Review: Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

Title: Girls of Paper and Fire Written by: Natasha Ngan Published: November 6, 2018 by Jimmy Books (Little, Brown Books) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. It's the highest honor they could hope for...and the most cruel.  But this year, there's a ninth girl. And instead of paper, she's made of fire.  In this lush fantasy, Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most oppressed class in Ikhara. She lives in a remote village with her father, where the decade-old trauma of watching her mother snatched by royal guards still haunts her. Now, the guards are back, and this time it's Lei they're after--the girl whose golden eyes have piqued the king's interest.  Over weeks of training in the opulent but stifling palace, Lei and eight other girls learn the skills and charm that befit being a king's consort. But Lei isn't content to watch her fate consume her. Instead, she does the unthinkable--she falls in love. Her forbidden romance becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens the very foundation of Ikhara, and Lei, still the wide-eyed country girl at heart, must decide just how far she's willing to go for justice and revenge.  TW: violence and sexual abuse.

This book was one of my most anticipated debuts of the year. I read a lot of YA fantasy (because I love it, obviously), and I am always excited to see a standalone, especially one on the darker side with political intrigue. And this was a really good read.

One of the best things about this book is the world. I'm surprised by how rich and engaging the world of this book is even though it's more subtle. It's a book inspired by Asian cultures and the emphasis is interesting and makes for a lush and beautiful setting. I usually like my fantasies to go big when it comes to magic but this one didn't. Instead it just developed the story around the world where people have animal features. These are the people who are the most revered and powerful within this world and there is a firm caste system between the others with people just being human at the lowest level. And like a lot of fantasy there is a brutal and authoritarian ruler. It added more depth to the world and a lot of political intrigue to the plot.

But I will say, that I still have a lot of questions about the world of this book. I know the general rule of them is to show instead of tell when it comes to world building but then you have to actually show these things. Maybe I was just reading more into it then it actually was but I thought there was some opportunities for big reveals in the explanation of the world and magical system. This boiok never went there and I wish that it had.

However, it may be possible that the world building was simple because the plot took more of the focus. This is one of those books where I think the trigger warning is good because this is very much a brutal read. It doesn't shrink away from the abuse of power of the Demon King, not only on the people in general but the young women who are his courtesans. It's often hard to read but it made for a dark and engaging story that had me wanting the protagonists to succeed in their goal to overthrow the king. I'm a plot-driven reader and usually I prefer a book full of action and surprises but this too was on the more subtle side. It was a simple sort of rebellion story but it was an interesting one nonetheless. I was invested in the story and it definitely did build to an exciting conclusion.

As far as the characters, I am not entirely sure how I feel about them. I already mentioned the brutal antagonist and I feel like Ngan did a great job in developing a terrible villain that was easy to dislike. But I would have like some more from the protagonists. Lei was a good enough main character, the kind of person who goes through so much that you can't help but root for her over the oppressors. But as an individual, I don't think she really came to life. It's not that she didn't have individual traits, because she was definitely fierce and determined in a way that usually endears me to a character. I mean she has some serious Sansa Stark vibes and you know how I love me some Sansa. But she just didn't make that strong an impression on me.

What surprised me though it that I did however like the romance. It's a f/f relationship and I actually liked the way that it developed. It is a little bit of a instalove, I mean it develops very quickly, but I think the author does a good job of showing the character's inner thoughts about the relationship. It's a bit of a forbidden fruit sort of thing but it never got to over the top with that. I liked that the character was torn about her feelings which makes it all the more satisfying when it came together. It had a good balance too and didn't overpower the story for me.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book even though it wasn't perfect. It had a rich and engaging world, a plot that pulled me and kept me reading until the exciting conclusion, and a romance that I actually enjoyed.

I give Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan 8.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. This is a good debut fantasy and I am interested to see what's next for this author. It may actually be a sequel with the way this book ended.

Have you read Girls of Paper and Fire? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Review: Witch Born by Nicholas Bowling

Title: Witch Born Written by: Nicholas Bowling Published: September 25, 2018 by Scholastic (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Alyce's mother has just been burnt at the stake for practicing witchcraft. With only a thin set of instructions and a witch's mommet for guidance, Alyce must face the world that she's been sealed off from -- a world of fear and superstition. With a witch hunter fast on her trail, she'll need the help of an innkeeper and a boy looking to discover the truth behind his own mother's past.  But as her journey continues, another war rages: a hidden war of the supernatural, of the living and the dead. Good and evil are blurred, and nobody's motives can be trusted. And Alyce finds herself thrown unwillingly into the conflict. Struggling to understand her own powers, she is quickly drawn into a web of secret, lies, and dark magic that could change the fate of the world she is just coming to know.  This dark, twisty, and thrillingly original debut will leave readers entranced in its suspenseful plot and rich prose.

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

I first learned about this book at ALA and it sounded like a total me book, historical fantasy with witched and political intrigue, sign me up. I wasn't able to get a copy there but I requested one from the publisher afterwards and they were nice enough to send me a copy. And I am so glad, because this really was a fantastic read.

One of the things that I liked most about this book is the setting. Historical fantasy is one of my favorite subgeneres. I find it so entertaining for the author to take something that from history that I know well, or even a little bit, and make it their own with fantastical elements. That is exactly what Nicholas Bowling did with this book. He took the Elizabethan era and the battle for the throne between Queen Elizabeth I and Mary Queen and Scots. That in and of itself is an interesting enough full of political intrigue and then Bowling did a great job with establishing the time and place. The 16th Century streets of London come to life along with the witch histeria, the dirty streets, and the distrust of women. I do wish that the figures of Queen Elizabeth I and Marry Queen of Scots had been given a little more attention, but it did make me want to learn more about them which a lot of historical fiction does.

But I think I enjoyed the world of this book so much because of the atmosphere. I love an atmospheric fantasy, especially in the fall, and this book had total fall vibes. I'm not really sure I would call it a dark fantasy but it was full of magic and mystery. What I liked about the magical system is that it seemed to be rooted in historical activities that got women accused of being witches like potion-making and being an apothecary. Then it took things further with magic I like alchemy and necromancy. I wish this magic got a little more explanation because it was really interesting and it felt a little basic.

But there was a lot of this book that was pretty basic, including the plot. Now don't get me wrong, the plot of this book was engaging. I was invested in what was happening and was curious from beginning to end, but the problem is I'm not sure if this was supposed to be a plot-driven narrative or a character-driven one. Is it about Alyce's development as she figures out who she is and her place in the world, or is it about the power struggle between two queens and their witch hunters? Unfortunately I think that the book wasn't quite sure either and that was to its detriment. It had decent character development with some twists along the way, and it had okay plot with the plot intrigue but I think the plot would have been better if it had committed to one or the other. It made for a fast read, an interesting read, but it made for a basic read.

 The characters too were a bit on the simple side, and just like the plot they were engaging but basic. Alyce was a good main character. She was one of those characters who was easy to root for. From the very beginning, things were not easy for Alyce. Society took her mother from her and threw her into an asylum. But despite all that she is strong and determined. The interesting thing too is that throughout the book I spent a lot of time trying to decide which characters were supposed to be the protagonists and which were supposed to be the antagonists. They all felt very dubious and those are the kind of characters I like best. That being said, a book full of those kinds of characters often means I keep them at arms length and never fully connect with them. It made them interesting characters but not particularly likable ones.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. It wasn't perfect but it was a thoroughly entertaining read perfect for fall. It had an atmospheric setting that blended history and magic in a way that drew me in, an engaging plot that had me wanting more when it was over, and dubious characters.

I give Witch Born by Nicholas Bowling 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of historical fantasy. If you are looking for a YA that blends the two in an engaging way then this is a good read. If you like stories about historical witches this is also a good choice.

Have you read Witch Born? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Review: Campfire by Shawn Sarles

Title: Campfire Written by: Shawn Sarles Published: July 17, 2018 by Jimmy Books (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: While camping in a remote location, Maddie Davenport gathers around the fire with her friends and family to tell scary stories. Caleb, the handsome young guide, shares the local legend of the ferocious Mountain Men who hunt unsuspecting campers and leave their mark by carving grisly antlers into their victims' foreheads.  The next day, the story comes true.  Now Maddie and her family are lost in the deep woods--with no way out--being stalked by their worst nightmares. Because there were other, more horrifying stories told that night--and Maddie's about to find out just how they end...

I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately it really didn’t work for me. I had picked up a copy of this at ALA and I definitely had high hopes. As a mystery/thriller under an imprint from a well-known mystery writer I was expecting a thrilling read that had me on the edge of my seat and that is not what I found.

I had been saving reading this to read as part of a joint review for my podcast because it has that classic teen horror vibe to it, like the Fear Street books we normally read. And honestly, that was one of the best things about this book. From purely a nostalgia feel it definitely hit all he right notes. If I didn’t know any better and you had told me this book was written 20 years ago, I would have believed you. But the thing is, this book was written this year, and I can excuse a lot of things for being outdated but a book written more recently, I expect better from.

Because the thing about this plot is that it was really basic. I read a lot of mysteries and I have gotten pretty good at figuring them out. I am constantly looking for that one which is going to shock and surprise. This book did not do that. In fact I figured out one aspect of the reveal pretty early on and then the other one just felt like it came completely out of nowhere. Instead of hooking me in the narrative i lost interest. Plus the concept here was really good, but it never delivered on it. The idea of ghost stories coming to life is totally brilliant but the stories really kind of felt like an afterthought. I wish they had more bearings on the actual plot of the story and weren’t just a means to an end.

I think my bigger problem with this book however was the pacing. Once again, a synopsis revealed a book’s entire plot. And once again I was incredibly frustrated at that. If it takes you two-thirds of the book to get to what your book is, then there is something wrong. Maybe this is just a problem with the synopsis and I shouldn’t blame to book for that, but I do.

The one thing I did like about this book though is that it went there. This is a book with a huge body count. When people end up dead, they are really dead and often in gruesome and grotesque ways. Like a lot of classic 90’s teen horror the author also reveals in the descriptions of the dead bodies too. It had some really good visuals and that definitely did a good job of capturing my interest.

But maybe I just wanted the characters dead because I really did not enjoy them. It’s not that they were bad characters there were just so many of them. It felt like this was the clown car of camping trips. People kept coming out of the woodwork and I found it so hard to remember who was who and how they were all connected. I needed a cheat sheet to keep it all straight. And because of that, I never really connected with anyone. I mean, the main character Maddie was fine, she just didn’t have that badass final girl vibe I was hoping for.

All in all, this was not my favorite read. I was hoping for a scary and intense thriller and instead I got what felt like a campy teen horror from the 80’s. Not a bad read just not what I was looking for.

I give Campfire by Shawn Sarles 7 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. If you are looking for a scary Halloween read this is not it. If you are looking for a thrilling mystery this is not it. If you are looking for a campy teen horror nostalgia romp this is it. And if you are going to read this book... do not read the synopsis.

Have you read Campfire? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Girl at the Grave by Teri Bailey Blake

Title: Girl at the Grave Written by: Terri Bailey Blake Published: August 7, 2018 by Tor Teen (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Early Libba Bray meets Stalking Jack the Ripper and William Ritter’s Jackaby series in this richly atmospheric Gothic tale of murder and romance in 1850s New England  Valentine has spent years trying to outrun her mother's legacy. But small towns have long memories, and when a new string of murders occurs, all signs point to the daughter of a murderer.  Only one person believes Valentine is innocent—Rowan Blackshaw, the son of the man her mother killed all those years ago. Valentine vows to find the real killer, but when she finally uncovers the horrifying truth, she must choose to face her own dark secrets, even if it means losing Rowan in the end.  Debut author Terri Bailey Black unearths the long-buried secrets of a small New England town in this richly atmospheric Gothic tale of murder, guilt, redemption, and finding love where least expected..

When I first heard about this book I immediately knew I needed to read it. It's such a me book. A historical mystery set in New England? Yes, please. So I was completely excited when Tor approved my request on Netgalley. And while this was an interesting and atmospheric read perfect for fall, I didn't love it.

One thing that I did like was the setting. I am a complete sucker for books that take place in New England. I live in New England and I love it so much so when I find books that take place here that capture the spirit and atmosphere of New England I am all for it. This book definitely did that. It didn't lean to hard into it either. I'm not sure it had a distinctly New England feel but it had the vibe and felt familiar. It had an atmosphere that I loved. The other great thing about the setting is the small town aspect of the story. Mysteries are perfect in small town settings because everyone knows everyone and is in one another's business which makes suspects out of so many people. And this was definitely an interesting small town where that was the case.

The only thing about the setting that I didn't love was the historical aspect. I was super pumped to read a historical mystery because it is one of my favorite subgenres. However, this book was just a mystery with a historical setting. In my opinion, if you are going to write a historical novel you need to root the story in history. It doesn't have to be about a specific event but it should feel like the time period. This book just felt timeless and that's not really a good thing. Sometimes I would forget it was not set in the modern era and then they would talk about carriages. I don't know if it was a lack or research or just lack of historical grounding. I think the author should have just leaned into the historical setting more than she did.

The plot however was kind of hit or miss for me. I will say, I loved the mystery. It was a really fantastic mystery with lots of things that unfolded throughout the book. This is one of those mysteries where I suspect everyone at one point or another so I am able to figure out who the culprit is but their motives and what actually happened didn't get revealed until the end which I liked. However, there was so much focus on the romance in this book. There's one very small mention about finding love in the synopsis but it was definitely a big part of the plot. Which wouldn't have been that big a deal if I liked the romance, but I didn't. It was a love triangle that annoyed me so much because the character kept changing her mind. But then again, I am hard to please when it comes to romance.

As far as the characters, they were fine but didn't impress me much. Valentine is a fine protagonist and is relatively easy to sympathize with. She's the town outcast and I can feel compassion for her in that respect and I wanted her to solve the mystery but throughout the book she got very frustrating. For one thing she kept thinking she figured everything out and was always wrong. After awhile I stopped trusting her and that is never the good thing in a mystery protagonist. And then there is the romance. Because seriously, both romantic leads were not likable. Maybe I kept them at arms length because I suspected them of being involved in the murder in some way, or maybe they just weren't my find of characters but either way, I was not a fan. But it's kind of the name of the game when it comes to mysteries when you suspect everyone of murder.

All in all this was an okay read, but not the book I was hoping for. It had a good setting and an engaging mystery but there was way too much romance and I didn't connect with the characters. I wanted to love it, but sadly I did not.

I give Girl at the Grave by Teri Bailey Black 7.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow/Bypass. If you are a fan of historical romances and want one with a good mystery then check this book out but I would not really recommend it to anyone who doesn't like romances.

Have you read Girl at the Grave? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Audiobook Review: Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Title: Children of Blood and Bone Series: Legacy of Orisha #1 Written by: Tomi Adeyemi Published: March 6, 2018 by Henry Holt Books for Young Readers (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zelie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.   But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were targeted and killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.   Now, Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.   Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers—and her growing feelings for the enemy.

The hype around this book was real. So many people were singing its praising before and after it came out. And seriously, every review I saw was glowing. And while I was incredibly interested in reading it, I was a little nervous because of all that hype. But there was no reason to worry because this book was amazing!

For one thing, this is one of the most inventive and unique worlds I have ever experienced. It's one of those fantasy worlds were the magic that used to be prevalent and has disappeared is coming back into the world. Throughout the book you learn about the magic and its connection to the religion and larger setting of the world. We don't learn a lot of the mechanics of the magic but we do get to see a lot of the magic in action. It was totally fascinating. In a lot of respects this book was familiar, because it reminded me of Avatar: The Last Airbender in the best possible way, and was different at the same time by pulling from African culture. I'm always looking for a unique fantasy world and this book definitely had one.

The other great thing about the world of this book was the political structure. I like when genre fiction pulls from real life events like this book did, and it did it so well. It's a world where an oppressive regime treats people with magic because they perceive them as dangerous. And when magic disappeared they did everything within their power to mistreat them. And then when magic comes back, they see everything as justification for their thoughts on the Maji. It added a really great depth and dimension to the story and made it all the more interesting.

But to be honest this book didn't need much to make it interesting besides the plot. This was an action-packed read full of non-stop adventure. It totally built throughout the book and had lots of great moments that kept me reading from beginning to end. Like a lot of this book it felt completely creative and like a classic fantasy at the same time. It had a great sword and sorcery vibe that I really enjoyed. It built to a thrilling ending that had me emotionally invested. Plus I loved that it had an actual ending while still setting up the next book in the story.

The only thing that I didn't completely love about this book was the characters. Not the characters on the whole, they were great. I really enjoyed Zelie. She was a great protagonist who was tough resourceful and fantastically empathetic. But Zelie wasn't the only main character. There were also perspectives from Amari, a princess who is fleeing from her family, and the prince Inan who is both an adversary and a ally throughout the book. Inan was totally fascinating and I loved seeing him at his most odious. Amari too was really interesting as she learned to overcome her assumptions throughout the book.

However, having so many perspectives I think subtracted a bit from the book for me. We were constantly changing between people and I was getting confused being in all their heads all the time. It helped that I listened to the audio so I had different voices and accents but it still got very confusing. I wish it had kept things a little more contained.

But on the whole I think this was a really fascinating read. The world was unique and interesting, the plot was thrilling and full of action, and the characters were complex and engaging. This book is definitely worth the hype.

I give Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. Like I said, this book is worth every positive review. It's really great and may be my favorite debut of the year so far. If you are interested in reading it and are holding off for some reason, take it from someone who did that and finally find time to read it.

Have you read Children of Blood and Bone? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Audiobook Review: People Like Us by Dana Mele

Title: People Like Us Written by: Dana Mele Published: February 27, 2017 by Putnam Books for Young Readers (Penguin Group) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Kay Donovan may have skeletons in her closet, but the past is past, and she's reinvented herself entirely. Now she's a star soccer player whose group of gorgeous friends run their private school with effortless popularity and acerbic wit. But when a girl's body is found in the lake, Kay's carefully constructed life begins to topple. The dead girl has left Kay a computer-coded scavenger hunt, which, as it unravels, begins to implicate suspect after suspect, until Kay herself is in the crosshairs of a murder investigation. But if Kay's finally backed into a corner, she'll do what it takes to survive. Because at Bates Academy, the truth is something you make...not something that happened.

I was really looking forward to reading this book. It has a lot of things that I really love including boarding schools, mystery, unlikable protagonists. It should have been a home run. But to continue the baseball analogy because why not, it was only a double. Good but not great.

One thing that I did like was the setting and atmosphere. Boarding school settings are always great for these kinds of stories. Without even really trying to, the author was able to create a mysterious and interesting location to set her book. It wasn’t an over the top creepy old school, the atmosphere was subtle. It felt both modern and mysterious. Plus I love that it was set in New England. I am such a fan of New England (I did just move back to Rhode Island) so of course I love books that are set there. And it felt very New England without being too cliche. Although I could have done without the detective having a think Boston accent, because that is a little too cliche.

The other great things about boarding school stories is that you have characters who spend all day every day together so there is not much to hide. But bless them they try. One of the things that attracted me most to this book is that it had unlikable characters and unreliable narrator. That’s how I like my mysteries. I like when I spend some of not all of the book wondering if the protagonist maybe just did the crime. And while I only briefly suspected Kay, she was my favorite kind of main character. She had secrets that she was trying to keep and it made her complex and intriguing. You don’t find out until close to the end the dark deeds she has in her past. It was a good reveal I just wish that it held a little bit more weight. Maybe learning it sooner would have helped create more tension for me.

But that wasn’t the only reveal that kind of fell flat. I went into this hoping for a complicated and intense mystery. That is not what I got at all. The plot was really very basic and the attempt at a whodunit just didn’t wow me. It tried to make me suspect numerous people throughout the book but I really just saw them for what they were, red herrings. The actual culprit was pretty obvious to me and her reasoning wasn’t even much of a surprise. I know I tend to be pretty good at solving mysteries but this one just didn’t confuse me at all. And all the twists and turns just felt like distractions. I am hard to please when it comes to mysteries though so it’s not that it’s a bad one, it’s just not one that I loved.

One thing I did really like though is the characters. I already mentioned Kay but she wasn’t the only unlikable person in this book. To be honest, it was a little trope-y but I was okay with that. Kay and her friends were kind of your typical “mean girls” but I liked that about them. Basically all the teenage girls were pretty terrible but I liked that they were able to be rude and unlikable. It made for complex characters who you are almost rooting against which makes for an interesting read when people are being murdered. And it made the person who was the culprit feel a little justified in their actions. I mean there is not justification for murder but having someone get their comeuppance is always interesting to watch.

I think what made it so that these characters weren’t just straight up tropes is that this is also a book full of diverse characters. You had different races as well as sexual identities. The book did a good job of handling gay and bisexual characters. Without even realizing it, three out of my last four books have had bisexual MCs. I’m really loving that these kinds of romances are shown and that they’re not always put on a pedestal. In this book there was such a complex romance I’m not even sure if I can call it a love square, maybe a love hexagon. These people just kept changing partners and having crushes on anyone and everyone. And that being said, there really wasn’t much romance in this book, which I even more appreciated.

Oh the whole this was a good read but wasn’t great. If the plot had impressed me more than it did then this would knocked it out of the park (hey, another baseball analogy) but it ended up just being a middle of the road kind of YA mystery.

I give People Like Us by Dana Mele 8 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. If you like boarding school stories and are looking for one with diverse characters then I think you may like this one. Or if you are looking for a book with unlikable protagonist then check this one out. But if you want a complex mystery that is going to wow you, you should probably look elsewhere.

Have you read People Like Us? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Sky In the Deep by Adrienne Young

Title: Sky in the Deep Written by: Adrienne Young Published: April 24, 2018 by Wednesday Books (St Martin's) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: OND ELDR. BREATHE FIRE. Raised to be a warrior, seventeen-year-old Eelyn fights alongside her Aska clansmen in an ancient rivalry against the Riki clan. Her life is brutal but simple: fight and survive. Until the day she sees the impossible on the battlefield—her brother, fighting with the enemy—the brother she watched die five years ago. Faced with her brother's betrayal, she must survive the winter in the mountains with the Riki, in a village where every neighbor is an enemy, every battle scar possibly one she delivered. But when the Riki village is raided by a ruthless clan thought to be a legend, Eelyn is even more desperate to get back to her beloved family. She is given no choice but to trust Fiske, her brother’s friend, who sees her as a threat. They must do the impossible: unite the clans to fight together, or risk being slaughtered one by one. Driven by a love for her clan and her growing love for Fiske, Eelyn must confront her own definition of loyalty and family while daring to put her faith in the people she’s spent her life hating.

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

This book was seriously so fantastic! I had wanted to read it since I first learn about it, because it’s so Up my alley, and I am so glad it lived up to my expectations. It was a badass, thrilling, enthralling read and I loved it.

One of the things I loved most about this book was the world. I have been wanting both oks about Vikings, or inspired by Vikings, for years now and this is the first one I’ve read which I think did it right. The author managed to capture the spirit of Vikings while still making something wholly unique. You could feel the inspiration in the culture of the book. It’s an intense and barbaric culture with battle-hardened warriors. But you also see it in their religion and stories. It felt totally immersive and fascinating.

But the setting also perfectly lent itself to a thrilling fantasy plot. You guys know me, I am a plot junkie. I want a book full of action and suspense that keeps me on the edge of my seat. This book completely did that. There were thrilling battle scenes, more quite moments of uncertainty and fear, there was external conflict and internal conflict, there were big bads and smaller enemies. There was definitely a lot going on here but it all worked together to craft a fantastic plot that really built to an exciting conclusion. I seriously did not want to put it down. I breezed through this book and I loved that about it. I needed a book like this.

The characters too really blew me away. This book very easily could have taken a very cliche path, but it didn’t. The characters were complex and had a lot of depth. First we have our main character of Eelyn. She’s a kickass female warrior, which I love, but she was also incredibly vulnerable. Throughout the book she doesn’t always win and there are times where she lets her emotions affect her in a very real way. I loved that about her. I love that she can kill someone on the battlefield and cry herself to sleep. It made her so real and so raw at times. She felt everything and you felt it with her. All of this really made Eelyn a very compelling protagonist.

But the real heart of this story is about family. It is about doing anything for your family and the people you love. It’s about finding family in the most unlikely of sources. This too could have been really cliche but it never went that far. It gave the book depth and heart. Speaking of heart, I also kind of liked the romance here. I don’t even know how to describe it. It wasn’t quite a hate to love thing, nor was it instalove. It leaned more toward the former though. Either way, it was a good slowburn in that it was one of those romances where I didn’t even know I shipped it until something happened that melted my otherwise frozen heart.

My only criticism is with the synopsis. I know I’m just nick-picking here but I really hate when the synopsis of a book gives a lot away. I understand you want to capture people’s interest but I think you can do that without revealing three-quarters of the plot. It takes all the mystery out of a book when the synopsis tells you what to expect. And I knew exactly what to expect. I knew exactly what was going to happen. I wish the book would have keep something from me at least.

All in all this was an amazing read. It had everything I wanted and more. There was a fascinating world, a thrilling plot that kept me on the edge of my seat, complex and likable characters, and a lot of heart and depth. I have been looking forward to this book for probably a year and it was so worth it. It’s amazing.

I give Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! This book was amazing. I seriously loved it. If you are a fan of YA fantasies or are just looking for a thrilling book Everyone should read it. When it comes out next week, get yourself a copy.

Have you read Sky in the Deep? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thnaks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

Title: To Kill a Kingdom Written by: Alexandra Christo Published: March 8, 2018 by Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most—a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever. The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby—it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good—But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy?

*** I received an advance copy of this book from Michelle who got it from the publisher in exchange for an honest opinion. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

When Michelle told me she had an ARC of this book and asked me if I wanted to read I immediately said yes. It sounded like a completely brilliant story, and it was. It was a dark YA fantasy with great characters and a fascinating world.

My first thought about this book is how dark and brutal that it is. If this is a Little Mermaid retelling, and I think it most certainly is, it's a very dark one. This book doesn't pull any punches when it comes to the brutality pf the world and plot. The characters are vicious, the plot is bloody, and the world is intense. I love my fantasy to be on the darker side and I very much appreciated that with this book. It added the drama and interest of the book.

The plot added to the drama as well. I don't think that it's the most cohesive plot but it was a pretty interesting one. For one thing there was the  retelling aspect. I can't say that I have read a lot of Little Mermaid retellings but they are typically really interesting ones and this was no exception. I loved the changes that the author made. It elements of the familiar story but still made it a story all its own. But there was more to it that that. There was a good amount of political intrigue and plenty of action. It did built to an exciting conclusion but if I am being entirely honest I wish there were more twists and turns along the way. It's not that this book was trying to be a mystery it's just that I like a good mystery and I wish this book had one.

The plot of this book was also dull of drama and darkness. In the beginning of the book we are introduced to the world of the sirens, controlled by the Sea Queen, ripping out hearts to celebrate their birthdays. There is a culture and history to the sirens that was inventive and engaging. I really liked learning about them and seeing it all play out. Then later in the book we learn about the human kingdoms and the war they have been having with the sirens. It was just another interesting layer to the story.  But I do kind of wish we learned more about it, particularly the history of the world. I had thought and hoped there was more to it but like the plot, that's just me overthinking things and wanted a mystery and twists that didn't exist.

I also enjoyed the characters. They were intense and complex. We really have two main characters here. Lira, who is the daughter of the Sea Queen, and Elian who is a prince and wannabe pirate. Both characters, while different, are similar in that they want to be what they desire independent of their families expectations of them. Lira is tough and headstrong while Elian is smart and dedicated to his people and purpose. I was rooting for both characters to get what they wanted even when those two things were different. But they were even better together. They had great banter and by the end I think their relationship even one me over. It wasn't super swoony but it kind of surprised me that I enjoyed it.

All in all I think this was a good read and a very enjoyable debut. As a fan of dark fantasies I really enjoyed of intense and brutal it was. I'd love a prequel so I could learn more about the world.

I give To Kill a Kingdom by Alexander Christo 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. I really enjoyed this book. Fans of dark YA fantasies should check it out. And also if you are looking for a new and different fairy tale retelling with a lot of magic then pick up this book.

Have you read To Kill a Kingdom? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

Title: The Hazel Wood Written by: Melissa Albert Published: January 30, 2018 by Flatiron (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get: her mother is stolen away―by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother's stories are set. Alice's only lead is the message her mother left behind: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.” Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother’s cultish fans. But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan who may have his own reasons for wanting to help her. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother's tales began―and where she might find out how her own story went so wrong.

There was definitely a lot of hyper surrounding this book. I was totally looking forward to it as a dark fantasy inspired by fairy tales. It was one of my most anticipated debuts. And while it was a creative and engaging read, I didn’t love it as much as I was hoping I would.

One thing that I did love about this book was the world. I’m a huge fan of YA fantasies and the darker the better, so I was really excited to explore this world inspired by dark fairy tales. And the author did a great job in incorporating the actually fairy tales into the story in a fun and engaging way. I love books that are inspired by fairy tales and especially ones who develop their own stories and that exactly what happened here. It gave it a modern fairy tale vibe which I appreciated. Plus the fairy tales were incredibly dark and vicious which I loved. They felt like the original Grimm's Brothers stories in that way.

In addition to that, the writing too was very lyrical and engaging. I think probably I liked the world the most because of the writing. The author made a point to develop a descriptive world and she did that with atmospheric writing and beautiful prose. It definitely pulled me into the story and helped give that sense of wonder and foreboding, especially when it came to the fairy tales. They were beautifully written and I kind of just want to read them.

But I will say, I liked the fairy tales way more than the actual plot of this book. The fairy tales were incorporated in an interesting way but the present day plot of the book was not very interesting. In fact it was kind of slow and totally predictable. I’m sure it was attempting to surprise us with twists and big reveals but every one of them I saw coming and because of that I just wasn’t very entertained by the plot. And while it did built to an exciting conclusion I felt like it was a bit muddled and rushed. It could have redeemed itself at the climax but unfortunately for me, it didn’t. This is one of those books where I solved the twists so early that I assumed there were more surprises, and because of that I read more into the book than there was. I’m such a plot driven reader so I just wish that there was a little more to he plot. My biggest frustration here was definitely with the plot.

The other thing I didn’t love was the characters. I think Alice was a fine MC, I did appreciate the fact that she wasn’t always very likable. She’s kind of a brat sometimes in the way she treats people. However, because of that I just couldn’t see why suddenly she would want to help them. The quest honestly just felt very out of character and because of that I kept her at arms length I think. But I also just hated the romance here. I’m hard to please when it comes to romance and for the longest time in this book I felt like this was just going to be a friendship thing, but then it suddenly turned to romance and lost me. There could have been some good stuff with the characters but it just didn’t get there for me.

All in all, I think this was a good debut with an engaging world and lyrical writing but a lackluster and confusing plot and characters I didn’t connect with kept me from fully loving it.

I give The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert 8 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. I think fans of fairy tales and YA fantasies with a word within a world element should check it out but I think it just didn’t quite live up to the hype for me.

Have you read The Hazel Wood? What are your thoughts? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!