Enchanted
by Alethea Kontis
Hardcover
305 pages
Published May 8th 2012
by Harcourt Children's Books
Summary from Goodreads:
It isn't easy being the rather overlooked and unhappy youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week. Sunday’s only comfort is writing stories, although what she writes has a terrible tendency to come true.
When Sunday meets an enchanted frog who asks about her stories, the two become friends. Soon that friendship deepens into something magical. One night Sunday kisses her frog goodbye and leaves, not realizing that her love has transformed him back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland—and a man Sunday’s family despises.
The prince returns to his castle, intent on making Sunday fall in love with him as the man he is, not the frog he was. But Sunday is not so easy to woo. How can she feel such a strange, strong attraction for this prince she barely knows? And what twisted secrets lie hidden in his past - and hers?
Thoughts:
I absolutely love this book and maybe that's because I'm a big fan of fairy tale retellings. The main storyline is a twisted version of The Frog Prince and the girl who actually fell in love with the prince is Sunday the seventh daughter whose eldest brother has been punished by the prince years ago for killing his beloved pup.
Without realising that she has fallen in love with the same prince that is despised by his father, Sunday and her sisters then were invited to a ball being held by the now cured prince with the intention of finding out the girl who has freed him from the spell.
What makes this book so adorable is not only the romance which is pre requisite in any fairy tale but also Sunday's colourful family where each character has their own story. All of the sisters have different traits and has their own twisted fairy tale. Even the male sibling have their own part.
So it's not only the story of Sunday and her prince but it's also the wonderful story of the Woodcutter's family and their adventures. Delightfully entertaining!Thrown in a whole bunch of fairy tales, cute characters, obsessive fairy godmothers, sibling love and rivalry then you will get this book. It's funny, whimsical, light hearted and made me smile constantly.
Recommended for: fans of Princess Academy and fairy tale retellings Verdict: 5 stars.
In my Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge
Available on: Amazon
Wishlist Wednesday is a wonderful meme created by the ever sweet Dani from Pen to Paper where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves.
What's worse than being blackmailed to attend a hidden school where you're treated like a second-class citizen? How about nearly getting eaten by a monster when you arrive? Or learning that your soulmate was killed in a centuries-old secret war? And then there's the evil king who's determined to rule the world unless you can stop him...
Meet Kaya, a young woman with the power to heal and the determination to fight. But struggle as she will, she remains tied to three very different men: a hero who has forsaken glory, a tyrannical ruler who wants to use Kaya, and a warrior who's stolen her heart. Kaya learns the hard way that some ties can't be broken...and blood is the strongest bond of all.
Babble:
If there's a cool girl with a sword on the cover of a book then I'm totally in. But I'm not sure whether she can actually see with that net around her head. If the summary is any indication of how epic the book can be than I'm really hoping for another Graceling or Lady Katsa. Female warriors or assassins are just my thing.
Struck (Struck #1)
by Jennifer Bosworth
Hardcover
373 pages
Published May 8th 2012
by Farrar, Straus and Giroux BYR
Summary from Goodreads:
Mia Price is a lightning addict. She's survived countless strikes, but her craving to connect to the energy in storms endangers her life and the lives of those around her.
Los Angeles, where lightning rarely strikes, is one of the few places Mia feels safe from her addiction. But when an earthquake devastates the city, her haven is transformed into a minefield of chaos and danger. The beaches become massive tent cities. Downtown is a crumbling wasteland, where a traveling party moves to a different empty building each night, the revelers drawn to the destruction by a force they cannot deny. Two warring cults rise to power, and both see Mia as the key to their opposing doomsday prophecies. They believe she has a connection to the freak electrical storm that caused the quake, and to the far more devastating storm that is yet to come.
Mia wants to trust the enigmatic and alluring Jeremy when he promises to protect her, but she fears he isn't who he claims to be. In the end, the passion and power that brought them together could be their downfall. When the final disaster strikes, Mia must risk unleashing the full horror of her strength to save the people she loves, or lose everything.
Thoughts:
Struck is nothing like I'd expected. The story is more about the religious undertones than about a special girl who can harness lightning. What with all the emphasis on the Prophet, the end of days and everything that sometimes I feel as if I'm reading some religious text instead of a YA novel.
What is not reflected in the blurb is that the book concentrates so much on how people cope with an impending doom and how religious cults can actually influence people in their lives which is kind of creepy and disturbing for me.
I can't help but imagine the Village of the Damned children when reading about the Prophet and his all white and creepy Twelve Apostles who are all teens and young ones. Super creepy.
If the story focus more on Mia's awesome lightning power than I've would have enjoy it more. But a lot of it is about her struggle to survive and keeping her younger brother and delusional mother alive and sane which proves to be a daunting task since two different cults are trying to force them to join. The pre requisite handsome guy; Jeremy provides a distraction for Mia and the ending which is done in a grandeur setting might appeal to some but is totally expected and doesn't provide for that extra something that the book needs.
Recommended for: dystopian fans Verdict: 3 stars.
In my Debut Author Reading Challenge
Available on: Amazon
Once you’ve seen, you can’t unsee. Everything changes when you’ve looked at the world through . . .
ANGEL EYES
Brielle’s a ballerina who went to the city to chase her dreams and found tragedy instead. She’s come home to shabby little Stratus, Oregon, to live with her grief and her guilt . . . and the incredible, numbing cold she can’t seem to shake.
Jake’s the new guy at school. The boy next door with burning hands and an unbelievable gift that targets him for corruption.
Something more than fate has brought them together. An evil bigger than both of them lurks in the shadows nearby, hiding in plain sight. Two angels stand guard, unsure what’s going to happen. And a beauty brighter than Jake or Brielle has ever seen is calling them to join the battle in a realm where all human choices start.
A realm that only angels and demons—and Brielle—can perceive.
Thoughts:
The cover and the title literally give away the plotline! Yes, I'm not a big fan of books featuring angels but this one is not so bad once you're able to go through the very slow start.
At first, I don't really get all the sadness and sorrow that the MC is going through. Her best friend is apparently tragically murdered and she decided to ditched her dreams of becoming a hotshot ballerina and instead go back to her small town home. Then the cliché started. Brielle meets the mysterious handsome new boy and both of them immediately have a connection of some sort. Handsome guy revealed his 'purpose' and the fact that Brielle is connected to it.
And yes the cover is actually pointing out to the big clue of the said purpose. Brielle is blessed with the gift of seeing through angel eyes but with some help, of course.
There's a whole mystery going on about Brielle's reason for coming back to her hometown and I would have love it if there's more to it. The connection between the murder and Brielle is sometimes baffling. Maybe it's coincidence or just plain bad luck?
Of all the characters, I think Brielle's dad is most endearing since the angels kind of creeped me out and Brielle is too depressing.
I'm not particularly fond of books with multiple POV because I think it's just better to read something from a third person POV rather than going back and forth from this guy perception to that girl and the next. Especially towards the end when they're supposed to be in this epic battle scene and the chapter keep changing from Brielle's POV to the others.
Ultimately, I stuck through till the end since the story is quite engaging at times. I just hope that the next book feature less multiple POV.
Recommended for: fans of Unearthly Verdict: 3 stars.
In my Debut Author Reading Challenge
Available on: Amazon
As a little girl, Daisy Appleby was killed in a school bus crash. Moments after the accident, she was brought back to life.
A secret government agency has developed a drug called Revive that can bring people back from the dead, and Daisy Appleby, a test subject, has been Revived five times in fifteen years. Daisy takes extraordinary risks, knowing that she can beat death, but each new death also means a new name, a new city, and a new life. When she meets Matt McKean, Daisy begins to question the moral implications of Revive, and as she discovers the agency's true goals, she realizes she's at the center of something much larger -- and more sinister -- than she ever imagined.
Thoughts:
Revived is sort of like reading Unravelling for me. The story has a unique idea behind it and in my mind it has a lot of potential to be awesome but it kind of fell flat in the middle.
I was hoping that there's more elements of the X-Files in here what with the life-inducing drug and all but so much is focussed on the normal aspect of a teenage life.
A girl moving to a new city after nearly died of a bee sting. The girl is part of a secret organization. The lonely new girl meet a new best friend. Said best friend has a handsome hunky brother. Girl and boy fell in love. New girl confessed the truth about her so called 'family' and her condition. New best friend is actually dying of cancer and now the cute brother is asking the girl to steal the drug to help save her sister. Okay.
And the twist near the end is not even mind blowing enough for me. It's kind of anti-climactic actually. All in all, I don't think the book is that bad but taking into account of the competitve YA fantasy market out there and the abundance of more exciting books, this book is kind of so-so for me.
Recommended for: fans of Unravelling
Verdict: 3 stars In my Debut Author Reading Challenge
Available on: Amazon
When Wendy Everly was six years old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. Eleven years later, Wendy discovers her mother might have been right. She’s not the person she’s always believed herself to be, and her whole life begins to unravel—all because of Finn Holmes.
Finn is a mysterious guy who always seems to be watching her. Every encounter leaves her deeply shaken…though it has more to do with her fierce attraction to him than she’d ever admit. But it isn’t long before he reveals the truth: Wendy is a changeling who was switched at birth—and he’s come to take her home.
Now Wendy’s about to journey to a magical world she never knew existed, one that’s both beautiful and frightening. And where she must leave her old life behind to discover who she’s meant to become…
Thoughts:
I've always wanted to read this book since the mixed reviews found in Goodreads made me generally curious. Add to the fact that the author is rumoured to received a multi-million deal to get her book published so I was all eager to find out how great the book is.
Now I hardly ever write a negative review and I really tried to like the book but it reminds me a lot of Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series. Except in this book, the MC is actually a changeling. A troll child who was switched with a human baby at birth.The magical world of Forening where the trolls live is actually in Minnesota, along the Mississippi River.
I'm kind of disappointed to find that the trolls are not really nice eventhough they have magical powers of their own. And Wendy's real mother who turned out to be the queen is the worst of the lot. She's cold and calculating and she reminds me a lot of the evil witch in Snow White.
The story has so much potential but sadly it got bogged down by the usual clichés and one-dimensional characters that I found very annoying. I would love to find out how Wendy turned out in the end but I'm just not really sure I have the patience to read the other books in the story. Wendy is not all bad but I just can't stand Finn. I have never met a hero that is so bland.
Recommended for: fans of the Iron Fey series Verdict: 2 stars.
Available on: Amazon
Saturday Series is a new feature where I'll be featuring a series that captured my attention and I want others to read it too!
This week, I'll be featuring the Steampunk Chronicles series by Kady Cross
What is it about?
It's about an English girl; Finley Jane who has the curious ability to became super strong when she gets mad. Kind of like Hulk but without changing into the green monster. She's more like Dr. Jerkill/Mr. Hyde but her dark side is always simmering underneath. There's also Griffin, Sam, Emily and Jasper the cowboy.
Why should I read it?
The author aptly described it as Teen X-Men combined with The Leagu
Summary from Goodreads: In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one...except the "thing" inside her.
When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man....
Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of "them." The orphaned duke takes her in against the wishes of his band of misfits: Emily, who has her own abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a secret.
Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help--and finally be a part of something, finally fit in.
But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on--even if no one believes her.
Summary from Goodreads: In New York City, 1897, life has never been more thrilling - or dangerous.
Sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne and her "straynge band of mysfits" have journeyed from London to America to rescue their friend Jasper, hauled off by bounty hunters. But Jasper is in the clutches of a devious former friend demanding a trade-the dangerous device Jasper stole from him...for the life of the girl Jasper loves.
One false move from Jasper and the strange clockwork collar around Mei's neck tightens. And tightens.
Thoughts:
The covers are just beautiful. After reading both books, I must say the first is much better than the second. The first is sort of introductory where we get to know about the mysterious Finley Jane who accidentally stumbled upon Griffin King and his 'strange band of misfits' which consist of Sam;the half automaton, Emily the genius and also Jasper; their American friend.
Without giving away too much, let's just say apparently Finley and Griffin have a history together that goes way back to their parents. What I love about both books are the wonderful steampunk setting, awesome gadgets and the fact that the girls are so different from each other yet so cool. Finley is the beautiful and strong heroine but I'm rooting for Emily because she's smart, a little bit nerdy and she loves tinkering away on gadgets so much.
The second book is more about Jasper as he is captured by his past nemesis who wants to get their hands on a mysterious piece of machine that Jasper stole years before. As the gang raced halfway across the globe to rescue Jasper, their relationship is put to test and Finley must once again faced her dark side.
There is not a dull moment in this book! It made me fell in love with steampunk all over again.
Q: Summer Break is upon us! What would be the perfect vacation spot for you to catch up on your reading & relax?
It's actually summer all year round where I came from so it doesn't really make a difference. But, my perfect vacation spot is somewhere nice and beautiful. Since my country is tropical hot, I'd love to go somewhere to cool off. Summer in Switzerland, Netherlands or Denmark perhaps? I'd love to be surrounded by beautiful flowers and lush mountains.
I'm trying out this new meme by Lauren from Epilogue Review which is a Something vs. Something.
Today's topic: Love triangles vs. Insta-love
Gosh. Can I say that I don't like both? There's too many love triangles going around the YA fantasy world. Some of them are sweet but most are just plain annoying. Someone will always gets hurt in the end. And don't get me start on insta-love. Falling in love with someone based on their looks is just unrealistic. I know it happens a lot but you need a nice personality to go with that brooding good looks, right?
Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck’s reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle—disguised and alone—to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past.
Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck’s reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn’t yet identified, holds a key to her heart.
Thoughts:
Reading Bitterblue is kind of like visiting an old friend. You're happy to see them and tried to reminisce old times but when you discovered that people change as the years go by, deep down in your heart you feel sad that they do.
Bitterblue is like that. It has none of the intensity or grittiness of Graceling and Fire where the physically and mentally strong female heroine astounds you to no end instead it leads you into a maze of curious situations where people vanished into thin air and gargoyles are stolen in front of the Queen's very nose without her realising it. So what does it mean? It's not so much action fantasy as Bitterblue the young queen tried to navigate her way through the treacherous and mind boggling court politics of the Monsean castle. Her close advisors are lying to her face, she sneaks off and befriend a gang of misfits only to discover the ugly truth behind her late father's (King Leck) evil legacy.
Dislikes
The story can be so frustrating and confusing at times that you simply want to give up. Seriously, for a young adult read, parts of it are so dark I'm not sure it's entirely appropriate for young readers. Without giving anything away, let's just say if you've read Graceling (the first book by Kristin Cashore) then you only get a tiny glimpse of the sinister King Leck. In Bitterblue, the readers are exposed to the harsh truths behind King Leck's undoing. It just shows that even though he is dead, what he did certainly haunts the people of Monsea.
Likes
Fortunately, for fans of the Graceling world (like me) the appearance of Po and Katsa from Graceling are worth the wait. I just can't get enough of their banter with Bitterblue and how well the different characters were integrated smoothly in the Monsean Kingdom. Even Lady Fire from the book Fire made a surprise appearance towards the end. Without these well known characters, I'm not sure I will enjoy Bitterblue that much.
Recommended for: fans of epic fantasy Verdict: 4 stars.
In my Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge
Available on: Amazon
I’ve seen so many freaky things since I started attending Mythos Academy last fall. I know I’m supposed to be a fearless warrior, but most of the time, I feel like I’m just waiting for the next Bad, Bad Thing to happen. Like someone trying to kill me—again.
Everyone at Mythos Academy knows me as Gwen Frost, the Gypsy girl who uses her psychometry magic to find lost objects—and who just may be dating Logan Quinn, the hottest guy in school. But I’m also the girl the Reapers of Chaos want dead in the worst way. The Reapers are the baddest of the bad, the people who murdered my mom. So why do they have it in for me?
It turns out my mom hid a powerful artifact called the Helheim Dagger before she died. Now, the Reapers will do anything to get it back. They think I know where the dagger is hidden, but this is one thing I can’t use my magic to find. All I do know is that the Reapers are coming for me—and I’m in for the fight of my life.
Thoughts:
I love it when a book literally starts off with a bang. And in Dark Frost, the author wasted no time in luring us into the action when at the beginning of the book Gwen and her friends found themselves being attacked by a group of vicious Reapers. Several students died and Gwen's best friend; Daphne experienced quickening where her magical powers increased while trying to save her boyfriend; Carson.
Likes
Ultimately, what made me like this book much better than the second book is the appearance of the lone Fenrir wolf who decided to be Gwen's pet bodyguard. Now, our dear gypsy girl not only have a magical talking sword by the name of Vic but she's also guarded by a huge Fenrir wolf. How cool is that?
The combination of action, intensity and mystery in this book is completely electrifying and I was so entranced by it that it's hard for me to put it down. I marvel at how the author managed to weave so many mythological elements from not only the Greek but also the Celtic, Norse, Spartan and many others to made this book so interesting.
Dislikes
As a character, Gwen has grown so much but I'm a bit frustrated about her relationship with Logan; the Spartan. They're kind of like starcrossed lovers, each wanting to be with each other but sadly situations did not permit so.
Let me just say, the ending is kind of heart breaking. (Spoiler alert). I know I've been saying it quite a lot, but in Dark Frost, it is certainly heart breaking to read about some character's death. Since this is not the last book, there will be more outrageous action from the gang as they battle against the impending doom brought upon by Loki's escape from his prison. I can't wait!
Recommended for: fans of the Percy Jackson series Verdict: 4 stars.
Saturday Series is a new feature where I'll be featuring a series that captured my attention and I want others to read it too!
This week, I'll be featuring the Mythos Academy series by Jennifer Estep.
What is it about?
It's about Gwen Frost; a gypsy girl who has the power of psychometry where when she touches something/someone, she would immediately know, see and feel its history. Cool, huh? Except she's attending an ultra posh boarding school for the gifted warriors where everyone is super rich, gorgeous and powerful and well she's not. Bummer.
Touch of Frost (Book 1)
Gwen received a scholarship to attend the school when her mother died. She's a social outcast but strange things started happening and our girl decided to play detective when a popular girl is found dead in the library. Along the way, she captured the attention of a hot Spartan, become friends with a snobby Valkyrie princess and discovered some horrifying and surprising truths about herself.
Kiss of Frost (Book 2)
Now that Gwen is chosen as a champion, she must shape up and attend more rigorous physical training under the tutelage of Logan the hot Spartan. But between dodging arrows by a mysterious hunter and trying to be the warrior that everyone wants her to be, our girl is practically overwhelmed by all of it.
Why should I read it?
It's the story of the underdog proving her worth. Well if you like the Percy Jackson series then you'll probably enjoyed this. Most of the girls in the school consist of Amazons and Valkyries while the boys are Romans or Vikings. There's also Spartans, Persians, Trojans, Celts, Samurais, Ninjas and all sorts of warrior descendants. Whoa!
If you love strong girls, elements of mythology and action packed story then this series is definitely for you!
The third book is out this May 29th. Don't forget to check it out.
Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan absorbs their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Fifteen Realms, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.
Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life...
Thoughts:
Touch of Power is actually my first Maria V. Snyder book. Can you believe it? I don't know why I haven't read any of her books before since the epic fantasy genre is very close to my heart. I love it so much!
I haven't read any epic fantasy for some time now since the onslaught of all the YA urban fantasy books, so I was really glad to read this. The story is enchanting and intriguing and the fantasy world of the Fifteen Realms captivated me so much that I just can't wait for the next book.
Likes
Avry as a character is pretty selfless but with a rebellious streak. She tried saving other people's lives by sacrificing her own but she refused to heal a prince that she hated. Very strong minded girl. The band of misfit characters who became Avry's captors also grow on me. Especially the friendly and bulky; Belen. I did not like Kerrick at first because his ruthlessness and determination to save Prince Rynne no matter what is kind of overwhelming but near the end when he softened up a bit, he's quite charming although the romance between Avry and Kerrick is inevitable,
Dislikes
The book is very long and I think some parts of the journey is totally unnecessary. Some parts are totally heartbreaking which made me sad because some lovable character died.
Verdict: 4 stars.
In my Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge
Available on: Amazon
Bonds of Fenris by S.J. Bell ebook 226 pages Published May 7th 2012
ARC from author
Summary from Goodreads:
Talia Thornwood's life ended one year ago, when she became a werewolf. She survived the attack, and the horrifying transformation a month later, but the life she has now is barely worth living. She lurks about in a filthy, run-down house, with too many werewolves crammed into too small a space. Every day is a struggle against the stress of human contact, the romantic prodding of her obnoxious packmate Pierce, and the gnawing hunger for flesh in her soul.
She's all but resigned herself to a dreary existence on the margins of society when she meets Corwin. Corwin is a werewolf like none other. He walks among humans as if it was nothing, and can keep his wolf under control even when the moon is full. Talia's mind is suddenly opened to the possibilities before her, and the realization of how little she really knows about lycanthropy.
Corwin claims that he can teach her how to cope as he does, even how to transcend her affliction. But it will not be easy. It is a hard education that requires her to question everything her pack taught her, and confront exactly what she has become. And, more amazingly, what she never stopped being.
Thoughts:
I really don't know what to expect when I started reading this. Strangely enough, werewolves are not high on my list of favourite supernaturals but after reading this I totally get the trials and tribulations of being a werewolf. It's like the author has an inherent ability to get into the skin of one and we get to see how a werewolf really live.
Caught in between being an animal and a lost human, made Talia questioned herself every day. She was reluctantly attacked by wolves and therefore had to leave her family behind when she had to deal with her apparent transformation. Forced to live in a pack that she doesn't feel a sense of belonging to, Talia was shocked to discover a lone wolf who had the power to retain human form during full moon.
I really love how the author is able to depict the reality, grittiness and hardships of living in a werewolf pack since werewolves are not superficially glamorous or even vain like the vampires. Bonds of Fenris is more about the tale of a werewolf journey towards self discovery. It's heart breaking, realistic potrayal certainly left quite an impression in my mind.
Recommended for: fans Nightshade and Blood and Chocolate Verdict: 4 stars.
In my Debut Author & Self Published Reading Challenge
Available on: Smashwords
Yara Jones doesn’t believe in sea monsters—until she becomes one.
When a hurricane hits her island home and she wakes up with fins, Yara finds herself tangled up in an underwater world of mysterious merfolk and secretive selkies. Both sides believe Yara can save them by fulfilling a broken promise and opening the sealed gateway to their realm, but they are battling over how it should be done. The selkies want to take her life. The merfolk want something far more precious.
Treygan, the stormy-eyed merman who turned Yara mer, will stop at nothing and sacrifice everything to protect his people—until he falls for Yara. The tides turn as Yara fights to save herself, hundreds of sea creatures, and the merman who has her heart. She could lose her soul in the process—or she might open the gateway to a love that’s deeper than the oceans.
Young Adult fans of Mermaids, Selkies, Sirens and Gorgons will love this tale of the sacrifice one makes for genuine love. Love that could be lost at any moment to the ever-changing tides.
Thoughts:
Yara Jones was just an average girl who is about to celebrate her eighteenth birthday when the house she shared with her uncle was hit by a hurricane and a mysterious guy appeared out of nowhere to save her life. The next thing she knew, she had fins instead of feet and can swim underwater for a very long time.
What I really like about Tangled Tides is the fact that it's very fast moving and that the writer doesn't waste any time and instead let the readers dive into the action right away. We are quickly introduced to the variety of sea creatures which includes mermaids, selkies, sirens and gorgons. And the fact that there are some very hot merman just made it much more interesting. Usually mermaids books tend to focus only on the female mer so I was really looking forward to read something from the male point of view.
There's also an element of the Greek myth in here where it is revealed that Treygan who is Yara's appointed guardian is a descendant of the mythical creatures. For once, I don't really mind the love triangle because both Treygan and Rownan (Yara's boyfriend) are so damn irresistible. As Yara is caught in the middle between the selkies and mermaids who wanted to use her, she must decide her own fate and where her heart lies.
Recommended for: fans of Forgive My Fins Verdict: 4 stars.
In my Debut Author Reading Challenge
The publisher have kindly offered a copy of Tangled Tides to one lucky winner. All you have to do is fill the rafflecopter below. Good luck!
One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.
Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.
Thoughts:
If you think Divergent is awesome then you'd be blown away by Insurgent. It's such a poweful, mind-blowing adventure that literally left me quite breathless! A lot of the action from Divergent consists primarily of Tris tackling the intimidating initiation of the Dauntless faction but this time Tris and Four is running for their lives from the clutches of the ruthless Erudite leader; Jeanine who has a sinister plan involving people who are born as a Divergent.
Likes
Finally, the author gives us valuable insights as to the inner workings of the other faction and I'm surprised that eventhough Amity and Candor stands for something good and pure they are very much non-conflict oriented faction. It just shows that on the surface, not everything and everyone is what or whom they seem. Enemies becomes allies while friends turned out to be enemies. Even Four has his own secret. Gosh, let's just say Tris whole world has turned upside down and sometimes it's hard for her to come to grips with the harsh realities of war.
Dislikes
Tris is much more vulnerable in this book and it shows when so many people expected so much of her and she kind of disappointed them. Her relationship with Four is especially strained and they argue a lot (although they did kiss and make up afterwards). Sometimes I'm puzzled as how Tris is always there whenever an important conversation is happening and she's just happen to overhear everything. Too convenient for me.
Other than that everything is just perfect for me. Yes, there's too much violence, betrayals and lies thrown everywhere but the ending will literally left you in shock.
Recommended for: fans of The Hunger Games Verdict: 5 stars.
Hi, folks! Today I have an interview with the lovely Aimée Carter, Author of the Goddess Test Series. So many people loved the Goddess Test series and I reviewed Goddess Interrupted some time ago. Don't forget to enter the giveaway for the book at the end of this post.
How
familiar were you with Greek myths and folklore before writing the Goddess Test
series? Was a lot of research required?
I first fell in love with Greek mythology
when I was a kid learning how to read, and my infatuation only grew from there.
I’ve studied various kinds of mythology for years, sometimes for class and
always for fun, but even then I put a great deal of research into the Goddess
Test series. Mostly as a refresher to make sure I was getting my facts right,
but I also researched the various myths looking for ways to tie the plots and
characters together in unexpected ways.
Was Goddess Interrupted any easier or harder
to write than the first book in the series, The
Goddess Test?
It was both easier and harder, in a
strange way. I rewrote The Goddess Test multiple times, and I’ve never edited a
book more heavily in my life. Goddess Interrupted did require some editing, of
course, but it was much easier.
However, the pressure to deliver a sequel
worthy of the series made the writing process for Goddess Interrupted more
difficult than I’d anticipated. There’s something called the “sophomore slump”,
where sequels or second books generally don’t quite match up to the second, and
I wanted to avoid that at all cost. So that added a lot of stress, but in the
end, I was very happy with the results.
You
give the gods and goddesses in the series “ordinary names” – Zeus is named
Walter, Aphrodite goes by Ava, Hermes is named James. Why did you do that and do the more
contemporary names have any significance?
This was something I went back and forth
on multiple times. Initially the characters Kate encounters weren’t council
members at all – I changed that very, very quickly though. By the second draft,
I had a place for each of the Olympians, and I did some heavy rewriting to
replace my first draft characters with the gods. I wanted to find a way to keep
their names the same, but since they’re supposed to live among us in secret in
the modern world, it didn’t really make sense. How many men named Zeus do you
know, or women called Aphrodite? On top of that, keeping the council’s
identities secret was incredibly important to the plot. So eventually I decided
they would have changed their names when Western civilization stopped
worshipping them as gods, allowing them to live freely among us.
I did choose each name for what it means,
some more than others – Walter, for instance, means “army leader”, while James
means “supplanter”. The exception is Calliope, which in the story was chosen by
her counterpart for its Greek roots. The reason the gods changed their names –
and why Artemis didn’t wind up with the name Diana – is explained throughout
the series, but you get to actually see this happen in The Goddess Legacy (July
31).
Goddess
Interrupted begins with the main character Kate Winters adjusting to her new
life as an immortal. Given Kate’s innate
strength and stubbornness, was it difficult to switch gears to portray her as a
bit more vulnerable and unsure of herself in her new role as goddess AND wife?
Not so much, to be honest – her
progression felt natural to me. While Kate is very tough in certain ways, she’s
extremely vulnerable as well. She’s emotionally dependent on the people around
her (her mother in the first book, Henry in the second), and that in and of
itself carves the path she takes in the sequel. She’s spent six months with
Henry, falling in love with him and forming a relationship she thinks is going
to last for eternity. But Henry is battling his own demons and isn’t ready to
be the person she needs him to be, and because Kate is so stubborn, she has a
hard time coming to terms with that. In the sequel, Kate really is her own
worst enemy emotionally – her entire world has changed, after all, and that’s a
lot for anyone to take – but it’s all part of her development into a goddess
and queen.
Kate
finds herself trying to work through her rather complicated relationship with
James, as well as her relationship with her new husband, Henry (Hades). Neither seems to be black and white, but
rather varying shades of gray. Were any
of Kate’s feelings or situations based on any relationship struggles you’ve
been through?
Not personally, no, but I did try to make
Kate’s relationships with the people in her life as realistic as possible. She
isn’t perfect, and neither are they, and that’s something they all have to work
through at varying points in the series. None of the relationships in the books
are based off of specific experiences I’ve been through though.
What
is your favorite part of the writing process?
Least favorite?
Outlining is by far my favorite part of
the process. I love the idea stage, where anything’s possible, and it’s such a shiny
place. All of that comes crashing down when I write the first draft though,
which is the hardest part for me. I tend to get mentally exhausted about two
thirds to three quarters of the way into the manuscript, and it’s always a
struggle for me to push through it, especially if I’m on a deadline. And
inevitably there are a ton of problems I didn’t notice in the outline stage
that have to be fixed for the story to work. I’m a perfectionist, so in order
for me to continue writing the story, everything I’ve already written has to
make sense.
Do
you have a favorite quote or line from a poem or book?
I love so many quotes that I couldn’t
possibly pick a favorite.
How
did you get your first publishing deal and how did that feel?
My agent, Rosemary Stimola, sent the
manuscript out to various publishers, and after a long submission process, Harlequin
TEEN offered to publish it! I was stunned at first, but that quickly gave way
to giddiness. It was an incredible feeling to know I’d be published, and to
this day, I still can’t quite believe it.
When
is the next book in the series due out? Any hints on what will happen in book
3?
Goddess Interrupted, the sequel to The
Goddess Test, came out in late March. The next book in the series, The Goddess Legacy,
will be out July 31. It’s a collection of five novellas told in the
perspectives of Calliope, Ava, Persephone, James, and Henry, and together they
form one story.
The third book in the series, The Goddess
Inheritance, is currently scheduled to be released in March 2013. Unfortunately
I can’t say too much about it, but the challenges that Kate will face are
pretty clear by the end of the sequel!
After
the huge success of The Goddess Test, Goddess Interrupted is on many, many TBR
lists for this summer. What’s on your
TBR list?
I’m so excited for a slew of books coming
out – The Girl in the Clockwork Collar, Grave Mercy, The Selection, The
Serpent’s Shadow, Philippa Gregory’s YA novel, and a ton of others. I never
have as much time to read as I want, but I’m definitely making time for all of
those and more!
Yearbook
Superlatives! If you went to high school with the Greek gods and goddesses, who
would you vote for?
·Most likely to succeed? - Hera
·Class clown? - Hermes
·Nicest? – Demeter or Hephaestus
·Best dressed? - Aphrodite
·Best dancer? - Apollo
·Most school spirit? - Iris
·Most likely to attend summer
school? - Ares
·Teachers pet? - Athena
Thanks to the publisher who has kindly given a copy of Goddess Interrupted to one winner. This giveaway is open to US/Canada only and ends on May 17th.
On her 18th birthday, Lena Mattacascar decides to search for her father, who disappeared into the northern wilderness of Scree when Lena was young. Scree is inhabited by Peculiars, people whose unusual characteristics make them unacceptable to modern society. Lena wonders if her father is the source of her own extraordinary characteristics and if she, too, is Peculiar. On the train she meets a young librarian, Jimson Quiggley, who is traveling to a town on the edge of Scree to work in the home and library of the inventor Mr. Beasley. The train is stopped by men being chased by the handsome young marshal Thomas Saltre. When Saltre learns who Lena’s father is, he convinces her to spy on Mr. Beasley and the strange folk who disappear into his home, Zephyr House. A daring escape in an aerocopter leads Lena into the wilds of Scree to confront her deepest fears.
Thoughts:
I started liking steampunk books quite recently and was so excited when I got the chance to read this. The cover looks amazing and after reading the summary, I was so intrigued by the story. However, sad to say the story is kind of disappointing for me.
Lena; the main character, received a small inheritance and a letter on her eighteenth birthday from her mysterious father who had abandoned her when she was little. Being told all her life that she is half-goblin since she has abnormal small feet and hands, Lena decided to look for her father in a territory known as Scree which was declared as a land belonging to no one. Scree is a home for the Peculiars whom are reviled upon by the masses.
Unfortunately, the journey to Scree is not exciting at all. I was so expecting a grand adventurous journey where Lena will come to embrace her goblin traits while encountering various challenges along the way. But really, everything just seems too dull for words. Lena is obsessed with hiding her hands and feet by wearing gloves and uncomfortable shoes to the point that even when she's in a dangerous situation, she's worried that someone will noticed her peculiar traits. I don't know whether to laugh or cry at the absurdity of it all.
Her life is at stake and she's worried about her hands? Oh, come on! Thankfully, the book gets much better towards the end when Lena finally arrived in Scree and she become the champion of her own kind. But really it was very slow moving most of the time and there's not enough gadgets to satisfy my initial love of all things steampunk.
Recommended for: fans of steampunk Verdict: 3 stars.
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