Review: Wondrous Strange (Wondrous Strange #1) by Lesley Livingston

Wondrous Strange (Wondrous Strange #1) by Lesley Livingston

Published: October 6th 2009 by HarperTeen

 Rating: 3 out of 5

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Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old actress Kelley Winslow thinks that playing the role of the fairy queen Titiana in a production of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream could be her lucky break - if she can pull it off.

But when she meets the handsome Sonny Flannery, Kelley has to face the shocking truth that the world of Faeries is all too real - and that she an unwitting part of it. Sonny warns Kelley that she is no mere mortal, and that she is being haunted by powerful forces from the Faerie realm.

Now, Kelley must come to terms with her heritage - and her growing feelings for Sonny - if she wants to save not only herself, but also the human world that she holds dear.

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Review:

For me, its very hard to beat Julie Kagawa's The Iron King series, however Wondrous Strange does a good job.

Kelley is launched into a world of Season Courts, Seelie and UnSeelie, and learns something about her past while she's about it.

While the story is quick and is brought along by great dialogue, and quirky happenings along Kelley's adventure, it must be noted that there wasn't really anything new or greatly original about the story.

Most of the unpredictability happens closer to the end, and around two thirds of the way through I was getting a little bit bored. The romance was slow burning, a nice change from the insta-love bunch, but still was a little too tame with a lacking of passion.

Regardless, I did enjoy it, and will pick up the next in the series, but I wasn't blown away by it.

-CBx

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About the Author

LESLEY LIVINGSTON is a writer living in Toronto, Canada. She is the author of twelve books to date. Her first novel, WONDROUS STRANGE, was winner of the CLA Young Adult Book of the Year 2010, a White Pine Honour Book, shortlisted for the Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Speculative Fiction, and in 2015 was named one of CBC’s “100 YA Books That Make You Proud To Be Canadian”. DARKLIGHT, the second book in this series was a finalist for the Indigo Teen Read Awards. The concluding volume in the trilogy, TEMPESTUOUS, was a finalist for the Monica Hughes Award. These books have sold to more than ten countries to date, and WONDROUS STRANGE has been optioned for film/TV by Shaftesbury Films. Her other trilogies have both won the Copper Cylinder award for Young Adult fiction.

You can find Lesley Livingston here:

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Review: Wintersong (Wintersong #1) by S. Jae-Jones

Wintersong (Wintersong #1) by S. Jae-Jones

Published: February 7th 2017 by Titan Books

 Rating: 2 out of 5

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Synopsis:

Beware the goblin men and the wares they sell.

All her life, nineteen-year-old Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, mysterious Goblin King. He is the Lord of Mischief, the Ruler Underground, and the muse around which her music is composed. Yet, as Liesl helps shoulder the burden of running her family’s inn, her dreams of composition and childish fancies about the Goblin King must be set aside in favor of more practical concerns.

But when her sister Käthe is taken by the goblins, Liesl journeys to their realm to rescue her sister and return her to the world above. The Goblin King agrees to let Käthe go—for a price. The life of a maiden must be given to the land, in accordance with the old laws. A life for a life, he says. Without sacrifice, nothing good can grow. Without death, there can be no rebirth. In exchange for her sister’s freedom, Liesl offers her hand in marriage to the Goblin King. He accepts.

Down in the Underground, Liesl discovers that the Goblin King still inspires her—musically, physically, emotionally. Yet even as her talent blossoms, Liesl’s life is slowly fading away, the price she paid for becoming the Goblin King’s bride. As the two of them grow closer, they must learn just what it is they are each willing to sacrifice: her life, her music, or the end of the world.

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Review:

Wintersong is a keen start to a duology that focuses on pretty poetic language, with a pseudo historical story of a girls slow burning love for a fabled goblin king.

While I admit the writing is classy and spellbinding in the most, I found the story to be a little drab. Elizabeth is the middle child of two eccentric parents. One who used to be a worldly musician turned drunk and one who's effervescent nature attracts the locals to drink at her tavern. On a night, the towners come to be either entertained or to gossip.

Elizabeths sister, Kathe, is the belle of the town. She is a beautiful by nature but we soon learn that she stole Elizabeths love interest, and now Hans comes across as creepy rather than the lover scorned. Liesl, (she has two names in this book) also has a younger prodigy brother who is a marvel when he plays the violin. Liesl herself is a musician too and plays the klavier (piano) but is constantly being put down by her father. She helps Josef train for his audition which will take his to music halls around Europe, if he impresses the Maestro.

One day, while shopping in the town Liesl and her sister come across the goblin sellers of the market, and she gets her first sighting of the goblin king. Naturally, she finds him alluring but strange, and she encourages her sister, Kathe, away. But the goblin king tries to lure Liesl to the goblin world by using Kathe. She then makes a bargain to exchange places with her.

From here the story is really, really slow. So much that I began to lose interest. There also wasn't a whole lot of story going on, once you got past all the purple prose and constant droning of Liesl going on about how plain she is, and how her music isn't that great because everyone tells her. You see, the Goblin king is enchanted by her music, and even tells Liesl that its her music he wants to hear, not her.

Personally, I didn't find the story romantic, or even a slow burning love, the constant flips between emotions made it impossible for me to even like the two main characters. Liesl couldn't ever decide if she wanted to stay with the goblin king. And the goblin king seemed to prefer his 'god' to anything else. This was also a no-no for me. You can't bring this worlds religions into a YA fantasy.

At the end, this isn't a faery or goblin story with its wild parties (I think there was one but that was all) and its wild hunts, and its seelie/unseelie versus who's going to rule when someone off's the goblin king. This is really a story which shades on the intricacies of leading a normal boring life to, maybe, living underground with someone who can't decide if he wants you or your talent.

So, in short, I didn't enjoy this as much as I'd hoped. Too wishy-washy and drawn out to really get a grips with the little story there was.

The writing, however was diverse enough to read in the beginning, but even then I got bored with its over-poetic-ness and lyrical eccentricity.

-CBx

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About the Author

S. Jae-Jones, called JJ, is an artist, an adrenaline junkie, and the author of Wintersong, forthcoming from Thomas Dunne in February 2017.

Born and raised in sunny Los Angeles, she lived in New York City for ten years before relocating down to Dixie, where she is comfortably growing fat on grits and barbecue. When not writing, she can be found rock-climbing, skydiving, taking photographs, drawing pictures, and dragging her dog on ridiculously long hikes.

You can find S. Jae-Jones here:

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Review: A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3) by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3) by Sarah J. Maas

Published: May 2nd 2017 by Bloomsbury Childrens Books
Rating: 4 out of 5

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Synopsis:

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin's maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit-and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.
As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords-and hunt for allies in unexpected places.
In this thrilling third book in the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling series from Sarah J. Maas, the earth will be painted red as mighty armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy them all.

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Review: Words Once Spoken by Carly Drake

Words Once Spoken by Carly Drake

Published: October 2013 by Escape Publishing

Rating: 4 out of 5

Available from:




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Synopsis:

YA meets high fantasy in this lush series debut about a girl who never quite fit in — and the reason why...

Evelyn might not love the confines of her village life, but she takes her small freedoms where she can get them. But everything changes when her parents decide it’s time for her to wed. Suddenly she loses her tunic and breeches, her bow, her horse, and gains rigid gowns, restrictive manners, and carriage rides.

The best way to escape is through her dreams, but as they become more and more real, Evelyn begins to worry that she is losing her grasp on reality. It is only when she makes two new friends that the truth is revealed: she is destined for far, far more than even she could imagine.

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

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Rating: 5 out of 5

Published: May 3rd 2016 by Bloomsbury Childrens

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Synopsis:

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

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

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Review:

We last saw Feyre and Tamlin heading off into the sunset. Tamlin, no doubt, has his own demons to deal with. After a few hundred years of suffering he's finally free of the grips Amarantha had over him. Feyre, on the other hand, a nineteen year old with a lifetime of suffering herself, has to deal with the two innocent Fae she was made to kill to release the courts of Prythian from their tyrannical rule.

Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Rating: 5 out of 5

Published:  May 5th 2015 by Bloomsbury Childrens

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Synopsis:

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

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Review:

I must write before this review starts that I've read this book three times now. Most recently to refresh my memory for the purpose of this review.

This story has three parts. Life before, life at the Manor, and life Under the Mountain. It would also be prudent of me to say I didn't think I'd like this book after the first few chapters. Much like when I started The Iron King series by Julie Kagawa, and having read Throne of Glass series from the very beginning, it's always a little strange to read something new from a writer you like. I didn't think I'd like this because I didn't think I was young enough to enjoy it.

ARC Review: The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Traitor (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #2) by Julie Kagawa

Publishers: Harlequin Teen

Published Date: Oct 29th 2013

From: NetGalley

My rating: 3 out of 5

Synopsis:

In the real world, when you vanish into thin air for a week, people tend to notice. 

After his unexpected journey into the lands of the fey, Ethan Chase just wants to get back to normal. Well, as "normal" as you can be when you see faeries every day of your life. Suddenly the former loner with the bad reputation has someone to try for-his girlfriend, Kenzie. Never mind that he's forbidden to see her again. 

But when your name is Ethan Chase and your sister is one of the most powerful faeries in the Nevernever, "normal" simply isn't to be. For Ethan's nephew, Keirran, is missing, and may be on the verge of doing something unthinkable in the name of saving his own love. Something that will fracture the human and faery worlds forever, and give rise to the dangerous fey known as the Forgotten. As Ethan's and Keirran's fates entwine and Keirran slips further into darkness, Ethan's next choice may decide the fate of them all.

Review:

Everyone who has read my previous reviews on anything by Julie Kagawa will know how much I adored The Iron Fey series. The Lost Prince was also a good story, unique, different than the other storylines. Not so much time spent in Nevernever, more in the our real world.

However, this one didn't really hold my interest as much as it should have. I don't know whether it's because I actually don't find Keirran that interesting, other than he's Meghan and Ash's son. Or if it's Ethan POV that grates a little. Yes, we all know he hates anything to do with Fey but here's the thing. The Iron Traitor is another adventure/journey through New Orleans (which we did already in the past) and then travelling through the Wyldwood (which we also did in the previous stories). Okay, there are new beasties to fight and other interesting fey on the way that get in the way of Ethan's progress. But i just couldn't help feeling that I wasn't really reading anything new.

What held most people interest in the Iron Fey stories was the stunning romance beginning between Meghan and Ash. These characters don't hold the same charm and lack the luster really needed to keep the momentum going.

I gave it a 3 out of 5 because there's no doubting that Julie Kagawa is an extraordinary writer and visionary.

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Cover Reveal: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas

I'm so excited to reveal the cover of the sequel to the brilliant Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas.

Here it is!!

CROWN OF MIDNIGHT
by Sarah J Maas

An assassin’s loyalties are always in doubt.
But her heart never wavers.
After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.

Keeping up the deadly charade—while pretending to do the king's bidding—will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon -- forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice.

Where do the assassin’s loyalties lie, and who is she most willing to fight for?

Expected publication: August 27th 2013 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens 

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Review: The Lost Prince (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #1) by Julie Kagawa

The Lost Prince (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #1) by Julie Kagawa

Publishers: Harlequin Teen
Published Date: October 23rd 2012
From: NET GALLEY
My rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis:
Don't look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase's unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he's dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister's world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myths and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

My name is Ethan Chase. And I may not live to see my eighteenth birthday.

Review:

It's no secret that I'm a massive Julie Kagawa fan. I've read the Iron Fey series numerous times and still love it every time. The Immortal Rules was a curve ball as I'm not a massive vampire fan, but Julie has the wonderful ability to create and weave such epic stories around the best and well thought storylines that even I was spellbound when I reached the end.

I started The Lost Prince with trepidation though. Which way would Kagawa go? Would there be enough Meghan and Ash? Sure, at the end of the Iron Fey books there are plenty of strings to draw into a new story and create enough drama to fill out another series. And it was no surprise that she chose Ethan, the little brother who started the mesmerising journey for Meghan Chase in the beginning.

The Lost Prince is full of the same gorgeous writing that Kagawa is famed for and transports us back and forth between the NeverNever and the human world. We meet up with past characters and some surprising new ones. For anyone who has read The Iron Knight, we meet up officially this time with Keirran - Meghan and Ash's son - plus cameos with Meghan, Ash, Puck, Leanansidhe and a few others.

But Ethan is the star of this book. Not only is he brimming with attitude and hatred for anything Fey, he is now grownup, and a Kali expert. The Filipino martial art is one of the only things that have managed to keep his anger grounded. And, everything starts going wrong when he starts a new school. Within the first few hours of keeping his head down and trying not to get drawn into a fight that will surely get him kicked out of another school, he reluctantly saves a boy from the school bullies. Except the boy is not just any boy. He's glamoured up to hide his fey features from humans, and Ethan, being one with the Sight, can see exactly what he is. From here on in, every barrier that Ethan has been trying to erect to keep the fey out suddenly start falling. Plus, he's being hassled by a very annoying Kenzie (who turns out to be one of my favourite characters). She persists in a request to interview him for the school paper and eventually he agrees. Kenzie turns out to be his saving grace and voice of reason. At a Kali demonstration events take a peculiar turn when the ghostly corporeal fey attack Ethan and Kenzie. Not only is something is very wrong with the human world but all the exiled and half fey are going missing. And there's only one person Ethan can turn to.

Ethan and Kenzie venture into NeverNever to meet up with his sister, the Iron Queen. A sister who he believes abandoned him long ago. Their reunion is not pleasant. Nor is his first encounter with Ash, who he blames primarily for taking Meghan away. The only person who seems willing to help him is Keirran and soon they head back to the human world to uncover the mystery of the missing fey.

Nearing the end of The Lost Prince I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. I'm not a great lover of male protagonists, so wasn't expecting to get pulled in as much as I was. But Julie has created another platform and a new direction for all of us to treasure. Ethan is a great character to follow and this first book doesn't pull any punches as far as angst and emotions are concerned. Now I'm eagerly anticipating the next instalment. :)

-CBx

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