Review - Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier

by Kerstin Gier
publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
date of publication: October 30, 2012
format: ARC
pages: 368
source: publisher
series: Ruby Red Trilogy

From Goodreads:

Gwen’s life has been a rollercoaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit of their blood (gross!), she’s been trying to figure out what all the mysteries and prophecies surrounding the Circle really mean.

At least Gwen has plenty of help. Her best friend Lesley follows every lead diligently on the Internet. James the ghost teaches Gwen how to fit in at an eighteenth century party. And Xemerius, the gargoyle demon who has been following Gwen since he caught her kissing Gideon in a church, offers advice on everything. Oh, yes. And of course there is Gideon, the Diamond. One minute he’s very warm indeed; the next he’s freezing cold. Gwen’s not sure what’s going on there, but she’s pretty much destined to find out.

Picking up where Ruby Red left off, Sapphire Blue at first suggests that things are going to progress in much the same manner as before.  Gone, however, is some of Gwen's carefree spirit.  She has been through a lot and it really starts to show in Sapphire Blue.  What I as a reader am not so sure about, however, is whether or not I like where things are going.  There are certain themes that I simply can't enjoy that are starting to crop up in the series that I sincerely hope don't come to fruition.  I don't think I could take it.  I will share those concerns with you as well as the things I enjoyed today.

Gwen.  What do I say about Gwen?  While she still has much of what made her such a great main character in Ruby Red, she is starting to fall victim to that most dreaded theme in YA:  the so-called bad boy.  More often than not, bad boy is code for jackass, which is unfortunately the case for Gideon.  This is probably one case where I would welcome a love triangle just in hopes that Gwen might come to her senses and kick Gideon to the curb.  Unless she falls for that pesky little gargoyle, however, that isn't likely to be the case.  While Gideon has his moments where he isn't completely heinous, there are also points that made me want to reach through the book and slap him on the back of the head a la NCIS.  When you spend more time outraged by the love interest than the villains, you know there's a problem.  Other than her penchant for questionable love interests, however, I enjoyed Gwen's reactions to the experiences she had.  Each trip into the past provided a lot of entertainment and really played up the sparkle of her personality.  I sincerely hope this doesn't go away in the next book, as it is definitely a favorite.

Just when I thought I couldn't enjoy the settings more, Gier pulls off scenes that are beyond all those that came before.  I was especially impressed with Gwen and Gideon's trip back in time to a party that occurred during the Rococo period (at least, I'm pretty sure that's the right one; it's been a few weeks).  As just one example of the vibrancy of Gier's world-building, let me just say that picturing this time period I am only vaguely familiar with was a breeze thanks to the great care taken in describing everything from the dress to the architecture.  That this was accomplished without an overload in information is simply great.

I am still holding out hope for the final installment in this series.  Though I remain not sold on the romance aspect of this story, the world-building and intrigue manage to make up for it.  If you enjoy a good time travel narrative, this series is definitely worth your attention.  With such vivid imagery and just the right amount of tension, Sapphire Blue was able to resist the sophomore slump and leads me to believe that there is still much to look forward to in Emerald Green.  So long as I don't feel compelled to rant and the world building remains as well-done as before, I will be a very happy reader.

Buy Sapphire Blue at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

Obligatory legal statement: This advance review copy was provided to me free of charge by the publisher. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

Review - Ruby Red

by Kerstin Gier
publisher: Henry Holt BFYR
date of publication: May 10, 2011
format: hardcover
pages: 324
source: own
rating: 5 out of 5

From Goodreads:

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

I'll preface this by saying that my good friend Amy has earned the right to say, "I told you so!"  She told me how enjoyable this book is and, as always, she's right!  From the very first chapter to the very last page, there is so much to discover.  Time travel, plots, danger, humor, and clothes.  Oh, the clothes.  If you are at all interested in different points in English history, you should definitely check it out. 

Gwyneth turned out to be such a fun character.  She has gone through life in the shadows of her golden child cousin, Charlotte, yet she takes it all with good grace.  When she discovers that she is, in fact, the inheritor of the time travel gene, her world is pretty much rocked.  You have to hand it to her, she made quite the entrance on her second trip!  Though she is unprepared for her new role, Gwyneth, though unhappy, knows she will have to take charge.  She's not perfect, but her imperfections help to make her the great character she is.

I thought I would be spending the book just waiting for the time travel scenes.  That was definitely not the case.  Gwyneth's home time period has its very own charms that makes it just as engaging as the time periods she travels to.  After all, funny classmates and a friendly ghost don't exactly make for a boring reading experience!  Each setting is well thought out and vividly described.  It wasn't much of a stretch at all to picture Gwyneth's surroundings.  The writing in Ruby Red is smooth and well-wrought, as well.  It was so easy to become immersed in this fantastic story.

The only thing about Ruby Red that I'm sorry about is that I didn't read it sooner.  I practically tore through this book and couldn't believe it when I came to the last page.  It's all I can do to wait to read Sapphire Blue.  This series has the promise of a great story and fun reading.  Ruby Red is definitely piquing my interest in time travel novels.  I'm definitely a fan after having read this book.  I think many of you, dear readers, will enjoy it, too.

Review - Shadow and Bone

by Leigh Bardugo
publisher: Henry Holt & Co. BYR
date of publication: June 5, 2012
format: ARC
pages: 368
source: from the publisher for review
read it in: 2 days

From Goodreads:

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.

In Ravka, there is a place where only monsters dwell and mankind fears to tread.  The Fold is a place of nightmares and, unfortunately, Alina Starkov is part of the regiment assigned with the task of crossing it.  When things go horribly wrong on the journey across this dark wasteland, Alina is found to possess a miraculous gift that could turn back the tides of darkness.  As she undergoes training to become a member of the Grisha, the magical counterpart of Ravka's army, Alina learns that nothing is as it seems.  Will she claim her untapped power and, if so, at what cost?

The characters that make up Shadow and Bone are nothing short of spectacular, especially Alina.  She is a girl who knows what she wants and isn't one to suffer fools.  Even when she is essentially press-ganged into the Grisha fold, she still goes in on as many of her own terms as she possibly can, even going so far as to turn down what to her is an unearned advancement.  She possesses steely determination that left me very impressed with her as the book progressed.  Though she is, at times, self-deprecating and lacks confidence, she eventually grows and becomes a formidable opponent for those who would see her fail.  The Darkling, the mysterious leader of the Grisha, kept me guessing the entire time.  He is the perfect kind of mysterious for this book.  The shocks I experienced at his hands were nothing short of staggering.  As for Mal, I only wish there had been a bit more time to get to know him better.  I spent half the time he appeared being frustrated with him and the other half being intrigued.  I must know more!

I simply adored the world building that Leigh Bardugo accomplished in Shadow and Bone.  Her descriptions of Ravka swirl off the page and almost seem to hover before your very eyes.  I especially loved reading about the Little Palace, the site of Grisha headquarters.  The palace intrigue along with the descriptions of its structure were amazing and I couldn't get enough.  The writing itself was so riveting that I immediately wanted the rest of the series right then and there.  I am sure that I could have read them all back-to-back and been a happy camper.

Shadow and Bone is nothing short of extraordinary.  It has one of the most imaginative worlds I have read about in quite some time.  Its Russian flair made for an intriguing tone and the dangers described were simply chilling.  Chock full of action, magic, romance, and betrayal, Shadow and Bone will pull you in and won't let you go until the last word on the last page has been read.  This is one book that will demand your attention and will compel you to read it time and time again.  This reader just couldn't get enough!

Buy Shadow and Bone at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

Obligatory legal statement: This advance review copy was provided to me free of charge by the publisher.  No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

Cover Alert 2

There were three more awesome cover reveals today.  Hasn't it just been a great week for cover reveals?  This time, the reveals were for Ten by Gretchen McNeil, Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo, and Glass Heart by Amy Garvey.  First up is Ten...

Ten by Gretchen McNeil (coming September 18, 2012 from Balzer+Bray)

Gretchen McNeil has a way with thrillers, as evidenced by her debut, Possess.  Though Ten won't be a paranormal thriller/horror novel, I can't wait to read it.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (coming June 5, 2012 from Henry Holt BYR)

I was surprised to get an ARC of this book in the mail this week from Macmillan and am thrilled to get the chance to read it.  Now that I can see what the final cover looks like, I am even more excited!  You have got to read this plot description. 

Glass Heart by Amy Garvey (coming October 2012 from HarperTeen)

There is just something about this cover that I really like.  I haven't read Cold Kiss as of yet, but I do have it and am really looking forward to it.  I plan to read it as soon as I possibly can.  I just have to whittle down my review list first.