I received a copy of this audiobook for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.
Man, I love audiobooks. I'm really into them now, and they makeI received a copy of this audiobook for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.
Man, I love audiobooks. I'm really into them now, and they make me so happy. If my eyes are tired, I can still immerse myself in a book! Take an exciting story, add a talented narrator, and you have Blades of Magic. Listening to this book made me even more excited about audiobooks as well as the fantasy genre.
Sara pulled me into her story right away. I was mystified by her father's death and wanted to find out what happened to him. Sara's faith in her father was touching, and I trusted her belief that if he was a deserter, he must have had a good reason for it. I loved how kick ass Sara is - it's always thrilling to find out the heroine is strong and self-reliant. She doesn't need to lean on a significant other - she stands tall all on her own.
It took me a while to warm up to Ezekiel, but I ended up liking him quite a lot. The back and forth between Sara and him was a lot of fun to listen to. He reminded me of the kind of character who's really book smart but doesn't have much common sense. I pictured him as Wesley from the TV show, Angel. That's who Ezekiel's character reminded me of right away, and the image stuck in my mind, glasses, hair cut and all.
Ezekiel's disdain for fighters like Sara is evident in the beginning, but once he got to know her, he found out there was much more to her like her honor, faith, and intelligence.
There's plenty of action with a touch of romance in Blades of Magic. I loved the magic, especially the possibility that Sara could become what's known as a beserker - a mage who becomes so immersed in using his/her powers that it overpowers them. That was a scary possibility but also a cool twist to the story.
It took me a little bit of time to get into the story in the beginning. I listened to the first chapter twice, and the second time was pulled in quickly.
Sylvia Roldn Dohi, the narrator for Blades of Magic, had a pleasant voice to listen to and varied her tone accordingly with what was going on in the story. She was in tune with what she was narrating, and it was easy to tell which character was speaking because she also varied her voice for each person.
This was my first Terah Edun book as well as audiobook and certainly won't be my last. I'm looking forward to reading more of this series as well as her other series. ...more
I received a copy of this book for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.
The Stillness of the Sky is a gender flipped take on "Jack and the BI received a copy of this book for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.
The Stillness of the Sky is a gender flipped take on "Jack and the Beanstalk" with originality. I ADORE Starla's Evolution series and her other gender flipped fairy tale, Shadows on Snow. I not only wish I had thought about this, too, but also wish for her to gender flip everything! XD
In this rendition, Jack is short for Jacqueline. Jack's mother is tired of dealing with her father so she tries to convince Jack to leave with her. Jack chooses to stay with her alcoholic father because she worries he won't be able to take care of himself. He's abusive to her and one day orders her to sell their cows to cover his debt. On her way to town, she stops to rest, falls asleep, and wakes up to find the cows are gone and in their place is a pouch of beans.
Jack ends up leaving, wondering if it would have been kinder to have left earlier so her father would have been forced to face his demons a long time ago. She doesn't have a clear plan or idea of where she's going, but that's what makes her departure so adventurous and exciting. Not to mention that she's finally free - away from her father's abuse and only has to worry about taking care of herself rather than someone who doesn't appreciate all that she does.
I was so excited for her! She's setting out on this journey this for herself, no one else. To me, the journey she embarks on was also symbolic of the kind young people take to discover themselves. Along Jack's way she meets different people whom she helps because she truly embodies kindness, and they recognize the quality in her. One stormy night, the beans are accidentally planted, and she wakes up to find a towering beanstalk. From there, everything becomes magical.
I love the characters, especially Jack, and the adventure and romance woven into this tale. Starla has the imaginative chops to take this well known story and make it her own. From now on, I'll look at "Jack and the Beanstalk" with a new and fresh perspective. Every time I think about it, I'll think of The Stillness of the Sky and how beautiful and uplifting Starla retold this tale. ...more
I received a copy for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.
The mix of genres in Amaranthine: The Heart of Decompose is unique and creative. I received a copy for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.
The mix of genres in Amaranthine: The Heart of Decompose is unique and creative. There's fantasy with unicorns, dragons, and fairies, horror with zombies, science fiction with space travel and life on other planets, and a touch of romance. It's amazing how Schluntz had these elements all come together to make a unified story. Santa is even in there!
Amaranthine begins with finding out that several different planets, including Earth, have been infected with a plague that turns the inhabitants into zombies. The plague was created during a war between unicorns and dragons, and Dee also known as Decompose, carries the plague. The cure lies in his friend, Jhon, and the two end up getting separated. Dee must find Jhon in order to cure the inhabitants of the different planets ravaged by the disease.
The action and tension kept me on the edge of my seat. Dee and Jhon had an enormous task ahead of them, not only to find each other but also to cure people and stay a step ahead of those who wish to use the infection to control their people. And Dee straddles the line between life and death - he doesn't really belong to one or the other. I grew to like Dee, but it took me time to get used to Jhon. I wasn't sure about him for a while.
There are a couple of other characters who are as important as Dee and Jhon, but I don't want to say who they are or talk about them because I feel it would give too much away. I will say one character I liked quite a bit, and the other I liked but not quite as much.
Amaranthine is a novel I believe will appeal to fans of any or all of the genres it includes. It gives a fresh take on zombies - they aren't all like the zombies you're used to - and I loved the space travel aspect of the novel. I haven't seen a novel mixing these genres together before, and it's a cleverly written mashup of horror, fantasy, and sci-fi. And there are unicorns! Did I mention unicorns?! ...more
I received a review copy for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.
I'm a fan of serial storytelling where parts of the story come in episodesI received a review copy for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.
I'm a fan of serial storytelling where parts of the story come in episodes spread out over time. The Chronicles of Steele #1 contains four episodes, and I'll be reviewing all of them here.
I really enjoyed reading the episodes and even better, I read them back-to-back. It would have been difficult to wait for each one, but I wouldn't have minded. My anticipation would have just built up, and all of this together means the wait would be worth it. After finishing The Chronicles of Steele, I know this is definitely true.
I love Raven. She's a reaper who wants to settle down and become a wife but an incident early on ends up sending her on yet another mission. Once she's on this mission, that's all she focuses on though she had been on her way to give up being a reaper and live a "normal" human life.
Reapers aren't magic, but they are highly trained to anticipate outcomes ahead of time and to fight and to be mentally prepared. They are so well trained they seem like they use magic. Raven was taught to save a life for every life she has to take, which keeps a reaper balanced and reminds him (with the exception of Raven, most reapers are male) all lives have meaning.
The plot is captivating and laid out well, and the steampunk elements are seamlessly blended in giving the world Creeden has built vibrant life. Captain Jack caught my eye early on. I remember thinking I hoped to meet up with him again sooner rather than later. Though he's the enemy, it isn't quite that cut and dry as you'll find out.
Jack and Raven are playing a game of cat-and-mouse. She's always one step ahead of him, and I couldn't help but be amused every time he realized that. He sees her strength and recognizes her vulnerability. There's more to him than just what you see on the outside.
I think The Chronicles of Steele might just be my absolute favorite book by Pauline Creeden now - it's that fantastic! ...more
I received a copy of this book for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.
Getting ready to read Bridges Burned gave me an excuse to re-read thI received a copy of this book for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.
Getting ready to read Bridges Burned gave me an excuse to re-read the first book, Going Down in Flames, and I'm so glad I did. I really didn't need an excuse to read it again though - GDiF was just as awesome the second time around! Bryn is the kind of heroine you don't soon forget. In case you haven't read GDiF yet, I've done my best to make sure not to include any spoilers.
A couple of things stood out to me right away. It's interesting when an author can subtly shift your opinion of a character and even more so when it's achieved with multiple characters. That's exactly what Chris Cannon did in Bridges Burned. I found myself starting to feel differently about some of the characters than I had in GDiF, and it was surprising because I never would have thought my opinions could change that way.
I'm also super jealous that dragons can eat as much as they want without gaining weight. Like SUPER jealous. And it can be anything, even food that isn't good for you. Bryn could eat three or four pieces of cake after dinner! How can anyone not be jealous of that!
Like in the first book, I felt Zavien, the black dragon who is kind of Bryn's protector, is a jerk. I don't get his appeal. I can see it, I just don't get it. Nola, a black dragon and Zavien's friend, becomes super needy this time around, and of course he runs to her rescue at the drop of a hat. I was sad to see Bryn get left behind over and over.
I always liked Valmont, Bryn's literal knight in shining armor, and it was cool to get to know him and his backstory. He works at an Italian restaurant near the school in Dragon's Bluff. Bryn brought out the knight in him, so he really does protect her. There were definite sparks flying between them, and I think he's much more noble and caring than Zavien.
There was a lot of story around Bryn and her love life, which definitely kept me turning the pages. But I was also eager to delve into the politics of the Directorate and the ways in which Bryn could really shake things up. With conspiracy theories and the mystery of who would have gained what from trying to kill her, there was plenty of action and suspense to keep me reading straight through.
I love this series! Chris Cannon delivers once again with a heart-pounding and action-filled story with romance and heart. ...more
I received a review copy of this book for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.
When I saw that Starla Huchton had another book up for reviewI received a review copy of this book for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.
When I saw that Starla Huchton had another book up for review, I automatically signed up didn't need to know anything else about it, not even the synopsis. I know that sounds a bit crazy, but after reading the first three books in her Evolution series which I'm now obsessed with, she's become an author on my auto-read/auto-buy list.
Starla's writing is magical, inventive, and unique. It transports you to places you didn't even know you wanted to go, and once you get there, you don't want to leave. Her novel Shadows on Snow is no different as a re-imagining of the Snow White fairy tale. I describe the novel as a re-imagining rather than a retelling because while elements of Snow White are present, Shadows on Snow is quite different and stands on its own.
First of all, Snow White is male (Prince Leopold) instead of female! Prince Leopold is born to parents who had tried to have children for a long time. When he's born, they rejoice over their miracle baby, and he's described as having an almost ethereal and otherworldly beauty and grace surrounding him. Everyone in the kingdom instantly loves him. He's the personification of all that is good and positive in the world.
The story is told in first person not from Prince Leopold's POV but from the POV of a boy working in the stables. Prince Leopold's father has died, and his mother is gravely ill. The boy from the stables is tasked with finding out why the Queen is so ill. This is really all I can say to give you an idea of how Shadows on Snow begins because anything more and I risk giving away too much. And I definitely don't want to ruin any of the surprises coming your way!
There's so much awesomeness in this story! It's full of magic, romance, suspense, and hope. There are some dark times, but I kept holding onto the hope that everything would turn out okay. I desperately wanted them to turn out okay! It's amazing to me how the same author can create completely different characters and completely different worlds - a testament to the talent of Starla Huchton. It's my mission to read every book she has written and will write.
I had sky high hopes for Shadows on Snow - the title, the cover, the synopsis, the author, and the promise of great writing heightened my anticipation of starting this book. I'm so glad I'm one of the first to read it because now I can recommend this novel as well as Starla's Evolution series. Shadows on Snow needs to be on your TBR today! ...more
I received a review copy of this book for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.
Gift of Sight appealed to me with its beautiful cover and aweI received a review copy of this book for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.
Gift of Sight appealed to me with its beautiful cover and awesome-sounding synopsis. I'm always ready to read about a feisty, sarcastic heroine. And a vengeful goddess hellbent on bringing said heroine to the Underworld? Count me in!
I sympathized with Regan in her relationship with Sam right away not because I thought she was helpless - she isn't - but because she had become a shell of herself without realizing it until it had already happened. To me that's realistic and can happen even to the smartest of people. A relationship can change you and not always for the better, especially if you're with a toxic person. Sam is definitely a toxic person.
I won't lie - Regan is a tough character to connect with. There were times I wanted to slap her for the way she spoke to her grandma. I get that she felt lied to her entire life, but her grandma has always taken care of her with a lot of love. Could she not see why her grandma couldn't tell her all of this until now? There was no malicious intent - things just worked out this way. Instead of feisty, I'd describe Regan as bratty.
The decision Regan makes to finally get rid of Sam changes everything, much more than just ridding herself of a toxic boyfriend. She finds out a ton of things about her family that she never knew and understandably doesn't handle it well, but this news also gives her hope which she seemed to forget. I'd like to think I'd hold on to that hope and not be so angry about secrets being kept from me. At least eventually.
I'm hoping that in the next book Regan's character undergoes a lot of growth. Otherwise, it'll be difficult to believe she's supposed to be an important figure in what's supposed to go down. I'm looking forward to finding out if Regan matures and is ready to face the challenges ahead of her. ...more
I received a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
For twelve years, Heather worked hard towards her dream of becoming an indie musiciaI received a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
For twelve years, Heather worked hard towards her dream of becoming an indie musician, but she couldn't sing or play guitar well no matter how much she practiced. She had a lot of strength and determination which I admired. I probably would have given up a long time ago had I been her, but she didn't. She kept on going.
This story was one I could relate to as well, and it made me want to go after my dreams proactively like Heather did. I love it when a story can influence me in a positive way and inspire me to keep trying to achieve my goals. I felt bad for Heather because she didn't realize how other people perceived her lack of musical talent, but at the same time I thought if she had noticed, she might not have made it as far as she did.
I received a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
After breaking up with her rich boyfriend who squelched her creativity and true self,I received a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
After breaking up with her rich boyfriend who squelched her creativity and true self, Heather stops drinking and begins bingeing on food. Feeling disconnected from her spirit, she also feels it's dangerous for her spirit to reside in her. She ends up going to a bookstore, and getting an audiobook called The Red Shoes: On Torment and the Recovery of Soul Life by Clarissa Pinkola Estes.
She becomes focused on red shoes, convinced they're the answer to finding meaning in her life again. This was a story I could read again and again - I loved it that much. It's my favorite of the three and pulled me in right away. I was able to relate to this story more than the first one, which might be why it's my favorite. It's almost like a story within a story, and I wanted to find out what happened with the story Heather listened to on audiobook. I wondered if it was a real book, so I looked it up and it is very real. I might listen to it as well!
I received a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
A girl named Heather goes to a tarot reader and reviews her life in the past, presenI received a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
A girl named Heather goes to a tarot reader and reviews her life in the past, present and future. This is the story of how her parents ended up divorcing and all the fighting that led up to that. Her father remarries, and her stepmother is a truly wicked one. Heather was treated cruelly by her stepmother - I felt empathy for her. She was just a little girl.
When Heather's father brings home a record player and an album of Grimm's Fairytales, the story "The Elves and the Shoemaker" becomes her favorite story and brings her comfort and hope. That story became just what she needed to make it through those tough times.
I can relate with that during tough times I've gone through in life. A song or a book can become the difference between hope and despair. This story was written in a style that is different from anything I've read and took me a minute to get used to. It's my least favorite of the three, but I enjoyed it nevertheless.
My favorite quote:
"Watching for Elves, that's what I did as a child. Believing in magic, that's what I do now."
I received a review copy of this book for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.
I'm a sucker for beautiful covers. And starlight. Put the twoI received a review copy of this book for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.
I'm a sucker for beautiful covers. And starlight. Put the two together, and you've got me hook, line, and sinker! Starlight is a fun read that draws you in right away; I love it when I begin a book that's so easy to get into quickly. There were times I laughed and other times I felt like punching those popular bullying girls even though I'm not a violent person. (I swear I'm not!)
Chelsea M. Campbell brings plenty of humor into Starlight - for instance, I couldn't help but laugh when Adrienne's genie, Saiph, insisted on staying at her house which leads to her hiding him in the attic away from her mom. When he sees that her bedroom is decorated in unicorns (she hasn't redecorated since she was six years old), he teases her about needing help with style. I personally would love for my bedroom to be decorated in unicorns, but I don't think my husband would like that too much! Those scenes had me giggling.
I liked the light and non-preachy way the subject of bullying was dealt with which in my opinion made a greater impact than if it had been presented in a hard hitting way. Bullying is so rampant nowadays, and Starlight shows both sides. You see the ugly way the popular girls behave towards Adrienne, and the way she shrinks into herself when those girls go out of their way to insult her.
The shenanigans (there's really no better word!) that go on with Saiph around made me laugh, especially when Adrienne had to scramble to cover his presence around her mom, in front of her coworkers, and at school. There are also cute moments, too, where she realized he treated her with dignity and respect, something no one has done before. While reading about Adrienne and thinking of all the different ways she could respond to those stuck up girls, I was taken back to my own high school days where I wish I had defended myself instead of letting a small group of other girls push me around.
When she starts to fall for him, I was dying to know what was going to happen. Would he fulfill her wishes and then leave? Would he find a way to stay with her? The possibilities were endless! Starlight was exactly the kind of book I needed after reading so many dark and heavy stories lately, and I recommend this to anyone looking to lose her/himself in an uplifting and fun story. ...more
I received a review copy of this book for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.
Lately it seems like I'm reading books back to back about lifI received a review copy of this book for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.
Lately it seems like I'm reading books back to back about life and loss. I believe I'm drawn to those topics especially at this time of year when the vibrancy and liveliness of summer gives way to the unforgiving bleakness of winter. The Girl Who Came Back to Life is about both - how do you keep on living after losing loved ones?
Since Sophie lost her parents, she's decided to find a way to the City of the Dead and bring them back with her, thinking everything can go back to the way it was. Sophie's grandmother has taken in her in, but she isn't emotionally available to Sophie. Since Sophie's grandfather died, her grandmother sleepwalks through life. The only times she allows the sharp edges of her personality to fade are when she reads a mysterious letter that seems to give her comfort.
I find the idea behind this story oddly comforting, and I say oddly because I like knowing the souls still exist but you don't know what the next plane of existence will be. But you know they're going somewhere. I'm also not sure I could let go. What if you didn't want to Send your loved ones? What if you wanted them to stay with you rather than allowing them to move on to the next stage?
Once I heard there are some who believe if you don't "let go" of your loved ones and move on from their death, their spirit will remain here and be prevented from going on to Heaven or wherever you believe your soul goes. That always horrified me because I didn't want to let go of them, but I didn't want to prevent them from going to where they could be at rest. The Girl Who Came Back to Life had me thinking about all of this, and I like to think about it as morbid as that might sound.
I was glued to this book - I couldn't wait to find out if and how Sophie would make it to the City of the Dead and what she would ultimately do when/if she arrived there. And her grandmother intrigued me with the way she has emotionally closed herself off. The sacrifices Sophie makes to get to the City touched me. I'd like to think I would have done the same as she did. She's clever and quick thinking. I'm not sure how much I'm like that, or if I'm like that at all.
The Girl Who Came Back to Life is an amazing story. The pacing was a bit slow for me at times, but I believe it's a personal preference. I think I was impatient, wanting to find out what was going to happen next so badly. Other than this minor issue, I loved reading Sophie's story. ...more
I received a review copy of this book for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.
The idea of dying in pairs immediately intrigued me, and I knI received a review copy of this book for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.
The idea of dying in pairs immediately intrigued me, and I knew I had to read Avery. The very first line of the synopsis drew me in like a magnet in a powerful way. Not to mention the gorgeous cover. Not to mention I read Charlotte McConaghy's Fury and enjoyed it. She creates intriguing and original concepts for her novels, and I'm looking forward to what she comes up with in the future.
Avery is told from four POVs - Ava, Ambrose, Thorne, and Rosalyn - but don't let that worry you. The characters are easy to follow, and you always know which character you're reading about because their name appears in bold before the paragraphs. Each character has his or her distinctive voice.
Ava and Avery were engaged, and after Avery is killed, Ava was supposed to die as it's always been with their people. Except she doesn't. Her people shun her, calling her a monster, and even her fiance's family turn her away. Failing to kill the Barbarian Queen but instead is captured by Prince Ambrose. Ambrose and Ava end up stranded on an island, and if you think you know how this is going to play out, trust me when I say you're going to be refreshingly surprised. Their story is nothing like I thought it was going to be - it could have been very cliche; however, it was anything but.
Ambrose's brother, Thorne, and Thorne's wife, Rosalyn, are weaved into the story as well. I strongly empathized with Rosalyn, who wishes Thorne would just love her. But emotions are seen as a weakness in Pirenti, and he doesn't know how to express them even if he thought it would be okay to do so.
Ambrose grew on me - he's different than his people. There's something inside of him that's intriguing and waiting to be explored. I wasn't fond of Thorne, and especially not the way he treated his wife, Rosalyn. He was despicable to her. I loved Ava and her strength. She was broken after losing Avery and her home, but she was so brave. She felt she had nothing to lose, and her bravery came from that feeling. I loved Rosalyn, too. She might seem weak, but she just doesn't belong with the people of Pirenti. That was so clear to me.
Overall, Avery was a fascinating read with fresh and original concepts. The pacing was a bit slow for me in the beginning but picked up not long afterward. This is a fantasy romance but is very different than anything I've read before, and I highly recommend you pick this one up. ...more
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author! :D
What does a heroine diagnosed with ADHD, a Wiccan ritual fI received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author! :D
What does a heroine diagnosed with ADHD, a Wiccan ritual for Samhain, and a mysterious pull into another world have in common? You have to read The Space In Between to fully find out! This novel pulled me in right away, and nothing in this world (or any other!) could have stopped me from turning the pages.
Moira, the main character, and her siblings, fraternal twins Tabby and Dai, find themselves in a place where time seems to stand still when they perform a ritual on Halloween. As a Wiccan, Tabby wants to see if she can lift the veil between the living and the dead to communicate with their grandparents who died a few years ago.
Instead, the trio are in a mostly dark desert, and it's like they're having a collective dream. They see and experience the same things. I had goosebumps imaging myself performing the ritual with them, especially when the wind died down, and then finding myself in a darkened landscape, not knowing where I was or what's out there. Anything could be out there.
There were several aspects about the characters and story that I liked quite a bit. I liked that Tabby is Wiccan and that her family is so supportive of her. There are other lesser known religions talked about in the story, and I knew while reading I would look into them more in depth after finishing the book. All of it ties in with the story and made me want to know more.
I also appreciated the fact that Moira has recently been diagnosed with ADHD and is struggling with how the medication is making her feel. I admit that though I've studied ADHD for my psychology degree, I don't know enough about it, and there are a lot of misconceptions out there. So to see a character with this diagnosis and how she deals with it was refreshing and educational.
The bond between Moira and her siblings was wonderful and strong. They actually have parents. REAL LIVE PARENTS! Parents who are functional, warm, and loving. That's so rare for novels these days! Their dad travels a lot for work, but he's there with them a lot, too. It was easy to see how close knit this family is, and I felt like I was a member, too!
Moira's relationship with Patrick drove me crazy. She switched from going to school full-time to part-time because he didn't approve of her going, so that was her compromise I guess. She couldn't be herself around him, and I wanted to tell her to just kick him to the curb. There were other more disturbing things he said and did that had me scratching my head as to what Moira saw in him.
Hayko is easy to fall in love with. I know he's a virtual stranger to Moira, but I understood how she felt about him and why. She was more inspired by him and how to help him than anything in her "real life", and I think that said a lot about where she was versus where she wanted to be. When things felt so right with Hayko but not with Patrick, I knew that was a sign for sure. I was rooting for Moira to dump Patrick, willing her to figure out something was wrong here. But decisions are always easier when you're looking in from the outside.
The Space In Between will take you on a journey into a place where dreams and reality are mixed together, and you won't be able to tell which is what or who is where. And you'll love every second of it, just like I did.
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