Book Review: My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories

If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, made-for-TV-holiday specials, holiday episodes of your favorite sitcoms and, especially, if you love holiday anthologies, you’re going to fall in love with MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME: TWELVE HOLIDAY STORIES by twelve bestselling young adult writers, edited by international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins.  Quoted from Goodreads

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I was going to save this for Christmas, but then I figured what I really should have done is posted this a few days ago so people could actually do a 12 days to Christmas countdown.  That being said, read two the first couple of days and you'll be right back on track.

This is a wonderful little book.  Okay, at 320 pages it's not so little, but individually each of the stories is short, so my 12 days of Christmas suggestion is totally valid.  Reviewing anthologies is hard.  I'm not going to go through and rate each one, and each person will have a different favorite.  Some, like Stephanie Perkins, Laini Taylor, Ally Carter, and Kiersten White I knew I would love.  They're the reason I bought this anthology and they didn't disappoint. They are some of my favorites of the collection. The stories were unique (especially Laini Taylor's The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer) and varied, and they did exactly what I wanted them to do.  They captured the spirit of the season.

The nice thing with anthologies is you get surprises.  Of all the authors I've either never read or wasn't expecting a ton from, Rainbow Rowell and Myra McEntire's stories really stood out.  It's not that  the other stories weren't good, because a lot of them were.  (For example, I'd never heard of Kelly Link before, and now I'm totally going to check out other things she's written.) These were just the standout unexpected discoveries.

What else is great about this anthology is it's diversity, and I'm not just talking about the regular kinds of diversity such as race and religion (great job Gayle Forman, by the way) but these stories really just felt different.  I know they're holiday stories and with the lovely number 12 they really do lend themselves to a Christmas Countdown, but they don't have to.  I mean, we start off with new years and end up in a fantasy.

Basically this is a fun, cute read.  Did I love all the stories the same? Of course not.  That's the beauty of so many options. Some clearly aren't going to appeal to every reader, but I guarantee there are some you are going to love.

I'm going to give this book a strong 4 stars.  Not all the stories deserve the rating, but on some I could even go higher.  Check this book out.  It's perfect for this time of year, and even if you don't love all of them, there's a good chance that there are a few you will fall absolutely in love with.

Book Review: Unmarked

He is here . . . and he could be anyone.

Kennedy Waters lives in a world where vengeance spirits kill, ghosts keep secrets, and a demon walks among us–a demon she accidentally set free. 
Now Kennedy and the other Legion members–Alara, Priest, Lukas, and Jared–have to hunt him down. As they learn more about the history of the Legion and the Illuminati, Kennedy realizes that the greatest mystery of all does not belong to any secret order, but to her own family. With the clock ticking and the life of someone she loves hanging in the balance, Kennedy has to ask the question she fears most: what is it about her past that has left her Unmarked?  Quoted from Goodreads

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Happy Halloween!  I actually read this book at the beginning of October, but it was such a perfect, spooky book, I decided to save it for today. Warning, there are some spoilers for the first book, which you should also read if you haven't already.  What are you waiting for? This series has everything you could want in a book coming out this time of year. Ghosts. Demons.  Possession. Murder. Kidnapping. And Mystery. 

Andras, the demon freed at the end of the last book, is killing girls.  He's also possessing different people's bodies, so the Legion members never know what he looks like or where he is.  He's a delightfully creepy bad guy.  One of my favorite scenes is where he literally moves towards Kennedy, switching bodies every few steps.  Everything in the first book builds up to Andras, and he more than lives up to the hype. What can I say, I love my villains.

This book is fast paced, with plenty of action and twists. This round, we also get to learn more about Kennedy's background: her mother's secret past, the father who left her, and the aunt she never knew.  It's through Kennedy's connection to her family that we learn more about this world and the generation that came before.  We also get to see the Illuminati close up.

As for our heroes, a lot of different stuff goes down, but I love how they all pull together.  I particularly enjoyed learning a little bit more about Alara and Priest, though the real character growth goes to Kennedy and Jared.  As for Jared, he's a great love interest, and I adore where the author leaves the book, especially in regards to him.

So, should you read this book?  Yes.  Especially if you're in the mood for a spooky, paranormal series.  With enough twist and painful reveals to keep it interesting, this really is the perfect halloween book.  I'm giving it a haunting 4 stars, and eagerly await the third and final installment.

Book Review: Unraveled

Autonomous. Independent. Dangerous. They tried to control her. Now she’ll destroy them.Things have changed behind the walls of the Coventry and new threats lurk in its twisted corridors. When Adelice returns to Arras, she quickly learns that something rotten has taken hold of the world and Cormac Patton needs her to help him reestablish order. However, peace comes at a terrible price. As the Guild manipulates the citizens of Arras, Adelice discovers that she’s not alone, and she must let go of her past to fight for mankind’s future. She will have to choose between an unimaginable alliance and a deadly war that could destroy everyone she loves.  Quoted from Goodreads

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So many mixed emotions about this ending, I hardly know where to start.  Plus, I have to be vague because I don't want to give things away.  Still, some things really need to be discussed.

Let's start with the end.  I have so many, many feelings about it. Part of me think it's actually perfect.  It's the sort of thing you need to read carefully (I cannot emphasize this enough), but there's a sort of movie-esque quality to the whole thing that I loved.  That being said, part of me hated it. I wanted more---as in some sort of explanation as to why certain people did what they did without telling another key person, this other key person's reaction, what happened next, and that sort of thing.  It also glossed over someone's death, which was sad because they didn't get the send-off they deserved. Basically I wanted more, more, more.   

I was also a little disappointed I didn't get to see the final show-down with a few key characters.  I get that it's from Adelice's POV and we couldn't really change that, but there were some people I really wanted to see taken down.  In fact, more than any other book, I felt restricted by sticking to the one POV. It's not that Adelice isn't in the center of the conflict, because she is, but there's a lot more stuff going on that she doesn't know about or get to see that would have added to the story.  Still, excellent book with tons of excitement.

This book was a little heavy on Cormac (granted he's our big bad, but I would have been happy with a little less his evil and a little more what the rebellion is doing to counteract the horrible thing's he's doing).  It was also a little light on Erik, Jost, and Dante. Minor spoiler here, but we don't even get to see them until the second half of the book.  The first half was still interesting, don't get me wrong, but I was missing some of my favorite characters and I kept waiting for them to show up. Now, to counter all this, we do get to see a bunch of people from the first book again, which really brings the story around full circle.

I really don't know what else to say without giving away spoilers.  The characters were great, and everything you've come to expect and love in the series is here. All in all, this is an excellent conclusion to a wonderful trilogy.  It's such a unique world, with such an interesting concept, you really should check it out. It's definitely got its sad moments (which all good books like this should have, especially ending a series) but there's hope, which is absolutely essential.  I'm giving it a strong 4 stars.  If you're looking for a unique dystopia read, you really should check this out.

Book Review: The Infinite Sea

How do you rid the Earth of seven billion humans? Rid the humans of their humanity.

Surviving the first four waves was nearly impossible. Now Cassie Sullivan finds herself in a new world, a world in which the fundamental trust that binds us together is gone. As the 5th Wave rolls across the landscape, Cassie, Ben, and Ringer are forced to confront the Others’ ultimate goal: the extermination of the human race.
Cassie and her friends haven’t seen the depths to which the Others will sink, nor have the Others seen the heights to which humanity will rise, in the ultimate battle between life and death, hope and despair, love and hate.  Quoted from Goodreads

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I hardly know what to say about this book.  Did I enjoy it? Of course.  But it's in a hard position.  There was so much hype after the first one, that how could the second one live up to it?  Personally, I think it did a pretty good job. Did I have a few issues?  Sure.  Does it suffer a bit from second book syndrome? Yes. But it's still a well written, adventure filled book in a devastatingly tragic world.

This is a fast read.  Things happen and keep happening, breaking off at the worst possible moments so you have to keep reading or skip ahead, just to know if the characters you love survive . . . because some of them don't.

Just a heads up, the format in this book is a bit different.  The first two thirds is a nice rotation between the main characters we got in The 5th Wave, with the addition of Ringer (which, I'll be honest, kind of bugged me a bit. It's not that I didn't like her story or find it compelling because it was.  I just didn't care as much about her as I did Cassie, Ben, Sam, or Evan).  Then the last third is entirely Ringer, so while I came to care about her as a character and her story was interesting, I wanted to see more of the characters I loved so well from the first book.

Of course, loving characters is always a danger in this series.  People die.  It's sad.  It's shocking. and it tears your heart out just a little.  At the same time, there's just enough hope and mystery that you can't help but keep caring about the different characters in their struggle to survive. 

One of the things I enjoyed most was the mystery of why the aliens were destroying humanity the way they were. They talk about the dinosaurs being wiped out with one meteor, so why the different waves?  It's cruel, intended to destroy what makes people human, and I found it to be an interesting question I can't wait to explore in the next book.  

I read several reviews before reading the book, trying to gage how much I should lower my expectations, and one thing I found completely wrong was the repeated statement that there was basically no romance in this book. There is. In fact, it's the realistic, perfect amount for the situation. Sure, there's no great declarations of love or overly-detailed make-out scenes, but that would not have fit into the world that's created or the characters. 

I realize this book review is rather vague.  I just didn't want to give anything away and spoil the book for you. So, should you read this?  Absolutely---especially if you loved the first book. It's a nail-biting, heart-pounding adventure, full of betrayal, death, compassion, consequences, and promises.  I'm giving it a strong 4 stars. Now I'm forced to endure until the third book comes out, answers all the questions, and I know who survives this roller coaster.

Book Review: Illusions of Fate

“I did my best to keep you from crossing paths with this world. And I shall do my best to protect you now that you have.”Jessamin has been an outcast since she moved from her island home of Melei to the dreary country of Albion. Everything changes when she meets Finn, a gorgeous, enigmatic young lord who introduces her to the secret world of Albion’s nobility, a world that has everything Jessamin doesn’t—power, money, status…and magic. But Finn has secrets of his own, dangerous secrets that the vicious Lord Downpike will do anything to possess. Unless Jessamin, armed only with her wits and her determination, can stop him.   Quoted from Goodreads

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This very possibly my favorite Kiersten White book, and that's saying something.  I adored her Paranormalcy series and thoroughly enjoyed her Mind Game duology, but this one is better.  Maybe because it was only one book, but really I think I just loved the characters, setting, all of it.

Jessamin is a perfect main character.  She defies society's conventions, but instead of feeling forced or modern, like so many books, it works because she's foreign, and it makes a difference.  She's strong, independent, and determined to make her own choices (you can see one of the reasons the title works so well).  Because she's an outsider, we also get to see Albion through her eyes, introducing us to the country and the world of the book in an organic way.

It's not just Jessamin who is wonderful.  You can't help but love Finn, of course. He's gorgeous, smart, sweet, and mysterious.  He's the reason this story takes place, the single factor that starts everything, but the story ends with Jessamin. But the good characters don't end there.  Possibly my absolute favorite is the girl who becomes Jessamin's best friend, Eleanor.  She's bubbly, vivacious, and deceptively cunning in the best way possible.  She's one of those characters I would love to be best friends with, and she steals the spotlight whenever she enters the story.

As for the villains, they are horribly evil in the best way possible. Besides shadowing her with black birds (Hitchcock's The Birds, anyone---so creepy), he tortures Jessamin at their first meeting, threatens and attacks her friends, and constantly manipulates everything.  He's always one step ahead, brilliantly plotting war and destruction all for his own power.

As for the world, honestly, it reminded me of Victorian England with a sort of steampunk twist.  The enemy on the continent was France, and while I'm not sure exactly which colony Jessamin would have come from, it's easy to imagine. Really, it's the magic that's the world building draw to this book. Plus, the fast pace keeps the plot from ever bogging down. 

Basically, if you're looking for a wonderful stand-alone, historical fantasy type book, look no further.  This is a fun, romantic, action packed adventure I would recommend to just about everyone. It's a strong 4 stars for me, and honestly, I'm hoping Kiersten White decides to write more in this world . . . maybe a spin-off story from Eleanor's POV?  I'm keeping my finger's crossed.

Book Review: Trial by Fire

This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying experiences that others in her hometown of Salem take for granted, which is why she is determined to enjoy her first high school party with her best friend and longtime crush, Tristan. But after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class, Lily wishes she could just disappear.

Suddenly, Lily is in a different Salem—one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruelest of them all is Lillian . . . Lily's other self in this alternate universe.
What makes Lily weak at home is what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. In this confusing world, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can't hope to shoulder alone and a love she never expected.   Quoted from Goodreads

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If you're looking for an original, unique book, look no further.  Trial by fire doesn't sound all that different from a lot of other books out there, but the world building is so unique, especially when you start off with the whole Salem witch thing (which has been done a lot) and see exactly where you end up and all the well thought out changes and adaptions of fairly common historical practices. I loved it.

First, world building. Honestly, like I said before, I love how absolutely unique the world building is.  I mean, we have witches and alternate worlds, which have all been done before, but the way she combines everything together.  How Lily becomes a crucible and how that relates to magic and the mechanics that she uses, the willstones, the burnings, etc. It was combined together in such a perfectly creative way, that I absolutely loved what Josephine Angelini did with the mythology.

The characters are also pretty great.  Lily, herself has to grow a lot, but I love who she becomes by the end.  She starts off as someone who physically can't do a lot, and becomes a girl who is sure of herself with the power to really make a difference. Plus, Lily is surrounded by a lot of great side characters, from Rowan, the complicated boy you can't help but fall in love with, to her sister Juliet, who loves Lily in each and every world.  Each character has depth and personality, and it's fun to see the different people in the different worlds.

As for action, this book is full of it, from monster attacks to mistrust, kidnappings to secret meetings, it's all there.  It really is one of those books you can't put down because there's almost never a good place.  Even when the action does pause a bit, it's filled with magic and more world building. 

Really, my only complaint for the book is how easily Lily does everything.  I understand that she's powerful, and sometimes she has problems with the simple stuff, but she gets the big stuff a little too quickly for my taste.  We are told over and over again that she is being introduced to magic that most crucibles never achieve, and she masters it on her first try.  I get the book really isn't about her learning magic, it's more about facing off with her alternate self, Lillian, and fighting for what she believes, but I wish she would have failed a few more times instead of mastering what no one else can every time.  I'm not disparaging Lily's character---I thought she was developed beautifully---just how easily everything came to her.  I wanted a bit more struggle. 

Despite that one small problem, this book is amazing.  I adore the world building, the way we start with things like burning witches, and how it is morphed into this complete, amazing mythology.  I love the characters and the adventures Lily is thrust into.  For me, this book is a strong 4 stars.  It's fun, unique, and fascinating.  The ending is a bit abrupt, but we have too more books to go, and I can't wait.

Saturday Shorts: The Staff of Serapis

In this adventure, Annabeth encounters more oddities in the subway than usual, including a two-headed monster and a younger blond girl who reminds her a little of herself. This is the story fans have asked for, in which Annabeth Chase teams up with Sadie Kane. The demigod daughter of Athena and the young magician from Brooklyn House take on a larger-than-life foe from the ancient world. Perhaps even more disturbing than the power-hungry god they encounter is the revelation that he is being controlled by someone—someone all too familiar to Sadie.    Quoted from Goodreads

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I'm so thoroughly enjoying this crossover series.  I mean, what isn't there to love.  We get our favorite characters from two Rick Riordan series thrown together.  We get the clash of mythology and magic, new threats, and another fun adventure.

Let's be honest, these novellas are for the fans. While they are a fun adventure in and of themselves, they're designed to be read by people who have read both the Percy Jackson books (at least the first series) and the Kane Chronicles.  If you haven't, this is still a fun adventure, but you're missing about half of what makes it so great.  

I loved seeing Percy and Carter work together in The Son of Sobek, so I was thrilled when I saw we get our own Annabeth and Sadie adventure.  The Staff of Serapis didn't disappoint.  I enjoyed seeing the two mythologies combined and the way Annabeth and Sadie relate to each other. It highlights how different the two characters are and their magic/mythology systems.

The adventure is, as always, quirky and fun, hinting at one more crossover book, at least. This series also helps tie up one small loose end from the Kane Chronicles, so you can tell the author's been planning this for a while.  All in all, I'm giving this book a strong 4 stars.  It's fun, full of adventure, and an excellent chance to see some of your favorite characters in new and different situations.  So, if you've read at least one of Rick Riordan's series, you really need to pick this up.  

Book Review: Ruin and Rising

The capital has fallen. The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.  Quoted from Goodreads

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This was the perfect end to a unique series.  If you haven't read the first two books, this may contain minor spoilers, but I'll try to keep them to a minimum.  Plus, if you haven't read this series, now is the perfect time.  It's complete.  Over. Finished. No more pesky waiting for the next book to come out. Really, if you're looking for a new series, you should check this out.

Okay, enough with the whole read this series propaganda.  To be honest, when I started this book, I wasn't sure I liked it all that much.  The beginning is slow and a bit uncomfortable.  Alina's trapped by the Apparat, and while I love multiple villains, especially those who aren't completely evil but shaded with gray, I didn't much care for her time in the caves.  Alina feels horrible, and it sort of put me off the book---just a smidgen.  But if you push past the first few chapters, we get back to the adventure of the previous books.  

This book is full of some great adventures, surprising twists, and fun reveals. Characters die.  We get betrayal. We even get some well deserved justice for a minor character I hated but sort of forgot between this book and the last.  Alina and Mal grow up a lot, and their relationship really reflects this instead of annoying me like it did in the second book.  

As for the Darkling and Nikolai (because everyone knows they are at least half the reason anyone reads these books), they were absolutely perfect.  I do wish they both had a little more page time, but I loved them every time we see them.  The Darkling is delightful because he's such a sympathetic bad guy.  You constantly want him to be redeemed. As for Nikolai, what can I say?  He's amazing.  I love his dedication to his country, Alina, and even the brief scene with his parents. 

As far as relationships go, I'm happy with who Alina got with. Of the three guys (yes, there are still three different men vying for Alina's affection) he wasn't my favorite, but he was probably the most perfect for her.  I won't say any more because of spoilers, but even if she didn't choose the guy I personally liked the best, I still like her choice.

The ending is bitter sweet, and I have really mixed feelings about it.  Part of me wanted the book to go another way, but part of me liked the way things ended up. Part of me liked all the sacrifice (what can I say? I'm a sucker for noble sacrifices) but part of me thought there should have been more.  Still, I really appreciate the story the author told.

All in all, if you're looking for a new fantasy series (maybe one with a Russian feel) you need to check this out.  I'm giving it a fantastic 4 stars, and I can't wait to see what the Leigh Bardugo writes next. 

Book Review: City of Heavenly Fire

ΕRCHOMAI, SEBASTIAN HAD SAID. 

I am coming.
Darkness returns to the Shadowhunter world. As their society falls apart around them, Clary, Jace, Simon and their friends must band together to fight the greatest evil the Nephilim have ever faced: Clary’s own brother. Nothing in the world can defeat him — must they journey to another world to find the chance?  Quoted from Goodreads

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I'll be honest, I had some issues with the way The Clockwork Princess ended (mostly good, but a few things that really bugged me) so I was a little nervous going into this book to see if it was even worth reading books 4, 5, and 6 of the series when I enjoyed the way book 3 ended so much, and I did end up liking it.  I felt like this book sort of brought the series back up to where it was in the first three.  We get a lot more action and a lot less angst (of course there is some angst.  This is a Cassandra Clare book, after all).  

So what made this book stand out from all the others so far?  First: Jace and Clary's relationship.  Everything is just so much better here.  Yes, (and warning, there are some spoilers for the last book if you haven't read it, so be careful) they can't touch each other for a good portion of it, but their relationship is solid.  The indecision and doubt that we get in the five previous books is gone, so while they still have problems, they work together much better as a team.

Second: Action.  This book has an amazing prologue that completely sucks you into the story and never lets up.  We get deception, murders, war, kidnappings, and as evil a villain as you could desire, all of which leads up to a climactic ending.  I'll be honest, I was expecting more deaths (don't worry, we do get a few) and destruction, but I felt like it was still an satisfying conclusion, and enough bad things happened you never knew who exactly was safe.

Third, Cameos and the Clave. There are a lot of really fun cameos from the Infernal Devices (Tessa and Clary have a fun little conversation), so the books tie in well together. As for the Clave, I love that they're supposed to be good but  kind of evil at the same time.  It lets you totally see why Valentine was able to gather so many followers against them.  At one point, I was ready to overthrow them myself, which leads into my next point.

Warning. If you're thinking maybe I'll just finish up this book then take a little break from Cassandra Clare's novels for awhile, think again.  This book totally sets up her next series.  The prologue is all Emma Carstairs.  We periodically get chapters from her POV throughout the book, and there's even a pretty emotional cliffhanger ending for her part of the story.  Aaaaaaaaaaaah!  

As far as Clary, Jace, Simon, Sebastian, Isabelle, Alec, Magnus, Jocelyn, Luke, Maia, etc. goes, this is a pretty good ending (I'm not saying they all live, I'm just trying to give you all the people who get a POV in the story).  Things aren't perfect, and I'm betting they'll make small appearances in in the next series, but it ends really well.

So are these last three books worth it?  I'd say yes.  It's another fun adventure full of the characters you know and love.  It also ties into the ginormous universe Clare seems to be building, and it's fun to get all these connections. I'm giving it a strong 4 stars, with potential to being bumped up half a star later depending on how I feel in six months.  And I will be reading Lady Midnight when it comes out next year.  With the introduction to fiery, little Emma and all her problems, it would be impossible not to.

Book Review: Missing Lily

“You don’t know who I am,” I whispered. He didn’t move—either away from me, or closer—and after an interminable moment, I stepped back and hurried out of the house.

He didn’t follow me as I fled into the night.

Lylin is not used to being alone—much less alone, hurt, and lost. So when she is separated from her guard and forced to abandon her horse, she counts herself lucky to stumble upon a manor house. Still frightened by those who chased her into the night, she keeps her identity a secret, calling herself Lily as she accepts the help of kind servants and the compassion of Lord Fallon. When they fall into an easy friendship, she wonders if her secrecy was too hasty. However, as she gets to know the manor and its residents, Lylin discovers that she’s not the only one hiding secrets, and it may be a very good thing that her host doesn’t know her true identity as a member of the royal family.  Quoted from Goodreads

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If you've read Edenbrooke and Blackmoore and wish the author would put out something else or you have discovered Just Ella and are dying for another installment or if you're just in the mood for a fun, clean romance, may I suggest Missing Lily.

This is, simply, a quick, fun, delightful book.  It's one of those you read when you want to curl up on the couch with a blanket or maybe soak up some sun on the beach and fall in love.  Between the cute moments, the author actually explores some interesting issues, such as staying true to who you are vs. pretending to be someone you aren't in order to impress a boy, personal happiness vs. duty to your family and country, and falling in love/staying in a relationship with someone you know is bad/wrong for you.

Despite all that, if you're reading this book, you're here for the romance, and it is adorable.  Some of the twists are pretty predictable, but I loved the way the characters handled the obstacles thrown in their path. Both of them consciously tried to do the right thing from the beginning even though it wasn't always easy.  Lily/Lylin and Lord Rhys Fallon are both strong characters, and I enjoyed watching their relationship grow and develop over the course of the book.

Probably my favorite aspect of the book, though (and yes, this is part of the romance) are the letters Lily and Rhys write to each other and never intend to send.  Even though there were ample reasons they shouldn't write each other, I love how it recognized that each found a person in the other that they trusted their whole selves with and were willing to share their deepest thoughts and feelings. It helped move the plot along even when they weren't together (and explains the picture on the cover).

This is a stand-alone book, but it is better if you've read Just Ella (which, in my opinion still might be the better of the two, but they're both very cute).  Not only do we get to see Ella and Gavin again and how their life is going, but you can tell Ella's had a big influence on Lily and the way she sees the world.  All in all, if you're looking for a light, sweet romance, you really should pick this up.  I'm giving it a strong 4 stars (which is kind of hard for me on pure romance books), and I can't wait to see what the author comes out with next.

Book Review: Of Neptune

Emma and Galen’s kingdom and their love is threatened by long-lost Syrena in the brilliant conclusion to Anna Banks bestselling trilogy.

Emma, half human and half Syrena, and her Syrena love, Galen, need time together alone. Away from the kingdoms of Poseidon and Triton. Emma’s grandfather, the Poseidon king, suggests the two visit a small town called Neptune.
Neptune is home to both Syrena and Half-Breeds alike. But Emma and Galen didn’t sign up to be peacemakers between the ocean and the land-dwelling, freshwater Syrena. They didn’t bargain for meeting a charming Half-Breed named Reed, who can barely disguise his feelings for Emma. And they especially didn’t expect to find themselves in the middle of a power struggle that threatens not only their love but their ocean kingdoms.  Quoted from Goodreads

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I went into this book completely blind---again the case of not reading the blurb, but I figured, what's the point?  I already read and liked the first two, so of course I was going to read the third one.  The interesting thing about this series is that it easily could have ended at book two. I had no idea where this book was going in this third installment.  Basically Galen and Emma had everything they wanted, so what was next?

I actually loved this format because it made the second book VERY relevant to the series instead of a placeholder like so many middle books.  Plus, it left this third one open to a new (sort of) adventure.  Don't get me wrong, everything is still connected to the first two books, but we get new places, new people, and it doesn't matter that I read the second book a year before because half of this book is new stuff anyway.

This actually was a delightful little adventure. It didn't feel quite as earth-shattering as the end of book two but it was much more personal and in Emma and Galen's scope. The town of Neptune was a perfect blend of welcoming small town with secret, sinister undertones, so you never quite knew who to trust.  Plus, Galen and Emma saw everything differently, so each brought their own viewpoint and suspicion to what and who they should believe.  Emma and Galen also spend a good portion of the book apart. While I'm generally not a bit fan of this, I loved it here.  We've already established them as a couple, so the romance didn't have a lot of suspense left, but the creepy factor of the town certainly did. Separating them, contrasting Galen's experiences with Emma's, made for a much more exciting story.

As for the love triangle? Meh.  Honestly, it wasn't really much of a factor. It's not like you don't know what's going to happen there from the beginning. Mostly I was just worried Emma would do something stupid (which she occasionally did, but so did Galen), resulting in drama and taking away from the book's more exciting and mysterious plot lines.  I think the whole plot line was more designed to create problems (really, the purpose of all love triangles) and to show that Emma had options before committing to Galen.

So if you've read the first two books and enjoyed them but didn't know how you felt about reading this one because the ending of the second one was so perfect, I would absolutely pick it up.  I'm bumping it up to a surprised 4 stars.  I sort of had low expectations, and this totally exceeded them.  Mermaid books are hard, and while this one is a far cry from perfect, this series is probably the best I've read so far.

Saturday Shorts: Gilded Ashes

Orphan Maia doesn't see the point of love when it only brings pain: Her dying mother made a bargain with the evil, all-powerful ruler of their world that anyone who hurt her beloved daughter would be punished; her new stepmother went mad with grief when Maia's father died; and her stepsisters are desperate for their mother's approval, yet she always spurns them. And though her family has turned her into a despised servant, Maia must always pretend to be happy, or else they'll all be struck dead by the curse.

Anax, heir to the Duke of Sardis, doesn't believe in love either—not since he discovered that his childhood sweetheart was only using him for his noble title. What's the point of pretending to fall in love with a girl just so she'll pretend to fall in love with him back? But when his father invites all the suitable girls in the kingdom to a masked ball, Anax must finally give in and select a wife.

As fate would have it, the preparations for the masquerade bring him Maia, who was asked by her eldest stepsister to deliver letters to Anax. Despite a prickly first encounter, he is charmed and intrigued by this mysterious girl who doesn't believe in love. Anax can't help wishing to see her again—and when he does, he can't help falling in love with her. Against her will, Maia starts to fall in love with him too. But how can she be with him when every moment his life is in danger from her mother's deadly bargain?  Quoted from Goodreads

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I loved Rosamund Hodge's Cruel Beauty, so Gilded Ashes was one of my most anticipated books---well, novella---this month, and it didn't disappoint. 

I think one of the things I loved most was how this world and mythology Rosamund Hodge's developed with Cruel Beauty adapts so well to the Cinderella story. I'll be honest, I don't think anyone could do a better job than Gail Carson Levine's Ella Enchanted, but Gilded Ashes is such a completely different take, you can't even begin to compare the two.  It's darker, but there's still the foundation between Maia and Anax before the pivotal ball and a good, legitimate, noble reason Maia puts up with with her step-mother's cruelty while still being a strong character---both of which I think are essential to any good Cinderella adaption.

As for the writing and world building, it's excellent. It probably makes a little bit more sense if you have read Cruel Beauty, but since the story is completely separate, I think you could get away with reading this book first, especially since it takes place first.  Another thing I absolutely adored about this retelling is that it didn't shy away from the more gruesome aspects of Cinderella's story.  While her step-sister's fate isn't exactly the same (you know with the slicing off off the one girls' heals and toes and being blinded by birds) and their motivation for going along with the step-mother's demands is different, bad things still happen.

If you're looking for an amazing adaption of a classic fairy tale, you need to read this book. Or, if you simply want a good story, this is an excellent one to check out.  Really, my only complaint is that it's only a novella (about 111) pages, and while it doesn't need to be longer, I enjoyed it so much I wish it was.  All in all, this is a strong 4 stars for me and basically sold me on reading anything else the author decides to put out.

Book Review: Sky Raiders

Cole Randolph was just trying to have a fun time with his friends on Halloween (and maybe get to know Jenna Hunt a little better). But when a spooky haunted house turns out to be a portal to something much creepier, Cole finds himself on an adventure on a whole different level. 

After Cole sees his friends whisked away to some mysterious place underneath the haunted house, he dives in after them and ends up in The Outskirts. The Outskirts are made up of five kingdoms that lie between wakefulness and dreaming, reality and imagination, life and death. It’s an in-between place. Some people are born there. Some find their way there from our world, or from other worlds. 

And once you come to the Outskirts, it's very hard to leave. 
With the magic of the Outskirts starting to unravel, it's up to Cole and an unusual girl named Mira to rescue his friends, set things right in the Outskirts, and hopefully find his way back home before his existence is forgotten.  Quoted from Goodreads

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Ever since the Fablehaven phenomena, I've been a big Brandon Mull fan, so, of course, I had to check out his new series.  I'll admit, I was a little bit scared because I didn't feel like The Beyonders, while good, was nearly as good as Fablehaven, so I was interested to see how this book would turn out.  I was delightfully surprised. I thought maybe each series would get progressively worse, but I think I enjoyed Sky Raider's more than any book in The Beyonder's series, and if Mull holds true to form, each book in this series will get progressively more and more interesting, so I'm excited.

Brandon Mull is such a creative writer, and he proves it once more in Sky Raiders. Again we have a boy from our world sucked into a fantastical journey in a land that has different rules  and dangers than anything we face here.  Beyond that, they're different from anything I've encountered in other books as well. I love the world building.  Everything is unique, creative, and essential to the plot.

I really enjoyed all the characters.  Cole is a well crafted protagonist, and the supporting characters are just as strong. Plus, all the action has a point. We don't get a fancy, creative fight or monster for no reason. Each obstacle thrown in the characters path reveals something about them or affects them later on. It's also rather refreshing to read some middle grade and get away from the YA angst once in a while. Sure, Cole likes Jenna. There are several other crushes in the book as well, but that is not one of the top ten driving forces propelling our characters in their decisions.  

As for the action, it's awesome.  Like I mentioned before, we have a very creative world for our character to deal with, and it comes with it's own host of problems. Basically, this is one of those quick read books, not because it's sort (432 pages), but because you never really get a breather where you can put it down, sure that your characters are safe.

All in all this is a delightful 4 stars for me.  It's a great beginning to a new series, and the best part is that book 2 comes out in October, so i don't even have to wait that pesky year to see what happens next.

Book Review: Mirk and the Midnight Hour

A Southern girl. A wounded soldier. A chilling force deep in the forest.
All collide at night’s darkest hour.

Seventeen-year-old Violet Dancey has been left at home in Mississippi with a laudanum-addicted stepmother and love-crazed stepsister while her father fights in the war—a war that has already claimed her twin brother. 

When she comes across a severely injured Union soldier lying in an abandoned lodge deep in the woods, things begin to change. Thomas is the enemy—one of the men who might have killed her own brother—and yet she's drawn to him. But Violet isn't Thomas's only visitor; someone has been tending to his wounds—keeping him alive—and it becomes chillingly clear that this care hasn't been out of compassion. 

Against the dangers of war and ominous powers of voodoo, Violet must fight to protect her home and the people she loves.

From the author of Strands of Bronze and Gold comes a haunting love story and suspenseful thriller based on the ancient fairy tale of “Tam Lin.”

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This was such a fun surprise.  Sure, I read Strands of Bronze and Gold and enjoyed it, but I liked this one so much better.  It's not so much that Jane Nickerson's writing has drastically improved her second time around---both books are written beautifully---but I liked the story so much more in The Mirk and the Midnight Hour.  

Besides some Voodoo, this  book reads more like Civil War Era historical fiction than a fantastical fairy tale retelling, which is one of the things I loved most about it. You can practically taste the atmosphere through the writing.  Plus, giving it such a strong setting and flavor makes it stand out from so many of the other retellings out there.  And the world building isn't limited to just the setting and time period.  All of the characters, even many of the minor ones are complex, multi-faceted people with their own strengths, weaknesses and particular habits. 

Violet is an excellent main character.  The story starts off with a little bit of a Cinderella vibe (I'll admit, I had to read up on Tam Lin before I started this book, just so I could recognize it's influence on the story), where Violet's father marries and then immediately goes to War, leaving Violet with her new step-mother and vain step-sister Sunny, but that's as far as the comparison goes.  This story is really a coming of age. It deals with Violet accepting change and being forced to confront what the war is really about and how she feels about it personally.  I love the subtle changes in Violet throughout the book and especially the person she ends up being.

I'm also a big fan of the romance.  It's not as bit a part of the book as you might think from the synopsis, though it plays a significant part.  Again, this is more of a coming of age story, but still, this serves as a catalyst for a lot of Violet's growth.  I love it because we get to watch it grow slowly.  We also get Sunny's more flamboyant romance as contrast so we can see how good Violet and Thomas really are. 

The magic in this book is of the subtle variety, so we don't get to see much until the end.  Still, it's a constant presence throughout the story, and while I didn't understand it all that much, it's more because Violet didn't work with it rather than lack of world building, because what we do see was rich and complex.

All in all, this is a wonderful 4 stars for me.  If you're looking for an excellent fairy tale retelling or are a fan of historical fiction or just want to read something well written, you absolutely need to check this out. It's atmospheric and delightful and absolutely insured that I'll be impatiently waiting for Jane Nickerson's next book, A Palace of Stone and Shadow.

Book Review: Death Sworn

When Ileni lost her magic, she lost everything: her place in society, her purpose in life, and the man she had expected to spend her life with. So when the Elders sent her to be magic tutor to a secret sect of assassins, she went willingly, even though the last two tutors had died under mysterious circumstances.
But beneath the assassins’ caves, Ileni will discover a new place and a new purpose… and a new and dangerous love. She will struggle to keep her lost magic a secret while teaching it to her deadly students, and to find out what happened to the two tutors who preceded her. But what she discovers will change not only her future, but the future of her people, the assassins . . . and possibly the entire world.  Quoted from Goodreads

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First, I absolutely adore this cover.  It's hauntingly beautiful and possibly my favorite cover this year.  Second, if the cover weren't enough, I loved Leah Cypess's Mistwood, so even if the cover had been bad, this would still have been a must read for me, and it didn't disappoint.

First, Ileni is a strong main character.  Everything she wanted and worked for is taken away, and instead of complaining or wallowing in self pity, she takes an assignment that she's almost certain will kill her, all because she wants her life to mean something, even if it's not the something she spent her life working towards.  Sure, she's a little fatalistic at times, but in the beginning it makes her a little better at her job.  Plus, despite her diminishing magic, she still struggles to teach and solve the mystery of who is killing sorcerers.  She's smart, though she does make some stupid mistakes, and she never gives up, even when she doesn't seem to have anything left.

As for world building, it's a bit mixed.  The story takes place in caves.  All of it.  So while that aspect of world building is intricate, gritty, and realistic, we don't get a ton about the rest of the Empire.  This could have backfired horribly, but it works, because while the Empire is the big, ultimate threat of the story and behind all the assassin's work, it only plays a small part in this installment. With the way the next book is set up, I'm guessing it will expand that facet. 

I loved the plot.  It's a bit slow sounding on paper, half mystery, half survival/suspense---not the murders and secret missions you might expect of a book about assassins---but Leah Cypess's writing is addictive and she builds tension throughout.  I loved the absolute lack of safety the book provides.  Ileni is surrounded by killers, people who she knows has killed the two men who came before her for unknown reasons, and no one is safe.  It's not just that there is a murderer on the loose, but everyone and anyone could decide to kill her for a myriad of different reasons.  Plus, Ileni's magic is fading more and more as the book goes along, so as things get more dangerous, so does her ability to physically defend herself.  

As for the romance, I absolutely adored it. It's light, not a main plot-line, but it's sweet and awkward and fully developed.  First Ilena and Soren become friends . . . of sorts.  She lets herself trust him, even though part of her knows she shouldn't, and he's just adorable awkward when it comes to relationships with girls, which is a striking contrast to his absolutely confidence in everything else. Plus, no love triangle.  There could have been since Ilena's the only girl in a cave full of boys, but most of them pay little to no attention to that fact, which is pretty refreshing in YA.

Overall this is an excellent, suspenseful story, with fully fleshed characters and an intense setting.  The writing is beautiful, and I adore the way Ileni grows and changes over the course of the book.  I'll admit  I did guess the murderer before Ileni does, but I didn't feel she was dim witted for not getting it sooner, and I didn't really see one aspect at the end coming at all, though it was perfectly set up. If you're a fan of fantasy, you really should pick up this book.  I'm giving it a strong 4 stars and eagerly awaiting the second half of this duology.