Book Review: Arcana Rising by Kresely Cole

Title: Arcana Rising by Kresley Cole

Publication Date: August 15, 2016

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis: Losses mount and deadly new threats converge in this next action-packed tale of the Arcana Chronicles by #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole.

When the battle is done . . .
The Emperor unleashes hell and annihilates an army, jeopardizing the future of mankind–but Circe strikes back. The epic clash between them devastates the Arcana world and nearly kills Evie, separating her from her allies.

And all hope is lost . . .
With Aric missing and no sign that Jack and Selena escaped Richter’s reach, Evie turns more and more to the darkness lurking inside her. Two Arcana emerge as game changers: one who could be her salvation, the other her worst nightmare.

Vengeance becomes everything.
To take on Richter, Evie must reunite with Death and mend their broken bond. But as she learns more about her role in the future–and her chilling past–will she become a monster like the Emperor? Or can Evie and her allies rise up from Richter’s ashes, stronger than ever before?

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The Arcana Chronicles has spanned what feels like a decade. This is one of my favorite yet incredibly spaced out series. In fact, I did not see a date for this installment until the beginning of the summer and even then I did not believe until I saw it on the internet by Cole herself. For those of us who have stuck around for the past several years, these books continue to be a bit of fresh air in the YA paranormal, post-apocolyptic realm. For those who haven’t stuck it out, what the hell are you waiting for, grab the next book! Beware though, there are some spoilers ahead. 

What I liked: I’m team Death/ Aric. Him and Evie are #goals in my opinion, and honestly, I’d be okay if Jack died. I’m beginning to feel like he is more of a tertiary character with little purpose; though I suspect he is somehow involved in this ever-loving cycle of the Arcana. For those of you who love death as much as I do, this is your book. There is major, major steam, and once again, I find myself surprised that a book with this much sex is being marketed to young adults. As much as I love this, I can’t recommend to any of my students (yikes). Once more, we meet new arcana friends and foes, and this installment particularly centers around the mysterious Emperor, who sounds like a douche bag. Because this book focuses so heavily on Evie and Death, we do not actually get to meet the Emperor, but the random tidbits we are privy to ain’t good. Nope. I’d be fine with another book where Evie and Death ride out the apocolypse in their little love nest, but I have a feeling that the next installment will contain more killing. 

While we see a softer side of Evie with Aric, we also are treated to a taste of Evie as a badass, heartbroken, vengeful Empress. In the beginning there, I expected her to burn the world down. Kind of sad that she did not.

Also, THE ENDING! Honestly, don’t read ahead. It’s worth it.

What I didn’t like: I missed the other arcana and the sense of camaraderie we built with them over the years. At this point, we can only speculate as to who is dead and who is alive (though a lot of people are dead). I miss the intrigue and freshness brought by new arcana and their bat-shit craziness. Old lunatics get old. I also did not feel like Evie’s grandmother contributed much to this overall story. She was old, demented, and kind of a psychopath. The only real purpose she served was to leave Evie some cryptic message before she died. YAWN.

Overall, I continue to love these books and I’m grateful the next one will be out sometime this spring (apparently). 5/5

Book Review: Riders by Veronica Rossi

Title: Riders by Veronica Rossi

Publication Date: February 16, 2016

Genre: Paranormal YA

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis: Nothing but death can keep eighteen-year-old Gideon Blake from achieving his goal of becoming a U.S. Army Ranger. As it turns out, it does.

While recovering from the accident that most definitely killed him, Gideon finds himself with strange new powers and a bizarre cuff he can’t remove. His death has brought to life his real destiny. He has become War, one of the legendary four horsemen of the apocalypse.

Over the coming weeks, he and the other horsemen—Conquest, Famine, and Death—are brought together by a beautiful but frustratingly secretive girl to help save humanity from an ancient evil on the emergence.

They fail.

Now—bound, bloodied, and drugged—Gideon is interrogated by the authorities about his role in a battle that has become an international incident. If he stands any chance of saving his friends and the girl he’s fallen for—not to mention all of humankind—he needs to convince the skeptical government officials the world is in imminent danger.

But will anyone believe him?

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Having never read anything by Veronica Rossi, I came into ‘Riders’ with a complete fresh perspective. As a big fan of apocalyptic/ biblical type of lore, I decided to pick this up after a browse through the bookstore. It was an interesting take on the legend of the four horseman. 

What I liked: It is very rare to read a YA with a male voice and to be honest, I generally shy away from books with male POV because I have difficulty relating to them, but I actually enjoyed Gideon’s voice. Gideon is an interesting character, a series of contradictions. He is a solider who has definite OCD tendencies, but he was also emotionally crippled and incredibly kind. I’m not sure this book would have worked had it been from someone else’s perspective. What truly made ‘Riders’ a stand-out was the way in which the story unfold for the reader. Everything has already taken place for our band of merry-warriors, so the reader is getting a recount from Gideon. Sure this happens in other YA, but what the reader soon learns is that Gideon is not a reliable narrator. In fact, half-way through the book, Gideon begins leaving vital information out of his recount because of circumstances out of his control. 

What I didn’t like: Outside of Gideon, the characters felt incredibly underdeveloped. This is a duology so I don’t expect to read a book from each horsemen, but I would like to see them more developed as people rather than caricatures. My biggest regret when reading this was the Daryn/ Gideon of it all. I’m rarely one to say ‘vomit’ over a romantic relationship, but that’s where I ended up here. The chemistry was absolutely non-existent and felt completely stilted.

Overall, this was interesting enough format wise, but the underdevelopment of the secondary characters and crappy romance pulled from the content. 3/5

Review: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Title: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Genre: Fantasy

Publication Date: May 3, 2016

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis: Feyre survived Amarantha’s clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can’t forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin’s people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas’s masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.

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I totally fell in love with the first addition of this book, “A Court of Thorns and Roses” and anxiously awaited the next installment. It’s a long one, clocking in at 640 pages, I wanted to be able to sit and savor the read so I waited to begin this until summer break began. I had high expectations and let’s just say that this totally delivered. It’s no secret that I’m not a lover of the “Throne of Glass” series, but after this second edition I’m a Maas convert. 

What I liked: The romance. Yesssss. I’m not someone who can read a book without a little love in it and sometimes with Fantasy that is the case, but if you are a lover of steamy romance, grab this. Surprisingly, I enjoyed this second addition much more than the first one, which I did not think was possible. Feyre really comes into her own in this book. In fact, the whole plot centers on building her up into a strong female character. The decimating events of the last book are not ignored and Maas explores the ramifications on her characters psyche. The action is kicked up a notch as Feyre is in the middle of the fey world. I don’t think there was a single point where I skipped ahead mainly because each page held some sort of captivating plot point. 

What I didn’t like: There is a small subplot involving Feyre’s sisters that I thought felt unnecessary. It happened at the end but detracted from an otherwise awesome book.

Overall, pick this up. Just do it. 5/5

Throwback Thursday Review: Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Title: Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Publication Date: October 17, 2011

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis: Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. They follow legends and local lore, destroy the murderous dead, and keep pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

Searching for a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas expects the usual: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

Yet she spares Cas’s life.

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I’m slowly but surely getting through my TBR list. Doesn’t help that I grabbed 6 new books from the library today…yikes. I heard this was being made into a movie so I figured I’d grab it and see what’s the what. Read the breakdown below. 

What I liked: This is the first YA book I have read with a male POV that I actually enjoyed. And when I say male POV, I mean all the way through. Usually that’s a turn off for me. I’m a brat, what can I say, but the male voice is not one that I particularly enjoy in YA. Cas’s voice kept me reading and I’m glad for that. Blake did a great job of making her M.C. accessible to all reader’s. The crack team was really what got me though. Usually, I’m not into the whole ‘everyone knows about monsters and there are no humans left,’ but I think Cas having friends made him a more likable as a character, because let’s face it, he was also kind of an ass in the beginning. His friends made him more human and added a certain voice to the book. ‘Anna Dress in Blood’ lived up to the horror. Blake is not afraid to kill, anyone. Those human friend, well, they are not all safe. 

What I didn’t like: There’s a romance and frankly it is weird. I’m not into it and I’m usually into the whole starcrossed thing. Plus, the whole thing just seemed rush. After no time Cas begins thinking of Anna all moony eyed and confuzzled. #No. I was a little disappointed that there was not more done to explore Anna’s death since that seemed like the major part of the story to me.

Overall, this was a decent book that kept me turning the page. 3/5

Book Review: The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

Title: The Wrath and Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

Publication Date: May 12, 2o15

Genre: YA

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis: One Life to One Dawn.

In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad’s dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph’s reign of terror once and for all.

Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she’d imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. Incredibly, Shahrzad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It’s an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid’s life as retribution for the many lives he’s stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?

Inspired by A Thousand and One Nights, The Wrath and the Dawn is a sumptuous and enthralling read from beginning to end.

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I’m beginning to run through my TBR list and this was next up. I was a little nervous about this one because it was so hyped up on so many different level; that being said, I really, really enjoyed it and am eagerly waiting to receive my copy of its sequel

What I liked: The pacing. I was nervous given that this is a retelling of “A Thousand and One Nights,” that the majority of the plot was going to be the main character telling stories to her husband, and while I can get behind the whole story in a story deal, I was not looking to read that for several hundred pages. I’m glad to say that I was wrong. Thought Shazi, the main female character, does tell several stories to the Caliph-her husband, there is more to this tale than a conglomeration of several others. In fact, Ahdieh jumps right into the action and keeps it coming. This book is a slow-burn from beginning to end, but even when there isn’t ‘action’ there’s something happening. The relationship between Shazi and Khalid fills in any gaps between action packed moments, by providing the audience with a relationship they can really sink their teeth into. I’m a huge romance fan here and this one is one for the books. Shazi feels a lot of guilt, Khalid feels a lot of guilt; they come together to feel a lot of guilt. It’s awesome. I love them. Also, way to go Ahdieh for suggesting that married people have sex. #duh. 

What I didn’t like: The ending threw me a little. There is a scene in the last few pages where I could not discern if Khalid knew what was going on. Was he mad at Shazi or mad at the situation; guess I will find out in the sequel.

Overall, be ready for a slow-burn, evocative read. 5/5

Review: The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater

Publication Date: April 26, 2016

Genre: YA

Synopsis: Nothing living is safe. Nothing dead is to be trusted.

For years, Gansey has been on a quest to find a lost king. One by one, he’s drawn others into this quest: Ronan, who steals from dreams; Adam, whose life is no longer his own; Noah, whose life is no longer a lie; and Blue, who loves Gansey…and is certain she is destined to kill him.

Now the endgame has begun. Dreams and nightmares are converging. Love and loss are inseparable. And the quest refuses to be pinned to a path.

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Like most, I feel like I have been waiting for this one for years, and I guess in a way I was. “The Raven King,” is the conclusion to Stiefvater’s acclaimed Ravens Cycle. After having a sick weekend before standardized testing (i.e. the week of no lesson planning), I was finally able to sit down and read this one. 

What I liked: Ahh Gansey. Marry me. Gansey continues to be my favorite character in the series, and I imagine that, that is his sole purpose. The writing continues to be centerstage here. Stiefvater’s whimsical words jump of the page, creating a magical and delightful world. The way she weaves words together is magic in and of itself. My absolute favorite part of this book was the introduction of new(ish) character Henry. He brings a weird, off-sense, old-timey humor to the otherwise serious group that I really enjoyed. He fits in because he doesn’t fit in anywhere else, which is really the theme of our little group. Kudos Stiefvater for introducing a character that I like almost as much as Gansey. 

What I didn’t like: While loose ends were tied up, I honestly didn’t feel like this was much of a series finale, as a stand alone adventure. Things didn’t really gel together in this last book and even though it was interesting in and of itself, I didn’t like it as a concluding novel.

Overall, I’m sad to see this series end. It was wonderfully original and super captivating. 4/4

Review: Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

Title: Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

Buy Links: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks

Genre: YA Fantasy

Publication Date: February 2016

Rating: 2.5 

Synopsis: If there’s one thing Mare Barrow knows, it’s that she’s different.

Mare Barrow’s blood is red—the color of common folk—but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control.

The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from Maven, the prince—the friend—who betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: she is not the only one of her kind.

Pursued by Maven, now a vindictive king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join in the struggle against her oppressors.

But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat.

Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever?

The electrifying next installment in the Red Queen series escalates the struggle between the growing rebel army and the blood-segregated world they’ve always known—and pits Mare against the darkness that has grown in her soul.

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Hey guys. So obviously I really stuck to my New Years resolution to post at least once a week. I have no excuse except it has literally taken me months to read one book. Whether that was the books fault, or my fault I don’t know, but either way, it’s been hard to review content these days. 

Anyway, on to the book. I very excitedly picked this one up the day it came out, anxious to read it. I loved “The Red Queen,” and the cliffhanger killed me. I couldn’t wait for the sequel to come out and when it got here I assumed that I would anxiously devour it. Not so much. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the book well enough, but it felt very much like a filler between the first and the next installment.

What I liked: I enjoyed being introduced to the new characters with new abilities-some of which were incredibly cool. There is something very relevant about this band of people coming together to fight their oppressors, and as most of the action came from the moments the newbloods spent together, I enjoyed these scenes the most. Cal remains my favorite character, even though we did not see as much of him as I would have liked. The best part of this sequel for me was the way it refused to solve anything. I admire Aveyard a lot in the way she refuses to fix her characters. Everyone is flawed, not just Mare, and this makes them incredibly realistic. The realities of war are shown in this sequel and no one is safe. There are two major deaths in this book which reiterates that Aveyard is so not afraid to go there.

What I didn’t like: The pacing. Oh god, the pacing. This book took me almost two months to finish because the middle was incredibly slow. A lot of the action is repetitive. Find a newblood, get them, get foiled, win, move on. The book felt like one unending loop of Mare trying to be less of a horrible person, while becoming more of a horrible person, and then they would go find something to do. It lacked plot and cohesion and was very difficult to get through. Aveyard also introduces these new and exciting characters, which could really liven the book up, but refuses to utilize them effectively. Don’t get me wrong, I like Mare. I think she’s a great dimensional heroine, but god she got on my nerves.

Overall, this book was fine. If you enjoy a lot of exposition you’ll probably like this, but for the rest of us, it feels like a filler. 2.5/5

Review and Giveaway: Dreamstrider by Lindsay Smith

Title: Dreamstrider by Lindsay Smith

Giveaway: Signed copy of Dreamstrider  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Genre: Fantasy YA

Rating: 2.5/5

Publication Date: October 6, 2015

Synopsis: A high-concept, fantastical espionage novel set in a world where dreams are the ultimate form of political intelligence.

Livia is a dreamstrider. She can inhabit a subject’s body while they are sleeping and, for a short time, move around in their skin. She uses her talent to work as a spy for the Barstadt Empire. But her partner, Brandt, has lately become distant, and when Marez comes to join their team from a neighborhing kingdom, he offers Livia the option of a life she had never dared to imagine. Livia knows of no other dreamstriders who have survived the pull of Nightmare. So only she understands the stakes when a plot against the Empire emerges that threatens to consume both the dreaming world and the waking one with misery and rage.

A richly conceived world full of political intrigue and fantastical dream sequences, at its heart Dreamstrider is about a girl who is struggling to live up to the potential before her.

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I picked up “Dreamstrider,” by Lindsay Smith some time ago on a recommendation from  a trusted book friend. I was lucky enough to be able to get my hands on a signed copy, which made me all the more eager to read.

What I liked: The concept of this book was incredibly interesting. Livia, the main character, is a dreamstrider meaning that she has the ability to jump into people’s bodies via the dreamworld. But, this book is not really about Livia’s journey into being a dreamstrider, instead it is about her using her ability to save her country from those who want to use the dreamworld for evil. This book had a really solid premise and I enjoyed the fact that the reader learns about Livia’s abilities and what they can do as we get into the action. The way this book is set up is incredibly smart.

What I didn’t like: Personally, I found this book incredibly hard to become invested in for a multitude of reasons. First, I found the story to be incredibly confusing. I had a hard time keeping track of what was actually going on and it effected my interest in the story. I also was not a huge fan of the main character Livia. I can navigate a heavy plot if I love the characters but I found Livia difficult to handle and the secondary characters felt more like wallpaper than anything else.

Overall, this book held some positives but not my cup of tea. I hope someone will enjoy it in my stead. 2/5

Review: The White Rose by Amy Ewing

Title: The White Rose by Amy Ewing

Publication Date: October 6th, 2015

Buy Links: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks

Genre: YA Romance/ Fantasy

Rating: 3/4

Synopsis: Violet is on the run. After the Duchess of the Lake catches Violet with Ash, the hired companion at the Palace of the Lake, Violet has no choice but to escape the Jewel or face certain death. So along with Ash and her best friend, Raven, Violet runs away from her unbearable life of servitude.

But no one said leaving the Jewel would be easy. As they make their way through the circles of the Lone City, Regimentals track their every move, and the trio barely manages to make it out unscathed and into the safe haven they were promised—a mysterious house in the Farm.

But there’s a rebellion brewing, and Violet has found herself in the middle of it. Alongside a new ally, Violet discovers her Auguries are much more powerful than she ever imagined. But is she strong enough to rise up against the Jewel and everything she has ever known?

The White Rose is a raw, captivating sequel to The Jewel that fans won’t be able to put down until the final shocking moments.

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In an effort to maintain my New Years resolution I am finally reviewing this book. I read it back in October and I’ve been sitting on it for awhile. It’s one of those books that I am interested to hear other’s opinions on, because my feelings are so mixed. I loved the first book, but felt the content was maybe too much for YA.

What I like: I am intrigued by the world-building that Ewing introduces in this sequel. She begins to delve more into the history of her world and relates this back to her main characters explainable powers. The world building was much stronger in the sequel, probably because the characters delve out of the heart of the Jewel. The beginning of the book was action packed as the characters are trying to escape from the Jewel. It really grips you and I personally could not stop turning the page in those first dozen or so chapters.

What I didn’t like: I still feel like there are some very deep themes being played out here that would work better in a New Adult format. The ideas here are really fresh and original, but I sometimes feel like the violation of these surrogates is skirted because of the age group these novels are targeted towards. There are some real issues here and it’s annoying to me that they aren’t explored further. Outside of this, the second half of the book fell apart for me. The beginning was so interesting that the exposition of the second half felt boring.

Overall, I enjoyed the novel well-enough and will probably pick up the third installment. 3/4

Review: Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch

Title: Ice like Fire by Sara Raasch

Publication Date: October 13. 2015

Buy Links: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks

Genre: Fantasy YA

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis: It’s been three months since the Winterians were freed and Spring’s king, Angra, disappeared—thanks largely to the help of Cordell.

Meira just wants her people to be safe. When Cordellan debt forces the Winterians to dig their mines for payment, they unearth something powerful and possibly dangerous: Primoria’s lost chasm of magic. Theron sees this find as an opportunity—with this much magic, the world can finally stand against threats like Angra. But Meira fears the danger the chasm poses—the last time the world had access to so much magic, it spawned the Decay. So when the king of Cordell orders the two on a mission across the kingdoms of Primoria to discover the chasm’s secrets, Meira plans to use the trip to garner support to keep the chasm shut and Winter safe—even if it means clashing with Theron. But can she do so without endangering the people she loves?

Mather just wants to be free. The horrors inflicted on the Winterians hang fresh and raw in Januari—leaving Winter vulnerable to Cordell’s growing oppression. When Meira leaves to search for allies, he decides to take Winter’s security into his own hands. Can he rebuild his broken kingdom and protect them from new threats?

As the web of power and deception weaves tighter, Theron fights for magic, Mather fights for freedom—and Meira starts to wonder if she should be fighting not just for Winter, but for the world.

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I had to let this one digest. Hence, the months later review. I adored the first book and eagerly awaited the sequel, but sometimes the sequel doesn’t live up to the hype and unfortunately that is what happened here. 

What I liked: There was a lot of action in this one, even more than in the first book. The plot is driven by the journey and despite the things I did not like, I continued reading, interested in the characters next adventure. The world-building is fantastic. Raasch takes her readers deeper into her world and continues to dazzle with her original ideas. I really enjoyed learning more about the other cultures in their world and the differences between them. These things really added to the plot, making it rich and colorful.

What I didn’t like: This sequel felt painful. It moved quickly, but all of the enjoyable subtlety I enjoyed in book one were completely gone. The important plot points felt like they were crammed down my throat and did not feel fluid from book one. Meira remains much the same, not growing from her previous experience, and both male characters seemed to take on totally new personalities.

Overall, this book was interesting enough but lacked the strength of its predecessor 3/5.