2019 5 Star Read #1 - Kill the Queen by Jennifer Estep

Kill the Queen by Jennifer Estep
Crown of Shards, book one
Published Oct 2018 by Harper Voyager

Format Read: Book from Personal Library

Description from Goodreads:
In a realm where one’s magical power determines one’s worth, Lady Everleigh’s lack of obvious ability relegates her to the shadows of the royal court of Bellona, a kingdom steeped in gladiator tradition. Seventeenth in line for the throne, Evie is nothing more than a ceremonial fixture, overlooked and mostly forgotten.

But dark forces are at work inside the palace. When her cousin Vasilia, the crown princess, assassinates her mother the queen and takes the throne by force, Evie is also attacked, along with the rest of the royal family. Luckily for Evie, her secret immunity to magic helps her escape the massacre.

Forced into hiding to survive, she falls in with a gladiator troupe. Though they use their talents to entertain and amuse the masses, the gladiators are actually highly trained warriors skilled in the art of war, especially Lucas Sullivan, a powerful magier with secrets of his own. Uncertain of her future—or if she even has one—Evie begins training with the troupe until she can decide her next move.

But as the bloodthirsty Vasilia exerts her power, pushing Bellona to the brink of war, Evie’s fate becomes clear: she must become a fearsome gladiator herself . . . and kill the queen.

My Review: 

Holy cow, did I love this book. 

I am a fan of high fantasy, but I also love quick reads, and sadly, the two are not always one in the same.  However, this book delivered all the things I love about high fantasy - a world with a fully-fledged magic system, a loosely medieval society, and epic battles - in a super easy to read writing style.  I devoured this book...and immediately pre-ordered the sequel! 

The main character of this book is a girl with a strong core, but has been brow-beaten enough that she believes she is worthless. The girl finding her inner strength and going on to kick ass trope is one I'm all in for... every single time.  I love that in this book, too, there is romance, but it is completely secondary to her doing what she needs to do AND the friendships she builds with others along the way.  This is no princess that drops everything for a man. No, indeed. 

The magic, the sword-fighting, the royal intrigue, the secrets, the romance, and the main character all sold this book for me.  I am waiting WITH BATED BREATH until July (wahhhh!!) for the sequel, Protect the Prince, to be released. 

Taste of Darkness

Taste of Darkness

By Maria V. Snyder
Healer trilogy, book three

She's fought death and won. But how can she fight her fears?

Avry knows hardship and trouble. She fought the plague and survived. She took on King Tohon and defeated him. But now her heart-mate, Kerrick, is missing, and Avry fears he's gone forever.

But there's a more immediate threat: The Skeleton King plots to claim the Fifteen Realms for his own. With armies in disarray and the dead not staying down, Avry's healing powers are needed now more than ever.

Torn between love and loyalty, Avry must choose her path carefully. For the future of her world depends on her decision. (Description from Goodreads.com) 

I love Maria Snyder's books. She writes such an interesting world - fantastic in the types of magic within it but so believably realistic, too.  I always feel as if I could drop right into the world and actually feel the grass beneath my feet...probably before I'd be running for my life for one reason or another, LOL. The scenery seems to just come to life off the page.  

Her characters are also so multifaceted and entertaining. Not only do the main characters, like Avry and Kerrick, seem to dance so smoothly through my imagination, but she manages to create these fabulous secondary characters that I cannot help but love. I gobble up every scene that Belen, Odd, and Flea make appearances in! It was the same in her Study series! 

No matter what she writes, I will read Snyder's books.  I will say that right now I'm DYING to read the next book in the Study series - Shadow Study. It was sort of a surprise that she went back to those characters, but one that I, at least, am SOOOOO grateful for...Valek! *swoons*

Full disclosure: eARC received from Netgalley, ebook purchased for my Nook 

BEA Middle Grade Reviews: The Fog of Forgetting

The four great early reader and middle grade books I got at BEA 2014.

So, I decided to try and review my BEA books in some kind of order that actually made a little sense... both to me and hopefully to all of you! Since I've covered my picture books, now, I'm trying to cover the early reader and middle grade books that I received at BEA.  Then, soon, we'll move on to more of the YA and adult titles. Enjoy!

The Fog of Forgetting
by G. A. Morgan

Sneaking out for a quick boat ride on a summer day, five children find themselves engulfed in a curtain of dense, powerful fog that transports them from the rocky Maine coast to the mysterious island of Ayda. Rescued by Seaborne, a machete-toting wayfarer of few words, the children suddenly find themselves at the center of a centuries-old battle between Dankar, the ruler of Exor, and three siblings that rule the other realms of Ayda. At stake are the four stones of power and the elusive Fifth Stone that binds them all.

When 9-year-old Frankie is kidnapped by Dankar, her older sister Evelyn and the three Thompson brothers must learn to harness the powers of the daylights, ancient forces of earth, fire, water, and air, to navigate their way through the realms of Ayda, rescue her, and find a way home. (Description from Goodreads.com)

This is the great start to an interesting new middle grade epic fantasy series. The main characters are siblings from two families, a little reminiscent of the Chronicles of Narnia.  What I really liked about this book, similarly to Lewis' or even Pullman's  His Dark Materials trilogy was how the children were definitely children and sounded authentically youthful and yet were also able to understand and define more adult concepts.  Something that we often, in real life, do not give children credit for being able to do for themselves.  We forget how strongly grief can affect anyone no matter the age, and how insightful and intuitive children can be as they observe the world around them. 

Thrust into a world full of dangers and new rules that they had not previously known, the children band even more strongly together.Even in the face of the worst sorts of danger, they are willing to stand up for each other, willing to throw themselves in front of man or beast to save one another.  These are some brave and compassionate kids.  Reading as they discover new wonders about the world they're now in and each other was a pleasure fitted neatly into a story that kept me on my toes.  

I look forward to seeing where book two takes us! 

Full disclosure: Received from publisher at BEA 2014

Fog of Forgetting Metria Necklace GIVEAWAY!

Hello All!

I'm very excited to feature G. A. Morgan's The Fog of Forgetting on the blog today! This is a great looking middle grade fantasy adventure that I'm looking forward to reading and reviewing for you all in a few weeks.

The Fog of Forgetting 
by G. A. Morgan

Publication date: July 17, 2014

In The Fog of Forgetting, the beginning of a new adventure-fantasy trilogy, five children wash up on the shores of an foreign land, unwitting agents of destiny in a realm struggling to withstand a force that could change their world -- and ours -- forever.

Sneaking out for a quick boat ride on a summer day, five children find themselves engulfed in a curtain of dense, powerful fog that transports them from the rocky Maine coast to the mysterious island of Ayda. Rescued by Seaborne, a machete-toting wayfarer of few words, the children suddenly find themselves at the center of a centuries-old battle between Dankar, the ruler of Exor, and three siblings that rule the other realms of Ayda. At stake are the four stones of power and the elusive Fifth Stone that binds them all.

When 9-year-old Frankie is kidnapped by Dankar, her older sister Evelyn and the three Thompson brothers must learn to harness the powers of the daylights, ancient forces of earth, fire, water, and air, to navigate their way through the realms of Ayda, rescue her, and find a way home. (Description from Goodreads.com)

Doesn't it sound great?  I haven't read a full-on high fantasy for this age group in a while, so I'm really looking forward to it.  Today, though, I 'm even more excited to be able to host a giveaway for you!  To celebrate the book's release this week, the author and publisher very graciously offered to let me give one of you a beautiful necklace that goes with the story in The Fog of Forgetting.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This is the stone of healing and memory in the book.  I love its crystal; it feels ethereal to me.  A very cool necklace. Good luck! 

Gold Star Review: The Kiss of Deception

The Kiss of Deception 
by Mary E. Pearson
The Remnant Chronicles, book one

In this timeless new trilogy about love and sacrifice, a princess must find her place in a reborn world.

In a society steeped in tradition, Princess Lia’s life follows a preordained course. As First Daughter, she is expected to have the revered gift of sight—but she doesn’t—and she knows her parents are perpetrating a sham when they arrange her marriage to secure an alliance with a neighboring kingdom—to a prince she has never met.

On the morning of her wedding, Lia flees to a distant village. She settles into a new life, hopeful when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deception abounds, and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—even as she finds herself falling in love. (Description from Goodreads.com)

I absolutely love Mary E. Pearson's writing.  I loved the Jenna Fox Chronicles, so I was absolutely giddy when I got the approval through Netgalley to read THE KISS OF DECEPTION. It was so different from her (purely) science fiction trilogy, and yet, with it's hints of dystopia and the bits of magic woven in, I loved this book just as much.  It still captured me totally, reminding me again how I need to set aside a whole day when I pick up one of Mary E. Pearson's books.  I could NOT put it down!!

Pearson is a proven master at being able to draw readers into a world, trickling information to them one little drib drab at a time.  As we go on Lia's journey, we learn not only more about her (her relationships with family, society's expectations for her, her own expectations for herself) but we learn much about the world that she is living in...and yet, we don't truly learn the full extent of either.  I have my suspicions about some of the world building in the Remnant Chronicles, but I know I'm going to have to wait probably until the end of the trilogy to find out if I'm right or not... And it takes Lia learning more about her own past and future for readers to get an idea of where her destiny might lead her in the end.  

With a fiesty, smart, caring heroine, a super-hot love interest and another intriguing man thrown into the mix for some extra fun, and a prophecy that will LITERALLY change the world someday, I am hooked.  Absolutely hooked. I will be eagerly awaiting the arrival of book two, The Heart of Betrayal.  

Full disclosure: eARC received from Netgalley

Cover Reveal - The Fire's Princess!

I'm so happy to be part of Ley Hayley's cover reveal today.  Ley Hayley is the author of The Elemental Royals trilogy and having enjoyed book one, THE FOREST'S HEIR, so much, I'm very excited to get my hands on book two, THE FIRE'S PRINCESS.

Here's the basics:
THE FIRE'S PRINCESS
Release date: June 4, 2014

Book Description:
Rose has lost everything she's ever known.

Her father has been murdered. She has fled her home in the Forested Land to take refuge with King Andrew Rivers in a foreign kingdom.

Her home is under the control of a tyrant king, one who will stop at nothing to see Rose and all of her family dead. She has to fight to stay hidden, stay alive, and find a way back home.

Now Rose must find a way to organize a rebellion to get back to her homeland, as well as win the hearts of a kingdom that doesn't know her. With lords scheming with hidden agendas and her own secrets threatening to be exposed, Rose must face enemies she never expected and find a destiny she never planned for.

In the stunning sequel to The Forest's Heir, Ley Hayley takes readers on a journey through court intrigue and matters of the heart. The Fire's Princess truly is a fiery ride!

Drumroll please...

...and here's the cover! 

Such gorgeous colors! It's intensely romantic looking...I can't wait to find out if the cover matches the story... *wink, wink*

For more info on Ley Hayley and THE FIRE'S PRINCESS:

Website: http://leyhayley.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeyHayley

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeyHayley

Author's Blog: http://leyslibrary.blogspot.com/

Spirit and Dust

Spirit and Dust
by Rosemary Clement-Moore
Goodnight Family, book two

Daisy Goodnight can speak to the dead. It’s not the result of a head injury or some near-death experience. She was just born that way. And she’s really good at it. Good enough to help the police solve the occasional homicide.

But helping the local authorities clear cold cases is one thing. Being whisked out of chemistry class by the FBI and flown to the scene of a murder/kidnapping in Minnesota? That’s the real deal.

Before the promotion can go to Daisy’s head, she’s up to her neck in trouble. The spirits are talking, and they’re terrified. There’s a real living girl in danger. And when Daisy is kidnapped by a crime boss with no scruples about using magic—and Daisy—to get what he wants, it looks like hers is the next soul on the line. (description from Amazon.com)

I love Rosemary Clement-Moore's writing.  She's both realistically sarcastic and fun. In fact, if any of you are Veronica Mars fans, the main characters in all of R C-M's books feel very similar. Daisy is a girl who uses sarcasm as a deflector when she's terrified and as someone who talks to ghosts, that happens more than she ever would have hoped. 

Her FBI work doesn't usually put her into danger, but when her latest case gets her pulled into the clutches of a mob boss unused to people saying no, Daisy finds herself kidnapped and tricked into working with an arrogant, but very compelling partner... Reading along as Daisy and Carson interact was so much FUN.  They threw quips at each other in a style almost reminiscent of Lizzie Bennett and William Darcy.  Seeing them grow closer as secrets were revealed and they learned the truth of each other, I couldn't help but cheer their relationship on.  

Fun, exciting, and suspenseful, I very much enjoyed another adventure in the Goodnight family's chronicles...I hope to visit another cousin soon!

Full disclosure: Borrowed from my Library

The Voyage of Lucy P. Simmons

The Voyage of Lucy P. Simmons
by Barbara Mariconda

Ever since her parents died, Lucy's house has magically awakened. An enchanted flute plays when danger is near. A sparkling mist unlocks drawers of family secrets. A mysterious woman named Marni arrives.

The magic helps Lucy keep her house out of the hands of her greedy Uncle Victor. As Lucy and Marni fight to stop Victor, Lucy makes unexpected friends and discovers the power of courage. But will it be enough to prevail in the face of her evil uncle? (description from Amazon.com)

I liked this one a lot. It has a great atmosphere to it. You could feel the magic in the air as the house responds to Lucy's wishes. I felt really bad for Lucy as she lost her parents and had to deal with her greedy uncle. I was extremely happy when she found Marni and her new friends. Watching Lucy transform into a stronger, more confident girl was great and I can't wait to see where her adventures take her in following books.

Full disclosure: Borrowed from my library 

Waiting on Wednesday: Rebel Belle

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme created and hosted by Breaking the Spine and highlights books that bloggers are all itching to get in their greedy little hands. LOL. 

My choice for this week is:

Rebel Belle 
by Rachel Hawkins

Publication date: April 8, 2014 

Description (from Goodreads):
Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.

Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him--and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.

With snappy banter, cotillion dresses, non-stop action and a touch of magic, this new young adult series from bestseller Rachel Hawkins is going to make y'all beg for more.

Siege and Storm

Siege and Storm
by Leigh Bardugo
The Grisha Trilogy, book two

Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. But she can't outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling's game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm. (description from Amazon.com)

A stellar second installment in this dark fantasy trilogy. (Check out my gold star review for book one, Shadow and Bone) Again, Bardugo's world feels alive and real in a way some authors struggle to achieve. The eastern European feeling is evident throughout and I still felt like I could just step into Alina's world and feel the Darkling's power threatening everyone.

The shivers that I felt reading the first book were ramped up a notch and I found myself unable to stop reading as I dove deeper and deeper into Alina's desperate situation. I loved that she was torn, unable to stop thirsting for power, but conscious that she must keep herself in check to save her people.

I cannot wait to see how this darkly fascinating story ends.

Full disclosure: Borrowed from my Library

Happy Release Day to Charmed Vengeance!

CHARMED VENGEANCE is out today!
HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY!!! 
Faeries, air pirates, secrets, and more... a steampunky adventure that I devoured. You can check out my review here.





















This is book two, so be forewarned, the description is a little spoiler-y and you will want to start reading the series with INNOCENT DARKNESS!!

When her true love, Steven, is forced to break their magical bond, Noli Braddock decides to join her brother on the crew of the Vixen’s Revenge.

With its gleaming brass, dark wood, and spotless clockwork gears, the Vixen’s Revenge is a beautiful airship. But Noli discovers a dangerous secret beneath its polished exterior—the crew has been hired to steal dozens of priceless Otherworld artifacts. Desperate to keep her past Otherworld experiences hidden from the airship crew, Noli fears that if she doesn’t risk telling her own secrets, the stolen artifacts will be used to destroy both of the worlds she loves.

Charmed Vengeance

Charmed Vengeance 
by Suzanne Lazear
The Aether Chronicles, book two

*Contains spoilers from book one* 

When her true love, Steven, is forced to break their magical bond, Noli Braddock decides to join her brother on the crew of the Vixen’s Revenge.

With its gleaming brass, dark wood, and spotless clockwork gears, the Vixen’s Revenge is a beautiful airship. But Noli discovers a dangerous secret beneath its polished exterior—the crew has been hired to steal dozens of priceless Otherworld artifacts. Desperate to keep her past Otherworld experiences hidden from the airship crew, Noli fears that if she doesn’t risk telling her own secrets, the stolen artifacts will be used to destroy both of the worlds she loves. (Description from Amazon.com)

I loved diving back into this charming blend of steampunk and faerie lore.  Lazear does a brilliant job blending traditional faerie legends and affectations into an alternate history of the US.  This particular book spans the country, too, which made for a lot of interesting scene changes.  With the faerie realm underlayed, though, the country almost felt small, and the amazing airships made traveling a breeze.  

In some ways this book truly was a bridge between the first and what will be coming in the third.  There's a lot of set up for the next portion of Noli's story and characters were introduced or brought back in ways that lead directly to how they'll play a part in the next tale, yet it still felt as though it had its own legs to stand on. *NOT* to say that I wasn't immediately left wanting the next book, but I'm also happy with where things were left...for now.  

A lot of that contentment with this book derives from seeing how Noli progresses as a character.  Having to deal with her new...situation...bridging the gap between the mortal and faerie realms.  Seeing how the people in her world help those two realms collide...there were a lot of feelings in this book... 

I cannot wait to read book three!!  

Full disclosure: eARC received from Netgalley

Mortal Fire

Mortal Fire
by Elizabeth Knox

Sixteen-year-old Canny Mochrie's parents go away on a vacation, so they send her off on a trip of her own with her step-brother Sholto and his opinionated girlfriend Susan, who are interviewing the survivors of a strange coal mine disaster and researching local folklore in 1959 Southland, New Zealand. Canny is left to herself to wander in a mysterious and enchanting nearby valley, occupied almost entirely by children who all have the last name Zarene and can perform a special type of magic that tells things how to be stronger and better than they already are. With the help of a seventeen-year-old boy who is held hostage in a hidden away house by a spell that is now more powerful than the people who first placed it, Canny figures out why she, too, can use this special magic that only Zarenes should know, and where she really came from. (Description from Amazon.com)

I read Knox's Dreamhunter duet a few years ago and fell absolutely in love with her worldbuilding and storytelling.  Knox once again brilliantly blends historical fiction and magical realism, creating a world where a reader feels they could step right in and feel the magic in the air. 

Canny is a fascinating main character surrounded by mysterious secondary characters whose secrets are slowly revealed as Knox layers each person’s story into others to create a complex world. If you also read Knox’s previous novels you'll catch small references to the Hame Dreamhunters, but this book brings readers into a fresh new aspect of that world with its own circuitous storyline.

Full disclosure: Review copy received from VOYA

Crown of Embers

First, I have to apologize for my "radio silence," so to speak! Unfortunately, my husband succumbed to the plague this week and of course, if he gets sick, I automatically end up being sick, too (funny how that's not always reciprocal...). So... I spent almost three days laying in bed, unmotivated to do anything but watch about 10 episodes of Warehouse 13 and several Law and Order: SVU reruns... On the plus side, I did catch back up on my Game of Thrones episodes finally, but I did NOT feel up to blogging and I have so many good books that I read on vacation that I can't wait to share with you!!! 

So... vacation read #1:

The Crown of Embers
by Rae Carson
Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy, book two

She does not know what awaits her at the enemy's gate.

Elisa is a hero. She led her people to victory over a terrifying, sorcerous army. Her place as the country's ruler should be secure. But it isn't.

Her enemies come at her like ghosts in a dream, from both foreign realms and within her own court. And her destiny as the chosen one has not yet been fulfilled.

To conquer the power she bears once and for all, Elisa must follow the trail of long-forgotten--and forbidden--clues from the deep, undiscovered catacombs of her own city to the treacherous seas. With her goes a one-eyed spy, a traitor, and the man who--despite everything--she is falling in love with.

If she's lucky, she will return from this journey. But there will be a cost. (description from Amazon.com)

FINALLY. I finally got the chance to read this one! I pre-ordered it on my Nook because I loved the first book, The Girl of Fire and Thorns, so much (see my GOLD STAR review here) that I just knew I *HAD* to read the rest of the trilogy...as soon as they came out , oh, I mean whenever I could finally take a vacation and sneak the second one in... I'm just proud the third book hadn't quite come out yet, LOL. 

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed the second book as much as the first. *Some mild spoilers ahead* 

Elisa is no longer just a second born princess, but has been named ruler of her own kingdom.  While her loyal followers embrace and celebrate her, her own council conspire to either replace her...or if that proves impossible, to at least be able to manipulate her.  Still the epically smart heroine, Elisa realizes this and works to twist their own manipulations around to suit her, as well.  Sassy! I love it.  

One of my all-time favorite themes, and one not used often enough IMHO, comes to the forefront in this book.  The best friend love!!! My heart sang.  Even as Elisa is being forced to consider suitors for a marriage for which she is not emotionally ready, she comes to realize that she already has grown into strong feelings for someone very close... Watching their relationship play out was mesmerizing, and the way that the book leaves things for the trilogy's end... I need book three ASAP!!! 

A great second chapter in Elisa's story. 

Full disclosure: Book purchased for my Nook

What's On My Hold List?

Welcome to the May 2013 edition

 

of

 

"What's on My Hold List?"

 

One of the most beautiful things about working in a Library is that I have the ability to put lots of things on hold and read them *before* I buy!! These are some of the books that I'm currently waiting for, though I may buy one or two of them after reading, as well.

Boundless
by Cynthia Hand
Unearthly, book three



Charmed Vengeance
by Suzanne Lazear
The Aether Chronicles, book two



The Nightmare Affair
by Mindee Arnett



The Elite
by Kiera Cass
The Selection, book two

You can click on each title to go to their Amazon page for a description...

 

So, these are the books I'm waiting anxiously to get my hands on...what are you waiting for??

Goblin Secrets

Goblin Secrets
by William Alexander

In the town of Zombay, there is a witch named Graba who has clockwork chicken legs and moves her house around—much like the fairy tale figure of Baba Yaga. Graba takes in stray children, and Rownie is the youngest boy in her household. Rownie’s only real relative is his older brother Rowan, who is an actor. But acting is outlawed in Zombay, and Rowan has disappeared.

Desperate to find him, Rownie joins up with a troupe of goblins who skirt the law to put on plays. But their plays are not only for entertainment, and the masks they use are for more than make-believe. The goblins also want to find Rowan—because Rowan might be the only person who can save the town from being flooded by a mighty river. (description from Amazon.com)

I picked up this book originally because not only did it win last year's National Book Award, but also because as a fantasy reader at heart, the premise just sounded too good to pass up! As I read, though, I found that I was having a hard time keeping interest in this book.  It has a lot of really fascinating fantasy elements - there's a tie-in to the Baba Yaga myth, goblins, masks with power - but I think it was just the storytelling itself that couldn't grab me.  I was a little disappointed that I had to push myself to finish this one.

Full disclosure: Borrowed from my library

Falling Kingdoms

Falling Kingdoms

by Morgan Rhodes

 

In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power—brutally transforming their subjects' lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined:

Cleo: A princess raised in luxury must embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of a magic long thought extinct.

Jonas: Enraged at injustice, a rebel lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country impoverished—and finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.

Lucia: A girl adopted at birth into a royal family discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Magnus: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, a firstborn son begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword. . . .

The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed? (description from Amazon.com)


Intricate storylines weave together into a tale of magic, betrayal, greed, and even murder.  Three kingdoms on the brink of war... four teens struggling to survive and prosper. Each teen has something to fight for, and unfortunately, that brings each of them up against one another as they work for the interests of their own kingdoms. 

Throughout, there is the hunt for magic.  Once acknowledged as existing in all the kingdoms, magic has now seemingly disappeared. Each kingdom believes that if they can harness the magic, they will be triumphant...and the ancient Watchers who keep tabs on all are desperate to retrieve the magic that they've lost. One teen is the key to it all.

Politics, murder, secrets, war, romance...this book has it all.  Rhodes masterfully built an intriguing world and left me breathless at the end. I cannot wait until this story picks up in book two! I NEED to see where everyone goes from the cliffhanger at the end...

Full disclosure: Audio book received to review for AudioFile Magazine

Beautiful Creatures

Beautiful Creatures

by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

The Caster Chronicles, book one

 

There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them. (description from Amazon.com)

 

Okay, I have to admit it. This was one of those books that sat on my book shelf for years, literally years waiting to be read. I got this in ARC form from BEA the very first time I went.  In a ginormous pile of books that there was no real way that I could read in a timely manner... before I learned to not take everything in sight... and it wasn't at the top of my "OMG, I need to read this right now list" so it kept getting put aside.

 

Since then, I have had plenty of teens tell me how great the series is and we get requests for them at the library all the time, but it wasn't until I started seeing info for the movie that I thought to myself, "Gee, I should really finally read that." I even have copies of the ARCs for books two and three that I picked up at subsequent BEAs!

 

So, in an effort to fulfill two of my reading resolutions this year - to clear books off of my endless TBR shelves and to read JUST FOR FUN - I picked this one up right at the beginning of the year.  I also desperately want to see the movie and felt like I would be guilty seeing it without reading the book first... LOL.

 

I actually enjoyed this one.  It's not my favorite series opener, but that's partly due to the fact that I'm not a real witch book reader.  I love magic in stories, things like Harry Potter, but for some reason when the people are openly called witches, it just hits a switch in my brain that says, eh. Weird. Anyway, I loved the atmosphere of this book. It's Southern Gothic and yet it also manages to be modern.  The flashbacks to the earlier generations and the way that Southerners hold so strongly to their heritage definitely give this effect.

 

I liked Lena and her awakening powers. I liked Ethan. I liked the supporting characters. I thought they were all quirky and kept my interest going throughout the whole story. I was amazed how quickly I got through this 600 page book. As I delved further into the story and had my suspicions about who was really good or bad or well... the pages just kept turning.  Other than having to lug the gigantic book around, I almost forgot how long it was.

 

As I said, although this is not my favorite new series, I am very excited to see the movie now.  There is something about this storyline that just translates to the screen, I think. I can totally see the larger than life magic and the epic good versus evil struggle making for an epic movie! I'll let you all know what I think once I've actually seen it. 

 

Full disclosure: ARC received at BEA in 2009

This Week's Library Loot (6)

 


Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!

My Library Loot:

Rise

by Andrea Cremer

Nightshade prequels, book two

 

Drama

by Raina Telgemeier

 

 

Falling Kingdoms

by Morgan Rhodes

 

So, that's what I picked up at my Library this week... did you swing by yours? 





Gold Star Review: Shadow and Bone

Shadow and Bone

by Leigh Bardugo

 

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart. (description from Amazon.com)

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Startlingly intriguing, this fantasy takes place in a world that feels both familiar and completely alien. There are details that make this world feel like an out of time Russia, with very eastern styles of dress and customs, but Bardugo has also taken that baseline for the world and added so much that is unique that it couldn't possibly be truly set there.

The horrible demonic creatures that plague the people of Ravka are scary and very alien-like. I kept picturing the weird creatures from the movie Pitch Dark (*shudders*).

Ugh. So creepy and deadly...

 

I loved the military-esque society that Alina is part of in Ravka. Led by those who can do magic, but mostly "regular" people. I'm very intrigued to see what happens to Alina now that her place in society has changed so drastically. Will she be able to survive being on the run from those she once revered?

 

This book left me hanging. I felt like I'd just come back from a world that I'd never imagined, but was totally real. I wanted to dive right back in for more. For that, a GOLD STAR!

Full disclosure: Purchased for my nook