Tag: book review

Graceling, Kristen Cashore

14+

Okay so first I LOVE the covers. ‘dont judge a book by its cover’ may be apt but i certainly do judge the cover if it doesnt fit the book. Both the first and second versions of the covers really fit the essence of this story and I love how they are both on opposite style sides. I first read it with the cover with her standing against a gray background which really captures the characters internal separation from the people around her but the latest cover is more of a traditional fantasy vibe with just a few simple elements tied together that really scream the book.

I have just reread this book for the third time and to my delight the plot still holds up. I dont know quite how to describe the plot. The book is split up into three different sections, The Lady Killer, The Twisted King and The Shifting World and they all have their own plots and storylines within the overarching story which keeps it from dragging and becoming boring.

Katsa is a truely strong heroine and I enjoyed how Cashore showed us that she still has her limits, (especially emotionally and psychologically) but despite that she does choose to do the right thing. I almost feel like there could have been a book before this about how Katsa slowly realised just how much the king was using her but this story launches us right in at the perfect point as the seven kingdoms change forever. I found it a quick paced read, especially in the later two sections which improved massively. In the beginning I felt it lagged a little but gave us some interesting world-building details.

The world premise is a fantasy/historical feel with the fantasy Graces. People (seemingly at random but i am hoping we learn more in the next book!) are Graced with supernatural abilities, some relitavely innocent like being able to hold your breath for a very long time and some very dangerous like strength, perfect aim, heightened senses and in Katsa’s case a Killing Grace. Gracelings are easily picked out because they have different coloured eyes, like Katsa’s blue and green, and Po’s silver and gold. I also enjoyed seeing how Katsa’s relationship with her power changed as she used it further and further out of her uncle’s control and it struck a very delicate balance; having an assassin/kings executioner as the main character means the reader expects them to already have a lot of training and have a firm grasp on their power but Cashore also balanced that with Katsa’s power being stretched in other ways.

World – 4.5/5 – Love the concept of the Gracelings, we get a good look at different kingdoms and different types of people in it.

Characters – 4/5 – I do love Katsa’s strength and resilience, and Po is a very sweet cinnamon roll of a love interest even through he can hold his own. Bitterblue is a character we have only just started to explore (and one of the books on my TBR is titled Bitterblue so I can guess we’ll be seeing more of her!) but the rest of the supporting characters felt a little flat. I enthusiastically loathed King Leck but I did wish we learnt a bit more about his backstory as the main antagonist.

Romance – 4/5 – Swoony Romance A – I enjoyed it again! Their romance is somehow deeply entangled in the story and yet barely a subplot. They do sleep together on page, but it is barely anything and I honestly think it could have been removed or you could skip it (its only about half a paragraph) and it isnt graphic at all. It does push up the rating a little but I would say you could read it a little earlier if you dont mind/skip that.

Plot – I have gushed about it up there so I’ll just say 4.5/5 stars!

Things to be aware of: There is a bit of violence – it is quite a high tension novel and several people do die. There are a few sexual innuendos and threats as well as mentions of SA. Power being exploited and a very potent form of propaganda/metal control is explored (i am trying really hard not to give a spoiler here) but all of that only makes it up to about a 3/5 of violence. Two very vanilla sexual scenes that border on fade to black (click on the orange link to see what I mean by Sexy Romance).

3

The Awakening, Jenna Elizabeth Johnson

11+

As someone who has read the entire series multiple times I have to say that this might be my favourite book. After (spoiler – Hroombra’s passing) Jahrra and Jaxx travel into Liden, the city where she is supposed to go to university. Jahrra had fought back against this decision vehemently in the previous book, taking it as an attempt of Jaxx’s to take her out of her comfortable life. However, Liden is honestly one of my favourite cities in fantasy. It feels so real and rounded out, with the university, and the backstreets with their little hidden shops. Despite Jahrra’s inexperience with cities, higher society and slightly rocky path it was a joy to finally get away from Ellysian and Eydeth.

One of the huge things that stood out to me was Jahrra’s maturity. In this book, despite a few scenes where we can see the old Jahrra, she is mostly balanced and emotionally perceptive. This is a much needed change from the hot headed girl she used to be which constantly butted heads with Jaxx and ran huge risks just because she could.

We see Deneah the Mystic again, and another Mystic whom adds depth to the development of just who is she really is and her motives but her role in the story is quite minor as Jahrra is now surrounded by a whole city full of people who know her human heritage.  

I LOVE the spirit stone shop, it is such a delightfully fantastical place with a twist on the usual magic. I love it when magic in books is used for everday yet special things. In this case, spirit stones are a way of keeping a bit of a loved one with you, (not creepy I promise, just a bit of hair or a nail clipping!) which is put into a potion that becomes a shining jewel of a stone with a heart fleck which represents that persons love for you. I want to go sooooo much, it is definitely on my top ten fantasy locations to visit.

Plot –  4/5 – Honestly it is still her preparation for the true Chosen One journey, but we are certainly reaching the end of that so expect much more plot points being hit in the next book!

World –  5/5 – Love the city, the spirit stone shop especially and I JUST HAVE to love Jaxx’s mansion with its sweet little touches.

Characters –   4/5

Romance – NA –  Its not really present, there is a mention of someone having a crush on someone but it evaporates.

Things to be aware of: Manipulation, but very minor and only to characters around her.

0

The Immortal Games, Annaliese Avery

13+

Greek gods. Trials. Main character with revenge motivations?

I knew I had to read it and I really enjoyed this one.

The main character Ara is the little sister of other books. Her older sister Estella was taken as one of Zeus’s tokens to be part of the Immortal Games (but you don’t get immortality as a prize, just an open wish and I loved hearing what the others were going to wish for – all less selfish than Ara’s original wish). After Estella dies and Ara wakes up to her sisters crushed twisted body on the bed next to her all she can think of is revenge and Zeus’s life. She spends years training to be chosen as a token alongside Theron another boy who desperately wants the chance to prove himself.

The Immortality Trials themselves will end up sounding like the Hunger Games but they are most certainly not. The gods each have a token and they roll a dice to control what happens to their tribute in each trial. The tokens know their best chance is to stay together but they are also picked off and only one can win at the end – so what is their strategy? Zeus, Poseidon and Hades have a wager, whoevers token wins gets the other two’s thrones. And Ara is Hades’s token. Did I mention Hades doesn’t believe in violence and wont give her weapons like the other tokens have?

Anyway to the stars!

Plot – 3.5/5 – it was entertaining and quick paced but didn’t have quite the depth and complexity I wanted.

World – 4/5 – I enjoyed it! It was clearly well thought out and I liked having the dreamscape as well.

Characters – 4/5 – this got an extra star because of how great it was to hear why other tokens were so desperate to win – it is easy just to focus on what Ara wants but the others had legitimate and selfless goals.

Romance – 3/5 – Sweet Romance – I just, I don’t like Hades as a love interest. He just –  I cant get over the original myths and he would need to be rewritten amazingly (read into a completely different person with no connection to the myths) for me to forget that (and a closer age gap! I have seen it done with mythology edited or made so that the gods are younger. Other than that I enjoyed it and also how her relationship with Theron changed during the trials.

Things to be aware of: some violence and death as well as betrayal.

1

The Love Interest, Helen Comerfield

13+

This is superhero satire and I love it so much! It might be the first one I have read which actually acknowledges throughout the book how toxic and weird it is that superheroes always have a love interest which is used as bait and regularly helpless in villain situations.

The world is a parallel universe (it is explicitly set in 2024) but superheroes exist and the HPA are the organisation that controls them and is essentially the superhero base. The Diviner (the only female superhero which the HPA acknowledges) is an oracle who produces prophecies of disasters in certain locations from which new superheroes will emerge. The HPA made me simmer with anger throughout, their leader Ron King ‘King Ron’ a former superhero who now leads them is such a chauvinistic man (I think they actually use that term in the book as well). He constantly sees women as weaker and thinks they can only serve as Love Interests. He is incredibly charismatic and our mc struggles to unite the different versions of him which is very realistic because he is an absolutely amazingly written character (even if I hate him).

It was so creepy the little things that were side details that the HPA did. Like Jenna’s sister Megan mentioned that the HPA like it when the Love Interests die young so that the superheroes can have their eternally twenty something love interest for merch and trauma etc. Megan Jenna’s sister is my favourite character but I cant give any spoilers so just let me say she is absolutely just so girlboss but also loves her sister and is so protective.

The essential basic plot is that Blaze a new superhero rescues a young woman (Jenna Ray) who is about his age and so the HPA and the media all assume that she will become his Love Interest. Jenna heartily disagrees with this despite finding him later attractive. I am trying really hard to not give spoilers but I do wish the author had stuck a little harder to the original Jenna’s mindset of this is never going to work between us.

Anyway we have feminism, superhero satire, an amazing supporting cast and a really evil corporation so lets do the stars!

World – 4/5 – I enjoyed it!

Plot – 4/5 – it was rapidly paced and a little predictable but I did enjoy it a lot as we uncovered the HPA’s toxicity.

Characters – 5/5 stars!

Romance – 3/5 – Soft Romance– not my favourite thing about the book, it almost undermined the message – there is romance but it feels like it is a subplot that is growing throughout the book which was nice.

Things to be aware of: sexism is the big one but I think other that its just manipulation and deception – I say just! Some fantasy violence but nothing really in a 13+ – I think you could read it younger but maybe wouldn’t enjoy it as much if you hadn’t had as much of the content it satires.

1

The Finding by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson

11+

I love this book! It was like revisiting my childhood again reading it. The interesting world which slowly unfurls over the series, showing us more and more just how deeply Johnson planned the lore and mythology of her land is exquisite. I just love it, the way that despite the fact Jahrra essentially only travels around a few locations around her home they are so detailed and separate in my mind.

The people inside the world are just as defined, the rushed manner of Raejaxxorix, the slow carefulness of Hroombra and the young eager excitement of Jahrra and her friends. The people of Oescienne are divided essentially by a class and racial barrier. The Resnai are the upper class because they possessed more elfish heritage (yes there are elves! and dragons! and different races of dragons! ) and the Nesnans have less elfish heritage (which is why Jahrra as a pure human can pass as one). Both races have some human blood from before they were wiped out by the Crimson King but how much is incredibly important to some of the individuals which leads to natural introduction of the racism (even if how much elf blood exactly you have to have to be a Resnai and a Nesnan is never set in stone).

Another thing I love is that Jahrra is so young. This first book follows her from being a baby to five/six (that is when the narrative focuses on her, previously it had been told through various other presences) to about twelve. This slower storyline – and she doesnt even know that she is the prophesied one yet! – really allows us to relax into the world of Oescienne and Jahrra as a character. She is already incredibly driven, especially against (tiny spoiler) the two siblings which bully her at school for being Nesnan.

This is the start of an epic five book series which follows Jahrra the prophesied human that will free the land from the Crimson King.

Plot – This is really tricky to rate because nothing and everything happens in this book – I’m going to give it a 3.5/5.

Characters – 5/5

World – 100000/5 – I’ve already ranted about it in my main review so let me just say – Its sooooooo good!

Romance – NA

Things to be aware off: She does get bullied at school and there are some racist comments (she goes to a Resnai school as a Nesnan and is looked down upon for having less elf blood). There is also some death in it – none on the page and not graphic at all but as a result of illness and subsequent grief.

It was tricky to give it an age rating – I read it when I was about eleven and I really enjoyed it!

0

Confectioner’s Guild by Claire Luana

13+

This book is so beautiful!

I read it a few years ago, and am on my third reread now. Its a fresh take on a fantasy guild, because they use confectionery (cakes and biscuits and all the bakery good things!) instead of being an assassin guild or a elements guild. The world building is incredibly natural and smooth and we are given all the information we need to know just by the character interacting with the everyday things around her. We also get two maps at the beginning (of at least the ebook version), one of the world and one of the city which is always lovely to have. It is not necessarily an unusual world, and but the presence of the cooking guilds is certainly the thing that has bump the world rating up.

The book starts with Wren piping cupcakes and then coming out of the back to hear a stranger questioning the bakery’s owner about the cupcakes. We get our first impression of just how strong the guild’s power over the city is when Master Oldritch admits that cupcakes are their “territory” but that he has a few friends that dont mind him having a play around with the frosting. I enjoy having a heroine whom starts with at least some idea of her power, Wren knows more than just the basics of baking which means she can instantly step believably into more powerful confections.

This is almost a historical murder mystery meets fantasy and the plot does waver a little in the middle I felt as Wren almost loses track of the mystery side of things but I did enjoy the mystery set in a fantasy world.

Characters – 3.5/5 – I enjoyed the characters, honestly the main character Wren isnt my favourite but she didnt annoy me because she does solve the mystery step by step alongside the reader. They all felt realistic to me and my feelings towards them changed over the course of the story. And I LOVE Pike, I feel like he would make an amazing mmc for another novel. Sable also is an intriguing character and I’d love to delve deeper into her backstory.

World – 4/5 – it doesn’t deviate from the classic fantasy world and there are very few locations within the story and they are all in the city Maradis so we don’t get to see much of the world. But if we include the magic-system in the world then it gives it a whole extra point!

Romance – 3.5/5 – Sweet Romance -Its a very mild romance, I’d say only 12+ romance wise and their relationship isnt developed enough for me to fully decide if I like them or not. The secret of the Gift is something that I am going to enjoy watching play out though.

Plot  – 3/5 – I enjoyed it, even on my reread it kept me guessing and I was looking for all the clues but it does dip in the middle as Wren almost forgets the axe hanging over her head because no one around her is really talking about it. It is interesting how all the characters (with the exception of Hale and Sable) basically just move on and ignore it – it shows the power of how they assume that there will be justice fairly given because they are the rich elite and dont consider that Wren wont because she doesnt have those connections.

Things to be aware of: Some sexism and its consequences concerning inheritance which was very interesting to read, mentions of SA but none on the page or to the main character and it isnt a main theme, the mc observes a girl being told by an older female relative to “drop a few pounds” but thinks the girl looks perfect anyway. Torture but none of it on the page. There are several references – both wrongly and rightly – to characters sleeping around. Overall there are several little things to be aware of but I honestly wouldnt say any of them are overdone or misplaced and it doesnt add a B.

0

Terrier (Beka Cooper Book 1) by Tamora Pierce

14+B
This book is another hit from Tamora, and I love how different Beka is from Alanna, Kennedy, Daine, and Aly. Unlike those series which are all set within a thirty-year time frame, this series is set hundreds of years before and stars Beka Cooper (yes she is George Cooper’s great great many greats relative) who is working as a Puppy. This is a trainee ‘Dog’ which is essentially Tortalls version of a police. Beka is a tough lead – I might even go as far as to say that she is one of the toughest heroines that i have ever read in the first book.
While this returns to the Tortall I love, Beka’s world is very very different from Alanna’s and Kennedy’s especially. It focuses on the Lower City and the crime within and the morally grey lines between being a ‘Dog’ and a criminal. Beka is older (16) than the other heroines have been in their first books, so she suits this darker representation of Tortall.
Characters – 5/5 stars – They are incredibly lifelike even though I would say that Beka isnt the most morally complex – i LOVE morally complex characters – which leaves room for the supporting cast to show the lack of set morals in the Lower City.
World – 4.5/5 stars – Tortall is amazing, but in this book, we only focus on a very small corner of it unlike some of the other books where we get to see different countries and customs.
Romance – NA – not present but there are sexual undertones to some of it.
Plot  – 1000/5 stars – It is complex it is twisty and it took a second read to see the clues to the criminal.
Things to be aware of: This was a tricky one to put an age rating on – but I had to add the B because it is pretty dark and there are a few sexual innuendos. As always the age ratings are just a guide so you can read it whenever you want as long as you are comfortable with a bit more violence than some of my recommendations.

0

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

15+

When I opened this book I was expecting the normal staples of a boarding school/magic school fantasy, but this book utterly flipped them on there head. Instead of a relatively safe on the surface this was blatantly dangerous, and all throughout there was a layer of threat made even more serious by the fact that everyone in the book was so accepting of it.

The Scholmance is a secondary school at least in its basics. The school is located in a void – which may be one of the most terrifying locations I have read yet – and is isolated from the outside world completely. Inside the school it isn’t safe, with monsters creeping out of pipes and the constant threat of death. However, outside is even worse, and the only way to survive when you graduate is to learn enough from the school – and I mean the school its self as there are no adults or teachers inside the school –.

The world is so complex of its self, and all the characters are opposites. The exploration of the difference in privileges between the enclave kids and the indie kids is intriguing and touches on an aspect that I always love finding in books. The enclave kids have so much more power and community than the indie kids who are basically sitting ducks for the creatures who roam the halls.

Characters – 4/5 stars – the focus isn’t on the characters for the first half of the book, it is on the world and how to survive in an environment that is ever-changing.

World – 100000000/5 stars  – I have gushed about this in my review but I have to say it again the world is amazing.

Romance – 4/5 stars – Soft Romance – the romance isn’t really prevalent in this story, but the little bit there is sets up delightfully for the next book in the series which I cant wait to read!

Plot  – 5/5 stars – it is beautiful in its simplicity, and then the shocking twist at the end. El the main character knows what her goal is and that is survival, even if her plans to survive may be counterintuitive.

Things to be aware of: It deals with constant threat, and is therefore a darker read than my usual picks, but it is worth it for the intriguing world. Its not the biggest book but it is quite description heavy in the beginning, which reflects how El is on her own and only talking to herself.

2

Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

13+B

Wow, this book is a rare find! I read it in one sitting and have since read the rest of the series. The heroine Elisa is not the typical YA character and super realistic, especially in the first book. Her character arc is one of the standout points in this book and it is a joy to read as she grows into a true heroine.

She begins the book as a sixteen year old princess destined for a political marriage far away, and is constantly comparing herself to her older sister. She is special, she has a Godstone. she has a destiny. This sounds kind of familiar, right? The premise is a well known one, but from then on I was hooked. She starts as a character we all can relate too. She is overshadowed and has an insane amount of pressure on her. Because of this she comfort eats and has low self confidence, which is understandable and makes her character believable. Because she isn’t sassy for the sake of being sassy and immature as many YA heroines are, she is a breath of fresh air to read.

Even the minor characters are well developed and with backstories. Her relationship with her new husbands child Roserio is interesting, especially considering there is only about ten years between them, and it really shows another side of Elisa’s character. Althrough the is minor romance, it isn’t spicy at all and it takes a backseat to her personal journey. The world is an original mix of Spain, the middle east, colonial times and just good world building.

I adore that the author isn’t afraid to remove characters and the characters who die are often close to the heroine, which gives the war a layer of bitter heart -breaking reality.

Characters – 5 stars – while some of the characters are dislikable, all of them, even the most minor are fully developed and fleshed out.

World – 5 stars

Romance – 5 stars – Sweet Romance – like I said further up, the romance isnt spicy, just a few kisses – and the author has made it very natural and it happens over time.

Plot – 5 stars – complex and develops nicely.

Potential triggers/things to be aware of: Elisa has a political marriage to a widower king much older than her (they don’t have sexual or romantic relationship, even through she fears that he might expect one in the very beginning). Several characters die, and in mediumly graphic descriptions. The topics of betrayal, love and loss are explored. Self doubt especially at the beginning althrough we get to see her grow out of that and understand her own power. The King she marries does have a mistress which is an interesting detail which supports Elisa’s emotional abandonment by the King.

1

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