The Cruel Prince

Title: The Cruel Prince
Author: Holly Black
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Source: Hardcover: Library
Rating: 4 out of 5


When Jude was a young child, her parents were murdered in front of her.  To make it worse, the man who murdered them took Jude and her two sisters with him away to the realm of the Faeries.  Ten years later Jude wants nothing more than to simply belong, to have a place in their world beyond being the ward of a warrior.  Many of the fae despise humans and will do anything to torment the girls.  In order to win a place in the Court, Jude must defy the crown prince himself.  She accepts an offer from the prince's brother, an offer that may shows Jude she is capable of incredible things including bloodshed.  When a traitor threatens the royal line, Jude places herself in the line of danger to save herself, her sisters, and the fate of the Faerie kingdom.  Will she have the strength?  Will those she trust prove to be allies or enemies?

This was a book that I was excited about being published this year and couldn't wait to get my hands on it at the library. I have read The Darkest Part of the Forest before and I loved that book, so why wouldn't I love this one right?  I thought the plot and the story line were interesting though I have read other books with the similar idea of human girl in the faerie world.  But what Holly Black does with this novel is different from other books out there.  She takes this idea and puts a new twist to it and creates something truly remarkable.


I liked that throughout the novel you don't know the true motives of various characters.  You think one person is Jude's ally and then they betray her.  Everyone has their own reasons for doing what they do and you don't pick up on it until Jude finds out.  I love that about the book, it isn't as predictable as some other novels.  When you begin this novel you are hooked from the beginning.  You are connected to Jude and feel the emotions she feels.  You begin to hate the characters she hates and love the ones she loves, though I admit I liked Madoc's new wife (I admit I forget her name), while she seemed put off by the human girls, it seemed all she wanted to truly do was protect them from the dangers of the faerie world.  I also liked the Madoc was sometimes the bad guy but sometimes the good guy too.  He seemed to have some sort of love for the girls, but didn't know how to show it or it seemed misinterpreted especially when he denies Jude the honor of fighting with his colors/flag.


I have seen Holly Black referred to as the Queen of all things Fae, and after reading two of her books revolving around the fae...I think this is a correct moniker for her.  Her books, while the revolve around the same general theme of the Faerie World, they are vastly different, though there are rumors they take place in the same world.  Interesting.  Her writing style is very lyrical and beautiful.  There isn't the normal "fluff" or unnecessary information.  Everything in her book leads to something else, everything plays off of each other and that's what makes Holly Black such an amazing writer.  She has the ability to write a story that will linger with you until you pick up another one of her books and that adds to your addiction.  I look forward to reading more books by Holly Black and definitely recommend The Cruel Prince to anyone who loves fantasy and the world of faeries.


Check out some of these reviews for The Cruel Prince


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Painted Girl: The Spirit Key

Title: Painted Girl: The Spirit Key
Author:RA Winter
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Source: Ebook
Rating: 4 out of 5 paws








All Painted Girl wants is to find her purpose in life, who she is and where does she belong.  She struggles to accept the will of her ancestors as she finds herself in a world of spirits.  Along the way she rekindles love and learns to accept her heritage for what it is and learns to become Painted Girl rather than just Sara.

My description was vague I know, I didn't want to give too much away about this novel.  If you have been with me for a while you know I have reviewed a book with the same title and same author before, Why review the same book?  The author has rewrote it and changed a few things and added a few things making it a completely different novel.  While some things are the same between the books, she did not simply copy and paste and add in new stuff, she made sure to make everything flow well together and happen naturally.


The novel opens with a heartbreaking scene that will set the stage for the events that follow in the rest of the book. It pulls the reader into the story to find out what will happen to Sara and how the spirits will effect her life.  While the book is primarily paranormal,  urban fantasy there are some romantic elements to the story which makes sense as it is about the life of Painted Girl as she discovers her place and purpose in life.  R.A. Winter paints a beautiful picture of her setting, everything is described in a way that allows the reader to envision what is happening including sounds and smells.  She creates a setting that is realistic and makes me want to be a part of it.


One of my favorite things about anything R.A writes is that she incorporates a lot of the Native American culture into her work such as everyone calling Grandfather, Grandfather even if they aren't blood related because it is a sign of respect.  It always adds a certain quality to the stories and gives Grandfather the air of reverence. Because of these elements she adds to the stories, you will walk away feeling like you learned something different even if the book is fiction/urban fantasy.  I love how Grandfather gets some things incorrect like Vizio Games instead of video games.  Makes me love him even more. I also love all the spirit elements and Sara or Grandfather speaking to the Great Spirits for one reason or another.  It goes back to my stating that R.A adds in a bit of the culture into the story, but it helps move the story along.


I am excited to see what R.A has in store for this series.  I am honored to call her a friend and look forward to what the future holds for her writing.  I will highly recommend this book to anyone regardless of your preferred genre.

Handlers of Dragons

Title: Handles of Dragons

Author: Kim Cormack

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure

Source: Ebook from author

Rating: 5 out of 5

This is the fourth book in the Children of Ankh series.  Kayn has discovered not only is she a dragon, but she is also Lexi's sister and Seth's daughter.  ALOT for her to handle at once.  She and Zach need to strengthen their bond if he is to be successful as her handler.  Things are going okay for her until Kevin gives her a flower from their childhood and she throws him off a balcony.  Then Lexi kills someone, so as punishment the two dragons and their handlers are sent on a few missions with NO contact with the rest of the clan.  The purpose is for the dragons to bond together and with their handlers.  Things tend to get a little dirty when Abaddon enter the mix along with some other creatures.  Kayn needs to learn how to control not only her dragon powers, but also her conduit and Guardian powers as well.  How is one girl supposed to handle it all?

I have been a fan of Kim Cormack's since the beginning of the series, and have yet to be disappointed with her work.  What can I say that hasn't already been said by myself or other reviewers?  This book picks up where the last one left off with Kayn discovering the truth about her lineage and her powers.  On top of needing to control her thoughts and feelings, Kayn must also learn to control new powers.  This is not a standalone novel, you do need to read the previous novels in order to understand the intricacies of the storyline.

Kim is able to weave together a tale that includes everything from dark humor to action/adventure and even a little romance.  No other author I have read has been able to bring about such humor in regards to two petite women going on a murder spree.  I love that the dragons are two women that on the outside people wouldn't assume are bad-ass, but then they single handedly kill thousands of demons and evil beings.  She also includes humor on various other things, I loved the mention of Kayn thanking someone simply because she was Canadian and that what they do, how could that not bring about a chuckle or two.

I am excited to see what Kim is going to do in the next book with the things that we have found out.  I almost wanted Kayn to get control of at least one of her powers or her unlocking something specific within Grey along with his fire ability.  It feels like there is a lot building up to something grander and more will be revealed in the next book.  I know we are nearing the end of the series as well and I hope Kim will continue to write and tell the story, maybe something from Triad or with the brothers.

If you fancy a good urban fantasy about immortal warriors this is for you.  If you fancy an action adventure with a lot of battles and fighting, this is for you.  Heck I'd say this was the book for anyone.  It's an intense novel that makes for a great read. 

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.

Patchwork

The night of prom, Renata and her friends pull the greatest of practical jokes, but the moment is lost on Renata as she reflects on rejecting her boyfriend's proposal.  After watching him throw the ring into the river, she jumps in after it.  Moments before the rive boat the student body is aboard explodes.  Renata wakes up in a patchwork world of memories taken back a few months prior, where REnata thinks she can stop this murder, only to have it happen again at a different time.  She quickly realizes someone is after her and her friends, but she cannot figure out why.  This patchwork world holds clues to help her figure out how to make the madness end,  but will she figure it out quick enough to save the people she loves?

** I received a copy of this book from Netgally in exchange for an honest review**




I was excited about this book when I read the summary, it sounded very interesting because not many authors play with the idea of a phoenix.  But I have to say I struggled to get into this novel and I am not 100% sure of why.  The writing was good, the idea was good.  I think it was more so the character of Renata.  In the beginning she comes off as not a horrible person but one that was hard to like and hard to feel compassion for even though her friends kept dying over and over again.  I would have liked to have her learn something more in the patchwork world in the beginning rather than that she was reliving memories and going back to stop someone from killing her friends and possibly her.


It takes a long time to build up and formulate into a story until it gets further into the plot, then it does pick up, so readers need to be able to get through. 


It was a decent enough read to be able to read it on a wonderful Saturday afternoon in the park or alongside the pool, but I am not sure if it would be one that has me coming back to reading it again and again.  Although other readers might.  This would be a good book for young adult readers and some adult readers as well.  There is a lot that happens in the novel with murder, betrayal, heartbreak, love and romance to magical forces.  I did like the idea of going back in time and being able to change things, or try to change things, but for Renata she remembers everything from the point at prom and no one else does which does make it interesting to see her interact with people differently and see people differently second or third times around.


Overall as stated it's an alright book, it was entertaining and interesting, it just didn't tickle my fancy in the end.  I would recommend it to other readers and hope others do find it enjoying.  As for a rating I would give it a 3 out of 5.

The Ninth Circle

Aiva has someone break into her house and steals the necklace off her neck.  The next day she collides with her sister who is missing her family necklace as well/  Tala informs Aiva that their third sister has been missing for several weeks and she needed her help to find Hartley.  Aiva has not been involved with the world of magic for years, and now she is thrown back into this world to save her younger sister from the mouth of Hell.  The clues they have lead them further and further into Dublin's criminal underground, where demons and other supernatural beings lie.  They are taken into the depths of the 9th Circle where a demon lord awaits their arrival. 


There were a few things that drew me into the book, and then a few things that kind of drew me away from it as well.  The cover and plot drew me in, but the pacing and character interaction somewhat drew me away. While there is a lot happening that moves the story along, it still feels like the plot moves slowly with things added into the story that don't pertain to the search of the missing sister such as a brothel using sirens to kidnap girls.  That felt like it could be a different story all on it's own. 


The take on the nine circles of Hell and twist on the Morrigan mythos was interesting and was one of the things that drew me into this story.  I haven't read too many books that address the Morrigan, but to get to that point seemed to drag on very slowly for me.  I can see how it would grasp the attention of other readers, it has a lot of action, suspense, thrills, but for some reason it'd didn't do it for me.  I have read other reviews linking it to shows like Supernatural and I can agree with those reviewers, but at the same time I can also see vast differences.  I don't think enough time is spend in each circle, I understand the need to get through each quickly to get to the Ninth Circle, but so more time in each would have helped keep my interest in this story.


At times the dialogue and character interaction felt forced and out of place, a little hard to believe. While the story didn't feel like a good fit for me, it could be that perfect story for someone else.  I do recommend the novel for others who enjoy the paranormal, fantasy genre.  I give this book a rating of 3 out of 5 and will return to it again in the future.


** I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.  The opinions in this review is completely my own and not encouraged or influenced by anyone else.**

Grave

In the third installment of this series, Emma and company survived those who were sent to kill them and now are trying to survive the dead and their Queen.  Emma wants to free Nathan from his torment of living a half life, both dead and alive.  But she cannot accomplish this without coming face to face with the Queen herself.  But she cannot do this alone, which she is not.  Even with the hunters and her own army of dead, will she have enough power to defeat the dead Queen.

I had the honor of reading this book from the publish through Netgalley.  As I stated before this is a great way to find new books and help publishers and authors get some honest opinions. 

I had wanted to like this book so much, but it feel short for me.  I think part of the issue is that I had not read the previous books prior to trying to read this one. So I was a little lost on what was happening.  Sometimes you can jump into the middle of a series and still understand, but other times you need to read the series from the beginning and this is one of those series. That being said I will focus on writing because I had more questions regarding the story than I should have due to my own silliness of not reading the other books beforehand.

The way the story is broken up is through character perspective rather than chapters, that made it a little more difficult to follow along and understand what is happening to which character at what time.  It did not feel very fluid for me but that could also be because I didn't read the prior novels.  The book is classified as young adult and it definitely reads that way.  It didn't feel like there was much depth to the characters, but I get the feel that this is a story where the characters grew from the beginning so the characters I got where the deepest they could get for the story, like they hit their mark if that makes sense.

I do recommend the series and I will go back and read the series from the beginning.  Once I do that I will add to this review.  For now my rating is a 3 out 5 stars, and I imagine when I read the whole series that rating will increase.

The Lost Heir by Andi O'Connor

"There is good and evil everywhere in this world...Just as there is good and evil in each of us.  They are always in a constant battle for supremacy.  Each decision we make can sway the balance in either direction...The decisions we make affect many, and it is easy to allow our greed to take control."  ~ Andrillrian

The Lost Heir is a fantasy novel the follows the journey of Darrak Hunter as he struggles for his survival and finding a way to save Earth and the realm of Dragonath.  It also follows those who desire to bring destruction to both worlds.  It is a whirlwind of a story taking readers of a journey across realms with magic.

Darrak Hunter is a studious college student, spending much of his time studying hard to accomplish his goals.  Suddenly his dreams become plagued with visions of a distant realm, one with purple clouds and purple sun.  Upon waking he discovers Earth has taken on these eerie characteristics.  Then a mysterious violet-eyed man appears in his room proclaiming he is needed in the world of Dragonath and whisks him away.  Darrak is faced with magic being a reality and himself having these powerful abilities.  Darrak is teamed with a prince, sword-smith, and a beautiful sorceress to overcome plots of betrayal, destruction, and stand against an enemy wielding powerful dark magic.

I don't have the words to begin describing how amazing this book was.  Andi O'Connor does a stupendous job with her work.  From the very beginning until the book ends the reader is a citizen of Dragonath traveling with Darrak and the others.  She takes fantasy elements and makes them her own.  She magic within her world but general sorcerers need to use a kraylock, a gem which houses their meno (magic) and something they are bound to, in order to cast a spell.  But there are legends within the story of those who don't need the kraylock nor do they need to speak the spell out loud, those are Chosens.  On top of that there is the dark magic of Halla, Dreamseeing and Dreamweaving along with healing, a type of necromancy called Vantelaith, where the caster calls upon the souls of the dead in order to help the caster to perform various acts such as healing or defensive tactics.  I am sure there are more within this realm that we have yet to see.

As the companions struggle to overcome the plots of betrayal, they all learn that things cannot be accomplished on ones own but through teamwork and cooperation.  As they group in their own strength, they also grow in strength together.  The group learn of each others strengths and weakness and how to utilize both in the mist of battle.  This novel hinges greatly on teamwork and realizing we cannot do everything on our own, sometimes we all need some help.  All the characters are phenomenal and complex. Each one deals with a hardship in one form or another, including Mionee, who is the antagonist of the story.  This story show true companionship, friendship, and what it really means to support one another.

Andi's descriptions are vivid and life like, even the purple non-moving clouds and sky.  The garden Darrak decided to go to when he first Travels to Dragonath seems beautiful like a place I would sit and read in.  The story flows beautifully together, not once did I think it was taking forever to get to the climax or think there wasn't enough descriptions.  Everything was simply perfect.

I would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys the fantasy genre.  Andi goes above and beyond what fantasy is.  She takes all the elements and creates something new with them.  Something that is her own.  Because of the unique aspect of her novel and the beauty in which she weaves her words, I give The Lost Heir a 5 out of 5.  This novel is exactly what it means to create a tale that drags readers in.  I anticipate reading her next novel: The Awakening.

If you haven't read the author interview with Andi O'Connor check it out.  We get a glimpse at what makes her novels so compelling.

** I had the honor of receiving this novel from the author for an honest review **