Wishing for Change: The Young Elites by Marie Lu

Just the facts:

Overall:  3 Stars

Addiction Level: I read it when I had spare time.

Believe-ability: It was believable. 

~~~~~

     The Young Elites is the newest book from author Marie Lu and is set to be another series. It follows a young Adelina Amouteru as she runs away from certain death and into the hands of the Dagger Society, a group of gifted young adults who would use their powers to protect others like themselves and change the negative attitudes toward them in their native kingdom.

My Experience 
     I had been really looking forward to starting this new series since I loved the Legend books. At first I had a little bit of a hard time getting involved in the story because the setting was not matching up with what I had expected in my mind. I continually struggled with it throughout the story, but I will say that I think that was my problem and not Lu's. I also had a hard time dealing with the fact that this story is an origin story for a villain. It is such a fresh concept that even though I started the book with that in mind I couldn't help but constantly think that Adelina was going to make a wise choice and save the day. It was really hard to remind myself that was not likely to happen.

The Book's Structure
     The book is told from alternating points of view, which was clear while reading. It also is told mostly in present tense with periods of flashbacks throughout.

Additional Thoughts
     Overall I loved the uniqueness of this story. The ending was satisfying while also leaving you wanting more. I think I will definitely have to reread this book before I read The Rose Society so that I can hopefully straighten out some of the kinks that I have in my mind. (Again, I think this is my fault, not the author's). 

 This is a sure recommendation for me, especially for those who want to read something a little darker.

For Entertainment Only: The Pirate's Wish by Cassandra Rose Clarke

Just the facts:

Overall: 3 Stars

Addiction Level: I read it every waking moment.

Believe-ability: It was believable.

Dystopia Factor: Eh. It’s “normal” life.

Favorite Quote: “I thought about Naji. Jackass. I thought about myself. Idiot.” (I don’t know why I find this so amusing, but I do.)

~~~~~

            The Pirate’s Wish is the sequel to The Assassin’s Curse and if The Assassin’s Curse was Naji’s book, then The Pirate’s Wish surely belongs to Ananna. The Pirate’s Wish definitely has a different feel to it as we get a better glimpse into the life of Ananna. There is a lot more pirating and sea battles and it seems like Ananna is in charge of things now.

            One of the things I liked best about this series (besides a refreshing story that doesn’t take three or more books to tell) is that the story is simply entertaining. It’s nice to read a story where you feel like the characters are just there to amuse you and provide an escape from our everyday world. Plus, it’s kinda fun to read about pirates (without it being commercialized, if that makes sense).

            There is still a major lack of development to the story and unfortunately some of my questions about Naji remain unanswered, but we finally find out what the “make life out of violence” thing turns out to be and that was pretty entertaining, not terribly believable, but entertaining none the less. So, I’m giving this book 3 stars and a recommendation for those who might just want to sit back and enjoy a story for what it is.  

Enchanted Woods: White Hart by Sarah Dalton

Overall Rating:  4 stars

Addition Level:  I read it every waking moment.

Believe-ability:  The setting is believable.  (I did not want to sleep, because I feared I would be trapped in the Waerg Woods.)

~~~

Apocalypse Reads specializes in reviewing dystopian literature.  However, we like to mix up our reading choices.  After reading Eon and Eona several years ago I have been on the hunt for good fantasy literature.  One might say I am on a fantasy binge.  In any event when I saw that Sarah Dalton was looking for reviewers for White Hart, I jumped at the chance.  White Hart satiated my hunger fantasy but left me wanting more with the cliff hanger ending!

White Hart is a story about Mae, an outcast, and her journey of revenge through the Waerg Woods.  Prince Casimir accompanies Mae to retrieve stolen property.  They make an interesting pairing. 

Mae and Casimir discover that the Waerg Woods are enchanted and not in a good way.  They face many evils throughout their journey.  Dalton’s descriptions of the woods made me never, ever want to visit such a forest.  I am not afraid of dying, but I would not want to die a slow, painful death in there!  I was afraid to sleep at night, because I feared I would be able to escape whatever danger awaited Mae and Casimir in Waerg Woods.

What I liked:

• The way Dalton made me care for characters in the first chapter of the book.  I shed a few tears for the first person who dies. 
• The way the story kept me involved. I read the story almost nonstop over a weekend.
• The description of the Waerg Woods.  Dalton had me running scared.  I NEVER EVER want to meet the Nix. 

What I disliked:

• Mae was a bit whiny and kept making some poor choices.  I have hope that she will grow and redeem herself.
• It was a bit short.  I wanted needed more! In Dalton’s defense she finished one journey.  However, she put her foot over the line of a new journey and then WHAM-O door closed. (See next bullet point.)
• The end! Cliff hanger. Need I say anymore?

Many thanks to Sarah Dalton for an ARC. 

Fantasy Friday: Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers

Overall Rating: 5 stars

Addiction Level:  I ignored the husband and puppy until I finished the book.

Believe-ability:  I daydream and dream about it.

~~~

I was hesitant to read a companion novel, because I adored Ismae in Grave Mercy and wanted to follow her in Dark Triumph.  However, I became just as enamored with Sybella soon after I started Dark Triumph.

Plot wise Dark Triumph overlaps a little with Grave Mercy.  It picks up where the duchess has come to meet with the Marshall and Sybella warns the duchess of a trap.

What I liked:

• Sybella:  She, too, is a real character.  She is not perfect and struggles with her identity and role in life.  She has a lot to overcome, being one of d’Albret’s daughters.  Ew!
• The Beast:  I am so glad he survived!  I liked him in Grave Mercy, but I like him even more in Dark Triumph.  He epitomizes strength, honor, and integrity.  Sure “he won’t win any prizes” for his looks, but his heart is one of gold.
• The continuation of the story.  I like how many people rally behind the 13 year old duchess.

What I disliked:

• D’Albret:  The man is despicable!!!  While this series is historical fiction, I wonder how much liberty she took with his character.  To say the least he is despicable.  It is recorded in history that Anne duchess of Britany would not marry him.  (For more info check out LaFever’s site.)  LaFevers did an excellent job of crafting a disgusting character.  EW!!!
• Mortain’s Abbess:  There is something up with that woman.  Hopefully we will find out in the conclusion.
• Having to wait for Mortal Instrument!  The anticipated date is sometime in 2014.  Oh the agony of having to wait…<sighs dramatically and places hand on head while swooning>

P.S.  In case you are keeping track, yes this is the second post for Dark Triumph.  We liked the book so much, we wanted to post again!

P.P.S.  Yes, the agony of waiting is…agony!

Fantasy Friday: Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Overall Rating: 5 stars

Addiction Level:  I ignored the husband and puppy until I finished the book.

Believe-ability:  I daydream and dream about it.

~~~

Female assassins?  Check.  Who serve the god of Death?  Check.  Historical Fiction from the 15^th century?  Check.  Strong male and female characters?  Check.  Sprinkle it with an authentic love story?  Count me in!

Once I began the story I could not put the book down.  LaFevers drew me into her world; I had no doubts about its authenticity.  The mission is simple:  Save the duchess from those who would overthrow her.

What I loved:

• Ismae:  Her character was naïve, loyal, fierce, and likable.  She is real.  She struggles with her place in this world and how to juggle her job and her devotion to her god.
• Duval:  He is a strong male character who values life.  He is honorable and not a “pig.” (There were plenty of pigs to go around.)  His best friends Beast and de Lornay are a testament to his good character; they will do anything for him.  Friendships like those are rare.
• Beast:  LaFevers was able to capture his personality in a page.  Like Ismae I instantly liked him.  He reminds of Veronica Rossi’s Roar in Under the Never Sky. (My only complaint…I want more!)
• The Love Story:  It was believable.  It was not insta-love.  I was smitten way before Ismae, and I had to wait impatiently for her to realize her true feelings.
• The ending:  The ending gave me peace.  While I need want more, I can walk away satisfied knowing the characters will continue to live.
• Not having to wait for Dark Triumph!

What I disliked:

• Having to guess at ages.  I know it is a young adult tale, so ages are important.  There are some clues, but spell it out for me.
• D’Albret!  Ew!  All I have to say is ew…and what a pig.  Good writing.

Pondering:

• As I read about Ismae’s devotion to Mortain, I thought about my devotion to God.  Do I love Him that much?  Is my first thought always on His will?  How can I please Him?

Thanks to Esso for this new series!  Off to read Dark Triumph!

P.S.  In case you are keeping track, yes this is the second post for Grave Mercy.  We liked the book so much, we wanted to post again!

Not Your Typical Assassin Story: The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke

Just the facts:

Overall:  3 Stars

Addiction Level: I read it every waking moment. (It only took an afternoon.)

Believe-ability: It was believable.

Dystopia Factor: Eh. It’s “normal” life.

~~~~~

            The Assassin’s Curse takes place in a fantasy setting where a young pirate girl named Ananna is preparing to marry a man she’s never met from another pirate family. Ananna decides that she wants to make life plans for herself, including captaining her own pirate ship and decides to run away before she is married off and loses control over her own decisions. Unfortunately, this is taken as an insult (wouldn’t you be upset, too?) and her fiancée’s family sends an assassin after her to make amends for the snub. 

            After hiding out for a bit, it becomes clear to Ananna that she and the assassin, Naji, will eventually have a showdown and decides to take a stand. While in the midst of their face-off Ananna saves Naji’s life on a knee jerk reaction (which was pretty under-whelming, by the way) and activates a curse that binds the two together. When realization of this sets in, Ananna and Naji set off on a quest to break the curse and allow the two of them to resume their lives as best they can.

             Seeing as I’ve rated this book at 3 stars there are obviously some things that I didn’t like, though overall, I did enjoy the story. My biggest complaint is that there are aspects of the story that are not fully developed; and were they developed the story would be much more fulfilling. The biggest of these revolves around Naji himself. I like Naji as a character but I didn’t feel like there was a very clear picture of who he is. There was almost no back-story, only small hints that made me want to know more. Who is he really? Why did he become an assassin? Will we find out the answers to these questions in book two? The story also relies heavily on the use of magic, but I still feel like magic wasn’t really connected to the story. There was something missing. And what role do assassins really play in this story world? I could understand the story world but still felt a little lost.

            However, the book did have many redeeming qualities too. I really enjoyed a story where there was no insta-love. Eventually Ananna realizes she has feelings for Naji, but I’m not really sure that she knows what or why she likes him, and that’s okay. I like that Ananna is not overly dependent on Naji but also is not overly feminist in her attitudes and beliefs. It seems that authors often feel that in order to make a strong female character that the character must be anti-male in their beliefs. This is not true. A female character can still be strong and need or want the help of a man. Usually a feminist character just comes across as bitchy and unpleasant, to me at least. I think Ananna strikes a nice balance.

            The story ends at a bit of an odd point but I am actually looking forward to finishing the story in the sequel. I have lots of questions that I would like answered and the only way to find out is to read on! I will say that even though the story could be more developed it is an easy read and some of my hang-ups kind of melted away if I just took the story at face value and didn’t over think my stumbling blocks. 

Fantasy Friday: The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

Just the facts:

Overall: 2 Stars

Addiction Level: I read it when I had spare time.

Believe-ability: It was believable.

~~~~~

            The Thief is the story about a legendary treasure that allows the receiver to rule over the country and live an unnaturally long life. In the story, the King of Sounis allows his Magus to go on a quest to recover the gift which will then allow him to begin taking over the adjoining countries of Eddis and Attolia. Unfortunately, the treasure is in a location where only a masterful thief can retrieve it. The Magus enlists the help of such a thief, by the name of Gen, from the King’s prison and they set off on their journey with two of the Magus’s apprentices and a bodyguard.

            Before I go on, there are a couple of boxes that I like my fantasy novel to check.

-          First, there must be action and adventure. Fantasy novels should have their fill of swordplay, bows, bruises, and the like. Give me some fight scenes, maybe a surprise attack even.

-          Second, like all books, there should be characters that I can really believe in. They may not be “good” or likeable, but I should feel a connection to them and really know who they are.

Here’s the catch. The Thief didn’t really hold any of that. The story line almost entirely follows the quest that the characters make to retrieve the gift. I get that, many fantasy novels have lengthy traveling involved. They are usually walking or traveling on horseback across a country. And that takes a while. However, in this story, they are just traveling and telling stories around the campfire. No action. No adventure. No suspense. Eat, sleep, travel. Yawn.

So, you might think, that the traveling would be the part of the story where there is a lot of character building. Our companions are spending every waking moment together, so surely we should be learning about them in an intimate manner versus a very superficial manner. Not so. Everything that we learn is so obvious that the characters might as well be puppets or stick figures. No meat and bones. I never developed feelings for any of the characters and by the time I reached what many people call the “surprise” ending, I wasn’t surprised. (It doesn’t take much to figure out that the narrator isn’t telling you everything.) I could really care less.

Now, I’ve seen reviews that say that the story really picks up in the following books and maybe it does, but for once, I don’t think I’ll finish a series. I should at least feel invested by the end of one book and I’m simply not.

Fantasy Friday: Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Just the facts:

Overall: 3 ½  Stars

Addiction Level: I read it every waking moment.

Believe-ability: It was believable.

Dystopia Factor: Eh! It’s “normal” life.

~~~~~

           

            Scarlet is a retelling of the classic Robin Hood story with a twist - Will Scarlet is actually a girl. The story follows the usual plot - taxes are due, the Sheriff is a jerk, and Robin Hood and his band are trying their best to take care of the townspeople without being caught for their crimes. Of course, I’ve always been a fan of Robin Hood but having a girl in the band is pretty entertaining. (Check out Rowan Hood: Outlaw Girl of Sherwood Forest for another awesome Robin Hood story with a twist.)

            Scarlet is a good story for those who just want an effortless read to escape into another world for a while. It’s not too suspenseful but has plenty of action. The story is a little predictable, but that’s easy enough to overlook if you know that going into it. I really only had two complaints about Scarlet: 1) Scarlet kinda got on my nerves. She throws quite the tantrum when she wants to, and 2) Some of the fight scenes are a little over the top. I mean, really, where did the Matrix-kung fu stuff come from? Eh, it is what it is.

            As a side note, reading Scarlet made me want to watch Robin Hood again, you know, the cartoon version? It's one of my all time favorite movies. 

Fantasy Friday: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

Just the facts:

Overall: 5 Stars

Addiction Level: I ignored the hubby and puppies until I finished the book.

Believe-ability: It was believable.

Dystopia Factor: Eh! It’s “normal” life.

~~~~~

            I am so excited to finally have this book in my hands! Actually I’m pretty sad that I’ve already finished it. I hate it when that happens! It’s like having book induced bi-polar disorder. Book-polar disorder! See what I did there? Oh yeah.

            Siege and Storm picks up shortly after Shadow and Bone ends and Mal and Alina have crossed the True Sea and gone into hiding. Unfortunately, their escape doesn’t last long (its even shorter than you might think) and they are captured by the Darkling and once again forced to locate another amplifier. Much more action ensues, which ultimately leads up to the question of “What will happen in book three?” (Sorry, I didn’t want to give more information because I sometimes find it hard not to spoil the secrets.)

Luckily, Bardugo doesn’t succumb to “Second Book Syndrome” and Siege and Storm packs a wallop much like book one. We are introduced to an array of new characters including the legendary pirate Sturmhond (who Alina might call irksome, but I’d call intriguing) and the relentless brother-sister duo, Tolya and Tamar. We also find that Alina embarks on a path of self discovery that becomes a love hate relationship for both her and Mal. (I particularly enjoyed Alina’s cheekiness in Siege and Storm and found myself laughing out loud or gasping with an “Oh no you didn’t!” kind of air.) Of course, Bardugo doesn’t stop there. Siege and Storm incorporates some rather “modern” weaponry and inventions which might stretch the fantasy limits for some, but I say what the heck! The series already has many magical elements to it, so why not throw in some more scientific elements as well. It all flows together quite nicely.

Needless to say, I am dying to read Ruin and Rising and have begun my reread of Siege and Storm to pass the time. I can’t go into my anxieties without giving too much away, but of course, I need to know what will happen to Alina! And Mal? The Darkling? Ravka and the heir to the throne?! (Read it and you’ll know exactly whom I’m talking about). Oh geez! I find it hard to breathe when I start thinking about all of the potential endings! I could really use a time machine right about now!

*** Oh! And here's a very Happy Birthday wish to the best brother in the world! Thanks for buying me books. :)***