fantasy

BOOK REVIEW: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

Book Review

siegeandstorm

Author: Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy/Romance
Series: The Grisha Trilogy (Book 2)

Siege and Storm: ★★★★★!!!

SUMMARY: Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long. The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her–or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

Book 2 did not disappoint! Wow. Siege and Storm was an amazing read. There was so much development in the characters and the story that I found myself immersed in its tangled plot from page one. I finished the book in two days and probably would have finished it in one if I hadn’t forced myself to stop reading it because my copy of Ruin and Rising hadn’t been delivered yet.

Bardugo really has a way with weaving her words so seamlessly that you fall into this pace while reading that just flows. It’s a natural rhythm that allows you to completely concentrate on the story and its characters. Her descriptions are stunning and haunting: the representation of darkness, the struggles and humor of characters, and the rising tension. Throughout the book you find yourself expecting, waiting for this one thing to happen and then BAM when you least expect it, it happens.

I’m sure there are some readers who may find that the middle section of the book was lagging, but I think every scene was essential to building the tension and developing Alina and her struggles as well as the building relationship with the other characters. I really felt her fears and concerns as she’s thrust into a high position that her former self never would have even fathomed. She doesn’t have instant success and it is apparent that she is working toward a goal that seems so far away. So in my opinion, the build up, the preparations, the meetings, all made the situation very real and believable. A+ (Plus, I just wanted to keep reading more and when the pages started dwindling at the end, I got more and more anxious heh)

ALINA: The main character. Her inner turmoil had her questioning almost everything she thought and did. In the first book she was tentative and very unsure of herself, but in book 2 she really came out of her shell and did the best she could even when she knew she wasn’t prepared for it. I loved that her flaws were so apparent; it makes her real, because nobody is perfect.

MAL: Oh Mal, Mal, Mal. I still love him and I totally understand why he acted the way he did. I was heartbroken for him and I have my suspicions about how his role in the story is going to unravel in Book 3, but I’ll keep that to myself because if I’m right, then it’s going to be a major spoiler.

NIKOLAI: I love Nikolai too! I’m a fickle girl. Some part of me wants Alina to end up with Nikolai, but I don’t think it’ll happen. Nikolai is a myriad of personalities and I’m still not sure who he really is, but that’s his appeal. Every dialogue that he was a part of brought a smile to my face. The book ends without really saying what happened to him, but knowing him, I’m sure he’ll make a flashy return into the story.

THE DARKLING: Still the evil darkness, but I feel like he’s this tortured soul that actually really cares about Alina and feels the strong connection to her. Like calls to like. I’m really looking forward for the mystery behind him to unravel in the last book.

So, while I was reading this book, I can’t remember at what part it was, but something in my mind just clicked and I think I figured out a huge plot twist that’s going to happen in Book 3. It makes so much sense in my head and I’m like 110% sure that I’m right about it, but I’m not going to say it, because again, I’ll be ruining it for anyone who wants to/is reading right now (And those who ruin endings of books must be excommunicated). However, I still have no idea how the whole story is going to be wrapped up. There are a lot of loose ends that need to be tied. One thing I have no idea about is who Alina is going to end up with, or maybe she doesn’t end up with anyone…DUN DUN DUNNNNN.

I cannot recommend this series enough. It’s definitely a contender for my FAVORITE series to date. I can’t find a flaw that bothers me and I’m literally obsessed with it. I love how complex the characters are and how they’re so consistently portrayed throughout each book. Did I mention this series is going to be made into a movie??? UGHGHGH I’m literally bouncing off the walls just thinking about it. But really, I finished this book at 4 a.m. last night and couldn’t fall asleep because of how good it was. (I almost contemplated on just staying up to write this review). Addiction at its best!

I want to start Book 3 so bad, but I’m going on a retreat this weekend, so I’m forcing myself to wait until I come back. READ THE GRISHA TRILOGY! (And then discuss with me your suspicions!)

Buy it on Amazon!

BOOK REVIEW: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Book Review

shadow-and-bone_hi-res-677x1024

Author: Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy/Romance
Series: Grisha Trilogy (Book 1)

Shadow and Bone: ★★★★★!!

SUMMARY: Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee. Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.

HOLY SHIZZ! This book is seriously the best book I have read this year. Red Queen was the first book to really get me out of my reading slump, but SHADOW AND BONE seriously dug up my passion for reading fantasy books that I hadn’t noticed I buried for so many years. I LOVED IT. First off, I have nothing bad to say about it. It’s the first book of a trilogy and I have Siege and Storm (Book 2), but I refuse to start it until I have Ruin and Rising (Book 3) because I don’t want to be antsy waiting for it since I’m sure I’ll finish the second book even quicker than I did the first one. Okay enough fangirling, I’ll write my review now (hopefully without spoilers!)

I loved Bardugo’s writing style. Technically, it was simple and I felt like there was the perfect amount of variety in sentence structure. It didn’t feel as much as reading as it did the words flying into my head into a visual tizzy (if that makes any sense–I’m a very visual person). I thought there was just enough foreshadowing and I’m not sure if certain points of the plot were intentional, but the flow of the book was spot on. There’s this one part (by the lake) that when it happened, I had to reread it because it was so sudden and random that I thought it was a poor choice of a plot point, but then once I finished the book, I thought back on it and realized how ingenious it actually was.

World building. Perfect. I didn’t get bogged down with unnecessary descriptions and I never felt like the book was dragging. Everything was believable from the characters to the setting of the world. Page count wise, it’s actually a pretty lengthy read, but while I read it, I never even noticed; if anything, I noticed how fast I was flying through the pages. It was absolutely fantastic.

There are similarities to other young adult fantasy books I’ve read recently (from what I know, this one was written first sooo….) but it was definitely original enough for me to not care. Just to give you an idea, here’s an example:

Red Queen: The main character is a Red (person with no special powers) but in a life threatening situation she discovers she’s special and actually does have powers.

Shadow and Bone: The main character is a seemingly normal girl but desperate to save her childhood crush, she discovers she’s special and has a power that rivals the strongest man in the world.

(Each novel has their own reasons why the powers exist in each individual and both are unique so it didn’t bother me too much. In my opinion, I think Shadow and Bone is more original than Red Queen, though.)

I had so many emotions reading this book. I’m sure my sister found me annoying, because while I was reading in my room I would be yelling, groaning, and squealing more often than someone, who could be considered sane while reading words on a page, should be. But, seriously that’s how engrossed I was while reading this book. It’s been a SUPER long time since I felt this way about while reading anything. And I typically never reread books, for whatever reason, but I honestly would consider reading this one again. Obsessed I am.

ALINA: She has her faults, but I’m glad because no character, especially the main character, should be perfect. She was definitely a likable character and an honest to good girl, who got lost here and there (but who doesn’t?). She discovers who/what she is and what she is capable of. Every choice she makes is understandable because you read enough about her past that helps to really form her into a living being. Making a choice that haunts her in the end makes me look forward to how she’ll overcome it in the next book.

MAL: wahhhh I love him. Can I have him? He’s the childhood friend/crush. He’s absolutely adorable and while his physical presence is absent the majority of the book, it makes his return that much sweeter. Even though he doesn’t have special powers like Alina (or does he?) he’s reliable and not whiny. He is the naive boy next door, who becomes a man by the end of the book. There were hints of a love triangle going on, but at the end you feel like that possibility is squashed, but I’m staying on my toes because I really don’t know what Bardugo has in store for them.

THE DARKLING: Ok, so I’m still on the edge about this character. I really don’t know what to expect because in the beginning he intrigued me, then I started to like him, and then I was like “what the hell…” But I feel like there is so much more to this character and I know he’s a complicated fellow because at ~120 years old, how can you not be complicated?

They’re making Shadow and Bone into a MOVIE. YESSS. Because, seriously I was able to picture every single detail in my head. And as much as I love to create the image in my mind, I love it when I can actually see it come to life. I. can’t. wait. Fantasy movies are the best, I don’t care what anyone thinks. They are.

SHADOW AND BONE gets a standing ovation of 5/5 stars from me. And if this book is on your TBR list, then move it up to the top immediately and start, because it’s fantastic and you will not regret it. Comment what you thought, I need someone to talk about this book with!! HEH.

Buy it on Amazon!

quote from Kalcyon

The Phoenix Ashes Trilogy

For every embrace of warmth, there was an icy chill. For every candle paving a path, there was a light being blown out. For every child safely tucked away in bed, there was one trapped in a prison.

-Kalcyon

BOOK REVIEW: The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

Book Review

The Darkest Part of the Forest

Author: Holly Black
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy/Gay & Lesbian
Series: No

The Darkest Part of the Forest: ★★.5

So, I had to wait a while before I could write my review for The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black, because I wasn’t exactly sure how I felt about it. Overall, I wasn’t excited nor did I hate it. It just fell flat for me. The cover art is dreadfully beautiful and I really wanted to love it–it was the only part of the book that I actually loved.

The writing was simple, which isn’t an issue to me, but I did find it somewhat repetitive. I understand that authors should maintain a consistent writing style throughout a book, but I found that she continually wrote the same types of sentences. And these sentences stood out like a sore thumb every time she did it. For example, when she listed things: “Then she walked fast, elbowing through the merry crowd; past pipers and fiddlers; past stick-thin fairies with powdery wings; past willowy green women with black mouths and tongues, wearing dresses fine as mist; past long-fingered girls with crowns……..” and the list goes on for about FIVE more times. There were at least 3-4 times the author did this and even though her descriptions were very whimsical, I found myself skimming over it.

I found that the premise of the book was overall very promising. It revolved around this sleeping horned-boy/prince–just like Sleeping Beauty. But, I found myself wanting to learn more about the Horned-Boy (Severin). The focus shifted so quickly that I found myself disappointed that his past was just kind of thrown into the mess as a means of just appeasing readers. I was not appeased, not completely at least. The flow of the book started really slow and all of the sudden the conflict hit and BAM the climax. Done. There just wasn’t enough for me to really take it all in and it left me feeling…bleh. I feel like the end scene was supposed to be this super epic moment, but it really didn’t come off that way to me.

NOTE!!! This book includes homosexual themes. And I’m going to be really careful what I say because I know it’s a sensitive topic in which heated debates arise. I want you all to know that I’m Christian and homosexuality is against my faith. With that being said, I don’t go condemning homosexuals for their life choices. I watch Project Runway all the time and I love the gay people on there (they’re usually the most hilarious/creative ones). Anyways, Hazel’s brother Ben is gay and when it was first introduced it shocked me because I wasn’t expecting it. I just didn’t think his homosexuality was believable in all honesty–I mean if you’re going to make a character gay, then please own it. I wouldn’t have known he was gay unless the author had literally written it down (which she did). Basically, parents, be aware it does play a large role in this (I won’t write the spoiler here) book.

HAZEL: A good chunk of the book was the development of her character, but at the end of the book she didn’t even know who she really was. I wanted to see her develop and discover herself, though that didn’t happen.

BEN: The gay brother, who didn’t seem too gay save the fact he went around kissing boys. There was a lot of hidden torture in this character that I felt would’ve been interesting for readers to learn more about, however you only really get just barely under the surface level.

JACK: Jack was probably my favorite character. I wish there was more about him. I think the turmoil he suffered being part of both Faerieland and Fairfold could’ve been exploited even further.

SEVERIN (THE HORNED-BOY): I didn’t really like him. I was expecting to like him, but I didn’t. He was one-dimensional and the only big development was his realization at the end of the book (WHICH WAS WAY RANDOM AND NOT AT ALL SWEET…)

All in all, I can’t say that I would explicitly recommend this book to my friends. I wouldn’t tell you guys to go out and buy it, but if you’re able to borrow it from the library or a fellow bookworm, then I would say that’s the way to go. Thus, The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black is rated a 2.5 in my library. (Sigh…that’s the lowest review I’ve ever given) Reminder my rating is based on my personal preference, you might read this book and find it the most amazing read ever.

BUY IT ON AMAZON

Flash Reveal! – Kalcyon Prologue

The Phoenix Ashes Trilogy

So, it’s been awhile since I’ve posted anything about Kalcyon, the second book of The Phoenix Ashes trilogy. Today, I decided I’m going to release the prologue! I can’t wait to release this book, because I’m loving it even more than Karnage (I didn’t even know that it would be possible)

 

Prologue

“WOULD YOU PLEASE come down from there?” I fidgeted, absentminded I kicked a small rock on the ground. Alythea always had a mind of her own and there was nobody who could stop her from doing the crazy things she did. It was a God-given gift that she hadn’t died yet, and sometimes I really believed that she never would.

            Her Phersu was a beautiful creature. Its wings were smooth opaque chimes that released the most musically hypnotic sound making you feel lost in a never-ending dream. It was an impossibly majestic bird, frighteningly enchanting with a daunting prowess—they always said Phersus took after their owners.

            Alythea was one of the first and only students to have a hatched Phersu. There were rumors of one other student who had one before her, but we had never seen him attend a class in the time we had been there.

            “Care to join me?” she teased with a wide grin. I rolled my eyes and placed my hands on my hips as I glared up at her. She knew exactly why I refused to join her in the obscenely tall tree in the first place.

            I was deathly afraid of heights. I preferred to remain grounded; I didn’t trust anything that I couldn’t feel or see. Alythea on the other hand, loved everything about the sky; she reached for it as if she would one day be able to grab hold of it, and the impossibility only kept her from giving up. It was the ephemeral reveries that tickled her mind that had her asking for more, demanding for something beyond ordinary. And, she was anything but ordinary. It was fitting that her Phersu had hatched to be a bird.

            Sometimes, I wondered how we were such good friends when we were so different. Maybe it was because I secretly wanted to be like her: hopelessly free, uninhibited, and boldly daring. They were qualities that indisputably sparked my curiosity but crept like a haunting trance that threatened to overpower me.

            I heard the jingle of her Phersu’s feathers. It never got old. The tickle in my ears left a light and pleasurable feeling inside and smoothed my wrinkled frustrations with Alythea away. A soft thud on the bouncy grass blowing in the breeze told me she had finally decided to come down and join me.

            “One day, I’ll get you to come up the tree with me,” she vowed. Despite their lack of color, her steely eyes had more depth than anyone I had ever known. It played with the lights and reflected any vibrancy it took in.

            “I insist you stop trying,” I negated. “I really love it here on the ground. Always have and always will.”

            “The world is a whole new place up there.” She admired the endless blue sky. We took a moment to soak in the warm inviting rays of sunlight that escaped through the whimsical thicket of the leaves as it kissed the goosebumps on our skin away. It was amazing that only a decade had past. Celestria was beautiful and at peace once again.

            It was a time of healing and rejuvenation for Valkryns was on the rise. In Celestria, Valkryns had always been reveled and honored. Greatness was Valkryns. Only when the Night of the Phoenix had devastated Celestria had fear ever been connected with the Valkryn name. Nonetheless, somehow the Founders managed to restore Celestria’s trust in Valkryns and the wish to possess a Ceres was once more, the most desired gift. I guess it was a blessing in disguise, because we were now given the opportunity to receive proper training at Vanderwald.

            A crack of a twig and the crunching of the earthy ground caught our attention. As usual, against my better judgment, I had followed Alythea here even though I knew we were deeper in the forest than students were instructed to go.

            Then I saw him. His black hair was brushed to the side as he walked with an assertive and strong gaze locked on us. My heart skipped a beat for the first time and something inside me ignited. The sensation pulsed and a strong pull struggled to break free. His eyes flickered to mine as if he sensed the power struggling inside of me; I was immediately drawn in by his dangerously ash gray eyes soaked with calamity.

            This was the moment that changed everything. There was no way I could’ve known what was in store for me. Little did I know, I had been born for this single minute; the wheels of fate had begun to turn in the cruelest possible way. The three of us stood in the forest staring at each other for what felt like an eternity; this moment would be forever etched in my memory; and, it was the last thing I saw when I died.

            It all began the day I met Logan Bray.

-Kalcyon