Book Reviews

Review of Jinx by Sage Blackwood

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Jinx
By Sage Blackwood

Star Rating: 
Genre: High Fantasy/Young People/Young Adult/Children

Number of Pages: 384

Date Started: June 22, 2016
Date Finished: June 23, 2016

Synopsis: (From Amazon)jinxThe highly acclaimed first book of a fantasy adventure series set in a mysterious forest, starring a daring new hero.

“Readers will thrill to journey with Jinx” (SLJ, starred review), a wizard’s apprentice, as he sets off on a quest through the dangerous Urwald, a magical forest full of wizards and were-creatures, and discovers that it is more complex than he could imagine, and that it needs him more than he could ever guess.

This humorous and smart tween fantasy adventure is perfect for fans of Septimus Heap, The Sisters Grimm, and Fablehaven.

Supports the Common Core State Standards

Review:
This story is magical.  I am so glad that this book is the first in a series because as I got further and further along I was really worried that I wouldn’t get to continue on and learn more about Jinx’s life.  The Urwald is perfect.  Simon is the perfect differentiation from Jinx’s stepparents.  Jinx is refreshing and unique without shoving anything in your face.  The characters are gripping, the plot is intriguing, and I found myself less and less willing to set the book aside.  I definitely think this book is along the lines of Howl’s Moving Castle but this book has such unique qualities that it’s hard to compare it to anything.  The magic seen is new, refreshing, and interesting.  Everything you thought you might have known about magic and magical creatures might be right, or it might be turned on its head, depending on the person.  There are great morals, and it’s overall an amazing book.

Author Information: (From Amazon)
Sage Blackwood was born in Chicago and grew up in New York State. She graduated from Antioch College and the University at Albany, and taught ESL for many years. Her first fantasy novel, JINX, was selected as a Best Book of 2013 by Kirkus, Booklist, School Library Journal, and Amazon.

Review of Hunted: A Stepbrother Romance Novel by Olivia Long and Olivia Hawthorne

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Hunted: A Stepbrother Romance Novel
By Olivia Long and Olivia Hawthorne

Star Rating: 

Genre: Romance
Number of Pages: 196

Date Started: June 16, 2016
Date Finished: June 16, 2016

Synopsis:(From Amazon)30333481
Chloe has to watch Chase sleep his way through hundreds of women while she secretly harbors her crush on the hot ex-Marine. She could never have him, so why can’t she just move on?

Chase can run away from the truth all he wants, but when the rest of the world is telling him he can’t have the one woman he has ever truly wanted, that’s all he can think about now. He’ll break all the rules just to get what he wants.

But now he is on the run from his long time enemy, and when he learns that Chloe is also in danger, all hell breaks loose. Can he save her before it’s too late? And can he make the world accept their love?

*Filled to the brim with angst, drama, and dirty sex, so please don’t read if you’re not into hot bad boys and steamy scenes that will curl your toes and make you want to take a shower.

Review:
I briefly remember thinking there was something about this book that bothered me in the beginning… and I quickly forgot as I continued reading what is a very well done romance.  This story isn’t just a case of longing, it isn’t the taboo stuff that everyone thinks of, that they grew up as kids and then decided they wanted each other.  Chase and Chloe met when they were both in their late teens, and as such, found themselves caring a bit too much for people whose parents were dating.  Their parents were given ample page time, and helped drive the plot in their push for Chase and Chloe to spend more time together as family.

Chase’s past was well thought out, well written, and expertly tied together his absence from the family life as well as his current predicament.  Chloe’s age and inexperience also played a large part in why, as adults, they were still thrown together by their parents.

As for the romance– in the beginning, it was very good, steamy, taboo– perfect.  As the rising action got higher and higher, the intimacy continued to be juicy, but jarring, because the situation in which Chase and Chloe find themselves calls for diligence, and rolling around in the sheets is the opposite of what they should be doing.

Looking for more steamy stepbrother romance?  I found Stepbrother Dearest tantalizing, juicy, and taboo.  See my review here, and the Amazon link for the book here.

Author Bio: (From Amazon)
What Amazon tells me of Olivia Long and Olivia Thorne is that they are the same person, and that’s it.

Review of First Lord’s Fury by Jim Butcher

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First Lord’s Fury
Codex Alera Book 6
By Jim Butcher

Star Rating: 
Genre: High Fantasy

Number of Pages: 784

Date Started: May 23, 2016

Date Finished: June 15, 2016

Synopsis: (From Amazon)6316821

For Gaius Octavian, life has been one long battle. Now, the end of all he fought for is close at hand. The brutal, dreaded Vord are on the march against Alera. And perhaps for the final time, Gaius Octavian and his legions must stand against the enemies of his people. And it will take all his intelligence, ingenuity, and furycraft to save their world from eternal darkness.

Review:
Despite being quite longer than the previous book, this book was what I was waiting for!  There was action, adventure!  There were twists and turns and times when you were unsure if the people you though you could trust were actually trustworthy or not!  Finally, a resolution to this whole series!  And yet…

Not impressed.  Although the ultimate confrontation was great and I enjoyed the tie ins, there was a bit left undone, and I was simply not a fan of one of the biggest sudden twists towards the middle-end of the book, and found it quite irritating that the particular event’s ability to happen had seemingly never been thought of(though Sextus has thought of it…)  I’m glad that the epilogue happened as it did, but I also found that all of it was just so… predictable.  Don’t get me wrong, I love a happy ending, but this seemed almost a bit too… ideal.

Author Information:
The Dresden Files are the first books that Jim Butcher managed to get published.  He is also the author of the Codex Alera, and a new steampunk series, Cinder spires.  He is a gamer, including tabletop, video games, as well as LARP.  He still lives in his hometown, Independence, Missouri.

For a detailed biography of Jim Butcher, and a way to purchase his books, see his Amazon page.

Review of Token of Darkness by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

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Token of Darkness
Den of Shadows
By Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Star Rating: 

Genre: YA Modern Fantasy

Number of Pages: 208

Date Started: April 16, 2016
Date Finished: April 18, 2016

Synopsis:(From Amazon)286629_token_of_darkness
Cooper Blake has everything going for him—until he wakes from a car accident with his football career in ruins and a mysterious, attractive girl by his side. Cooper doesn’t know how Samantha got there or why he can see her; all he knows is that she’s a ghost, and the shadows that surround her seem intent on destroying her.

No one from Cooper’s old life would understand what he can barely grasp himself. . . . But Delilah, the captain of the cheerleading squad, has secrets of her own, like her ability to see beyond the physical world, and her tangled history with Brent, a loner from a neighboring school who can hear strangers’ most intimate thoughts. Delilah and Brent know that Cooper is in more trouble than he realizes, and that Samantha may not be as innocent as she has led Cooper to believe. But the only way to figure out where Samantha came from will put them all in more danger than they ever dreamed possible.

Review:
I can’t explain adequately how let down I was with this book.  I grew up with Atwater-Rhodes original Den of Shadows books: In the Forests of the Night, Demon in my View, Shattered Mirror, Midnight Predator– this was something different entirely.  I expected something on par with those books, which I had devoured multiple times during my young adult years, but this book was far from the mark.

It was great getting to see someone taken from a public position and show that they aren’t all that they appear to be, but the cheerleader scene is massively overdone in that regard.  There were some moments of true fright where as a reader you must wonder if the characters will survive, but the story overall seemed generic.  The characters are not fleshed out at all, and are stock characters– they fit in their niche of what you would think if you mentioned a stereotypical fill-in-the-blank.  It’s missing that spark and originality that Atwater-Rhodes books generally have.  It’s missing that dose of reality.

Honestly, a story that’s very much among the same vein but that I enjoyed a lot more is The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade, so maybe give that a shot instead.

ameliaAuthor Bio: (From Amazon)
Amelia Atwater-Rhodes wrote her first novel, In the Forests of the Night, when she was 13 years old. Other books in the Den of Shadows series are Demon in My View, Shattered Mirror, Midnight Predator, all ALA Quick Picks for Young Adults. She has also published the five-volume series The Kiesha’ra: Hawksong, a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year and VOYA Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror List Selection; Snakecharm; Falcondance; Wolfcry; and Wyvernhail. Visit her online at www.ameliaatwaterrhodes.com. <– except this blog author checked, and this link merely brings you to the Penguin website.

Review of Princeps’ Fury by Jim Butcher

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Princeps’ Fury
Codex Alera Book 5
By Jim Butcher

Star Rating: 
Genre: High Fantasy
Number of Pages: 640

Date Started: February 15, 2016
Date Finished: May 23, 2016

Synopsis: (From Amazon) Princeps_fury
Under Tavi of Calderon, heir to the crown, war-torn Alera rebuilds while politicians and nobles vie for power. But from the south comes news: the dreaded Vord have come to Alera. For a thousand years, Alera and her furies have withstood every enemy and survived every foe.

Review:
I haven’t too overly much to say about this book except: this book dragged.  It was a trudge to force myself through this book, which is probably why not only did it take me quite a while to finish it, but I also read several other books before finishing it.

Like usual, there were moments when you really wanted to see what was going on from one character’s perspective while jolted back to another character.  While everything that happened was necessary, it seemed to take a very long time for anything in particular of substance to happen and stick.  There are a lot of little victory, and some very heavy losses.

After reading this book, I knew I had to finish the series, and I hoped it wouldn’t be as much of a trudge as this one.  (It wasn’t.)

Author Information:
The Dresden Files are the first books that Jim Butcher managed to get published.  He is also the author of the Codex Alera, and a new steampunk series, Cinder spires.  He is a gamer, including tabletop, video games, as well as LARP.  He still lives in his hometown, Independence, Missouri.

For a detailed biography of Jim Butcher, and a way to purchase his books, see his Amazon page.

**This review has been edited based on faulty dates. (6/16/2016)

Review of Bryony and Roses by T. Kingfisher

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Bryony and Roses
By T. Kingfisher

Star Rating: 

Genre: YA Fantasy

Number of Pages: 216

Synopsis:(From Amazon)bryony
Bryony and her sisters have come down in the world. Their merchant father died trying to reclaim his fortune and left them to eke out a living in a village far from their home in the city.

But when Bryony is caught in a snowstorm and takes refuge in an abandoned manor, she stumbles into a house full of dark enchantments. Is the Beast that lives there her captor, or a fellow prisoner? Is the house her enemy or her ally? And why are roses blooming out of season in the courtyard?

Armed only with gardening shears and her wits, Bryony must untangle the secrets of the house before she—or the Beast—are swallowed by them.

Review:
I will give Kingfisher this: her concept was original.  I enjoyed how the rose played into the story, but in the end, a lot of the crowning originality of this novel played far too little too late a part in the story.  I am likely overly cynical of this novel, as I would be of any Beauty and the Beast retelling since it’s my favourite fairy tale, but part of my distaste is because T. Kingfisher’s The Seventh Bride (which you can read the review for here, and look at the book’s Amazon listing here) took many fairy tale elements and yet created a whole new world and story that was completely unique, which was what I had hoped for in reading Bryony and Roses.

Bryony is such a harsh name for a character most often referred to as “Belle” or “Beauty”.  Throughout reading the book, I found the name rather jarring.  Bryony is a wild climbing vine with green flowers, and not the most common of names.  The name Bryony could be seen as foreshadowing towards both the character’s abilities and the ending, which is in a way, quite clever, but it seemed very dissonant from the tone of the novel otherwise.

Bryony and Roses does follow closer to the original story of Beauty and the Beast than the Disney version most are familiar with.  Instead of merely being an angry, irritable beast, this beast has interests and wishes to make Bryony happy, and always asks her if she’ll marry him.  There is still a hint of Disney’s magic castle, but Kingfisher’s reasoning for that is quite sound, and not discovered until the end of the novel.

One thing I very much liked about this version of Beauty and the Beast is that Bryony herself was the one who entered the castle and had to give herself up to the beast since she’d taken refuge there.  The book does a good job of fleshing out the characteristics and personalities of Bryony’s father and two sisters (yeah, Beauty had two sisters– Disney forgot to tell you that).  The personalities of the father and sisters are reversed from what they were in the original story, which made for an interesting twist.  Having Bryony love and care about her sisters, and having her presence be detrimental to their well being, made more sense as to why she was so upset about having to leave the life she knew before.

The true gem of this story was the function of the rose.  Unfortunately, the mystery that could have and should have been building for the entire novel was quickly explained away, despite having been the whole reason behind why everything is as it is.  Had more time been spent on what was only glossed over in regards to the rose, I think the quality of this novel would have greatly improved.

Author Bio: (From Amazon)
T. Kingfisher is the vaguely absurd pen-name of Ursula Vernon, an author from North Carolina. In another life, she writes children’s books and weird comics. She has been nominated for the World Fantasy and the Eisner, and has won the Hugo, Sequoyah, Nebula, Alfie, WSFA, Coyotl and Ursa Major awards, as well as a half-dozen Junior Library Guild selections.

This is the name she uses when writing things for grown-ups. Her work includes multiple fairy-tale retellings and odd little stories about elves and goblins.When she is not writing, she is probably out in the garden, trying to make eye contact with butterflies.

www.tkingfisher.com

Where I’ve Been

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Here’s a brief update for all of you lovely adoring fans out there, that I’m sure have been quite concerned for my sudden website absence.  If you follow me on Facebook you’d know that I’ve had a minimal presence there, mostly posting various memes about reading.  So, what have I been up to?

During the past few months my husband and I have fully moved into our new house.  I’ve been working on several projects,  one of which being Pas de Deux and as always, reading.

This is where most of you that have been with me for a while might think, oh goodness, she’s going to go through a stage of mass reviews for all the novels she’s gone through but been too busy (or lazy) to put up sooner.  Yes and no.  I continued to work through a series I started last year, and part of it was quite dragging.  In truth, I’ve only got about four new reviews to do.  Worry not, this number will hopefully increase drastically.

Review of The Seventh Bride by T. Kingfisher

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The Seventh Bride
By T. Kingfisher

Star Rating: 

Genre: YA Fantasy

Number of Pages: 237

Date Started: March 13, 2016
Date Finished: March 15, 2016 (early in the morning)

Synopsis:(From Amazon)seventh
Young Rhea is a miller’s daughter of low birth, so she is understandably surprised when a mysterious nobleman, Lord Crevan, shows up on her doorstep and proposes marriage. Since commoners don’t turn down lords—no matter how sinister they may seem—Rhea is forced to agree to the engagement.

Lord Crevan demands that Rhea visit his remote manor before their wedding. Upon arrival, she discovers that not only was her betrothed married six times before, but his previous wives are all imprisoned in his enchanted castle. Determined not to share their same fate, Rhea asserts her desire for freedom. In answer, Lord Crevan gives Rhea a series of magical tasks to complete, with the threat “Come back before dawn, or else I’ll marry you.”

With time running out and each task more dangerous and bizarre than the last, Rhea must use her resourcefulness, compassion, and bravery to rally the other wives and defeat the sorcerer before he binds her to him forever.

Review:
This story is an unbelievably cute fairy tale in its own right.  Not only does the protagonist have spunk and pizzazz but she also isn’t fooled into thinking she’s in a magical perfect situation after being randomly proposed to by a lord.  Although she cannot refuse, she shows the fear that most fairy tale females lack, and because of that, she uses caution which is generally overlooked by not only the Brothers’ Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson characters, but also by Disney princesses.

From the beginning I saw glimpses of fairy tales.  There was mention of fantasy creatures doing mischievous things, and with a miller’s daughter, it would be hard not to expect Rumpelstiltskin to jump out.  Though there were several fairy tale and fantasy story connections from Rumpelstiltskin to Alice and Wonderland mixed with The Wizard of Oz, this book is a completely novel piece– innovative, imaginative, down to earth and impossible to resist the charm of.  Five stars.

Author Bio: (From Amazon)
T. Kingfisher is the vaguely absurd pen-name of Ursula Vernon, an author from North Carolina. In another life, she writes children’s books and weird comics. She has been nominated for the World Fantasy and the Eisner, and has won the Hugo, Sequoyah, Nebula, Alfie, WSFA, Coyotl and Ursa Major awards, as well as a half-dozen Junior Library Guild selections.

This is the name she uses when writing things for grown-ups. Her work includes multiple fairy-tale retellings and odd little stories about elves and goblins.When she is not writing, she is probably out in the garden, trying to make eye contact with butterflies.

www.tkingfisher.com

Review of Marry Your Billionaire: A Modern Cinderella by C. J. Anaya

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Star Rating: 

Genre: Romance

Number of Pages: 413

Date Started: March 11, 2016
Date Finished: March 13, 2016

Synopsis:(From Amazon)Marry-Your-Billionaire-2
Six years ago, Midge Knightly walked away from her trust fund, her Hollywood producer father, and the expectation that she would join the family business. Avoiding handsome playboys with hidden agendas was just an added bonus. Now one semester shy of graduation, she is shocked to discover her scholarship has lost its funding.

Her estranged father is having problems of his own. A contestant on his latest reality TV series has cancelled a week before shooting.

His solution?

Midge gets her trust fund back if she stands in as a potential marriage candidate for the dating series Marry Your Billionaire. Twenty women competing for one arrogant guy. Not Midge’s cup of tea. Agreeing to this proposition sucks her back into the world she happily broke ties from, but no trust fund equals no college degree.

Brody Prescott, CEO and owner of an online dating company, has recently been pegged a heartless playboy–among other things–by a disgruntled female after a disappointing date. In order to save his company and his reputation as an honest businessman, the billionaire must prove to everyone that he isn’t the naughty, bad boy they believe him to be.

His solution?

Become the first bachelor on Marry Your Billionaire and hope that one of the contestants holds some potential. So what is he supposed to do when the woman who intrigues him the most wants to be eliminated?

Review:
It’s easy to become embroiled in the lives of Madelyn and Brody, but there were several things that tend to pull you from the general story.  Some of these things are legitimately annoying, and others might just be ones that bothered me, personally.  Madelyn doesn’t swear, which I understand, but choosing to exclaim “Good gravy!” and “Cheese and crackers!” became jarring, as I’ve never known anyone to ever exclaim these things.

It is constantly mentioned that Madelyn is working hard to become a romance novelist, yet her schooling only ever mentions her studying English.  There is a vast different between the requirements and skill sets of a degree in English and a degree in Creative Writing, which is also a major option in both undergraduate and graduate levels of education.

There were obvious faux pas in the realm of how a reality show would work and how the contestants would function, although they can mostly be forgiven, for the main story’s sake.  What isn’t forgivable is the obvious lack of knowledge that the producer/director seemed to have of the characters, as a large part of their work would involve needing intimate knowledge of each contestant.  Though there were also multiple grammar snafus, which while a bit irritating, did not take over from the overall enjoyment of the book.

That being said, this is a unique and very cute clean romance, that I’d definitely recommend.  It becomes hard to put down as we see both Madelyn and Brody putting themselves out there, and trying to figure out if the other one is sincere.  There are many twists and turns along the way, and at some point you wonder whether or not there will be a happily ever after or a happily never after.

CJAuthor Bio: (From Amazon)
I began writing short stories for family and friends when I was thirteen years old. My vivid imagination and love of mysteries and romances eventually led me to following my own dreams of becoming a published author. I’m a huge fan of The Mindy Project, Hugh Jackman, and binge eating any and all things chocolate. Who isn’t, am I right?

As a mother of four awesome kids I’m usually playing beauty salon with my daughters (my four-year-old shaved my arm one time while I was helping another daughter with her homework. Yep. That happened) getting my fanny kicked in Mario Kart by my snarky little son, and making out with my deliciously handsome looking Latin lover, aka, my hubby.

Come visit me on my website where you can grab two romances for free. http://authorcjanaya.com

Review of Captain’s Fury by Jim Butcher

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Captain’s Fury
Codex Alera Book 4
By Jim Butcher

Star Rating: 
Genre: High Fantasy
Number of Pages: 464

Date Started: February 11, 2016
Date Finished: February 14, 2016
captain's
Synopsis: (From Amazon)
After two years of bitter conflict with the hordes of invading Canim, Tavi of Calderon, now Captain of the First Aleran Legion, realizes that a peril far greater than the Canim exists-the terrifying Vord, who drove the savage Canim from their homeland. Now, Tavi must find a way to overcome the centuries-old animosities between Aleran and Cane if an alliance is to be forged against their mutual enemy. And he must lead his legion in defiance of the law, against friend and foe-before the hammerstroke of the Vord descends on them all.

Review:
While Tavi had no experience in military before joining the First Aleran, now it would be hard to find anyone that people would trust as much as him.  Though the Canim represent a significant threat, Tavi knows that there is a way to end the fighting and bloodshed.  The trust between a leader who goes with their men and the warriors is accurately represented here, and many who have been in a situation with a trusted leader would likely agree.

Unfortunately this book was very heavy in fighting without as much interaction that wasn’t in the field.  There were a lot of frustrating moments when things go wrong, and the sadness Tavi feels over consequences of his tactics can be felt by the reader.  Nevertheless, one cannot help but want to know exactly what happens to Tavi of Calderon.

Author Information:
The Dresden Files are the first books that Jim Butcher managed to get published.  He is also the author of the Codex Alera, and a new steampunk series, Cinder spires.  He is a gamer, including tabletop, video games, as well as LARP.  He still lives in his hometown, Independence, Missouri.

For a detailed biography of Jim Butcher, and a way to purchase his books, see his Amazon page.

If you like this review, and the writing style of this quirky reviewer, please consider visiting and liking my Facebook author page: Lizzy March.


Thank you!