Blog Tour: Buried Heart by Kate Elliott Review and Giveaway

About the Book:

Title: BURIED HEART (Court of Fives #3)
Author: Kate Elliott
Release Date: July 25, 2017
Pages: 448
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook
Find it: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | TBD 

Synopsis:  The explosive finale to World Fantasy Award finalist Kate Elliott's captivating, New York Times bestselling young adult series 

In this third book in the epic Court of Fives series, Jessamy is the crux of a revolution forged by the Commoner class hoping to overthrow their longtime Patron overlords. But enemies from foreign lands have attacked the kingdom, and Jes must find a way to unite the Commoners and Patrons to defend their home and all the people she loves. Will her status as a prominent champion athlete be enough to bring together those who have despised one another since long before her birth? Will she be able to keep her family out of the clutches of the evil Lord Gargaron? And will her relationship with Prince Kalliarkos remain strong when they find themselves on opposite sides of a war? Find all the answers in this beautifully written and exciting conclusion to World Fantasy Award finalist Kate Elliott's debut New York Times bestselling young adult trilogy!

My Review:

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

 I am so excited to be on the blog tour of this book. Especially because I really enjoyed the first two books in this series. It's an incredibly engrossing dystopian book with subtle fantasy elements, and amazing world building. And Buried Heart was a good conclusion to the series.

My favorite thing about this book, and the series of in general, is the world building. This is a series with such a rich world. It's not uncommon to find a fantasy or dystopian series with influences from Greek and Rome, but somehow the author makes it feel unique. Perhaps it's the fact that there such an elaborate and intriguing history and mythology to this series. In the course of three books we have learned so much about this world and the magic and mystery that influence. Here we learned more about Efea and everything we learned was amazing. There's and incredible amount of depth here. So much so that I think we've only just begun to explore it. But Kate Elliott's writing pulls you in and makes it all come alive.

I also really like the characters in this series. In the course of three books I have become quite attached to these characters. First of all, I adore Jessamy, our protagonist. She's such a great hero. She's tough and resourceful, but also fiercely loyal. She cares so much about her family and the people that she loves me that she will do anything for them. There's something so likable about her for those reasons. You want her to succeed and save the day. But she doesn't always get to do that. She's not perfect. There is a subtle vulnerability to Jess that makes her even more complex and likable. She's a great main character and I love her voice.

This is also a series with fantastic secondary characters. There is a pretty big cast of characters here, many of whom you have had three books to connect with them. In particular I really like Jes's family. Her mother, who gets some great development and a really interesting storyline here, and her sisters are great and complex characters. But I think her father might be the most complex and interesting of her family members. There's so much depth to to him. He has some really great development and his daughter is so much like him that everything I love about her, I love about him. Speaking of love, I have to talk about Kal. Their relationship develops further in this book and some of the most emotional moment here come at the hands of Kal. And yet it was still a subtle relationship. The romance didn't take the focus, it just added depth to a book already full of depth.

The focus of this book was on the political intrigue. Seriously, there was so much political intrigue in this book. I love when the plot of final books focus on the politics and these kind of elements. So much of it was about the relationship between to Saroese and the Efeans. There's the war, the court intrigue, who's going to rule, why, and those who have long been oppressed throwing off the shackles of their oppressors. This series has long explored the mistreatment of the people who have been viewed as inferior and it was great to see their rebellion in full effect as this book developed. This is one of the things I like about dystopia and it is was a great part of this book as well. It was a hugely satisfying ending and I loved the way it developed.

However, I didn't totally love the pacing of this book. It is on the longer side for YA, which is totally fine. I love a long book. But I like a book that doesn't feel long. This book however felt long. It dragged in parts even though there was a lot of action. But I think it just didn't have a good flow to it. It felt a little bit like two different stories. There was one in the first half just about the affects of he first book and the court intrigue, then the second half was more about the rebellion. They were both really interesting but only loosely connected. I just would have liked there to be a little bit of a better flow to it.

On the whole, Buried Heart was a really engaging read. It was good ending to a great dystopian series, it has a brilliant and creative world, likable and complex characters, and a plot full of intrigue and action.

I give Buried Heart by Kate Elliot 8.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. If you liked the first two books in this series you will not be disappointed by this one. It's a really good series that I would definitely recommend to fans of dystopia. But even if you are kind of over the genre, give this one a try. It feels classic and creative at the same time. I really enjoyed it and I think you will as well.

Have you read Buried Heart? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. And if you haven't read the book and want to, there is a giveaway as part of the tour. Scroll down for more info and become one of 3 people to win a copy of the book. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

About Kate: 

Kate Elliott has been writing stories since she was nine years old, which has led her to believe that writing, like breathing, keeps her alive. As a child in rural Oregon, she made up stories because she longed to escape to a world of lurid adventure fiction. She now writes fantasy, steampunk, science fiction, and YA, including recent works Black Wolves, Court of Fives, and Cold Magic.

It should come as no surprise that she met her future husband in a sword fight. When he gave up police work to study archaeology, they and their three children fell into an entirely new set of adventures amid dusty Mexican ruins and mouthwatering European pastry shops. Eventually her spouse’s work forced them to move to Hawaii, where she took up outrigger canoe paddling. With the three children out of the house, they now spoil the schnauzer.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Live Journal | Goodreads | Tumblr 

Giveaway Details: 

3 winners will receive a finished copy of BURIED HEART, US Only. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Tour Schedule: 

Week One: 
7/17/2017- YA Books Central - Interview
7/18/2017- The Eater of Books! - Review
7/19/2017- Novel Novice - Guest Post
7/20/2017- Just Commonly - Review
7/21/2017- Two Chicks on Books - Interview

Week Two: 
7/24/2017- My Thoughts Literally - Review
7/25/2017- Sarcasm & Lemons - Review
7/26/2017- Stephanie Plotkin - Review
7/27/2017- PaperTrailYA - Excerpt
7/28/2017- Seeing Double In Neverland - Review

Thanks again to Rockstar Book Tours for having me on the tour for this book. I really enjoyed this series. Have you read The Buried Heart? What did you think? Leave a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Poisoned Blade by Kate Elliott

**** This is the second book in a series. If you have not read Court of Fives, read that before you read this. Here's my review of Court of Fives to encourage you. ****

Title: Poisoned Blade Series: Court of Five #2 Written by: Kate Elliott Published: August 16, 2016 by Little Brown Books for Young Readers (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: In this thrilling sequel to World Fantasy Award finalist Kate Elliott's captivating young adult debut, a girl immersed in high-stakes competition holds the fate of a kingdom in her hands.  Now a Challenger, Jessamy is moving up the ranks of the Fives--the complex athletic contest favored by the lowliest Commoners and the loftiest Patrons alike. Pitted against far more formidable adversaries, success is Jes's only option, as her prize money is essential to keeping her hidden family alive. She leaps at the chance to tour the countryside and face more competitors, but then a fatal attack on her traveling party puts Jes at the center of the war that Lord Kalliarkos--the prince she still loves--is fighting against their country's enemies. With a sinister overlord watching her every move and Kal's life on the line, Jes must now become more than a Fives champion.... She must become a warrior.

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher at BEA. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

I really liked Court of Fives so I was really excited to get my hands on an advanced copy of the second book in the series at BEA so I could catch back up with this world and these characters. Unfortunately, while I liked this one it felt a bit like it suffered from second book syndrome for me. 

One of the things I liked about the first book in this series and enjoyed again here is the political intrigue. I think of this book as dystopian fantasy which is a popular thing in YA at the moment. But it's one of those worlds with a lot of exploration of power and control with the main characters trying to navigate a world of scheming and plotting. A world of precarious leaders do whatever they can to stay in power even if it is at the expense of their friends or family. There was seriously so much political intrigue her and everything was rally stepped up. As the book develops, more and more wrinkles of the plan are revealed and you see just how scheming the secondary characters are. It kept me guessing from beginning to end.

Unfortunately, the political intrigue was also one of it's downfalls. There was just so much going on here. From the Fives and the larger war, which were only minor plot points, to the political intrigue at court which took the bulk of the plot development. . It did keep me guessing here because it was incredibly complicated, but maybe it was too complicated, needlessly complicated. There was more than one occasion where there needed to be a big explanation of who was doing what and why, and even then it didn't always make sense. There was just so much telling instead of showing when it came to the plot development and that usually isn't something that I enjoy.

But in general this book was just muddled. There was so much going on here. The beginning did a good job of building on what happened in the first book and then suddenly things changed completely. It almost felt like there were two different stories here with very little segue. It did all eventually come together in the end but honestly through a lot of the book, I was taken out of the story trying to makes heads or tails of what was happening and why. This made for some issues with the pacing as well as there was almost two climaxes with a lot of rising action between that. It almost had to build up another story line instead of building onto a previous one. I'm such a plot driven reader and while the plot here was interesting, it felt too complicated at times.  

But the book was redeemed a lot by the characters. There are some incredibly interesting and complex characters in this series. So many of them walk the line between good and evil with dubious and selfish actions making you wonder if they are good and bad. They're loyalties are constantly under question and you don't know where they really stand until the very end. I also really like Jess as a protagonist. She's in such a precarious position in that she wants to do what is best for others but doesn't know what they is. She's constantly making mistakes and having to learn from them which makes me like her even more. But the one thing with the characters I did miss was the family and sisters angle. I really liked how Jes was so motivated around protecting her family in the first book and while that was a part of this book it wasn't as big a focus and I think that was so much of the heart of the first book. But in general, the characters and how complex they are is one of the best things about this series.

On the whole, this was an okay read. Not quite as cohesive and captivating as the first book with an overly-complicated plot and world-building but great characters and a lot of political intrigue. I think it may have suffered a little from second book syndrome but that doesn't mean I'm not interested in continuing with the series. I think this may be one that is better marathoned.

I give Poisoned Blade by Kate Elliott 7.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. I think if you liked Court of Fives than you should give this book a try and continue on with this series. It wasn't as good as the first book in my opinion but it is an interesting read. If you are a fan of the dystopian fantasy trend in YA then check this series out but as I said, maybe wait until they are all out and marathon them.

ARC Review: Court of Fives by Kate Elliott

Title: Court of Fives Series: Court of Fives #1 Author: Kate Elliott Published: August 18, 2015 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (Hachette)  (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: In this imaginative escape into an enthralling new world, World Fantasy Award finalist Kate Elliott begins a new trilogy with her debut young adult novel, weaving an epic story of a girl struggling to do what she loves in a society suffocated by rules of class and privilege.  Jessamy's life is a balance between acting like an upper class Patron and dreaming of the freedom of the Commoners. But at night she can be whomever she wants when she sneaks out to train for The Fives, an intricate, multi-level athletic competition that offers a chance for glory to the kingdom's best competitors. Then Jes meets Kalliarkos, and an unlikely friendship between a girl of mixed race and a Patron boy causes heads to turn. When a scheming lord tears Jes's family apart, she'll have to test Kal's loyalty and risk the vengeance of a powerful clan to save her mother and sisters from certain death.

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

When I finished this book I was at a loss for words. For like the first time in my life. Kidding, but in all seriousness me being speechless is pretty rare. I an opinionated person. I mean I have this blog so that I can express my opinions. But one thing I know for sure is that this book was fantastic!

My favorite thing about Court of Fives was the characters. When I had first learned about this book I had seen it compared to Little Women. I was kind of nervous about that comparison, as a big Little Women fan, but it did kind of work. It isn't a total retelling or even reimagining, it just has the same kind of spirit of Little Women. It's about the daughter of a military man with a tight-knit family of sisters and a loving mother. She is caught between what she wants and society wants for her. Jessamy was a fantastic heroine for one thing. She may seem a little cliche with elements from some of our favorite kickass female protagonists but she was still really complex and has some great character development. What I liked most about Jes is that she cared so much about her family. The heart of this story is really the connection between the family. Her sisters were not always very likable at times but you knew they all loved and cared about one another. It was a great dynamic and when Jes did what she did for them I wanted her to succeed.

But what really captivated me about this book is the world that Kate Elliott has created. Kate is a veteran fantasy author and that definitely shows in the world that she has crafted here in Court of Fives. It's not overly complex, which is nice. At the beginning it sort of lulls you into a subtle understanding of not only what is going in the world of the Fives but also the larger society. The Fives is an elite contest that is run by people for celebration and entertainment. It's like gladiators meets American Ninja Warrior. Throughout the book we learn a lot about the Fives and I found it both confusing and fascinating. But what I really liked was the larger society. It's a world ruled by class. The Patrons stifle the Commoners who are essentially treated as slaves. I wasn't entirely clear on this relationship but one thing was clear, our MC being of both classes made things challenging for her. But her unique position allowed for us to explore the world from different angles and see it's strengths as well as it's flaws. It made for an interesting dynamic. But it's also a world at war where cunning and power is valued. It had elements of some ancient civilizations but it was all creative and something all it's own.

The two separate parts of the world both made for really interesting plot development as well. The first half of the book was all about the Fives and the main character's desire to run them. But then as things developed all of that was dwarfed by some way more serious happenings in her life. Everything really built to a thrilling conclusion with tons of action along the way. But what impressed me the most was how well-plotted it was. To be entirely honest there were moments where I didn't think everything would have any connection but they did. It all really came full circle but there is so much more to learn and explore.

Court of Fives was a fast and thrilling read that I absolutely loved despite a few things that left me a little confused. Kate Elliott has created a fascinating world I'm excited to explore more and complex characters that you will love reading about. It's a great read.

I give Court of Fives by Kate Elliott 9 out of 10

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. Fans of dystopia or fantasy that focus a lot on the political intrigue will definitely love this book. It had so many great elements tand will have you on the edge of your seat and turning pages long into the night.

Have you read Court of Fives? What did you think? Thank for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Waiting on Wednesday: Court of Fives by Kate Elliott

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: Court of Fives Series: Court of Fives #1 Author: Kate Elliott Published: August 18, 2015 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: In this imaginative escape into an enthralling new world, World Fantasy Award finalist Kate Elliott begins a new trilogy with her debut young adult novel, weaving an epic story of a girl struggling to do what she loves in a society suffocated by rules of class and privilege.  Jessamy's life is a balance between acting like an upper class Patron and dreaming of the freedom of the Commoners. But at night she can be whomever she wants when she sneaks out to train for The Fives, an intricate, multi-level athletic competition that offers a chance for glory to the kingdom's best competitors. Then Jes meets Kalliarkos, and an unlikely friendship between a girl of mixed race and a Patron boy causes heads to turn. When a scheming lord tears Jes's family apart, she'll have to test Kal's loyalty and risk the vengeance of a powerful clan to save her mother and sisters from certain death.

Why I'm Waiting 

When I heard about this book I saw it pitched as "Little Women meets The Hunger Games." I normally hate that but those two comparisons really have me interested. It's an odd blend but in a good way. Not to mention the synopsis of this book has so many of my Bookish Buzzwords. "Society suffocated by rules of class and privilege" sounds to me like we are going to get some great political intrigue and a antagonistic ruler that I will love to hate. "Unlikely friendship" sounds interesting and like there may be a good slowburn romance but even if they just stay friends I'm cool with that. "Vengeance of a powerful" clan makes me think there will be some death and destruction along with the political intrigue.

I think I'm also really excited because Jessamy sounds like a female protagonist that I love. Last week I talked about how I like my heroines to be tough but balanced. Maybe they are a little vulnerable or reluctant or maybe they are more intelligent with inner strength instead of outer. Jessamy sounds like a good blend of the two.

And finally I'm really excited about this book because it sounds like it has crossover appeal. Kate Elliott has written a lot of adult Sci-Fi and fantasy novels but this is her first YA. That makes me think that this will be more on the mature side and that's how I like my YA. I seriously cannot wait!

What about you? What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Are you waiting for Court of Fives with me? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!