Continue below to read my interview with Alicia J. Novo and be sure to follow this link - [TOUR SCHEDULE] to check out the rest of the stops on the 'UNWRITTEN' blog tour brought to you by XPRESSO BOOK TOURS, INTENSE PUBLICATIONS, and ALICIA J. NOVO!
Unwritten
The Interview
What do you love most about ‘Unwritten?’
I love that Unwritten is magical and fun, but that it also can be read at a deeper level and addresses issues that matter to me, like discrimination and rejecting what’s different. My favorite part is the Zweeshen, the world of Unwritten. To have all characters ever written in one place opens up so many possibilities. I wanted to write an immersive, whimsical story, a place—because I do think of books as places—where one could go when in need of refuge and adventure. The Zweeshen is such a unique and eclectic place, diverse and wacky and playful. But it can also be dark and a bit oppressive. I enjoyed playing with those contrasts. What do you feel makes your novel unique? I think Unwritten has fun with itself. There is an offbeat, tongue-in-cheek element to it. Because it is the world of stories, devices from multiple genres are weaved into the story. Darkness and light are balanced, and there is a hopeful message. The combination of those things makes it different from a lot of what’s out there right now. It is a wild ride, a high-stakes fantasy adventure set in a book lovers world. If you had to describe Beatrix using her three strongest personality traits, what would they be? Beatrix’s character was fascinating to write because she has this big dichotomy within her: she is bullied but powerful, strong but insecure. She is loving, but her rage overpowers her. I had to find a way to portray that and make it believable. I needed to connect those opposing reactions to the driving force within her, the one thing that defines her, which is her determination. Beatrix finds her way by being unrelenting in her quest. Her core attributes are her resilience and her willingness to be brave both against violence and danger but also against the hurts and risks of love. If time were running out for your favorite bookworlds as a reader and you could visit just one, which would it be and why? Such a difficult question. I change my mind about this depending on the day. That’s the great thing about bookworlds; we can always visit one that fits our mood. Today, I’d say I would visit Tolkien’s Middle Earth, the Rivendell of the elves. I’ve always found it enthralling in a very romantic, evocative way. And I love the idea of beings who’ve had many centuries to learn. If ‘Unwritten’ had a playlist, what genre would be most prominent? What’s one song that would probably be included? By force, it would have to be a mix of genres. I think finding a way to combine the old and new, the upbeat with the more soulful, voice with instrumental. One song that really resonates and speaks to some of the underlying themes in Unwritten is Runaway by Aurora. I read on your blog that your publisher also optioned a sequel. Is that something you’re looking ahead at yet? Yes, absolutely. Unwritten was created as a series—and while it can be read as a standalone—there is an overarching world arc and pending questions meant to be answered in future installments. I’m busy working on the sequel. What quality is the most critical for you to enjoy a story? I need a story to transport me. Some authors accomplish that through amazing settings, others with characters that squeeze our hearts or get under our skin. Others give you a plot so riveting you can’t sit still. I want a writer to guide me away from my life so that when I’m done reading, I will look around and only half-recognize my house. What’s a book you’ve read that made you take a step back and think differently about fiction? It was a long time ago, but as a teen, I read The Aleph by Jorge Luis Borges. It is a short story, so not even a novel. But it made me realize stories could be something different from what I had thought. There is a need to have conflict and interesting characters, but beyond that, an author has the freedom to go in many directions, even down a rabbit hole that forces one to think. Stories are a way to make the complex simple, to tell hard truths through make-believe. The concept of the Aleph changed me. It is not a coincidence that a similar idea makes an appearance in Unwritten. Your author bio says you love history and astronomy. What’s the most obscure history or astronomy fact you can think of? I don’t know if it’s obscure, but for history, what never stops surprising me is that things we assume are set in stone weren’t always so: In the early middle ages Catholic priests married, people didn’t sleep the night through but had a first sleep and second sleep, and in between they met with neighbors, did chores, and chatted—all in the middle of the night. As far as astronomy, I love that when we look at the sky, we’re observing the past, like through a time machine. And the idea that every element in our chemical makeup was created in the heart of a supernova. We’re not just stardust; we’re the afterlife of stars. Oh, and scientists believe that in Neptune, it rains diamonds. Since you’ve lived and explored numerous places around the world, what would you say in your personal experiences might be universal between the cultures you’ve encountered and their approach to storytelling? The love and need for stories are what’s universal. Nothing connects people as much as stories, and we’re lucky to live in a time with access to tales from many places. I think the differences are in the style. In America, we do a lot of “show, don’t tell.” In other places, the “telling” is still in vogue, and it can be very beautiful because it creates a distance that feels otherworldly. Pacing is something that varies too. Here things are faster. Some stories from other cultures take more time, pay more attention to small things, describe more with a critical eye. It is hard to generalize, and genre plays a role, of course. But in truth, the differences are in the details. Tales unite us because of the human experience we share. Everywhere in the world, from the beginning of civilization, what we want is the same. To be safe, to be accepted, and to be loved. What’s something memorable you experienced during your travels? A few years ago, I walked the Way of St. James, a 500-mile pilgrimage road that winds from the Pyrenees in France to Compostela in the North of Spain. I did the journey on foot with just a backpack, staying at hostels. It took me six weeks, and it was such a demanding and wonderful experience. You get worried you might not hit the next hostel before they run out of room, you get rained on, you get blisters under your toenails. But then you eat at a lady’s living room where she shows you pictures of the husband she lost. You meet a torero and a Japanese Opera singer; you encounter a Dutch guy with cancer who does 20 miles a year but is determined to complete a trip. You sleep in a convent with fifty people, and you participate in an impromptu dance on a cobblestone street. You share tapas with strangers who spill their secrets to you. That, to me, is what makes traveling memorable, the moments that open you up and show you glimpses of others with very different lives. I tried to capture that surprise and wonder in Unwritten.
0 Comments
'My Husband's Girlfriend' is the latest psychological thriller from author, Sheryl Browne. It's a twisty, intriguing page-turner of a story, packed with mystery and misdirection.
A shifting narrative told from multiple points-of-view, the plot mostly follows Sarah. Amidst the early stages of divorce and doing her best to prioritize her son, Ollie.. and his best interests.. Sarah's uncertain about her soon-to-be ex-husband's new girlfriend. Noticing his favorite toy, Bunny, is gone. Replaced suddenly with something new given to him by Laura, the newest addition to their familial situation, Sarah asks Ollie about it but he becomes nervous and evasive. When she broaches the subject of her concern with Steve and even Joe, the new person in her own life, no one wants to hear it. Sarah comes across as the jealous ex-wife, while Laura seems to be the perfect stepmother figure with the sweet, often fearful vulnerability. As a separated parent, to a degree this was kind of a worst nightmare scenario for me. I certainly never liked the feeling I might be replaced by someone in my child's life.. becoming less important to them or having them prefer to be elsewhere. To add to that idea, the very real possibility that my child might have been at risk from someone who was a part of their family unit when I wasn't around.. was frightening. Now for me, the reason was more along the lines of toxicity and self-destructive splash damage, rather than deliberate maliciousness. At least where my child was concerned. To be facing it with some methodical outsider and have no one willing to give credence to my concerns would be terrifying. Though I picked up easily on who did what and when, early on in the story.. it was not due to lack of plot turns on the author's part. In fact, there were so many that the ride is a bit of a rollercoaster, always coming up on some new jarring curve over the next climb. My one complaint is small and common for these types of stories. The characters are prone to extreme overreactions all the time and that kind of constant melodrama just makes it feel a little less real for me. That's not to say people never act like that, but ALL the people in any given situation rarely do. Other than that, the story was intense and did a great job investing me in the outcome for Ollie as well as the final reveal for an older mystery drawn throughout. I was pretty certain I knew what happened, but it's always satisfying to find out whether or not you're right. The pacing is very solid, moving smoothly enough that I was able to make my way through it very quickly. Only putting the book down to take care of obligations. Definitely a fun read if you like winding thrillers and a lot of family drama.
PURCHASE LINKS: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSAMILLION | GOOGLEPLAY BOOKS | INDIEBOUND | KOBO |WATERSTONES
Continue below to read my review of the book and be sure to check out the rest of the stops on the 'WHERE THE ROAD LEADS US' blog tour brought to you by MTMC TOURS, ROBIN REUL, and SOURCEBOOKS FIRE!
 Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ (4/5 stars)
Tour Schedule:
April 5 - Paper Fury April 6 - Betwixt the Sheets April 7 - DJ Reads Books April 8 - What a Nerd Girl Says April 9 - Shelf Love April 10 - Vanilla Moon Books April 11 - Yours A-fiction-ately April 12 - Lara Jane Reviews April 13 - Jupiter's Solo Bibliophile April 14 - Books, Tea, Healthy Me April 14 - Shelves of Starlight Title: Where the Road Leads Us | Author: Robin Reul | Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire Publication Date: April 6, 2021 | Genres: YA Contemporary 'Where the Road Leads Us' by Robin Reul is a dual narrative about a pair of teens who find themselves at a different, but equally life-altering crossroads. Jack is pretty much the golden boy. He's such an over-achiever that he's stacking self-taught AP studies on top of those he's been scheduled for in school. Here, literally getting ready to pack up and leave for college, life throws him a curveball. Reeling from the unexpected, Jack finds himself rethinking everything. Before he follows that pre-designated path.. he wants to locate his estranged brother and set some things to rest. Hallie seems more free-spirited. Life has been kicking her while she's down for awhile and it's forced her to adopt a sort of 'roll with the punches' approach. When she gets some upsetting news about a friend, she makes a spur of the moment decision to go see him while she can. Generally speaking, this is a sweet, quirky novel. Though there are some heavy topics being dealt with, the story is never really sad. There's a concerted effort both between the characters and clearly by the author to sort of recalibrate the emotional perspective whenever something potentially negative occurs in the story.. which supports the whole 'bright side' theme. Jack and Hallie have a really cute, warm dynamic and their rideshare driver turned newfound friend actually adds to that feeling within the story. Though some of the dynamics that pop-up between side characters throughout the book are a little clunky, 'the trifecta' as I like to call them, doesn't suffer from it at all. Their adventures as they travel together are a bit wild and some might even feel they're unrealistic, but as someone who's made road trips with similarly strange incidents littering the way, it just made me laugh and keep reading. I enjoyed the way Jack and Hallie tended to be each other's true North. Whenever one of them would get lost along the way, sort of faltering with their personal struggle.. the other would be there to right them and keep them going. This is a story full of hope.. and with the last year we've all had, I don't think we can have too much of that. If you're looking for a light read, that still has some emotional depth as the characters deal with their traumas, this might be the book for you. Mild caution for triggers regarding loss of loved ones and severe illnesses.
Add to Goodreads
PURCHASE LINKS: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BLACKWELL'S | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSAMILLION | GOOGLEPLAY BOOKS | INDIEBOUND | INDIGO | KOBO 
About Robin Reul:
The author of MY KIND OF CRAZY and the forthcoming WHERE THE ROAD LEADS US, Robin Reul has been writing since she was in early elementary school, when she used to make her own book club flyers for her classmates and then pen them original stories. Though she grew up on movie sets and worked for many years in the film and television industry both as an actress and in motion picture development, she ultimately decided to focus her attention on writing young adult novels. Inspired by novelists like John Green and Sarah Dessen and screenwriters like John Hughes and Richard Linklater, she loves to write stories that straddle the line between humor and heartbreak, filled with quirky, memorable characters who stay with the reader long after the story ends. When she's not writing, Robin can be found drinking copious amounts of iced coffee and listening to way too much 80's music. She lives in Los Angeles suburbia.
INTL Blog Tour Giveaway! Enter the rafflecopter below to win a paperback copy of Where the Road Leads Us! This is open internationally & it ends on April 17th, 2021 at 11:59pm EST. Rafflecopter code: a Rafflecopter giveaway
'The Other Side of Magic' by Ester Manzini is a mixture of magical realism and fantasy inspired by 16th century Italy. The story is told in a shifting narrative between Gaiane Asares, a magically gifted princess from Zafiria and Leo, a magicless commoner from Epidalio.
Everyone in both realms is traditionally born with magic, but with every use.. it slowly depletes. Marked by a dark halo which wraps around their foreheads, as their power wanes, so does the color of the mark. Gaiane is the result of a very deliberate pairing chosen by her mother, the Queen. A child by design, born infinitely powerful.. her magic doesn't deplete like others upon use. Kept as a prisoner, collared and held in a tower to be used as a weapon to conquer Epidalio.. she ultimately wants only two things. Love and freedom. Leo, having been born without magic, is a rarity. Having lost her home and family in the attacks, she hasn't forgiven or forgotten those from Zafiria are to blame. I feel like this story is incredibly ambitious.. yet still falls a bit flat for me. The magic system is very creative, but the world building is almost a second thought. There's a fair bit of just coasting on the concepts, there's plot progression.. but development is limited. Honestly, I found all of the characters kind of annoying. Some of them, like the princess.. are just whiny.. and while to a degree I kind of get that, it also doesn't really fit the situation in which she was kept. The inner-monologues felt like a shortcut to letting us witness their experiences and the dialogue was often overly angsty. There's a consistent theme of manipulation and abuse that transcends beyond the parental relationship. While I'm not opposed to dramatic storytelling, I do want to see things like that occur with intent to further plot if they're going to be leveraged. In the case of this story, they feel as if they exist solely for the purpose of existing. In fact, there's some potentially problematic representation here with predatory imagery as well. As the author is Italian, it's certainly possible that the themes and storytelling style just didn't translate well for me. If it sounds interesting to you, give it a shot.. maybe you'll connect with it differently.. but I found it mediocre at best. 
'Havoc' is book two in the Haven series by Mary Lindsey, a YA paranormal romance where the balance between wolf shifters and witches has never been equal. While the shifters are looking to achieve their freedom from the dominance of the witches, a group that controls everything they do.. right down to who they can pair up with, others want to see them kept in their place.
Though I didn't read the first book, this one was very easy to pick up with. Pertinent major events from the debut title, Haven, were referenced and explained in passing, so that everything still made sense. Pacing is very solid throughout the story, plenty of action and emotional drama to keep the reader turning pages, making it a quick read. In fact, most of the story is just really well-executed. My one minor complaint is the conclusion is done in a quick information dump.. like the author didn't know a better way to convey all the little details she'd held onto. Almost all of it was delivered by the same character in a conversation with another.. and the effect was if felt like sort of a Scooby Doo ending, which is sad.. because the book deserved better. That one small thing aside, I really enjoyed the story. I loved Rain, who is exactly my type of character. His background was unpleasant, but he's loyal and loving.. desperate to hang onto the bit of happiness he's found. The rest of the group is interesting as well.. Merrick, Petra, and Freddie are all pretty richly textured, likeable people.. and the dynamic with Grant is amusing in spots. The author definitely tried to drop hints with the intention the reader would either overlook them or forget them, so they'd have that moment later where they realized they should have spotted the anomaly.. but they weren't very subtle. Rather than dropping a clue, sometimes Lindsey would outline the entire area with them before moving on.. but really that's just lack of experience where some finesse would have gone farther to achieving her goal. As with all skills though, we only get better with time.. and with so few constructive criticisms to be stated, I look forward to seeing more work from her in the future. If you like underdog stories (no pun intended) and paranormal worlds, this one is probably for you.
PURCHASE LINKS: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | GOOGLEPLAY BOOKS | IBOOKS | INDIGO | KOBO | WATERSTONES
Continue below to read my review of the book and interview with Aiden, then be sure to follow this link - [TOUR SCHEDULE] to check out the rest of the stops on the 'LOST IN THE NEVER WOODS' blog tour brought to you by SWOON READS, AIDEN THOMAS, and XPRESSO BOOK TOURS!
'Lost in the Never Woods' is the newest YA Fantasy release by Aiden Thomas, author of 'Cemetery Boys.' Though it was written first and was meant to be their debut novel, 'Cemetery Boys' sort of took on a life of its own as their option title and it was bumped ahead.
A beautiful, somber retelling of Peter Pan, 'Lost in the Never Woods' follows a teenage Wendy Darling.. five years after she and her two brothers went missing in the woods. Unable to recall the time she was lost and still blaming herself for being unable to keep her brothers safe, when children start to go missing again in the local woods, she's thrust back into the middle of tragedy. When Peter shows up unexpectedly, a boy she believed to be just a childhood story told to her by her mother, he asks for her help to rescue the missing children. But something ominous waits for her in the woods and she must overcome her fear to face it. I'll be honest. I've always loved the Peter Pan story. I'm not sure I've ever read or watched an incarnation of it that I've disliked. There's something fascinating about a story that takes place in the infinite youth presented, that while I'd never want to experience it.. I'm so intrigued with what the characters might do or feel because of it. In that way, this story is no different. What makes it stand out is the approach to the subject matter. These characters have suffered, they're not inherently wicked as in some retellings, but rather beset upon by something beyond their ability to control. They're damaged in their own ways, struggling to overcome their situations, but there's still a beauty to them. Atmospherically, while there are moments of joy and playfulness, the mood is heavy. Wendy endures survivor's guild and her family has never been the same since the disappearances. They interact with each other through this dance of grief, the love is still there.. but at times it's so buried under each person's own self-blame, it can be harder to see. Individually, they're all trying to cope in their own ways and it takes so little to shake those fragile foundations. Peter too is a much sadder boy than the one we typically see. His bright eyes and almost eager sense of humor seem much more the armor he steels himself with, than the easy carefree existence we've known. To me, he feels incredibly lonely and my heart breaks for him as much as it does poor Wendy. All in all, it's a wonderful read full of emotional layers and adventures you're never too old to experience. If you like Peter Pan or fairy tale retellings in general, I highly recommend giving this book a read. You'll be glad you did.
Add to Goodreads
PURCHASE LINKS: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSAMILLION | GOOGLEPLAY BOOKS | INDIEBOUND | INDIGO | KOBO | WATERSTONES 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aiden Thomas is a New York Times Bestselling author with an MFA in Creative Writing from Mills College. Originally from Oakland, California, they now make their home in Portland, Oregon. As a queer, trans Latinx, Aiden advocates strongly for diverse representation in all media. Aiden’s special talents include: quoting The Office, winning Jenga, finishing sentences with “is my FAVORITE”, and killing spiders. Aiden is notorious for not being able to guess the endings of books and movies, and organizes their bookshelves by color. ☆★☆ Interview with Aiden Thomas ☆★☆
Several times, you've said that while you decided to debut with Cemetery Boys, the novel you'd originally planned first.. Lost in the Never Woods.. is an incredibly personal story for you too, would you tell us a bit about that connection?
“Cemetery Boys” is so important to me because it’s so much about my identity, but “Lost in the Never Woods” is super personal because, at its core, it’s a story about trauma. I started writing LITNW when I was first diagnosed with C-PTSD, and it was a really cathartic way of me processing my own experiences with mental health, trauma and grief. I wanted to write a book about those experiences and for others who have gone through similar experiences, especially for teens and young adults who were forced to grow up too fast and had adulthood thrust upon them. I understand while you were an undergrad you wrote about the psychological trauma of Peter Pan and how that affected who he was. Would you mind sharing those thoughts with us? Oh my gosh, yes! That’s where my obsession with Peter Pan started! When I first watched the 2003 Peter Pan film adaptation, at one point Peter Pan says, “I want always to be a boy, and have fun” and Wendy replies, “You say so, but I think it is your biggest pretend.” That line just STUCK with me, I rewatched the movie and then read the original book by JM Barrie. At this point I already know I wanted to double major in psychology and English so I did this deep dive and tried to figure out Peter as a character. One of the first things I realized was that he has dissociative amnesia from a line where he states that he forgets people after he kills them. There’s really so many examples of Peter dealing with trauma, which spiraled out into me wondering what would happen to Wendy after her experiences in Neverland, and that’s how the original idea for “Lost in the Never Woods” was sparked! I know you did a good bit of research on Mesoamerican culture for Cemetery Boys, was there any research involved for Lost in the Never Woods or is it a story purely from the heart? I think it’s definitely both. I did a lot of literary theory research of the original Peter Pan story, and then I also brought in my personal experiences and academic research about mental health and specifically trauma. I always thought Wendy never got the story she deserved! She’s such a unique and complex character who is often overlooked by Peter’s much more dominating presence, so I wanted to give her her very own story and focus. Peter is cool, but Wendy has a really special place in my heart. This is probably like asking you to choose between your plant children.. but who's your favorite character to write in Lost in the Never Woods.. and why? Peter was fun to write because he’s flighty and scatter-brained, but I really enjoy the challenge of writing Wendy! It was definitely like a case study in writing about what fear and anxiety feels and affects us. She’s really complicated and going through a lot, so she’s probably the hardest character I’ve ever written, but I think I did a good job and I hope readers can connect and kind kinship with her. Since you enjoyed Hill House (created by Mike Flanagan) and Hannibal (created by Bryan Fuller), have you checked out any creepy new shows like Flanagan's The Haunting of Bly Manor? YES! I thought Bly Manor was absolutely brilliant! I think I’m an outlier when I say that scary TV shows and movies are my comfort media? I’ll put on Hill House to fall asleep to all the time. Talk about a story that really explores trauma and complex characters! What are three songs on your playlist for Lost in the Never Woods? Oh my gosh this is always one of my favorite questions! I have a whole dedicated playlist for “Lost in the Never Woods” which you can find (below): But the top three songs I associate with LITNW are: “Crime” by Grey with Skott “Out of the Woods” by Taylor Swift “Cardigan” by Taylor Swift 
“Here, I’ll show you how to use it. Let me see your foot.” “That’s a pretty intimate demand in the angel world. It usually takes dinner, some wine, and sparkling conversation for me to give up my feet.”
'Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days Book 1)' by Susan Ee, is a post-apocalyptic dystopian fantasy that follows a 17-year-old girl as she makes her way through the destruction in the Bay area of California. As the story opens, young Penryn is struggling by with her mentally ill mother and wheelchair-bound sister. The angels, having appeared seemingly from nowhere.. have rained chaos and death down on humans, leaving everyone living hand-to-mouth. Barely surviving by moving constantly to uninhabited buildings and trying to scavenge anything edible left behind, Penryn is responsible for care of her family and has no one else to turn to for help. Hiding, not just from the angels.. but also from street gangs that move together through the new world taking whatever they want and tormenting those around them, Penryn mostly avoids others. But when she witnesses an attack she can't ignore, she goes to help and in the process.. an enemy flies away with her sister. "Even in your Bible, we’re harbingers of doom, willing and able to destroy entire cities. Just because we sometimes warned one or two of you beforehand doesn’t make us altruistic.” Sinking further into her mental illness with her medication no longer available to her and one of her daughters lost, her mother becomes more unstable.. going off on her own, while Penryn ends up making a deal with Raffe.. an injured enemy angel. Bound together by a common destination, if not common goals.. the pair set off for a place the others congregate. The girl trying to make her family whole again.. and the angel trying to do the same for himself. I desperately dug into this book because a couple of my close friends love the series.. and with the new special editions on the way from Fairyloot, I thought it'd be wise to know if I liked them before kneejerk buying them. To be honest, I was hoping to dislike them and save the money.. but that's just not how it was meant to go. Granted, this first book of the series was published almost 10 years ago. So, the approach to mental illness and physical disabilities would probably not do well in today's more hyperaware social approach to diversity. Both are often framed pretty negatively and that's something to consider before reading. If you're uncomfortable with less sensitive comments regarding either or both, this book may not be for you. As fantasies go, there are moments of creativity.. some with more of a sci-fi bent to them. Be prepared for unusual world-building that exists somewhere between The Walking Dead, The Island of Dr. Moreau, and some seriously old world biblical mythology. Despite the fact that some of it felt a little absurd to me, I do realize in fantasy it's actually all absurd and I'm fine with that. The textures and concepts were just a bit different and I wasn't used to them at first, but they were vividly described and used innovatively to make this fantasy just a little bit horrifying. Though the way Penryn's thought process is written seems extremely immature for my liking, I believe it's intentional on the part of the author and is more indicative of the character than the author's skill. While I never went through a phase where my brain worked like hers, I did know a lot of teens who could relate better. Did it annoy me? At times. But I got it and it makes sense for the book. “Oh. My. God.” I lower my voice, having forgotten to whisper. “You are nothing but a bird with an attitude. Okay, so you have a few muscles, I’ll grant you that. But you know, a bird is nothing but a barely evolved lizard. That’s what you are.” He chuckles. “Evolution.” He leans over as if telling me a secret. “I’ll have you know that I’ve been this perfect since the beginning of time.” Raffe is an intriguing character and the dynamic between he and Penryn is amusing. I enjoyed reading their banter, I just would have liked Ee to lean into that a bit more. Of course, I was dreadfully displeased with the turn of events toward the end of the book, but I'm hopeful at some point over the next two.. there will be some retribution and healing. Back to my plan to dislike the books for a moment, I've already gone ahead and purchased the rest of the series and I've added that sale date to my calendar. You win some, you lose some. If you like a good underdog story with some good battle scenes, a hint of romantic tension, and a lot of risk, you may enjoy this too.
PURCHASE LINKS: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSAMILLION | INDIEBOUND | INDIGO | WATERSTONES
'Namesake,' book two of the Fable duology from Adrienne Young, picks up with Fable in Zola's hands.. headed for the dire straits of the Unnamed Sea.
Having successfully freed the Marigold from Saint, Fable and its crew had big plans for their autonomy. Unfortunately, others have different ideas of their own for her. Though there's a familiar face aboard Zola's ship, it seems clear she's been betrayed. Caught in the middle of multiple schemes, she's the common denominator in all of them. In order to get home and save those who mean the most to her, Fable must agree to work with Holland.. a vicious woman who runs the Unnamed Sea's gem trade. If you loved the first book, the second is even better. The story hits the ground running, as things are already out of hand and Fable isn't sure what her future holds. She's surrounded by people she doesn't trust, many of whom look at her like they'd rather kill her than co-exist beside her. I liked that as the story opened, as a reader.. I felt off-balance myself. There's an adjustment period that we get to experience along with Fable as she's trying to get her bearings and read her situation. She knows she's in trouble, what remains to be seen is how much.. and what the results of that are going to be. She's still a fighter though and she doesn't whine or complain about what's happening. Rather, she spends her time trying to observe as much as possible and plot a way out.. be that through escape or leverage. Honestly, she's exactly the kind of female protagonist that I don't think we get enough of. Sure, she makes mistakes and gets herself in deeper sometimes, but she never stops trying. Every time life throws her a complication, she grits her teeth and gets to problem solving. There's no assumption that she's defeated, no polite resignation. She strategizes and tries again. The story builds continuously throughout, as the circumstances spin further and further out of control. Eventually, there's so much potential for things to go wrong, that you just know something is going to and you find yourself trying to decide what you could let go of if given the choice, while hoping to keep it all. As for the cast of characters, we do get to see more of her father. He's so closed up in the first book that I was really curious about him. West is still amazing, as is Auster.. and though I still feel like all of these characters could benefit from a lot more detail, it was wonderful to finally get the Auster/Paj origin story. Now I'm just sad that it was only a duology.. because I desperately want a book three or a bunch of side novels for the supporting cast. Something, anything! I just need more! Anyway, plenty of action and drama.. lots of familial intrigue.. and some suspense. 'Namesake' is a choppy ride on an angry sea and I loved every minute of it.
PURCHASE LINKS: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSAMILLION | GOOGLEPLAY BOOKS | INDIEBOUND | INDIGO | KOBO | WATERSTONES
'Trial of Sorcerers' by Elise Kova follows the story of Eira Landan, an elemental sorcerer called a Waterrunner, who grows up feeling like her older brother outshines her at every turn. Having accidentally killed a peer, her past plagues her constantly and her claims of magical whispers add to the belief that she's just crazy or flawed.
Unpopular with the other inhabitants of the Tower, when the opportunity to compete for a much coveted spot in the Tournament of Five Kingdoms emerges, she takes it. Facing off against the best of her fellow sorcerers, Eira discovers that performing well in the trials has benefits of its own. Caught in a whirlwind of sudden attentions, she finds herself on the arm of the 'Prince of the Tower' in the Imperial Court, discovers a knack for secret.. forbidden magic, exploring mysterious tomes hidden away in unknown rooms, and rendezvousing discreetly with a charming elfin ambassador. The book is beautiful and I found the synopsis intriguing, so of course.. I couldn't wait to read it. Suggested by some to be a good read for fans of The Legend of Korra series, I surmise this is mostly due to the particular style of elemental magic structure.. which is akin to the elemental benders for water, earth, fire, and air. Other than that, I'm not really sure there's a huge correlation, but I've only sparingly seen episodes of Korra and Avatar. While I'm not normally bothered with books that start out slowly, it's because what others deem slow is often just character or story development. I'm patient as long as the content is well put together and I don't need the writer to rush into action or drama for the sake of keeping my attention. However, the first third of more of this book is not only slow, it's rather dull. The development is scattered and none of the characters give the reader (at least not me) enough to connect with. They lack any sense of charisma and are either whiny, rude, or so bland they're barely noticeable. Now, where a writer with robust language skills can power through something like that, Kova either doesn't have them or willfully chose not to utilize them. I'm not sure which it is, as I find periodically I run across an author who seems to think that writing YA means they can't use big words or complex sentences and this is definitely a book that gives that impression. While the overall book structure is solid, the use of language reads like a writer who might be quite young. Obviously, none of that is true.. which begs the question.. is it intentional or not? I know it might sound like I'm panning the book, but I'm not. As I said, there's nothing inherently wrong with the writing other than the fact that for me, the beginning was uninteresting. I continually put it down and had to make myself return to it.. up to around the midpoint of the story. Once Kova reached the bulk of the plot, everything else started firing at once too. There was action and drama, yes.. but also, we finally started getting to really know some of the peripheral characters. That is to say.. those with the most depth. When they started opening up and interacting more with the MC, they filled in a lot of the gaps that had left the story feeling empty. Honestly, from here to the end.. it just continued to build steadily. Sure, Eira was still whiny.. all the time.. but there were plenty of others to offset the lead with layers of their own. By the end, I was thoroughly invested, emotionally wrecked, and ready for more. And ultimately, I think that's all I really want from a book.. so I'm eager for the sequel which isn't due out for a year. If you are the kind of person who can grit your teeth through the beginning and hold out knowing there's interesting story ahead of you, give this one a shot. The reward was worth the wait. But if you have to be hooked quickly, you might want to skip this instead.
PURCHASE LINKS: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSAMILLION | INDIEBOUND | WATERSTONES
City of Spells
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play -- EXCERPT: Karam stepped forward, her skillfully embroidered clothes cascading down to her ankles in a way that was almost delicate, and so very much the opposite of Karam. Even from where Tavia stood, she could smell the peppermint salve on her friend’s sliced knuckles, something the fighters in Creije loved to use to soothe their injuries and that Karam wore every day, just in case. “I thought we agreed that you were going to stop being stupid,” Karam said, Wrenyi accent thick on her tongue. “I didn’t agree to anything,” Tavia said. “Did you follow me here?” Karam crossed her arms over her chest. “Are you complaining about me saving you?” “I don’t need saving.” Tavia leaned back in the booth. “I’m a busker, not a damsel.” Nolan looked between them with a disbelieving scoff. “Are you two finished?” he asked. “Because we were about to kill her.” For the first time, Karam looked at him, as if she had only just realized— or cared—that he was there. “We have not been introduced,” she said. “No,” Nolan said. “We haven’t.” Karam held out a hand. “Hello,” she said. And then she used that hand to grab ahold of Nolan’s shoulder and pull him toward her. Without warning, Karam cracked her head against his. The buskers broke into a frenzy as Nolan stumbled back, clutching his bloody nose. Quickly, Karam landed a kick to one of the others. Tavia jumped up from the booth just as Nolan regained his footing, smashing a glass from a nearby table over his head. She shifted the backpack on her shoulder and landed a kick to another busker’s knee. He went down with a yelp. “This is why I had to follow you,” Karam said. She kicked a busker in the chest and as he bent over to catch his breath, she rolled across his back and punched another clean in the face. “You are so reckless.” Tavia sighed at the lecture, which was becoming Karam’s specialty these days. “If you were so worried about my safety, then you could have helped me take Nolan down back in the streets before his buddies showed up,” Tavia said. She swung her fist into the air, catching the cheek of a nearby busker, just the way Karam had taught her. Karam took out her knife and threw it into the shoulder of another. “I thought you did not need saving,” she said. Tavia rolled her eyes and kneed one of Nolan’s friends in the groin. “Forget making it slow!” Nolan yelled, pulling out a knife. “I’m going to gut you where you stand.” Tavia shook her head. “He really does like being graphic,” she said to Karam. She reached into her pocket for a pair of mirrored glasses and slipped them onto her nose, like she had seen Wesley do a dozen times. “Here,” she said to Karam. “Put these on.” Karam wrinkled her face and looked at Tavia like she was starting to lose her mind, but when she saw Tavia’s hands go to her pocket for a second time, it seemed Karam knew better than to argue. Tavia clutched the charm in her hand, its jagged edge spiking into her palm like tiny needles. “A way to show that if there’s one thing I have,” she said, “it’s style.” She threw the charm down onto the floor and it exploded into a blinding light. Nolan and the others clutched at their eyes, screaming loud enough to drown out the bar’s music altogether. She pulled Karam toward the door, where the customers were now blindly running and screaming as their vision temporarily disappeared. They spilled back out onto the streets of Rishiya and Karam ripped the glasses from her face. “Not really,” Tavia said, struggling to keep up with her pace. “I think I’d find it boring.” She didn’t need to look at Karam to know that she was rolling her eyes, but Tavia felt invigorated. She had the magic she ’d come for, so all in all the trip to the city had been a roaring success. And with the warm breeze on her neck and fire of victory in her belly, Tavia felt like maybe all hope wasn’t quite lost. Karam could call her reckless and the Crafters in the camp could call her a danger, but Tavia had a job to do. She had buskers to lead, and she was going to win this war and save Wesley, whether people approved of her methods or not. 
GIVEAWAY! Hosted by:
|
|
RSS Feed