Review: Crown of Feathers

   

Title: Crown of Feathers
Author: Nicki Pau Preto
Genre: Fantasy
Source: Kindle e-Book
Rating 5 out of 5 paws


Veronyka is an orphan who has dream of becoming a Phoenix Rider, like those from the stories she grew up on.  Veronyka has a fight with her sister who in turn betrays her in the worst way and Veronyka begins her journey to find the mysterious Riders.  This means disguising herself as a boy so she could join their ranks if she happens to find them. Everything is going fine until her sister suddenly shows up and reveals a web of lies that changes everything Veronyka thought she knew.  The empire has learned of the return of the Phoenix riders and intends to destroy them all.

This was a book that I didn't know I needed.  First off let me say how amazing it is that phoenixes are utilized in this book rather than the typical dragon we tend to see in fantasy novels. Now that is all I want!  I want more phoenixes in my life, so much so that I have the next books slated to be read within a few days.  I think this book has made me love phoenixes more than I love dragons.  Not many authors utilize them in their stories to the fullest potential and I am so happy that Nicki Pau Preto has done just that and made them into majestic creatures that they are.


While we read through this story of people recovering from a brutal war and a young woman trying to find her place in this world, we are introduced to unique world with it's own history.  I love that Pau Preto has included so much of the history in the novel, that you feel like you know the people, know who they are and where they've been.  It is very evident that she took the time to plan out her story and how she wanted things to unfold.


The plot was a little slow building but it was very character based which is so interesting and makes you connect with the characters and with this being the first book in the series, you want some background and depth to your characters.  It takes a little while to build up to the heart of the story, but when it does you become so sucked into the story that you don't want to do anything else (I didn't want to go to work, but I had too). 

While the book may not be for everyone because there is a lot of info dumping and takes time to build up, but I found it to be one of those books that you are excited to read, and need to take a minute once you have finished.  The next book Heart of Flames is a bit bigger coming in at 619 pages, but I am so ready to tackle it.

Caraval by Stephanie Garber Book Review

Title: Caraval
Author: Stephanie Garber
Genre:Fantasy
Source: Hardback - library
Rating: 4 out of 5 paws


Scarlet and her sister have never seen the world beyond their island.  Their father comes up with cruel punishments for their misdoings.  When her father arranges for Scarlet to marry a count, she believes she will be free from his tyranny, but also that her dreams of seeing the magical performers of the famed Caraval is over.  But her hopes arise when she receives 3 tickets to this year's performance, but her plans are challenged when Scarlet and her sister are whisked away to the Caraval's island by an unknown sailor.  Once they arrive Tella is kidnapped and made a part of the game.  The players must find here before the end of the week if someone wins, they win a wish.  Scarlet becomes engrossed in not only the game of magic, but one of love, and heartbreak.  She must decide who to trust and who to keep at arms lengths.  Sometimes getting swept up in the magic can have a dangerous result.  What will Scarlet find at the end of the game?

I decided to pick up this book because it came recommended through book clubs, goodreads, the book stores I went to.  Everywhere I went, the book was in my face, well not literally, but enough that I picked it up.  I have seen it compared to Erin Morgenstern's Night Circus, which has been one of the best books I have read in a while.  I can say I was happy I read the book and that there were some magic elements that I haven't seen in other books, but it didn't seem to mystify me as I had hoped it would and I would NOT compare it to Night Circus in any way..  Granted, I will be reading the next book in the series because it is an interesting story.


Garber gives readers a story that is both suspenseful and magical.  I found myself anxious to find out what will happen next and if Scarlet will be able to figure out the clues, although, I don't think there was specifically a right or wrong answer to the clues, but rather the questions the performers asked such as what is your greatest desire or who do you fear the most.  It was a story that asked the main character to look deep into herself to find her true self, not the self she believes she is.  I found that to be rather engrossing and interesting thought that we may not be who think of ourselves.  But I kept waiting for the magic to happen and it didn't seem to really happen aside for a few spells or potions here and there, but nothing that really blew me away the way Night Circus did.


I liked Scarlet to a point, I think she could have been smarter, more resourceful, but she gets this way by the end of the book.  She whined alot, was too concerned with her reputation rather than saving her sister, lies but then gets offended when she's lied too and more. I found her to be afraid too often in the book, which I guess was the point.  She was afraid to take the leap of faith so to speak not to find her sister, but to find herself.  I wanted so much more from Scarlet that we don't really get to see yet, and I hope we see her evolve into a stronger female, more independent if she appears in the next novel.  We get a lot of information about Legend, but we are never actually introduced to him which felt like a let down.  I almost pictured his watching from the balconies or somewhere in a Jareth in Laberynth kinda of way and him throwing obstacles in her way but nope.  Not once do we see Legend.


There were something that got mentioned but never explained such as what happened to Dante's sister, we know she went missing but never find out what happened to her.  Small things like that are what kept this novel from getting a higher rating from me.  I love how each section was broken into nights, so readers knew that everything that happened in one section is what happened in that particular night, it helped with keeping a time line straight. Although in that same respect, it seemed like no one actually slept at Caraval.  There is a lot that happens in Caraval, but at the same it almost feels like nothing happens other than a few lucky breaks.  I hope to see more in Legendary and hope we actually meet Legend and see what kind of person he is.


If you like YA and fantasy novels check it out.


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Check out some of these other reviews:
The Book of Meghan
The Book Monsters

The Children's Home

Title: The Children's Home
Author: Charles Lambert
Genre: Fantasy
Source Hardback
Rating: 1 out of 5 paws


Morgan lives in his estate home with only a care taker.  When children start to mysteriously appear on his doorstep, Morgan begins to wonder not only where they come from, but what purpose do they serve.  Every child that arrives, he takes in and slowly some strange things begin to happen and it seems as though the children randomly disappear and appear in thin air.  These children, the oldest David mainly, have an odd understanding of Morgan's past.  Together with a live in doctor, Dr. Crane.  The children begin to discover oddities within the attic and other rooms of the house.  Dr. Crane and Morgan begin to wonder what is really behind the motives of these children, and what is hidden within this estate.

I found this book on the shelf at my local library and decided to give it a try.  It sound interesting and being compared to Narnia and Golden Compass, I was more than intrigued.  But then I started reading the book and became more and more disappointed.  The more I tried to read it the more disappointed I got as it got harder to understand what exactly was going on in the book.  After finishing it, I still cannot tell you what happened or why something happened.  It was beyond confusing.  I tried to explain this book to my friend and was unable to even give him an idea of what the book was about.


The chapters had subtitles which told you what was going to happen in that chapter.  While I know other novels that have done this and it worked well, it did not work with this novel.  The chapters were rather short so a brief one line summary told you basically everything you needed to know about the chapter.  This also made me want to skip a chapter or two because it didn't seem like it would fit in with what the story was about or that it would add any depth to the story or even answer of the questions I had lingering.  I still have questions lingering.


I kept asking myself "wait, what?"  I was hoping for a dark fairy tale that was a cross between Narnia and Golden Compass as it was marketed on the book jacket but it had elements from neither story, nor would I even consider this a fairy-tale.  I would not recommend this book at all.  It felt like a wasted day.

The Misanthrope

Title: The Misanthrope
Author: S.M Boyce
Genre: Fantasy
Source: Kindle Ebook
Rating: 4 out of 5


This is the story of how Stone became, well...Stone.  Prior to being the first vagabond, prior to training Kara he was a servant boy named Terric.  As a young boy he was intent on learning more and reading as many books as he could steal from his master, but when he is caught and tries to run away he is captured by someone else who stabs him with something and then drowns him.  Upon his death Terric meets, Death himself who gives him a option to return to life but as a being known as an Isen.  But with the catch that he is under the control of Niccoli his new master.  Terric gains the name Stone and spends his lifetime trying to figure out how to survive without making new Isens or how to make them without painfully killing them, and how he can escape Niccoli.  Will Stone be able to learn how to defy Niccoli and finally be free from a life of servitude?

I have been waiting for a story about Stone.  I love his character, I craved more of his backstory, while this one was interesting to read, it didn't capture me as much as S.M. Boyce's other novels.  It was a lot of backstory and I understand we may have more from Stone's story and I am eagerly waiting to see what else is in store him and how he figures out how to escape Niccoli's commands.  He is a character that doesn't just blindly follow his master, he questions things and tries to do things differently than his master.  I like the character of Stone because of that, because he doesn't blindly follow Niccoli and does whatever he says for the sake of obedience.  While he is still a slave of sorts he is still his own man with his own mind and desires.


S.M Boyce has created this world of Ourea filled with unknown magic and creatures that completely unique to her vision.  She creates empathy for her characters in a way that remains with the readers throughout the story.  I love that all her characters remain true to themselves even some of the minor characters remain who they are and you have a slight insight to who they were prior to becoming Isen.  This book shows readers the importance of these characters while in Grimoire Saga we see them as "evil", Boyce shows that not all of them are, and readers gain a sense of sympathy for them through this story.  I am eager to read what is next in this series and can't wait to begin Deidra's story!


So far I have read I think 4 of Boyce's novels and she has  yet to disappoint.  Each novel seems to surpass the last, and I expect that to continue with this series.  I  highly recommend anything by SM Boyce and look forward to seeing more of her amazing writing in the future.  Pick yourself up a copy and see her magical writing for yourself.  You won't be able to stop from getting another one.