REVIEW: The Crown's Game Series by Evelyn Skye

Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.

And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death.

Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg. But can she kill another enchanter—even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has?

For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown’s Game is the chance of a lifetime. But his deadly opponent is a force to be reckoned with—beautiful, whip-smart, imaginative—and he can’t stop thinking about her.

And when Pasha, Nikolai’s best friend and heir to the throne, also starts to fall for the mysterious enchantress, Nikolai must defeat the girl they both love…or be killed himself.

Russia is on the brink of great change. Pasha’s coronation approaches, and Vika is now the Imperial Enchanter, but the role she once coveted may be more difficult—and dangerous—than she ever expected.

Pasha is grappling with his own problems—his legitimacy is in doubt, the girl he loves loathes him, and he believes his best friend is dead. When a challenger to the throne emerges—and with the magic in Russia growing rapidly—Pasha must do whatever it takes to keep his position and protect his kingdom.

For Nikolai, the ending of the Crown’s Game stung deeply. Although he just managed to escape death, Nikolai remains alone, a shadow hidden in a not-quite-real world of his own creation. But when he’s given a second chance at life—tied to a dark price—Nikolai must decide just how far he’s willing to go to return to the world.

With revolution on the rise, dangerous new magic rearing up, and a tsardom up for the taking, Vika, Nikolai, and Pasha must fight—or face the destruction of not only their world but also themselves. 

____________________________________________________________________

Overall, I enjoyed this duology and it is perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo's The Greisha Verse and the Six of Crows duology. There is a lovely blend of historic Russia steeped with a fantastic sense of world-building and attention to detail.  Skye adeptly incorporates fantasy with the introduction of magic.  I loved the premise that there is essentially a battle to the death game of magical wits to declare who will be the next Imperial Enchanter. 

Of course there is a love triangle, plenty of dark, revealed secrets, family sparing and political unrest.  I was admittedly surprised by Nikolai's dark turn but pleased with the narrative conclusion of The Crown's Fate.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

REVIEW: Ink, Iron and Glass by Gwendolyn Clare

*Thank you to Netgalley & MacMillan for an ARC in exchange for a review*

Expected publication: February 20, 2018

Publisher's Summary:
Can she write a world gone wrong?

A certain pen, a certain book, and a certain person can craft entirely new worlds through a branch of science called scriptology. Elsa comes from one such world that was written into creation by her mother—a noted scriptologist.

But when her home is attacked and her mother abducted, Elsa must cross into the real world and use her own scriptology gifts to find her. In an alternative 19th-century Italy, Elsa finds a secret society of pazzerellones—young people with a gift for mechanics, alchemy or scriptology—and meets Leo, a gorgeous mechanist with a smart mouth and a tragic past. She recruits the help of these fellow geniuses just as an assassin arrives on their doorstep.

Ink, Iron and Glass is a highly imaginative book in a new series. It is perfect for fans of steampunk but also those who enjoy the 'book jumper' thematic trend plus history, alternative world building and romance. Definite appeal to the right reader who likes these genres.

I was a little surprised by the ending but have a feeling there will be a lot happening for book 2. 

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

REVIEW: All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater

Publisher's Summary:

Any visitor to Bicho Raro, Colorado is likely to find a landscape of dark saints, forbidden love, scientific dreams, miracle-mad owls, estranged affections, one or two orphans, and a sky full of watchful desert stars.

At the heart of this place you will find the Soria family, who all have the ability to perform unusual miracles. And at the heart of this family are three cousins longing to change its future: Beatriz, the girl without feelings, who wants only to be free to examine her thoughts; Daniel, the Saint of Bicho Raro, who performs miracles for everyone but himself; and Joaquin, who spends his nights running a renegade radio station under the name Diablo Diablo.

They are all looking for a miracle. But the miracles of Bicho Raro are never quite what you expect.

My Thoughts:

I've been a Stiefvater fan for a long time. I had a difficult time engaging with the story and the characters. Part of this is the audiobook's fault. It was boring and in my opinion, pretty terrible. There was no 'life' to the narrative performance. 

The book's strengths remain Stiefvater's writing ability. Her attention to detail and narrative building are superb. I understand that the book has taken some criticism as she delves into writing from the POV of people of color for the first time. I did not note instances that would take offense but I would leave that as a judgement for others. What is positive is seeing more characters of diversity in YA literature at all. 

I was less enthused with the story itself. I found it a bit too cerebral to peak the interest of a wide scope of teen readers. While I always appreciate Stiefvater's ability to push young readers beyond the predictable and stereotypical books so commonly publish, this was might be too outside the box. I couldn't connect and just did not care about finishing the story at all. 

Final rating: 3 out of 5 stars (it was almost a DNF for me and my personal rating was a harsh 1 star)

REVIEW: The Book Jumper by Mechthild Glaser

Amy Lennox doesn't know quite what to expect when she and her mother pick up and leave Germany for Scotland, heading to her mother's childhood home of Lennox House on the island of Stormsay.


Amy's grandmother, Lady Mairead, insists that Amy must read while she resides at Lennox House—but not in the usual way. Amy learns that she is a book jumper, able to leap into a story and interact with the world inside. As thrilling as Amy's new power is, it also brings danger: someone is stealing from the books she visits, and that person may be after her life. Teaming up with fellow book jumper Will, Amy vows to get to the bottom of the thefts.

Being a book jumper is possibly my greatest dream. I'd love for that to be my superpower!  This thematic concept is not new but I always enjoy each author's spin on the idea.  What would it be like to hop in to Alice in Wonderland, The Jungle Book or to be buddies with Sherlock Holmes.

Good pacing and narrative development.  I'd definitely recommend this for readers who enjoyed Ink Heart, The Invisible Library or Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Highlighted Reviews, November 2017

Welcome back to the Point.

Noe Lee made an enemy of Snowden Stark when she robbed his apartment. In major trouble with some bad people after her, Noe has no one else to turn to for help. 

Stark did not expect to see the tiny, mighty homeless thief, and his first reaction is refusal. However, Stark has second thoughts, but Noe is kidnapped and tortured before he can help her.  To right his wrongs, Stark becomes invested in trying to get her back safe and sound. 

True to Crownover's past characters, both Stark and Noe have their fair share of personal demons. Stark is good with computers, but not necessarily people. While he's super sexy and a bit of a geek, he also has guilt from his past and has kept his emotions buried so he is more machine than man. But something about Noe and his guilt from refusing her brings out more of his emotions.

Noe has had her own painful past. She is a survivor, and is strong, smart, and resourceful. She is a talented techie in her own right so can appreciate Stark's skills. She is good at running and disappearing, but this time she is in way over her head. What they both learn from each other is that sometimes the only solution is to not hide any longer and to face obstacles head on.  They find strength in each other.

I loved Dignity just as I do all Crownover's book.  Excellent characters with depth, intrigue, suspense and detail plus good steamy bit!

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Saving It by Monica Murphy is a cute young adult romance about a girl helping her best friend find someone to help him lose his virginity but instead finds themselves falling for each other instead. The novel is cute and angsty if a bit predictable. 

Eden and Josh are bestie who haven't really thought about each other as anything more than friends until they do. Changing emotions set new jealousies into motion, invite drama and lead to more than one falling out before the couple can admit their feelings.

I liked the book. It was a good, quick, easy read. Appropriate for a teen reader and those transitioning toward the new adult genre.

Final rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Never challenge a cowboy to a little naughty competition… 

A flirty game of sexual truth or dare between best man, Wynton Grant, and maid of honor, Melissa Lockhart during their BFF’s wedding reception results in a steamy hookup. 

But their plans for a one and done change when a family crisis leaves Wyn shorthanded at the Grant Ranch. Experienced horsewoman Mel volunteers to help out and gets way more than she bargained for living under the same roof as the sexy rancher. Playing house has never appealed to Wyn…until now. 

James never disappoints. This is another steamy but well written and developed novella from the Blacktop Cowboys series.  I liked Mel and Wyn, although knowing so many people with diabetes, I wanted to smack Mel more than once for her secrets that could have killed her.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

In the last days before her death, Nel called her sister. Jules didn’t pick up the phone, ignoring her plea for help.

Now Nel is dead. They say she jumped. And Jules has been dragged back to the one place she hoped she had escaped for good, to care for the teenage girl her sister left behind.

But Jules is afraid. So afraid. Of her long-buried memories, of the old Mill House, of knowing that Nel would never have jumped.

And most of all she’s afraid of the water, and the place they call the Drowning Pool . . . 

BOTTOM LINE

The premise may sound intriguing but I pretty much hated this book. I couldn't engage with any of the characters.  The change in POV each chapter makes it difficult to follow and I couldn't remember the laundry list of characters and how they connected.  I didn't feel bad for any of the dearly departed.

I'm not alone. The entire book club felt the same. 

All in all, not my cup of tea and I won't plan or reading any of her other works.

Final rating: 2 out of 5 stars

The Shadow Land is an engrossing novel that spans the past and the present and unearths the dark secrets of Bulgaria, a beautiful and haunted country. 

A young American woman, Alexandra Boyd, has traveled to Sofia, Bulgaria, hoping that life abroad will salve the wounds left by the loss of her beloved brother. Soon after arriving in this elegant East European city, however, she helps an elderly couple into a taxi and realizes too late that she has accidentally kept one of their bags. Inside she finds an ornately carved wooden box engraved with a name: Stoyan Lazarov. Raising the hinged lid, she discovers that she is holding an urn filled with human ashes. 

As Alexandra sets out to locate the family and return this precious item, she will first have to uncover the secrets of a talented musician who was shattered by oppression and she will find out all too quickly that this knowledge is fraught with its own danger. 

I enjoyed this engrossing tale, especially the audiobook. It was a surprising departure to most fiction I pick up but I was a fan of Kostova's The Historian, so I thought I'd give this a try.  I'm glad I did.

The attention to detail, slow build of the narrative, complex characters and plenty of surprise revelations had more enthralled with the story.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

REVIEW: Alex & Eliza by Melissa de la Cruz

Descended from two of the oldest and most distinguished bloodlines in New York, the Schuylers are proud to be one of their fledgling country’s founding families, and even prouder still of their three daughters—Angelica, with her razor-sharp wit; Peggy, with her dazzling looks; and Eliza, whose beauty and charm rival that of both her sisters, though she’d rather be aiding the colonists’ cause than dressing up for some silly ball.

Still, she can barely contain her excitement when she hears of the arrival of one Alexander Hamilton, a mysterious, rakish young colonel and General George Washington’s right-hand man. Though Alex has arrived as the bearer of bad news for the Schuylers, he can’t believe his luck—as an orphan, and a bastard one at that—to be in such esteemed company. And when Alex and Eliza meet that fateful night, so begins an epic love story that would forever change the course of American history.

I am OBSESSED with Hamilton: The Musical. De La Cruz' novelization of Alexander and Eliza's epic love story may appeal to teen readers wanting a dramatized, historical romance but I was rather disappointed with the book.  I think I had such high expectations stemming from the musical plus other books that I've ready that I could not connect with this characterization.  It felt forced and all too flat--as if it was trying to be the next Pride and Prejudice--but let's face it there is only one Jane Austen.

Final rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Highlighted Recent Reads July 2017

A Shadowhunter’s life is bound by duty. Constrained by honor. The word of a Shadowhunter is a solemn pledge, and no vow is more sacred than the vow that binds parabatai, warrior partners—sworn to fight together, die together, but never to fall in love.

Emma Carstairs has learned that the love she shares with her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, isn’t just forbidden—it could destroy them both. She knows she should run from Julian. But how can she when the Blackthorns are threatened by enemies on all sides?

Their only hope is the Black Volume of the Dead, a spell book of terrible power. Everyone wants it. Only the Blackthorns can find it. Spurred on by a dark bargain with the Seelie Queen, Emma; her best friend, Cristina; and Mark and Julian Blackthorn journey into the Courts of Faerie, where glittering revels hide bloody danger and no promise can be trusted. Meanwhile, rising tension between Shadowhunters and Downworlders has produced the Cohort, an extremist group of Shadowhunters dedicated to registering Downworlders and “unsuitable” Nephilim. They’ll do anything in their power to expose Julian’s secrets and take the Los Angeles Institute for their own.

When Downworlders turn against the Clave, a new threat rises in the form of the Lord of Shadows—the Unseelie King, who sends his greatest warriors to slaughter those with Blackthorn blood and seize the Black Volume. As dangers close in, Julian devises a risky scheme that depends on the cooperation of an unpredictable enemy. But success may come with a price he and Emma cannot even imagine, one that will bring with it a reckoning of blood that could have repercussions for everyone and everything they hold dear.

This was a book sequel to Lady Midnight. There is a lot going on, especially with the continued development of Emma and Julian's forbidden romance, the arrival of some unexpected visitors who may or may not be allies, as well as unresolved issues with villains, the introduction of new enemies and an ending that will rock reader's world and not necessarily in a good way.

I laughed. I celebrated. I cried like a baby.  

Be prepared...

Also, the best highlight.....the audiobook is narrated by none of other than Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum James Marsters aka Spike.  He does an amazing job!

Final rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Melody is not like most people. She cannot walk or talk, but she has a photographic memory; she can remember every detail of everything she has ever experienced. She is smarter than most of the adults try to diagnose her and smarter than her classmates in her integrated classroom - the very same classmates who dismiss her as mentally challenged because she cannot tell them otherwise. But Melody refuses to be defined by cerebral palsy. And she's determined to let everyone know it - somehow.

Out of My Mind is a powerful story. I cannot recommend the audiobook enough because the voice narrative really drives home the point of the book and gives Melody a literal voice.  As someone with a physical disablity, I connected with the character and her struggles.  While I can communicate, just not move like everyone else, I relate to Melody's struggles to be 'normal' and treated just like other people.  

This is an important book for everyone to read, not just the target audience of juvenile and pre-teen readers. It is worthy of its praise.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Raymie Clarke has come to realize that everything, absolutely everything, depends on her. And she has a plan. If Raymie can win the Little Miss Central Florida Tire competition, then her father, who left town two days ago with a dental hygienist, will see Raymie's picture in the paper and (maybe) come home. To win, not only does Raymie have to do good deeds and learn how to twirl a baton; she also has to contend with the wispy, frequently fainting Louisiana Elefante, who has a show-business background, and the fiery, stubborn Beverly Tapinski, who’s determined to sabotage the contest. But as the competition approaches, loneliness, loss, and unanswerable questions draw the three girls into an unlikely friendship — and challenge each of them to come to the rescue in unexpected ways.

DiCamillo continues to write thoughtful and profound narratives focusing on relationships, friendship and finding identity despite the ups and downs life often presents. What I enjoyed about this novel was the unlikely bond developed between the girls, their adventures and the coming of age story for them all.  DeCamillo makes the historical fiction setting still engaging and accessible for contemporary readers.

I'm excited that I'll get to meet the author in October 2017 since she'll be speaking in my community and my library is organizing an event!

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

An epic Rumpelstiltskin inspired YA romance where a young bastard princess must risk her life in order to save her brother's soul. This is highly recommended for fans of Graceling, The Lunar Chronicles, and other twisted fairy tale series.

The world has turned upside down for Thad and Ari Glavan, the bastard twins of Súndraille’s king. Their mother was murdered. The royal family died mysteriously. And now Thad sits on the throne of a kingdom whose streets are suddenly overrun with violence he can’t stop.

Growing up ignored by the nobility, Ari never wanted to be a proper princess. And when Thad suddenly starts training Ari to take his place, she realizes that her brother’s ascension to the throne wasn’t fate. It was the work of a Wish Granter named Alistair Teague who tricked Thad into wishing away both the safety of his people and his soul in exchange for the crown.

So Ari recruits the help of Thad’s enigmatic new weapons master, Sebastian Vaughn, to teach her how to fight Teague. With secret ties to Teague’s criminal empire, Sebastian might just hold the key to discovering Alistair’s weaknesses, saving Ari’s brother—and herself.

But Teague is ruthless and more than ready to destroy anyone who dares stand in his way—and now he has his sights set on the princess. And if Ari can’t outwit him, she’ll lose Sebastian, her brother…and her soul.

The Wish Granter was a fun, engaging read with appeal for both male and female readers, also the story does skew toward romance, thus more fully snaring female fans. This is loosely set in the same world as Redwine's The Shadow Queen. There is ample character and plot development with good pacing. 

I highly recommend the audiobook.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

REVIEW: Soundless by Richelle Mead

For generations, sound has been absent from Fei's village. High atop a mountain, her people struggle to survive amongst the avalanche causing rocking terrain, which prevents them from building a self sustaining community.  Instead, they are essentially enslaved to a zipline which delivers meager supplies in exchange for an excess of metal (i.e. silver) found deep within the mines.  Not only are Fei's people slowly starving but extended exposure to toxins in the earth make many go blind as well as deaf.

After a startilingly prophetic dream, Fei's hearing returns and proves to be a valuable tool in aiding her people. She journies down the mountain seeking answers, her ability to sense noise a benefit while traversing dangerous terrain and people. Learning the truth is disheartening when her own people shun her and are then savagely attacked; however, Fei's vision comes to fruition when the ancient and powerful creatures of legend, the Pixiu (a winged lion), return to aid those deemed worthy.

I am a huge Richelle Mead fan starting with the Succubus series and then all the others including Dark Swan, Vampire Academy, and Bloodlines. When I first learned of Soundless' imminent publication I was thrilled. The premise sounded unique and interesting, especially since it hinted at the incorporation of Chinese mythology.  Unfortunately, the novel fell flat for a multitude of reasons:

1) Protagonist - Based on Mead's other heroines, Fei doesn't have much spark. She has good motivations but is portrayed as rather bland and boring.  I wasn't compelled to like her or follow her journey.

2) Supporting characters - these were pretty 'blah' too. There just wasn't anyone all that memorable which is surprising from this author.

3) More Pixiu please!  The creature appearance needed to happen so much earlier! This would have added a new dynamic to the story and made the plot much more interesting - HINT: think Jay Kristoff's Stormdancer! (Seriously, if you haven't read the Lotus Wars trilogy by @misterkristoff put it on your 2016 to-read list!)

4) Pacing - super slow and overall uncompelling.

Overall, for me this was just okay. I've read better and worse but I certainly expected more, especially from a standalone novel.

Final rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars.


#soundless #mythology #Chineselore #bookreview #YAlit #teen

REVIEW: Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray

Disclaimer: I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a review

Something strange is happening in New York City.  A deadly sleeping sickness is spreading, raising racial and ethnic tensions among the citizens of the city that never sleeps.  Henry has been dream walking nearly every night in search of his long lost love, Louis. On these treks he encounters Ling Chang, another dream walker.  Together they discover the root of the sickness but must band together with the other Diviners both in and out of the dreamworld to catch a killer.

Lair of Dreams follows the supernatural showdown with a ghostly serial killer from The Diviners. There is an interesting division of characters following the first book. Evie O'Neil, "America's Sweetheart Seer", has been outed as a Diviner, 'reading' objects which connect her directly with the past.  While she's a media darling, not everyone thinks so.  Evie embarks on her own adventure of sorts with Sam (still desperate to find his mother and learn the truth about Project Buffalo)--questioning her burgeoning feelings for him and her lingering ones for Jericho. 

The historical setting of this series is so well done and utterly unique based on a lot of titles published in YA fiction.  The roaring '20s was such an intriguing time, especially in NYC.  Bray incorporates the language, fashion, and culture of this era with pizzazz. I definitely recommend it for the reader who wants a supernatural story that is different and takes him/her to another time and place.

Does this novel have the same magic as book one? No.  I did not care for the pacing.  As consistent with Bray as a writer, her plots and character development are stellar. However, I felt like the whole story lagged until I got about 75 percent in.  I did not care for the character disconnect; however, I do understand that such an authorial choice is a plot point to bring our band of characters back together. Much of the twists and turns became all too predictable, but I did enjoy the last quarter of the book. Perhaps what I missed most was the  creepy vibe present in The Diviners.  When I think about that story, I still get chills.  The same feeling wasn't apparent for this book.

Final rating: 3 out of 5 stars

#review #YAlit #netgalley #lairofdreams #libbabray #ghosts #dreams #supernatural #roaring20s

REVIEW: The Book of Renfield by Tim Lucas

XANDER: Where is he? Where's the creep who turned me into his spider-eating man bitch!? I've got a flaming enema with his name on it-

BUFFY: He's gone.

XANDER: Damn it!.. You know what? I'm sick of this crap. I'm sick of being the guy who eats the insects and gets the funny syphilis! As of this moment, it's over. I'm finished being everybody's butt monkey!!

BUFFY: Check. No more butt monkey.

While my 112 classes have been reading Bram Stoker's Dracula for the dialogue sequence of our class, I have been dedicated to reading some of the contemporary novels in dialogue with Stoker's original novel. I've now finished 3 of 4 works, these being: The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova, Tim Lucas' The Book of Renfield: a gospel of Dracula and P.N. Elrod's Quincey Morris, vampire. Although both were entertaining, Lucas' work is by far the superior book.

The Book of Renfield is in essence a continuation and reflection of Stoker's tale. Keeping with the form and language of the novel, Dr. Seward narrates the tale as taking place 10 years following the defeat of Dracula. While time has passed, Seward and the others feel they cannot move on until their tale is told and published via Stoker. Seward primarily reflects on his misery both in losing Lucy to Arthur and then ultimately to Dracula as well as reviews his meetings with new Carfax Asylum patient, Mr. R.M. Renfield and how in these meetings he failed to acknowledge key information that would have drastically changed the results of Dracula's master plan.

While Dracula has become a 20th century icon and Mina a famous literary character in her own right, I, like many others, have always found Renfield a curiosity. Lucas successfully attempts to answer many of those questions about the character first introduced in Dracula. I like what Lucas' has tried to say and found the following quote from the Afterword to be extremely enlightening; (written by Seward's great-grandson) "It is crucial that we remember Dracula not as a pale romantic played by Frank Langella or Gary Oldman, as someone who dressed like a head waiter and mad women swoon by speaking to them of his eternal love. Dracula was not an Elvis rebel in a black leather duster to be longed for like a decadent dessert, but a plague upon humanity ultimately put to permanent death by my ancestor and those closest to him. Dead, yes, but the appetites that gave shape to Dracula live on: the thirst for blood and power, the need for world conquest, death and destruction, horror and apocalypse" (398).

On the other hand, Elrod's novel for me is little more than an amusing trade paperback. In it, our beloved Texan, Quincey Morris, rises from the dead because of a brief "relationship" with a sexy vamp named Nora Jones while in South America. Upon his death, he rises, is mentored by Dracula (who really isn't dead), heads back to Europe, reclaims his life convincing his buddies that he really isn't the same kind of vampire as Dracula (more the kind of vamp we know in fiction and film today, not totally evil & basically the same guy - just blood thirsty, easily sunburned, & slightly immortal). It ends in a very happily ever sort of fashion (all are still friends and Quince marries Arthur's sister) but what is interesting is Elrod's villianization of Van Helsing, who refuses to listen to reason and cannot accept any version of the truth but his own.

So, one to go: Mina by Maria Kiraly but I need a break from the story and characters first. My suggestions - If you liked Dracula, definitely read Lucas' work. I liked The Historian but it moves slow, so be patient. Skip Elrod and we'll see about Kiraly.