#Monday Review - The Wish Granter by C.J. Redwine #YALit #Fantasy @cjredwine @BalzerandBray

Series: Ravenspire # 2
Format: Ebook, 432 pages
Release Date: February 14, 2017
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Source: Edelweiss 
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Retelling

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

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

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

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

"He'll grant you the deepest desire of your heart, but in ten years he'll return for your soul." 

The Wish Granter is the second installment in author C.J. Redwine's Ravenspire series, and an interesting twist on a German fairy tale called Rumpelstiltskin. The Wish Granter's key characters are Princess Arianna, Sebastian Vaughn, and Alistair Teague, aka the villain aka The Wish Granter. Arianna and Vaughn are thrown together to face off against a man who grants your hearts desire, and then comes back to collect your soul in (10) years. There is no getting out of the bargain you make with Teague. If you try, he will find a way to may you pay.

Arianna and her brother Prince Thaddeus are the bastard twins of the King of Súndraille. After the Queen gives birth to a son, they find themselves being hunted by the Queen's hunters who wants them dead. After their mother is killed, Thaddeus one desire is to make sure that Arianna is safe no matter what. So, in doing what's, he makes a wish and a deal with Teague. (3) weeks later, the Royal family is suddenly dead, and Thaddeus is King of Súndraille, while Arianna, who describes herself  as curvaceous, which terms means she has some meat on her bones, becomes a Princess who is expected to act way beyond what she was born into.

But, in making his wish, Thaddeus is manipulated to the point where he is a King with no real standing. Nobody really trusts Thad. They question whether or not he had anything to do with the Royal families demise. Nobody except for his own sister who finds out about the wish, and Teague, and makes her plans to help Thaddeus break is agreement without losing his soul in the process. Teague now has an in towards all of the (7) Kingdoms that make up this world. Teague is also a Fae who has been living off the high horse for 200 years. He knows everything there is about tricking people into doing what he wants them to do.

I really liked Arianna. I liked that she considers herself a bit on the chunky side. I loved that she is eager to bake, and have fun, as well as find a way to defeat Teague which leads to some interesting twists and surprises. I love that she isn't just thrust into the spotlight, and becomes everyone's darling Princess. I love her connection to her best friend Cleo, and Mama Eleni. Ari is really good at baking, and numbers, and no so good at handling weapons, which makes Sebastian all that more important in the general scheme of things.

Sebastian is a character who knows a thing or two about living in squalor, having a father who is brutal, a mother who is addicted, and losing a brother thanks to Teague's business dealings. He becomes the King's weapon's master where he meets Arianna. Sebastian is a man of little words, but enough experience to understand Arianna's goals. Sebastian is curious about Arianna's request to make certain weapons. He becomes caught up in her desire to help find a way to defeat Teague and break his hold over her brother, and the kingdom of  Súndraille which has seen a dramatic uptick in violence.

The Wish Granter is told in the third person narrative rotating between Ari, Sebastian, and of course, Teague who really is a twisted sort of villain. You can call this a retelling, if you like. Or, you can say that the author made her own tale of a man who grants wishes, and takes souls without any reservation or hesitation. Even though it's not like the original story, Redwine still manages to write about fascinating characters, and twisted villains who face off against those who are more than up to the task of winning. I am all in regarding the romance. It is rather sweet, and yes I know that I normally don't use that word. The romance doesn't hinder the story. It enhances it, and makes it more intriguing to know that two characters can find a way to find chemistry when things are not exactly copacetic. 

While The Wish Granter may be the second installment in Ravenspire series, it is actually a standalone within the series itself. 

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*Book Review* A Book of Spirits and Thieves by Morgan Rhodes (YA Fantasy)

Series: Spirits and Thieves # 1
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: June 23, 2015
Source: Penguin First to Read
Format: E-Book, 368 pages
Genre: YA, Fantasy, and Magic

Modern-day sisters discover deadly ancient magic in book 1 of this Falling Kingdoms spin-off series!

Worlds collide in this suspenseful, page-turning Falling Kingdoms spin-off series, which explores a whole new side of Mytica—and an even darker version of its magic.

Crystal Hatcher, Modern-day Toronto: It’s a normal afternoon in her mother’s antique bookshop when Crys witnesses the unthinkable: her little sister Becca collapses into a coma after becoming mesmerized by a mysterious book written in an unrecognizable language.

Maddox Corso, Ancient Mytica: Maddox Corso doesn’t think much of it when he spots an unfamiliar girl in his small village. Until, that is, he realizes that she is a spirit, and he is the only one who can see or hear her. Her name is Becca Hatcher, and she needs Maddox to help get her home.

Farrell Grayson, Modern-day Toronto: Rich and aimless Farrell Grayson is thrilled when the mysterious leader of the ultra-secret Hawkspear Society invites him into the fold. But when he learns exactly what he has to do to prove himself, Farrell starts to question everything he thought he knew about family, loyalty, and himself….

Fate has brought these young people together, but ancient magic threatens to rip them apart.

A Book of Spirits and Thieves is the first installment in Morgan Rhodes new series called Spirits and Thieves. Spirits and Thieves takes place in modern day Toronto, and pre-Falling Kingdoms era Mytica where Goddess's Valoria and Cleonia are still around. This is a story with plenty of surprises, mysteries, magical books, secret societies, a bit of romance, and suspense. It is a story that intertwines, switches narratives, between (4) main characters who will guide this story.

17-year old Crystal Hatcher lives in Modern-day Toronto. She loves photography, but hasn't exactly been all that happy since her father decided to choose a secret society over his family. Crystal meanders through life barely scrapping by at school. But, when Crystal opens a mysterious package from her Aunt Jackie, she watches in horror as her younger sister Becca falls into a coma. She finds herself gaining a bit of courage and strength to do whatever it takes to save Becca, including getting to know the charismatic leader, Markus King, of a secret society known as Hawkspear.

16-year old Maddox Corso lives in Ancient Mytica. He apparently has some magical abilities that nobody is supposed to have. He is able to summon spirits and can also seal them away. But, he is surprised when an unfamiliar girl, who just happens to be Becca Hatcher, shows up in spirit form asking for HIS help in returning to her home. Maddox finds himself directly in the path of the Goddess Valoria who demands his help in finding something lost, while also promising to help Becca find a way home. Maddox journey is that of going from the sheltered life, to one in which he needs to become a leader. 

19-year old Farrell Grayson lives in Modern-day Toronto. Unlike Crystal, he is rich, a drunkard, a playboy, and a member of a secret society known as Hawkspear whose leader, Markus King, has been watching him hoping that he will become a member of his inner group. Among the main characters, Farrell is clearly the most conflicted, the most arrogant, and the most likely to break your heart and betray you over a shot of expensive liquor. He would even toss his younger brother Adam to the wolves if it means impressing Markus. Farrell is hard for me to like, or understand. Here is someone who has it all, and uses his society in order to claim he's doing good. 

15-year old Becca Hatcher is the perfect example of a girl who is beautiful, smart, a book worm, and one that apparently has a bright future ahead of her unlike her sister Crystal. Becca has an adventure of a lifetime when the mysterious book with a mysterious language sends her spirit off to Mytica. There she finds a boy named Maddox who is nothing like anyone she's met, and eventually loses her heart to him. There's a whole lot more to be said about Becca, but I can't nor won't say anything more for fear of spoiling the surprises.

For me, the positives are Crystal and her desire to save her sister, and make up for lost time with her. I liked the mixing of the time periods and narrative switching. I liked that nothing is what it appears. I like the fact that I can still be surprised by actions of certain characters. I like that there is a hint of romance, but it doesn't infect the stories pacing by stopping and wasting time better spent on who Markus really is, and what he is doing in Toronto. I liked the world building and the fact that we are seeing a different Mytica than what what we've seen in Falling Kingdoms. 

I wasn't all that happy with certain events, including the ending. Nope, won't spoil them for you. I do hope that Rhodes makes Jackie and Julia more than just faces in the crowd the next time out. I do hope that Adam doesn't get run over like road kill just so we can find out what Farrell does next. I do believe that Adam can make a valuable ally to Becca and Crystal. I would like to see more of Mytica, and not just focus on the sisters struggles with the book.

**I received this book for free from Razorbill via Penguin First Reads in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**

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*Book Review & Giveaway* Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman

Series: Seraphina # 2
Publisher: Random House Children's
Released: March 10, 2015
Source: Publisher
Format: Hardcover, 608 pages
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy


The kingdom of Goredd: a world where humans and dragons share life with an uneasy balance, and those few who are both human and dragon must hide the truth. Seraphina is one of these, part girl, part dragon, who is reluctantly drawn into the politics of her world. When war breaks out between the dragons and humans, she must travel the lands to find those like herself—for she has an inexplicable connection to all of them, and together they will be able to fight the dragons in powerful, magical ways.

As Seraphina gathers this motley crew, she is pursued by humans who want to stop her. But the most terrifying is another half dragon, who can creep into people’s minds and take them over. Until now, Seraphina has kept her mind safe from intruders, but that also means she’s held back her own gift. It is time to make a choice: Cling to the safety of her old life, or embrace a powerful new destiny? 

Shadow Scale, the sequel and final installment in the Seraphina duology, picks up roughly three months after the events of Seraphina. Seraphina, our half dragon, half human protagonist, has become entangled in the political welfare of Goredd. Not only is Seraphina the unofficial translator between dragons and humans, but she also becomes her kingdoms official emissary.

At the behest of Queen Glissenda and Prince Lucian Kiggs, Seraphina travels to far reaching lands in search of other half-dragons who can help stave off a civil war, and a dragon invasion. I dare say that the first half of this story was a bit on the slow side as Seraphina and her entourage, which includes Abdo, travel far and wide to collect the half-dragons which she is connected to by her inner Garden of Grotesques.

Hartman does really well in creating not only the abilities of the half dragons, but the cultures of the lands they call home, and the fact that Seraphina's journey is anything but smooth because of her connection to one of the major villains of the story, Jannoula, who can enter the half-dragons minds and control them. The only one who is immune, is Seraphina but I won't spoil that story plot for you.

With Jannoula's shadow nipping at her heels at every turn, a civil war closing in quickly on Goredd, and Seraphina not able to discover where her uncle Orma disappeared to, Hartman proves that she can write the unpredictable. There are definite plot twists, surprises, and dragons galore! There is also the interesting romantic possibilities that includes Glissenda, Lucian, and Seraphina. I would have been fine either way, but to say what happens in the end, will just ruin it for future readers.

Considering that we've had to wait nearly three years for Shadow Scale, I dare say that I am a bit miffed and perhaps expected a whole lot more from this final installment, including the romance angle. This is a story that has a cast of hundreds, and Hartman does a fairly impressive job of keeping them all involved in the story. For me, the most intriguing characters were Abdo,  Camba, and Pandowdy. But, let's not forget that Jannoula forces Seraphina into becoming the heroine she needs to be.

**I received this book for free from (Random House Children's Books) via (NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!! This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**

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*YA Fantasy Book Review* Gathering Darkness by Morgan Rhodes

Series: Falling Kingdoms # 3
Publisher: Razorbill
Released: December 9, 2014
Source: Library
Format: Hardcover, 432 pages
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Prince Magnus has just witnessed torture, death, and miracles during the bloody confrontation that decimated the rebel forces. Now he must choose between family and justice as his father, the cruel King Gaius, sets out to conquer all of Mytica. All Gaius needs now are the Kindred—the four elemental crystals that give godlike powers to their owner. But the King of Blood is not the only one hunting for this ancient, storied magic. . . .

THE KRAESHIANS join the hunt. Ashur and Amara, the royal siblings from the wealthy kingdom across the Silver Sea, charm and manipulate their way to the Kindred, proving to be more ruthless than perhaps even the King of Blood himself.

THE REBELS forge ahead. Princess Cleo and vengeful Jonas lead them, slaying with sweetness, skill, and a secret that can control Lucia’s overpowering magic—all so they can use the Kindred to win back their fallen kingdoms.

THE WATCHERS follow Melenia out of the Sanctuary. They ally in the flesh with King Gaius, who vows to use Lucia’s powers to unveil the Kindred.

Gathering Darkness is the third installment in the Falling Kingdoms series which apparently will have SIX books. The story is set in what is now Mytica, which is made up of Limeros, Paelsio, & Auranos. King Gaius successfully set out to conquer all of Mytica, now it appears that nothing will stop him from collecting the four elemental crystals (Kindred) that give godlike powers to their owner. But, he is not the only one after the crystals, and this is where this series continues to push forward and excel.

Rhodes adds an even more interesting element to the series in Prince Ashur and his sister Princess Amara from Kraeshia. They would love nothing better than to thwart the blood king, and take the crystals back to their powerful father Emperor Cortas, who already rules most of the world, and would love to add Mytica to his conquests. I will say this, Amara is by far the most interesting and villainous character in this story. She will stop at nothing, including using sex, and stabbing people in the back, to get her way.

Gathering Darkness once again focuses on (4) main characters, and several important secondary ones.

16-year old Princess Cleo, Auranos, watched her kingdom fall to the Blood King, became wife to the arrogant Prince Magnus who has killed everyone she loves. Has not hesitated in her desire for revenge and the taking back her Kingdom. Her goal is simple: find the Kindred and gather their powers before anyone else can get to them. Her game is not a hard one to figure out. Get close to those like Lucia, and perhaps Magnus, and use them to gain access to the Kindred. She also chooses to side with Jonas in her quest for revenge and the crystals.

Jonas Agallon, Paelsio, Rebel Leader with a massive bounty on his head. Jonas is by far the more aggrieved character is this story. He's lost his brother, his homeland, survived numerous attempts on his life while trying to regain what he lost, and is now accused of killing the Queen. Jonas has become an ally of Cleo's and I'm not sure where that angle is going to go but will wait patiently until Rhodes decides to sort things out. Jonas has faced his share of heart break, and betrayal, and has only one real ally to count on in Lysander. One can only hope that he isn't left out in the cold when the dust settles.

Princess Lucia, Limeros, prophesied sorceress who is said to wield the power of the original immortal, Eva. The Watchers, mostly Melenia, want her dead at any cost. Her dream lover, Alexius makes things interesting, and sets a course of action that leads me to believe that Lucia's path is heading towards darkness. She is absolutely brutal, and arrogant like her family. I know we are supposed to feel sorry for her, but at this point, I think that her actions speak louder than any words can ever say.

Prince Magnus, Limeros, Blood Kings heir, married against his desires to Cleo who plots for his demise. His actions have caused Cleo nothing but grief, yet Rhodes apparently wants readers to believe that he's not all that bad and may care for her. His desire to control the Kindred makes him take actions that perhaps goes to show that maybe he has grown up from the callous human being that I loath so much. I don't like the fact that he cheated on Cleo, but one could just scoff at my judgment and say, that's the way it is...get over it!

Other characters involved are Nicolo (Nic) Cassian, and Lysander Barbas who both go through a whole lot of painful moments. Nic is Cleo's friend who was kissed by Prince Ashur and is now confused as to what it means. He's a palace guard, rebel, and really stands out after the 4 main characters. Lysander was captured in the previous installment, and thanks to Jonas and some friends, is saved from being beheaded by King Gaius. Lysander is also a rebel, and one has to ask if Jonas has been looking in all the wrong places for the right person to love.

Let's chat about the romance in this book. Cleo and Magnus started out hating each other. Absolutely understandable that a snake in the grass like Magnus should find himself wandering the halls looking for someone else to lay with, and does. But, Magnus is also a strange and bewildering character in that he keeps saving Cleo's life.

She should be dead many times over but she continues to live and plot to regain her kingdom. How about the kisses? Yes, I said kisses. Cleo & Jonas who I like together. Cleo & Magnus who really confuse me. Jonas & Lysander which actually makes lots of sense. Oh, yes, let's not forget Lucia and Alexius who gives up his immortality for her. I don't know where this merry go round is going to stop, but I do hope it doesn't drag out forever.

Gathering Darkness is a story filled with betrayal after betrayal, heart break, twists, turns, and shocking revelations. It also ends on a whale of a cliffhanger. If you are tempted, Frozen Tides (Falling Kingdoms # 4) is set to be released later this year (2015). If you don't want to be spoiled at what Rhodes has up her sleeves next, don't peek at the synopsis!

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*Book Review* Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Series: Graceling Realm # 1
Publisher: Harcourt
Released: October 1, 2008
Format: Hardcover, 471 pages
Source: Library
Genre: YA, Fantasy

*Book Blurb*

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight - she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king's thug.

When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change.

She never expects to become Po's friend.
She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace - or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away.

Graceling is the first installment in the Graceling Realm trilogy by Kristin Cashore. As I am a high fantasy fan, this story was right up my alley. I like the fact that there were 7 kingdoms, with 7 different rulers. I like the fact that Cashore created a world where people with "Grace" are born with abilities such as mind reading, survival, awareness, and navigation to name just a few. Perhaps a bit of the X-men comparison here. I liked the fact that the author doesn't rush the story.

She takes time and travels to different lands over the course of months, instead of days. Perhaps this might be one of the not so bright spots of the book, since it does take a whole lot of pages where there is little or no action. She also creates a fairly impressive cast of secondary characters, instead of a cast hundreds. I like that while the main heroine finds herself in an unusual friendship with another Graceling named Po, Cashore didn't make it a love at first sight situation that currently infects the YA genre.

Graceling's heroine is 18-year old Lady Katsa. She is niece to King Randa of Middlun, and has been his goon squad, as it were, since she was a small child. Katsa, like others born with "Grace," has one green eye, and one blue. Her grace is fighting, but if you look deeper into what she's capable of, you will understand that there is far more than meets they eye. I really liked her relationships with Oll, Giddon, Bann, Helda, and Prince Raffin. I like that she's fierce, determined, and has set up a Council to help innocents while still carrying out Randa's orders.

I supposed it is now time to talk about the romance angle between Katsa and Prince Greening or Prince Po of the Leinids. Po is graced with combat skills and has one silver and one golden eye. But, like Katsa, there is more to his abilities than just that. Po and Katsa's relationship slowly grows over time. It grows from friendship, to a few mild sex scenes, to perhaps bed buddies who aren't tied down by a silly thing called marriage, or a ring, or out of expectation. Yeah, anyway..... I do like Po. I liked that he brought emotions out of Katsa and makes her think of other avenues. I like that he doesn't come across as arrogant or overbearing. It some way, I also feel for him at the moment because he wants more of their relationship than she's wiling to give.

Complaint time> Like other reviewers I respect, I think the feminism message that apparently needed to be shoved down our throats was overdone and unnecessary. I will say that I am apparently not in the minority on my thoughts on this issue. Apparently, Cashore wants a strong, independent minded heroine who is too busy saving the world to marry, fall in love, or have children. She has Katsa so stuck on her intentions, her council, and her choices, that even when she does find someone who genuinely cares for her, and adores her, she chooses her own pathway without him.

I look around at today's women serving in our military and scream at how feminism is sending the wrong message to our younger generation. Feminism is the advocacy of women's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men. It is not saying that women who marry, or have children are weak kneed and must rely on men to support them. Women serving in the military are just as strong and capable as men. They fight. They fly jets. They have families. They have husbands and children and still serve with distinction and honor.

So, kindly explain to me what the point of having Katsa fall in love, and then walk away to do her own thing? I am not advocating marriage and children folks. Sometimes being single is the only real path, especially for me apparently. I am saying that just because someone chooses to wear dresses over pants, or has a family, or doesn't, or lives alone doesn't make mean that they don't fight just as hard for women's rights as others do.

I think that perhaps I will skip over the next installment, Red, and go right to Bitterblue who makes her first appearance in Graceling. I like Bitterblue, a whole lot. She's spunky, and loved her connection to Katsa who she travels through a bunch of trials and tribulations. I like how she goes from being a child running away from her evil father, to a stronger, more capable queen that learns how to take care of herself. I do hope that we get more of Katsa, Po, and her Council, and they just don't walk away without knowing what happened from the end of this book, to the beginning of Bitterblue.

*Early Book Review* The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury

Series: The Sin Eater's Daughter # 1
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Released: February 24, 2015
Source: Edelweiss/Publisher
Format: E-Book, 320 pages
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Romance

*Book Blurb*

Seventeen-year-old Twylla lives in the castle. But although she’s engaged to the prince, Twylla isn’t exactly a member of the court.

She’s the executioner.

As the Goddess embodied, Twylla instantly kills anyone she touches. Each month she’s taken to the prison and forced to lay her hands on those accused of treason. No one will ever love a girl with murder in her veins. Even the prince, whose royal blood supposedly makes him immune to Twylla’s fatal touch, avoids her company.

But then a new guard arrives, a boy whose easy smile belies his deadly swordsmanship. And unlike the others, he’s able to look past Twylla’s executioner robes and see the girl, not the Goddess. Yet Twylla’s been promised to the prince, and knows what happens to people who cross the queen.

However, a treasonous secret is the least of Twylla’s problems. The queen has a plan to destroy her enemies, a plan that requires a stomach-churning, unthinkable sacrifice. Will Twylla do what it takes to protect her kingdom? Or will she abandon her duty in favor of a doomed love?

I went to sleep trying come to terms with what I read in The Sin Eater's Daughter. While the story was interesting enough, it was most mostly a romance novel intertwined with Fantasy, and mythical Gods. There were some pretty intense moments, but the main character, 17-year old Twylla, was a cardboard cutout figure with no emotions right out of the box. Reviewers talk about a characters growth. Does she get better? Or, does she continue to do stupid things? Does she eventually discover that she has choice and a backbone and finally stands up for herself? At times, Twylla is a hard nut for me to crack.

Brought to the Lormere castle 4 years ago by Queen Helewys, Twylla was made into an executioner and a weapon. She was set up to be the Daunen Embodied, a human born from Gods, who with a touch of her finger, can kill instantaneously. Then there is the fact that she freely walked away from her life as the Sin Eater's Daughter to become an entirely different person because she wanted a better life for herself. Can't blame her for that after you read what her mother's job really entails. Let's just say....EWWWWW

But, let's really cut through the fog and talk about the real Twylla. She genuinely cares about her little sister Maryl, so much so that she made sure that money and food was sent back to her. She became friendly with the alchemist son, only to watch him die by her own hand for treason. She is supposed to be betrothed to Prince Merek, but he's been away for the past 2 years in another land. She has no friends. Her guards and everyone else at the castle, are scared to death of touching her, and the one guard who has stood by her the longest, isn't around all that much thanks to a diabolical ploy.

So, like other reviewers, I waited for Twylla to start asking questions instead of taking everything she was told by the Evil Queen with a grain of salt. I do believe had she done so earlier, it would have saved her a whole lot of pain and heart break. You might be asking yourself, well, does Twylla experience any character growth? I would be hard pressed to say no, but we shall see if she really does make a choice to leave her life behind. We shall see if she truly does choose her own destiny, and not one set by someone else.

I realize that my festering hatred for love triangles is a bit on the strange side. But, in this case, I can't abide by those who cheat when supposedly intent on marrying someone else. It is hard for me to fully go negative over Twylla and Lief's romantic interlude, until I was slapped in the face and made to understand that nothing is what it seems. Think about what I've already talked about and the fact that Twylla truly is a pawn in a much larger game. So, if someone showed an inch of interest in your well being, what would you do? Who do you choose? A callous liar, or a broken Prince whose family is an absolute mess?

I have do have feelings and thoughts about THAT ending but won't spoil it for anyone. For the most part, I didn't see where Twylla was all that special. You may not like the Queen or her actions, but you have to admit that at least she sticks to her diabolical ways right until the very end. I can already guess who is knocking on Twylla's door at the end of the book. If you've read this book already, can't you?

**I received this book for free from (Scholastic Press) via (Edelweiss) in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!! This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**

*Book Review* Red Queen (Red Queen Trilogy #1) by Victoria Aveyard

Mare Barrow's world is divided by blood—those with common, Red blood serve the Silver- blooded elite, who are gifted with superhuman abilities. Mare is a Red, scraping by as a thief in a poor, rural village, until a twist of fate throws her in front of the Silver court. Before the king, princes, and all the nobles, she discovers she has an ability of her own.

To cover up this impossibility, the king forces her to play the role of a lost Silver princess and betroths her to one of his own sons. As Mare is drawn further into the Silver world, she risks everything and uses her new position to help the Scarlet Guard—a growing Red rebellion—even as her heart tugs her in an impossible direction. One wrong move can lead to her death, but in the dangerous game she plays, the only certainty is betrayal.

*My Thoughts*

"Anyone can betray anyone."

The idea behind Red Queen, the first installment in the Red Queen Trilogy by Victoria Aveyard, isn't necessarily something entirely new to me. But, it is highly entertaining, brutal, and twisted with a bit of a cliffhanger ending to make things even more interesting. Aveyard's world is one in which society is split into two different factions Reds and Silvers.

Reds are commoners born under a never ending cycle of poverty, war, and death. They live under the rule of a Silver King and his people who have god-like powers and magical abilities to manipulate the elements. 17-year old Mare Barrow is a girl who grew up in the The Stilts. She knows that her future is pretty bleak. Without a job of any sort, or an apprenticeship like her sister Gisa's to give her future a bit of hope, Mare knows that she will soon be conscripted into the military like her three brothers and fighting a never ending war against the Lakelanders.

Mare is a thief, and a smuggler who hasn't been caught due to her ability to avoid the authorities. She steals things from those who have, to give to her family in order to survive. When Mare steals from the wrong person in order to help her best friend Kilorn, she finds herself working in the Silver Palace as a royal servant. But, if you think this is where things remain typical to this genre, you're wrong. After falling through an elemental shield, and wielding lightning, Mare realizes that she somehow possesses a power that is supposedly reserved only for those of Silver birth.

In an attempt to control her, and use her against the rebellion known as Scarlet Guard, Mare ends up in a deadly game of cat and mouse. She's the mouse who has an ability that nobody else has, and understanding why and how leads Mare through some interesting situations, revelations, while being trained to successfully pass as one of the born Silvers. Mare's entire identity is changed to that of a lost Silver princess, and Heir to the dead Titanos line. She's told by the Queen that she has to marry one of the Kings sons, Maven.

Mare is a character that is outspoken, hates the nobles, and is willing to put her life on the line in order to help the Scarlet Guard. Not unlike the SG, Mare wants to change the way her country is ruled, and give the Reds a true chance at not living under the thumbs of others. Even though I loved Mare's abilities, she could have used a bit more intelligence and perhaps trusted people a bit less. She could have understood that right from the beginning, NOBODY is what they say they seem. Not the Prince (Cal) who tried to rescue her from the streets. Not the Prince (Maven) that she's supposed to marry.

There really isn't necessarily a good way to discuss the attempted romance angle without absolutely spoiling the outcome. Mare starts by having a crush on Cal, the boy who honestly thought he was doing something good by helping her only to be used as a pawn in a larger game. But, when she finds herself with Maven, a boy her same age, she might have left her heart open to be ripped apart. If that weren't enough, Kilorn has been Mare's best friend for years. She's tried to protect him, but never truly allowed herself to fall in love with him. I will say that the romance has little bearing with my like or dislike for this book. It's just something that is there, and it doesn't totally drive the storyline unlike The Selection.

The reason I ended up rating this book the way I have, is because the ending is just staggering in its intensity, bloodshed, betrayal, and action. You really do see a much different Mare from the struggling thief who lives knowing her life may be shortened at any moment. She's a badass, she can stand on her own two feet without Cal or anyone else to help her, and she's now totally focused on a goal that others can help her with, finding others like her, and bringing down the Silvers.

We really need to stop comparing books to other works for in this case, Graceling meets The Selection just doesn't do Red Queen justice. If you want to compare this book to another, please consider looking no further than Red Rising where Darrow, a born red on the planet Mars, infiltrates the Gold society in order to destroy it. Now, of course, I haven't read either Graceling or the Selection, but the author does offer up her own version of the Selection called Queen's Trial.

According to Harper Collins, Red Queen is a Fantasy/Magic centered Young Adult novel. I would challenge that and add that the story's world building is not unlike that we see from a Dystopian novels. Normally in Fantasy, we don't have the technology, including electricity and airplanes, that this story has.

In the end, Red Queen's best moments happened when we see the various Silvers using their special abilities, and Mare being trained to use hers. I do think that Mare is a bit too trusting when all is said and done, and I am hoping that with what happens in the end, Mare grows even stronger and less reliant on others. I will say that Red Queen has definitely peaked my interest, and I'm eager for the next installment to come out. (See you in 2016!)

**I received this book for free from (Harper Teen) via (Edelweiss) in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!! This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review**

Author - Victoria Aveyard
Title - Red Queen
Series - Red Queen Trilogy # 1
Published by Harper Teen
Release Date: February 10, 2015
Format: E-Book, 383 pages
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Magic

Review: Social Suicide by Gemma Halliday

~Review~

My favorite Veronica Mars wannabe Hartley Featherstone is back, and this time she is working for the Herbert Hoover High online newspaper. Her first real story involves two girls who were caught cheating on a test. Hartley is given the job by Chase Erikson, the papers editor and Hartley's crush, to find out where the kids got the test answers from.

Hartley is once again thrown into the middle of a murder investigation when she finds one of the girls dead in her own pool! Hartley was there to get the scoop at where the answers to the test came from! Hartley is getting a bad reputation by the cops (Detective Raley) in that she seems to be around whenever someone is killed.

Hartley and crew calls the death of Sydney Sanders Twittercide: the killing of one human being by another while the victim is in the act of tweeting.

Hartley is a determined and fun character who I enjoy reading about. She stumbles and bumbles and weaves her way through high school silliness in order to get to the bottom of what truly happened to Sydney. She gets her signals mixed up with Chase more often than not, because, hey, Chase is a boy after-all. In the end, we can hope that the two of them will realize how utterly silly they are and that they are supposed to be together.

I would say that you don't have to read Deadly Cool in order get more in-depth character development out of Hartley, Sam and Chase. But, I would recommend reading it regardless just to see how far Hartley has grown over the course of this series. Both stories are hilarious. They both mix mystery with suspense and a whose who of capable killers. Both involve Mother/Daughter tom foolery that will have you cracking up!

Best quote:

'Oh, fantastic amounts of fluffin' fudge.

Author - Gemma Halliday
Title - Social Suicide
Publisher - Harper Teen
Released - April 24, 2012

Early Review - Hidden by Sophie Jordan (Firelight # 3)

After the events of Vanish where Miram was captured by the Enkors (dragon hunters) after failing to listen to Jacinda--Jacinda, Cassian, Will, and Tamra, have banded together in an attempt to rescue her before she is tortured and experimented on.

Jacinda, Will and Tamra had planned to leave the pride once and for-all and never look back. Cassian is along because he and Jacinda are "bonded" and they can feel each others emotions and know what the other is feeling and thinking. Plus, Jacinda feels responsible for allowing Miram to fall into the hands of the Enkros without putting up much of a fight.

Jacinda has grown leaps and bounds from the first novel. She is the one most involved in the rescue and discovery that there are other Dragon's out there that she has never met before. She really seems to understand now that she has responsibility to others, and she just can't run away when things getting rough for her.

One of newer dragons, Deghan or the gray one, ends up becoming part of the solution to rescue Miram and later, in saving Jacinda from Cassian's cousin Corbin and the hunters who find the prides hideout.

Hidden is the final novel in the Firelight series and wraps things up nicely into a little bow so that readers won't walk away from the series feeling disappointed or angry that their favorite character(s) didn't get exactly what was coming to them.

Hidden reveals several really interesting surprises that I didn't see coming. The ending will leave readers with a mixed feeling of finality and wanting more from the characters we've come to know over three books. Yet the ending will also leave your mind free to roam and to think about what the future holds in store for Jacinda, Cassian, Will, and Tamra as they each step into the future with something to hold onto.  

I think readers will enjoy the newest addition to the series and what his arrival means for Tamra's future with the pride. You will see an entirely different aspect of Tamra in this edition. I'm pleased to say that she's actually grown a spine and isn't so irritating.

For those who know how much I abhor 3-way love triangles, Hidden is actually done with respect to both characters vying for Jacinda's heart and attention. I can honestly say that I don't hate, or dislike either Will or Cassian after reading Hidden to it's ending.

For those wondering if I have anything negative to say about this book. Let's just say that IT'S TOO DAMN SHORT and I WANT MORE! and leave it at that. I liked how Jordan tied up the loose pieces with not only the fate of Jacinda and Tamra's mother and father, but to expose the person most responsible for what happened to their father.

*Read as part of the Once Upon A Twilight Blog Tour*

Hidden
Firelight #3
Author: Sophie Jordan
Release Date: September 11th 2012
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Fantasy/Dragons
Publisher: Harper TEEN

Kelly Keaton's A Beautiful Evil

A BEAUTIFUL EVIL, by Kelly Keaton, picks up shortly after the end of DARKNESS BECOMES HER. 17-year old Aristanae (Ari) Selkirk has decided to stay in New 2 and has been granted access and the opportunity by New 2’s Novem families to start school at Presbytere and learn how to fight with Bran Ramsey.

Presby is a place where students are taught a curriculum that consists of normal as well as paranormal studies. It is also where the Novem’s library is located and only a few have access to the secrets held within. The library is Ari’s best way to find information on her gorgon curse, and a way for her to stop Athena in her tracks, and to rescue Violet.

Ari is a descendant of Medusa and knows that unless she finds a cure before she turns 21, she will become just like her legendary relative and she will end up turning people into stone. After seeing what her future could hold at the end of DARKNESS BECOMES HER thanks to Athena, Ari will do almost anything to avoid a fate she considers worse than death itself.

For the first third of this book, it was all about Ari’s training and her desire to find a way to avoid her curse as well as finding a way into Athena’s well-fortified castle to rescue Violet. This means a lot of world building and character development. While it wasn’t mind blowing and action packed, it wasn’t something that could be avoided. Ari understandably needs to find a way to help herself before she can help others.

Then things really start to pick up as a new character that may, or may not be able to help Ari in the future, Menai, is introduced and Sebastian undergoes a drastic change at the hands of Athena. We also get to see more of Ari’s own father-Theron-who has been tortured repeatedly by Athena for what she sees as his betrayal for not doing what she asked of him.

Ari really grew on me as a character this time out. She understands the consequences of her actions, yet remains steadfast and true to her willingness to protect those like Violet who are a bit of a wild card. Violet really comes through in this installment, and I want to know what her powers are that allowed her to walk away from Athena relatively unscathed.

For Sebastian, he came away changed and more powerful than anyone can imagine. What that means in the general scheme of things and the war against Athena, is anyone’s guess. His relationship with Ari also is something that has grown after he was shocked to learn what will become of her when she turns 21. Those looking for romance will have to wait a little longer to see if Keaton actually goes in that direction.

If you are looking for a villain among villains, then Athena is your choice. She is sick, evil, twisted, and terrifying. She truly believes that she is indestructible and able to use Ari to do her bidding and that Ari will bow down to her wishes. We even get a look into her background and how she was able to defeat Zeus.
 
I loved the continued presence of Crank, Dub, and especially Henri. Henri plays a major role in this storyline and we learn more about his abilities. He is definitely worth reading about all on his own.

For me, there MUST be another installment in this series since many questions are left unanswered, and the status of Athena is left opened to interpretation by the reader. There are so many different ways for this series to come to a grand standing ending, that it would be ashamed if the third book wasn't better than the first two.

Author: Kelly Keaton
Title: A Beautiful Evil
Published by: Simon Pulse
Released: February 21, 2012

Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris (ARC Version)

17 year old Janelle Tenner is not your average teenager. She is straight forward, feisty, and a go getter. She’s smart as a whip, and has the wherewithal to back up her boast without shoving that fact into others faces.

Janelle has also not lived under the perfect mantle where everything is perfect in her home life. Her mother is bipolar and a total mess. Her father is head of the FBI’s Counterintelligence office in San Diego and an avid science fiction follower. (Think Star Wars and X-Files). She has pretty much raised her brother Jared who is 3 years younger than she is.

When Janelle is run over by a truck that appears out of nowhere, she is pulled back from the other side by Ben Michaels one of the so called stoners of her high school. The mystery, however, is just getting started. Bodies are seemingly piling up and the identities of the bodies left behind have the FBI scratching their collective heads.

As the mystery deepens, you are left wondering what characters are the good guys, and what characters are the bad guys. I think it shows that Norris is more than capable of putting together a story without spoiling what is actually happening behind the scenes. This is one book where you do have a distinct beginning, middle and ending, although I can only hope that there will be a sequel to this book in the near future.

As a character, Janelle is nothing if not curious about everything that happens around her. She’s curious as to how Ben was able to bring her back to life and leave her without so much as a scratch on her body. She’s curious about her father’s work at the FBI and the fact that he is chasing someone intent on ending the world. And, she’s curious and serious enough to want to do something about stopping the doomsday countdown, rather than sitting by and partying like its 1999.

Unraveling is one of those books that cross genres between sci-fi, thriller & mystery. Unraveling is definitely one of the better YA novels I have read this year and its still April! It has the feel of a story that would be on my all-time favorite TV shows like X-files, 24 and Fringe.

As for Ben Michaels character, he is a deeply mysterious boy who just happens to have an amazing ability that no one else has. The fact that he isn’t from this planet, makes his character all that more interesting to read about. Naturally, there is a romance feel to the story as Ben and Janelle explorer both their feelings towards the other, and what they can do to stop the countdown to the end of the world.
 
I would highly recommend this book to not only YA lovers, but those who enjoy science fiction, mystery and suspense as well.

Sexual Content: No sex scenes, but lots of kissing
Fulgarity Warning: Yes, there are cuss words in the book as Janelle is written as thought she is real, and thus real teens often do use cuss words to express themselves.

*ARC recvd 04/20/2012 from HarperCollins thru Edelweiss.

Title: Unraveling
Author: Elizabeth Norris
Publisher: HarperCollins 2012
Released: April 24, 2012

Spellcaster by Cara Lynn Shultz

Spellcaster takes place four months after seventeen year old Emma Conner and her soul mate Brendan Salinger broke a curse that had plagued the couple for centuries in Spellbound. Emma has been keeping herself pretty busy by working after school in the library, taking witch classes with her BFF Angelique, Kickboxing classes suggested by Brendan, as well as trying to maintain her grades and studying for the SAT prep.

Emma, though, is clearly having problems adjusting to the fact that she’s a reincarnated witch. Call it witches block if you like where she just can’t seem to get her magic spells to cooperate with her. She is still considered to be an outcast at her school Vincent Academy where the rich kids hang out and belittle those who aren't like them.

Almost immediately the story picks up on the fact that Emma has picked up a stalker who means to harm her and Brendan’s relationship because of the whole soul mater situation. Said stalker goes as far as setting up Brendan for drugs, attacking Emma on a field trip, hurting Emma’s cousin Ashley, and demanding that Emma give her blood to said stalker so that she can pray to her demon god.

Spellcaster centers a lot more on witchcraft than did Spellbound. After being put into one difficult situation after the other, Emma is forced to learn how to deal with her magical abilities and ending her block before those she loves end up badly hurt.

Emma is a much stronger lead character this time around than in Spellbound. She comes out of her shell, and ends up protecting herself and others from malevolent stalkers and school mates who think she’s nothing special. She realizes that she really loves Brendan, but doesn’t need his protection every single minute of the day.

Angelique plays a more important in Spellcaster since she’s pretty much Emma’s only real source of learning how to do witchcraft and protecting herself from the stalker. It’s interesting to see how Shultz decided to do a little mending of fences between Angelique and Brendan when they both realize that Emma doesn’t need to be protected 24/7/365.

I found parts of the dialogue in Spellcaster to be a bit cheesy at times, but then I took a step away from the book and tried to put myself into the shoes of a 14-21 year old teenager who would be reading this book and not an adult who rolls her eyes everytime something silly happens. Ok, yes, I even found humor in different aspects of this story.

The love affair between Emma and Brendan is sweet, and Shultz doesn’t force sex into the equation even though Brendan has had his share of scores over the years and Emma is slowly coming to the realization that she wants to take the next step. It’s nice to be able to follow Emma around without wanting to smack her in the head from being a lame brained idiot.

Overall, for me this was better than the first book. The story made sense, the outcome was as expected but still left enough mysteries not to spoil it for me. Said stalker was pretty much outed at a crucial point in the story, and slowly picked up pace after that. Plus, for me, not having sex in this book really made a lot more sense than forcing the issue on the characters.

*ARC Received via Netgalley.com for Harlequin Teen
Releases March 27, 2012

The Book of Blood & Shadow by Robin Wasserman

Robin Wasserman's The Book of Blood and Shadow is told in the first POV by Nora Kane who is a student at Chapman Prep. Nora ended up participating in this experiment as a way to escape classes and to get her mind off her very unhappy home life and the loss of her older brother to absolutely stupidity on his part.

Nora and her friends Chris Moore, Adriane Ames, as well as research assistant Max Lewis who is Chris’s roommate, are all working with Professor Anton Hoffpauer to translate the Voynich Manuscript when things slowly begin to unravel leaving no one untouched by the manuscripts wake and devastation.

In the process of translating the manuscript, Nora becomes entranced by Elizabeth Jane Weston’s story as well as her memoirs describing the so called Lumen Dei that was said to have existed during the time frame of 1598-1600. The so called Lumen Dei is said to give the user the promise of untold power, of sacred answers, of god like abilities, and is sad to be able to end the world as we know it.

*Side Note* Weston, it seems, was an actual person who lived during the 16th century. Her story has been confirmed as being real by Wasserman’s own research which is shown in the back of the book. The Voynich Manuscript is real as well. The only part that isn’t real or factual, are the secret societies that are introduced. This is not unlike Dan Brown’s contention that the Catholic Church is the root of all that is evil in the world today, and they have control over societies like the Free Masons and Opus Dei.

Things slowly begin to spiral out of control for Nora and friends when Chris is found murdered in his home, Adriane is discovered catatonic, and Max goes missing and is presumed to be Chris’s killer. After Nora is warned by her professor NOT to allow herself to be lead into harm’s way--Nora and Adriane end up in Prague where they discover even more mysteries and danger.

For me, Nora reminds me of Robert Langdon in the Da Vinci Code in her ability to translate and follow the leads from the death of her best friend, to betrayal by her so called lover, to her near death experience in Prague. Brown should be humored in realizing that another author saw his writing as worthy of being emulated and not threated that Wasserman used Teenagers, instead of adults as her main characters.

This could also be consider as sort of a Historical Fiction in that Wasserman  uses actual settings and history in order to tell her story. I truly believe that the city of Prague is an interesting city and needs to be explored more by new, as well as established authors. There is so much history that there for the taking.

The Book of Blood and Shadow will find a niche in the world once it is released and enough people have read the reviews that precede the published date of April 10, 2012.

*ARC Recvd 01/14/2012* Expected publication: April 10th 2012 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Title: The Book of Blood & Shadow
Author: Robin Wasserman
Release Date: April 10, 2012
Genres:  YA Fantasy & Mystery

Review: With my Last Breath by Courtney Cole

With My Last Breath (The Bloodstone Saga #3) picks up right where Fated (The Bloodstone #2) left off. Just when Harmonia seemed to have everything she wants; husband Cadmus, mother Aphrodite, and father Ares; the Fates once again threw her for a loop when they demanded that she find Zeus's sword. To ensure that she goes after the sword, Cadmus is struck down and his soul is sent into the Wastelands to remain there until Harmonia is successful in retrieving the sword.

Heartbroken and devastated that once again the Fates seemed to have interfered in her life by taking away her husband, Harmonia, Ares, and Aphrodite time travel to the land of Camelot and Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.

This time around, Harmonia is Heleyne, Aphrodite is Queen Guinevere, and Ares is Sir Lancelot. The only surprise is that Ahmose appears as Merlin after he was thought to have been killed by the Fates for helping Harmonia discover the truth about her destiny.

If you have followed this series from the first book forward, you learned that Harmonia was a time traveling agent known as a Keeper who is given a very specific charge, or Daedal to watch over until it is time for her to die. For 2,000 years Harmonia has done the bidding of the fates, and has also died along with her charge as little more than a puppet to the fates who were her masters.

Harmonia later learned that she is actually the so called Chosen one who is supposed to bring balance to the world and the fates have been playing games with her the entire time. She is also known as the immortal goddess of harmony and contentment who can only be killed by using Zeus’s sword.

I so don’t want to spoil the entire series for those who haven’t read this series or what happens over the course of this story. I will say that I was happy that Cole time traveled Harmonia et al to the time of Arthur, Lancelot and Queen Guinevere and didn’t change what actually is “said” to happen to Arthur and his knights.

What she can do is throw readers into a spiral with a major surprise and naturally a cliffhanger ending and shocking surprise that leads into the final story of the series called My Tattered Bonds.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys time traveling, gods and goddess’s as well as a slew of other historical characters that may or may not have really existed throughout man’s history.

Title: With my Last Breath
Author: Courtney Cole
Release Date: August 24, 2011
Genres: Fantasy