Review - God Save the Queen by Kate Locke

by Kate Locke
publisher: Orbit
date of publication: July 3, 2012
format: ARC
pages: 354
source: LibraryThing Early Reviewers

From Goodreads:

Queen Victoria rules with an immortal fist.

The undead matriarch of a Britain where the Aristocracy is made up of werewolves and vampires, where goblins live underground and mothers know better than to let their children out after dark. A world where being nobility means being infected with the Plague (side-effects include undeath), Hysteria is the popular affliction of the day, and leeches are considered a delicacy. And a world where technology lives side by side with magic. The year is 2012 and Pax Britannia still reigns.

Xandra Vardan is a member of the elite Royal Guard, and it is her duty to protect the Aristocracy. But when her sister goes missing, Xandra will set out on a path that undermines everything she believed in and uncover a conspiracy that threatens to topple the empire. And she is the key-the prize in a very dangerous struggle.

 

Having been a fan of other works by Kate Locke (in the persona of Kady Cross), I was very much looking forward to God Save the Queen in spite of my continuing disinterest in vampire stories (the burn out continues).  In many ways, God Save the Queen was as I expected.  In the areas of world building and plot, this book was right up my alley.  There were, however, things that just didn't work for me.  Both sides of the coin will be covered in this review and I will tell you all about why I was left on the fence about continuing with this series.

Xandra Vardan as a main character left me feeling conflicted.  On the one hand, she's spunky, determined, and capable of much butt-kicking.  What's not to love, you may ask?  For me, the dislike comes in due to Xandra's voice.  I get that the story takes place in London, thus there is bound to be some English slang used.  However, for much of the book it just felt like overkill.  When it gets to the point that one feels intense exasperation every time the main character speaks, that says something.  So far as the remaining cast of characters goes, however, I very much enjoyed the variety (vampires, werewolves, goblins, and humans) and the wide array of personalities.  It definitely helped make up for a not-so-appealing MC.

The world building is probably the most well-done aspect of this book.  While I hesitate to dub God Save the Queen full-on steampunk, it definitely had lovely flourishes of steampunk goodness.  Instead, it has a distinctly urban fantasy feel that worked great with the high level of action and the background for how this world came to be.  I especially enjoyed the sublevels of London where the goblins hold court.  Overall, this is a gritty, dangerous world where you can never quite guess what will happen next.

While I didn't hate God Save the Queen, I also failed to completely win me over.  After following this first installment of Xandra's story, I am unsure as to whether or not I can bring myself to pick up the second book.  While I liked where the story was headed at the very end, I just can't tell if it will continue along the same vein.  I will continue to keep an ear out for others' opinions and decide as I hear more about where things are headed and whether or not the copious use of slang subsides.

Buy God Save the Queen 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 via LibraryThing Early Reviewers. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

Review - Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi

by Veronica Rossi
publisher: HarperTeen
date of publication: January 8, 2013
format: digital review copy
pages: 352
source: Edelweiss

From Goodreads:

It's been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, finally, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect. The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both.

Threatened by false friends, hidden enemies, and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night?

In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and dystopian elements to create a captivating love story as perilous as it is unforgettable.

In Through the Ever Night, the second installment of Veronica Rossi's Under the Never Sky series, we once again meet Aria, Perry, and Roar as they reel from the aftermath that was the culmination of Under the Never Sky.  Each now carries a heavy burden that leaves each facing challenge upon challenge.  It is these challenges, as well as the increasing dangers of the volatile atmosphere, that lend Through the Ever Night its intensity and overall appeal.  As a continuation, Through the Ever Night delivered in so many ways.

Aria continued her track record of being both stubborn and pragmatic.  Both traits help to make her the intriguing character she has been since the very beginning.  However, there was a little something lacking.  The best way I can describe it is Je ne sais quoi.  I can't quite put my finger on it, but something in the way Aria handled the situation in the Tides community and her relationship with Perry didn't quite match expectations.  Perry, too, left me feeling bewildered at times, even to the point of wanting to reach through the book to shake him and ask what the heck he thought he was doing.  Roar proved to be the rising star this time around.  He exhibited a great range of emotion and even more of the things that make Roar, well, Roar are revealed.  He then became all the more likable as a character and left me looking forward to seeing what he gets up to next.

So far as the plot goes, Through the Ever Night presented what one would expect after reading Under the Never Sky.  There is a great deal of social conflict, atmospheric volatility, and much betrayal and overall evil behavior.  However, the sense of urgency behind it all just wasn't doing it for me.  I wouldn't say that I felt blasé about the whole thing, but I came quite close.  There were some shake-ups and unexpected events that kept me on my toes, but there were also certain occurrences that were almost too predictable, leaving me feeling so-so about them.  I will say, though, that the continuation of the Liv storyline was superb.  It was interesting, enjoyable and, ultimately, fraught with emotion. 

This series continues to hold my attention captive and grows on me even more with every new addition.  It's hard not to become wrapped up in the story of Aria, Perry, Roar, and Liv.  It's also difficult to ignore world-building that includes skies roiling with aether storms of such magnitude as to remain a constant threat.  If you've already read Under the Never Sky and are hoping for another great story, you won't be disappointed.  If you have yet to read either book, I highly recommend them.  Through the Ever Night is especially fun to read on stormy days.  Talk about your atmosphere!

Buy Through the Ever Night at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

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

 

Review - Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

by Marissa Meyer
publisher: Feiwel & Friends
date of publication: February 5, 2013
format: ARC
source: from the publisher for review
pages: 464

From Goodreads:

Cinder returns in the second thrilling installment of the New York Times-bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She’s trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn’t know about her grandmother and the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she has no choice but to trust him, though he clearly has a few dark secrets of his own.

As Scarlet and Wolf work to unravel one mystery, they find another when they cross paths with Cinder. Together, they must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen who will do anything to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner.

Picking up right where Cinder leaves off, Scarlet takes an already fantastic story and runs with it, all the while introducing more characters and creating even more nuances for what is already an intriguing and fully engaging story.  This isn't the Little Red Riding Hood you may remember from your childhood.  Instead, you get to experience a futuristic, suspenseful adventure that will render you speechless.

Not only do we get to continue with Cinder (who we already know is an awesome character), we also meet a new character, Scarlet, who has her own challenges and her own objective.  In some ways, Scarlet has a lot in common with Cinder.  She was brought up by someone other than her parents and has a fiery demeanor that keeps those around her on their toes.  Unlike Cinder, however, Scarlet is much more stubborn, leaving her with little patience and a great deal of trouble.  Add a mysterious stranger in the form of Wolf and an egotistical, self-styled space captain and you have the makings for a rousing adventure with many twists and turns.

Plot-wise, Scarlet is every bit as riveting and surprising as Cinder.  The addition of new settings and storyline shifts keeps the story from becoming stale.  Instead, Scarlet picks up the pace and carries you away with its ever-increasing intensity.  If you thought Cinder introduced everything there was to know about the world of the Lunar Chronicles, think again.  You haven't seen anything yet.

With Scarlet, The Lunar Chronicles just got even better.  If Cinder and Scarlet are this good, I can only imagine how Cress and Winter will turn out.  Whether or not you have already read and enjoyed Cinder, trust me when I say that Scarlet is well worth the read.  If you haven't read Cinder, do so.  You need to read Scarlet as soon as humanly possible.  Know that Scarlet is no wolf in grandma's clothing.  This series is well worth your time and attention. 

Buy Scarlet 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 for review purposes. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

Not Just a Feyse

Over my almost three years as a book blogger, I've read all kinds of YA. Despite pushing beyond my own reading comfort zone on occasion, I gravitate to those stories involving the paranormal or the supernatural, in other words, books that often involve creatures or magic of some kind.

When I began diving into YA, I thought, knowing that I loved vampires and magic, that reading novels involving the fey, fairies, sprites, forest-dwelling magical creatures, and the like, would be right up my alley.

(click on a book's cover to be taken to its Goodreads page)

Turns out, I was mostly wrong.

I started with books like Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr, Tithe by Holly Black, and Need by Carrie Jones. All three are fey books, but pretty different from each other as well. While there were good things about each, none of them really grabbed me and I was quite surprised with my reaction to them. It wasn't just that I came away not really feeling the books, but I was honestly put off.

But I kept trying. I read Wings by Aprilynne Pike, which was a nice read but the fey aspect was removed enough from the traditional fairy scenario that it didn't feel like a fey book to me as much as the others, more like fey-lite. Glimmerglass by Jenna Black came after that, but again, they fey did not do it for me.

Still, I kept trying, choosing next The Iron King by Julie Kagawa. And here is where things changed: I loved it. Absolutely adored it. Now, I know that the fey being the focus of these books does not make all things equal (as there are a lot of factors that go into whether or not I like and enjoy a book), but here is the odd part: after reading and loving The Iron King, I have read two more books that center on the fey and really enjoyed them both.

The first was The Poison Eaters and Other Stories by Holly Black, a book of short stories. Not every story focuses on the fey, but of the ones that did, I loved them way more than I liked Tithe. Same author, different reaction.

Next I read Brenna Yovanoff's The Replacement. Not only did this novel have much the same feel to me as Holly Black's work, but I was enthralled. Was this change of opinion due to reading a fey book that I loved? Maybe. But does that mean that a book like The Replacement gets the highest rating that I can give a novel? No.

After examining my experience with these books, here is what I have determined: I like well-written, action-packed, fantastical stories that involve the fey. But if the fey are too twisty, too dark, or just too much in general, I can't love the book. I can't love something that either grosses or creeps me out too much. The Replacement is the only fey book of that type that has come close.

So what does this mean going forward? Well, I'm not ruling out fey novels. I'm going to try to be open and hope I pick one up that really captures my interest and attention, but I'm also going to do a little research before diving in to give myself the best chance of an enjoyable read.

What do you think of YA fey novels? Have you read any that I mentioned? Got any recommendations?

Review - Thirteen Reasons Why

by Jay Asher
Publisher: Razorbill
Date of Publication: October 2007
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 304
Source: local library

From Goodreads:

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.

Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

It took me a really long time to actually pick up this book and read it. Having dealt personally with suicide and similar issues, I just don't gravitate toward reading books that deal with them. But I did. I can't say I'm glad I did, but I can say that it was a good book. I was intrigued by the idea of a message from the grave and I kept turning the pages to see what was coming next and who would be on the tapes and why. There were little bits of mystery thrown in as names were dropped and you couldn't be sure if or where they would wind up on the tapes.

I really enjoyed the two alternating voices. I'm finding more and more that multiple POVs or narrators is something I like in novels. The writing itself was clean and expressive and I always knew who was narrating based on the tone and language.

When it comes to characters, I really liked Clay. He was a great guy, and probably my favorite part of the entire story is his reaction to the emotional journey he is on. I felt like I was experiencing the shock and sadness with him instead of just watching from the outside, and it all felt very realistic to me. His emotions and thoughts, especially about himself, felt so raw and honest, and I could see, step by step, how the tapes were changing him, not drastically, but just elevating him to another level of understanding when it comes to other people. I also like how ultimately he did not let Hannah's decision overshadow his own life.

As for Hannah herself, I honestly could not relate very much. I did feel bad for her for the things that had happened to push her in the direction of suicide. But leaving behind the tapes seemed as selfish as the suicide, like she was rubbing it in their faces. I know part of it was to teach those who were on the tapes a lesson about how what you do to, say about, or think about another person has consequences we often can't see, but she could have done that and lived. I know someone who has personally found the body of someone who committed suicide, and though my friend probably wasn't part of why that person made that choice, my friend still obsesses over what they could have done to stop it. It still sends my friend into depression to think about it, so I can't imagine what the characters on those tapes must have had to deal with after listening to them. Maybe some of them would have blown it off, but others who seemed to be more sympathetic characters probably would have had to seek therapy at the very least.

It seemed to me like Hannah was just bored and gave up, or even in some cases, looking for reasons to kill herself. Maybe that was the point - she made the wrong decision and everyone who comes to that decision should realize there are other options - but hers was such an un-compelling story for the most part (there were bits of it that were awful, true, but usually they were the decisions Hannah made and things she could have changed/prevented). I don't mean to trivialize her issues, but as a person who lives with depression every day, I wish my depression was just blah and boredom. It would be better than the crippling agony. I never felt that Hannah was really agonized, and maybe that's just my memory because it has been a while since I read the book. But as far as the story goes, that almost makes it worse that she wasn't half-crazed and in so much emotional pain that she felt she had to end it in a spur of the moment decision. It is honestly sadder because there really was no reason for it and because she took so much time to plan it out.

Everything she was going through could have just been things from her past that she got over in therapy or mistakes she could have made up for had she allowed herself a future. Again, not saying those that did those things to her had a right, because they didn't, but everyone in the story made bad choices, including Hannah, before Hannah's suicide. But instead of choosing to right her wrongs and change the way things were, she gave up. Again, probably the point.

Jay Asher really impressed me with this work. I felt like I was reading about real people instead of characters in a book (except for Hannah, who I just couldn't connect with completely) and I liked the message. People really should be more considerate of others because you never know what some one is going through and how you could affect them. Also, raising any awareness of mental health issues is something I applaud because it is not talked about enough. I liked the hopeful ending of the book as well, and it helped to sweeten the bitterness of Hannah's decision and her thirteen reasons why.

Where you can buy Thirteen Reasons Why:

Amazon / IndieBound / The Book Depository

*Note: This review originally appeared in its unrevised format on Writer Quirk.