The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Page (Review)

 

Genre:	YA, Retelling, Fantasy
Publication Date:	March 31, 2015
Pages:	293
Published By:	Harper Collins
Series	Dorthy Must Die #2
Review copy:	Purchased

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In this dark, high-octane sequel to the New York Times bestselling Dorothy Must Die, Amy Gumm must do everything in her power to kill Dorothy and free Oz.

To make Oz a free land again, Amy Gumm was given a mission: remove the Tin Woodman’s heart, steal the Scarecrow’s brain, take the Lion’s courage, and then Dorothy must die...

But Dorothy still lives. Now the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked has vanished, and mysterious Princess Ozma might be Amy’s only ally. As Amy learns the truth about her mission, she realizes that she’s only just scratched the surface of Oz’s past—and that Kansas, the home she couldn't wait to leave behind, may also be in danger. In a place where the line between good and evil shifts with just a strong gust of wind, who can Amy trust—and who is really Wicked?

  Once, I had been an angry, righteous little ball of fire.  Now I was something else.

  But what?

"Remember   don't be wicked.  Unless you really have to!"  Parting words, I guess.  It was good advice.  I promised myself that I would try to follow it.

If it were a movie, the strings would have come in at the very moment that our lips met in a passionate, do-or-die kiss.

  But it wasn't a movie.  Instead, we held each other for a few seconds before awkwardly breaking apart and standing there, not quite looking at each other.

  The Wicked Will Rise was a quick read for me.  It wasn't hard to get into and

    There was this constant battle waging in me when it came to the plot in this one.  The pacing was just right for where everything went, but also so much and so little happened in such a short time.  Maybe this was because I had this preconceived idea about what was going to happen, or maybe more happened than I had expected.  There's a good possibility that the random (I'm sure thoroughly planned out) twist threw me.  I can honestly say that the plot was plugging along when if suddenly did a 180 and left me gaping.  We all love those unpredictable moments but honestly there wasn't even an indication.  There were some other little things that twisted in one direction or the other but nothing a massive as the one moment that changed everything that had made sense for basically two books.

  Amy Gumm remains to be the thing I love most about these books.  She is not your conventional heroine and her growth in each book is fun to read.  She is not the bad guy, but honestly does that make her the good guy?  Even Amy herself isn't sure of this.  She believes that she is doing the best that she can and what's expected of her.  However, she also knows that power corrupts and there is a chance that she could slip.  Heck, she's not even sure the people she helps have good intentions because the good are wicked and the wicked are good.  It's a backwards and inside-out world where there is a very good chance that doing the right thing can mean doing the wrong things.

  I think the missing element is... Well, it's the extra something.  I'm not saying it has to be romance because it doesn't but it does have to be there.  I think in Dorthy Must Die, it was not just the slight element of romance but more the extra people in the journey.  I missed the people that filled the pages instead of having Amy seemingly walking circles.  Well, she wasn't walking circles but she was more on her own than not in this book wondering where everyone that was supposed to be on her side was.  We got glimpses of some of the Wicked and others but it wasn't the same.  I'm not even sure if this makes sense to anyone but me but there is something missing and I think just maybe it was the quirk of the other characters.

  Will I continue on with this series?  Absolutely!  This author has created a female lead that I adore for many reasons, and a twist on what happens after that is wholly original.  I have no doubt that when I pick up the next book it will easily be devoured.

The Wondrous and The Wicked by Page Morgan (Review)

Genre:	YA, Paranormal
Publication Date:	April 14, 2015
Pages:	352
Published By:	Doubleday Canada
Series:	The Dispossessed #3
Review copy:	From Random House Canada for honest review

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Since the Waverlys arrived in Paris, the streets have grown more fearsome by the day. As Ingrid learns to master her lectrux gift, she must watch Axia's power grow strong enough to extend beyond her Underneath hive. By all indications, the fallen angel's Harvest is near-and the timing couldn't be worse.

Targeted by vengeful gargoyles, Gabby has been exiled to London for her own protection. Meanwhile, the gargoyle castes are in disarray, divided between those who want Luc to lead them and those who resent him and his fondness for humans. The Alliance is crumbling from the inside as well, its members turning against one another, and possibly against the Waverlys, too.

Axia has promised that the world will burn. And now, unable to trust the Alliance, separated from Luc, Gabby, and her twin, Grayson, Ingrid is left to face the demon uprising alone.

  A swell of nausea and exhaustion, chased by more pain, brought Ingrid's head back to the dirt floor.  She couldn't move.  And if she couldn't move, she certainly couldn't fight.  It was too late anyway.  It was over.  Axia had won.

  "I'm a criminal," Grayson said, his heart gaining speed and his body growing warm from the way Chelle was looking at him.  "I took a life, just as brutally as any rogue gargoyle.  Why trust me?"

  "I love you, Gabby."
  Air.  There wasn't enough of it.  Nolan stood a moment while Gabby stared up at him, stunned speechless, just as she'd been the first time he'd said the words to her.

  It is so hard for me to finish a series.  Unless it is a stand alone, I seriously put off reading that last book.  This is a serious problem I have only recently begun to recognize and correct.  Though Morgan's series isn't the first I have decided to finish this year, it has proven to be one of the many reasons why I have problems doing so.  Finishing the Dispossessed trilogy left me both happy and torn.  

  What always sweeps me away when starting these books, is the strikingly beautiful writing.  Morgan has a perfectly flowing and intriguing way of telling a story, pulling you deeper in with each chapter, each page.  There was a lot of build up leading to this epic conclusion, and a lot that I wanted to happen and I couldn't figure out how it could all happen in 352 pages.  Needless to say I got basically everything I had hoped for and a whole lot that I hadn't seen coming.  The best part of this was quite possibly the fact that all of this was wonderfully paced from start to finish.  Yes, there are times that the action is amped and you fly through the pages a little quicker, but honestly the entire book was page turning.  Merge this with the fact that the characters basically all rose to their full potential, and you have a stunning final read.

  Ingrid has grown leaps and bounds since the starting of this trilogy.  She may still be a society woman but she is also so much more than that, and knows that she no longer fits where she once did in England.  Paris has pushed her to her limit and has made her stronger for it.  Though there were times that I wanted her to step past the romance she worried about so often with Luc, I also grew to understand the love that she had developed.  There were times that I think that love made her a little bit stronger, if not for the simple reason that it gave her a deeper understanding of the world she had by plunged into.  In her final battle there were so many times she could have given in, given up, but she pushed through.  With this there was victory but there was also loss, and my heart went to her for both.  From start to finish Ingrid proved not to be perfect, but she was the type of heroine that I thoroughly enjoy. 

  Though Ingrid is undoubtedly the star of the books, I have to point out that both Gabby and Greyson shine in their own way.  Admittedly I completely adore Gabby and love reading her.  She is the quirky and strong character that is almost always underestimated, and even that is an understatement with her.  Gabby has basically gotten the shortest end of the stick at every turn, and yet there was no point in which she backed down.  This is a character that I would adore a spin off with her at the centre of it, because I believe that she has so much more to offer.  With Gabby's secondary voice, there was also Greyson's point of view and this was something that I greatly enjoyed as he had not been as prominent in the previous novels.  I enjoyed him because I liked that he was not painted as the strong and heroic brother.  Though he did love and care for his sisters, he was not as confident in his blood and his ability to accept what he truly was.  Although this may not seem like the type of person you would be riveted by, I enjoyed it every single time he graced the pages.

  Teeming with action, romance and character growth, The Wondrous and The Wicked was a wonderfully though out conclusion to this trilogy.  I enjoyed how everything ended, even if at the same time my heart bled a little.  Morgan is an author that I will be keeping my eye on, and I hope to read more from her in the future.  I highly recommend that the previous two books be read before this one, and if you already have those two started or read this is not a book to put off.  Recommend for people that enjoy paranormal reads, or are looking for a trilogy that will keep her captivated from start to finish.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (Review)

Genre:	YA, Paranormal
Publication Date:	September 18, 2012
Pages:	409
Published By:	Scholastic Press
Series	The Raven Boys #1
Review copy:	Purchased/Hard Cover

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Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue never sees them--until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks to her.

His name is Gansey, a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can't entirely explain. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul whose emotions range from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She doesn't believe in true love, and never thought this would be a problem. But as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure any more.

 "There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark's Eve, Blue.  Either you're his true love," Neeve said, "or you killed him."

  Ronan and Declan were undeniably brothers, with the same dark brown hair and sharp nose, but Declan was solid where Ronan was brittle.  Declan's wide jaw and smile said, Vote for me while Ronan's buzzed head and thin mouth warned that this species was poisonous.

  Blue had two rules: Stay away from boys, because they're trouble, and stay away from raven boys, because they were bastards.

  Ronan was right.  Things felt bigger.  He may not have found the line, or the heart of the line, but something was happening, something was starting.

He had to confess to himself that until now he probably had never really believed Gansey's supernatural explanation for the ley line, not in a way that he'd really internalized.  Now, it was real.  Magic existed, and Adam didn't know how much that changed the world.

  Holy macaroni and cheese Batman!! This book was basically everything that I could have wanted.  I know that I held off and to many my excitement will be old news, but knowing my love for this author and having issues waiting for the next book to release, I feel I made the right decision.  My love for this series has begun, and yet I know it is going to get so much more complicated before all is said and done.

  What I love about Stiefvater's writing is that I can expect solid awesome.  I know that is a primitive way of saying it, but it is completely true.  When you pick up one of her books it's a given that the writing is going to be fluid, with a solid plot, gripping pacing and complex characters.  This is not something that I really need to go into much detail with, if you have ever picked up one of Maggie's books.  If not, well basically you have no problem becoming a part of the book, and with the pacing you never want to stop and step back into reality.  This book becomes your reality as you read it.  You see the characters, feel so much of what they do and become a part of something that you never thought possible.

  Blue:  Let's talk about Blue.  She has grown up with the paranormal as a normal... Got that?  Basically, her world is filled with different variations of psychics.  Though she doesn't have any "power" herself to see someone's future, her uncanny ability to enhance the power of those around her is really something else.  I really enjoyed the depth of Blue's character, and the fact that she was able to be on the outside of everything and yet somehow not.  Explaining why I loved blue isn't really a simple thing.  It's basically her originality, her snark, her honesty and the fact that she was typical and yet not typical in every way possible.  I hate that her future holds something for her that makes her have to hold back, but at the same time I hope that it gives her something to fight and prove wrong.  Blue, as a character, gives me nothing to complain about and only more to look forward to in future reads.

  When it comes to the boys, I'm not sure we really have enough time to get down to the nitty gritty of each.  They really are all completely different.  I would like to say opposites but with the four of them, that's even harder to explain.  Gansey is basically the glue that holds them together, being the one that sought each out knowing that they would just fit.  It was different reading about each or from different points of view, when it came to the guys.  However, Gansey is also currently the main man.  He is the reason everyone's paths cross, even if he doesn't know that it is him tying everyone's fates up together in a horribly messy knot.  I think in him, I really enjoyed that despite the fact that he is meant to be perfect, he is honestly worried about not belittling anyone or offending them by accident.  Each boy really has his own charm (kind of), but they built a seriously original cast when stuffed together.

  When you hold off reading a book because you know waiting for each book might just rip your soul out, it's hard.  Building the anticipation isn't always a good thing, but in this case, it couldn't have worked out any better.  If you have ever picked up a novel but this spectacular author, you know that it isn't hard to drive right through any of her books.  For those out there that have yet to fall in love... Well, it is not a question of if, so much as when.  Lovers of paranormal/fantasy, brace yourself for this one if you have yet to read it.  There is not a doubt in my mind that this series will blow everyone away, book by book.

Charisma by Jeanne Ryan (Review)

Genre:	YA, Thriller, Science Fiction
Publication Date:	March 3, 2015
Pages:	384
Published By:	Dial Books
Series	Standalone
Review copy:	Won

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A chance at the ultimate makeover means deadly consequences in this Sarah Dessen-meets-Robin Cook thriller

Aislyn suffers from crippling shyness—that is, until she’s offered a dose of Charisma, an underground gene therapy drug guaranteed to make her shine. The effects are instant. She’s charming, vivacious, and popular. But strangely, so are some other kids she knows. The media goes into a frenzy when the disease turns contagious, and then deadly, and the doctor who gave it to them disappears. Aislyn must find a way to stop it, before it's too late.

  I drive, wishing I could deal with my own damn shyness.  I should be able to stuff some nurture down nature's throat and get beyond my DNA.  People change.  And they write books about it.  Why can't I?

I could swear I feel the contents of the syringe flow up my arm.  Even though I can hardly wait not to be shy, a tight panic fills my chest.  Oh, wow, I've really done this.

"Wow, you really have changed."
  For some reason, his words rankle.  "Only my behaviours, not what I'm really about," I say.
  He bites his lip.  "What exactly is the difference?"

  I was totally psyched last year for this read.  I loved the cover, the premise sounded interesting and then I got lucky and won myself a copy.  Then, as the sad story goes others came alone and Charisma got put on the back burner.  Admittedly it drew my attention many times, and I longed to read it and hold its pretty cover and then finally it happened.  It was a beautiful and glorious moment when I finally managed to crack the cover.

  It's hard to say if it was the anticipation or what it was but I really found myself hooked.  Ryan wasted no time getting things in gear, quickly setting out Aislyn's character.  It was beyond easy to get a feel for why the risk was worth it for her, and to understand her faith in gene therapy.  This also made every single page more addicting than the next.  There were a few points that I thought that the book had reached its climax, and worried that there was going to be a wicked plateau.  Thing is that it never came.  No matter how fast the plot moved there was always one more twist waiting to keep the ball rolling.  A few things I found a little predictable, but I think that sometimes that isn't always a bad thing and it worked for Charisma.  It was almost like there was multiple elements swirling together but realistically there wasn't, and it was just excellently written.

  So often we see a main character that wants nothing more than to be something a little different.  Prettier, smarter, sit higher on the social circle and so many other things.  I guess what made Aislyn a memorable character for me, was that she had the potential to be all of these things and more.  She simply wasn't because she had a crippling social disability.  This on its own may not seem like anything special but it made her actions entirely more believable.  There was a acceptance that settled over me when it came to her choice to do something that may have otherwise been out of character.  Though the results were undeniable, there was as always consequences to her actions, and despite her believing it would only effect her but there was so much more at stake.  However, I guess sometimes the risk has to be taken.

  There was a beauty in the way all of the secondary characters were woven into Charisma.  Everyone from Aislyn's mom, to her best (kind of only) friend, to all of the other people she knew at Nova Genetics hold their own in this story.  You would think with so many of the "little people" always in play you would lose some of the clarity in those characters, but you don't.  Ryan managed to give each person no mater how small of a part they play their own voice, their own face.   Each person playing their own part in Aislyn's life before and after her risk.  I particularly loved Sammy her brother and Shane, the douche-bag turned something more.

  Charisma did't let me down.  Admittedly I was worried that I wouldn't get that into it, but that worry washed away so quickly.   The plot was expertly woven and paced out better than I could have ever imagined or wished for.  In my personal opinion there was never a dull moment and I believe readers that are like me will have a hard time putting it down.  If you are looking for a thriller with an almost sci-fi twist look no further than Charisma, it has the magnetism to pull you from the first pages.

Down with the Shine by Kate Karyus Quinn (Review)

Genre:	YA, Fantasy
Publication Date:	April 26, 2016
Pages:	355
Published By:	Harper Teen
Series	Standalone
Review copy:	ebook from Edelweiss for honest review

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There's a reason they say "be careful what you wish for." Just ask the girl who wished to be thinner and ended up smaller than Thumbelina, or the boy who asked for "balls of steel" and got them-literally. And never wish for your party to go on forever. Not unless you want your guests to be struck down by debilitating pain if they try to leave.

These are things Lennie only learns when it's too late-after she brings some of her uncles' moonshine to a party and toasts to dozens of wishes, including a big wish of her own: to bring back her best friend, Dylan, who was abducted and murdered six months ago.

Lennie didn't mean to cause so much chaos. She always thought her uncles' moonshine toast was just a tradition. And when they talked about carrying on their "important family legacy," she thought they meant good old-fashioned bootlegging.

As it turns out, they meant granting wishes. And Lennie has just granted more in one night than her uncles would grant in a year.

Now she has to find a way to undo the damage. But once granted, a wish can't be unmade...

  To put it simply: I'm mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it any more.  So yeah, I'm going to fulfil a a dead girl's wish.  But that's not all of it.  I'm also going to that party to FUCKING OWN IT.

  Grinning, I bring the jar up and take my second swallow.  And this time    the crowd cheers.  It is perhaps the best moment of my life.  I am at the biggest party of the year and I am owning it.  Bow down, bitches.

  "We, Grant. Wishes.  Make a wish isn't a way of saying, 'Down the hatch.' It's our way of saying, 'What do you wish for?' That's it.  Right there.  We grant wishes.  Do you think you maybe got that now?"

  I'd be jealous except, lets face it, some people are meant to rule the world and some are meant to ruin it.  And at this point I don't think there's any doubt which category I fall into. 

  So here's the deal.  I had no clue that this was the same author that wrote Another Little Piece.  It was a book on my must have list in 2014, and though I have it I never got the chance to read it.  I have looked at it longingly many times but it remains on my shelf.  Well, Down with the Shine has made regret never making the time to read ALP.

  The book starts off with a bang.  Well, not literally but seeing Lennie's best friend dies, it's hard to explain the intensity that leads this book into its start.  Having not read the synopsis since originally deciding that I needed this book, the start also took me by surprise.  I was sure that I was in for some sort of contemporary/mystery, but that was quickly remedied.  This book hooked me in with its quick pace and honest characters.  Quinn crafted a twisted and intriguing tale, that was more original than I could have expected, and so addictive I only put it down to sleep... Because I had to.  I can't say that once I understood that Lennie could grant wishes that I knew where everything was going.  In fact despite the fact that you have an idea of the chaos once the wishes are granted, there is always some twist of fate that comes to take out any preconceived ideas you may have.

  I would like to say as far as Lennie goes, that her character was extraordinary but she wasn't really.  Lennie was an outsider because of her notorious father, and kind of isolated herself because she felt judged.  Hell, maybe she was judged, but she had no idea the power that she held either.  She had lost the only friend she felt she had, and only learned her inner power, when she decided not to take life laying down any more.  When I said she wasn't extraordinary, what I meant was she didn't seem that way because despite what she thinks she is anything but ordinary.  I think that Lennie is the type of character that everyone can get behind.  Beyond the fact that she can grant wishes, she is just the girl that wants what she feels is beyond her reach.  Basically, Lennie is the girl next door... Well, she is isn't quite the girl next door because people see her as from the wrong side of the tracks, but on the inside she is the girl next door.

  The entire book is based around Lennie and her 'mistakes', but there is a little wiggle room love and friendship.  When I say love and friendship, I don't just mean Lennie but everyone around her.  It's hard not to see the wishes many made as not just a curse but also a blessing.  Lennie wanted nothing more than her friend back, and Smith wants Lennie to get what she has coming to her.  Problem was that in the process they created a bond that they didn't expect.  Same could be said for so many people that Lennie granted for.  The wishes made a mess of everything, but in the long run as they say "everything happens for a reason,"  and many of the characters became developed in their own way because of this.

  There is no denying that this book was an absolute addiction.  The kind of book that people start and don't put down until the end.  With quirky characters, wonderful pacing and throughout, Down with the Shine is one of my favourite reads this year!  Hats off to Kate Karyus Quinn for creating a fun and unique read that fantasy and paranormal lovers alike will surely devour!

Wandering Wild by Jessica Taylor (Review)

Genre:	YA, Contemporary
Publication Date:	May 3, 2016
Pages:	304
Published By:	Sky Pony Press
Series	Standalone
Review copy:	e-ARC from publisher

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Raised by Wanderers, sixteen-year-old Tal travels the roads of the southern wild in her Chevy by day and camps in her tent trailer at night. Hustling, conning, and grifting her way into just enough cash to save her fifteen-year-old brother, Wen, from bare-knuckle fighting was once enough to keep her dreams of traveling the whole world at bay. Everything changes when the Wanderers set up camp in a little town called Cedar Falls.

There, Spencer Sway, a boy Tal tried to hustle at a game of billiards, keeps popping up into her life—and worst of all—into her scams. Buttoned-up, starched-and-ironed Spencer talks of places where Tal’s truck can’t take her. His promises of traveling across oceans are almost enough to shatter her love of the Wanderer life.

When a boy shows up at camp, ready to make good on a nearly-forgotten arranged marriage to Tal, Tal and Wen make a pact: No matter the cost, they will use their limitless skills of grift to earn the bride price and buy back her future—even if Spencer Sway gets used along the way.

It could have been two years or two days after; I couldn't say.  Maybe childhood memories are that way for everyone   markies and Wanders the same.  But for Wanderers, I suppose, those memories are even more vague.  When nothing is the same from day to day, there's no anchor, only ambiguous, timeless, placeless years that flow together.

The superstitions, the lore, the magic, they're all as common to us as trees.  But the camp's explanation was wrong, and so was their belief in me. 

As the shape of his back moves away from me, I realize something horrible's happened  I let the momentum of Spencer and me build to a dangerous speed.

And we just crashed.

  Picking up a book that comes with something different and unusual, is always enjoyable.  Maybe it's just me but I get especially excited when the book features someones inside view of gypsies, wanderers, a cult, or just some less appreciated culture in general.  I think they are a chance to glance into a world that is not our own, view a life that we may never even get the chance to experience.  Maybe that is that way of all books, but I like the truth and the strength that follows with the characters in these contemporary novels that features a different way of life.  Taylor's Wandering Wild was a beautiful and exceptional example of this.  

  I have read very few books on Wanderers or Gypsies, and honestly I do not know much of their way of life beyond what I have read/heard.  This being said, I really enjoyed getting to see their world through Tal's eyes.  Taylor painted a vivid character that did not resent the situation she was in (in fact she could never imagine being tethered to one place), and she coloured a world that carries its own beliefs and traditions.  I enjoyed the flowing pace and the consistent plot, that headed towards something different.  Wandering Wild carried the kind of pace I desire with the character and world to walk along with it.

  I loved Tal and Wen.  They were a great example of two sides of the same coin.  Tal loved the movement and freedom that being a Wanderer brought her, but she questioned her peoples beliefs.  Wen didn't have a problem with their belief system, but he did wonder what it would be like to stay in one place, become what they targeted: a markie.  Though Talia was the main character, Wen was her brother, her other half.  I think he was what mostly gave her the ability to see beyond, or maybe she had always been looking and I just didn't see that.  Tal was strong, full of ideas and undeniably clever because she had to be.  What I think I quite possibly loved the most was that she was not perfect, she was not completely selfless.  Yes, she loved her brother but she wasn't willing to give in to everything because it might make things easier for him.  Loving him did not mean that she compromised what she wanted.  To some this may be a downfall, but I feel in the end it was what really set her apart.

  As for the love side of things, I would like to say that it didn't matter but it did.  Wen and his love for books and something that didn't belong in his world, and Tal and her romance with Spencer... Who most definitely did not fit in her world.  The thing was though, that he wanted something that intrigued Tal, he wanted to travel.  To Tal she couldn't imagine being in one place for her entire life, but being in one place wouldn't be so bad if she got to see everything that she wanted.  Spencer seemed to live in a world that was unimaginable to Tal but, they both learn not everything is at it seems.  It's when their worlds begin to collide more than either anticipated that they find the connection they didn't expect.  I enjoyed the chemistry and the growth this relationship made as the book progressed.  In fact I would say I enjoyed these two more than I have any other relationship in awhile.

  Wandering Wild is a spectacular debut, that captivated me with its colourful world and developed characters.  I finished this book in less than a day, and I don't even question for a moment that others will do the same.  If you are a fan of contemporary and love to watch worlds collide in a spectacular way, don't hesitate to pick up Wandering Wild.

The Winners Curse by Marie Rutkoski (Review)

Genre:	YA, Fantasy
Publication Date:	March 4, 2014
Pages:	355
Published By:	Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Series:	The Winner's Trilogy #1
Review copy:	Purchased

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Winning what you want may cost you everything you love... 

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

  "If a woman can fight and die for the empire, why can't a woman walk alone?
  "That's the point.  A woman soldier has proved her strength, and so doesn't need protection."
  "Neither do I."

  Arin's heart seemed to be punching its way out of his chest, he was so angry.  But he knew that Cheat was right, and his mood wasn't the auctioneer's fault.  It was his own.  Or hers.

  His speed was terrifying.  Kestrel hit the ground, her cheek scraping dirt, then shoved herself up before Irex could catch her in so vulnerable a position.  As she stood, she saw something gleam on the ground: the very end of her braid, sheared off by the knife.

  This book has sat on my shelf for way too long.  It was an excellent example of: "Why the hell did I not start this sooner?!"  Rutkoski masterfully crafted and executed a fantasy novel with an intriguing plot and unique characters, that have no problem standing out.  I would also like to point out my mistake in thinking that this was some sort of dystopia... It wasn't.  It was probably one of my favourite fantasy novels EVER!!! I'm sure you already got that but I just don't think that I can say it enough.

  So, this is a super hard thing for me to explain without ruining it or making it sound like less than it is.  However, I have to say that there was not a single moment that I wanted to put this book down.  With crystal clarity the characters were developed, without any information dumps or lags in the pace.  That being said, Rutkoski paced out this novel with perfection and in my eyes with no taboos.  There wasn't a dreaded triangle or the damsel in distress, and not even the girl that discovers her power later.  No, The Winners Curse stood out with its strong plot and defined characters.

 Kestrel may not be an anomaly among strong female leads, but she was different in the sense that she knew her strengths and her weaknesses.  She may have had a weakness when it came to a certain boy, but she also had a lot more kindness in a world where only winning matters.  Kestrel had no problems fitting in on the surface, keeping those around her believing that she was all she was supposed to be, but beneath she was so much more.  This is a girl that has a lot to give and some people can appreciate that she is different, but different is also dangerous.  I'm not sure if I related to her or not but I know that I enjoyed every moment I read her.

  Arin and Kestrel's relationship was super complicated, and yet it was kind of the relationship you would expect.  This is not exactly a bad thing, but it was a budding feeling between people that were on opposite ends of a silent war.  They just worked and the chemistry between them is what helped it be enjoyable to watch develop. Kestrel's unexpected draw to Arin, and Arin's inability to not notice that Kestrel herself is different was actually fun to read.  It's like, I knew that they were going to form something and yet I still invested myself from start to finish. This is probably also due to Rutkoski's aptitude for crafting a riveting read.  

  Honestly, I know many people have already sung this books praises and I am quite behind but I loved it!  Between the non stop pace, to the stunning writing, The Winners Curse was a pure pleasure read from start to finish.  I have no doubt that I will devour the next two books without any regret.  Fans of fantasy will love this read, and I actually wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to fans of dystopia's either.

The Crown by Kiera Cass (Review)

Genre:	YA, Dystopia
Publication Date:	May 3, 2016
Pages:	279
Published By:	Harper Teen
Series	The Selection #5
Review copy:	Purchased

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Selection, she didn’t think she would fall in love with any of her thirty-five suitors. She spent the first few weeks of the competition counting down the days until she could send them all home. But as events at the palace force Eadlyn even further into the spotlight, she realizes that she might not be content remaining alone.

Eadlyn still isn’t sure she’ll find the fairytale ending her parents did twenty years ago. But sometimes the heart has a way of surprising you…and soon Eadlyn must make a choice that feels more impossible—and more important—than she ever imagined.

  No, this whole process made no sense, but I could see how it happened, how your heart could get swept up in the endeavor.  And that was my hope now: that somehow duty and love would overlap, and I'd find myself happy in the middle of it.

"If I'm going to be Queen one day, I need to win the people over."
  "And you think finding a husband is the way to accomplish that?"  Mom asked suspiciously.
  "Yes.  It's all about their perception of me.  They think I'm too masculine.  The most absolute way to refute that is to be a bride."

  I had felt it growing, this feeling that had been hiding beneath the surface for some time now.  I'd seen him, this person who never intended to be seen, and my faulty, silly, useless heart kept whispering his name.  I clutched my chest, feeling my heart racing.  "You treacherous, treacherous thing.  What have you done?"

  This series has been truly something, a series of up and downs.  The only book I didn't read right after the release was The Selection, and that was only to allow some of the hype to die down.  The Crown I just couldn't get my hands on quick enough.  Not for any other reason than this was the end, this was it.  No, I didn't want the series to end but honestly I did just want to know.  Especially after the mixed feelings that The Heir caused to ripple through me page after page.

  There is so much that you can't really say with this series without spoiling anything.  With all honesty I wish that there was more to this book.  Please don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it.  I enjoyed the way that it ended, but I wish that the journey to get there was a little more detailed.  Undoubtedly there was a lot that needed to be packed into this final instalment and so many expectations, but I wish that sometimes it had been a little more fleshed out.  There were times that it felt like I knew how it was ending, but wanted to savour it a little bit longer.

  The biggest thing for me (beyond the fact I was happy with how everything ended) was that, Eadlyn was truly redeemed.  She was almost a breaking point for me in the previous book and though I started to warm up to her, there was still room for so much to go wrong with her in this book.  However, she truly came into her own and became more than I could have every expected.  Once again because this is the last book I don't want to say too much but despite a few obvious choices, Eadlyn really did become a character that I enjoyed.  She learned through everything and took the steps that she needed to, not only for herself but for the people of her country as well.  She still does have some growing to do but she is for sure on the right path.

  When it comes to romance and the men of this book there is really not much to be said.  I think that some of their secrets that came out shocked me but beyond that it was fairly obvious who wasn't going to be in the final three.  This was probably the more predictable part of the book and I was okay with this.  In fact most people that have followed this series probably were.  The thing is Cass put a little twist in there.  Okay, I kind of expected it but still it did initially surprise me that it all wrapped up the way it did.  There was so much at stake for these guys and some made unexpected steps, while others went a way that no one could have expected.  Overall, I really enjoyed how everything turned out for each guy and the true colors that shone so brightly from each towards the end.

  The Crown was the end that I had hoped for.  Part of me wishes there was more, that we could see how the decisions that Eadlyn made played out.  This is one dystopia series that I feel complete by, which is no easy task.  It's hard to feel satisfied with the end, when often the end is only the beginning in dystopia novels.  I would have to say that overall Cass nailed it and I hope to be able to pick up more reads by her in the future.  If you haven't started this series, I would highly recommend it if you are a fan of dystopia and stunning covers!!

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (Review)

Genre:	YA, Retelling, Fantasy
Publication Date:	May 5, 2015
Pages:	416
Published By:	Sky Pony Press
Series	A Court of Thorns and Roses #1
Review copy:	Won

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Amazon ~ B&N ~ Chapters

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it... or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

  He snorted as I took the knife from the table and turned to procure the bow from my room.  "I think I'm starting to like you   for a murdering human."

  He left me, and I took a gasping breath, not realizing I'd been holding it.

  Not realizing that I craved his warmth, his nearness, until he was gone.

I knew   I knew I was headed down a path that would likely end in my mortal heart being left in pieces, and yet...And yet I couldn't stop myself.

  Why in the heck of it did it take me so long to pick up this book??!!  I am such a sucker for twisted tales and I have heard phenomenal things about Sarah J. Maas, that after reading this book I'm really not sure what is wrong with me!  I mean Beauty and the Beast tossed up with Fey and twisted into something EPIC with brilliant writing, and dazzling characters!!  There's very obviously something wrong with me.  A Court of Thorns and Roses was a blow your mind kind of read and I want more!

  How do you even talk about plot and pacing, when all of the words that I want to say come out garbled.  I mean this is one of those books that makes you go OMG and HOLY ****!! Everything in this book, for me was all kinds of perfect.  How do you express this kind of love for a book in words, because there are none to do it justice.  The setting was fleshed out extremely well, I loved every step through the world Maas created.  Every character that she sculpted vivid and had a depth that was beyond what I had expected.  This is a perfect example of stepping right into the pages and becoming a part of the book.  From the start A Court of Thorns and Roses was the perfect book for me.

  One of the best things about Feyre is her complete honesty.  I'm not even sure that I can properly put this girl into words.  She is strong because she feels she has to be, and then she is strong because that's what she wants to be.  The snark and the personality of this kick ass character was addictive.  This is the type of character that you want to read, you want more of and you route for.  A part of me wants to say that she had some huge character flaw but I just can't find one.  Honest.  She is bad ass, beautiful and everything that so many of us want in a heroine.  Her one mistake becomes her saving grace and yet the end of everything she thought to be true.  She is totally a case of the end is only the beginning and yet she is far beyond a happily ever after.  Feyre's journey is only beginning and yet everything has already changed for her.  Seriously I love her and I cannot wait to see how she handles everything

   I'm not going to lie to and tell you that Tamlin was awesome or that I completely fell for him.  The truth is that up until about 3/4 the way through the book I was even fond of him.  I'm not sure why there was no connection because by about half way I started to feel that Feyre and him could work.  It's a retelling of Beauty and the Beast so it was bound to happen, but part of me worried about their lack of chemistry.  Their biggest buffer was his best friend and then Rhys stepped in.  Once again I'm not sure how I felt about that.  I'm sure that they could create some super steamy, sparks flying and review aflame romance but honestly by the end I was so happy with Tamlin and Feyre.  They work in their own way, actually give a crap about each other and after everything I just plain want them to work after everything. I'm not saying I'll rally against the next book if something happens but for all things holy, I really hope the romance can hang in there without adding an extra point.

  A Court of Thorns and Roses was basically everything that I had hoped and wanted.  There are really no words that I can use to express just how awesome this read is.  My first Maas book was a total success and I am eagerly looking forward to reading A Court of Mist and Fury now that I have managed to get a semi acceptable review out on this one.  If you are a lover of twisted tales, fae and/or fantasy this is a MUST read.  I highly doubt we will find many people out there that enjoy fantasy and don't want to hug this book!!