The Glass Magician by Charlie Holmberg Book Review

Title: The Glass Magician
Author: Charlie N. Holmberg
Genre: Fantasy
Source: Library paperback
Rating: 2 out of 5 paws


Ceony has just turned 20, and it has been a few weeks or months since she saved Mg Thane from the blood magician who stole his heart, literally.  She had hoped things would go back to normal.  But then an explosion at a paper mill sparks a series of events that place Ceony in the center.  Other blood mages are looking for her to find answers to the power she holds.  A power she doesn't fully understand herself.  A particularly evil magician believes Ceony holds secrets about bonding to different elements and vows to extract that information no matter the costs.  Ceony has to test her limits in order to save herself and those she loves while keeping her secrets from falling into the wrong hands.

For those of you who have read my review of The Paper Magician know that I did not particularly care for the book, but found the concept interesting.  Despite not enjoying the first book as much as I had hoped I would, I decided to give the second book a try and see if I would like it any better.  But I am sad to say that while I enjoyed it slightly more, I still felt disappointed and let down with this novel.  This is an idea, a concept that has much potential and promise, but it was not executed in the way it should have.  There are different directions I had hoped this story would go, while it went one way I was surprised with and enjoyed, it still felt predictable.  There are so many things that did not sit well with me while reading that I do not know where to start. The sentences are simplistic and many are repeated throughout the novel.  Sometimes the same thing is repeated but with different wording.  There were a few times I thought to myself "but you already stated this."


Lets begin with the antagonists.  There was no depth to them, we don't get the feel of urgency with them.  It was interesting enough the Grath wanted to unbind from glass then bind to blood, there not motivation or explanation as to why.  The story makes it seem like the only element powerful enough to be consider deadly is blood, but as we see later in the novel some of the other elements are just as powerful.  I wish Holmberg showed more of how powerful paper can be, to show that people are wrong for thinking it is a lesser element.  I felt no reason to fear him as you should a villain.  Saraj felt like he didn't need to be in the story at all his part was so anti-climactic that it could have been another character to have done the things he did.


The romance aspect was something else I had issue with.  This story could have done without the romance; maybe show an unrequited interest as Ceony is still young, a crush not full on falling in love wishing he would kiss her or touch her shoulder.  We already know Mg Thane is at least 10 years her senior and her teacher which makes his interest in her even more inappropriate (not that he's older but that he's her teacher).  But despite the student teacher aspect there is no depth to the supposed romance, nothing that indicates these two are kindred spirits beyond Ceony consistently reflecting on a fortune she seen towards the end of the last book.  Why should readers care whether or not these two end up together?  Why shouldn't Ceony be transferred to another magician?  These are things readers need to feel, answer, but the book does not do that.


One thing that didn't fit with the rest of the story was Ceony having a gun.  When I read that I wondered "where the hell did that come from?"  It doesn't fit with the world Holmberg is attempting to create.  And the ending GAH it felt so elementary that it didn't make sense that these experienced magicians never thought to try it before.  It throws everything we have learned about this world out the window, nothing matters anymore.  Everything we learned about bonding to magic doesn't matter anymore because to reverse it is completely easy. 


There are things I enjoyed such as the different magic and I would love to have seen more.  I would have loved to have seen Ceony use more paper folding beyond what we already seen her use in the first book aside from the paper doll which I think could have been used in a bigger way.  But the good does not outweigh the bad.  If you like young adult that is very simplistic and your fantasy filled with romance attempt this series.  I don't think I will continue with it.


For some other reviews, check out these blogs:


Kaona's Corner
The Fictional Reader

Shadow Weaver

Title: Shadow Weave
Author: MarcyKate Connolly
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Source: Hardback:  Goodreads First Read
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 paws


Emmeline is a lonely girl, she feels isolated from the world because of her gift, one that causes those around her to fear her.  She has grown content with being hidden away in the castle with only the shadows to keep her company. One day a nobleman arrives at the estate offering a cure for her talent meaning she will lose her gift. When this noble visiting her family estate mysteriously falls into a coma, Emmeline is blamed, and she runs away.  Her shadow Dar proposes a deal to protect Emmeline as long as she helps make Dar a human girl again.  Emmeline agrees and together they dash into the nearby woods where she hides within the shadows and stumbles upon a boy with light magic.  She begins her life living with them trying to figure out how to clear her name, help Dar and hope her new friends will not discover her secrets.

I was really excited when I won this novel from the Goodreads giveaways, and I admit it took me a little while before I was able to really sit down and read it.  It starts out a little slow, but then begins to pick up the pace as Emmeline runs away.  The idea is interesting with every 25 years a comet passes over and blessed a certain number of children with various gifts.  It was also interesting that Emmeline manipulates shadows as opposed to a gift we generally see in fantasy novels like earth magic or fire.  Shadow magic is something unique and adds an interesting spin on the story.


I enjoyed how Emmeline and Lucas' bond begins to grow that they practice their magic together and discover they are more powerful when they work together.  It is an interesting take on relationship between light and dark.  She doesn't know who to trust or how to really let her guard down after spending most of her life isolated from people. I think this is something young readers can related to, feeling isolated as if they don't belong, nothing in common with others around them etc.  The story does develop somewhat slow but I believe it is leading up to something more in a later novel.  It sets a good background for any additional novels.


The story is geared towards middle school aged children, so the writing is somewhat simplistic, but it makes for an exciting and easy read.  Children of this age would enjoy reading those book and I could see them devouring it.  I personally was able to read it within the day and found myself, as a 30 year old woman, engrossed in these characters.  I wanted more, I wanted to see more magic and hoped to see Doyle's wind magic playing with the light and shadows of Lucas and Emmeline, maybe we will see this later in another book. 


The enchanting tale of Shadow Weaver is story that begs for readership regardless of age.  It is a cute book that has friendship, betrayal, excitement, magic and so much more.  I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy novel.

The Watchmaker's Daughter

India's father had just passed away, on the same day her fiancé kicks her out of the house and keeps her father's watchmaker's shop for himself.  The other shop keeps will not hire her, not because she lacks the skills, but because she is a woman.  At a lost for what to do and one who doesn't take things lying down, India goes to the shop to give Eddie a piece of her mind.  While there she runs into Matthew Glass who gives her a proposition of helping find a specific watchmaker to fix his watch.  One that is rare and carries an air of mystery around it.  While helping him find his mystery watchmaker, India begins to believe he is a wanted outlaw from America and wonders what do and how to prove her suspicions while trying to find out why the guild members are being so cold to her.  Danger seems to be lurking around every corner and India begins to discover new things about the man she is working and living with, as well as herself.  Will they be able to find the watchmaker before Glass' watch stops for good?  Will India be able to find proof of her suspicions and why she lost favor among?

This was one of the books I stumbled upon on BookBub.  Its hard to describe how I felt about this book. It was a good read and I enjoyed the characters but it felt like it took too long to develop and that there were too many things happening in it.  Whenever something happened or revealed my reaction was "oh..that's how that's being shown."  It had its suspenseful moments but overall it seemed somewhat predictable especially the "romantic" tension between India and Glass.

I don't feel like readers are able to feel completely connected to the characters, but they were interesting enough to finish the book. My opinion on India is like a love-hate relationship.  I liked her enough, but don't see her as a strong female lead.  I know this is the first book in a series and I have to wonder what the other books will be like and where the story will go.

As for a rating...i give it a 3 out 5.  Much more could have been done with the story, but young fantasy readers will enjoy it as well as many other readers.  I just don't think this was a book that demands me to read it again.

Steel Maiden

Elena would do anything to escape the Pit and establish a new life for her and Rose, even stealing from the Temple of the Sun priests.  She thought she was able to do it until she went to sell it to the buyer, and he betrayed her.  Now the priests has forced her to join a race for a magical stone with the promise of releasing her and Rose unharmed.  There is a secret to Elena that no one else in the race knows about, she has magic and possibly the power to overcome the priests.  Soon Elena finds herself in the middle of a rebellion against the priests and struggle for power.  All the while coming to terms with her new-found gifts and accepting who she has to become in order to accomplish her task.

This was a fairly easy book to read as it basically gives the reader a play by play of what is happening.  The sentences are very short and sequential.  "I shifted nervously.  The wound at the back on my neck throbbed.  The pain was increasing as we neared the city."  While this makes the book easy to follow and understand, it makes it feel like the reader is being spoon fed information.  This happened and then this happened and then this....Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed reading this book, I think there were ways to accomplish the same thing without it feeling completely laid out. Elena is an interesting character in that her magic is different from what have seen in other fantasy novels.  She has the ability to weld any weapon and is immune to other magic.  Richardson does a good job at bringing that ability to life in her character and the misunderstanding some of the people have towards magic-users.  I liked how she showed prejudice through this, once the other members of the race found out she was a magic user they reacted to her differently treated her worse than they did when they thought she was just a peasant woman. 

There were times when it felt like I had already read this book, the idea of a woman being chosen to be the king/priest's champion to capture a magical relic and discovers magic within herself.  It felt like it's been done before.  BUT, Richardson takes that idea and creates something new and unique with it. Some things were a little predictable like Mad Jack being a part of a rebellion within the Pit or Prince Landon betraying her, but any reader could see these things happening as we begin to feel like we are inside Richardson's head with this book.  We can see clearly her intent with the storyline and what she was doing.  There was no room for confusion.


I think she has a great beginning novel with Steel Maiden.  It gives the readers enough story to help launch their interest and keeps them wanting more from the story.  I know I am eager to find out what happens in the next book and where Richardson's story will lead readers.   Overall I will give this book a 3.5 out of 5 rating because There were strong and weak elements, Richardson could have taken the Steel Maiden thing so many different places and I hope she does so in the next novels.

White Heart

Mae is craft born, something she never wanted, something she wishes she could be rid of.  The realm of Aegunlund needs magic to survive.  The king has been searching for the first-craft born to marry his son and bring magic back to the lands.  The king's men come to Mae's village believing there is a girl there gifted with the craft, but they are not there for Mae.  In process and small battle ensues and Mae's father is killed and the potential bride is kidnapped.  She decides to venture into the woods to find her father's killer and the kidnapped girl.  Thus beginning a her quest through the Waerg forest with her stag and the prince as her companion.  She will face perils she never dreamed of, finds the meaning of being true to oneself and acceptance of her gift.




This is the first book in the White Hart series, and it is a well written beginning.  It sets the stage for what's to come in the following books.  She opens the book with Mae and her inner battle about her gift and slowly she comes to learn the truth behind it and what it means to accept it.  The theme of accepting oneself is very strong in this novel and it is done very well.  The novel ends perfectly as well leaving readers hungry for more. Dalton creates a main character that girls would want to emulate.  She is one that is easy to relate to and see yourself as.  She starts out strong and grows in strength.  She is independent and doesn't have her primary focus being on a man.  Sometimes it seems like Casimir is only there to help drive the story not as a romantic interest, and that is something that made me love this book.  Too often novels try to make a romantic interest happen when it isn't needed.  Dalton doesn't do that.




A lot of time we see magic in the form of fire, wind, ice, water, healing, electric or mind manipulation.  In White Hart it is nature based, something I enjoyed seeing, something different from what I have read in the past.  The story felt complete when I finished reading it, but knowing there is more to the series makes me want to see what will happen, where else will Dalton take this story.  The possibilities seem endless at this point.  It didn't feel predictable nor force fast.  It felt like I was beside Mae as everything happened.  I felt her emotions and actions throughout every scene.




This was a highly enjoyable read and I do recommend it to those who enjoy young adult novels.  It will show young readers a strong female lead who finds strength in herself and knows when to ask other's for help.  I will give this novel a 4 out of 5 rating. because I think more could have been done with Mae's magic.

Alice 19th

Alice 19th is a manga series about a young woman named Alice who has a small run in with a white rabbit.  Thus the story begins and where the similarities between Carroll's work and Watase's work end.  Alice saves a little rabbit from the road one day on her way to school, only this is no ordinary rabbit.  The rabbit transforms into her "true form" and reveals to Alice that she is to become a Lotis Master.  These Masters use the power of words and communication to enter the inner hearts of others. Alice must learn to use these words in the proper manner.

During a dispute over a mutual love interest, Alice makes her sister disappear.  Now she must use her Lotis words to bring her sister back from the darkness.  She joins with Kyo (her love interest who also has the Lotis powers) and Frey (another Lotis Master).  The group soon discover that Alice's sister has been overtaken by Maram words, which is the dark equivalent of Lotis words.  Alice and Kyo now have the task of becoming Neo-Masters and discover the lost Lotis word that will bind Lotis and Maram words.  Only this will save her sister.

As with any story that reflects on Alice in Wonderland, I gobbled this manga up.  Yu happens to be one of my favorite manga writers.  She also wrote Fushigi Yuugi which happens to be my favorite anime.  She does a remarkable job developing her story.  She weaves various elements from the traditional story into her own and makes it new.  While the series has 7 volumes, I wanted more.  I wanted to see this as an anime and taken farther.  Yu has a great talent for creating her own world that is different from others created by other manga writers as well as herself.  I enjoyed the idea of words and communication having power over other people for either good or bad.  It is something we all intrinsically know, but to use it the basis of a story is a wonderful idea.  I mean during an argument Alice says something regretful and causes her sister to disappear into another realm of darkness.  How often has our words caused someone pain and sent them into their own world of darkness?

The artwork is also beautiful and well done.  The artist captures the emotions and feelings of the characters in a way that makes the reader feel they are a part of the story with the characters.  The minor love story between Alice and Kyo does not take away from the main plot, in fact it adds a different aspect to the main plot.  The idea that uttering words of love to one another could be deadly was another interesting aspect.  It shows that even the good words uttered in sincerity could have negative backlash.  The manga is written in the traditional style of right to left, so if you are unfamiliar with the style, it might be difficult to get the hang of which order to read the panels.  All together I finished this series in about 6-7 hours or so depending on how engrossed in the volume I had gotten. 

I would recommend this manga to females who love reading magical girl series, and even males if they enjoy that genre.  I would recommend this to anyone who is just starting to read manga, it is a great series to begin with.  I give this series as a whole a 4 out of 5.  I wanted/expected more from the series, but it still a fantastic read.

Call of The Herald by Brian Rathbone

"If you wish to find yourself, you must first admit you are lost."

"Men are fickle creatures, capable of kindness and compassion yet fascinated by the basest of atrocities."

Call of the Hearld is a young adult epic fantasy that follows the life of a young farmgirl named Catrin who discovers she has magical powers.  Catrin must now learn to use her powers while trying to save the world.  It is the first book in Rathbone's Godsland series.

There is a prophecy of the coming of a herald, one who would save the world.  To some this is only legend while others take it to heart.  One day while coming home from school something mysterious happens to Catrin.  Soon she finds out she the prophesied herald and begins a quest to eliminate the evil and save the world.

Generally a good idea, and interesting story but unfortunately is not executed well.  There is so much potential in this novel, but it is clouded by excessive dialogue, cliché events, and generic characters.  Something refreshing about this novel is the female lead.  Too often the lead heroic character is male, not often do we see female assuming that role in many novels (I understand more often females are becoming stronger heroines.)  Having that in this novel was a great idea as she relies on her friends for support.  The other characters seemed to be lacking substance.

I liked the underlying plot of magic returning to the world and people being unsure of how to react to it, but as I stated it was not executed well.  The story was slow moving with a lot of background and descriptions that took away from the true beauty of the story.  Even after Catrin experiences slight magic in the beginning, it still takes awhile before she realizes she is the herald.  I understand some of the reasoning behind it, showing her torment from classmates and peers to struggling to work hard and learn new things, but it is excessive and not needed.

I would recommend this novel to those beginning the fantasy genre.  It gives all the elements that make a fantasy novel well fantasy.  It is a great book for young readers getting their feet wet in different genres and different novels. would I read another book by Mr. Rathbone? Probably, but maybe not a young adult novel.

I struggled with what kind of rating to give the story.  As I mentioned this is a great novel for those beginning in the genre and young readers, I read this as someone who has been reading fantasy for years, and probably has been spoiled with many different authors in the genre.  That being said I give this novel a 2.5 out of 5 because the story was slow to develop and felt too generic for the genre.  When I read a fantasy novel I want something that blows me away, I have been spoiled by the classics I have read in the past.