#Review - Beyond the End of the World by Amie Kaufman, Meagan Spooner #YA #Fantasy

Series: The Other Side of the Sky #2
Format: Hardcover, 464 pages
Release Date: January 18, 2022
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Epic

Time to stop Inshara. Time to find a way between worlds. Time to find each other again.

Nimh still holds on to her divinity, if only by a thread.

In her final confrontation with Inshara, the woman determined to take her place and rule Nimh’s kingdom, both Nimh and her enemy were sent to the world above, in the cloudlands.

Now North looks to the sky, left behind on the surface world.

Desperate for a chance to join the girl he loves and save his world, North will stop at nothing to find a way back to his home in the sky-city of Ciel. Before it’s too late to save anyone.

But more awaits them in the world above than North or Nimh could ever expect. And as they come together and team up with allies from above and below, they face an ultimate test of their bond, their abilities, and their belief in each other in a quest to save their worlds.

 

Beyond the End of the World is the second and final installment in co-authors Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner's The Other Side of the Sky duology. The story once again alternates between Nimh, the Goddess of her people, and North, the boy who fell from the sky. Nimh is in the cloudlands (Ciel) but she doesn't remember who she is or how she got there. Meanwhile, North has been stuck behind trying to work with others like Techeki hoping to find a way to return home, and stop Inshara before she destroys the peace of both the sky people, and the people of the land.  

While Nimh is trying to remember who she is, and has spent the past 2 weeks in an unfamiliar world, Inshara pretends to be Nimhara and ingratiates herself in the court. She uses the mist to seemingly control the minds of others to behave the way she wants, starting with Queen Beatrin, North's bloodmother. Nimh and North spend most of the book apart, struggling with the aftermath and how best to reunite to stall a dangerous deity. As they learn more secrets and face numerous internal and external challenges, we see them grow as characters. 

Nimh and North seem to break out of their fears from the first book and fully come into themselves here, despite only a few weeks passing. Theirs isn’t quite a slow burn romance, instead built on something much deeper. I’m glad they questioned it as the story went on, too. Forbidden to touch, North and Nimh know that succumbing to their burgeoning attraction will destroy both their worlds—but with their love now plain to each other, their resolve weakens, providing readers with an utterly irresistible give and take.

Going to have to admit something. Inshara is more than a little infuriating as a villain. She's the perfect villain who is always one or two steps ahead of Nimh and North. There is a little bit of science fiction added to this story as the authors have told a story about a people who traveled across the universe and eventually landed on this planet. It is that journey that eventually separate one faction from the other faction. One escaped to the sky, one stayed behind and put their faith in human goddesses. 

While in Ciel, Nimh meets North's best friends, Miri and Saelis, who are the two best friends that everyone needs in their lives. One of the things I loved was the fact that even though the three of them spent their lives together intertwined by love and respect, they never once wavered in their support of North when they knew he lost his heart to Nimh. This series blends magic and technology; science and mystical. 

I think the book would have been a better had the authors inserted occasional chapters from Inshara’s perspective. She plays the main villain in the story and her actions would have made more of an impact if we had gotten to know her backstory to understand what drove her to take certain actions. Especially when she discovers the truth about her upbringing and the man claiming to be her father.

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#Review - The Other Side of the Sky by Amie Kaufman, Meagan Spooner #YA #Fantasy

Series: The Other Side of the Sky #1
Format: Paperback, 480 pages
Release Date: September 8, 2020
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Epic

Forbidden to touch, will they be doomed by their love? The Wrath & the Dawn meets Renegades in this literary, genre-bending, stunningly romantic YA fantasy—the first in a planned duology—from bestselling, powerhouse authors Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner.

Prince North’s home is in the sky, in a gleaming city held aloft by intricate engines powered by technology. Nimh is the living goddess of her people on the surface, responsible for providing answers, direction—hope.

Linked by a terrifying prophecy and caught between duty and fate, they must choose between saving their people or succumbing to the bond that is forbidden between them.

Magnetic and gorgeously thematic, New York Times bestselling author duo Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner have crafted a gripping tale of magic and logic, fate and choice, and an impossible decision between an empty future and a deadly love. Perfect for fans of Claudia Gray and Laini Taylor. 

 

The Other Side of the Sky, by co-authors Amie Kaufman, and Meagan Spooner, is the first installment in the authors The Other Side of the Sky duology. The story is action-packed and thrilling, full of betrayal, dark secrets, unlikely alliances, and hidden prophecies. The story blends fantasy and sci-fi, and logic and magic, to create a complex and fresh story about two entirely separate worlds and people, brought together by fate. 

Prince North’s home is in the sky-cities of Alciel, gleaming cities held aloft by intricate engines powered by technology. As prince of the sky cities, and second in line to the throne, North has a future laid out for him that he can’t ignore. North tries to get people to understand that it is imperative to find resources necessary to keep the sky island afloat. To prove his point, he slips from the meeting to fly his glider to the palace; he hasn’t counted on mechanical failure, though, and is soon plunging Below, from where none have returned and he will likely meet an awful fate. North finds his cushy lifestyle change in a major way when he has to face a deadly mist, and a girl who thinks he's the answer to her problems.

Nimh is the living goddess of her people on the surface, responsible for providing answers, direction, and hope. As the surface world’s living goddess, Nimh is forbidden to touch anyone else, lest her power be taken from her. She's been a so called goddess for 10 years, when the previous goddess decided to find love which isn't allowed. Nimh also faces a rebellion by a group known as Graycloaks who want to destroy her, and the Cult of the Deathless who want to kill her. She is convinced though, that a vision she has experienced is the answer to everything.

Society in the sky developed with technology, while the society on the ground developed with magic. The society on the ground think those in the sky are Gods who fled 1,00 years ago, while those in the sky are not aware that those on the ground even exist, believing the ground to be poisoned. Nimh puts her faith in magic, North relies on science. As North and Nimh race to save their worlds, North and Nimh try to resist the pull they feel toward each other, with plenty of emotionally-compelling romantic tension and longing along the way.

Curious enough, it is Bindle the Cat who caught my attention and stole the show. Bindle is right there in the middle of the action, and seems to be a bit on the protective side of both Nimh, as well as North after they meet. Of course, the story ends on a blistering cliffhanger ending which is pretty much expected when you have a duology. The sequel and conclusion called Beyond the End of the World, released January 18th 2022 by HarperCollins and I will be borrowing it from my local library soon. 

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#Review - Sherwood by Meagan Spooner #YALit #Fantasy

Series: Standalone
Format: Hardcover, 480 pages
Release Date: March 19, 2019
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Fairy Tales & Folklore / Adaptations

The Lady becomes the Legend in this gender-bending, action-packed, and highly romantic retelling of Robin Hood by the New York Times bestselling author of Hunted, Meagan Spooner.

Robin of Locksley is dead.

Maid Marian doesn’t know how she’ll go on, but the people of Locksley town, persecuted by the Sheriff of Nottingham, need a protector. And the dreadful Guy of Gisborne, the Sheriff’s right hand, wishes to step into Robin’s shoes as Lord of Locksley and Marian’s fiancé.

Who is there to stop them?

Marian never meant to tread in Robin’s footsteps—never intended to stand as a beacon of hope to those awaiting his triumphant return. But with a sweep of his green cloak and the flash of her sword, Marian makes the choice to become her own hero—Robin Hood.

 

Robin Hood is dead. Long live Lady Marian! That is pretty much the premise of this retelling by author Meagan Spooner. There have been numerous retellings of Robin Hood in the movies, including 2018's Robin Hood. Recent books include Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen, and The Forest Queen by Betsy Cornwell. But, this story takes a different twist on Robin Hood tale from the perspective of Marian. 

Lady Marian grew up with Robin of Locksley. As kids, they learned how to fight, and how to shoot bow and arrow. Marian was always a little faster to learn and a better shot. She was also taller. With Robin, she could be who she wanted to be. He didn't try to imprison her in the usual role for women of her time. He even took his time in asking Marian to marry him before joining King Richard's Crusades. 

Things change when news that Robin has died in the Holy Land in service to his king. While Marian is inconsolable over the loss of Robin, things change when her maid's brother Will Scarlett is arrested by the Sheriff of Nottingham's men. After discovering the injustices perpetrated by the Sheriff, and his men, she decides to do something about it. She finds Robin's signature cloak, the sword and bow he had made for her, and sets out to rescue Will. 

Her adversary is Guy of Gisborne who wants to take Robin's place both at Locksley and as Marian's new husband. One could say that she never intended to become Robin Hood, but once she saw how much hope Robin's reappearance brought to the people of Nottingham, she sets out on a dangerous path which can either lead to legendary status, or a quick death by hanging. Her crew includes Little John, Alan-a-Dale, Will Scarlet, her maid Elena, her stableman Midge (Much) and Frère Tuck. 

This story incorporates a bit of a back story with Marian and Robin growing up. Robin is also in Marian's head at times during the course of this story. Robin and Marian's relationship is legendary, so yes, I was absolutely saddened by the way this book opens. For years, I've read and watched movies where Robin was nearly indestructible. Marian as a main character was very interesting to read. She's headstrong, and very independent. She was so immersive and shows herself to be incredibly resourceful throughout the story. 

My only real complaint - I absolutely loathed the "mandatory love story". It didn't sit right with me in any way, and I had so much trouble with it through the whole novel. I cast my rating down a bit thanks to the ending and the forced romance. One could say, well, it was time or Marian to move on and find happiness. Or, one could say, just get over it! Read the book and make your own choices. That is my recommendation.

 

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Monday #Review - Unearthed by Amie Kaufman, Meagan Spooner #YALit #SyFy

Series: Unearthed # 1
Format: Hardcover, 336 pages
Release Date: January 9, 2018
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult / Science Fiction

From the New York Times best-selling author duo Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner comes a "literally breathtaking" new sci-fi series about a death-defying mission on an alien planet.

When Earth intercepts a message from a long-extinct alien race, it seems like the solution humanity has been waiting for. The Undying's advanced technology has the potential to undo environmental damage and turn lives around, and their message leads to the planet Gaia, a treasure trove waiting to be explored.

For Jules Addison and his fellow scholars, the discovery of an ancient alien culture offers unprecedented opportunity for study... as long as scavengers like Amelia Radcliffe don't loot everything first. Despite their opposing reasons for smuggling themselves onto the alien planet's surface, they're both desperate to uncover the riches hidden in the Undying temples. Beset by rival scavenger gangs, Jules and Mia form a fragile alliance... but both are keeping secrets that make trust nearly impossible.

As they race to decode the ancient messages, Jules and Mia must navigate the traps and trials within the Undying temples and stay one step ahead of the scavvers on their heels. They came to Gaia certain that they had far more to fear from their fellow humans than the ancient beings whose mysteries they're trying to unravel. But the more they learn about the Undying, the more Jules and Mia start to feel like their presence in the temple is part of a grand design--one that could spell the end of the human race...

Unearthed is the first installment in co-authors Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner's Unearthed duology. Unearthed is a story that is filled with non-stop action, intrigue, surprises, and yes, romance. Set entirely on a far off planet by the name of Gaia, the authors use dual alternating narratives to tell their story. 16-year old Amelia Radcliffe is a scavenger & thief who took a job on Gaia to find something valuable enough to pay off her sister's debts.

18-year old Jules Addison is the son of a disgraced scientist who was the first person on Earth to unlock the message sent by the people known as the Undying. Jules wants his father's reputation redeemed and in order to do so, he must combine talents with a scavvy in order to not only survive, but to unlock the true meaning behind the secretive messages. Now the two have been tossed together in a setting not unlike Laura Croft Tomb Raiders, or Indiana Jones in a race against time and enemies who will do anything to bring back fortune and glory.

Amelia and Jules couldn't be any different. They come from different backgrounds. She's from Chicago, he's from England. Amelia is the snarky badass, while Jules has never went a day without being able to do what he wants. She lived off scraps and stole in order to save her sister from a group that holds her hostage, while he was able to actually able to graduate from school and gain knowledge in order to be one of the most valuable persons on any planet.

This story is filled with puzzle pieces, villainous humans who are out for their own prizes, a temple filled with so much danger that it will take all of Jules and Amelia's skills to survive. PLUS, a very breath taking cliffhanger ending that has me pensive about what will happen next. 

Dislikes? Ok, fine, I struggled with the necessity behind using so much of the book to write a romance that really could have been edited out of the book. Sometimes I believe authors use romances as a crutch in order to fill story holes they created. 

Lots of time was spent with Mia and Jules attempting to unlock twisted through puzzle pieces left behind by a race that supposedly destroyed themselves long ago. Along the way, I got the sudden urge to sprint to the finish because I was already guessing something wasn't all that was cracked up to be. Kind of reminded me of the Lara Croft games where you have to search and search and search for a way out of your current scene before bad things happened. 

Waiting until 2019 for the final installment to come out. Why do you authors torture us like this? Write faster!

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#Wednesday Review - Hunted by Meagan Spooner #YALit #Fantasy #Retelling @MeaganSpooner @harperteen

Series: Standalone
Format: Hardcover, 384 pages
Release Date: March 14, 2017
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Edelweiss/Publisher
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Retelling

Beauty knows the Beast’s forest in her bones—and in her blood. Though she grew up with the city’s highest aristocrats, far from her father’s old lodge, she knows that the forest holds secrets and that her father is the only hunter who’s ever come close to discovering them.

So when her father loses his fortune and moves Yeva and her sisters back to the outskirts of town, Yeva is secretly relieved. Out in the wilderness, there’s no pressure to make idle chatter with vapid baronessas…or to submit to marrying a wealthy gentleman. But Yeva’s father’s misfortune may have cost him his mind, and when he goes missing in the woods, Yeva sets her sights on one prey: the creature he’d been obsessively tracking just before his disappearance. 

Deaf to her sisters’ protests, Yeva hunts this strange Beast back into his own territory—a cursed valley, a ruined castle, and a world of creatures that Yeva’s only heard about in fairy tales. A world that can bring her ruin or salvation. Who will survive: the Beauty, or the Beast?

Hunted, by author Meagan Spooner, is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but has nothing to do with the current reincarnation that is currently being played at the box office. Trust me. This is way better. What makes this retelling even more special & entertaining, is that the author has created her own world, her own characters, and much of the story is based on Russia folklore with Ivan, Firebird, and the Gray Wolf being at the center of her story. 

This is a story about Yeva whose father Tvertko calls her beauty. After Yeva's father loses everything by putting all his eggs, fortune, into one basket, the family is forced to sell almost everything they own and flee to a small cottage on the edge of the woods. As a very distraught father begins to fray at the mind, it is Yeva who becomes the one to provide for her two older sisters Asanka & Lena. It is Yeva who puts food on the table since neither sister has any of her training. That is until her father disappears, and she is captured by a Beastly incarnation while trying to find him.  

As the time wanes by, Yeva and Beast come to a mutual non destructive agreement. Beast wants something from Yeva, while Yeva knows that her sisters aren't as good in the woods as she is. In fact, Yeva takes to the woods like dogs do to bones. She's a really wonderful character who, as I said before, doesn't resemble the newest incarnation of Beauty that Disney has managed to scrap up. No. This Yeva is strong, she's wild and yes, even stubborn. She has loyalty to her family that brings everything she does to a spotlight. Plus, she is a wonderful story teller who tames the Beast.

What's really interesting is that Spooner has bits of Beasts point of view sorted throughout the novel. It where we get a rather interesting look at the Beasts struggles, and it is where we learn that the Beast has laid his entire hopes on the feet of one special girl who stumbled into his life while looking for her father. Beast is one of those characters, that readers will soon come to sympathize with. This is like a story within a story really. We get a deeper understanding about why the Beast needs someone like Yeva who is not only strong willed, but has a beautiful heart as well. I'm not normally a dog person, but I adore Doe-Eyes. He stays with Yeva throughout her time with the Beast, and is her support mechanism while away from her sisters.

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