Review: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Title/Author: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4/5 stars
Synopsis: The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.

To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.

Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of
those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.
But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?


Review:

Thoughts on the Overall Book: I'll admit I thought this book sounded interesting when it came out but I had my misgivings because usually books promoted so much so soon turn out not to be that great. However, this one was one that really did deliver.

Cover--Yea or Nay: I do like it. It's a little plain, but the upside down crown dripping blood is really cool.

Characters: Mare was a lovely protagonist. She was partly a victim of circumstance who rose above that to do what had to be done, and yet she never came across with an attitude because of it. She was a very relatable and likable character. The only thing I'm not sure about her, whether I liked it or it bothered me, was her need to protect everyone around her. I do understand this, because I am naturally a protector, but I'm also the eldest of my siblings and Mare was not. It just seemed a little unnatural, and I understood why Killorn would have gotten annoyed at her for that. Men do not like women protecting them, it's just the way it is. And it just got ridiculous with her wanting to protect Cal when he's obviously capable of doing that himself. Anyway, only a little observation/complaint there. I loved the relationship between her and her siblings and I really wish we could have gotten to see more of that. The whole cast was good. I particularly liked Cal and Julian. I think one thing I loved about this book so much is that I really wasn't sure what to think about any of the characters at any given moment. I wish I could say more but I would spoil it. Let's just say that not everyone is as they seem, and the baddies were actually bad and sometimes surprising.

The Romance: This might be the first love triangle that didn't bother me. I hate love triangles, especially ones between brothers, but I think the reason the Maven/Mare/Cal triangle didn't bother me so much was that, one, it wasn't the main plot line, and two, she never liked both of them at the same time and that makes all the difference.

Writing Style: It did actually take me a few chapters to get used to the present tense in this book. Some books it flows better than others, and this one, not quite so well as some. But to counter that, the story itself was amazing, and this book somehow manages to have just the right balance of characterization and world building without lagging. I guess you could say it's a little slow in the beginning, but the plot really goes continuously and doesn't stop until the end. I really loved this unique world, to me it felt almost a combination of medieval and, I know it was supposed to be more modern than this, but I felt like it was maybe 50s or 60s, don't know why, it just felt that way to me. The only thing I was kind of disappointed it were the terms for things. Some of them were kind of lame actually, but it doesn't detract from the story too much. The plot the awesome and the world was imaginative and better still actually believable for the sort of people this was dealing with. It really surprised me.

Accuracy/ Believability: The world was actually believable, and I also really appreciated the rebel group in this. Unlike most books, the rebels were painted in a very realistic light. They weren't put on pedestals, thus making it seem like the author is just ranting and trying to prove some point. They aren't even always portrayed as the good guys really. Their ultimate cause is worthy, but Mare doesn't by any means always agree with their methods and I really liked that. On the flip side I also liked how not all the Silvers were just portrayed as nasty aristocrats.

Problems/What bothered me: Apart from the couple little niggles I already addressed, nothing.

Conclusion: 4/5 stars. The ending, while I kind of saw part of it coming, was still a big surprise and left me feeling breathless and in shock. I was very pleased with that, and this is one of those books I would love to read over to see if I can spot some clues the second time around. Either way, awesome ending, and I really look forward to seeing where the author takes the story next. This one left us with great promise for a sequel.

Recommended Audience: Probably more girl read than guy read. Ages 15 and up. Readers who are tired of the usual fantasy novels would love this because it's still fantasy, but it's kind of a whole new take and setting. 

BookCon/ May Book Haul

So, I usually just put the books I aquired during each month in my wrap up post, but this time, I thought it best to do just a BookCon NY trip haul post because I got a bunch of books and wanted to do a special post for them.

I will have another post up soon about my BookCon experience and a sort of survival guide to those who wish to do it next year, but pretty much, I had an awesome time. I met up with my friend and fellow blogger, Mara from The Reading Hedgehog and we had fun exploring New York together and experiencing BookCon. She will also be writing a BookCon post soon, that I will link to this one when she gets it up. We also got to meet another fellow blogger, Kel from Booked Til Tuesday who gave us BookCon tips and brought us lunch (Thanks again!) But more about that in my other post, this one is about my loot. While in NY Mara and I had to visit The Strand which was just as amazing as promised.  Three stories of tight rows of shelves is pretty much a booklover's dream. I didn't buy as many books there as I could have, but it was awesome.

Here's some pictures of everything. I hauled 22 books in May between books that I bought at BookCon and The Strand and books that I got free at BookCon and ones people gave me. Some of these were ones that I brought to get signed so not all of them I bought this month but I'll list everything below.

These are all the books I got signed

Getting books signed at BookCon was harder than expected (more about that in my next post). I actually missed Maggie Stiefvater's autographing session but I met up with her by chance afterward and she was kind enough to signed them all for me (Thanks again Maggie!) But apart from that I really enjoyed getting to meet Courtney Alameda (Shutter) and Michael Buckley (Undertow) They were both awesome and I really look forward to reading Michael's new book. I was sad that I didn't get the opportunity to get my copy of The Maze Runner signed by James Dashner, but I did get to see him in panel and he too is a very awesome fellow.

Other books that I bought

Free Books!

And of course all the swag I picked up. I got lots of buttons too, but those are already on my bag.

And without further ado, here is all the books I hauled this month:

Books given to me or that I got for free:

#1: Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen (This was given to me by Mara)

#2: Beastly Bones (Jackaby #2) by William Ritter (Also given to me by Mara--thank you!!!!)

#3: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys 

#4: Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys (Both of these were also given to me by Mara)

#5: Undertow by Michael Buckley (Free with the signing at BookCon)

#6: The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare (BookCon giveaway)

#7: Feral Nights (The Feral Series #1) by Cynthia Leitich Smith (BookCon giveaway)

#8: Reawakened by Coleen Houck (BookCon ARC giveaway)

#9: The Time Fetch by Amy Herrick (BookCon Giveaway)

#10: Demon Dentist by David Walliams (BookCon ARC giveaway)

Books I bought:

#11: The Crown of Embers (Fire and Thorns #2) by Rae Carson

#12: The Bitter Kingdom (Fire and Thorns #3) by Rae Carson

#13: Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige 

#14: The Finisher (Vega Jane #1) by David Baldacci

#15: Illusionarium by Heather Dixon

#16: This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel

#17: Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

#18: Shutter by Courtney Alameda

#19: Nether Isle by Nicoline Evans 

#20: The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson 

#21: An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

#22: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

So that's my haul! Definitely can't wait to read all the new books I got. Now I just have to find shelf space for them!

I'll be back later with my BookCon experience post. 

Slainte, Hazel

May Wrap Up 2015

First off, I'm very sorry I didn't get any reviews up this month. I was so busy writing and all the blogging I did was for my other blog Tales From a Modern Bard (If you haven't checked out the recent challenge stories that I posted, do so! We had some awesome stories this time around and some new writers!) On the plus side, I did finish the first draft of the second book in the Modern Tales of Na Fianna series, An Earthly King. I'll be looking for beta readers to the first one Blood Ties at the end of June but I'll talk more about that later.

Of course, I also have been getting ready for BookCon! By the time this post is put up, I'll either be there or be home from there, and will be making a seperate post all about it and my BookCon Haul which I know will be massive.

So, I'll just post a quick list of my reads for the month as usual. Only read 5 because of everything else, but I did read a lot of good ones, so I can't complain.

#1: The Luck Uglies (The Luck Uglies #1) by Paul Durham (3/5 stars)
#2: Blue Bloods (Blue Blood #1) by Melissa de la Cruz (2/5 stars)
#3: Tunnel Vision by Susan Adrian (4/5 stars)
#4: The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns #1) by Rae Carson (4/5 stars)
#5: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (4/5 stars)



Favorite Reads of the Month

Red Queen
Tunnel Vision


I will be back soon with the BookCon post! So excited to share my experience with you!

Books of Note: Spring Reads Part 2

Okay, here's the late part two of my favorite reads of spring =)

All aboard for an action-packed escapade from the internationally bestselling author of Airborne and the Silverwing trilogy.

The Boundless, the greatest train ever built, is on its maiden voyage across the country, and first-class passenger Will Everett is about to embark on the adventure of his life!

When Will ends up in possession of the key to a train car containing priceless treasures, he becomes the target of sinister figures from his past.

In order to survive, Will must join a traveling circus, enlisting the aid of Mr. Dorian, the ringmaster and leader of the troupe, and Maren, a girl his age who is an expert escape artist. With villains fast on their heels, can Will and Maren reach Will's father and save The Boundless before someone winds up dead?

Review

Thoughts on the Overall Book: Typical of Kenneth Oppel, this is a classic adventure novel with a flair of steampunk and the fantastical. I have never read one of his books that I didn't like!

Cover--Yea or Nay: Yes! I love this cover so much, I think it fits perfect with the feel of the story and I also love the eyes in the forest :)

Characters: Will Everett was a very enjoyable character to read about. I really liked him because, unlike a lot of characters in middle-grade adventure novels, he is rather shy and quiet, and quite a bit of an introvert. But watching him grow in confidence was nice to see, and I think creating a character like that is good for kids who are the same way. He was very brave and loyal and had a good sense of what was right and wrong. I also liked Maren a lot. She kind of reminds me of Kenneth Oppel's usual heroines, but I have always liked them, so I had no problem with that. She's the outgoing one, and she knows how to get a job done, and is quite capable of doing it, but she never has an attitude and when Will has to help her, she doesn't get angry about it, but accepts it as something that needs to be done. Mr. Dorian was also a very interesting character. I won't say too much about him because I don't want to spoil the story, but I did like him despite his faults. And needless to say I LOVED the circus performers. Give me a troupe of players and I'm happy. Brogan wasn't the best villain I have ever read, he was just kind of ordinary, but in this kind of book and being MG, he worked perfectly fine.

The Romance: No romance, it is a MG book, but there is, of course, a hint that perhaps in later years Will and Maren's friendship will grow into romance.

Writing Style: This book was actually a bit different in styles from Kenneth Oppel's usual writing. It's third person and present tense. I'll admit, I didn't think it flowed as well as his usual first person past tense narration, but it wasn't terrible either. It took me a little to get used to it, but it wasn't as choppy as some I have read. Because of it, I think this book just slightly lacked a little of the voice that his others, like Airborn did, but it was still awesome, and the descriptions were just as vivid and wonderful as usual. This book literally had everything I love in an adventure novel: trains, secret compartments with booby traps, traveling players, and a fine young hero. And hey, it also has sasquashes . How on earth can someone not like this book? It's like Jules Verne meets Indiana Jones.

Accuracy/ Believability: Not really applicable, the point of this book is that it's fantastical, but I love the idea of the Boundless and I think it would be totally awesome and could have happened.

Problems/What bothered me: Nothing, I loved it!

Conclusion: 5 stars. Just another awesome book by one of my favorite authors. This one ended great, but I wouldn't mind seeing more in the same world.

Recommended Audience: If you have not read one of Kenneth Oppel's books yet, what are you waiting for? If you haven't, and you liked books like Jules Verne, than this is one author you need to try. This would make a great guy read, as well as girl read, ages 12 and up.

The once highly in-demand detective Alan Knightley has just woken up after an unexplained incident kept him asleep for four years. While he was out cold, his son, Darkus, took it upon himself to read of all his dad's old cases, and he's learned a lot about the art of detection. It's a good thing too—because suddenly the duo find themselves caught up in a crazy conspiracy that involves a group of villainous masterminds (who keep appearing and then vanishing), some high-speed car chases (that will have everyone fastening their seat belts), and a national, bestselling book with the power to make people do terrible, terrible things. But because Alan is still suffering the effects of his coma, he tends to, well, fall asleep at the worst possible moments, Meaning that young Darkus might just have to solve this mystery . . . by himself.

Review

Thoughts on the Overall Book: This was a book that caught my eye the instant I saw it in the bookstore, but I still ended up getting it from the library since I've never read the author before, and, well, you never know, but I was not disappointed in this book. For the most part, it was exactly what I expected.

Cover--Yea or Nay: Love the cover. That's what caught my eye. It looks like a mystery novel and, hey, it has the London skyline on it, what's not to like.

Characters: Darkus Knightley (okay, I thought his name just made him sound like a villain, but oh well) was a really awesome protagonist. He is almost exactly how I pictured Sherlock Holmes as a teenager. He's smart, self taught mostly, though he obviously inherited his father's genes too, and he's very mature for his age, sometimes, I think, forgetting that he is only thirteen when he's trying to solve a case. Alan Knightley, his father, was an interesting character too. He was your typical obsessed man, but he also really did care about Darkus and even his ex-wife. Tilly, Darkus' stepsister, I wasn't sure I would like at first, but she never had the Attitude, and I liked her bluntness and how she just got a job done and never tried to take the head from Darkus because she thought she was smarter. She was a good partner for him. Uncle Bill was an interesting character. He's kind of quirky and unassuming, but he gets a job done. Darkus' stepfather, Clive, was an annoying character, but also amusing. No, I didn't like him, but one isn't really supposed to. My favorite supporting character was definitely Bogna, Alan's Polish secretary. She was awesome :)

The Romance: None!

Writing Style: I did like the writing style-third person past tense. It did take a while to get used to though. Mainly because sometimes it would be hard to figure out who's perspective it was coming from. Usually, the author kept it within chapter or chapter break, but sometimes it would seem like it was from one perspective and then it turned out to be in another, but that was really only in the first few chapters. Apart from that, I liked how we got to see other people's perspectives. It gave more to the story without giving anything away. It actually read like a mystery show kind of like Sherlock it had the same pacing and "cuts". Not the most fluent and beautiful of writing styles but for the kind of book it was, it worked.

The story-line itself however, was what intrigued me in the first place. It was just too weird to pass up. A book that is making people commit crimes? Very cool! And I loved the way the author brought it about. I really can't say anymore about it because it would give too much away, but I was not disappointed as I feared I might be on occasion.

Accuracy/ Believability: Not really applicable in this. The deductive skills and reasoning were sound though.

Problems/What bothered me: Apart from my few niggles about the writing style, I didn't have any problems to report. It's kind of one of those books you go along for the ride with.

Conclusion: 4 stars. I really look forward to continuing this series. I really can't wait to see what happens next. I can see this idea going many places and doing really well.

Recommended Audience: Girl or guy read 13 and up. Fans of Sherlock Holmes would enjoy this, and anyone who likes mysteries with an odd twist would also enjoy.



There are monsters among us. There always have been and there always will be. I’ve known that since I can remember, just like I’ve always known I was one ... Well, half of one, anyway.

Welcome to New York City - a troll under the Brooklyn Bridge, a boggle in Central Park, and a beautiful vampire in a penthouse on the Upper East Side. Most humans are oblivious to the preternatural nightlife around them, but Cal Leandros is only half human.

His father’s dark lineage is the stuff of nightmares – and his entire otherworldly elf race are after Cal. His half brother, Niko, gave up college to keep them on the run for four years, but now the Grendel monsters are back. And Cal is about to learn why they want him. He is the key to unleashing their hell on earth. The fate of the human world will be decided in the fight of Cal’s life..

Review

Thoughts on the Overall Book: This was one of those books that I kind of stumbled across through Goodreads and not really because of anyone's recommendation, and I don't always go for that, but I was feeling adventurous, and frankly, I will read anything once as long as it has brothers in it, and I am so so glad I did, because I loved it. I loved Cal and Niko, and I love the writing style, and turned out not to be really what I was expecting, and that was a good thing in this case.

Cover--Yea or Nay: Meh, I like the situation of the cover, but that's not how I pictured Cal. I do think it gives a good feeling of the book.

Characters: I already said I loved Cal and Niko. See, I've already begun to refer to them as "my boys". Yes, I have a lot of "my boys" but it is still not a term lightly given. As individuals, I liked them. Cal is so snarky and yet in a good way, the way I like where he's like that because he's just a teenager and not because he has an attitude. What I loved most about him, was that so many times characters in his position are all angst, and yeah, there's a little angst, but Cal covers it up with the sarcasm, and somehow it works. Niko on the other hand is like his exact opposite. He's calm and controlled and quiet, and I really loved that about him. He reminded me a little bit of Eliot Spencer from one of my favorite tv shows Leverage but not quite with the flashpan anger ;) I think they would have gotten on well though. As brothers though--I was done. I search so hard to find books that have good brother duos, and I rarely find them. This was one of the best ever. Their dynamic as brothers was perfect in my book, just how I like to read it. Niko is an awesome older brother, he's just the right amount of stern to keep his crazy little brother in line and yes not so much that he comes across as controlling, just protective. And Cal through all his razzing which is his right as a younger sibling, never up and said he didn't want Niko to take care of him. What I loved most about them as a dynamic, was that they knew that they were all each other had, and they did not want to risk that and they would do anything for each other. Another thing I liked was that there's no resentment because of that either like there so often is between fictional siblings (like no one can do anything for the other without getting his head torn off). And oh my gosh, the best part? There was hugging. Like, actual hugging, not just a slap on the back. I was starting to think I was the only writer who believed emotional damage needs hugs. Thankfully I was proved wrong.

Okay, and now that my happy rant it over, on to the other characters. I'm honestly still not sure how I feel about Robin Goodfellow. I didn't hate him, but that's about all I can say. I think he's probably one of those characters I'll end up liking more and more as the series progresses. There were parts I really liked him, and parts I didn't so much, but that's kind of typical with his type of character. I really did like Rafferty though, and I hope we see more of him. For some reason he just reminded me of Bones from Star Trek :P

The Romance: None!

Writing Style: This was what sold be from page one. After getting this book from the library and reading the synopsis again, I thought it would probably be one I would drag my feet though, maybe not even finish, but I picked it up one night before bed to look at and ended up reading three chapters and having to stop because I had to get up in the morning. I love Cal's narration. As I said before, he's snarky and has a great dark humor, which I love to see in books like this. It made the book a lot less dark than I was expecting made for super easy reading. I'd also like to mention because I was a little unclear about this which was my main hesitation to starting the story; it might sound like demons but the baddies are actually dark elves which kind of made it easier for me to like. I loved the world Rob Thurman created in this book. For some reason supernatural creatures residing in New York is not all that unbelievable and I like how she fit them in. They were creepy too, a lot of them. I really like how Ms. Thurman incorporates a lot of literature references in her stories, and not ones you would think either. Ones like Beowulf, and even some Shakespeare and I liked that a lot. Typically, there's not a lot in the classic lore behind the beasties in this, but I kind of like that too. There are bits though, like the dark elves you can kind of trace back to the Norse mythology. Not really the same, but closer than somethings. The beasties were scary though, and I like that.

Accuracy/ Believability: Not really applicable, but, okay, I have to mention Niko's hair. I'm sorry, but I know Cal is supposed to be half elf, but seriously. How does Niko keep his long blond locks from dishevelment? The only person I've ever seen pull that off was Legolas.

Problems/What bothered me: (view spoiler)

Conclusion: 4 stars. I knocked a few points off for language and a few other things, but as far as characters, this is a five star book. I'm so excited to read more of this series. Cal and Niko just made me utterly happy :-)

Recommended Audience: Great guy read, 18 and up, I'd definitely say fans of Raven Boys and Maggie Stiefvater's books in general would like this. Not that it's exactly like hers, but it kind of had the same feel to me. 

(To read this review with spoilers, see the review on Goodreads) 

Books of Note: Spring Reads Part 1

While winter was such a busy time for me, I got so little time to read, I finally picked up the pace a little this Spring, and I have read, especially in the last couple months, so many really awesome books. So many that I have to split my review posts in two. Part 2 will be up soon, but here's some of my first favorite reads this Spring from March to now.

A masterful, twisted tale of ambition, jealousy, betrayal, and superpowers, set in a near-future world. 

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong. Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end? 

In Vicious, V. E. Schwab brings to life a gritty comic-book-style world in vivid prose: a world where gaining superpowers doesn’t automatically lead to heroism, and a time when allegiances are called into question.'

Review

Thoughts on the Overall Book: I adore good villain stories, and good revenge stories. This one had all the aweseomess of The Count of Monte Cristo but with an added flair of awesome super villains, who weren't your typical super villains. It was dark,vicious and definitely a page turner.

Cover--Yea or Nay: I love the cover, I think it gives a good feel for the book, and also is kind of reminiscent of a comic book style, kind of vintage and almost noir.

Characters: In part this is the kind of book you don't really read with the expectation of liking any of the characters, that being said, I really found I became rather attached to Victor. I liked his older self more than his younger self, but in either case, I think that for the most part, while he did have rather sociopathic tendencies (and that doesn't necessarily make one a villain) he really could have been a lot worse than he was. He only did bad things for the sake of finding and ending Eli. With the power he had, I think he had a lot of self control. I really felt rather bad for what happened to him, and really wanted to see him get his revenge.

Eli on the other hand, I thought was just scary and creepy. There is nothing worse than a villain who does bad things because he thinks he actually justified in them. And Eli thinks it's his duty and God-given right to hunt down the EOs and end them. His coolness made me shiver, and to be honest the kind of person he is, I think he needed a nemesis like Victor who is not afraid to use nefarious means to end someone.

I did really genuinely like Mitch and Sydney. I felt really sorry for Mitch and all he went though, I also loved the idea of a hacker who looks like a hitter ;) Sydney was cool, I liked how she was a strong, smart young girl, and her dog Dol was awesome too. Sarena I thought was really scary. With the kind of power she had, you have really got to watch yourself around her. Even if she really didn't have a lot of control over her power, I wasn't willing to sympathize with her. Anyone willing to allow someone to kill their little sister even if they believed it was merciful is not anyone I can like.

The Romance: There's not really any romance apart from what ever you would call the relationship between Eli and Sarena.

Writing Style: I love Victoria Scwab's writing style, though this one was written in third person past tense instead of first person present like her other books are. Seeing as she's one of the only people who can make present tense sound good, I was a little disappointed, but I think the voice really is best for this story with all the jumping around from time to time. And there is a lot of jumping around from the past to the present and between characters, but it really isn't hard to follow and it makes the story even more awesome, so that you only slowly get all the pieces of the puzzle. It makes you want to read another chapter and another and another. The suspense in this book was awesome and kept me up so late at night reading. I just didn't know what was going to happen next.

Accuracy/ Believability: Not really applicable when talking about a book involving super powers, but I loved how this one really went into it as a science. It was actually believable, the way the EOs (ExtraOrdinries) came to be. It wasn't your typical fall into a vat of radiation thing, and so for that reason alone, I appreciated it. It was a really cool and unique idea. The only thing I could mark about it was the fact that it seemed to happen to everyone who had a near death experience. Like there just seemed to be a lot of EOs around. But that's only a personal quibble. Nothing that even made me stop reading.

Problems/What bothered me: Apart from a little bit of strong language, I didn't have anything to complain about. This is the kind of book you just have to go with the flow.

Conclusion: 5 stars. Really loved it, one of the most unique books I have read in a long time. The ending was surprisingly satisfying, and while I don't think this book needs a sequel, I like that fact about it. I'm good with how it ended, and I really would rather keep it that way.

Recommended Audience: Girl or Guy read, older teens (18 and up) and adults. I know this is supposed to be an adult book, but I thought it read like a YA. There's really only some darker themes and violence to consider apart from the language that was even less than a lot of YA books has. It kind of comes down to whether this is your kind of read or not.

(Also read my friend Mara's review at The Reading Hedgehog)

Love, power, and magic collide with war in the second book of the Falling Kingdoms series

Auranos has fallen and the three kingdoms—Auranos, Limeros, and Paelsia—are now united as one country called Mytica. But still, magic beckons, and with it the chance to rule not just Mytica, but the world...

When the evil King Gaius announces that a road is to be built into the Forbidden Mountains, formally linking all of Mytica together, he sets off a chain of events that will forever change the face of this land, forcing Cleo the dethroned princess, Magnus the reluctant heir, Lucia the haunted sorceress, and Jonas the desperate rebel to take steps they never could have imagined.

Review

Thoughts on the Overall Book: I'm really loving this series. The first book was great and exciting, and just what I love in a good high fantasy novel, but this one actually I thought was even better, and gave me some more insights into characters I wasn't entirely sure what to feel about in the last one.

Cover--Yea or Nay: I love the covers for this series. They are just gorgeous. It's the kind of cover that I would notice across a bookstore.

Characters: What I love about this series is that the characters are very dynamic. And I think the more you read about them, the more you see into their inner characters and how your first impressions might not be entirely correct. I still really liked Cleo, she's one of my favorite characters. She continues to be strong and not stupid. Her hands are tied, and she does all she can with the resources she has. I actually ended up liking Jonas more in this one for some reason. In the first book he seemed a little stiff, and I can understand that because of his quest for revenge, but in this one he seemed to have a little more character and I was able to relate to him better. I loved Brion just as much as I did in the first one. He's your typical best friend character. I was really afraid when I met Lysandra, because she started off seeming like a potentially super annoying female character and almost reminded me of Kate from series three of BBC's Robin Hood who I HATE with a passion, but she actually got a little better after a while. I don't think she'll ever be a favorite, but she's tolerable. In the first book, I wasn't really sure about how I felt about Magnus, I didn't really care for him, but in this one, I really began to like him a lot, and I think I will continue to do so as the series progresses, especially if his character curve goes the way I think it will. Lucia, honestly I don't know. I think I'm going to have to read the rest of the series to really say how I feel about her. I do feel sorry for her, but she's not really a character I sympathize with. I don't know, she's just kind of not really exciting to me, but I do appreciate where her character is going. King Giaus just gets more evil in this one. He makes a really awesome villain I think. he's just so cold and wicked and I love that in a fantasy villain. And I liked how Magnus is starting to see that he really doesn't like what he father does and that he doesn't want to end up like him. Aron was just as annoying as usual, he's just nasty, and I loved how Magnus hated him too.

The Romance: There wasn't a lot focusing on the romance in this story, but there is a lot of crushes and infatuations everywhere, that are kind of messy. Obviously you still have the Magnus/Lucia strain but only from his point of view. Lucia is now infatuated with one of the Watchers, Alexius which happened really fast. Then you have Brion who liked to flirt with Lysandra but she doesn't like him and develops feelings for Jonas. Jonas crushes on Cleo and she in turn crushes on him which was way too fast and just kind of pointless, even though I did see it coming eventually. Maybe it will even come back, I don't know. I'm also not sure whether I saw a Magnus/Cleo relationship in the future. It's possible, but I don't really care either way.

Writing Style: The writing style is really good, as it was in the first book. I like how everything is described in a non-messy easy to understand way that flows which sometimes is a luxury in fantasy. I like how we get to see the story from different characters points of view since this is just as much a character driven story as a plot driven story and it helps to get into each of their heads and get to know them better.

Accuracy/ Believability: Not really applicable.

Problems/What bothered me: There were a few things I have to address. First off, I really do appreciate an author who has the guts to kill of characters. I respect that, but this book seemed to have almost too many sudden deaths. Some were necessary, I grant, and properly shocking, some were just jarring and made me go, okay, what was the point of that? Like I see the people who had to die to further along showing King Giaus' evilness. But then there were others (view spoiler)

The only other thing I had to complain about was: what the heck was with the creepy prince guy and Nic? I have no fathomable understanding of where that scene is going to go.

Conclusion: 4 stars. I continue to enjoy this series and I am really looking forward to the next book. I liked the set up of this one and how we are beginning to see the future quest of finding the Kindred and the lost crystals and how Cleo's ring fits into it all. Can't wait to see where this series goes next!

Recommended Audience: If you liked the first one, definitely read this one. Anyone who enjoys classic high fantasy would appreciate this book. Girl or guy read 16 and up.

(You can read this review with spoilers on Goodreads)
(Also read my friend Mara's review on The Reading Hedgehog)

What if the world's worst serial killer...was your dad?

Jasper "Jazz" Dent is a likable teenager. A charmer, one might say.

But he's also the son of the world's most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, Take Your Son to Work Day was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could—from the criminal's point of view.

And now bodies are piling up in Lobo's Nod.

In an effort to clear his name, Jazz joins the police in a hunt for a new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret—could he be more like his father than anyone knows?

Review

Thoughts on the Overall Book: This is one of those books I feel I shouldn't have liked as much as I did and yet, ironically, I think that's why I liked it so much. It takes a lot to make me feel uncomfortable when reading a book, but this one did that in spades. On top of that, I really loved the characters and actually cared about them a lot, so that's a plus plus!

Cover--Yea or Nay: Not necessarily a cover that jumps out at me, the title is what caught my eye originally. I love it, it's just the kind of title that would make me pick up a book. I can't believe it took me so long to get around to reading this one since I've wanted to for a long time. A little blood spatter is always good too ;)

Characters: Jazz was kind of hard for me to figure out. I liked him immediately, but I wasn't honestly sure why. In parts I felt really bad for him, and in other parts I was honestly afraid of him, but I loved that. And you do always know as a reader, that even though he might have some really (really) dark places he is still strong enough to push that away and the fact that he worries about what he might actually do is comforting as well. Would I actually like to meet him in real life? I don't know. Over all, I really did like Jazz. I also loved his girlfriend Connie. Can I just say that she might actually be the most awesome girlfriend a book hero has ever had? She was just the kind of girl he needed. She was supportive and kept him in his place without being condescending and having an attitude. She genuinely cares about him and where he goes in life, and is the kind of anchor a somewhat unstable person like Jazz needs. Likewise Howie was an awesome bestie. He was always a great friend, and I loved how Jazz treats him like a brother, and dear Jazz is afraid he doesn't care for anyone! And can I just say that Billy Dent is, like, seriously, one of the most creepy evil people I have ever read about? Oh my gosh, I just wanted to strangle him and set him on fire. *Shudder*. Again, it takes a lot to creep me out, and Billy Dent is the best creepiest baddie I have come across since Magnusson from Sherlock Season 3.

The Romance: As I already said, I love Jazz and Connie, but there's not really a lot of romance. A few kisses and stuff, moderately "graphic" but nothing more than that, and it wasn't annoying in any way.

Writing Style: This was essentially what made the book work. Barry Lyga is a master of this genre. It seriously frightened me how well he portrayed the psyche of a sociopathic serial killer. My word, my skin was crawling through most of this book. I don't even know what else to say about it, except that, author to author, I have to give Mr. Lyga a huge congratulations on pulling this off. I don't even want to know the kind of research he had to go through to write this book.

Accuracy/ Believability: Frighteningly accurate and believable in every aspect. From the psychological aspect of a serial killer to the forensics and police work.

Problems/What bothered me: This isn't really the kind of book you can have problems with because it is what it is, and frankly, that's one thing I liked so much about it. It's the kind of book that if you can't take it and you don't like it, then don't read it. I however, love a good dark story every once in a while, and this is definitely one of the darker books I have probably ever read.

As a warning to people who don't know what they're getting into though, I will say this: there's definitely a lot of gore, graphic descriptions of violence and from both cops and the nasty baddies, so there's some sick twisted stuff. There's also mentions of sexual violence but nothing is ever seen. Like I said, this book is brutally honest, it's written the way things actually are, and it's horrible, but stuff like that really happens.

Conclusion: 5 stars. As much as this book creeped me out and went a good way to even horrifying me at times, I loved it. And I'm totally going to read the rest, because hello mean cliff hanger at the end!

Recommended Audience: Good guy read, but girls with strong constitutions who don't mind this kind of book would enjoy too, of course. Recommended for people who enjoy dark fiction ages 18 and up.

Books of Note: May Reads

Looking back on this month in the books I read, it seems like forever that May has lasted! Again, this month had some ups and downs, but I did find several really good books I enjoyed and these are some of my favorites.



"It is the height of Spain's celebrated golden century - but beyond the walls of the Royal Palace there is little on the streets of Madrid that glitters. The Invincible Armada has been defeated. The shadow of the Inquisition looms large. And the Thirty Years' War rages on in Flanders. When a courageous soldier of this war, Captain Diego Alatriste, is forced to retire after being wounded in battle, he returns home to live the comparatively tame - though hardly quiet - life of a swordsman-for-hire. In this dangerous city where a thrust of steel settles all matters, there is no stronger blade than Alatriste's." The captain is approached with an offer of work that involves giving a scare to some strangers soon to arrive in Madrid. But on the night of the attack, it becomes clear that these aren't ordinary travelers - and that someone is out for their blood. What happens next is the first in a series of riveting twists, with implications that will reverberate throughout the courts of Europe



Review 

Thoughts on the Overall Book: After starting the fourth book in the series thinking it was the first one, and then realizing I was missing a lot of things, I finally got to read the first one! And I really enjoyed it. This are a truly classy swashbuckling series that goes back to Dumas and Sabatini. The first book kind of acts as an introduction to the series, so it's a little slower than what I except the rest of the books to be, but that didn't make it in any way less enjoyable.

Cover--Yea or Nay: Yes, I really like how "Alatriste" is portrayed in the shadows. I love shadowing characters and swords on book covers. I also love the font. The font is actually what attracted me to the books in the first place at the library.

Characters: The characters seem to be straight out of a Dumas, and I'm saying that as a nod to the author, and not in a mocking way because Dumas, in my opinion, is one of the best characters crafters there was. I love the idea of a young boy narrating this series and I really love Inigo and his narration. Alatriste is also a really good character. He's somewhat of a reluctant hero, he works as a sword for hire, but he also has a deep sense of honor. And I loved the quiet father/son relationship these two share. It was very sweet. In actuality, it's like if you had a younger, less hot-headed D'Artagnan and Athos. I'm not going to lie when I say that Alatriste was pretty much Athos, and I really don't think the author was trying to hide that either. There was also Agelica, who, really felt like a 12-year-old version of Milady, I can see where she's going in later books. I also really liked the nemesis. I look forward to seeing him duel with Alatriste and Inigo through the series.

The Romance: None to report

Writing Style: As I said before, it's very much like Dumas'. So much so, that I really almost with Arturo Perez-Reverte would write Three Musketeers off-shoot stories because he might just be one of the only people who could pull it off. It was just all very classic, and I know this was translated, but I think I should give a shout out to the translator, because I think she did a very good job. I loved the picture he painted of Spain at this time period, it was lovely and through Inigo's narration, half cynical, and half longing. There was enough backstory of the history of the time period too (that anyone who has read Three Musketeers would know quite a bit about thanks to Dumas) but not so much that the readers gets bogged down in it. There were also several little tidbits for Three Musketeer fans he threw in there as well. I also loved his inclusion of Charles I and Buckingham when they went to Spain in secret so Charles could marry the infanta, disguised as "John and Thomas Smith". I knew who they were when they first appeared because I know the history, but I still thought it was awesome, another little thing that was reminiscent of Dumas.

Problems/What bothered me: The only thing I could mark was that there was a little bit of strong language, not as much as I have read in other books, but I did want to make mention of it.

Conclusion: 4 stars. This is going to be a series I'd like to follow to the end, I was very happy to find it.

Recommended Audience: Dumas fans definitely! You really would love this. Besides that, readers looking for a quick historical read would like this too. I read it in two days, but it could probably also be considered an afternoon read if you have nothing better to do.

Meg Pickel’s older brother, Orion, has disappeared. One night, she steals out to look for him, and makes two surprising discoveries: She stumbles upon a séance that she suspects involves Orion, and she meets the author Charles Dickens, also unable to sleep, and roaming the London streets. He is a customer of Meg’s father, who owns a print shop, and a family friend. Mr. Dickens fears that the children of London aren’t safe, and is trying to solve the mystery of so many disappearances. If he can, then perhaps he’ll be able to write once again.

With stunning black-and-white illustrations by Greg Ruth, here is a literary mystery that celebrates the power of books, and brings to life one of the world’s best-loved authors.

Review

Thoughts on the Overall Book: This was one of those books that when I started it, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it or not. It's starts out slow, and I was worried that the mystery of Meg's brother's disappearance would turn out not to be all that interesting. However, about a third of the way in, the book takes a really interesting turn, that immediately made me sit up and speed through the rest. It was one that I really didn't know what the book was going to be about when I started it, but ended up being really good.

Cover--Yea or Nay: I really like the cover. I was excited to see the book was illustrated by Greg Ruth (I loved his work in the "Secret Journey's of Jack London" series) and he's probably one of my favorite illustrators at the moment. There's just something about his style I really like.

Characters: Like the story, I wasn't exactly sure what I felt about Meg at first. I liked how she was worried about her brother disappearing, and that she was willing to do whatever she had to do to get him back, even if the rest of her family had given up hope, but she almost came across as a little bit naive, and almost borderline bratty on occasion. However, as the story progressed, she just became a strong and very smart heroine, and I have to take it into account that she's only about 12 or so too, so she is still young. I really liked Orion right off though, even though most of what the reader knows about him is just from Meg's memories and flashbacks. I also loved the inclusion of Charles Dickens. I always love it when famous authors are incorporated into novels, and I have read several novels featuring Dickens. Sadly, I have yet to actually read his books, but Charles as himself has already endeared me to him.

The Romance: None!

Writing Style: I liked the writing style, it was classic and fit the time period, and I do believe was a bit reminiscent of Dickens's. The only thing that bothered me about it was that there was an "unknown narrator" who spoke in various places and those were in present tense whereas the rest of the story was in past. It wasn't totally jarring, but it stopped me for a few seconds when I came to one of those places. I really liked how the author portrayed the darker side of London at this time period too, and how children were treated, which was horrible at the best of times. Since this is a kids' book, there was nothing mentioned in any detail, but you still got an insight of the horror of the workhouses and how cruel they treated the poor orphans there and how they press-ganged any children they could find. You get the idea of the horror and to me, it's almost worse than having it put all in front of you.

Problems/What bothered me: The only thing that really bothered me was the fact that I really saw no reason for the inclusion of the ghost boy "Dick Wittington". You see him once in the first few chapters, but he never re-appears, nor did I see any ah-ha correlation to him in any other aspect of the story. I kind of got how he represented "eternal childhood" but I still didn't really see how that all tied in. I think the story would have been just as good without his inclusion.

Conclusion: 4 stars. I ended up really enjoying this book, and it ended on a good note with a happy ending, but also had a tad of bittersweetness as well. I liked seeing Meg grow up in the story from how we originally see her--a dreamer who thinks of the world like a novel--to who she becomes by the end of the story--a bit more world weary, and finally able to realize that not everything can be fixed, at least not right away, and that there really is no conclusion to life like in a novel.

Recommended Audience: Fans of Charles Dickens would enjoy this as a quick read. It's also a kind of easy read for Victorian mystery lovers. Girl or boy read, ages 12 and up.

The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

Review

Thoughts on the Overall Book: I love ghost stories. Add Ripperology to that and it can only get better. I was really excited about this book, and, thankfully as I have been several times of late, I was not disappointed. In fact "The Name of the Star" actually held several surprises for me that made me like it all the better.

Cover--Yea or Nay: I do like the cover, it's pretty, but I don't really "get" it. Even when I had finished the story I wasn't sure what the cover was about.

Characters: Despite the fact that I have always thought of Rory as a boy's name, I adored her. She was just the kind of female protagonists I like to read about in contemporary stories. She was genuinely funny, didn't have the attitude, and never once did she come across as annoying. She's the kind of girl I cold easily picture as being a good friend of mine. I liked Jazza a lot too (even though she really didn't seem like a "Jazza" to me). She was sweet and supportive and also not annoying. Despite early feelings, I did grow to like Boo, but she probably will never be my favorite character. I loved Jerome and Stephen and Callum though. They were all totally awesome. Jerome is another person I could picture being good friends with and I loved Stephen (who I instantly pictured as Matthew Baynton, by the way) was the quiet serious type, while Callum was the sarcastic, talkative one without seeming like the funny sidekick, which I appreciated. The villain was totally creepy too. I also loved the ghost characters. Alastair and Jo were totally awesome as well.

The Romance: Rory has a crush on Jerome and there's several make out sessions, but in all honesty, it didn't bother me at all. I think it's because it was so--I don't want to say blatant--but it was just there and there was no problem with it with cause anyone grief. They're just easy people, and I don't mind them together either.

Writing Style: First person and thankfully past tense (amazing!). I loved Rory's narration. I don't always care for first person from a female perspective because if you get a lousy leading lady, it can really make or break a book for me, but Rory is just so awesome and she's funny that I loved the writing style. It made for easy reading, but also held enough suspense to keep reading chapter after chapter. I loved the whole premise of this story too, and Maureen Johnson's take on ghosts was really cool and unique.

Problems/What bothered me: I really didn't have any problems with the story. I could maybe mark that the final showdown was a little drawn out, but then, I've written just as drawn out of ones so I don't really have anything to say on that ;-) It didn't drag at all, it's just that it kind of seemed a little long

Conclusion: 4 stars. I really enjoyed it, and I look forward to reading the rest of the series. I love the idea of London having it's own Ghost police and I think the idea is really original.

Recommended Audience: Ripperologists, fans of ghost stories and suspenseful mysteries also involving ghosts. Ages 16 and up, probably could actually be classed as a girl or a guy read, though I'd be more likely to suggest it to girls.

(To view spoilers, go to this link to read it on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/610813711 )

COVER REVEAL!!! Anthony Maxwell Book One: A Case of Poisons

Well, it's finally here! The cover reveal for "A Case of Poisons" and without further ado, here it is!

A huge shout out to Jessica Gilliland, a fellow indie author, for doing the lovely cover art! Go check out her website and books! You can also find her on Goodreads

So I was hoping to announce the beginning of my Kicktarter campaign at the same time as the cover reveal, but stupid Amazon account is taking FOREVER to verify, so I still don't have the Kickstarter set up, which means my book tour is just going to get bumped back even more. The release date is still June 3rd though! And there's other things to look forward too this month!

First of all, Mara at 667B Baker Street is going to be interviewing Anthony on her blog

And then on the 28th, A Case of Poisons is going to be featured on Aside from Writing for Indie Author Month.

And then of course today's giveaway! Anyone who comments from now until saturday at 12 AM will receive a signed bookmark if they so wish. Just leave me your email address, so I can then email you for your mailing address and I will send off a bookmark to you. (US only this time, I'm afraid, but for the Kickstarter, I'm shipping international, so you will still have the chance to get one, you'll just have to pledge money first!)

Here's a picture of the bookmarks:

Of course I will keep up with the Tuesday Snippets as well, and don't forget to follow Anthony Maxwell on Facebook which you can do by clicking his picture on the left of the blog, so that you can get updates on all the stuff that is going on with the Anthony Maxwell series. I'm very excited about the release of the first book. I hope you will all enjoy it!

I'm also going to get up a giveaway for the actual novel soon too, and I'll let you know when I get that done. I'm hoping to have several fun things going this month in preparation for the release date. Just got my proof copy Wednesday and it looks awesome! A little more editing, and everything will be a go.

If you haven't already, don't forget to add A Case of Poisons to your Goodreads shelf!

Come back on Tuesday for the next snippet!

Slainte, Hazel