Within the Whispering Shadows Comes A Wonderful Novel

Author: D.E. Night 

Title: The Girl with the Whispering Shadow

Genre:  YA Fantasy

Source: Paperback

Rating: 4 out of 5 paws

Ivy has just saved the world from the Dark Queen and has found out she fulfills a prophecy.  She is quickly whisked away from her school to the town of Belzebuthe.  Belzebuthe is a secret town for only those with magical blood, if you don't already know where the town is you will be unable to be able to find it.  Ivy sets out on a new quest to find the second piece to the Kindred Stone while hiding from the Dark Queen. While she is supposed to be safe within Belzebuthe, something seems to be looming over her head.  She needs to find the magic within herself and more as she beigins the battle of her life.  Will she find the next stone and return the Halls of Ivy before it is too late?

This is the second book in the Crowns of Croswald series and it remains a wonderful series.  This is a series for anyone who enjoys reading whimsical fantasy.  The book picks up right where the last one left off with Ivy learning more nd strives to find the rest of the stones.  D.E Night builds a world that is so imaginitve and unique.  In this series readers see a world where learning, sketching, word usage, imagination and discovery are all important parts of magic.  D.E describes everything in way that it is easy to see the world being painted in front of you as you progress through the book.  In this series magic users (or scrivinist) use quills instead of wands and some partake in a game called Quogo where opponents do battle using quills from former scrivinist.  She has so many creative ideas that makes me want to see where night takes the series.

One thing that I love about the series is while there is a budding romance between Ivy and Fin, that is not the sole focus.  They build their friendship first, the most we've seen between the two characters has been a blush and some flirting.  It is fantastic for a young adult book to show the friendship building side of a relationship rather than jumping into a relationship.  Readers also see a character struggling with finding her place in the world, dealing with feelings of inadequacies, and how she copes with all of the things she faces with the help of her friends, her knowledge, and her own power.  Ivy is a powerful role model that I think young girls need to have.

I have refered to this a young adult novel, but I would recommend it middle grade readers as well.  I lump it as YA because Ivy is a 16 year old girl.There is so much in Ivy that readers of all ages would benefit from.  If you are looking for a good fantasy read, I would give Crowns of Croswald as a series a try.  you won't be disappointed.

WitchBorn

Title:  Witch Born
Author: Nicholas Bowing
Genre: Fantasy
Source: Library Hardback
Rating: 3 out of 5 paws

Alyce's mother is brutually burned at the stake when she was a young girl.  Witchhunters return to her home in search of Alyce, in a fit of self defense, Alyce manages to kill the hunter.  But she is captured and taken to an asylum, which she manages to escape after sometime and befriends an actor and innkeeper.  She knows she needs to find a Mr. John Dee, but she doesn't know what to expect when she finds him.  While she searches, witchhunters continue to hunt for her and Alyce manages to find herself in the company of actors who happen to be living in Queen Elizabeth I's palace.  Throughout her trials Alyce continues to wonder why her, why is she so important.  Caught in the battle between two Queens Alyce now has the fate of England on her shoulders.  Can she manage it?

I wonder why so many authors use Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary as witches in stories, granted I have only read two that utilize this, but I am sure there are more.  Let me just say this novel was nothing like what I was expecting it to be.  I expected a suspenseful novel of a young girl coming into her powers (yes there was that, but I don't think enough) trying to hide from a group of neredowells.  What we get is a young girl who sort of stumbles onto her powers I don't even remember when or how they began to manifest, but nothing extravagant.  We also have villains looking for her, but it seems all to easy that they find her basically in the second place they look.

I love love fantasy novels with witches and such, but this one seemed like a little bit of a let down for me and that makes me sad.  I was so excited to read this because it felt like a fantastic book.  I was able to predict almost everything that happened, the big "twist" towards the end was very predictable though I told myself it would be what I thought it was.  Overall it was kind of meh for me while reading.  I didn't find it super exciting or super dull.  It held pace, held my attention and had characters that could be more than what they were.  I enjoy Solomon a lot and wanted to see more from him, even maybe a little bit of magic from him too.  Like an opps kind of thing for him.

Young adult fantasy lovers I think would find this book enjoyable.  I would recommend it because even if it was the end all books for me, someone else might find it the best book they read this year.  I find myself more of a Deborah Harkness kind of witch lover.  Check it out for yourself see what you think. 

Daughter of the Pirate King

Title: Daughter of the Pirate King
Author: Tricia Levenseller
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Source: Library Hardback
Rating2.5 out of 5 stars.

Alosa's father sent her out on a secret mission, to find and steal a piece to a treasure map, one that will lead the pirate to a secret treasure trove.  In order to do so, Alosa must allow herself to be kidnapped by the pirates who hold this piece.  But the only thing standing in her way of success is the first mate: Riden.  Not only is he her captor/guard, but also devilishly handsome.  She must somehow keep him occupied while she searches the ship for what her father desires.  She has many tricks up her sleeves to accomplish her goals, no one can stop the pirate princess.

 

I was intrigued with this novel, a little unsure of what to expect from it, but it wasn't as impressed as I had hoped I would be. I felt "meh" about this book and didn't fully care if I finished the book or not. I almost didn't, but kept with it because I had started it.  It wasn't overly entertaining or thrilling.  Just....meh.  There wasn't anything that really made me excited about this book.  Alosa spent most of her time trying to seduce one of the brothers so she can search their chambers, or trying to figure out her feelings for Riden, or talking about how great she is, but she kept getting caught hmm.  There didn't seem to be much action nor did it seem like there was any urgency for Alosa to find the treasure map.

I couldn't stand the characters I wanted to like them so much but there was so much wrong with them.  Such as Riden just standing by while Alosa is assaulted and virtually abused because in his mind she was able to handle herself and situation...say what?  But then gets upset and jealous when she mentions his brother's assault, not because of the brother harming her, but because he thought she had sex with him whether it was consensual or not..there's something wrong with that there. 

There was one element that could have been interesting if it wasn't thrown into the story almost out of nowhere, like the author liked the idea but didn't know how to incorporate it into the story properly and just boom magical elements.  The tale wasn't all that streamlined and bits were just thrown about haphazardly.

I don't think I would recommend this to too many people.  It had so much potential only to fall way way short of the mark.

The Sin Eater's Daughter

Title: Sin Eater's Daughter
Author: Melinda Salisbury
Genre: Fantasy
SOurce: Library Hardback
Rating: 4 out of 5 paws

Twylla spends most of her das inside the castle, where those around her cower in fear of her touch.  She is engaged to the Prince, but hasn't seen him in years, and she isn't a member of the court, but she is goddess-embodied.  This means she has the power to kill anyone with one touch, thus making her the kingdom's executioner.  Every week she must kill traitors to the crown.  When she is given a new guard things begin to change and she discovers things about herself that make her question everything she knows.  A plot is discovered that the queen plans to destroy her enemies, but with the use of an age old legend.  Can legends be real? or are they just legends?  Can Twylla protect those she loves as well as her kingdom or will she abandon all she knows in favor of her love?

I picked this book up on the recommendation of a co-worker.  She basically told me the premise but couldn't remember the title, so I had to do a little research to find it. I am glad my library had it available.

I was drawn in on the premise of Twylla having skin or pores that were poisonous, thats something I have not seen done before and Salisbury did a good job presenting the story, characters, and setting.  I loved that she created a legend for this story and developed the tale around that, and even had other characters skeptical about it.  Thinking the rumors were stuff of fairy tales.

I loves Twylla's character as well as her guard (forgive me his name completely escapes me right now).  He was a character that gives the reader hope and then breaks your heart.  They are both relatable characters 4i enjoyed their banter and relationship.

Overall this book was very enjoyable to read it was a quick read as the story progressed very quickly. I think many young adult and fantasy readers would enjoy this story there's a lot in it that will appeal to readers. I myself look forward to reading the next book in the series.

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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Throne For Sisters

Title: A Throne For Sisters
Author: Morgan Rice
Genre:
Source: Kindle E book
Rating:3 out of 5


Sophia is 17 and her sister Kate is 15, both have lived in the orphanage since the untimely death of their parents.  The girls have an uncanny gift of not only being able to hear each other's thoughts but the thoughts of those around them.  One dreary day they manage to escape the clutches of the nuns running the orphanage.  In order to stay alive they decide to split up, Sophia plans to slip into the realm of the court and hopes to go un-noticed until she is spotted at the ball by the handsome prince, whom she falls in love with.  Kate on the other hand finds herself the apprentice to a blacksmith and enters the ranks of a militia.  Both are now on opposite sides of the society hoping to keep it a secret that they are meant to be slaves.  Each sister struggles with each choice she must make because it could either bring her more power or plunge her back into the depths of the poverty.

I am kind of on the fence about this one.  There were points of the story that really had me interested and clinging to the story, but other times I was so bored I wanted skip through them. One of the things I think I had a problem with was there was mention of the girls having a telekinetic powers but it's not used very often throughout the book. I thought it would be a bigger aspect of the story which it wasn't and that led to me feeling let down as far as the story went.

I didn't really care about the characters the seems one-dimensional and flat. For a little while the one sister who's trying to be in the Royal Court was interesting as she was trying to learn the ways and how to act this lady of the Court but then that slowly started to get boring as well now.  

Now the ending was a little interesting and set the stage for another book and it is because of the ending that makes me want to read the next book in the series. I think this novel spent a lot of time trying to build up something bigger for the next novel. It leaves some questions unanswered and introduces something that is rather interesting and I'm intrigued by where the story is going to go next for the two sisters.

Would I recommend the novel probably there were a lot of aspects of the story that was interesting and did hold my attention until the end. There were just some things that seem to have fallen flat for me while I was reading it. So pick it up give it a chance and see how you feel about it and let me know.

The Last Necromancer

Title: The Last Necromance
Author: CJ Archer
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal
Source Kindle Ebook
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 paws.


Charlie is your average 13 year old boy living on the streets.  He steals to survive until he gets caught and arrested.  Only..Charlie has some secrets, one he is actually an 18 year old girl.  Two...she can speak to and control the dead: she is a necromancer.  Her father banished her from his home when she first commanded her mother's spirit five years ago, she lived on the streets in disguise since.  When she is arrested she stirs the pot when she begs a spirit to help her escape the clutches of the other prisoners allowing her to escape jail altogether. Now There are people looking for her a mysterious doctor and Lincoln Fitzroy the head of a secret organization.  But why do these people want her and what will they do with her once they find out she is a girl and in deed the last necromancer?

I have read other books by C.J Archer, and loved the writing style enough to need to check out this novel as well.  This is the first book in a series and yes, I already bought the second book in the series.  I liked that Charlie was a little flawed in that she didn't trust anyone, was constantly denying who she was and even falling for someone older than her.  Having flawed characters make them easier to relate to, making the book more enjoyable to read.  I have read a lot of other books with the main characters having a variety of powers, but this is the first that I have read about a necromancer, and I like what Archer did with it.  Granted there was literary artistic creativity with the doctor character (I don't want to give it away).  I know some people didn't like how it was done, but I was excited once I figured out who this mysterious person was and what he wanted her for.  It is set in Victorian London and makes references to some events that have happened around the time such as the Ripper murders, which I thought was a nice touch bringing the real into the fantasy.


The story does take a while to develop to the climatic point of who the person is and finding him.  Most of the time Charlie is trapped in a manor with not much to do other than read and play cards with two other characters.  I wanted a little more from Gus and Seth, I think I liked their characters more than I like Lincoln.  There is too much we still don't know about him/felt too mysterious.  I also wasn't sure about the potential love interest between Charlie and Lincoln because of the age.  Now I know age makes no different, but it's hard to read a book of an 18 year old girl falling in love with her 30 year old kidnapper.  I actually shipped her with Seth, and would love to see that happen, something different from the normal go to of lead female falls for lead male.  Or better yet, have her not want to get mixed up with a man until she learns about her powers and how to defend herself against people out to find her.  Shake things up a bit, sure it's YA but does every girl in a YA novel need to be rescued by a man?!


There were a few things about Lincoln I was not okay with such as him "teaching" her a lesson by dropping her off in the middle of Whitechapel to fend for herself.  While she was used to being on the streets she did so under the guise of a boy, now she was all gussied up like a respectable lady and almost gets raped.  I admit I almost stopped reading right there, but low and behold Lincoln comes to her rescue and kills them man.  I find it hard to believe that is a good way to prove to someone that you would not harm them or to encourage them to help you.  And of course Charlie goes with it because she's so frazzled and see him as her knight in shining armor.


I liked the thrill of finding the doctor, but I would have liked Charlie to have been in on it a little more, or the use of her necromancy powers to be more in the story other than in the beginning and towards the end.  I wanted more from that which is why this book got the 3.5 paw rating.  There was a lot of waiting around for something to happen, but I understand the need to build a little bit of a backstory within the first book of a series. I wanted Charlie to be a stronger character, but she does come off as being weak and unable to defend herself (but then how did she survive on the streets for so long?)


It was a good enough story, kept me wanting more up til then end and made me want to buy the next book in the series, even if there are a few loop holes in the story itself.  I tried not to overthink those holes.  I am interested to see where the story takes us and what is in store for Charlie, Seth, Gus and Lincoln.  I recommend it for those who enjoy fantasy, paranormal, supernatural kind of stories.

Paper Magician

Title: Paper Magician

Author: Charlie Holmberg

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fiction

Rating:  2 out of 5 stars

Ceony is a young magician in training. She has been bonded to paper simply because there are not enough paper magicians. This is a decision she is not happy with but goes to meet with her new mentor Magician Thane. While living with him she learns the magic of paper magic and how useful it can be. One night while having dinner a blood magician enters the home and steals Thane's heart. In a desperate attempt to save him, Ceony grabs some paper, her paper dog and goes in search of Lira to defeat her and get the heart back.  But to do so she must go inside his heart and free him from himself before she can defeat the evil on the outside.  Will she succeed in time to save him?

The concept of the story is interesting enough. I even liked the idea of Ceony going INTO Thane's heart to help defeat Lira by learning about the connection between the two. What I didn't like was how the story dragged on, nor did I like how she defeated Lira. It felt anticlimactic. There is a slight romantic aspect to it with Ceony loving Thane and Thane's involvement with Lira, which part of me wonders if the story would have been more powerful if it wasn't about a lovers on opposite sides of magic (Light and dark). There is no sexual content, but the amount of graphic violence was alarming. Blood everywhere, which I guess makes sense with a blood mage.

The whole second half dragged on and I kept wishing it would get better, to pick up.  Ceony goes into the heart and walks through Thane's memories, interesting enough, but it felt more like Thane and Lira were the main characters not Ceony.  Ceony spends time in visions of Thane, but cannot interact with him or vise versa. It almost made no sense what was the point other than to show how there came to be animosity between the two characters. I didn't find myself caring about the characters because there wasn't enough development to make me care about them. The only part that made me go "Awe" was when Thane makes Ceony a paper dog to replace hers.  A dog she brings with her into battle which seemed a little odd.  I found Emery more interesting than Ceony and actually wanted more from his character than what we actually see.

There is a lot of potential with the book, a lot that could be really good with the story, but it just....it just fell flat. I almost gave up a little less than half way through but wanted to at least finish it, hoping it would get better. It did not.  I wish there was more paper magic, more paper folding.  More explanation on the power that paper folding could have had, or more of a demonstration other than within the last few chapters.


Some of the marketing I have seen for this book have compared the novel to the likes of Harry Potter.  This is FAR from what we see in the Potter universe.  It doesn't delve into mythos or legends, nor does it have a in-depth, complex character or world.  I don't even really see a strong theme of loyalty, friendship and trust.  You do find a cute young woman growing to love her magic, learning something new and stepping outside of her comfort zone. 

I have debated on whether or not I would recommend this novel to others, but just because I didn't like a story doesn't mean someone else wouldn't.  Check out the book if you like magic, young adult, a little romance.  Maybe try it from the library before buying it though.  I haven't decided if I want to venture into the second novel in the series, maybe from the library rather than buying it myself.  The rating is again a 2 out of 5 stars because it just fell flat and the strong desire to just give up on the book.


Check out some of these reviews about Paper Magician from other bloggers:


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Keepers verses Reapers

Title: Keeper Vs. Reaper
Author: Jennifer Malone Wright
Genre: Paranormal Fantasy
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars


After the death of their father, Lucy Estmond inherits the family business even though she is the youngest.  She knew she would be the one to take over watching the souls in the graveyard and keeping them from being stolen from the Reapers.  Reapers are beings that eat souls to keep their strength.  Each despise each other and Lucy continues the age old battle.  But everything changes when Lucy finds out about a prophecy of a Chosen One..  A prophecy that she fulfills of being the  keeper to bring the end of the Reapers.  During a chance encounter at her sister's bakery Lucy meets Jack.  A gorgeous man....and a Reaper.  After their meeting the two realize they now have an attraction they cannot break.  They have a need to be together, almost like breathing.  When Lucy gets kidnapped by Jack's own mother, he joins the Estmond family to save her.  Will they be able to figure out what is behind this unnatural attraction in time?  Will Lucy discover answers to all her lingering questions?





So the premise is interesting keeper and reapers battling over souls and a chosen one to bring down the end of the other.  But it is an idea that has been done many times including the idea of the chosen one being the seventh child, born on the seventh day of the seventh month.  I've seen this 7 theme in other books (the 7th son of the 7 son will be a chosen one type of thing)  Star crossed lovers, too cliché of the Romeo and Juliet ideal. I don't want to give spoilers but several times quotes from Romeo and Juliet entered my head as I was reading this.


The pacing is super slow, it takes a long time to build up and even then the climax sort of falls short of what I was expecting and the ending made me think "that's it?"  It didn't really make eager and excited to read the next book in the series.  There were too many questions left unanswered, and readers are left wondering why the characters are doing the things that they are doing.  The language in this is fowl lots of f words and other cussing.  I understand people do this and do it often, but sometimes in novels it takes away from what the author is trying to do.  It was way overused and got old after a while. 


The characters had no depth to them, you thought they would at various points, but then their story gets dropped.  Lucy totally treats Ethan like crap, Jack is a man whore who changes his ways for Lucy.  There are so many of the siblings that sometimes you lose track of who is who and some aren't even really in the book or have side moments just as a reminder, almost like "Oh hey yea there is a sister named Steph."  The prophecy doesn't even get explained more other than Lucy is the chosen one to bring an end to the reapers.  There should be more to it at least for the readers.  It didn't seem like the Estmonds were too concerned with finding out more about the prophecy to help Lucy other than caging her into the house.


If I see the second novel available on like a free ebook day I may read it to see if there are questions answered, but I don't expect myself to read the next one.  As I always this book may not have been for me, but someone else might enjoy it, so if you enjoy paranormal fantasies and the like then sure check out this novel.


If you have any recommendations for a fantasy novel you want me to review feel free to let me know in the comments!


Happy Reading!

Solomon's Ring

Title: Solomon's Ring
AUthor: Mary Jennifer Payne
Genre: YA Fantasy
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars




Jade and Jasmine are twins sisters who have finally been reunited after 5 years.  They have that special twin connection, but they are also Seers known as Daughters of Light.  Their city is being overrun by demons who are coming over through the rift, or so it seems.  While fighting a demon, Jasmine is plague with the question of why he referred to her as the chosen one.  Throughout all this she also discovers someone has stolen a powerful ring, one that could control the demons.  It has become a race against time as the Daughters of Light enter into a battle with the forces of darkness.  Will it be too late?





The idea of this book is fantastic.  I like the idea of twin sisters feeding off of each other's strengths and weaknesses, really being a team against the forces of evil rather than a guy and girl teaming up together and the inevitable romance ensues. This is one of the main reasons why I requested it from Netgalley and the publisher for an honest review, because it seemed like something out of the ordinary in the world of YA novels. The cover features the twins with a ring with the Star of David in the middle makes me interested to see what the story had to do with Judaism.




From the very beginning of the book the reader has to distinguish between speakers as it changes between the two sisters' viewpoints, while this isn't something that I mind, but the chapters seem rather short and the reader doesn't get enough time with one or the other to really feel a connection with her.  I understand the girls are to be Latinas, but the dialogue doesn't really suggest this other than a few random Spanish words entering into conversations...at random.  There could be a conversation in English and then boom one random Spanish word that makes it feel disconnected and out of place.  I honestly had a hard time connecting climate change terrorism with the acts of the demons and how that played a large role into the story, but I will admit I had a hard time finishing this book as well.


The different perspective between the sisters do not seem to sync up with each other which makes it hard to pinpoint a timeline of events for the story.  The story feels very choppy and difficult to follow.  While the cover shows a ring with the Star of David the story did not show anything related to Judaism, I am not sure if it will come up later in other books.  I don't know if I would continue reading this series because of how disjoined this novel felt.  I don't think I would recommend it either.

The Waking Land

Title: The Waking Land
Author: Callie Bates
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars


Lady Elanna is dedicated to the man she knew like a father: the King.  When the king suddenly mysteriously dies Elanna is now the prime suspect and she runs away for her own safety.  Now that she has returned to her magical homeland she must reconcile with a father she never knew and face the truth about the powers within her and her connection to the lands.  Quickly a new threat faces her and now she has to lead a rebellion against the realm she once called home.  She struggles between her loyalties, feeling devoted and connected to both.  Will she be able to come to terms with her destiny, or will she be torn apart in the process?





When I received this book from Netgalley, I was already interested based on the synopsis.  I love a good earth magic book and that is what I was expecting.  What I got was so much more.  First let me mention that cover! OMG how gorgeous is that!  It is what initially drew me into the blurb and captured my heart.  Great art work.  Now into the book:


There is so much going on in this book with different kingdoms and different characters (each with their own personalities).  I understand that might deter some people but there seemed to be too many, some of which we don't meet in this novel, maybe we will in future novels, but I don't know. Elanna was interesting at first, but the more she struggles back and forth between her emotions made it difficult to follow along with the real plot of the story. It was really hard to relate to her on a level beyond struggling within yourself.  I liked the idea of being one with nature and feeling connected to nature, but to wed the land..what does that mean? How does one actually marry the land?  And don't get me started on the sex scenes, I know this is a YA novel, but the scenes included made this 35 year old woman gasp and blush!  I couldn't believe they were included in a novel meant for young adults. 


The writing was beautifully lyrical, almost like reading poetry but it was also hard to follow and get an easy grasp on what was exactly happening, maybe because there was SO much going on.  In all honesty I don't think I could recommend this novel to others as it was difficult for myself to read it.  If Callie writes more I would consider reading it, but I hope she tones down the amount of characters/plots and make the romantic scenes not so explicit.

Heartless

All Catherine wants for her life is to open a bakery with her best friend Mary Ann. But her parents have a different plan. For her to marry the King of Hearts. Cath believed her life to be boring and without excitement. That is until the new court jester, Jest, arrives on the scene. In the middle of a grand ball before the king makes a announcement the ball is attacked by a monstrous creature known as the Jabberwock. Since that night, Cath's life is forever changed as she tries to figure out how to open her bakery, avoid the king's advances, falls in love with Jest and evades the attacks of the Jabberwock.  All she wants to do is live the life she wants, but there are obstacles in her way at every turn.  Soon fate reveals itself and Cath learns sometimes you cannot outrun fate.

As many of you know I am an avid reader of Alice in Wonderland retellings, and absolutely love anything Alice in Wonderland related, so when I seen Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles) wrote an Alice in Wonderland adaptation, of course I had to read it.  I have to say this was not what I was expecting, but I enjoyed reading it immensely.  There wasn't an "Alice" character per-say, but Catherine is a representation of the Queen of Hearts.  This novel is almost a backstory of how she became who she is and the way she is. We see some of the same beloved characters like Hatter, March Hare, Cheshire, but we also see different characters that seem to always take a backseat to some of the other characters like the Mock Turtle or the Walrus. It was interesting to see these characters in a different light than what we see in the classic tale.

I am a huge fan of Meyer's Lunar Chronicles and I came into this novel with high hopes, and this book met every one of my expectations.  I wanted to see more of Jest and Raven, and hope to see them more in the future maybe if there happens to be more novels, maybe one about the kingdom of Chess or the white kingdom.  Meyer has a certain style to her writing that paints the picture vividly, it is easy to envision everything happening from the turtle turning into the Mock Turtle or the Jabberwock attacks, even smell the delicious tarts that Cath makes.  I enjoyed the use of the Fate sisters and treacle, as well as many element from Carol's tale.  It was still very much a Meyer story, but held some of the traditional elements we would find in Alice in Wonderland.

I would highly recommend this novel for anyone who enjoys Alice in Wonderland, fairy tales, Lunar Chronicles, and young adult novels.  Even if those may not be genres/topics that are your typical go to novel, break out from the norm and check out this book.  You will not regret it.  I give this book a 4 out of 5 star rating.

Shadow magic (audiobook)

Connor was just a normal teenage boy with a father who taught ancient languages.  His world completely changes with a visit from his aunt, who happens to want to kill him.  He is transplanted into another world, Tir Na Nog,  where there is a prophecy of the son of the handed king.  There he meets another family member, his uncle, as well as his mother.  After a quick battle he is separated from his parents and he teams up with 3 other companions to find his way across Tir Na Nog to find his parents.  Everyone within the realm wants to kill him and Connor must work with his companions to find their way to their destination.  Along the way Connor discovers things about his friends as well as himself and grows stronger in the process.  Will Connor succeed in his quest and make it safely to his family?

I listened to this book as an audio book via LibriVox, and it is read by John Henahan himself.  I am not sure how I feel about audiobooks.  I tried it to see if I would enjoy them while I am at work or driving.   I found I had a hard time paying attention to the story because it quickly became background sound to the other things that I was focusing on, so I ended up listening to it when I wasn't doing something.  I enjoyed this book a great deal when I was able to finally focus on it.  The author read it while slight inflections in his voice when different characters were speaking.  That was a hard things to work through, knowing when someone was speaking and who.  When I read the dialog it is easier to understand when dialogue belongs to different people.

The story was very interesting and humorous, children in the age range (it says 7-10 but I would say 8-15) would greatly enjoy this story and get lost within.  I enjoyed the use of different Celtic folklores like imps and leprechauns.  There is a lot of action throughout the book, enough to keep readers (or listeners) interested and eager to find out what happens next.  The narration reads (flows) much like a teenager is speaking/writing which adds to the effect that the main character is in fact a teenager.  He acted and spoke the way a teen would rather than someone older than they were supposed to be.  Some of the descriptions were hilarious such as when he describes himself dismounting as resembling a giraffe on an escalator.  It was refreshing to "read" a book that had battle scenes and the sense of war, but didn't have a lot of blood or gore.  It focused more on respecting the people, plants and animals of the land, such as asking a tree for permission before picking an apple or asking a boar if it was alright to kill it.

I would recommend this book to young reads and older readers as well, it is refreshing to read something youthful and airy for a change.  I anticipate reading the other books in this trilogy, I may also listen to it on audiobook if it is available.  I give this audiobook a 4 out of 5 rating, and think I will give audiobooks another change, but I am not sure if they are for me.  We shall see...

Happy reading!

Hleo

One day while cleaning up at work, Hannah opens the dressing room door to a man in the middle of changing his clothes.  This is the awkward beginning to a journey that will change Hannah's life forever.  She is surprised to find Ethan is a new student in her school rather than a tourist.  When he consistently seems to always be present to save her from harm, Hannah begins to question his motives in her life.  When Ethan saves her from an attempt on her life she finds out how important she truly is in this life.  While Hannah tries to piece all this crazy puzzle of her past together she struggles with accepting that she is anything more than a normal high school girl looking for her adoptive parents.  Ethan struggles with discovering what makes Hannah above the other protected and why so many are hell-bent on trying to end her life.  

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Hleo from Rebecca Walker herself.  Such an honor.  It starts out as any romance novel would; girl embarasses herself in front of a hot guy (what woman hasn't done something embarrassing in front of a really hot guy??), finds out he in school with her and gets death stares from other girls when he pays her attention.  BUT then things start to diverge from romantic to science-fiction, fantasy based  to hot guy being a part of a super secret organization meant to protect special people like her.  It takes several chapters to really pick up, but the building chapters do exactly that, it builds up the story and develops the setting and characters so that readers become attached to them.  There were moments when it was hard to feel for Hannah or even Ethan because they seemed a little dense when it came to certain things. 

At times there was a lot of information dump, a lot of information thrown not just at Hannah, but at the reader as well.  I had hoped Hannah would have done a little bit more research after she found out the possible names of her parents or even after finding out about the Hleo.  But I also understand way Rebecca Walker did things the way she did and why there was a need for a lot of information at once because it would have been difficult to get a hold of what was happening if we didn't. It does keep the reader guessing at what will happen next and where the story with turn. 

Rebecca created a story that her readers rave about and demand (ok ask nicely) for more.  Fans are recommending this book left and right, and I am no different.  I do recommend this novel for young adult fantasy fans.  It will keep you guessing, wanting more and it will not disappoint.  I give Hleo a rating of 3.5 out of 5 and hope that Rebecca Walker writes more.

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.

Neverland Wars

Gwen is a typical 16 year old girl, dreaming about the boy in her algebra class and hoping he will ask her to homecoming to getting frustrated at her little sister and parents.  Then her little sister goes missing and her parents tell Gwen that Peter Pan has taken her to Neverland, and that magic is real.  She escapes to Neverland to try and bring her sister home only to find out there is a war going on between the two worlds.  Peter Pan is not the child we remember from the stories, but is now a teenager due to his constant visits to reality.  Gwen is faced with a decision of whether or not she will join Pan and his band of children in their war or hurry home to her normal teenage life

I have never been more disappointed in a book than I was with this one.  I had such high hopes for Neverland Wars.  I haven't read a "re-telling" of Peter Pan yet, so when I found this book I was eager to read it.  But when I got to the point where it discussed Peter Pan as kidnapping children and reality engaging a war with Neverland.  I am not sure what exactly I was expecting but that wasn't it.  Granted once Gwen gets to Neverland there is a lot of the Peter Pan elements like flying, child-like imagination, mermaids, the crocodile etc.  It was interesting of reality wanting to harness and utilize Neverland magic, I am not sure if it was executed properly.

It starts off setting the premise of Gwen being a teenage girl in love with the homecoming king, Jay Hoek.  I honestly thought somehow this would come back to him being somehow related to Captain Hook, but no cigar.  All of this becomes a moot point when Rosemary is taken and everyone is in an uproar, not because she is taken, but because they need to explain to Gwen now about magic and how it is being used to operate things like smartphones.  Ookay, cut the next scene where she runs off with Peter Pan to Neverland and the next large portion of the book feels like nonsense of the kids playing and having festivities.  At times Peter is borderline abusive to Gwen calling her a dumb girl and instead of standing up for herself, she takes it and agrees with him.  Like what the heck? any man calls me dumb and I will fight heaven and hell to prove him wrong.  So far were are about 70% into the story and there is still no sign of a war until suddenly a bombing attack of Molotov newspapers which is almost immediately forgotten.

Finally when there is about 10 - 15% of the story left is when things shift to Gwen going back to the reality (sans Rosemary which was her whole point of going to Neverland) and again nothing remotely close to the original plot line of a war between the worlds, but hey she finally kisses the boy of her dreams before being attacked by a shadow.  Yes a shadow....this is the part when I got completely confused and unsure of what in the world was happening.  I honestly have no idea what happens in this part, to the point where i kept asking WTF. 

The writing was good enough, I think the issue was there is a lot of build up for future novels.  Sometimes when trying to develop a series too much time is spent building up the story in the first book and I think that is what happened here.  I hope the next novel in the series (if there is one) follows the storyline better and provides more to the war between the two realities better.  Unfortunately because it came off as being so laughable, I am giving this a 2 out of 5.