So, I'll be honest, I haven't yet read the first book of this series, but this trailer is definitely making me want to reconsider that fact. Check it out and let me know what you think.
Lucy is the last Chantress, the only remaining girl who can sing magic into the world. Since she defeated the evil Lord Scargrave, England has changed—and not for the better. With crops failing and the people rebelling, Lucy is called urgently back to King Henry’s court. His Inner Council is convinced that making gold through alchemy will save England. But a critical element to the alchemical process has been stolen. Lucy is tasked with finding it with her magic… or else. And until she succeeds, the castle is on lockdown. Court too has changed. Scargrave's brutal Chantress-hunter has become King Henry's closest advisor. Lucy’s beloved Nat has fallen out of favor and is shunned by his colleagues; their romance means trouble for both of them. Worst of all, something goes wrong with Lucy’s magic. The palace is a labyrinth, and there’s a monster at its heart — a monster who may have the power to defeat Lucy once and for all. Quoted from Goodreads
So I realize I haven't done this on my blog for a while now, but I kept noticing a these great books for delightfully low prices on Kindle, so I figure I'd let everyone know. A few ground rules, I try and only include books that are not self published and originally came out with around a $9 or $10 price tag, so they aren't books that you can always find for this price. Now, I don't know how long they will last, but as of today, this is what they were priced. Check out my list below and hopefully you find something amazing.
Well, there you go. I haven't read all of them, but there are a few here I absolutely adore (anything by Janette Rallison, Shannon Hale, or Marissa Meyer) so if you haven't read them yet, I absolutely recommend getting them. They all link to their page on amazon, so check them out.
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.
Well, we get another YA adaption trailer! I'll be honest, I haven't actually read this book. It looks a little depressing and not really my cup of tea, but at the same time, I've heard really great things about it. Anyway, check out the trailer below, and if you've read the book, let me know what you think of this adaption. I've actually heard the second book is better (less depressing), so if you love the movie, that's always an option.
On a day that started like any other,
Mia had everything: a loving family, a gorgeous, admiring boyfriend, and a bright future full of music and full of choices. In an instant, almost all of that is taken from her. Caught between life and death, between a happy past and an unknowable future, Mia spends one critical day contemplating the only decision she has left. It is the most important decision she'll ever make. Simultaneously tragic and hopeful, this is a romantic, riveting, and ultimately uplifting story about memory, music, living, dying, loving. Quoted from Goodreads
'He's the seventh son of a seventh son. His name is Thomas J. Ward and he's my gift to the County. When he's old enough we'll send you word. Train him well. He'll be the best apprentice you've ever had and he'll also be your last.'
These were the words of Tom's Mam to the county Spook some years ago. As Tom, the Spook and their allies prepare to battle with the Fiend on a huge scale, to finally enact their revenge, it now remains to be seen whether Mam's declaration will come true. Quoted from Goodreads
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Well, five years (for me at least) and thirteen books later, the Wardstone Chronicles has finally come to an end. I've got mixed feelings about the final book in this series. Some of it I won't mention here because spoilers, spoilers, spoilers, which will make this review a bit shorter than normal because I don't want to give too much away, but you have no idea how much I want to rant. One of my biggest problems with this book as the conclusion is that it spends a good third of the book
setting up Joseph Delaney's next series! I realize it's all part of Tom's story, but I felt like this final installment and face off with the Fiend got a bit short changed because there's a new big bad coming to town that will make the Fiend look like child's play. Plus another problem comes along (again, I won't mention it because of spoilers) and Tom spends at least as much time contemplating that problem as he does the final showdown with the Fiend. I just felt like after thirteen books, what should have been the climax of the series was short changed. As for the rest, it's just what you expect from Joseph Delaney: great characters, spooky/gruesome situations, frightening battles, strange allies, spooks agains impossible odds . . . if you've come this far, you know the drill. His writing is simple yet descriptive, his characters well developed, and the situations complex. While I may have some issues, it's still a fast paced, interesting read. Basically, my advice to you is don't think of this as the last book of the series. Another one is clearly coming out (A New Darkenss, book 1 in the Starblade Chroicles, release date Sept 2, 2014) and the story will go on. Yes, there will be a few changes and a few new characters introduced, but it's still the same basic plot: Tom vs. The Dark. I'm giving this book a tentative 3.5 stars. The series is great and I've thoroughly enjoyed it, but I had some major issues with this book in particular. Still, it's nice to look forward to another dark adventure.
