice—a taciturn fisherman called Kolur—the boat is swept wildly off course during a day of storms and darkness. In this strange new land, Kolur hires a stranger to join the crew and, rather than heading home, sets a course for the dangerous island of Jadanvar. As Hanna meets a secretive merboy—and learns that Kolur has a deadly past—she soon realizes that wishing for adventures can be deadly… because those wishes might come true.
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{ my review }
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
Once again, be aware of any possible spoilers!
I was not sure if I would like this book considering what I felt about Clarke's other series set in this world. So imagine my surprise when I found myself liking it better.
I will admit that this duology didn't intrigue me as much as Blood and Sea. For one, there weren't any pirates or assassins. I was worried I would be bored, but something I noticed almost immediately was how different the writing was!
Part of what bothered me about Ananna's series was that her voice was so annoying. It got under my skin so often it was a miracle I managed to finish those books as soon as I did. Not only that, but there was this... lack of emotional connection to whatever was happening, it felt like.
Anyway. Hanna's voice was so different! It was refreshing and it was easy to like her. Hanna herself was a great character. I hated how often she'd be left in the dark by various people on her adventure—she's part of it, so she should know exactly why and what the hell was happening! It infuriated me and I'm glad that Hanna dealt it the best she could. She went her own way and she was smart about it! At times I thought she'd just endure it, wait until they offered her bits of information, but I'm so glad that didn't happen.
Hanna's story wasn't... as adventurous as Ananna's. At least, not the first book, The Wizard's Promise. The beginning was exciting but everything after was very lowkey. It was a different pace and I was surprised, but I think it worked really well for this series. But, at the same time, there was no urgency to Hanna's situation? She's so far from home and everything she's been doing was to get enough money to sail home, but she also had to deal with the Mists coming after her/her old captain. But... I just never really felt that supposed deadline her old captain (Kolur from the synopsis) had.
I liked the romance! Must of it happened in the second book, and there wasn't really any buildup in book one, so everything was sort of left to happen in The Nobleman's Revenge. But it was so sweet! I liked the love interest, Isolfr. He was so different than typical love interests! Hanna had constantly called him a coward—and for good reason—and seeing a guy love interest in that aspect rather than the protector/fighter was so refreshing.
(Also, considering Isolfr was one of the people who kept things from Hanna, it was amazing to have Hanna not deal with that bs.)
I can't help keep comparing this to Ananna's story. Where in Blood and Sea we had two very capable people handling things, Wind and Mist was not like that. Isolfr and Hanna have magic but they're not accustomed to fighting for their lives. And having them be the stars of book 2 was a refreshing take.
Well! I guess that's it for me. Overall, 4 stars! I'm glad I gave this one a chance!
I was not sure if I would like this book considering what I felt about Clarke's other series set in this world. So imagine my surprise when I found myself liking it better.
I will admit that this duology didn't intrigue me as much as Blood and Sea. For one, there weren't any pirates or assassins. I was worried I would be bored, but something I noticed almost immediately was how different the writing was!
Part of what bothered me about Ananna's series was that her voice was so annoying. It got under my skin so often it was a miracle I managed to finish those books as soon as I did. Not only that, but there was this... lack of emotional connection to whatever was happening, it felt like.
Anyway. Hanna's voice was so different! It was refreshing and it was easy to like her. Hanna herself was a great character. I hated how often she'd be left in the dark by various people on her adventure—she's part of it, so she should know exactly why and what the hell was happening! It infuriated me and I'm glad that Hanna dealt it the best she could. She went her own way and she was smart about it! At times I thought she'd just endure it, wait until they offered her bits of information, but I'm so glad that didn't happen.
Hanna's story wasn't... as adventurous as Ananna's. At least, not the first book, The Wizard's Promise. The beginning was exciting but everything after was very lowkey. It was a different pace and I was surprised, but I think it worked really well for this series. But, at the same time, there was no urgency to Hanna's situation? She's so far from home and everything she's been doing was to get enough money to sail home, but she also had to deal with the Mists coming after her/her old captain. But... I just never really felt that supposed deadline her old captain (Kolur from the synopsis) had.
I liked the romance! Must of it happened in the second book, and there wasn't really any buildup in book one, so everything was sort of left to happen in The Nobleman's Revenge. But it was so sweet! I liked the love interest, Isolfr. He was so different than typical love interests! Hanna had constantly called him a coward—and for good reason—and seeing a guy love interest in that aspect rather than the protector/fighter was so refreshing.
(Also, considering Isolfr was one of the people who kept things from Hanna, it was amazing to have Hanna not deal with that bs.)
I can't help keep comparing this to Ananna's story. Where in Blood and Sea we had two very capable people handling things, Wind and Mist was not like that. Isolfr and Hanna have magic but they're not accustomed to fighting for their lives. And having them be the stars of book 2 was a refreshing take.
Well! I guess that's it for me. Overall, 4 stars! I'm glad I gave this one a chance!
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{ buy the book }
{ about the book }
untitled duology, book 1
Publishes May 15, 2018 by Balzer + Bray
e-ARC received from edelweiss
e-ARC received from edelweiss
They call her Traitor Kate. It’s a title Kate Brighton inherited from her father after he tried to assassinate the high king years ago. Now Kate lives as an outcast, clinging to the fringes of society as a member of the Relay, the imperial courier service. Only those most skilled in riding and bow hunting ride for the Relay; and only the fastest survive, for when dark falls, the nightdrakes—deadly flightless dragons—come out to hunt. Fortunately, Kate has a secret edge: she is a wilder, born with magic that allows her to influence the minds of animals. But it’s this magic that she needs to keep hidden, as being a wilder is forbidden, punishable by death or exile. And it’s this magic that leads her to a caravan massacred by nightdrakes in broad daylight—the only survivor her childhood friend, her first love, the boy she swore to forget, the boy who broke her heart.
The high king’s second son, Corwin Tormane, never asked to lead. Even as he waits for the uror—the once-in-a-generation ritual to decide which of the king’s children will succeed him—he knows it’s always been his brother who will assume the throne. And that’s fine by him. He’d rather spend his days away from the palace, away from the sight of his father, broken with sickness from the attempt on his life. But the peacekeeping tour Corwin is on has given him too much time to reflect upon the night he saved his father’s life—the night he condemned the would-be killer to death and lost the girl he loved. Which is why he takes it on himself to investigate rumors of unrest in one of the remote city-states, only for his caravan to be attacked—and for him to be saved by Kate.
With their paths once more entangled, Kate and Corwin have to put the past behind them. The threat of drakes who attack in the daylight is only the beginning of a darker menace stirring in the kingdom—one whose origins have dire implications for Kate’s father’s attack upon the king and will thrust them into the middle of a brewing civil war in the kingdom of Rime.
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{ my review }
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
It has been a long time since I’ve read a book by Mindee Arnett. I read and really enjoyed her debut, The Nightmare Affair and found her sci-fi take to be interesting. But between those books and her new fantasy, it’s easy to say which one is my favourite. Onyx & Ivory is a fantastic book and wow, I definitely wish I could go back to this all over again.
It’s hard for me to explain just why I really like this novel. I mean, there’s a lot to it, but at the same time, it’s like… I have a hard time explaining just why everything is so fantastic to me.
Part of it is definitely the characters. O&I is told from two points of view, third person: Kate, the daughter of a traitor, and Corwin, the son of the king whose father was almost killed by Kate’s dad. Complicated? Yes, absolutely. Does it also create for tension?
Why, I’m so glad you asked, because: yes, absolutely.
Anywaaaay. I loved Kate. Oh my gosh, did I love Kate. She’s fierce and loyal and capable and adores horses and hot damn, her arc is nothing short of fabulous. I have an immense respect for Kate Brighton and her parts in the book were some of my absolute favourites. I thought Arnett did a fantastic job with Kate, especially at the end. I was rooting for her the entire novel, but wow, that ending just solidified everything for me.
I really liked Corwin! He comes from a line where all of their names rhyme, which is a weird thing to pass down, but hey, I’m not royalty (yet) so what do I know? In any case, that bit is unrelated. MOVING ON. As the second son, you’d expect him not to care about having to rule the land, but in their kingdom, both Corwin and his brother have an equal chance at ruling because of a set of trials. I found that bit interesting! It’s an interesting arc for Corwin and I liked how it gave him the chance to grow. I also really loved his friendship with Dal! I don’t see many good friendships between guys, so I liked that they were in each other’s lives and tried to help out the other when they could.
Onyx & Ivory is a bit long… which, I think, is my first complaint. I mean, I read through it without really noticing the length, because I just adored the book, but sometimes it can sneak up on you. But, despite that, I found the pacing to be great. Nothing went by too slowly and nothing rushed past. It also means that a lot of things happen and a lot of twists occur. Paired with those things, it just added all the more for me.
Part of me wishes that there was a strong friendship between Signe and Kate. Not a lot is known of Signe and I was hoping for more scenes between the two of them, and their other friend, in the book. I wanted more of a close knit thing with them but after they move to the capital of the kingdom, there aren’t many scenes where they were together. It’s a minor thing, but with the friendship between Dal and Corwin, I was hoping that Kate have something like that too, y’know?
There is a romance here, as you might have guessed! I liked it and even more so because it was, a) a well done second chance/reunited type of thing, and b) it wasn’t the focal point of the book at all. I always think of it as a backburner thing, so while it’s there and there are some scenes to push their relationship, it’s never the most important part.
Closing out here because wow this is already super long, sorry lol. So! Overall, I adoredddd Onyx & Ivory! I’m so excited for book 2 and what it brings for Kate and Corwin!
It’s hard for me to explain just why I really like this novel. I mean, there’s a lot to it, but at the same time, it’s like… I have a hard time explaining just why everything is so fantastic to me.
Part of it is definitely the characters. O&I is told from two points of view, third person: Kate, the daughter of a traitor, and Corwin, the son of the king whose father was almost killed by Kate’s dad. Complicated? Yes, absolutely. Does it also create for tension?
Why, I’m so glad you asked, because: yes, absolutely.
Anywaaaay. I loved Kate. Oh my gosh, did I love Kate. She’s fierce and loyal and capable and adores horses and hot damn, her arc is nothing short of fabulous. I have an immense respect for Kate Brighton and her parts in the book were some of my absolute favourites. I thought Arnett did a fantastic job with Kate, especially at the end. I was rooting for her the entire novel, but wow, that ending just solidified everything for me.
I really liked Corwin! He comes from a line where all of their names rhyme, which is a weird thing to pass down, but hey, I’m not royalty (yet) so what do I know? In any case, that bit is unrelated. MOVING ON. As the second son, you’d expect him not to care about having to rule the land, but in their kingdom, both Corwin and his brother have an equal chance at ruling because of a set of trials. I found that bit interesting! It’s an interesting arc for Corwin and I liked how it gave him the chance to grow. I also really loved his friendship with Dal! I don’t see many good friendships between guys, so I liked that they were in each other’s lives and tried to help out the other when they could.
Onyx & Ivory is a bit long… which, I think, is my first complaint. I mean, I read through it without really noticing the length, because I just adored the book, but sometimes it can sneak up on you. But, despite that, I found the pacing to be great. Nothing went by too slowly and nothing rushed past. It also means that a lot of things happen and a lot of twists occur. Paired with those things, it just added all the more for me.
Part of me wishes that there was a strong friendship between Signe and Kate. Not a lot is known of Signe and I was hoping for more scenes between the two of them, and their other friend, in the book. I wanted more of a close knit thing with them but after they move to the capital of the kingdom, there aren’t many scenes where they were together. It’s a minor thing, but with the friendship between Dal and Corwin, I was hoping that Kate have something like that too, y’know?
There is a romance here, as you might have guessed! I liked it and even more so because it was, a) a well done second chance/reunited type of thing, and b) it wasn’t the focal point of the book at all. I always think of it as a backburner thing, so while it’s there and there are some scenes to push their relationship, it’s never the most important part.
Closing out here because wow this is already super long, sorry lol. So! Overall, I adoredddd Onyx & Ivory! I’m so excited for book 2 and what it brings for Kate and Corwin!
•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•
{ buy the book }
{ about the book }
Save the Date by Morgan Matsonstandalone novel
Publishes June 5, 2018 by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
e-ARC received from edelweiss
e-ARC received from edelweiss
Charlie Grant’s older sister is getting married this weekend at their family home, and Charlie can’t wait—for the first time in years, all four of her older siblings will be under one roof. Charlie is desperate for one last perfect weekend, before the house is sold and everything changes. The house will be filled with jokes and games and laughs again. Making decisions about things like what college to attend and reuniting with longstanding crush Jesse Foster—all that can wait. She wants to focus on making the weekend perfect.
The only problem? The weekend is shaping up to be an absolute disaster.
There’s the unexpected dog with a penchant for howling, house alarm that won’t stop going off, and a papergirl with a grudge.
There are the relatives who aren’t speaking, the (awful) girl her favorite brother brought home unannounced, and a missing tuxedo.
Not to mention the neighbor who seems to be bent on sabotage and a storm that is bent on drenching everything. The justice of the peace is missing. The band will only play covers. The guests are all crazy. And the wedding planner’s nephew is unexpectedly, distractingly… cute.
Over the course of three ridiculously chaotic days, Charlie will learn more than she ever expected about the family she thought she knew by heart. And she’ll realize that sometimes, trying to keep everything like it was in the past means missing out on the future.
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{ my review }
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
I’m used to Morgan Matson writing contemporary romance with other things built into it. I’ve only read three of her books including this one, though, so if that’s a wrong assumption, it’s 100% on me. But, in my experience, that’s what I expected from her.
At its heart, Save the Date is not a contemporary romance novel. Which—I’ll be honest, as I always am—was a pleasant surprise. It ended up being all the better in some ways for me. It was really family oriented, more so than the other two books I read by her, and wow, it was wonderful.
It also gave me a lot of anxiety. Which I could have done without. Save the Date was one event going wrong after another and it made me feel slightly panicked while reading.
Despite that! I really liked this book. Charlie was a great main character and it warmed my heart to see her family just being together. The weekend is extremely hectic and everything that could go wrong just does and the Grants are doing what they can to either go with the flow or fix it. So yeah, with a dog that keeps barking and an old house alarm system that keeps going off, there are a lot of shenanigans (lol I love that word), along with some paper girl that apparently doesn’t deliver to the Grants Specifically (™) and a cranky (and petty) old neighbor involved—it’s messy.
And even though all of that had a tendency to make me nervous—what could go wrong now?—the camaraderie the Grants had was wonderful. All the jokes they shared, all the memories they revisited, just everything—it was incredible to experience. The family dynamics were the absolute highlight of this novel and I’m happy that all of this messy goodness was the main focus of Save the Date. Everything that could go wrong does but at least they’re dealing with that together.
There is something that bothers me and it’s something I realised after someone had pointed it out on twitter: Matson’s novels are so wordy. Entire paragraphs of old backstory that I’m not sure is entirely even needed are included. It became glaringly obvious in this book and I grimaced a lot when I had to read one of those lengthy parts—which, you can imagine, happened a lot.
Oh well, whatever. Overall: 4 stars! I liked this one even though it made me feel hella anxious over everything.
At its heart, Save the Date is not a contemporary romance novel. Which—I’ll be honest, as I always am—was a pleasant surprise. It ended up being all the better in some ways for me. It was really family oriented, more so than the other two books I read by her, and wow, it was wonderful.
It also gave me a lot of anxiety. Which I could have done without. Save the Date was one event going wrong after another and it made me feel slightly panicked while reading.
Despite that! I really liked this book. Charlie was a great main character and it warmed my heart to see her family just being together. The weekend is extremely hectic and everything that could go wrong just does and the Grants are doing what they can to either go with the flow or fix it. So yeah, with a dog that keeps barking and an old house alarm system that keeps going off, there are a lot of shenanigans (lol I love that word), along with some paper girl that apparently doesn’t deliver to the Grants Specifically (™) and a cranky (and petty) old neighbor involved—it’s messy.
And even though all of that had a tendency to make me nervous—what could go wrong now?—the camaraderie the Grants had was wonderful. All the jokes they shared, all the memories they revisited, just everything—it was incredible to experience. The family dynamics were the absolute highlight of this novel and I’m happy that all of this messy goodness was the main focus of Save the Date. Everything that could go wrong does but at least they’re dealing with that together.
There is something that bothers me and it’s something I realised after someone had pointed it out on twitter: Matson’s novels are so wordy. Entire paragraphs of old backstory that I’m not sure is entirely even needed are included. It became glaringly obvious in this book and I grimaced a lot when I had to read one of those lengthy parts—which, you can imagine, happened a lot.
Oh well, whatever. Overall: 4 stars! I liked this one even though it made me feel hella anxious over everything.
•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•
{ buy the book }
{ about the book }
Royals, book 1
Publishes May 1, 2018 by Penguin Random House
e-ARC received from edelweiss
e-ARC received from edelweiss
Meet Daisy Winters. She’s an offbeat sixteen-year-old Floridian with mermaid-red hair; a part time job at a bootleg Walmart, and a perfect older sister who’s nearly engaged to the Crown Prince of Scotland. Daisy has no desire to live in the spotlight, but relentless tabloid attention forces her to join Ellie at the relative seclusion of the castle across the pond.
While the dashing young Miles has been appointed to teach Daisy the ropes of being regal, the prince’s roguish younger brother kicks up scandal wherever he goes, and tries his best to take Daisy along for the ride. The crown—and the intriguing Miles—might be trying to make Daisy into a lady... but Daisy may just rewrite the royal rulebook to suit herself.
•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•
{ my review }
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
I ADORE THIS BOOK. It was sooooo much fun and it was the perfect length and whew, did I love that romance!
I, however, did have one issue, which I will be getting to momentarily.
So why was this novel just so much fun? Well, I like to think it’s a classic Hawkins novel: funny main character with lots of sarcasm, a sweet romance (INCLUDING FAKE DATING AND HATE TO LOVE, goodbye!), and one additional thing: royal drama. It’s incredible. I want to read it again because why the hell not? It’s already one of my favourite novels.
I adored Daisy. Her sense of humour was great and the way she narrated made the book at least 87x better. I’m pretty sure she says the sentence “In the year of our lord 2018” as some point and honestly. I adore her. She’s fabulous and funny and I miss her a lot.
I was really worried about this book because it sounded awfully like Prince in Disguise—where the main character’s older sister was also marrying a Scottish prince. I mean, that book had a reality TV show thing going on and Royals and a ton of tabloid stuff, but still, both books were narrated by the younger sister and I feared a lot of things would be… the same, more or less.
But I’m glad to report that (if you’ve read Prince), besides what I’ve pointed out, the stories are incredibly different, and as are the characters. This just had more of a lightness and more of a fun atmosphere throughout… and I liked the romance a lot better.
Speaking of it! Gaaaaaaah. I was worried at first but Hawkins is like a pro at this. Hate to love? Check. Throw in fake dating? DONE. Daisy and Miles were so cute and literally every little interaction had me dying. I adore these two so much and hoo boy, the tension. It’s beautiful. Little bit angsty.
OKAY, NOW FOR THE THING THAT BOTHERED ME. At one point, there’s a scene where—and it’s a bit complicated here, bear with me—the younger brother of Daisy’s older sister’s husband-to-be (did that make sense? I hope so) (yes I realise I could use names but whatever) just kissed Daisy out of nowhere. Like. She clearly didn’t want him to and he misinterpreted and was drunk but nevertheless, that happens and I was not there for it at all. I really wish that wasn’t there because I honestly did not see a point to it.
Overalllll, despite that last thing I mentioned, Royals is a super fun, super light, and super short novel. And I really enjoyed it! 4 stars.
I, however, did have one issue, which I will be getting to momentarily.
So why was this novel just so much fun? Well, I like to think it’s a classic Hawkins novel: funny main character with lots of sarcasm, a sweet romance (INCLUDING FAKE DATING AND HATE TO LOVE, goodbye!), and one additional thing: royal drama. It’s incredible. I want to read it again because why the hell not? It’s already one of my favourite novels.
I adored Daisy. Her sense of humour was great and the way she narrated made the book at least 87x better. I’m pretty sure she says the sentence “In the year of our lord 2018” as some point and honestly. I adore her. She’s fabulous and funny and I miss her a lot.
I was really worried about this book because it sounded awfully like Prince in Disguise—where the main character’s older sister was also marrying a Scottish prince. I mean, that book had a reality TV show thing going on and Royals and a ton of tabloid stuff, but still, both books were narrated by the younger sister and I feared a lot of things would be… the same, more or less.
But I’m glad to report that (if you’ve read Prince), besides what I’ve pointed out, the stories are incredibly different, and as are the characters. This just had more of a lightness and more of a fun atmosphere throughout… and I liked the romance a lot better.
Speaking of it! Gaaaaaaah. I was worried at first but Hawkins is like a pro at this. Hate to love? Check. Throw in fake dating? DONE. Daisy and Miles were so cute and literally every little interaction had me dying. I adore these two so much and hoo boy, the tension. It’s beautiful. Little bit angsty.
OKAY, NOW FOR THE THING THAT BOTHERED ME. At one point, there’s a scene where—and it’s a bit complicated here, bear with me—the younger brother of Daisy’s older sister’s husband-to-be (did that make sense? I hope so) (yes I realise I could use names but whatever) just kissed Daisy out of nowhere. Like. She clearly didn’t want him to and he misinterpreted and was drunk but nevertheless, that happens and I was not there for it at all. I really wish that wasn’t there because I honestly did not see a point to it.
Overalllll, despite that last thing I mentioned, Royals is a super fun, super light, and super short novel. And I really enjoyed it! 4 stars.
