Read, Bookworm, Read

The Wizard of Rondo

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsie) — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 07:05:00 +0000

After an entire year of delaying reading book number two, I finally have finished reading The Wizard of Rondo.

Interested in the first book? Click here to read the review.

The Wizard of Rondo does not disappoint. The insane, but lovable world of Rondo is just as crazy as it was in the first book. Talking chickens, missing wizards, walking pots! Young reader, fantasy lovers are sure to love the magical world of Rondo.

I think Emily Rodda has a fantastic voice. Of course I am a bit biased, having grown up reading her Deltora Quest series (WHICH I LOVE) I would read anything she put on a shelf. Her writing manages to be whimsical, hilarious, and sarcastic all at once in these books. Don’t go into reading these books expecting a straight fantasy story. These books thrive off of making fun of themselves and fairy tale traditions.

I think, partly, this is why I think the books are so successful. 4 stars for this pretty fantastic second book!

As a closing remark, I want to leave you with some snippets from my favorite character: the cooking pot!

“After only a few minutes, however, the new cooking pot began whimpering and dragging its feet. ‘Legs sore, Conkie!’ it wailed in a tinny voice. ‘Carry me?’

(…)

The pot wriggled in the flames, giggling and flapping its handle up and down. ‘Tickles, Conkie!’ it shrieked. Water and shreds of dried meat and onion slopped onto the fire. Most of the flames went out, and smoke billowed from the charred, wet wood, making everyone cough.

‘Now look what you’ve done!’ Conker roared at the pot. He kicked at it furiously. It screamed and dodged, spilling most of its remaining contents over the last struggling flames which died at once.

‘Fire all gone,’ the pot said in surprise, shifting uncomfortably in the black, watery mess of dead coals, meat, and chopped onions that now filled the neat little fireplace.”

Ravensblood

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsie) — Wed, 22 Apr 2015 00:00:00 +0000

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review*

Goodreads Synopsis:

In a life of impossible choices when sometimes death magic is the lesser of the evils, can a dark mage save the world and his own soul?

Corwyn Ravenscroft. Raven. The last heir of an ancient family of dark mages, he holds the secret to recreating the Ravensblood, a legendary magical artifact of immense power.

Cassandra Greensdowne is a Guardian. Magical law enforcement for the elected council — and Raven’s former apprentice and lover. She is trying to live down her past. And then her past comes to the door, asking for her help.

As a youth, Raven wanted to be a Guardian but was rejected because of his ancestry. In his pride and his anger, he had turned to William, the darkest and most powerful mage of their time. William wants a return to the old ways, where the most powerful mage was ruler absolute. But William would not be a True King from the fairy tales. He would reign in blood and terror and darkest magic.

Raven discovers that he does have a conscience. It’s rather inconvenient.

He becomes a spy for the council that William wants to overthrow, with Cassandra as his contact.
Cass and Raven have a plan to trap William outside his warded sanctuary. But William is one step ahead of the game, with Raven’s life, his soul, and the Ravensblood all in danger.

Honestly I had no inkling of how much I would love this book. It was a magical cop drama. And it was AWESOME. It reminded me very much of Kim Harrison's Hollows Series with protagonist Rachael Morgan.

I'm not going to lie, I have a thing for "the bad guy" with a heart of gold. Raven stole mine from the moment he stepped onto the page. Seriously. No "bad" character has had this much of a claim to my affections since Snape, and let me tell you- I am embarrassingly in love with Snape. Just take my word, Raven is irresistible.

Ravensblood was well-written, fast paced, action-packed, and amazing. I cannot wait to read book two.

Have you read Ravensblood? What did you think!?

The Night Circus

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsie) — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 00:00:00 +0000

While I was in England last summer sewing for the TV show Ren one of the other seamstresses recommended this book to me. I wrote it down and put it on my bulletin board. A few months ago a co-worker handed me the book and said "READ IT". Yet it sat on my shelf for three months until I read it this weekend.

The universe was basically shoving this book at me. I should have listened sooner. It was amazing. So amazing. I consumed it in about 3 hours on the plane, and at times had to be comforted by my boyfriend who noticed me wringing my hands in distress.

The back cover synopsis:
The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called "Le Cirque des Reves," and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway--a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love - a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per-formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

The story was awesome. The back cover exaggerates and doesn't do a great job summing up what is the Night Circus, but still. Give it a read.

It isn't fast paced, but I read it in the blink of an eye. It isn't a romance as it suggests, but there is romance in it. It isn't a competitive duel, but a competition that spans over many many many years. But the circus is beautiful, and the contest itself mysterious and intriguing.

4 solid stars for this awesome book.

Read it? Let me know what you thought! I love hearing others' opinions!

Heir of Fire

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsie) — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 18:51:00 +0000

This book was amazing! It was, admittedly a bit slow to start, but it was AWESOME. This is book three of the Throne of Glass series, see my reviews on books 1 and 2!

We get to see Celena in a whole different light in this book. Bit by bit we get to see just how broken she is. Now that the truth of who she is is out, she cannot hide anymore. Change is coming and whether or not she is prepared for it is her own choice.

Official Goodreads synopsis:
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?

During this book Celena is trained by the exceedingly awesome Rowan. I adored Rowan. He almost made up for Chaol being the world's most idiotic male. Almost.

Speaking of Chaol. I used to ship Chaol and Celena, but after this book...I just don't know if I want her with him anymore. He wavered between alliances, wouldn't make concrete choices, omitted important information from his best friend, and abandoned the woman he loves. Chaol. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? I was really disappointed in his character.

Dorian. Finally. For the past two books Dorian has been a bit unsure and irresponsible. He finally grows into his own skin in this book. The end of his story line in this book ripped my heart apart. I kept having to tell myself that book 4 will make everything right. It has to.

Manon. Manon was an interesting addition to the story. She is fierce and awesome. She reminded me a lot of the witches in Joseph Delaney's The Last Apprentice Series. At first I thought she would be just a static, secondary antagonist. A leader of one string of the King's forces. But now... I am not so sure. She isn't good, not by a long shot, but I think there might be some very interesting additional character development in book four that will make me adore her even more.

Queen Maeve. I hated her. She's an awesome character, but I HATE her.

King of Adarlan. This book made me hate him even more. The intricate plots and movements of his followers in the general world were astounding. While in the capitol we didn't really get a sense of just how evil he is. Yeah, he's a bad dude, but in Heir of Fire we get to see just how long he has been planning this. We also got to see several more pieces of his master plan fall into place. I'm terrified. Celena is going to need more than just her own abilities to stop him. She's going to need a miracle.

My only complaint about this book is the cover. DID THE DESIGNER EVEN READ IT BEFORE DRAWING IT?! Celena trains with magic in this book. Shifting and fire. Not a bow. And the back?

She is mostly a scullery maid and in training clothes. She's not even allowed in a dress when she meets with Queen Maeve! SO WHY IS SHE IN A GOWN WITH (again) A BOW! It's so irritating.

Despite the cover and the slow start, I give this book 5 stars. Yet another amazing novel from Sarah J Maas.

Mortal Heart

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsie) — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 18:32:00 +0000

I've raved about books 1 and 2 -- now it's time to rave about book 3.

Book 3, Mortal Heart, follows Annith, a daughter of Mortian and one of his most talented handmaidens. Only she's never been sent out of the abbey to do the bidding of the Lord of Death.

Official Goodreads description:
Annith has watched her gifted sisters at the convent come and go, carrying out their dark dealings in the name of St. Mortain, patiently awaiting her own turn to serve Death. But her worst fears are realized when she discovers she is being groomed by the abbess as a Seeress, to be forever sequestered in the rock and stone womb of the convent. Feeling sorely betrayed, Annith decides to strike out on her own.

She has spent her whole life training to be an assassin. Just because the convent has changed its mind doesn't mean she has...

I devoured this book. DEVOURED. Annith's story was awesome, her love connection just as fulfilling as the last two books, and the intruige!

We finally get to KNOW the Abbess. Who she is, what she wants, what she is plotting. All comes out in this book. It's messy, awesome, and everything I wanted.

Read these books. Seriously. Action-filled, well-written, enough romance to keep you grinning like a fool, and enough court intrigue to have you biting your fingernails. If I could give these books 6 stars, I would.

Kinky in Cancun

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsie) — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 20:15:00 +0000

-I received a free copy of this story in exchange for an honest review-

Kinky in Cancun is a well-written, quick, erotic read. Maren travels to Cancun to do an interview with the heir to Mexico's prime airline...only no one has ever seen him or done an interview with him. I really enjoyed the setting and descriptions of this book. The sex scenes were well written, mostly staying away from cheesy romance verbiage, which I really appreciate.

What I didn't love so much was the way Maren associated with men. Perhaps this is because I am a bit more old fashioned. Click the spoiler button below to read a slight spoiler. I wanted to include the association I didn't appreciate for those who might be turned off by certain kinds of erotica, but didn't want to spoil the plot for anyone who might want to read the book.

If you enjoy reading erotic stories and don't mind main characters who get it on with nearly everyone they meet, then READ THIS STORY! It's well written and worth your time.

Have you read this book? Let me know what you thought!

Dark Triumph

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsie) — Thu, 25 Dec 2014 03:22:00 +0000

I was so nervous to read this book.  Grave Mercy was so good….how could a second book top it?

Dark Triumph is Sybella’s book which really made me nervous because Sybella is a bit insane.

But Oh. My. Goodness.  THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING.  I decided to read this book while waiting for Elder Scrolls Online to download.  It downloaded 1% in the time it took me to read this book. Whether that tells of how fast I read, or how slowly ESO downloads...

Sybella is awesome.  She is a survivor, albeit a broken one. She is an absolute badass, and she loves fiercely.  Her character development was fantastically plotted. The reveals along the way... I won't spoil them, but they were amazing.

Sybella’s family is FUCKED UP.  Not just a little.  A crap ton.  But how she gets through it, how she survives, how she opens up to the Beast…it is beautiful.  I actually cried during one part of this book.

We don’t get as much politics (government or convent) in this book, but all the signs of a storm brewing are there.  I am pretty excited for the culmination of all the intrigue and lies going on in the covent to happen in book three.

This book gets 5 out of 5 stars. Definitely one of the best books i have read this year.

Fractured Dream

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsie) — Thu, 04 Dec 2014 21:17:00 +0000

-I received a copy of this book to do an honest review-

Have you ever wondered where fairytales go once they’re created?

It’s been eight years since Story Sparks last had a dream. Now they’re back, tormenting her as nightmares she can’t remember upon waking. The black waters of Lake Sandeen, where her Uncle Peter disappeared decades before, may hold the secret to Story’s hidden memories, or a truth she’d rather not know. On a bright summer afternoon, Story and her two best friends, Elliot and Adam, take a hike to the lake, where they dive into the cool water and never reemerge. What they find is beyond anything they’ve ever imagined could be possible, a world where dangers lurk in the form of Big Bad Wolves, living Nightmares and meddlesome witches and gods.

Now Story must remember who she really is and somehow stop two worlds from ultimate annihilation, all while trying not to be too distracted by the inexplicable pull she feels toward a certain dark-eyed traveler who seems to have secrets of his own. The fates of the worlds are counting on her.

This book was a fairytale dream. A must read for fans of Once Upon a Time, Alice in Wonderland, and Kiersten White’s Paranormalcy series. I can always tell when a book evokes an emotional response from me. My reviews tend to get really long and geeky.

This post is going to be really long.

Things I loved!

I adored Story’s backstory. The snippets we get of the Dreamer and Fiddler were fantastic. The mythical land has its own myths! Fantastic!

Chapter 7 gave me chills. Full body chills. And I do not think I blinked once during the last two pages. It was AWESOME.

The title, Fractured Dream, is perfect. I won’t explain why it fits so well because SPOILERS, but trust me. It’s perfect.

I loved Jess. Take Traditional Little Red Riding Hood, add Once Upon a Time Red, and stir in a crackle of Selene from Underworld and you have Jess. She was a firecracker. I loved it.

LGBTQ. This book had gay and lesbian characters! *waves flag* I love how Randall has her world treat gay characters. No one hates or is disgusted by them, their interests are perfectly normal and valid. I wish our world were as accepting! In fact, it is even okay for a Thumbelina to like a human! Cross-species love!

*Spoiler*

The things I didn’t like so much…

The main character, Story, did, at times, drive me a bit nuts. She avoids doing things or realizing things that the reader has figured out chapters ago. Her inability and refusal to do/realize things gets other people killed and hurt, and drags out the story unnecessarily. In this way she reminded me of Evie from Paranormalcy. It was the biggest complaint I had about that series as well. And also…her name. Story Sparks. I hated it. Fractured Dream is a fantastically imagined book, and the main character’s name is Story. It makes me so sad.

Adam. The other character I didn’t enjoy very much. His constant refusal to believe anything about Story being the Dreamer drove me bonkers. You are in a fairytale world. Shuddup.

I did really enjoy this book although there were some things I didn’t love. I stand by my earlier statement. If you are a fan of Once Upon a Time, Alice in Wonderland, and Keirsten White’s Paranormalcy series you will love this book.

Serpent on a Cross

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsie) — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 22:59:00 +0000

Dennah Dubrovnika is a formidable hunter and talented healer. However, she cannot control her own powers, which have suddenly reawakened in the aftermath of her mother's violent capture by a powerful warlord who destroyed their village in his wake. As she races to free her mother, Dennah is accompanied by Jeth, the man she loves. But she's increasingly, inexorably drawn to the mysterious Skallon, who is allied with her greatest enemy. Will Dennah be able to gain a measure of control over her magic or will she lose everything and everyone she loves to its raging inferno? Serpent on a Cross is a novel of Jewish fantasy and adventure in Medieval Eastern Europe.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. It was nothing like what I was expecting, but I found it compelling and original.

It takes place in 1043 AD in Poland. So I was thinking hmmm medieval-ish fantasy! My favorite!

Then I started flipping the pages and found this: "A novel of Jewish fantasy and Adventure in Medieval Eastern Europe". I was a bit confused because the summary mentioned magic. I was instantly afraid. Jewish religion and magic? Those do not go together in my head.

But I am here to tell you. Read on. IT WORKS. I don't know how Wendy Garfinkle managed it, but the Jewish culture works with the magic. And reading this book made me learn a bit more about Jewish history. Apparently antisemitism is much older than I thought. I had no idea Jewish people were forced to wear badges to identify themselves before WWII era Germany. I had no idea they were persecuted throughout Europe during this time period. This makes me incredibly sad. *waves freedom of religion flag in triumph*

Garfinkle does more than just weave a compelling story of medieval magic and female coming of age, her historical knowledge is fantastic. She takes medieval eastern Europe and makes it come alive on the page.

The only problem I had with the book was the strength of the main character. At times Dennah seemed a bit too 21st century woman. She took me out of medieval Europe; I forgot she was wearing dresses, and probably had a rag around her hair because they didn't have chemical shampoos.

This book receives 4 of 5 stars for an awesome concept, fantastic writing, and rocking historical world building.

The Never Hero

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsie) — Thu, 13 Nov 2014 01:00:00 +0000

What if when you died, no one would ever know you were all that stood between man and the enemy? When Jonathan Tibbs awakes in a puddle of his own blood, there isn't a scratch on him to explain it. In the weeks to follow, he comes to find he's been drafted for a war with a violent otherworldly species. A war that only he can remember. Now, the man Jonathan imagined himself becoming is no longer the man who can endure his future. The first installment in this science fiction action adventure series, The Never Hero is a gritty and honest look at the psychological journey of a man forced to forge himself into a weapon. Abandoned with little guidance, and at the mercy of a bargain struck far outside his reach, Jonathan races to unlock the means to surmount the odds, and understand the mystery behind a conflict raging outside of time and memory. In the end, the real question is what Jonathan is willing to become to save a planet that will never see his sacrifice.

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was fantastic. Jonathan's journey as a hero is well-written and thought provoking. I loved Jonathan. I flew through the pages, invested in his development as a character. The plot had me chewing on my fingernails throughout the book. There was enough action to keep me interested, almost Marvel worthy action.

The concept was unique, the perfect blend of sci-fi and the modern world. It's definitely a different kind of sci-fi than I have encountered before, but it was well done, and compelling.

If you enjoy strong male heroes, action, and sci-fi- this is your book! Give it a read and let me know what you think in the comments.

Author Interview - Rival Gates

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsie) — Wed, 05 Nov 2014 20:00:00 +0000

I don't know about any other writers with a publishing dream out there, but I find author interviews inspiring. Learning about an author's journey from fresh page to published manuscript is EXCITING!

Rival Gates, author of Quest for the Red Sapphire (see the review I did on it here) agreed to do an author interview. He gives some awesome insights on his work and great advice to future authors.

How long have you been writing?
I have been writing in contests since grammar school and have been working on this series since I was 13. My father inspired me to start writing. He was an editor and he would have a piece in every one of his magazines that he had penned personally. I used to get so excited to read my father's name in print. Even when he was the editor of an atomic energy magazine and I had no idea what he was writing about, it was just such a thrill to read something my father had created. I dreamed of writing something of my own and one day seeing my name in print.

How did you get the idea for Quest for the Red Sapphire?
It actually came from an idea I had about a sword. I imagined a living blade with the soul of Talana, the Queen of the Falcons residing within after her body had been destroyed. The weapon would be impossible to break or dull and would never become lodged in an opponent, just like a talon on a predatory bird. It would be light as a feather which meant its master could swing it more quickly and put more force behind the blows. Thus the name of the blade fell into place; Falconfeather. From there I created characters around it and then needed something fantastic for them to seek out. The story snowballed from there.

Describe your writing process. Are you a plotter or pantser?
I'm definitely a plotter. I've tried writing by the seat of my pants and I always end up leaving out critical information. I lay it out in bullet point fashion and then follow the plan as I write. Sometimes I am inspired while writing and will add something that strikes me but I mostly stick to the plan. Everything stays in order that way and I don't end up repeating myself.

Do you ever experience writer's block? What do you do to get past it?
Writer's block has never really been a problem for me. I have been blessed with a good deal of ideas. My problem comes down to choosing what to write and then forming it like clay into a coherent thought in written form. When I am overwhelmed I usually lay down, go to church or go somewhere else completely silent and work through them. When all the distractions are gone I can usually focus on one point.

Do you ever imagine Quest for the Red Sapphire being turned into a movie? If so, who would play Linvin?
It is my dream to have the series made into movies. If I had to have someone play Linvin it would be someone like Chris Hemsworth.

What was the hardest part of writing Quest for the Red Sapphire?
The hardest part was knowing where to stop. It always seemed like there was one more thing I wanted to say and I finally had to end it.

How long did it take you to write this book?
I hand wrote the first draft in two years. Then I put in in a drawer and worked on it occasionally for over twenty years more. Only when my mother made me promise before she died to publish it did I finalize the book.

What books/authors have influenced your writing?
I was naturally influenced by Tolkien and his Hobbit/Lord of the Rings series. The real source of my passion for the genre and my writing came from reading C.S. Lewis and the Chronicles of Narnia. I read various science fiction greats but C.S. Lewis made me want to write.

What book(s) are you reading now?
Right now I'm reading "Tempered Throne" by Ray Owen.

The cover art is beautiful, I may just have to give it a read as well!

Are you a full-time or part-time writer? How does that affect your writing?
Right now I am a part time writer. That is something I hope to change in the near future and is one of my goals. It sometimes makes it hard to pick up where you left off in the story because it can be a while between writing sessions. It is at times like that that I appreciate my storyboard.

What was it like to get published? What was the process like?
It took me a year and a half to find an agent and a year and a half to find a publisher. After all the work that went into that process it was so gratifying to finally be published. The absolute joy I felt was like nothing I had ever known. My work was finally out there for the world to see. The stories that I had been telling to individuals would now be told to everyone. What could be cooler than that?

What writing or publishing advice do you have for other aspiring authors?
Get a good agent and trust their advice. A lot of people try to go it on their own because they don't want to pay a percentage to an agent. That leaves you at the mercy of the publisher. If the publisher will even read your work, you don't know if the contract they offer is good or bad. You need someone in the room working FOR YOU. Take the cut in pay. It is better to have someone watching out for you when you're swimming in deep water.

About Quest for the Red Sapphire:

The book centers around Linvin Grithinshield, a half-elf general called home from the goblin wars to
run the lucrative family trading business after his father's disappearance. Only after his mother's murder does he discover his destiny is to be the Master of the Red Sapphire, the most powerful magic any mortal can possess. Together with his wise but mysterious Uncle Anvar and his infuriating cousins Bander and Rander, Linvin must flee the would-be assassins and find the gem before the sinister forces from whom he flees find the stone and take it for a dark purpose.

About the author:

I was born in the USA and moved to Canada when I was 5. My mother was American and my father was originally Canadian before trading his citizenship. I lived in Canada until I graduated high school. I returned to the United States where I graduated from Michigan State University. While I was there I met the most wonderful woman on this earth and amazingly she agreed to be my wife. We have been married well over 20 years and have three beautiful children.

I began work on my series of books at age thirteen during a difficult time in my family's and my life. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, I decided to escape to another world...one of my own creation where I could create the characters. What started as a short story turned into a novel and then a series.

I sat on my work for years, sharing it only with my immediate family. Then my mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. The longest supporter of my writing made me promise to publish my work and finish the series. This is my attempt to keep that pledge. Enjoy the ride!

Quest for the Red Sapphire

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsie) — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 23:45:00 +0000

-This book was given to me in return for an honest review-

Quest for the Red Sapphire is a High Fantasy novel that fans of Lord of the Rings will love. With the help of a small band, Linvin starts out on a quest to find the mythical Red Sapphire in the hope that they can prevent it from being used for nefarious purposes.

On such a quest there surely must be shenanigans barring the way to the goal. And there were many, many bumps along the way, which just made this book more exciting!

I loved the story, but wasn’t crazy about the writing style. I call this the Tolkien Problem.

I’ll explain because that makes no sense.

Like Tolkien’s works I loved the story and the world- it was fantastic and grand and exciting. The writing, like Tolkien’s, was a bit antiquated and at times slowed the story down a bit. I tend to have a hard time maintaining interest with such language.

That isn’t to say that it wasn’t well written, it was- really well written. The language itself was beautiful. There were some awesome lines, but I had too many favorites to post them all here.

If you enjoy Tolkien’s writing style and are looking for another good fantasy- this is your book!

The Lady's Blessing

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsie) — Fri, 17 Oct 2014 22:30:00 +0000

-This book was given to me in return for an honest review-

I absolutely adored this novel.

The Lady's Blessing is a fantastically written historical romance. The main character, Felicity, was realistic and yet retained the ideals modern women value. Felicity may seem a bit weak to modern readers- always needing to rest and feeling faint- but to readers who love historical fiction, it is details like this that make a historical character realistic. Women did feign headaches when they were too emotional and wanted to go lie down. Felicity is demure and well behaved as any lady of this time period should. And yet she retains her spunk. She knows who she is and what she wants, and on occasion she shares that quite adamantly. Her brief moments of spunk were awesome.

I also loved the relationship development between Felicity and Graham. Too often romance novels skip straight to the sex. I much prefer to see the relationship build and grow. The gradual way Felicity comes to love Graham stole my heart, and the inclusion of Kate, Graham's daughter, in the story was beautiful.

Fans of Jane Austen's work will love this book. If you are looking for a short, well written, beautiful, historical romance- this is the story for you.

5 out of 5 stars for The Lady's Blessing.

The Only City Left

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsie) — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 20:15:00 +0000

-I was given a copy of this book for an honest review-

This book is a roller coaster of awesome and unexpected. The Only City Left is a novel that will attract fans of The Maze Runner, Miazaki’s "The Cat Returns", and werewolves.

When I first picked up this book I had no idea of what I was getting into. But it ended up being so much better than I had anticipated.

The cover is perfect. At first glance it perfectly alludes to a futuristic, dystopian YA novel, but the moon is the crucial element that makes this the perfect cover for this novel.

The Only City Left starts out quite simply, our main character introduces his world to us and gives us his goal- seeing the Roof of the World. I knew from the very beginning there would be some obstacles in his way. I couldn’t have guessed just how many obstacles there would be!

Allin’s journey from young boy to confident hero throughout the novel is fantastic, and his companions along the way are as delightful as they are unexpected.

Andy Goldman’s futuristic version of Earth is compelling and original. The many levels of the City and the amazing citizens of this world pose so many questions that had me ravenously flipping through the pages.

Also…the Clinkers terrify me. I will be having nightmares for months. I exaggerate…but really. Terrifying. I have not encountered any characters, since reading Joseph Delaney’s Last Apprentice series, that has creeped me out as much as these Clinkers did.

Favorite quote:

“Then a team of cats had given me a massage while another cat took my measurements.”

This image made me giggle- how does a cat give a massage? My cat massages me…with his claws... it doesn’t feel good! I loved the city of the cats. It was awesome and well imagined, an oasis in the tragedy of what remains of the Earth.

I give The Only City Left 5 out of 5 stars, and I cannot wait to read book two of Allin’s journey.

Tears of a Heart

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsie) — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 19:01:00 +0000

So excited to be doing another review request!

This review is for Tears of a Heart, by Chase Blackwell.

A continent on the verge of war.
A boy who is destined to become a legend.
A truth waiting to be uncovered.

A powerful coming-of-age tale of a young man destined to become one of the most powerful men Verold has ever known.
It’s a unique tale of adventure, adversity, and strength. Written with the hand of a poet and the heart of a warrior. The book’s action and depth will astound as the reader delves deeper into the masterful world painted in detailed strokes.

The prologue piqued my interested and by the first chapter I was sold. The language is expressive and at times achingly beautiful and almost bardic. A previous reviewer remarked that the style is similar to Tolkien. I have to disagree. I think the style is more reminiscent of Patrick Rothfuss. Fans of Rothfuss will love this book.

The sense of world in Tears of a Heart is just fantastic. In some books it is easy to pretend that the culture the protagonist belongs to spans across the entire world. Chase Blackwell does a fantastic job of showing how big and varied Aeden’s world is.

Anyone who reads this blog knows how much I ADORE Brandon Sanderson. One of my favorite things about his writing is how well he lays hints. Tiny, tiny hints that only register in the subconscious that make that big reveal that much better. Blackwell has the same talent. The way he laid hints and prods at the future was fantastic. That red door… even if I had not enjoyed the book I would have been forced to keep reading to figure out what is behind that door…

Seriously…it’s killing me.

Writing good and bad developments in a story is a delicate balance. Too many awful, soul crushing developments and the reader no longer wants to read the character’s pain. Too few and the reader gets bored. Blackwell walks the line really well, the moment you think nothing worse could happen to Aeden is the moment all hell breaks loose. And I loved it.

I love gray characters. I often pull out Nabokov’s Lolita to reference the trust placed in a main character. The main character in Lolita is a child predator, and yet he lulls the reader into a false sense of security, often causing us to forget that he really is a bad guy.

I am not entirely sure yet if Aeden is a hero or villain in this world, and I find that so compelling. I love how we know a bit about his future, just enough for us to question our trust of him as the protagonist. But with each section as Aeden as narrator I was won over again- completely trusting that Aeden was a good guy.

Two things I did not love so much:

The language sometimes seemed a bit awkward, and used passive voice quite a lot. But I was willing to overlook these instances because in other sections the language was beautiful.

The story starts out really strong, setting up our main character, the world he is living in, and the main conflict. But when he enters the monastery the story got a bit slow.

My favorite lines:

This line was brilliant. Wisdom rolled into a sentence.

This line will not make sense to those who have not read the book, but I got goosebumps. It is amazing how words can evoke feeling. These are the perfect words placed in the perfect moment.

Main Street

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsie) — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 19:01:00 +0000

I got a request for a review this week, and I was super excited. I love reviewing novels! Thank you Alexis Rae Hudson for reaching out to me to ask for a review. I am greatly disappointed to say that I cannot say that I enjoyed the book. However, I would like to make a disclaimer and remind everyone that these are my opinions only. While I may not have enjoyed the book, others might- so take what I say with a grain of salt. But my duty as a reviewer is to review them honestly- and so I shall.

I loved the front cover. Gray and mysterious. And it gave clear indication of the type of book I was getting into. Erotica. Bring it on.

While the erotic parts were steamy, they were, unfortunately the only part of the book I didn’t want to rip into with my editor’s pen.

Length. The first thing that really struck me was the pacing. We were flung from scene to scene too quickly, not given a chance to really delve into the characters, get to know them, empathize with them.

The two first characters: Skylar and her father Carter. Skylar refers to Carter throughout the book as ‘Carter’. I thought at first their relationship must not be fantastic, thus giving us a reason for why she wouldn’t call him Dad, but later she calls him terrific…so I was at a loss. These kind of unexplained discrepancies drive me nuts because I can’t stop thinking of the WHY. There must be a reason- but I cannot figure out what that reason is.

Skylar is described as the “girl next door” look, and later we find out that her hips and breasts have filled out from working out (um- not possible btw) and her legs are muscular from her stripper training. Other than these details we don’t really see Skylar.

I know I sometimes expect too much from erotica. Some people are of a mind that it should not be realistic-, I call this fluff erotica. If you can manage to not question the unbelievable parts- very enjoyable. Skylar goes into an establishment looking for work- but they only have jobs for strippers. He has every type of exotic woman except the normal looking one- so obviously he just HAS to have her? Right. He then begins to talk her into taking the job. In great detail. Maybe because I have never tried to get a job as a stripper, but I cannot imagine someone wanting the “normal girl” look so bad that he has to basically beg her to agree to be hired. Sir, there are many, many normal girls that could be molded and taught how to strip. Why does it HAVE to be her?

That being said, I was really looking forward to seeing Skylar’s journey from “good girl” to knowledgeable stripper. Her trials, the pain and bruises, fittings, learning how things work, how to approach clients. All of that. I took a pole dancing class once for research- no lie, writing research. That shit is HARD. My thighs were black and purple for two weeks following. I really wanted to go there with Skylar. Sadly, this part was skipped over.

And then she meets THE ONE. By falling over him, which was fun. But then they go all “I want you”” I need you”. *sigh* Am I the only one who finds getting to know someone sexy? That is the best part of an erotic novel! The tension before the resolution. Anyway. Literally she falls over him, he asks if she is okay, and then BAM- “ lets sex”. Also she is a virgin…and she initiates the sex with a blow job. Which she of course knows how to give….perfectly. And she swallows. This might all be believable if we saw her grow from girl next door virgin to strong, sexual stripper…but we didn’t. But then the actual act itself was much more believable. Hudson does a good job capturing the delicate balance between the wanting and not knowing what to do. The sex kind of gets away from Skylar and before she knows what’s what, it’s over. Erase that bj and this scene was a thumbs up!

I won’t go into any more detail about the rest of the story in case I throw out any spoilers.

Main Street could greatly have been improved with the help of an editor for overall discrepancies, plot holes, and grammar. I found several misspellings (after two and a half years as a copywriter…I can’t NOT see them). And the commas. *sigh* One of my initial notes as I was reading was, “Oh god…the commas.” I don’t think I have anything further to say on that. But yes, an editor would have helped. Greatly.

I give Main Street, sadly, one star. Although I did not enjoy this book, if you like fluff erotica, give Main Street a try- let me know what you think.

Bout of Books 11 Update

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsie) — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 21:13:00 +0000

Monday

Books Read: 1

Pages Read: 364

Total number of books read: 1

Total number of pages read: 364

Thoughts: I read the Looking Glass Wars today; click on the link to view the review.

Tuesday

Books Read:2

Pages Read: 624

Total number of books read: 3

Total number of pages read: 988

Thoughts: I read The Dark Hills Divide and The Key to Rondo. I enjoyed them both; click on the links to go to the reviews.

Wednesday

Books Read: 2

Pages Read: 725

Total number of books read: 5

Total number of pages read: 1713

Thoughts: Today I read The Bad Beginning and Grave Mercy. I enjoyed them both, but Grave Mercy is absolutely the best book I have read thus far. Ah-May-zing. Click on the links to go to the reviews.

Thursday

Books Read:

Pages Read:

Total number of books read:

Total number of pages read:

Thoughts:

Contests:

Friday

Books Read:

Pages Read:

Total number of books read:

Total number of pages read:

Thoughts:

Contests:

Saturday

Books Read:

Pages Read:

Total number of books read:

Total number of pages read:

Thoughts:

Contests:

Sunday

Books Read:

Pages Read:

Total number of books read:

Total number of pages read:

Thoughts:

Contests:

As a reminder, these are my goals:

Goal One:

Read. I sometimes get a bit obsessive about my other hobbies- currently I am drowning in fabric. This is the perfect excuse to put away my projects and read.

Goal Two:

Read early. I have a terrible habit of NOT reading because I am worried about reading too much (as if that actually was a thing…). When I was reading a book a day I would start the book immediately when I got home from work so I finished it around 9 or 10pm. This way I could go to bed at a reasonable hour. If I start a book at bedtime there will not BE a bedtime…

Goal Three:

Read for fun! Not really an actual goal. I love reading, so most reading is fun. But I have a bunch of books here I have always wanted to read but just never set aside the time to actually DO it. I’m excited to have the excuse now.

Goal Four:

Get one other person to join me on at least one of the days. I have three potential people whom I have recruited for this task.

One- my mother. My mom has always been the Oprah’s List kinda woman. But recently she has strayed into the YA magical realm. She enjoyed Divergent, loves Twilight and the Host, the Hunger Games…basically all books I think are ehhhhh, but still progress! I gave her a list of books to read. Mostly she has only vaguely liked them, but next up is The Emperor’s Soul by Brandon Sanderson. It’s Sanderson. How could she possibly dislike it? I am hoping she will sit down and read with me one night.

Two and Three- Two and Three are very dear friends who adore reading as much (maybe more) as I do. We used to have a book club where we would discuss books together. This has fallen apart, much to my sadness, but I am hoping we can get on Hangout to discuss some of the stuff we have read this week. I also would like to feature a book review of theirs on my blog at one point…maybe this week!

Goal Five:

Read six books. I know I am way too busy to have kept up the book a day thing, but still I am very sad that I was not able to keep up my goal of 364 books in a year. So to honor that, I would like to stretch for at least six books. Hopefully seven to complete the week, but life happens, so I am going to make the minimum six.

Grave Mercy

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsie) — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 21:13:00 +0000

It is rare, I think, to have a beginning this powerful. And thus, I would like to post it.

Please, if you are under 18 or do not want to read a violent scene, do not read on.

And thus begins the awesome tale, and the last time our protagonist is a trembling thing without power.

It has been a long time since a book has captivated me this fully. Intrigue, betrayal, murder, love, action- this book has it all. The book is about assassin nuns dedicated to the god of Death after all, how can it NOT be amazing?! Let me just say that again, in case you missed it-

ASSASSIN NUNS!

I loved Isme. There are characters who claim how bad ass they are- like the Girl in the Steel Corset, and then there are BAD ASS protagonists. Isme was the later. She uses a garotte for goodness sake!

A garotte.

Garottes are not like shooting someone with a gun, or stabbing them a few times. They mean business. They mean your hands are going to get dirty.

Favorite line: “Are men truly such idiots that they cannot resist two orbs of flesh?” Yep- that's a boob reference.

But here are some of my other favorite gems:

“I stare at him coldly. "I do not care for needlework." I pause. "Unless it involves the base of the skull.”

"I comfort myself with the knowledge that if Duval ever feels smothered by me, it will be because I am holding a pillow over his face and commending his soul to Mortain.”

Historical accuracy:

I did a happy dance during this book. Not only was it AWESOME, but the historical elements didn't make me want to pitch it off a cliff. How often do I say that? Not often. Thank you thank you thank you Robin LaFevers. Thank you for not putting your heroine in a ridiculous modern couture dress. Just. Thank you.

I love the cover, don't get me wrong. But I love this one even more-

The dress isn't as historically accurate, but I love the FEEL of this one so much more. The grays, the fierce look on her face? It's perfection. Wish they had chosen this mock up instead of the red one, because when you compare the real cover art with this art, the real cover just looks so...YA fluff.

This book absolutely wins a 5 of 5 rating.

The Bad Beginning

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsie) — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 00:01:00 +0000

Well…I was warned. Did I listen? No. It was so short a book I ended up finishing it on my lunch break, I didn’t really have a chance to give up on it.

Was it good? Sort of.

Did I enjoy it? Not really.

I have seen the movie, which may be part of the problem. I knew exactly what to expect, what was going on, what would happen. But the book is darker. Much, much darker. Jim Carey presents a weird, creepy, greedy Count Olaf. The real Count Olaf is the worst of the worst. Abuse, stealing, child rape (hinted at), murder, plus a general creepiness. And that is just Olaf. Some of his friends were as bad as he was.

I will not be continuing with the rest of the series. One book was enough for me.

What I liked? I liked the children. They were strong in the face of so much opposition. They were smart and interesting. A girl who likes mechanical engineering? She automatically makes the awesome list.

I would give this 4 stars for the writing, the writing was awesome. I think Lemony Snicket is a great writer, but I just can’t give such a depressing book a 4. So I will give it a 3.

The Dark Hills Divide

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsie) — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 00:00:00 +0000

I liked this book, but it had some major problems.

World building. I totally get how this happens because it happens in my own writing, but I couldn’t feel the world very well. Carman does a great job of detailing the wall and how it was built, but we never really get a glimpse of the city. We don’t see the bustling streets, or people at all. Where are the other children? Where are the other adults? They don’t exist for us because we don’t ever see them. I wanted to believe that the world we were in was huge. Four HUGE walled cities all connected. But I couldn’t. It felt more like Alexa’s house was the only house in the city.

Trust.

Alexa is chosen for a special task that no one else can do. She is told not to tell anyone. So when she comes in she immediately decides not to trust the cats who have given her no reason not to trust them. From some very vague dialogue she decides the cats are traitors. I couldn’t see what in the cats’ dialogue told her that.

THEN she goes and tells everyone and their brother the things she isn’t supposed to tell anyone. What? Were you born with even half a brain? Irritated me so much.

What I loved:

The pacing. The pacing of this book was fantastic. I was enthralled the entire time. The scene where she and a chipmunk have to steal the special collar from one of the cats was awesome.

Mystery. For most of the book I was kept guessing who Sebastian was, though I think Carman was a bit heavy handed with his hints at the end.

This quote: “The size of your body is just right. The only question is whether you're big enough inside.” Only a wise bear could make such an announcement.

I will be reading the rest of the books. This first installment in the series gets 4 stars.

The Key to Rondo

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsie) — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 19:52:00 +0000

I love Emily Rodda. I devoured her Deltora Quest books when I was little. I loved them so much I started reading them aloud to my two little brothers. We got through 4 of the books before they became “too old” to be read to.

I really should re-read the series now that I am older, just to see if I still love it as much. But since I am on the topic, I’d like to show off the beautiful cover art of the series. AWESOME.

If those covers don't shout: READ ME! I don't know what does.

I was nervous to read this book, thinking it wouldn’t live up to my love for her other series. I had nothing to be worried about. The Key to Rondo was AMAZING.

Let’s just talk about this bit of text:

“There are three rules to the old painted, music box:

Wind the box three times only.

Never shut the box when the music is playing.

Never move the box before the music stops.”

Um. Brilliant. This one section does SO much. The reader asks why- why does this beautiful, mysterious music box have such rules? The reader also knows that one of the main characters is going to break the rules. And immediately the reader wants to read the book. Or at least, this reader did.

It was very reminiscent of The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis, but SO much better. That is saying a lot, because I adore The Magician’s Nephew.

A full five stars for an AWESOME book. I will most definitely be reading book two and three.

The Looking Glass Wars

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsie) — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 19:30:00 +0000

I really liked the book. It was exciting; had a very Tim Burton feel to it. But it also had some parts I felt were really lacking. I think with a few hundred extra pages it could have been amazing and the problems I detail below could have been fixed.

Alyss vs Alice.

One of the things that really bothered me in this book was when the tudor to the Lidells asks Alyss to write her name on the board. Alyss had raised her hand and clarified that her name was not spelled like that, so the tudor offers her a chance to correct it. But when Alyss respells it ‘Alyss’ the tudor yells at her and makes her write on the board ‘Alice’ 100 times.

If the teacher was not going to believe her about a different spelling, why did she say Alyss could correct it in the first place?

The Looking Glass Maze.

What the heck was the point of this part? This was the crucial part in the hero’s journey when they learn to use their unique skills, but I didn’t feel like Alyss actually learned to DO anything. She just sees some visions that she has to finally decide are not real, and learn to control her temper, and suddenly she is a bad-ass, imagination wielding warrior princess?

No. Just. No.

Young Alyss and old Alyss.

My biggest complaint with this book was that I didn’t really like Alyss. I liked her when she was young. She had spunk, she used her imagination naughtily. But as soon as she turns into Alice I just disliked her. Boring boring boring. When she came back to Wonderland she was whiny. And then she went through the maze and she was much too powerful. Must refer Frank Beddor to Sanderson’s rules of magic. THERE HAVE TO BE LIMITATIONS! Otherwise the characters just get boring.

I enjoyed the secondary characters much more than the primary characters. Dodge seemed like the only character (after Alyss became Alice) who was developed well.

I would give this a 3 star rating, but because it did do a good job of capturing my attention and the illustrations were beautiful- I will give it a 3.5 rating.

Bout of Books 11 Update

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsie) — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 07:51:00 +0000

Day two has come to a close and while I haven't had the time to review the books, I did want to update you all on my reading progress.

I have read 3 of the 6 books, totalling 988 pages so far.

I also started book 4, the Series of Unfortunate Events bk 1, but I wasn't really getting into it. I have not decided if I will give up on that one or not. I'm going to give it another chance during my lunch period tomorrow/today.

Looking forward to more reading!

Bout of Books Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsie) — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 18:25:00 +0000

Today starts the Bout of Books Read-a-thon. I am a bit tardy on getting up my goals, but here they are!

Don't know what all the fuss is about? From the Bout of Books' team, this is the official blurb explaining what this read-a-thon is all about:
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 12th and runs through Sunday, May 18th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 10 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog.

Goal One:

Read. I sometimes get a bit obsessive about my other hobbies- currently I am drowning in fabric. This is the perfect excuse to put away my projects and read.

Goal Two:

Goal Three:

Goal Four:

Get one other person to join me on at least one of the days. I have three potential people whom I have recruited for this task.

Goal Five:

The Books!

176 pages

I don’t know how I haven’t read these yet…I have seen the movie but not read the books. *gasp* I actually saw the movie because Colleen Atwood is my favorite designer…but I digress. Should have read the books by now. Very excited to see what all the fuss is about.

272 pages

My brother hates reading. He owns maybe 15 books. He has read maybe 10 of those. 5 of those books happen to be from this series. He ADORES this series which confounds me because there is a girl on the cover. When we were little I would give him my favorite books to read and he would give them back because they were primarily female protagonist books. Too girly. So why this female protagonist stole his heart, I have no idea. But I intend to find out!

352 pages

I have been meaning to read this book for a while. I love Emily Rodda. I used to read Deltora Quest aloud to my brothers. Words cannot express how much I love that series. I stumbled upon this book when I was gathering books for the 24 Hour Read-a-thon, but I didn’t end up reading it then. Very excited to read it now though.

450 pages

Oh HEY! An adult book?! I had no idea Linda Hilburn was coming out with a follow up to Vampire Shrink. I read Vampire Shrink in 9^th maybe 10^th grade and adored it. But I am really worried about this book not meeting my expectations. I haven’t read Vampire Shrink in 8 years (give or take), I only remember a vague plot, and I am worried the second one will not live up to my memory of the first. I could re-read the first…but I have too many books on this list as it is!

320 pages

I have not heard of this book before, but Tudor period and witches? It’s got to be amazing. Of course I probably will end up being really pissed off by the historical or clothing inaccuracy…but fingers crossed the author has done her homework. Because if she has this book has the potential to be AWESOME.

364 pages

I don’t know how I missed this fad. I do remember seeing the sequel: Seeing Red displayed in every Barnes and Noble and Changing Hands and thinking “WOW I need to read that book”, but I never bought it because it was the second and I wanted to read the first one first. Well- here we are. Many years later. Finally I am going to read the first book. It’s an Alice tale- it’s got to be amazing, right? *fingers crossed*

So that probably was way too much information- but I think it accurately illustrates how excited I am for this read-a-thon.

Total pages count: 1,934 pages

LET THE READING BEGIN!

Murkmere

noreply@blogger.com (Kelsie) — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 00:28:00 +0000

I picked this book up on a whim, when I was thinking I needed a plethora of books for the vacation I was taking. As it turned out I ended up reading this book before I left. I read it in just a few hours.

The cover is gorgeous. Smooth and compelling, beautiful and haunting. I judge books by their covers. Get over it.

The story was interesting, very gothic with the decaying manor and sense of oppression. The character development was awesome, and the developing relationship between the to girls in the novel was wonderful.

It also had a very interesting take on religion. Very obviously a critique of religion, but it was very intriguing how the protagonist was such a devout believer and then began questioning things as she grew up.

I was a bit disappointed with the ending as it didn’t answer all the questions about the wider world, and I didn’t really like the development of the love story either. But other than that, I loved this book!

This book deserves 4 stars, and if you are looking for a quick gothic read- take a gander.