The Hidden Twin ~ By Adi Rule – 2.0 Stars

Tags

Fantasy, YA Fiction

Thank You NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for providing an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: For eighteen years a girl with no name, a Redwing, has been hidden away in a small attic room within a city of hissing pipes and curving temples perched on the side of the great volcano, Mol, while her sister, Jey–identical except for her eyes–has lived her life in public as an only child. Their father had hoped the hidden girl would one day grow up to be a normal human girl and not the wicked creature mythology has promised, so he secretly spared her life as an infant.

But when she switches places with her sister, striking up a flirtation with the son of the Empress, while working in the royal gardens and gets attacked by two suspicious priests on her journey home, she is forced to call forth fire to protect herself, unleashing her previously dormant powers and letting her secret out. She soon catches the attention of a cult with a thousand year old grudge as well as a group of underground rebels, both seeking her for their own gain. But when her sister goes missing and the Redwing uncovers a great plot to awaken Mol and bring fiery destruction upon them all, she is forced to embrace her powers.

The Hidden Twin sounded amazing, and it’s gorgeous cover clinched it when I saw it offered on NetGalley, but in my opinion the story fails to live up to either. The main problem is it’s written almost as if it were a sequel. I was so confused when I first started reading that I actually looked this up on Goodreads to see if this was a second book in a series. I had so many questions regarding the twins’ childhood yet the only details provided are a few vague references by their father. The society itself is pretty confusing as well with so many different villains they were difficult to keep up with. This city or country, (I was never clear on which it was) is ruled by an Empress, but then there’s this group of priests who seem to hold quite a bit of power. It’s never explained how they work together, or if they even do. Redwing is the one standout in the entire book. I loved her fearlessness and snark. I wasn’t able to connect with any of the other characters though. Redwing’s twin, Jey, turns out to be an obnoxious brat, and her dad is out of the picture for the majority of the book. The supposed love interest is so under developed that I had no clue as to what made him tick, which made any hint of romance unbelievable. I think the one emotion I came away with from this is frustration, because I think this could have been a great story. Instead, I was left wanting more. 

Happy Easter!

THE ONLY TIME WHEN IT’S SAFE TO PUT ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET!

Shadow Magic ~ By Joshua Khan – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Family, Fantasy, Friendship, YA Fiction

Thank you NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for providing an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: April 12th, 2016

Synopsis: Thorn, an outlaw’s son, wasn’t supposed to be a slave. He’s been sold to Tyburn, an executioner, and they’re headed to Castle Gloom in Gehenna, the land of the undead, where Thorn will probably be fed to a vampire.

Lilith Shadow wasn’t supposed to be ruler of Gehenna. But following the murder of her family, young Lily became the last surviving member of House Shadow, a long line of dark sorcerers. Her country is surrounded by enemies and the only way she can save it is by embracing her heritage and practicing the magic of the undead. But how can she when, as a girl, magic is forbidden to her.

Just when it looks like Lily will have to leave her home forever, Thorn arrives at Castle Gloom. A sudden death brings them closer together, inspires them to break the rules, and leads them to soar to new heights in this fantasy with all the sparkle and luster of a starry night sky.

I have to admit I’d completely forgotten that I requested this until I received my approval from the publisher. Then I remembered that it was the book that Rick Riordan raved about on Goodreads back in November. I downloaded it to my kindle, looked skeptically at the cover (which I didn’t like although the giant bat is cool) and thought “Oh what the heck!” and dived in. Three hours and 336 pages later I emerged with, as my husband tells me, a huge goofy smile on my face. The story is told from the alternating perspectives of Thorn and Lily who each have a very distinctive voice. You wouldn’t think a poor son of an outlaw and a young girl who’s the heir to a magical kingdom would have much in common but they do. Given that they’re only thirteen-years-old this isn’t a case of insta-love, although towards the end there is a smattering of light romance introduced. Instead, in my mind these are two kindred spirits who are each strong in their own right, but when they’re together, they’re a force to be reckoned with. Not quite as well developed is K’leef who becomes the third member of the group but he’s very sweet and I have hopes we’ll find out even more of his backstory in the next book. I did think the mystery of who the villain was that orchestrated the murders of Lily’s parents and brother a bit predictable, but I don’t think tweens will be bothered by this at all. Adding to the overall enjoyment of the story is the world-building which is sheer perfection. You would think a kingdom of shadows would be gloomy but it’s not. With vampires and other undead creatures, ghosts, and bats, it reminded me a little of The Nightmare Before Christmas. The standout though is Hades the gigantic bat whose personality leaps off the pages thanks to Thorn’s talent with animals. While I didn’t really care for the cover, the helpful map, and crisp black and and white illustrations throughout the book further bring the story to life. And if you get the book in hardcover there’s this flip-book feature with a little bat that kids will get a kick out of. In the end with it’s appealing characters, short chapters, and an absolutely perfect conclusion, Shadow Magic is a middle-grade fantasy that readers will find near impossible to put down. I would honestly rank Joshua Khan up there with YA fantasy giants like J.K. Rowling and Rick Riordan. I can’t wait for his second book Dream Magic to come out next year.

Tell The Wind And Fire ~ By Sarah Rees Brennan – 2.0 Stars

Tags

Fantasy, Relationships, YA Fiction

Thank you NetGalley and Clarion Books for providing an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: April 5th, 2016

Synopsis: In a city divided between opulent luxury in the Light and fierce privations in the Dark, a determined young woman survives by guarding her secrets. 

Lucie Manette was born in the Dark half of the city, but careful manipulations won her a home in the Light, celebrity status, and a rich, loving boyfriend. Now she just wants to keep her head down, but her boyfriend has a dark secret of his own–one involving an apparent stranger who is destitute and despised. Lucie alone knows the young men’s deadly connection, and even as the knowledge leads her to make a grave mistake, she can trust no one with the truth. 

Blood and secrets alike spill out when the revolution erupts. With both halves of the city burning, and mercy nowhere to be found, can Lucie save either boy–or herself?

A Tale of Two Cities has always been one of my favorite Charles Dickens stories, so when I heard that Tell The Wind And Fire was going to be based on the classic I was quite excited. Adding to my enthusiasm was that I really enjoyed Sarah Rees Brennan’s Lynburn Legacy and Demon’s Lexicon trilogies. After finishing this however it was hard to believe the book was by the same author. The first problem are the characters.The story is narrated by Lucie who has loved Ethan since the day they met. She’s completely devoted to him and we’re told repeatedly and nauseatingly throughout the story how perfect he is. But the real problem I had with Lucie is that she’s got no personality of her own. She’s wishy-washy in the extreme and has no backbone until the very end of the book. She has opportunity after opportunity to take a stand for what’s right, yet until the last few chapters she prefers to cower and make excuses for why she can’t act. Ethan is likable, but as a hero he’s pretty bland. He reminded me of the princes in Disney movies like Cinderella, and Snow White. They’re handsome and charming, but there’s nothing really there under the surface. The one character I liked was Carwyn who adds some much needed humor and bite to the story. Given the story that this is based on, naturally there’s a love triangle but I was expecting this. The problem is I disliked Lucie so much that I wanted both Ethan and Carwyn to dump her and go get a drink together. I just couldn’t fathom how she could inspire such love in either of them. The other issue I had was with the world-building. The author throws an enormous amount of information about the world she’s created in the first three chapters. It’s extremely confusing and there are so many things that are never explained such as how magic was actually discovered.  The world just transforms magically without answering any questions such as where the magic came from to begin with. I was still muddled at the end of the book. I don’t even understand where the title comes from beyond that it’s part of a nursery rhyme Lucie’s aunt used to sing to her. I’ve given this 2 stars mainly because I really liked Carwyn. Otherwise, try as I might, I just can’t find much to recommend about it.

 

 

 

 

Please. Stop the hate and the killing.

Here are some chilling statistics from Green Dragon Artist on how many Muslims are dying at the hands of terrorists, yet the media and politicians don’t seem to want to talk about this. Instead they’re more interested in stoking the flames of fear and hatred. “Love-Mongering”. Pass it on!

Historical fantasy, time travel adventure, and urban fantasy

I don’t normally go political on my blog. I like the happy world of travel, magic, writing and art. But sometimes one must speak out against the hatred.

We live in a scary world. Most of us want to hide our heads in the sand and forget the evil is out there. I wish I could on many days, but if we all do this, then the evil will run rampant and be free to do as it wishes.

I didn’t create the meme below. I prefer to use IS rather than blaspheme the name of a perfectly innocent Goddess. And they misspelled a couple of things. And yet, it is a perfectly valid sentiment.

I am concerned that innocent people are dying, and we are doing nothing to prevent it. I don’t care if they are Muslim, Christian, Pagan, Atheist, or Pastafarians. They are HUMAN. They are our people…

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Happy National Puppy Day!

Tags

Inspirational quotes, National Puppy Day 2016

Dogs are our link to paradise. They don’t know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring–it was peace.

~ Milan Kundera ~

I think we all need something to bring a smile to our faces after yesterday, so I hope this quote and these gifs help.

Vulnerable (Morgans of Nashville) ~ By Mary Burton – 3.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Forensic Technology, Murder Mysteries, Nashville, Romantic Suspense

Thank you NetGalley and Pinnacle for providing an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: March 29th, 2016

Synopsis: 

The Smallest Mistake.

Three went in; one came out. For five years, no trace has been found of two high-school friends who went hiking in the woods near Nashville. The third teen, Amber Ryder, was discovered at the bottom of a ravine with a broken arm, head trauma–And zero memory of the horror that put her there.

Will Put You There.

What started as a cold case has become a fresh hell for forensic technician Georgia Morgan. Another woman’s body is found in the woods, and it leads to the missing teens’ remains. But while Georgia works with Amber to try and reawaken her memories, her gut tells her the worst is yet to come. 

At A Killer’s Mercy.

Homicide Detective Jake Bishop can’t be sure whether Amber is an expert manipulator or the killer’s next target. Either way, he’s determined to protect Georgia. Because the deeper she digs into the past, the deadlier the secrets that emerge, and a nightmare years in the making is about to come to a bloody, terrifying end…

Vulnerable is a book that’s described as being romantic suspense, but sadly there’s little of either. Instead there’s wooden characters and a predictable, formulaic plot that held few surprises. As much as I tried I could not connect to either Georgia or Jake. Both are likable enough, but there’s little chemistry between them, and I actually thought they were completely mismatched. This made the two sexual scenes toward the end seem almost like an afterthought. The villains are pretty one-dimensional also. I love it when an author creates an antagonist where I feel as though I’m pulled right into their sick twisted minds. But like Georgia and Jake, I never got a true sense of who they were in this story, and what made them tick. The mystery is pretty predictable and I had already figured out the who, and why by the halfway point. I will say though, I found the descriptions of the forensic procedures used by Georgia really interesting and the story itself flowed smoothly. I also liked the bar scenes where Georgia moonlights singing because I actually felt as though I was in a honky-tonk bar in Nashville. The story itself flowed smoothly and was fast paced which made it a quick read. I know it’s hard to believe, but I usually like Mary Burton. I’ve read several of her past novels and have enjoyed them immensely. This is the fourth book in a series, but it works fine as a standalone. I’m wondering though if the fact that I haven’t read the previous books contributed to my disconnect, but I don’t think so. I recently read and reviewed Amanda Steven’s The Visitor which is also the fourth book in a series in which I hadn’t read the previous books. I enjoyed that so much I’ve ordered the first three books. Unfortunately after reading Vulnerable I’m  just not interested enough to go back and read the other books in the Morgans of Nashville series. Overall it’s not a bad book. For me it just doesn’t really have anyone or anything in it that distinguishes itself from the multitude of other books in this genre. I do want to point out that it has received plenty of good ratings on Goodreads. Actually, if you want to get another opinion, check out Carrie’s excellent review at: http://carriesbookreviews.wordpress.com 

Praying for Brussels

Tags

Brussels, David Levithan, Inspirational quotes, Terrorism

WHAT SEPARATES US FROM THE ANIMALS, WHAT SEPARATES US FROM THE CHAOS, IS OUR ABILITY TO MOURN PEOPLE WE’VE NEVER MET.

~ David Levithan ~

Jane Steele ~ By Lyndsay Faye – 5.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, England, Historical Fiction, India, Mystery, Romance

Thank you G.P. Putnam’s Sons for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: March 22nd, 2016

Synopsis: Like the heroine of the novel she adores, Jane Steele suffers cruelly at the hands of her aunt and schoolmaster. And like Jane Eyre, they call her wicked–but in her case, she fears the accusation is true. When she flees, she leaves behind the corpses of her tormentors.

A fugitive navigating London’s underbelly, Jane rights wrongs on behalf of the have-nots whilst avoiding the noose. Until an advertisement catches her eye. Her aunt has died and the new master of Highgate House, Mr. Thornfield, seeks a governess. Anxious to know if she is Highgate’s true heir, Jane takes the position and is soon caught up in the household’s strange spell. When she falls in love with the mysterious Charles Thornfield, she faces a terrible dilemma: can she possess him–body, soul and secrets–and what if he discovers her murderous past?

Reader, I murdered him.

And thus begins one of the most buzzed about books so far this year, and I’m happy to say the hype is well deserved. First though, a word of caution: the novel is being called a retelling of Jane Eyre but it’s not, although there are similarities. Yes both women are orphans who are sent to bleak and miserable boarding schools and eventually become governesses, but otherwise, besides the main character sharing a first name with the fictional heroine, and being a devoted fan of the book, Jane Steele completely stands on her own as a thoroughly likable and original character which is odd as she’s described as a serial killer. I have to be honest and admit I’ve never been a huge fan of Jane Eyre, the character. Her constant attempts at self-sabotage due toward her prim sense of morality made me frustrated even though I realized she was a reflection of the time period. Actually, the description of Jane Steele as a serial killer isn’t quite true. While it’s true that Jane isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty and does kill a few people throughout the book, she doesn’t do it for pleasure and each murder she commits is under extenuating circumstances. If you choose to read this I’ll let you be the judge of whether the killings are justified. Obviously Jane is quite capable of taking care of herself and is used to doing so. Once she takes the governess position at Highgate however, you see a softer and more vulnerable side. Not only does she find romance, but for the first time in her life she has people who truly care about her. But the closer she gets to Mr. Thornfield and the other inhabitants of Highgate, the more she fears they’ll discover her past. Even worse, she wrestles with the question of whether she’s wicked herself, and does she deserve forgiveness and her own happy ending. There many more things I could rave about which were in this book, but I don’t want to leak any spoilers. There are several clever plot devices that Lyndsay Faye employs including the question of why the basement of Highgate House is kept under lock and key, and why does the master of the house always wear gloves. And having Mr. Thornfield, his ward and the rest of the household come from India is simply inspired as it brings in the history of England’s colonization of that country as well as the Sikh religion. Let me just finish by saying this is one of those rare instances where I enjoyed a story more than the original classic it’s based on. Full of mystery, romance, intrigue and humor, I inhaled this over the course of one weekend. I love this so much so in fact, that I’m selfishly holding on to my copy instead of donating it to the library as I intended.

Happy Spring Equinox!

Tags

Humor, Spring

Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of shush.

~ Doug Larson ~

If you live in Massachusetts like me you woke up this morning happy that Winter is finally over, only to have your good mood ruined by the news that a nor’easter will be hitting later today and dumping several inches of snow. So, while I was eagerly anticipating this:

For the next couple of days it’ll be more like this:

and this:

Thankfully though, by the end of the week it’ll be in the 50s so I’ll be doing lots of this:

 

So for everyone who’s weary of Winter and can’t wait for Spring, hang in there! It’s coming. In the meantime hopefully this will bring a smile to your face: