Review: SNOW LIKE ASHES by Sara Raasch

Title: Snow Like Ashes
Author: Sara Raasch
Publication date: October 14, 2014
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Source: an e-galley provided by the publisher for an honest review

A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

I've been trying to come up with the exact words to use for this review. It's difficult. Snow Like Ashes made me feel conflicted throughout the story, not loving it, but not hating it either. 

What I liked: 

1. The political and power aspects. About 75% of this book, I'd have to say, was about politics and power. There was war that made me picture the "FOR NARNIA AND FOR ASLAN!" scene in The Chronicles of Narnia. There were poverty and power struggles between leaders. There were scenes with strategies laid out and you felt the struggle everyone was in. I've been getting more into these type of books lately so I appreciated it all.

2. The narrative. I like first impressions are important not just for real life, social situations, but also for books. I need to like the narrative and even better, if it's from the start. I quickly got into Meira's narrative, which is always relieving when it's through an ebook. I might have had issues in the story and my interest may have fluctuated throughout, but I liked the narrative.

3. A lot of THINGS happen. It's so vague, I know. But like I said, THINGS happen and I liked that nothing wasn't ever truly settled throughout. 

What I disliked: 

1. The lack of punch. While I like that THINGS happen, I still didn't get that WOW factor. I waited for that love to kick in, for me to be hungry for more, or to feel fangirling emotions for it. But I didn't. I just nodded and went, "Okay, that's a nice book." I can't wait to read the next book, not because of how this one affected me, but because I NEED answers and closure (which is a positive actually). 

2. The looming threat of a love triangle. Like Kiss of Deception, I feel weary about how the sequel plays out the romance. Meira has always had a crush on her best friend Mather. But then this new guy shows up and throws a wrench in everything, but always stirs something up in Mather. Typical. But a love triangle doesn't actually come to life. It's implied. It's definitely hinted at for the next book. I wouldn't be surprised if it does, but oh, I'll be disappointed. So it hasn't crossed that line yet, but I hate that I felt that way throughout. 

3.  I was so dang confused. World building in a fantasy book is tricky. It's especially difficult when debut authors try to make complex worlds. Props to them, but I could've used more clarifications. I didn't really understand how the Seasons worked. At about halfway, I felt that I had a little grasp on what I was reading (eerily similar to how I feel about geometry concepts), but not enough that I could explain to others...or anywhere close. 

It wasn't the best fantasy I read, but it definitely wasn't horrible. It came close to which outweighed more: positives or negatives. But in the end, the positives won. Because of the political aspects, the few surprises (albeit some were predictable), and THINGS, I'd tentatively recommend this one. 

Verdict: Not a fantasy that I LOVE, but I'm hoping for the best (and no love triangle) for the sequel.

Review: HEIR OF FIRE by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Heir of Fire
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publication date: Sept 2, 2014
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Source: an ARC provided from the publisher for an honest review

Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat – and his own toughest enemy. 

While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love?

In Throne of Glass, I was enthralled and couldn't wait to start the second book. It involved a love triangle, but hey, meeting Celaena rocked. During the sequel, Crown of Midnight, things became more tense. Then the ending absolutely killed me because I felt like someone was taking me off oxygen. So imagine combining my feelings for those two and how they ended...and you won't even get close to how I felt for this ending. 

Granted, the beginning was slow. Sloooooow. The thing that kept me going was how much I love the series, knew how great it WILL be, and that I was already invested into the story. The book is big, but it isn't even that. Nothing felt progressive or that interesting in the beginning to keep me connected. I read and then waited a long period until I read again (aka the worst reading pattern ever). Comparing it to its predecessors, it loses in that area. For me, the others were better paced and kept me wanting more. With Heir of Fire, I only reached that point after many pages. 

Maas introduced us to a couple people and placed some stepping stones into the story for later use. Then finally, FINALLY, we reached around the midpoint or sooner and things started picking up. Like I said, we met a few important people. 

1. Manon. Manon, the Blackbeak witch and ruthless leader, really intrigued me. We meet her in a gruesome, creepy way (which I don't think is fair to you if I divulge how). At first, I actually wondered if we should sympathize for her (hint: no) because of how we meet. But while it's a little jarring to be introduced to a supposedly random character, believe me, she's fun to know. As Jen mentioned in her review and in our own conversation with each other, Manon's wyvern, Abraxos, is VERY alike to Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon (the movie version). So you can see that Manon is all kinds of awesome. 

2. Aedion. Celaena's (or Aelin's) cousin and the mysterious fellow. I say mysterious because for me, I wasn't sure how I should feel about him. He's presented as a threat to the other characters then as a potential backstabber before becoming a possible love interest. But no matter what you think or believe, Aedion comes with surprises. Oh, the surprise. 

3. Rowan. Most importantly, we meet Rowan. CURSE YOU, ROWAN. 

I NEEDED to hate Rowan. I felt the threat and dread immediately and wanted to make it stop. I felt like a train was barging through and it was only me against this huge train to not trample a couple strapped to the train tracks. But you can guess what happened.

Rowan charmed me. Unintentionally, of course. You can really give Maas those powerful applauses for achieving this kind of character depth. In my opinion, it's hard to charm readers when the character isn't charming. Rowan is hard. Soldierly. Tough. Unemotional. We don't know much about him. He gives Celaena bruises and no excuses. Mysterious. For a major portion of his story, we don't really know much about him. But somehow, some way, Maas makes us like him. Because he's teased as upcoming competition for Chaol, I wanted him far, far away. Despite all this, Maas made me like him. I was determined not to and completely failed. 

Romance isn't emphasized and if it's mentioned at all, it's mostly between Dorian and his new girl. However, Celaena mentions Chaol, but we see her resigning that they have no hope together (GIRL, NO). It's amazing to me that even though apart, I still felt their strong tether to each other. Chaol was pushed to tweak his thinking (thank you, Dorian). Celaena matured. Through their separate changes, their relationship actually strengthened in some ways. For all of you who are worrying about a love triangle (again) with Celaena, so far, there's no actual evidence that there'll be one. But like so many books these days (fantasy, nonetheless), there's that feeling that it will happen. Implication, assumption, instinct...whatever you want to call it. Rowan does become even more desirable towards the end, but I Chaol is still in it!

While things picked up in the latter half of the book, the last couple of chapters contained the biggest emotional punches. THINGS HAPPEN. Confessions are made throughout the book and tensions rise, but the last few chapters gave me whiplash. I repeat, things happen. Things I wish I could capitalize, rant about, and just talk about. I looked like a zombie after finishing, disbelieving what happened in, I think, the last 50 pages of the book. My sister even laughed at my mutterings and exclamations. If any book deserved tons of exclamation marks, it's this one. 

Verdict: If the first portion of the book had been like the rest of the series, this would have been OUTSTANDING. As it is, I'm excited for the next one, but only because of the last part. 

Review: THE JEWEL by Amy Ewing

Title: The Jewel 
Author: Amy Ewing
Publication date: September 2, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: an e-galley provided by the publisher for an honest review

The Jewel means wealth. The Jewel means beauty. The Jewel means royalty. But for girls like Violet, the Jewel means servitude. Not just any kind of servitude. Violet, born and raised in the Marsh, has been trained as a surrogate for the royalty—because in the Jewel the only thing more important than opulence is offspring.

Purchased at the surrogacy auction by the Duchess of the Lake and greeted with a slap to the face, Violet (now known only as #197) quickly learns of the brutal truths that lie beneath the Jewel’s glittering facade: the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life.

Violet must accept the ugly realities of her existence... and try to stay alive. But then a forbidden romance erupts between Violet and a handsome gentleman hired as a companion to the Duchess’s petulant niece. Though his presence makes life in the Jewel a bit brighter, the consequences of their illicit relationship will cost them both more than they bargained for.

I'm such a sucker. A naive, little reader who gets cover cover lust. Also, legitimate synopsis desires. I wasn't a fan of The Selection, despite the fact that the dresses are beautiful and the synopsis is addicting. The Selection did continue to get me to read its books, but only because it resembled a guilty pleasure reality TV show and I wanted to know what happened (and regretted doing so). The Jewel resembles it in a way. Same pretty cover, same amazing synopsis, and same disappointing and guilty pleasure. But worse in some areas and better than others. 

I won't be comparing the two through the review because, even though they both made me really angry, it's not fair. Violet is actually a pretty good main character at first. She has me interested in her life, her family, and her situation. I care about her and especially about her best friend Raven. I wanted to know more and I felt excited at the book's prospects. 

Then it crashed. And it was bad. 

We're introduced to Ash, who's relationship to the family was a bit confusing to me. He was the Duchess's niece's companion who did sexual favors? and completely off-limits to Violet, the Duchess's property. Of course, they apparently hit it right off and in no time flat, are confessing their undying love to each other. 

What. Just. Happened. WHAT JUST HAPPENED? I stared in shock at my iPad and was trying to figure out how Violet and the whole book suddenly took a downward spiral. 

I think I tried to wipe away what I just read from my brain because after a few weeks, I couldn't really remember all their transgressions. But here are a couple of Goodreads updates: 

47%: Speaking about your irrationality is not the same as as removing it. Please fix yourself.

68%: I now think this is turning into stupidity and I hate that I've stayed up late when I have work in the morning. 

I finished the book and gave it 2 stars for two reasons: 

1. I liked the beginning. It deserves SOME credit for that. 
2. Raven. I'm telling you, I liked Raven. When we got into that nasty Ash business, I wanted to ditch Violet and go straight to poor Raven. 

While I did notice that The Jewel avoided some cliches, it didn't avoided the biggest. It gave me insta-love and all the tropes that go with it when Ash came into the picture. I think some people will still enjoy this because that doesn't matter to them (or they even like it), which is fine. I think The Selection fans will either love it because of The Selection or hate it because it's compared to The Selection. 

Verdict: Disappointing to the max. 

How do you like insta-love? Do you DNF if a book you're reading goes into a downward spiral FAST? 

Review: THE KISS OF DECEPTION by Mary E. Pearson

Title: The Kiss of Deception
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Publication date: July 15, 2014
Publisher: Macmillan
Source: an e-galley provided by the publisher for an honest review

In this timeless new trilogy about love and sacrifice, a princess must find her place in a reborn world.

In a society steeped in tradition, Princess Lia’s life follows a preordained course. As First Daughter, she is expected to have the revered gift of sight—but she doesn’t—and she knows her parents are perpetrating a sham when they arrange her marriage to secure an alliance with a neighboring kingdom—to a prince she has never met.

On the morning of her wedding, Lia flees to a distant village. She settles into a new life, hopeful when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deception abounds, and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—even as she finds herself falling in love.

While the characters are great and the plot picks up, the writing is what stands out. Pearson is a fabulous narrator, which I think is sometimes overlooked in fantasy. The plot is a necessity, but Pearson's writing stood out for me. Lia is the main narrator, but it does bounce to the "prince's" and assassin's" POVs occasionally in the beginning. After Lia and her maid Paulina escape Lia's future marriage, running away to a far-off inn, the assassin and prince follow. There, we don't know who is who and who Lia is exactly referring to. All of this could completely bomb if the writer doesn't pull off the writing. But Pearson basically flipped her hair like Beyonce and blew me away with her writing.

However, at first, I worried about everything. The inn setting felt a little too dragged out. I was too confused with the boys (which I see now is FULLY intentional). I was just feeling iffy about it all, and unfortunately that's a side effect of reading a hyped book. On the flip side, there's a reason it was hyped.

We hit the TWIST and basically...

 Then this definitely happened...

I'm still kicking myself over how gullible I was. You see, I had it all figured out. I guessed and felt right and then Pearson TRICKED me. She completely deceived me, when I thought the only deception going on was between Lia and the boys does this mean Pearson kissed me in an authorly way? So I believed her and BAM, knocked down.

After that, everything picked up and went full force. All these spoilery things that I can't mention, but I'm dying to, believe me. Political strife and personal anguish happens as well as longing and hatred. Once we got over one twist, trauma, or problem, we were almost instantly introduced to another, but in a good way. Unlike other authors who will blatantly place conflict in a plot to force it to be interesting, Pearson does it with ease, making it feel natural.

I had people warn me about the non-love triangle, but despite their warnings, I was still super nervous while reading. From the very beginning, I wondered how it would play out until Lia clearly wanted one guy more. Then the TWIST happened and it was essentially cemented. Then the fun begins and I had a nagging feeling that Lia would cave. It left off with her still only wanting one guy, but I can see a love triangle playing into the mix in the sequel. I really hope that won't happen, but I'll try to mentally prepare myself anyways.

If it does happen, I might even forgive it if I could just get my hands on the sequel now. I liked this book that much.

Verdict: A twisty fantasy with feels and encore-worthy author moves. Bravo, Pearson.

Review: THE MIDNIGHT THIEF by Livia Blackburne

Title: Midnight Thief
Author: Livia Blackburne
Publication date: July 8, 2014
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Source: an ARC provided by the publisher for an honest review

Growing up on Forge’s streets has taught Kyra how to stretch a coin. And when that’s not enough, her uncanny ability to scale walls and bypass guards helps her take what she needs.

But when the leader of the Assassins Guild offers Kyra a lucrative job, she hesitates. She knows how to get by on her own, and she’s not sure she wants to play by his rules. But he’s persistent—and darkly attractive—and Kyra can’t quite resist his pull.

Tristam of Brancel is a young Palace knight on a mission. After his best friend is brutally murdered by Demon Riders, a clan of vicious warriors who ride bloodthirsty wildcats, Tristam vows to take them down. But as his investigation deepens, he finds his efforts thwarted by a talented thief, one who sneaks past Palace defenses with uncanny ease.

When a fateful raid throws Kyra and Tristam together, the two enemies realize that their best chance at survival—and vengeance—might be to join forces. And as their loyalties are tested to the breaking point, they learn a startling secret about Kyra’s past that threatens to reshape both their lives.

If you missed it a couple weeks ago, I interviewed Livia, pumping her for information and answers. And if you read it, you'd get the gist that I absolutely loved it. It's also her debut so I'm even more impressed with it. 

Reasons why I loved this: 

1. Characters. Was there a character I didn't like? Um, no. Although there were characters I didn't root for, that doesn't mean I didn't like them. They were diverse and contributed to the story in their own way. I instantly felt connected with Kyra, which deserves an award on its own considering it's third person. Third person POVs can be a hit or miss, but Midnight Thief hit a bullseye from the start. Have you ever read a book that involved a character you didn't mind if you never read about again because you felt like they just wasted space? For me, all the characters—Flick, Bella, the sisters, James, Tristam—made me love the story a little bit more.

2. Illegal doings. That sounds so wrong, but it's so true. There's thievery! Kyra is a thief and has been for most of her life just so that she can survive. Because of her natural talent to climb things, she's recruited by James to help the Assassin's Guild. More illegal doings! I hate to say it, but it makes fiction (and fantasy fiction) more exciting. 

3. FANTASY. Because of the obvious. 

In case you don't know the obvious, fantasy has been rockin' for me so far this year, especially this summer. Interesting new worlds, a whole new and exciting set of problems, great world building, and magical elements. I can't get enough of it and Midnight Thief definitely kept the fire going.

4. Hook, line, and sinker. We meet Kyra. We meet the people close to her. We follow her as she helps the Assassin's Guild. Something happens. She doubts. We care about Tristam. We care about Kyra. We go on an adventure! We meet new people. We discover things. We're left hungrily waiting for more. Livia needs to hurry up with that sequel, ya'll. 

5. The history. In my interview, I asked about how her background influences her writing and the names she chose for the book. I won't repeat what was said (you can click here to read it), but knowing the history behind her decisions and influences made me love the book even more. Then I found out that there is NO love triangle in the works and that made me appreciate her so much. 

Verdict: A book that made me stay up late to finish it and made me think about it a long time after would be considered a win for me. 

Wishlist Wednesday #15

Hosted by Pen to Paper

Title: Siege and Storm

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Publication date: June 4, 2013

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. 

Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. But she can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her–or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

Why I'm wishing: 

Just finishing the first book, Shadow and Bone, I was left with that dreaded impatience of wanting the sequel. Shadow and Bone was one of those savior books where I read tons of blah novels and then voilà! Shadow and Bone rescued me from my reading slump. So now I want to see what happens with all my beloved characters and get back to the fantastic fantasy. Please and thank you. 

What are you wishing for this week? 

Review: SHADOW AND BONE by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Shadow and Bone

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Publication date: June 5, 2012

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (Macmillan)

The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, crawling with monsters that feast on human flesh, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka.

Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the lavish world of the kingdom’s magical elite—the Grisha. Could she be the key to unravelling the dark fabric of the Shadow Fold and setting Ravka free?

The Darkling, a creature of seductive charm and terrifying power, leader of the Grisha. If Alina is to fulfil her destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him.

But what of Mal, Alina’s childhood best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can’t she ever quite forget him?

Glorious. Epic. Irresistible. Romance.

Review:

See that last line in the synopsis? Glorious. Epic. Irresistible. Romance. You might think, "So? They are producing hype. Glorious? Epic? Irresistible? Of course there's romance!" 

I laugh in your faces.

This book was more than I ever expected. When I realized that I had not read it before, I put it off. My sister Shelver even gave me a duplicate copy (hardcover!) if I read it and like it. Finally, I read it...and finished it very soon after I began.

Alina is an orphan from the Border Wars and added to that, she is described as ugly. The only bright spot is her fellow orphan, refugee, and best friend. Mal and Alina have been together since childhood and when they grow up, they still remain close. However, the past few years, Alina has felt them drift apart. She has been crushing on Mal, he has become very talented and handsome which is attracting the eyes of many beautiful girls...including a Grisha. When they cross the Shadow Fold, a place where not many people come out alive, they are under attack. Alina suddenly saves them all with a power she didn't even know existed inside of her...and still denies that she has it when she is told that she was the one who saved them all.

Basically, I tried to just do a rundown of the beginning. The funnest part is, of course, telling you all my opinions on things. When I read a book as good as this one, I get giddy at the prospect of squealing over it.

I can see how Alina falls in love with her best friend. From day one (specifically page two), I even fell in love with Mal.

A moment later the boy whispered, "I don't think you're ugly."

"Shhhh!" The girl hissed. But hidden by the deep shadows of the cupboard, she smiled.

I know these kind of relationships can quickly grow stale since it always seems as if the girl likes her best friend. However, Leigh Bardugo makes the dynamic between Mal and Alina so wonderful and great, I felt as if it was unique. Even though we are plainly told that there is nothing mutually known between them, I played with the words in my head, thinking that everything means SOMETHING...right?

Mal suddenly seemed to realize that he had his arms around me. He let go and hastily stepped back. I brushed the dust from my coat, hoping he wouldn't notice the flush on my cheeks.

The little descriptions or imagery that we are given, even in the beginning, of Mal made me inch closer to him. I knew we were supposed to like him...but also feel a bit warned since he seemed like a ladies' man. I also loved (but not in the same way) Alina from day one. She was tough and strong, but you still saw the wishful, scared girl inside of her. She also kept herself in check. Instead of playing the woe me girl who thinks she's entitled to the boy of her dreams I'm looking at you Taylor Swift, she told herself that they don't belong together. Although that's not what I was looking for (hello, they would be perfect for each other), I liked that she had no self-entitlement to him just because she knew him the best. Of course, as a reader, I wished she had more self-confidence too.

You were just mooning over him, I chided myself. Why shouldn't some gorgeous Grisha girl do the same?

Not that kind of mooning, you sicko.

After the Shadow Fold incident, we immediately meet the Darkling. When I read that name, I went "Ooooh" like kids do when someone else is in trouble. The Darkling. How menacing, dangerous, and mysterious that sounds. At the same time, I had already heard a few things about this Darkling and I already formed some conclusions about him (this time I'm looking at Gillian and some other bloggers). It's not a spoiler in any way considering you get the feel about him in about the first five chapters. 

Leigh Bardugo pinned him on Pinterest.
I think the Darkling, of course.

While I kept going back and forth between who I'm supposed to like, I knew who I did like. I do think for myself, don't get me wrong, but I like to try to figure out who the author wants us to like. She gives us no satisfaction in that regard. 

Which is another thing. Leigh Bardugo is a GREAT writer. My gosh, that woman had me whimpering out loud in my seat. She made me so confused (in a good way!) as to who I should trust and who I should like or shouldn't. For me, she wove such great twists inside the story that I really didn't care if I had school the next morning and needed my eight to nine hours of sleep, I was going to finish! I mean, how could I stop and sleep anyways when she gave me new information all the time? It would be impossible. Because the feels? They were powerful. I was pulled around by all the shock and there were moments when I wanted to scream, "WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING, MS. BARDUGO?" At one point, I told my sister that if it ended in the way the author was at the present time setting it up to be, I would be a very tearful and angry and emotionally wrecked reader.

This pretty much sums up my experience with all the feels.
Source

The secondary characters weren't that noticeable for me except for maybe one or two, but I did adore Genya. We were first quickly introduced to her in Alina's confusion, but I instantly knew she was best friend material. She was tough and actually reminded me of Macey from my favorite series, the Gallagher Girls. 

This book had officially made my "WHY didn't I read this sooner?!" list. But really, the good thing about waiting so long to read this book is that I don't have to wait too much longer for the sequel. Hint, hint to the publisher.

As I told my good friend, Emily, there is a reason FANTASy is so similar to FANTAStic.

Verdict: A FANTAStic novel that made me emotional with feels and gave me all sorts of pleasure after reading previous novels that felt like busts.

How do you feel about fantasy novels? Are you excited for this sequel?

Fairy tale review + news!

I'll start with the news/announcement. Alice from Alice in Readerland is having a "magical month" at her blog where she will be doing all sorts of fairy tale things. She'll be reviewing and reading fairy tale retellings and featuring fairy tale features which you do not want to miss. 

If you have read any previous posts of mine, you know I absolutely adore fairy tales and their retellings. Beauty by Robin McKinley? Amazing. Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce? Hey, I'm actually reviewing that down below so keep scrolling and see how I like it! 

Title: Sisters Red

Author: Jackson Pearce

Publication date: June 7th, 2010

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Review:

Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris--the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead. 

Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax and Scarlett's only friend--but does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they've worked for?

You know, when I started this blog, I told myself that I would never read any vampire or werewolf book. My prejudice mind said, "Ugh, not another Twilight thing." Well, I didn't even pay attention that this had werewolves when I read the synopsis because all I thought was that it was a fairy-tale retelling. 

Courtesy of Gillian Berry @ Writer of Wrongs

The book starts off really good. The prologue is set in third person and about how Scarlett lost her eye. Then every other chapter after that is first person from either Scarlett's or Rosie's perspective. I was glad for that because I was able to see inside their thoughts. If not, I don't think I'd like the other character nearly as much. 

While they are described as being so close that one sister is the other half, they are opposite. Scarlett lives, breathes, and loves hunting the Fenris. Since her attack, she's determined to not let any girl, no matter how stupid they are, be attacked again. Of course, she's also very protective of her younger sister, Rosie, as would any big sister. Rosie, on the other hand, wants to go on a solo hunt, but she doesn't love hunting. Unlike Scarlett, she wants something else to do in her life then train and hunt.

Then Silas comes into the picture. First, I love his name. My mom has always loved the name (if I was a boy, she would've named me that actually) so I guess it's stuck on me. He's a woodsman, Scarlett's hunting partner, and her best friend. He's back from out of town and instantly, he and Rosie are attracted to each other. 

I liked a lot of things from Sisters Red. The book was addicting and great, but the violence added to it. Maybe because at one scene near the end, there was so much love and hatred behind the actions that it made me go "YEAH! GO GO GO! OH NO!"Other things I love included the drawing class scene with innocent Rosie, which made me laugh, and the origami flower. The relationships were sweet and how Silas was there for the girls melted my heart. 

At the beginning, I figured that Ms. Pearce was actually doing a Little Women + Red Riding Hood twist. They're called the March sisters. That's clue numero uno. Clue number two is the whole Silas and sisters complex. If anyone has seen or read Little Women, you know how the sisters are. Jo is the main character and tough. Amy is the weaker one, but still strong in her own right. Laurie is the boy next door who, while he is friends with the whole March family, he's best friends with Jo. I have seen the movie bunches, but I still hate Amy. Hate her. Not only does she do some despicable things like with the fire and book and I want to reach in the screen and yank off her head, she also marries Laurie! SHE GETS LAURIE. I know Alcott, the author, thought Jo was better off without him, but I never liked it. 

Amy is her sister. 'Nuff said. 

So you can clearly see how the Scarlett + Rosie + Silas complex is very similar to the Jo + Amy + Laurie complex. At least Rosie is more likable than Amy ever was. Also, you see that even though she does wrong things (lies) and Scarlett gets mad, their sisterhood is greater. 

I did figure out the end surprise early, but it didn't ruin anything. I think Jackson Pearce even did it on purpose...or it was just me trying to figure things out way before they're supposed to. But even though I was right, Ms. Pearce pulled me into a false peace when she led me to believe something else. Then WHAM, I was actually right and now I'm devastated. Bravo, Ms. Pearce, bravo. 

A bonus point goes toward an epilogue because I absolutely adore epilogues. Who doesn't? It feels as if they don't have as many of them anymore. They usually make a trilogy then go, "Okay, well you've had three books of these characters, why do you need an epilogue?" 

Verdict: Pros definitely outweighed the cons in this captivating retelling.

Word to Parents: violence, language, creepiness 

Have you read the book? If so, what did YOU think? 

Wishlist Wednesday #8

Hosted by Pen to Paper

Title: Scarlet

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publication date: February 5th, 2013

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

ISBN: 0312642962

Cinder returns in the second thrilling installment of the New York Times-bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She’s trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn’t know about her grandmother and the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she has no choice but to trust him, though he clearly has a few dark secrets of his own.

As Scarlet and Wolf work to unravel one mystery, they find another when they cross paths with Cinder. Together, they must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen who will do anything to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner.

Doesn't anyone else jump up and down when they see this?

Not only is it the sequel of one of my favorite books of 2012, but I also have heard repeatedly that it's even better! The lucky bloggers who got an ARC of it (you can spread the love over here, if you want, guys. Contact info is at the top and I have a sister in this community too;) have said over Twitter that it's amazing and surprisingly, possibly better than Cinder. I was shocked at first that any sequel could be better than Cinder, but I won't question it. I just want it.

What are YOU wishing for this week?

Review: SERAPHINA by Rachel Hartman

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

Thanks to my sister, I read this book. Thanks to Ms. Hartman’s amazing writing, I stuck with it. I was interested by the cover and the plot, but I was also wary of how she would pull it off. She didn’t disappoint. In her debut novel and first book in the trilogy, she introduces Seraphina and the world of Goredd...and dragons.

Dragons are hated and distrusted by humans. In turn, dragons aren’t very fond of them either and distrust them as well. Unfortunately for Seraphina, she’s trapped in the middle. She can’t let either side know–excluding her dragon uncle and human father–about her secret.

She’s half-dragon.

Review: AS YOU WISH by Jackson Pearce

Ever since Viola's boyfriend broke up with her, she has spent her days silently wishing—to have someone love her again and, more importantly, to belong again—until one day she inadvertently summons a young genie out of his world and into her own. He will remain until she makes three wishes.

Jinn is anxious to return home, but Viola is terrified of wishing, afraid she will not wish for the right thing, the thing that will make her truly happy. As the two spend time together, the lines between master and servant begin to blur, and soon Jinn can't deny that he's falling for Viola. But it's only after Viola makes her first wish that she realizes she's in love with Jinn as well . . . and that if she wishes twice more, he will disappear from her life—and her world—forever.

Jackson Pearce spins a magical tale about star-crossed lovers, what it means to belong . . . and how important it is to be careful what you wish for.

Oh my goodness. I was actually very excited to read this. At first, the cover put me off a little. But when I read what it was about, I promptly put it on hold at the library. I then finished it in one day while I was at my grandparents’. The only thing bad about my decision for reading it so fast was that I had absolutely nothing to read while in the car on my way home.

Viola feels invisible. Her parents don't seem to care much about her and she doesn't really have any friends except her ex-boyfriend. Seven months ago, her childhood best friend and boyfriend of one year came out as a homosexual to her. She's devastated and slowly retreats. While her best friend and ex, Lawrence, becomes more popular, Viola is more desperate to belong somewhere. However, she doesn't seem to make an effort. They still remain best friends, oddly enough. Then when she mentally makes a wish, a jinn appears in different places around her continually through her day.

Jinns are genies. Punished jinns are like the genies in a lamp. Jinns are immortal, grant three wishes (with limits), and live in Caliban. They also don't have names or are in relationships. But when they get to earth, they start to age. They feel and see the aging process everywhere and get incredibly antsy to get back.

So when Viola meets her jinn (who she just calls Jinn), they have a problem. Jinn is more than ready to go back, but Viola is too nervous to make a wish. Eventually, they become closer and after she makes her first wish by accident, Jinn realizes he's falling in love with her.