Book Review ~ Sugar Spells

Sugar Spells (The Spellwork Syndicate #2)

by Lola Dodge
published by Ink Monster
expected release date: October 30, 2018
genre: YA, Supernatural, Paranormal

**Received e-book from NetGalley and publisher in exchange for an honest review and has no monetary value.

Summary (Goodreads): After her run-in with a jealous warlock, apprentice baker Anise Wise can’t wait to get back the kitchen where she belongs. But thanks to her brush with death, the land of the living isn’t all cupcakes and marshmallows.
Anise’s magical mojo is way out of whack and her evolving powers are stirring up trouble. As the town buzzes with news that Anise can bake deathly spells, unsavory characters start lining up for a taste. They’ll stop at nothing for the chance to use Anise and her witchcraft to further their own plots.
She plans to hole up researching magic recipes until the attention dies down, but then she discovers the horrifying terms of her bodyguard’s contract. Wynn has saved her life so many times, she can’t leave him trapped. But doing the right thing will mean risking death or worse—being cast out of her dream job.
For this witch, justice might not be as sweet as advertised.

My Thoughts: I love the covers for this series. They look magical and match the story inside.
Book 2 finds Anise unable to do any magical baking without ruining everything. It turns out she has some residual death magic in her system. Anise chooses to bake the death magic out by making macaroons, a lot of macaroons. She's able to put these to good use, selling to a mannikan, and getting the funds needed to get Wynn out of his contract.
I really enjoyed most of the story. In order not to ruin the bakery again Anise ends up in different places while trying to get back to just her normal fire magic. My favorite had to be Gabi's family home and the cryptozoo where her family does their vet work. I would love to have a story that focuses just on the animals. They also end up in a strange cave system that brings more bad things but also some new friends. Carrot could end up being a very fun character, especially compared to others in the same role.
Overall, I liked the story and where it ended up. I'm still not sure about the alternate dimensions so soon into the series but it worked out. Even though Wynn is not my favorite character I'm glad something good happened for him and that we got to know him a bit more. Can't say I want to see a romance between him and Anise but he's growing on me.
Looking forward to more baking, magic and vampires in Wicked Tasty.

Rating: 4

Book Review ~ Being Alpha

Being Alpha (Alpha Girl #7)

by Aileen Erin
published by Ink Monster
released: July 17, 2018
genre: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal,

**Received from Ink Monster via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Summary (Goodreads): For the first time since Tessa met Dastien, life is quiet. The evil witch, Luciana, is six glorious feet under, St. Ailbe's is closed due to human trespassers, and people are finally getting used to the fact that supernaturals exist in the world. It seems like the perfect time for a honeymoon.
After traveling to Dastien's house in Provence, clubbing in Paris, and attending Meredith and Donovan's Full Moon Ceremony in Ireland, Tessa and Dastien head to the Caribbean. Their trip is turning out to be the honeymoon that fantasies are made of-sunset cruises, long walks on the beach, and every romantic cliché you can imagine. Tessa couldn't be happier. Except that Tessa's visions are on the fritz. She hopes that means that nothing is brewing. That everything is quiet because all is well. But Tessa's never been one to assume anything.
When she's magically attacked and nearly dies, Tessa knows she can't ignore the signs anymore. Something huge is going on. As much as she doesn't want to call an end to their six-week honeymoon, it's time to head back to Texas.
Whoever messed with Tessa is in for a rude awakening. Because if there's one thing fighting rogue witches and werewolves has taught her, it's how to be Alpha.

My Thoughts: I have mixed feelings on this one. I really loved the first six books of this series. I'm not sure if the author meant this as a transition book or what but it seemed to be a step back while not having a whole lot of substance.
A lot of this book felt like making already established characters seem lesser so Tessa seemed like more. I'll start with the demons. Someone besides Tessa, since she was one of the last to know, should have been able to figure out where/how the demons were getting through. At the very least Claudia. She has proven to be The witch so far in this series and yet she didn't notice a live circle when she was at the compound trying to cleanse it? I know Tessa was supposed to become this uber witch and coven leader but that didn't happen and she really is nowhere on the witch front at this point. Also, when did the demons get so stupid. In previous books they were smart enough to disguise themselves as children to make the wolves look bad to the humans but in this book they only travel between the compound and the abandoned school? They didn't try to attack the town, mall, school and cause as much chaos as possible? This is what happens when you bring back villians you've already beat.
Next is all the new characters. There were a bunch. I understand they were necessary to create this new thirteen power circle that connects all the supernaturals. I guess, personally, I just needed to know more about them in order for it to make sense. Beings that are as powerful as these don't normally give up anything, especially to a wolf that has only been one for a few months.
Which brings us to Tessa. I really like Tessa. The first five books were about her coming to terms with her new life as a wolf while also dealing with a crazy super witch possessed by a demon. She is still learning things both about herself, her mate, and the supernatural world in general. I have a hard time believing that everyone outside of her small group would just accept her as the leader. There is a difference between having a lot of power (which Tessa does) and being an Alpha (she's not at this time). She can push a lot of power out to get everyone's attention in a chaotic room but a real alpha would get everyone's attention just by walking into a room. Not saying she won't become an alpha but she is still growing into herself.
Overall, as I said, this just was a rehash of fighting a demon they had already beat and adding new characters without any real substance. I would love to get to know more about the added characters just maybe without Tessa being such a main part of the story. Let her grow, learn and become comfortable with herself and her new life.
I'll still give the next book a chance since I've been wanting a book about the Fae. I'm concerned with where the author went with Cossette and now Chris and this forbidden love. It seems to be more of a convenience (fan service) than anything that was already established with these characters.

Rating: 3 - 3.5

Book Review ~ The Bone Witch

The Bone Witch (The Bone Witch #1)

by Rin Chupeco
published by Sourcebooks Fire
release date: March 7, 2017
genre:  YA, Fantasy, Paranormal, 

**Received arc from publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Summary (Goodreads): Tea is different from the other witches in her family. Her gift for necromancy makes her a bone witch, who are feared and ostracized in the kingdom. For theirs is a powerful, elemental magic that can reach beyond the boundaries of the living—and of the human.

Great power comes at a price, forcing Tea to leave her homeland to train under the guidance of an older, wiser bone witch. There, Tea puts all of her energy into becoming an asha, learning to control her elemental magic and those beasts who will submit by no other force. And Tea must be strong—stronger than she even believes possible. Because war is brewing in the eight kingdoms, war that will threaten the sovereignty of her homeland…and threaten the very survival of those she loves.

My Thoughts: I've had a hard time reviewing this. I was initially drawn in by the gorgeous cover. Then I was intrigued by the world the author created. It kind of reminds me of geisha's magic. I even liked the characters. Tea and her mentor Mykaela along with Tea's newly risen from the dead brother take us on quite a journey.
Unfortunately, It couldn't keep my attention for any length of time.  I don't know if it was the jumping back and forth between Tea's story of how she trained as a bone witch and her current life that caused it but they never mixed for me. Also, while some books are under-descriptive, this one may have been too descriptive.
That said, I still liked the overall story and want to know more. I want to know why Tea ended up on that road marching with her beasts and a surprising friend(?) ready for war. That could also be part of the problem, I seemed to miss why she is going to war and what happened to her friends that she had throughout the whole book until this point. I will probably be reading book 2 when it comes out just to try and get some answers.

Rating: 4

Arc Review ~ Gilded Cage

Gilded Cage (Dark Gifts #1)

by Vic James
published by Del Ray Books
release date: February 14, 2017
genre: YA, Fantasy, Dystopia

**e-galley received from netGalley and publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Summary (Goodreads): Not all are free. Not all are equal. Not all will be saved.
Our world belongs to the Equals — aristocrats with magical gifts — and all commoners must serve them for ten years. But behind the gates of England's grandest estate lies a power that could break the world.
A girl thirsts for love and knowledge.
Abi is a servant to England's most powerful family, but her spirit is free. So when she falls for one of the noble-born sons, Abi faces a terrible choice. Uncovering the family's secrets might win her liberty, but will her heart pay the price?
A boy dreams of revolution.
Abi's brother, Luke, is enslaved in a brutal factory town. Far from his family and cruelly oppressed, he makes friends whose ideals could cost him everything. Now Luke has discovered there may be a power even greater than magic: revolution.
And an aristocrat will remake the world with his dark gifts.
He is a shadow in the glittering world of the Equals, with mysterious powers no one else understands. But will he liberate—or destroy?

My Thoughts: I didn't think I would like this book after the first few chapters due to all the different POVs. Ended up really enjoying the world the author created along and their stories. Unfortunately, the happy feelings and looking forward to book 2 ended with the last two pages. I'll start with the things I did like.
Luke, he started as a typical teenage boy doing typical teenage boy things. This ended quickly when he is separated from his family and sent to a factory slave town. Luke had the most evolution as a character and you could really believe he had become the person he was at the end of the book. All the decisions he made fit into his character, even when the outcome was not what he expected.
The Jardine brothers. Even as evil as they can seem, well at least one seems evil, one crazy, and one not like the others, I still liked them. I wanted to know more, especially about Silyen, crazy and powerful, definitely an interesting combination. Gavar seems to be more than what you see on the surface. His care for his child and even for Daisy in his own way. Granted it's only because she takes care of the baby but still it shows there is more there.
Bouda, she's another that I should hate (and mostly do) but I want to see what she does going forward. She clearly is willing to do anything that gives her more power including marrying Gavar and possibly being in league with his dad. I'm most interested in her mystery contact that seems to have info that is counter to everything that we learn in this book.
Abi, the character that ruined the whole book for me. It's necessarily her but where the author took her in the last two pages. Throughout the whole book Abi is kinda forgettable even as a main character. She's smart, book smart but too much of a fairytale daydreamer. She would think about the fact that she needed to find a way to get Luke out of the slave town and then 2 seconds later she would be dreaming about Jenner and how great it would be if they could only be together. This is pretty much how all her chapters go with some variation here or there but she never actually does anything. Then all of the sudden the story is over, the servant and master are in love and sharing a kiss, then Abi does something that is so far out of character that it made no sense to me. It literally ruined everything for me, I was so looking forward to reading book two and finding out what happens next. But if these last pages are an indication of where the author is going then I don't know if I'll be reading. Continuation is a big part of any series and it fell apart for this character in one book. With Luke it was easy to believe that he became the man he was at the end because of what happened to him throughout the book both in the slave town and when he ended up at the Jardine's. Abi on the other hand had no growth but suddenly we are supposed to believe she went from a smart daydreamer to a UF kick-ass heroine. It just doesn't fit. Most won't have a problem with this but for me it just didn't make sense.
I don't usually read preview chapters but if there are any released for book two (Tarnished City) I may give them a try to see where the author goes with the book and Abi's character. Something will have to happen to Abi and her sudden plans to make me want to read the whole book.

Rating: 4 based on the book as a whole and not the part that bothered me at the end.

Book Review ~ Hidden Huntress

Hidden Huntress (Malediction Trilogy #2)

by Danielle L Jensen
publisher Angry Robot
genre: YA, Fantasy, 

**Received egalley from netgalley and publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Summary (Goodreads): Sometimes, one must accomplish the impossible.
Beneath the mountain, the king’s reign of tyranny is absolute; the one troll with the capacity to challenge him is imprisoned for treason. Cécile has escaped the darkness of Trollus, but she learns all too quickly that she is not beyond the reach of the king’s power. Or his manipulation.
Recovered from her injuries, she now lives with her mother in Trianon and graces the opera stage every night. But by day she searches for the witch who has eluded the trolls for five hundred years. Whether she succeeds or fails, the costs to those she cares about will be high.
To find Anushka, she must delve into magic that is both dark and deadly. But the witch is a clever creature. And Cécile might not just be the hunter. She might also be the hunted…

My Thoughts: Stolen Songbird, the first book of the series, was a 5 star read for me unfortunately this one didn't quite reach that high. I'm not sure if this fell into middle book syndrome or because I thought I knew who the witch was at the end of book one and after the first couple chapters of this one I was sure.
Watching Cecile struggle with something that was so obvious did not make for an interesting read. Add in how horrible her mother, brother, and best friend were (whether it was to her or Tristan) and it was a struggle reading her POVs at times. Tristan was better, trying to repair things with his friends and figure out all the different power plays that had been put into motion while he was locked away.
I still like the magic and history of this world. Which was an even bigger factor in this book. Not just Anushka but Cecile and another witch she meets along her hunt. Cecile makes some choices that are questionable and could have an impact later on.
Overall, there were a lot of ups and downs in this one. I'm hoping that Cecile is not as conflicted and can move forward with what needs to be done. There's a battle brewing on three different fronts and I'm interested to see what sides Cecile and Tristan end up on in Warrior Witch.

Rating: 4

Book Review ~ Uprooted

Uprooted (Goodreads)

by Naomi Novik
published by Del rey
genre: Fantasy, YA,

Summary: “Our Dragon doesn’t eat the girls he takes, no matter what stories they tell outside our valley. We hear them sometimes, from travelers passing through. They talk as though we were doing human sacrifice, and he were a real dragon. Of course that’s not true: he may be a wizard and immortal, but he’s still a man, and our fathers would band together and kill him if he wanted to eat one of us every ten years. He protects us against the Wood, and we’re grateful, but not that grateful.”
Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted Wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life.
Her people rely on the cold, driven wizard known only as the Dragon to keep its powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as falling to the Wood.
The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows—everyone knows—that the Dragon will take Kasia: beautiful, graceful, brave Kasia, all the things Agnieszka isn’t, and her dearest friend in the world. And there is no way to save her.
But Agnieszka fears the wrong things. For when the Dragon comes, it is not Kasia he will choose.

My Thoughts: I kept passing over this one every time I saw it at the library. I finally decided at the end of the year to just grab it and give it a try. I'm glad I did. This is the first I've read from Naomi Novik and I enjoyed her writing.
I found the world and story unique and engaging. Once Agnieszka was "chosen" and taken to the tower I was hooked. While I didn't like all her crying at first, it seemed at odds with her character, when she finally got it together she became a strong character. The Dragon, while a nice contrast to Agnieszka, was kind of a flat character at times.
What made this story was the magic and the story of the Wood. The author did a great job showcasing the sharp contrasts between the Dragon's and Agnieszka's magic. This made the times that they joined their magic that much better.
Overall, I'm glad I took the time to read it. I cannot say that it's something I would read again which is why it's not a 5 rating but would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy of any sort.

Rating: 4.5

Book Review ~ The Stars Never Rise

The Stars Never Rise 

by Rachel Vincent
published by Delacorte Press
genre: YA, Fantasy, Supernatural, Dystopia

Summary (Goodreads): Sixteen-year-old Nina Kane should be worrying about her immortal soul, but she's too busy trying to actually survive. Her town's population has been decimated by soul-consuming demons, and souls are in short supply. Watching over her younger sister, Mellie, and scraping together food and money are all that matters. The two of them are a family. They gave up on their deadbeat mom a long time ago.

When Nina discovers that Mellie is keeping a secret that threatens their very existence, she'll do anything to protect her. Because in New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. And Mellie's sin has put her in serious trouble.

To keep them both alive, Nina will need to trust Finn, a fugitive with deep green eyes who has already saved her life once and who might just be an exorcist. But what kind of exorcist wears a hoodie?

Wanted by the Church and hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she can't survive on her own. She needs Finn and his group of rogue friends just as much as they need her.

My Thoughts: I always worry when everyone else loves a book. Hyped books don't always work for me. This one did. It is right up there as one of my favorite reads so far this year.
Even though the Church is in charge and everyone follows whatever they say, it wasn't a preaching/ religious story. It was clear from the beginning that everyone was under the thumb of the Church even if most didn't agree with what they were saying. Because of the demon invasion the Church rules by fear.
Nina was an interesting character for me. We kept being told that she was slow on the uptake and her sister was the smart one. For me, I'll take the slightly slower character that can survive in the world she lives in than the smart sister who is either incredibly selfish or not as smart as we are being told. Nina's new group of real exorcists are an interesting mix and have something for everyone.
The only thing that stopped this from being a five star for me was the romance. I liked the idea of Finn, at first he was one of the better characters. Unfortunately, the big reveal didn't work for me. It was just weird. I get the idea and could see how his situation greatly helped the group in their work but as not as far as being Nina's romantic interest. The situation just seemed to put her in a situation where she is just making out with random guys. Even if Finn is there, it's not really him. Like I said, I liked him as a character but not as a romantic interest.
Overall, for being a first in the series, the author grabbed me from the start and kept me until the end. I'm looking forward to seeing how the group does out in the wild dealing with everything that was figured out during this book.

Rating: 4.5

Mini Thoughts ~ Waistcoats & Weaponry

Waistcoats & Weaponry (Finishing School #3)

by Gail Carriger
published by Little, Brown Books
Genre: YA, Steampunk, Supernatural, Shifters

Summary (Goodreads): Sophronia continues second year finishing school in style -- with a steel-bladed fan secreted in the folds of her ball gown. She, best friend Dimity, sweet sootie Soap, and charming Lord Felix Mersey stow away on train to return classmate Sidheag to her werewolf pack in Scotland. No one suspects what or who would be aboard the suspiciously empty train.

Mini Thoughts: This was not my favorite of this series. Sophronia annoyed me in this book. Lots of flopping back and forth between Lord Mersey and Soap. Also, seemed very selfish for a lot of it.
I also didn't like the main plot of this book. The whole train ride and the picklemen I found boring.
There were two things that saved this for me. The writing was great as usual and the secondary story of Sidheag and the Scotland pack. This gave more background and got characters into place for when  Parasol Protectorate starts up.

Rating: 4

Book Review ~ The Orphan Queen

The Orphan Queen (The Orphan Queen #1)

by Jodi Meadows
published by Katherine Tegen Books
Genre: YA, Fantasy,

Summary (Goodreads): Wilhelmina has a hundred identities.

She is a princess. When the Indigo Kingdom conquered her homeland, Wilhelmina and other orphaned children of nobility were taken to Skyvale, the Indigo Kingdom’s capital. Ten years later, they are the Ospreys, experts at stealth and theft. With them, Wilhelmina means to take back her throne.

She is a spy. Wil and her best friend, Melanie, infiltrate Skyvale Palace to study their foes. They assume the identities of nobles from a wraith-fallen kingdom, but enemies fill the palace, and Melanie’s behavior grows suspicious. With Osprey missions becoming increasingly dangerous and their leader more unstable, Wil can’t trust anyone.

She is a threat. Wraith is the toxic by-product of magic, and for a century using magic has been forbidden. Still the wraith pours across the continent, reshaping the land and animals into fresh horrors. Soon it will reach the Indigo Kingdom. Wilhelmina’s magic might be the key to stopping the wraith, but if the vigilante Black Knife discovers Wil’s magic, she will vanish like all the others

My Thoughts: I've said it before but, I'm always happy when a book lives up to the hype. Too often I find that I don't love some books as much as everyone else seems to. I really enjoyed this one. It grabbed and held on to my attention right from the start and didn't let go until the end. That doesn't mean it didn't have it problems but they were not enough to pull me out of the book (it did make it hard to put into words without spoiling the story).
The world that Jodi Meadows created was an interesting one. The landscape is slowly being taken over by the wraith. Taking out whole kingdoms on its westward path. I also liked that the magical by product had its own characteristics, like being harmed by sunlight/mirrors. This made it another character in the story.
The characters were, at times, basic fantasy types but still worked. The Ospreys are a dwindling group of orphans that were removed from their kingdom when it was taken over during the One Night War. I did have problems with some of Wil's personality. For someone who is the "queen" she didn't seem to have much control. We find out very early that Patrick is in control and Wil goes along with the group even when she knows it is the wrong choice. This does create many problems during the story. Wil's faith in Melanie, even at the end, didn't make a lot of sense either. With everything that takes place there should have been some concern on Wil's part not faith that Melanie would let her know what was happening.
On the other side is Tobiah, his cousin James, and the royal court, along with the vigilante Black Knife. James was my favorite of this group. You could tell that he loved his life but was also took his responsibilities seriously. Tobiah, on the other hand, seemed very sullen and always wanted to be somewhere other than where he was. It was obvious from the start that one of these two were going to be Black Knife and it took away from the reveal when it happened. The relationship between Wil and Black Knife could have been interesting but fell short, especially when you find out who it is.
Overall, I enjoyed this story, I just wish it had been a little tighter in some areas. Wil was a strong lead character until you put her in front of the group she was supposed to be leading. Tobiah became stronger and more likable as you found out about him but his choices to end the story didn't feel like they would all stick. Even with that I have to know what happens to these characters and the land being overrun by the wraith.

Rating: 4-4.5

Book Review ~ Dorothy Must Die

Dorothy Must Die (Dorothy Must Die #1)

by Danielle Paige
published by HarperCollins
Genre: YA, Re-Tellings, Fairy Tales, Fantasy

Summary (Goodreads): I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.

But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado - taking you with it - you have no choice but to go along, you know?

Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little bluebirds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still a yellow brick road - but even that's crumbling.

What happened? Dorothy.

They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.

My name is Amy Gumm - and I'm the other girl from Kansas.

I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked.

I've been trained to fight.

My Thoughts: To Read or Not To Read. I hate when there is controversy surrounding an author of a book I really want to read. I'm not even sure what all is going on with this one, there seems to be two separate issues. I decided to let the book speak for itself. Books can still be good even when the author is not.
There were problems with this book but I couldn't put it down. It starts off with a very contemporary feel. Amy is the shy, quiet, poor girl that has no friends and is constantly dealing with her tormentor. We also find out that she has a pretty horrible home life. This of course leads to a freak storm that carries Amy, her trailer, and her mom's pet rat off to Oz.
The author created an Oz that is familiar but at the same time drained and lifeless from what we remember. Amy makes the obvious choice to make her way to the Emerald City. Along the way she makes friends with a munchkin and a flying monkey. These are not the characters that we met in the original. Both have been enslaved by Glinda and Dorothy. In order to not be under their thumbs some monkeys have chosen to cut off their wings so they cannot work. We also meet Pete who is not what he seems but we do not find that out until the end.
After getting into trouble at the palace, Amy finds herself with no choice but to join up with a group of "wicked" witches. This group includes Glinda's twin sister and the Witch of the North alongs with some others. They train Amy in everything she will need to infiltrate the palace and kill Dorothy.
As expected things don't go as planned. There are many deaths along the way and in the end Amy finds that killing Dorothy and righting Oz will not be an easy feat. To get to Dorothy she will first have to get rid of The Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion and Tin man.
A lot happened in this book but at the same time it didn't feel like anything was accomplished. There are too many groups trying to reach the same goal and it is hard to figure out who truly are the "good" guys in this world.

Rating: 3.5

Book Review ~ Half a King

Half a King (Shattered Sea #1)

by Joe Abercrombie
published by Del Ray
genre: YA, Fantasy,

Summary (Goodreads): “I swore an oath to be avenged on the killers of my father. I may be half a man, but I swore a whole oath”
Prince Yarvi has vowed to regain a throne he never wanted. But first he must survive cruelty, chains and the bitter waters of the Shattered Sea itself. And he must do it all with only one good hand.
The deceived will become the deceiver
Born a weakling in the eyes of his father, Yarvi is alone in a world where a strong arm and a cold heart rule. He cannot grip a shield or swing an axe, so he must sharpen his mind to a deadly edge.
The betrayed will become the betrayer
Gathering a strange fellowship of the outcast and the lost, he finds they can do more to help him become the man he needs to be than any court of nobles could.
Will the usurped become the usurper?
But even with loyal friends at his side, Yarvi’s path may end as it began – in twists, and traps and tragedy...

My Thoughts: This is the first time I've read anything by this author and will be looking into his other series. I could not put this book down and read it in a day (this is great for me lately).
I really enjoyed everything about this book, from the world created to the characters that lived in it. There is a character for everyone.
Yarvi was born with a crippled hand, which made him less in the eyes of his father, the king, as well as everyone else in the castle. Since he wasn't good at any of the things princes usually do (and being second born) he decided to go into ministry. The training for this gets Yarvi and his friends out of many a tight spot later on. I liked seeing Yarvi grow into himself and figure out that while he might not be a strong physically as others he could use his brains to sometimes get the same results.
From this point on the action does not stop. From betrayals, to slavery, to escaping with the most unlikely group of individuals the story just flowed across the pages. I was surprised how much the group of slaves that ended up helping Yarvi avenge his families deaths grew on me. Each one was unique and added something to the group.
Overall, while I enjoyed this book from beginning to end there was just something that made this not be a five star for me. I can't quite put my finger on it. Whether it was the reveal of Nothing (person) towards the end or how Yarvi's life (as well as everyone else left) just seemed to fall into place, something felt off. This did not take away from my need to get my hands on the second book of this series that just came out recently.

Rating: 4.5

Book Review ~ Seeker

Seeker (Seeker #1)

by Arwen Elys Dayton
published by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
expected release date: February 10, 2015
genre: YA, Fantasy, Sci-Fi,

**received e-galley from NetGalley and publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Summary (Goodreads): Quin Kincaid has been put through years of brutal training for what she thinks is the noble purpose of becoming a revered ‘Seeker’.

Only when it’s too late does she discover she will be using her new-found knowledge and training to become an assassin. Quin's new role will take her around the globe, from a remote estate in Scotland to a bustling, futuristic Hong Kong where the past she thought she had escaped will finally catch up with her.

My Thoughts: I so wanted to like this book. The blurb and cover on netgalley grabbed my attention and had me requesting it. I started reading and understood why so many people had DNF'd this book, most around the half way point. I was there and had to force myself to finish, skimming most of the final chapters only stopping to read the parts that seemed important to the story.
The first thing that disconnected me from this story was the setting/time. We start on an estate in Scotland that sounded/ felt very highlander-ish and then next thing you know there are airships and other futuristic things that did not match the estate setting. While this could have worked, it just felt jarring to me and did not blend well.
The bigger problem was the characters. They really weren't likable and by the end even the one you thought you would be rooting for was unlikable. Quin is supposed to be the hero of this story. She seems to be at first when they are training and she is spending time with John. Once the training is over and she is going there and doing what her father says we find out what she is really like. She blindly goes along with everything her father says including killing children because "that's how she was raised". Then once she is free instead of doing the good she was always spouting about she decides to "forget" everything. Her cousin, also a seeker, is no better. When he is given a chance to do something better he turns to drugs in order to forget. Again another unlikable hero.
Then we have John. He comes to the estate to train to be a seeker and avenge his mother's death. Sounds like something you could get behind. Then he starts using the one weapon that he is terrified of because it was what killed his mother, and kills several people in the very same way.
The one redeeming thing and what made me read to the end was the Young Dread Maud. Her story throughout was interesting. The Dreads are the judges/law of the seekers and are  supposed to make sure no laws are broken. Of course this is not what happens. The middle Dread has taken up with Quin's dad and helps him even when it goes against everything they believe. She is the only one that seems to be able to think for her self even when she doesn't know what to do about the wrongs around her. I didn't really understand why she gave Quin what she did at the end. It was the only thing she did throughout that did not seem to match her character.
Overall, there was a lot of potential in this story it just fell short. The characters and backgrounds needed to be more fleshed out. It also would have helped if one of the three seekers had been likable and lived up to their billing.

Rating: 3

Book Review ~ Dark Frost

Dark Frost (Mythos Academy #3)

by Jennifer Estep
published by Kensington
genre: YA, mythology, paranormal,

Summary (Goodreads): I've seen so many freaky things since I started attending Mythos Academy last fall. I know I'm supposed to be a fearless warrior, but most of the time, I feel like I'm just waiting for the next Bad, Bad Thing to happen. Like someone trying to kill me--again.

Everyone at Mythos Academy knows me as Gwen Frost, the Gypsy girl who uses her psychometry magic to find lost objects--and who just may be dating Logan Quinn, the hottest guy in school. But I'm also the girl the Reapers of Chaos want dead in the worst way. The Reapers are the baddest of the bad, the people who murdered my mom. So why do they have it in for me? It turns out my mom hid a powerful artifact called the Helheim Dagger before she died. Now, the Reapers will do anything to get it back. They think I know where the dagger is hidden, but this is one thing I can't use my magic to find. All I do know is that the Reapers are coming for me--and I'm in for the fight of my life.

My Thoughts: It has been awhile since I read the first two books in this series but book three felt much darker than I remember them being. It started out dark and stayed that way throughout. There were some nice and sparkly parts but they were few and far between. The darkness did not only come from the reapers. Gwen was dumped on from all sides, the reapers, her boyfriend, and even her best friend.
I had some problems with Gwen in this one. She seemed to be overly slow. There were several things where it was so obvious to the reader that I was becoming annoyed with the fact that Gwen was so gullible. The lost ring case was the biggest evidence of this.
I also felt the author foreshadowed too much in this book. There was no mystery, everything was laid out. I did like the reveal of the reaper girls magic. Knowing that there is an opposing magic to Gwen's gypsy magic could be interesting.
My favorite part was Nott and Grandma Frost. We always get Grandma Frost as the lovable, baking type and it was nice to get a glimpse of her as a former champion.
Overall, this was enjoyable read and kept me entertained even when we knew what was going to happen next. I do wish that the growth we saw from Gwen in the beginning of the book carried over through the whole book. She seemed able to handle herself and was confident in what she could do and what her friend could do. Still, I'm looking forward to reading the next book and finishing off this series as well.

Rating: 4

Series Review ~ The Selection

The Selection series (The Selection, The Elite, The One)

by Kiera Cass
published by Harper Teen
genre: YA, Dystopian, Romance

My Thoughts: I avoided this series partly because of the huge controversy when the first book came out and also because I hate love triangles. When the second and then the third book came out and I kept seeing them everywhere and the number of people that enjoyed them I decided to give them a try.
The Selection was my least favorite of the series. I did not like Aspen from the start and the more I heard America talk about her undying love for him the more I started to dislike her. I was glad when she got to the castle and things changed up a bit. Even when her reasons for being at the castle and with Maxon revolved around Aspen it was still better than when they were together.
The Elite was an improvement except where America's feelings were concerned. It felt like someone told the author she had to have drama in the romance department and only succeeded in making America seem wishy washy. Every time she seemed to be growing as a character she would fall back to being indecisive and unable to make a decision.
By the time I got to The One I wasn't sure what to expect. I was pleased that the author seemed to give up on the love triangle. This was probably my favorite of the series even though I again had problems with it. I've never been so unhappy with getting the ending that I wanted. The things that happened in the last quarter right before the HEA were either confusing or convenient. There were deaths that made no sense other than to make one of the couple realize how much they could be away from the other. Then the whole battle that just dropped everything into place but made no sense. Like I said it was too convenient. I would have been more pleased if the characters had had to earn their final positions rather than getting them by circumstances.
Overall, for some reason, even with all the above, I enjoyed reading these books. They were just kind of light fun books. I'll probably read The Heir when it comes out this year just to see if there is any growth in not only the characters but the authors writing as well.

Series Rating: 3.5-4

Book Review ~ The Kiss of Deception

The Kiss of Deception

by Mary E Pearson
published by Henry Holt & Co.
genre: YA, Fantasy,

Summary (Goodreads): A princess must find her place in a reborn world.

She flees on her wedding day.

She steals ancient documents from the Chancellor's secret collection.

She is pursued by bounty hunters sent by her own father.

She is Princess Lia, seventeen, First Daughter of the House of Morrighan.

The Kingdom of Morrighan is steeped in tradition and the stories of a bygone world, but some traditions Lia can't abide. Like having to marry someone she's never met to secure a political alliance.

Fed up and ready for a new life, Lia flees to a distant village on the morning of her wedding. She settles in among the common folk, intrigued when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deceptions swirl and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—secrets that may unravel her world—even as she feels herself falling in love.

My Thoughts: This should have been such a higher rating. I enjoyed the story, the characters and the world/mythology that the author created. Yet it just seemed to drag. It took me a week to read this and usually when I'm loving a book I can read it in a day or two.
I found Lia to be an interesting character. I wasn't sure how I felt at first. It jumps right into her fleeing from her marriage. Since we don't really know her yet it is difficult to feel for her at this point. I still liked her just wasn't sure. I did like how she wasn't your normal royal princess. She was a younger sister that clearly grew up a tom boy. I also liked her with Pauline. They had a great relationship that felt more like friends then servant/princess.
Kaden and Rafe both caught my attention as well. I hate love triangles and yet enjoyed all these characters that I was able to overlook it, mostly. It also helped that Lia had a clear favorite even when she was saying otherwise. Both men have their secrets and trying to figure out which is the assassin and which is the prince was not as easy as these things usually are.
There are questions I have. Like who was Gwen a spy for. She seemed shady when her and Pauline were going back to Civica. Also, Pauline herself is about to walk into something that could not only have an effect on her future but the relationship she has with Lia.
Of course the main reason for wanting to read the next book is to find out what happens now that we have all three main characters on their way into enemy territory. Not sure what the plans are that the two men have but cannot wait to watch them play out. I'm also interested to find out more about Lia's gifts and how they come into play.

Rating: 3.5 (only because it read so slow for me)

Book Review ~ Cruel Beauty

Cruel Beauty 

by Rosamund Hodge
published by Balzer+Bray
genre: YA, Fantasy, Retellings, Mythology,

Summary (Goodreads): Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl's journey to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing her heart.

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

My Thoughts: I'm still not sure how I feel about this book. There were parts that were interesting and others that were confusing. It was like the author had so many ideas for a book and felt they needed to get them all into their first book. There is the retelling of "Beauty and The Beast" mixed with a type of mythology. I'm not sure it always worked.
Nyx may have been my biggest issue at times. Unfortunately, with a retelling you have a picture of characters already in your head and Nyx does not come close. While I understood her reasons, I found her to be too bitter and it was constant. She couldn't seem to do anything without going back to how much she wasn't loved and how much she hates her family. It made it hard to believe that she would be so dedicated to save them all.
Ignifex's story was probably the most interesting. I liked learning all his secrets as well as those of the castle. There was a mini love triangle but to me it was obvious what was going to happen between Ignifex and Shadow. Even before the reveal I liked Ignifex more anyways.
Overall, it was a good story it just had a few too many components. The switch towards the end with Nyx's sister didn't make a lot of sense other than to add more drama to Nyx's story. It might go back to the bitterness and hatred. It lessened her character by making her unable to make any decisions on her own. She would think one thing then do the opposite because of her family.
I enjoyed this book enough that I would definitely give this author another try.

Rating: 3.5

Book Review ~ Snow Like Ashes

Snow Like Ashes (Snow Like Ashes #1)

by Sara Raasch
published by Balzer + Bray
genre: YA, Fantasy, Debut Book

Summary (Goodreads): A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

My Thoughts: I was glad that this mostly lived up to the Hype. I'm always concerned when everyone loves a book, for some reason I tend to not like those books.
My favorite thing had to be the world the author created. I loved the idea of having four different lands based on the seasons and with the characteristics of the seasons. The other side of that was the Rhythms. These I didn't understand as well but understand where the author was going. Ms Raasch brought balance throughout. Whether through the four seasons/ four rhythms or the four female conduits/ four male conduits. Balance was important.
Meira was another thing that I liked. She was young and eager but at the same time full of doubts concerning her place in their world. All she wants to do is prove herself to those she looks up to and feel a part of Winter, a world she hasn't set foot in since she was an infant. From being on the run, learning to be a queen, and dealing with Spring each scenario made Meira a stronger and more likable character.
The only thing that stopped this from being a straight five star read was the foreshadowing to the big reveal. It might be because I read so many fantasy books but the flashbacks, while subtle and easy to miss, told me what was going to happen. I did enjoy how and when it happened. There is some romance in this book. I never bought into Meira and Mather only because they knew no one else so who else would they be interested in. I thought her relationship with Theron felt more genuine.
Overall, this is one of my favorite reads of 2014 and I look forward to reading more about this world that Ms Raasch has created.

Rating: 4.5 

Book Review ~ The Vault of Dreamers

The Vault of Dreamers

by Caragh M O'Brien
published by Roaring Brook Press
genre: YA, Dystopian, Sci-Fi

Summary (Goodreads): The Forge School is the most prestigious arts school in the country. The secret to its success:  every moment of the students' lives is televised as part of the insanely popular Forge Show, and the students' schedule includes twelve hours of induced sleep meant to enhance creativity. But when first year student Rosie Sinclair skips her sleeping pill, she discovers there is something off about Forge. In fact, she suspects that there are sinister things going on deep below the reaches of the cameras in the school. What's worse is, she starts to notice that the edges of her consciousness do not feel quite right. And soon, she unearths the ghastly secret that the Forge School is hiding—and what it truly means to dream there.

My Thoughts: I'm still not sure how I feel about this book. The author does a great job of sucking you in and keeping you interested right until the end. My problem is when that end came I had more questions than answers.
Forge school is Big Brother for students. Rosie and her classmates are on camera twelve hours a day. The only time they are not is the twelve hours when they are in a drugged sleep that is supposed to enhance their creativity. While we are told this is an arts school we really don't see much of it. The only time it is a focus is when Rosie is trying to make the final cuts to stay at the school.
The other thing that helps her stay is the insta-love story. This was my least favorite part. The relationship between Rosie and Linus could have been more if they weren't "in love" and kissing for the camera within a day of meeting.
What saved this and kept me reading was the mystery of what was happening at night. Rosie's adventures lead to discovery of happenings deep underneath the school grounds. I'm not sure if I found the Dean as a bad guy in the traditional sense, he was more creepy and fanatical about his medical research.
Unfortunately the ending was way too confusing for me. I wasn't sure if it had been a couple of months or a couple of years since Rosie made her big discovery and became the Dean's ward. We don't know what happened to any of the students or Linus. I could keep going about the things that weren't resolved/answered. Part of me wants to read a follow up book just to get some answers but not sure I could handle more questions.

Rating: 3.5

Book Review ~ Stitching Snow

Stitching Snow

by R.C. Lewis
published by Hyperion
genre: YA, Fairy-tale retelling, Sci-Fi, Fantasy

**received e-arc from publisher and netGalley

Summary (Goodreads): Princess Snow is missing.

Her home planet is filled with violence and corruption at the hands of King Matthias and his wife as they attempt to punish her captors. The king will stop at nothing to get his beloved daughter back-but that's assuming she wants to return at all.

Essie has grown used to being cold. Temperatures on the planet Thanda are always sub-zero, and she fills her days with coding and repairs for the seven loyal drones that run the local mines.

When a mysterious young man named Dane crash-lands near her home, Essie agrees to help the pilot repair his ship. But soon she realizes that Dane's arrival was far from accidental, and she's pulled into the heart of a war she's risked everything to avoid.

In her enthralling debut, R.C. Lewis weaves the tale of a princess on the run from painful secrets . . . and a poisonous queen. With the galaxy's future-and her own-in jeopardy, Essie must choose who to trust in a fiery fight for survival.

My Thoughts: Yes, there are similarities between this and the first Lunar Chronicle books. It's very easy to get past considering they are both re-tellings of another story. Neither is an original. Also, while not graphic in detail this story does deal with some serious topics.
While I thought Essie was a great main character my favorite had to be her seven drones. We get to know two of them better than the rest but they all have unique personalities. It is clear that they mean as much to Essie as she does to them.
Instead of the normal fairy princess, we have Essie who lives on a mining planet and earns her way by cage fighting. She can definitely take care of herself and making sure everyone knows it. I do wish her abilities would have either been more fleshed out or something more stable. Not having any clue but being able to use them perfectly when the need arises didn't work for me.
Then there's Dane. He got better as the story progressed but the romance between him and Essie never really caught for me. I think the author put him in a bad spot from the beginning and it was harder for me to forget what he did to Essie than it was for Essie.
Overall, I enjoyed this story. The author did a good job building up unique planets that make up Essie's world. You get a chance to experience them all and see how different they are. The characters fit into the retelling aspect. The King and Queen fit the evil roles, I just wished we had gotten more time with them to flesh out their characters. Rather than just saying "hey evil" with very little show.
As expected with most fairy-tales there is an HEA for the Essie/Snow and Dane.

Rating: 4 

Book Review ~ The Crimson Crown

The Crimson Crown (Seven Realms #4)

by Cinda Williams Chima
published by Hyperion
genre: YA, Fantasy, 

Summary (Goodreads): A thousand years ago, two young lovers were betrayed-Alger Waterlow to his death, and Hanalea, Queen of the Fells, to a life without love.

Now, once again, the Queendom of the Fells seems likely to shatter apart. For young queen Raisa ana'Marianna, maintaining peace even within her own castle walls is nearly impossible; tension between wizards and Clan has reached a fevered pitch. With surrounding kingdoms seeking to prey on the Fells' inner turmoil, Raisa's best hope is to unite her people against a common enemy. But that enemy might be the person with whom she's falling in love.

Through a complicated web of lies and unholy alliances, former streetlord Han Alister has become a member of the Wizard Council of the Fells. Navigating the cut-throat world of blue blood politics has never been more dangerous, and Han seems to inspire hostility among Clan and wizards alike. His only ally is the queen, and despite the perils involved, Han finds it impossible to ignore his feelings for Raisa. Before long, Han finds himself in possession of a secret believed to be lost to history, a discovery powerful enough to unite the people of the Fells. But will the secret die with him before he can use it?

A simple, devastating truth concealed by a thousand-year-old lie at last comes to light in this stunning conclusion to the Seven Realms series.

My Thoughts: I wanted to like this book, I loved the rest of the series, but had to force myself  to even finish it. I originally started this in January 2013 finally finished October 2014. The only reason I picked it back up was to finish the series off.
I think my main problem was Raisa in this book. In previous books she was a strong, intelligent female that you wanted to cheer for. In this one she just felt whiny, indecisive, and too willing to believe everything that is told to her.
I did like getting the full story of "The Breaking" and what really happened to Hanalea and Alger. Parts were predictable but it still added to the current story and helped bring closure to some characters.
The Bayars were still the same manipulative wizards that we have come to know. I wasn't expecting any changes from the dad but it would have been nice if there had been some growth with the two younger ones.
Overall, if I hadn't willed myself to finish this series I'm not sure I would have picked this book up a second time. Han was the one character that seemed to stick to character no matter where others seemed to place him. It was also nice to see some of the younger warriors step up and be accepting of Raisa and Han, and work with wizards to try and to achieve a common goal. I still enjoy Cinda Williams Chima's writing but this book was just not for me.

Rating: 3.5