Tag Archives: Fantasy

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Review: The Shadow Throne by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Title: The Shadow Throne
Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen
Series: The Ascendance Trilogy
Rating: ★★★★★

The Shadow Throne is the conclusion to a fantastic series. Jaron has spent the last two novels growing from the orphan thief Sage into the king his country needs. Everything about it was wonderful. My heart was in knots the entire book, and after I finished, I had to take a few moments to catch my breath. That’s the best feeling to have after finishing a book.

War has come to Carthya. From every direction, they are under attack. If that wasn’t bad enough, Avenia has kidnapped Imogen, the girl Jaron loves. They know she is his weakness and plan on using her to bring Jaron down. Jaron knows there is no easy path to take. Every choice he makes puts him in danger, but he makes the best choices he can. His wit and quick thinking have been able to save him in the past, but he’s not sure they will be enough to save his kingdom.

I have loved Jaron’s growth across all three novels. To see him come from the hurting, combative, angry boy he was in The False Prince to the boy trying to fill a role he was never meant to play in The Runaway King and now the king trying to save his country and the people he loves. He has grown in so many ways, maturing and finding out who he is as a ruler. He learns to accept friendship and love, something he struggled with before. He sacrifices his strongest desires in order to keep his country safe. He still has his flaws, but he learns how to make them work for the greater good.

The Shadow Throne was the most heart wrenching novel for me to read. I was on the edge of my seat, chewing my fingernails. I couldn’t see how things were going to work out and I couldn’t stop reading until I knew. Nielsen always seems to write only as much as needed before surprising the characters and the readers a few paragraphs or pages later. I love this and all the little surprises I had while reading. Jaron remains a thief, even as king, in how cunning he is. His personality and wits are written on every page.

The Shadow Throne is the perfect ending to this series. It took my emotions on a roller coaster ride. I felt everything while reading this book and wasn’t prepared for it to end. But it did and I couldn’t be happier with it. This is the ending Jaron deserved and I’m so happy he got it. The Shadow Throne is a must read book of a must read series.

If you’d like to purchase The Shadow Throne, you can do so here:
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Thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic for an advanced copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Title: The Runaway King
Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen
Series: The Ascendance Trilogy
Rating: ★★★★

I have been anxious to read this book from the second I finished The False Prince. After the amazing story told in the first novel, I couldn’t wait to see what happens next for Jaron. Nielsen did not disappoint.

Jaron has just taken the throne, but his regents only know him as the reckless child always causing problems. They aren’t sure if he can lead a country. After an assassination attempt, the regents are even more convinced that the best way to keep the country safe is to appoint a steward until Jaron can lead. Jaron has a different idea about how he can save his country, one that takes him right into danger.

I’m not sure word I’d use to describe Jaron. He’s clever and smart, but not always in the perfect moment. He’s sarcastic and likes to act as though nothing gets to him. In reality, he uses his humor to keep people at a safe distance. He’s still hurt by what his family did to him, and if his only family could do that, what reason does he have to trust everyone else? He is a fascinating character and I’m so glad we have another book to spend with him.

The secondary characters are just as fantastic in this novel. They play major roles, even if they aren’t the main character. Jaron needs them; he wouldn’t be able to find success without them. Jaron might take the lead, but he’s nothing without his help.

The plot of this novel was perfect. It didn’t feel like one of those, “I have to sacrifice myself for the greater good” plots. Jaron is throwing himself to the wolves, but he’s doing it with the intention of fighting until he can’t fight anymore. And even at that point, the lowest of low, he will find a way to keep going, There’s eve a little romance thrown in there for good measure.

The Runaway King is a superb sequel that does not disappoint. It’s just as wonderful as the first. The action is there and now the stakes are even bigger. It was only Jaron’s life on the line in the first book, now the lives of those he cares about and his country are at risk. He knows what happens if he fails. Nielsen has another amazing novel and I can’t wait to see what she does in the last installment.

If you’d like to read The Runaway King, you can purchase it here:
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Review: The Taker by Alma Katsu

Title: The Taker
Author: Alma Katsu
Series: The Taker Trilogy
Rating: ★★

The Taker is not the novel I thought it would be. Sometimes that’s a good thing. Unfortunately, in this case it meant I was let down and just wanting to finish the book. I have this problem where I have to finish a book, even if I don’t enjoy it. I can’t give it an honest review if I don’t read the entire story and I always hold out a small bit of hope that things improve. Those are the only two reasons I stuck with the book until the end.

Luke is an ER doctor in a small town, working a normal night shift, when the police bring in a girl accused of killing a man. When Luke agrees to help the girl, she tells him her story, one that spans 200 years. She lived in the town when it was founded and fell in love with the son of the town’s founder, Jonathan. He’s not one to settle down and when Lanny finds herself in some trouble, she is sent to Boston. Feeling alone, confused, and betrayed, she finds Adair and falls into his lifestyle. She lives a life of excess, but when Adair finds out about Jonathan, he demands Lanny bring Jonathan to him. She’s trapped and can’t disobey him as much as she wants to. The story is told from the present day and from Lanny’s past.

Sometimes, if a story just isn’t for me I can still find enjoyment in the characters. I couldn’t in this book. Lanny was nearly a doormat, pinning for someone she knew she’d never have. She doesn’t stand up for herself and while some of that is due to the time, she just felt flat to me. Jonathan is nothing that a love interest should be. He’s manipulative and uses Lanny for his personal reasons without even considering giving her up so she can try and find a way to be happy. Adair has no redeeming qualities, as far as I’m concerned, and I really don’t think there’s any way Katsu could make me like him at all. Some of the secondary characters were interesting, but they weren’t enough to make up for everyone else.

The story itself has two personalities. Some of the beginning and some of the end were good to read, but the middle was just not for me. A lot happened that just didn’t seem to make sense in the grand scheme of the novel. It felt like it was there for shock value and not for actual plot or development. Lanny’s story could have been told without all of it.

I was really hoping The Taker would be something great. The book description was not what was in the novel. The characters are unlikeable, the plot was full of unnecessary details, and I just didn’t enjoy reading this book. I am sure this is a book that some people will like, but I am definitely not one of them. I won’t be continuing the series, either.

If you’d like to purchase The Taker, you can do so here:
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Review: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Title: Cruel Beauty
Author: Rosamund Hodge
Series: Cruel Beauty Universe
Rating: ★★★

I am confused on how to rate this. There is no denying that Hodge created a beautiful, interesting world with an interesting history. The characters are flawed, yet wonderful. The ending felt a little fast, but I still liked it. I’m not quite sure that it’s “Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast,” but it’s still a captivating read.

Nyx has known for most of her life that she would be the sacrifice. Here sister is the beloved daughter and she is the useful one kept at a distance. She knows she will be married to the Gentle Lord, the one who rules all demons. She knows she is expected to destroy him, and in the process either be trapped with his forever or die. Nyx has never felt loved or valuable to her family, something that plays an important role later in the story. She’d developed a tough skin and an even tougher heart. She knows that if she doesn’t let herself care for anyone, no one can use that against her.

Nyx fascinated me as a character. Her father has never shown her much love, instead showering her sister with affection while training Nyx to be the revenge he desires upon Ignifex. Nyx and her sister were part of a bargain their father struck with Ignifex, but it cost him his wife. As revenge, Nyx is supposed to marry and destroy him and his castle. Her father’s desire for revenge leaves no room for compassion and love for Nyx. She’s angry and hurt. She wants someone to feel for her situation. She feels like she is not a person, just a tool.

Ignifex somehow breaks her down and reveals a different side to Nyx. She suddenly has someone she wants to care for. She’s meant to destroy him, but finds common bonds that make that task difficult. The main fault I find between Ignifex and Nix is that they barely spend much time together before it becomes love. I wish the relationship had been developed a little more right from the beginning.

The world building was done well. There’s some Greek mythology mixed with the Beauty and the Beast elements. My favorite piece was the castle, though. It’s forever changing, revealing new secrets and hiding others constantly. I loved reading Nyx’s wanderings of the castle. Everything was so vividly described I could picture it all easily. The castle is its own character.

In the end, despite how I loved individual pieces of the novel, I didn’t fall head over heels in love with it. It was good, yes, but not amazing. I think the Beauty and the Beast elements will really draw people in. It’s a lovely and well-written novel, just not exactly what I thought I was getting into. Still worth a read for the imagery alone. Everything else is just an added bonus.

If Cruel Beauty sounds like your kind of novel, you can purchase it here:
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Thank you to Edelweiss and Balzer + Bray for an advanced copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: The Offering by Kimberly Derting

Title: The Offering
Author: Kimberly Derting
Series: The Pledge Trilogy
Rating: ★★★★

After reading The Pledge, I knew this series would be one that I loved. It had wonderful characters, and interesting storyline, and it was well written. Throughout the series, I have only fallen more in love. With the end of the series coming in The Offering, I knew I wasn’t ready yet. Once I read those final words, there was no going back. Sure, I can reread. But it’s never quite the same.

Charlie has done amazing things for her country. She’s brought back communications and removed the evils of Sabara from their country. She’s learned how to control Sabara’s Essence. She knows she’s doing the right things for her country, but with the eyes of everyone on her, she feels the pressure. A neighboring country has delivered a gruesome warning and the only way for her to keep war from entering her borders is to sacrifice herself. She’s not sure what will happen after she meets Queen Elena, but she knows she has to try to save her country.

Charlie finally comes into her own in this novel. She knows how to fight, but she knows how to think, too. Sure, she’s still nervous and has a few flaws, but they are what make her shine. She knows that her country cannot save a war and that one person’s life is not more valuable than another’s, but she is willing to give herself up in order to save her people. She shows true courage and I admire her for that.

Max, although not a huge presence in parts of the novel, is still as wonderful as ever. Whenever he was around, it was perfect. I could feel myself melting anytime the love he has for Charlie was shown. He’s courageous, yet vulnerable. He’s always ready to show Charlie just how much she means to him. I’m a little happy he’s not in the entire book, though. It makes the moments we see him even sweeter.

The story itself was fantastic. I’d always try to guess what was about to happen, and I’d maybe get a little piece right, but I was still shocked when things were revealed. The way Derting can throw something in that’s completely unexpected yet makes perfect sense is amazing. Her curveballs never feel like they were thrown in to make things more dramatic. They always feel like that was exactly how things were supposed to happen.

The Offering is an amazing end to a fantastic series. It has action, love, and a fantasy dystopia that’s perfect for the novel. It’s definitely a must read.

If The Offering sounds like your kind of novel, you can purchase it here:
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Review: Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi

Title: Into the Still Blue
Author: Veronica Rossi
Series: Under the Never Sky
Rating: ★★★★★

I had loved every book in this series. The world and characters Rossi created are so incredibly thought out and real that finishing this book felt like saying goodbye to friends. It was a sad feeling, but in the best possible way. After Under the Never Sky and Through the Ever Night, I had high hopes and expectations for Into the Still Blue. Rossi far exceeded everything I wanted for this book.

At the end of Through the Ever Night Perry had moved the Tides into the safety of a cave. They knew Hess and Sable had teamed up to travel to the Still Blue. They also had Cinder. Aether storms were getting worse and time was running out for everyone. Soon, the storms would destroy everything, including them. Perry brings a team together to rescue Cinder and steal enough hovers for the Tides population. The team is dysfunctional, though, and from the beginning things don’t always go to plan. The rest of the novel is filled with action, drama, romance, and everything I could have wanted.

The relationships in this book, in this series, are what make it so amazing. Of course there’s the love story between Aria and Perry. They’re just as wonderful in this book, having to go through a few rough patches before coming out stronger and better. But every relationship in the book is that way. They all have dimension and feel incredibly real. Aria and Roar have one of the best friendships I’ve read in a book. Rossi could have easily turned this into a love triangle, but she didn’t. Instead she created a friendship that I envy. They are always there for each other, and love each other, but it’s still friendship. One of the strongest I’ve ever read. Even the relationships with the more minor characters are fleshed out and wonderful.

I don’t want to go into too much about the plot. I don’t want to spoil any piece of this novel for anyone. But something I love about how Rossi writes is how she paces everything. It’s not action upon action upon action through the entire novel. Instead, she throws a lot at you, makes your heart race and your breath catch. Then she gives everyone a break, a few chapters to breathe and to recover. There’s sweetness and swoons, usually, in those breaks. The action and plot make you fall in love with the book, the pauses make you fall in love with the characters.

There were times when I was close to tears. Sometimes it was because of what was written. Other times it was because I knew I was nearing the end of the book. I’m not ready to leave the world of Aria and Perry, yet I also loved how the story ended. This is a series I will be reading over and over again. It’s nearly perfect in every way and I’m incredibly grateful to Rossi for writing it.

If Into the Still Blue sounds like your kind of novel, you can purchase it here:
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Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for an advanced copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: Wildefire by Karsten Knight

Title: Wildefire
Author: Karsten Knight
Series: The Wildefire Trilogy
Rating: ★★

I wanted to like Wildefire, I really did. A book that includes all gods and goddesses from the world’s cultures sounds like it could be amazing. Instead, the book felt disjointed and the action didn’t really start until near the end. I’m all for a thorough set-up, but the ratio of set-up to plot was off for me. The reason I kept reading, however, were the characters Knight created. They weren’t enough to save the novel though.

The book starts in the middle of a fight between Ashline and Lizzy, a girl at her school. Ashline’s sister arrives and escalates the fighting to a crazy level. From there, the story takes a while to unfold. Ashline leaves her school in favor of a private school, far away from the events of the first chapter.

Knight was able to write fantastic characters. They encompass the teen years perfectly. With each character, not only could I picture them as real, but I could see how they would have fit into my high school circle of friends. Ashline’s sarcasm won me over. She had a quick wit and a dry humor that I loved. Colt is sweet and persistent without being too much. Even Eve, the evil sister was written well. She was evil, but Knight wrote cracks into her toughness.

My main problem with the novel is how long it took to get to the things in the book description. Maybe it’s because I was expecting something else based on that description, but I found myself anxious and not in a good way. I was interested in the action of the book description. It’s quite possible that if someone had handed me the book, told me it was about a teen goddess, and sent me on my merry way, I would have enjoyed it more. I just didn’t find myself enjoying the build-up. It seemed like there was a lot going on, but it didn’t seem to move the novel forward much.

The other thing that turned me off right away was the fight in the beginning. Not that it was over a boy, things like that happen when you’re a teen girl. I was a little bothered by how violent it was even before Eve arrived and made things worse. I’m not usually bothered by violence, but something about these few opening scenes bothered me. It might be because I didn’t know the characters before being dropped into the middle of a violent fight.

Ultimately, this wasn’t the book for me. The characters were well written, but that couldn’t make up for the rest of the novel. Things took a little too long to develop and by the time the action really started, I was already taken out of the novel. I know this will be a book for some, but just not for me.

If you’d like to purchase a copy of Wildefire, you can do so here:
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Review: Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Title: Firelight
Author: Sophie Jordan
Series: The Firelight Trilogy
Rating: ★★★

I have not read many books about either dragons or the decedents of dragons. The idea interests me greatly, so when I came across Firelight I decided to give it a try. It had some issues, but overall it was a good book with an interesting backstory and plot.

Jacinda is the only fire-breathing dragon in generations. Her future has been mapped out for her from now until the end. In an act of rebellion and defiance, she flies during the day and is spotted by hunters. In her attempt to flee from them, she ends up trapped but meets Will for the first time. A series of events unfold and soon she and her mother and sister are on the run from the pride. She feels entirely out of place at the new school, until she crosses paths with Will again. For some unknown reason he both calms and excites her, putting herself, her family, and Will in danger.

Jacinda was an interesting character. She had good and bad traits, which I liked. I like when characters come across as real people. The dynamic between her and her family was really fascinated me. I think the entire family could benefit from sitting down and just hashing things out. There’s a lot of frustration and disappointment that stems from a lack of understanding from everyone. Jacinda can’t understand why her mother turned away from her draki side, why her sister can’t understand how hard it is for her living away from the pride. But on the flip side, Jacinda doesn’t try to understand their points of view very well.

There were a few issues I had with the book. I wish the dragon world was set up a bit more, maybe a little more background given or have the pride fleshed out a little. It didn’t really take away from the story; I just wish it had been included. Another issue I had was how quickly Jacinda and Will declared they were in love. It’s just difficult for me to believe that without being together for very long, love has blossomed. Maybe that’s just a personal thing with me, but I’d always rather have characters admit attraction and strong feelings instead of calling it love.

Firelight is one of the few books I’ve found that has a dragon understory and is a good read. The story is unique and has a lot of promise. I’m looking forward to reading what comes next for Jacinda and Will.

If Firelight sounds like your kind of novel, you can purchase it here:
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Review: The Madman’s Daughter by Megan Shepherd

Title: The Madman’s Daughter
Author: Megan Shepherd
Series: The Madman’s Daughter Trilogy
Rating: ★★★★

Even a day later, I’m still having trouble figuring out what to write about this book. It’s dark, twisted, and a little horrific at times. It brings up an interesting topic and works to address it. There’s a love triangle that doesn’t annoy me. This definitely isn’t a book everyone will enjoy, but I loved it.

Juliet Moreau has lived with the consequences of her father’s actions for years. He vanished in the midst of a scandal, leaving Juliet and her mother to fend for themselves. After her mother dies, Juliet goes to work as a maid. After a series of events, she travels to visit her father, living isolated on an island, accompanied by Montgomery, the son of a former servant, and Edward, a castaway. Once on the island, Juliet discovers the truth about her father’s madness and how she is connected to it.

I’m torn in my feelings about Montgomery and Edward. In Montgomery’s favor is the childhood bond he shares with Juliet. They grew up together and there’s something about childhood friends that lasts a lifetime. But he also witnessed and was a part of her father’s actions, something Juliet isn’t sure she can handle. Edward is mysterious, running away from a past he doesn’t want anyone to know. Juliet can understand that desire after seeing the madman her father has become.

I had never read H. G. Well’s The Island of Moreau, but that didn’t take anything away from the novel. It’s dark and twisted, but not overly so. Things are discussed and Juliet comes to her own conclusions, but for the most part, the evil takes place outside of the novel. We get to see the consequences instead of the actions. I figured out one of the twists and had a feeling about another, but I was so drawn in that it didn’t slow my reading at all.

The Madman’s Daughter poses interesting questions. What is it that gives someone his or her humanity? Is it simply being human? Or can it be created? Dr. Moreau is clearly a madman, conducting experiments that should never happen. Does he still hold on to his humanity because he was born a human? What about the creatures he created? They were not human to begin with, but through the doctor’s experiments, did they gain their humanity? Are they people because they have human emotions, thoughts, and morals? Or are they forever doomed to be nothing more than monsters, the product of a madman’s desires?

The Madman’s Daughter fascinated me. I couldn’t put it down from beginning to end. The content is shocking and a little grotesque, but it is still an amazing novel. I think this is definitely a must read as long as you think you can handle the twisted nature of Dr. Moreau’s work.

If you think The Madman’s Daughter sounds like your kind of novel, you can purchase it here:
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Review: Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Title: Sweet Evil
Author: Wendy Higgins
Series: The Sweet Trilogy
Rating: ★★★

Sweet Evil is a perfect title for this book, although probably not in the way Higgins intended. Parts of it are wonderful and had me pulled in, while other parts fell flat and had me scratching my head.

Anna sees and feels the emotions of people around her. Her other senses are stronger than a normal human’s should be. She’s never known why, choosing to deal with things as they come instead of look for answers. Things change suddenly after a chance encounter with Kaidan. Suddenly she wants to know more and is sucked into a world she never knew existed.

I was worried about this book in the beginning. It looked like it was headed for one of those “insta-love” teen books where without knowing each other, suddenly the two main characters are head over heels in love and everything feels a little too overblown. Thankfully, Higgins played most of the romance as major attraction, which I can believe. Unfortunately, this small saving grace came at the cost of good characters. Kaidan is a bit of a jerk and Anna needs to grow a spine.

Anna seems a little weak to me, but I’m going to give her the benefit of the doubt on this one. I’m willing to look past her weakness when to comes to fighting the evils. She’s just been thrown into an intense world where everything she knows is shaken. I am not willing to overlook her weakness when it comes to Kaidan, though. In my eyes, even if it is the most amazingly attractive man on earth, if he behaves like a jerk and treats a woman like Kaidan treats Anna, he is not worth any extra effort. I know it’s for the story, but I can’t overlook how Anna deals with Kaidan. Being rejected by a guy you barely know and who treats you horribly is not a reason to lose yourself. It’s hard for me to look past that.

The one thing that might get me to read the next book is the storyline. It’s interesting and holds promise, even if the characters didn’t really work for me. I was able to look past that and see the bones of the story and I liked them.

Sweet Evil is one of the most appropriately named novels I’ve read. I know some people will love it, but I’m a little lukewarm on it. I’ve read worse, but I’ve also read better.

If Sweet Evil sounds like your kind of novel, you can purchase it here:
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