Tag Archives: Fantasy

Lord of Shadows

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“Everyone is afraid of something. We fear things because we value them. We fear losing people because we love them. We fear dying because we value being alive. Don’t wish you didn’t fear anything. All that would mean is that you didn’t feel anything.”

Title: Lord of Shadows

Author: Cassandra Clare

Series: The Dark Artifices # 2

Publication: May 23rd 2017 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

Pages: 701

Source: Purchased

Summary from Goodreads:

A Shadowhunter’s life is bound by duty. Constrained by honor. The word of a Shadowhunter is a solemn pledge, and no vow is more sacred than the vow that binds parabatai, warrior partners—sworn to fight together, die together, but never to fall in love.

Emma Carstairs has learned that the love she shares with her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, isn’t just forbidden—it could destroy them both. She knows she should run from Julian. But how can she when the Blackthorns are threatened by enemies on all sides?

Their only hope is the Black Volume of the Dead, a spell book of terrible power. Everyone wants it. Only the Blackthorns can find it. Spurred on by a dark bargain with the Seelie Queen, Emma; her best friend, Cristina; and Mark and Julian Blackthorn journey into the Courts of Faerie, where glittering revels hide bloody danger and no promise can be trusted. Meanwhile, rising tension between Shadowhunters and Downworlders has produced the Cohort, an extremist group of Shadowhunters dedicated to registering Downworlders and “unsuitable” Nephilim. They’ll do anything in their power to expose Julian’s secrets and take the Los Angeles Institute for their own.

When Downworlders turn against the Clave, a new threat rises in the form of the Lord of Shadows—the Unseelie King, who sends his greatest warriors to slaughter those with Blackthorn blood and seize the Black Volume. As dangers close in, Julian devises a risky scheme that depends on the cooperation of an unpredictable enemy. But success may come with a price he and Emma cannot even imagine, one that will bring with it a reckoning of blood that could have repercussions for everyone and everything they hold dear.

A Brief Explanation of All the Feels:

“Lex malla, lex nulla,” said Julian with a regretful wave of his hand. It was the Blackthorn family motto: A bad law is no law.

This was me when reading this massive and beautiful mess of pain, suffering, and giggles:

(Just in case)

 

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Song of the Current

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“You respect people who take care of other people. People who are bold. And brave. I couldn’t figure it out at first. Why you thought more of common wherrymen than you did of me. You respect people because of the things they do. You were different from everyone I’d ever met. You knew what I did not – that it’s the things we do that make us who we are.”

Title: Song of the Current

Author: Sarah Tolcser

Series: Song of the Current # 1

Publication:  June 6th 2017 by Bloomsbury Childrens Books

Pages:373

Source: Netgalley

Summary from Goodreads:

Caroline Oresteia is destined for the river. For generations, her family has been called by the river god, who has guided their wherries on countless voyages throughout the Riverlands. At seventeen, Caro has spent years listening to the water, ready to meet her fate. But the river god hasn’t spoken her name yet—and if he hasn’t by now, there’s a chance he never will.

Caro decides to take her future into her own hands when her father is arrested for refusing to transport a mysterious crate. By agreeing to deliver it in exchange for his release, Caro finds herself caught in a web of politics and lies, with dangerous pirates after the cargo—an arrogant courier with a secret—and without the river god to help her. With so much at stake, Caro must choose between the life she always wanted and the one she never could have imagined for herself.

Thoughts:

I had no idea what to expect when walking into this book. I knew almost nothing about it – only that it sounded interesting and I had the time to spare. Song of the Current was much more than I expected it to be. It was fun, entertaining, and an anxiety inducing cat/mouse adventure. However, Song of the Current suffered from a lack of world building and an abundance of infodumping. Overall, it could have been better, but it also good have been a lot worse. I still found myself smiling, laughing, and thoroughly enjoying this thrill ride of a book.

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A Court of Wings and Ruin (AKA: A Court of Pain and Feels)

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“Remember that you are a wolf. And you cannot be caged.”

Title: A Court of Wings and Ruin

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Series: ACOTAR #3

Publication: May 2nd 2017 by Bloomsbury Childrens Books

Pages: 699

Source: Purchased

Summary from Goodreads:

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin’s maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit-and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.

As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords-and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

In this thrilling third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from Sarah J. Maas, the earth will be painted red as mighty armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy them all.

All the Feels:

It’s taken me almost a full month and two full rereads of A Court of Wings and Ruin before I could even fathom the idea of sitting down to write this. It’s always hard saying goodbye to a book series that you love, even though this one isn’t really goodbye to Prythian but only goodbye to Feyre and Rhys. This series, from ACOTAR and ACOMAF, has created a whole new feeling of home. The series has pulled me up, made me smile, made me rage. The ACOTAR series has been there through the ups and downs, through my younger brother’s football games when I was stuck for hours, and even through finals week. I was terrified to start reading A Court of Wings and Ruin. I had it preordered, and I was laying in bed May 1, just waiting. It was like Christmas morning when midnight hit – it took all my self restraint to save it for the morning. Reading it on my Kindle that Tuesday was like walking through the doors of a dream reality. I couldn’t believe it was real.

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The Monstrumologist

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“There are times when fear is not our enemy. There are times when fear is our truest, sometimes only, friend.”

Title: The Monstrumologist

Author: Rick Yancey

Series: The Monstrumologist # 1

Publication: September 22nd 2009 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Pages: 434

Source: Library

Summary from Goodreads:

These are the secrets I have kept. This is the trust I never betrayed. But he is dead now and has been for more than forty years, the one who gave me his trust, the one for whom I kept these secrets. The one who saved me . . . and the one who cursed me.

So starts the diary of Will Henry, orphaned assistant to Dr. Pellinore Warthorpe, a man with a most unusual specialty: monstrumology, the study of monsters. In his time with the doctor, Will has met many a mysterious late-night visitor, and seen things he never imagined were real. But when a grave robber comes calling in the middle of the night with a gruesome find, he brings with him their most deadly case yet.

A gothic tour de force that explores the darkest heart of man and monster and asks the question: When does man become the very thing he hunts?

A Certain Amount of Feelings:

  • The monsters are actually scary, yay! I didn’t like much else beyond that, but there were honest monsters that wanted to kill you and could potentially bring nightmares if read in the dark.
  • Mad scientist for the win, but not really. He’s pretty chill for a mad scientist, though
  • Narrator is named Will… Victorian London, wait, THE INFERNAL DEVICES. (Alas, I was wrong.)
  • Monstrumology is cool, but that’s about it. I’m starting to lose my cool as I flip pages.
  • Yupp, me no longer likey. It was cool, not it’s trying too hard to bring a moral question about becoming a monster to hunt monsters. Eh?
  • There is also a love of scones. Infernal Devices, again.
  • I never thought I would say this, but for a book, I think this is too much gore. It’s one thing when watching a scary movie, but I really don’t enjoy reading about blood splattered this and dripped off that every other page.
  • Decent book, just not my cup of tea.

Overall:

Feel free to give it a try, you might like it more than I did.

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Amazon

Barnes & Noble

RoseBlood

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Maybe this place can help me do that, and then I can finally look forward to my future. Because I’m starting to realize there’s something worse than stepping up and facing your fears – and that’s living as if you’re already dead.

Title: RoseBlood

Author: A.G Howard

Series: Standalone

Publication: January 10th 2017 by Harry N. Abrams

Pages: 432

Source: OwlCrate

Summary from Goodreads:

In this modern day spin on Leroux’s gothic tale of unrequited love turned to madness, seventeen-year-old Rune Germain has a mysterious affliction linked to her operatic talent, and a horrifying mistake she’s trying to hide. Hoping creative direction will help her, Rune’s mother sends her to a French arts conservatory for her senior year, located in an opera house rumored to have ties to The Phantom of the Opera.

At RoseBlood, Rune secretly befriends the masked Thorn—an elusive violinist who not only guides her musical transformation through dreams that seem more real than reality itself, but somehow knows who she is behind her own masks. As the two discover an otherworldly connection and a soul-deep romance blossoms, Thorn’s dark agenda comes to light and he’s forced to make a deadly choice: lead Rune to her destruction, or face the wrath of the phantom who has haunted the opera house for a century, and is the only father he’s ever known.

A Gif List of Thoughts and Feelings:

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Nimona

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“What if I cut off your arm right now? Then you’d see how fast the Institution would cast you aside. Just like they did me.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“No. I wouldn’t. And I’m the villain. What do you suppose that says about you?”

Title: Nimona

Author: Noelle Stevenson

Series: Standalone?

Publication:  May 12th 2015 by Harper Collins

Pages: 272

Source: Purchased

Summary from Goodreads:

The graphic novel debut from rising star Noelle Stevenson, based on her beloved and critically acclaimed web comic, which Slate awarded its Cartoonist Studio Prize, calling it “a deadpan epic.”

Nemeses! Dragons! Science! Symbolism! All these and more await in this brilliantly subversive, sharply irreverent epic from Noelle Stevenson. Featuring an exclusive epilogue not seen in the web comic, along with bonus conceptual sketches and revised pages throughout, this gorgeous full-color graphic novel is perfect for the legions of fans of the web comic and is sure to win Noelle many new ones.

Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren’t the heroes everyone thinks they are.

But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes that Nimona’s powers are as murky and mysterious as her past. And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit.

My Thoughts:

Nimona was the first ever graphic novel I found myself not only identifying with, but truthfully enjoying. I fell in love with the characters, the story, and the subtleties of the symbolism. The story was powerful and compelling, the characters captivating and complex, and the illustrations added so many subtle nuances to the beautiful story telling. I am head over heels in love with Nimona. I am in love, entranced, and never likely to forget the amazing graphic novel I just had the privilege of reading.

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Blood Rose Rebellion

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“I was different. But that difference did not mean I was weak or helpless…I could choose to see it as a gift. I could embrace my own power. I could change the world.”

Title: Blood Rose Rebellion

Author: Rosalyn Eves

Series: Blood Rose Rebellion # 1

Publication: March 28th 2017 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Pages: 416

Source: Netgalley

Summary from Goodreads:

Sixteen-year-old Anna Arden is barred from society by a defect of blood. Though her family is part of the Luminate, powerful users of magic, she is Barren, unable to perform the simplest spells. Anna would do anything to belong. But her fate takes another course when, after inadvertently breaking her sister’s debutante spell—an important chance for a highborn young woman to show her prowess with magic—Anna finds herself exiled to her family’s once powerful but now crumbling native Hungary.

Her life might well be over.

In Hungary, Anna discovers that nothing is quite as it seems. Not the people around her, from her aloof cousin Noémi to the fierce and handsome Romani Gábor. Not the society she’s known all her life, for discontent with the Luminate is sweeping the land. And not her lack of magic. Isolated from the only world she cares about, Anna still can’t seem to stop herself from breaking spells.

As rebellion spreads across the region, Anna’s unique ability becomes the catalyst everyone is seeking. In the company of nobles, revolutionaries, and Romanies, Anna must choose: deny her unique power and cling to the life she’s always wanted, or embrace her ability and change that world forever.

My Thoughts:

Filled with a highlight of gray areas when it comes to good and evil, Blood Rose Rebellion is a complex tale reminiscent of dystiopian novels like The Hunger Games and Red Queen. Sometimes, when I find myself getting so excited about a book, despite some of the disconcerting comments about why it was not finished by other bloggers, I get so so so excited that the idea of actually reading the book terrifies me. Its’s that way with any hyped book, though. I find myself devoured by it, unsurprising of course, but devoured none the less. Blood Rose Rebellion did just that. It pulled me in, under, and over. I found myself loving this book the longer I held it in my hands. Blood Rose Rebellion was a fantastic story about having to choose between a rock and a hard place.

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