Leorah Langdon has really done it this time.
As if insulting the viscount at that ball wasn't bad enough. She had to fall off her horse and injure her wrist right in front of his carriage? And she had to be there when his carriage wrecked, making them both the target of all of London's rumors? And did the carriage wreck really have to be sabotage? The second book in the Regency Spies of London series actually has absolutely nothing to do with spies. Despite that misnomer, A Viscount's Proposal has a few steps up on its first installment, including more vibrant characters, less prose, and more Christian theme and character growth throughout the book. I was particularly intrigued by Leorah's motivation--that she's not the selfish girl all of society deems her to be. She's empty and searching for someone to love her, something she hasn't experienced all that much. This book particularly brought society of that time period to light. Often I'd find myself shaking my head and laughing at how ridiculous their rules were. They are portrayed vividly and clearly. There is one instance where a character uses God's name in a manner that leaves us unsure whether it was a prayer or a curse. A Viscount's Proposal? If you're referring to a proposal to spend a couple hours reading this book, I don't think that would be so bad.
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Julia Grey really doesn't need this spy business on her hands right now.
She's already quite busy with fending off her unkind aunt and uncle, making her cousin Phoebe feel and look good, and trying to match up said cousin with a man she secretly admires. No, Julia Grey doesn't need Nicholas Langdon complicating matters with his secret diary and spying nonsense. A Spy's Devotion is the first book in the Regency Spies of London series. Despite its name, little of the plot actually has to do with spying at all. The spying is actually a side plot, with Julia and Nicholas' attraction taking front and center stage. The beginning of the book is a bit prose-y, very heavy on description and very little on character development or action. We're told things in explanatory paragraphs that we could have been told through action or dialogue. Scenes that would have been helpful to the plot are also summed up in descriptive paragraphs as well. As a result, many of the characters are rather flat or just stereotypical. I found Julia to be a bit bland, most especially at the beginning of the story. I couldn't get a handle on what was making her react the way she was. Sometimes, she'd be cool and collected, and other times she'd completely blow her top. Later, we discover her mildness was a way of earning the approval she so desperately craves. As she overcomes this thought pattern, she becomes both a better person and a better character. Nicholas's point of view, on the other hand, seems awkward and forced at some points. The story really could have been told just from Julia's point of view. We learn nothing from Nicholas's point of view that we don't learn elsewhere. The book does have a very fairy tale feel, and fans of Cinderella stories will probably enjoy it. The message of the story is a little murky and seems a bit tacked on, once again, through descriptive paragraphs, instead of having the character's journey illustrate it. To sum up? A Spy's Devotion isn't a bad read by any stretch. It's just not one I would turn to for a thought-provoking read or one that will draw me into its world. Even royal blood can't stop bullets.
Sorry, it was just such a great line I had to steal it. Anastasia Romanov has been exiled with her entire family. But that's not even it. She's been exiled to a house with only a couple rooms reserved for them. She's been exiled away from any help or rescue. She's been exiled away from the guards she's befriended and into the hands of a bloodthirsty commander. Did I mention the spell she's smuggling with her? Romanov is the beautiful, tragic story of a family trying to stay together. It's the story of the daughter left behind and the soldier who tried to kill her. It a story of forgiveness for everyone . . . even the darkest, blackest villain. The characters explode from the pages. Anastasia is a brilliant protagonist that draws us into her struggles and makes us smile with her pranks. Zash draws us in in his own way, too as he tries to escape his tortured past and the mistakes he's made. And Alexei--enough said. Best brother I've read in a book. Despite the fact that he is the weakest, that he hurts the most due to a genetic condition, he gives strength to Anastasia and Zash both. Allow me a brief moment to compare Romanov to Fawkes, if you don't mind. That's the only thing I can come up with that is even remotely a complaint. In Fawkes (Nadine's other historical fantasy), the magic and the history blend together seamlessly, brilliantly. In Romanov, the magic and the history feel like two pieces to the a puzzle--forming the same picture, clicking together, but not blending together. As I have mentioned before, one of the things I love about Nadine Brandes' writing is her view on mercy. The protagonists even hand second chances to the villain who killed Anastasia's family. As to how that goes . . . well, I won't ruin it for you. Romanov is a book with many layers, not unlike Anastasia's spell doll. I, for one, will be re-reading it over and over to get to all those amazing layers. How would you live if you knew the day you'd die?
Because Parvin Blackwater actually does, thanks to the Clock by her bedside. Everyone has them now--government-issued Clocks that count down to the day they die. And her Clock tells her she's got one more year left. What's one more year when she's wasted seventeen of them? What can she do in one year that will make her remembered forever? It's perfectly logical, isn't it? Become her own biographer, of course! Of course, I don't think she was intending that to include crossing the wall from her home to the uncharted worlds of the West. Or stumbling across an invention that could change the Clock system forever. Or gathering a Radical army to bring the wall down. Let me start out by saying I have never read anything quite like the Out of Time trilogy before. I'd never read a dystopian book. I'd never read a science fiction book. I'd never read a futuristic book. So there was a certain weird factor to get past. In some things, Parvin's society has advanced from ours. In others, it's regressed. But once I got my feet under me, I started on the journey with Parvin. It is a journey, so sometimes I read a page and wondered how exactly that was relevant to the rest of the story (hint: it was, I just had to read further). I lost track of how many characters Parvin met along her journey, each of them unique and vibrant. And let's not forget Parvin's voice as she narrates the journey! Her character arc from the insecure girl in the first book is incredible. Each book in the trilogy got better both in style and in plot, and that's saying something because the first one was excellent. One of the things I found most interesting about this book was the characters' view of mercy--even when it comes to their enemies. The characters choose not to participate in riots, give their enemies second chances, even going so far as to take a wounded villain to the nearest town . . . by dogsled. It's a refreshing change, in all fiction, but young adult fiction especially. By the end of the trilogy, Parvin doesn't have all the answers. And the answers she does have, she went through a lot to learn. Sometimes she makes mistakes. Big mistakes. And we learn from them, just as she does. We learn what it truly means to live. The Out of Time trilogy will live on in your thoughts long after you've read it . . . and maybe, just maybe it will change your life. Thomas Fawkes isn't ready to turn to stone.
Don't look at me. It's his own words. The Stone Plague has infected his eye and it's slowly working its way out. Not to worry. He has only to pass his Color Test this evening--with the help of the mask his father promised to make him, just as every father in England does for his son. Once it's discovered he can command Grey (and please, please, please let it be Grey), he'll just command that plague to leave, and all will be right again. Maybe then his father will care about him. Except Father--Guy Fawkes himself--doesn't show up. Not a problem. Thomas will just track him down himself, get his mask, and get back on track. And maybe he'll set a few other things straight, too--like why his father hasn't even given him a letter all these years. But when Thomas arrives in London, he finds he's a piece in something far bigger than he could have imagined--a plot to end the war between the Igniters and the Keepers. A plot to land a Keeper back on the throne where they belong. But they wouldn't want to just do it in some easy way--a sniper from a distance, maybe poison, no. They're going to blow up Parliament. At last, at last! The day has arrived that I tell you about one of my new favorite books, Fawkes by Nadine Brandes! First off. Thomas. A young man who just wants his father's approval, who so desperately wants to pass his Color Test and heal his eye, now trying to find confidence on his own on the London streets. Even in the worst of situations, his inner spunk never misses a beat. Easily the best character arc I've read this year. I liked him right away. Next off, Thomas and Guy. The conflict was raw. I felt what Thomas felt. I understood Thomas' reasoning (whether or not I agreed with it). He's willing to do anything to get his father to look his way . . . even help plan the assassination of the king of England. But as Thomas finds his way around London, he finds his way around what he's always believed and the views that clash with his. Not all the Igniters were good. Not all the Keepers were bad. Thomas had to dig to the roots of what he'd always been told . . . and readers will, too. In a world where young adults are pressured to take whatever the culture hands them, this book arrived just in time. The allegory is powerful. God is not put in a box. However, in a most curious manner, God and Christianity are never mentioned in this book . . . but they are. God is referred to as the White Light--who helps save those who cannot save themselves, gives them power they cannot use or sustain on their own, and who guides them through the world they live in. Igniters believe they can have a relationship with White Light and He can help them navigate the other colors. Keepers believe White Light is only for the elite few, better left alone or in a box. And then there's a few who believe they don't need White Light at all--they can harness all the color powers themselves. It's a little mind-boggling, but creative--a fresh spin on it that I wouldn't have considered before. Fawkes is not a book to rush head-long into. It's an explosive adventure that somehow still makes you stop and think--a rarity in young adult books. It has quickly made its way up my list of favorites, and is one of the first I will recommend to anyone. Aye, and amazed I am that it's taken me this long to post this review, aargh.
Ahem. Please forgive the poor pirate imitation. I AM, however, VERY excited to review Wayne Thomas Batson's Isle Chronicles: Isle of Swords and Isle of Fire today. These are some of my very favorite books of all time. What's not to love? On one side, you've got Captain Declan Ross and his crew of misfits, who just want to haul catch enough to get them out of the not-so-sweet trade forever. Well, most of them anyways--except his daughter, Anne, who desperately wants to become a pirate herself. On the other hand, you've got Bartholomew Thorne, the darkest pirate to sail the seven seas. He's looking to avenge his wife's death, and he's got Declan Ross in his sights. Maybe it has to do with how they put one of his greatest allies in Davy Jones' locker, I don't know. And they've both got their sights on the same treasure. In the crossfire is sixteen-year-old Cat, who was left nearly dead on a nameless island. Leave it to Declan and Crew to come save the day. That doesn't change the fact that he has no idea who he is. What he's done. Or what the clues he carries in a pouch around his neck could mean. Explosive action scenes. Vibrant characters. Snapping humor. A chilling villain, one of the best I've ever read . . . or would that be the worst? The Isle Chronicles has it all. But amidst all the cannon fire, sword slashing, and treasure seeking, it's really a story about one young man's quest for identity. Whether or not they ever find the treasure, Declan, Anne, Cat, and the crew discover something far deeper, something that will stick with a reader long after the fires burn out. Perhaps the God they've dismissed as uncaring all these years has a very specific interest in them. Perhaps Cat has a far deeper identity than he knows. That being said, you know, they're pirates. And by the point that Catholic monks are hiring them to hunt other pirates, some of the morals in these books have to be called into question. Add to that a few torture scenes that could make you squirm just a bit. Just a few waves before this duology catches the wind and sails out to sea. But even once it sails away, I doubt what the crew finds will leave their minds . . . nor the reader's. It certainly didn't mine. *Note: Several years after the duology was released, a follow-up book was released, Isle of Stars. I've chosen not to include it here. While an okay read, the plot and characters were weaker than the original books. It was also an attempted crossover with some of Wayne Thomas Batson's fantasy characters, characters I was not familiar with, which made it feel oddly tacked on in waters it didn't belong in. Add to that the fact that several crew members that died in the first book were suddenly alive and well again? Therefore, I refer to it as a follow-up book and not part of the original duology. Katerina Ludken is a woman on a mission--to kill the Beast of Hamlin and to find the children who have vanished from her village.
Steffan of Hagenheim is a man on a mission--to prove to anyone who cares that he is not just the bad son of his noble family. Killing the Beast seems a good way to do so. Hennek, Mayor of Hamlin, has his own mission--to keep his sins hidden from his adoring villagers. And he's willing to remove anyone who dares stand in his way. Each Melanie Dickerson book gets better, and The Piper's Pursuit is no exception. I read this entire novel in one afternoon. Katerina trusts no one, for her own reasons. This part of the plot was played out very well. Better yet, it's not left as a petty quirk. It is overcome. While some readers may find it annoying, I found her character refreshing. She thinks about things. She sets goals and works to achieve them. She'll stand up to a greedy mayor who would very much like to kill her if that's what it takes. She is a well-written, strong yet feminine character--characters in short supply, especially in young adult literature. Then there's Steffan. He so desperately wants to be good, yet there's so much bad, inside and out, for him to overcome. That doesn't slow him down. He'll never give up or give in, he'll face down the Beast and the mayor both . . . but will he face his past? Let's turn our attention from our heroes to our villain--Hennek. Greedy, ruthless, deranged, more than a little creepy, and oh so conceited. I could go on, but you get the idea. His villain was well-written--and I'm not sure whether to call that a good or a bad thing! For fans of Melanie Dickerson's distinct plot style, this installment doesn't disappoint. Far from it. In fact, it might even have earned Kat's trust. Beep.
I'm sorry. The number you have reached is not avail-- Sorry. That's the sound it makes when my mind has been blown. And that's exactly what this series Dreamhouse Kings by Robert Liparulo did to me. Before you start thinking Ken and Barbie, don't. Don't even go there. Because this Dreamhouse has doors to other periods in history all along its third floor. And the (mostly) unsuspecting King family has just moved in. One night, something comes out of one of the portals and steals Mom. That leaves it up to Dad, Xander, David, and Toria to navigate the portals and bring her home. And maybe to do something more than that--maybe, just maybe, to save the whole world. No, literally. Save the whole world. Of course, there is the matter of that freaky Assyrian guy hanging around town who enjoys killing and would very much like the Kings' house. Dreamhouse . . . or nightmare? My daddy was the one who stumbled across Dreamhouse Kings, mistakenly filed in the adult section of our church library--more specifically, book three. He recommended it to me. I ignored the skull and crossbones on the first page warning me to read books one and two first--after all, the library only had book three!--and blazed ahead anyway. The result? Confusion. Eventually, we begged our church librarian into purchasing the first two (thanks, church librarian!). My sister then amassed the entire series on her own. She graciously allowed me to borrow them. It may or may not have been because I annoyed her to death. Family. At its core, Dreamhouse Kings is about family. In chapter one, we're introduced to a preoccupied dad, a moody teenager, a little brother who desperately wants his big brother back, the cute little sister that no one can resist, and the mom trying to hold them all together. When Mom is kidnapped, the Kings have to work together to bring her back. Specifically Xander and David. The brothers' relationship is one of the most real things in this book. They tackle, argue, hug, cry, laugh, and punch. As an older sibling, that was grabbed me the most. They clash. Xander wants to take action, and David just wants everyone to be happy. But as the series goes on, they change from two boys with the same last name to two brothers who would take anything for the other. Even re-work time. This book is fast-paced. I could not put them down. Literally. I was so immersed, when I set the book down, my heart was pounding and I had to take a few deep breaths--before I scrambled through the house for the next book. This book yanks you into a portal alongside the characters. Do make sure you read all the books in order, though. This series is chock-full of great Christian and family themes, but they don't come out right away. At first, the themes may seem like a weak crossover. The family recites a Bible verse, and Mom insists they find a church after the move. But it goes deeper as the series races on, as a character suggests God put the Kings in this house at this time for a reason. Not only are the Kings awakening to family, they're awakening to God and His purpose for them. Consider yourself warned, though: there's a creep factor to this series. Rarely does a portal come that doesn't want to kill the Kings. The house seems haunted at first. That Assyrian guy doesn't mind talking about killing people . . . in creative ways, shall we say. There's one or two gross moments, usually involving dead bodies. But rarely does anything go beyond a shiver down your spine. These books are often mistaken for Christian horror books. They're not. A creep factor? Yep. Some death, destruction, and mayhem? Yep. But horror? Nope. These books aren't designed to create fear. They're designed to suck you through a portal of your own into the epic of a family trying to overcome fear (as well as assassins, time travel, and leftover spaghetti, for starters). It's a fast-paced thriller. And every thriller comes with some creeps. Would I hand this to any random twelve-year-old? No. I know some kids who would fearfully check every door in their house should they be allowed to read it. But it shouldn't be anything that will keep teens and adults up at night--unless they're trying to finish the book, that is. There's a few other bumps in the portal, too. Xander's nods to horror movies can get a little old. While meant to paint vivid and sometimes humorous word pictures, they fall rather flat coming from a fifteen-year-old. Especially when the reader hasn't watched said horror movies--and doesn't plan to, I might add. A few time-travel descriptions left my head spinning. Not everything the Kings do is exactly, um, shall we say, legal or recommended to try at home. Xander also throws out a word or two from time to time, that, while not curse words by any stretch, aren't words you'll want a kid (or anyone else for that matter) repeating. But those bumps are few and far-between and do little to slow down this brilliant story about a family trying to save their mom, each other, and the world. Well, it all started when Rafe was minding his own business. Just doing his storyacting thing at his half-brother's house like it was any other day. But then there was this old lady, and then there was this little girl, and then there were tunnels, and flame-spinning powers, and people who'd kill him to get those powers--
So he's had a bit of a rough day. Rafe would be reason enough to love Dust to Flame. His outer snark disguises an inner hurt that could move him to look beyond himself. Rafe's questions and feelings made me as the reader stop and think, too. As he goes from the dust of the streets to the flame of his new powers, we watch the possibility of the same transformation happening on the inside. But will it? As usual from Hope Ann, this book is deep. First off, the plot is just a brilliant concept. The plot has many more layers than you see at first glance, as many as the tunnels and alleys of Marsadon. Sometimes the plot moves you along at a dizzying pace faster than those spinning flames. By the climax, I had to sit back and try to sort out just who was evil and who was good--a conflict that gives her characters and plot a real quality, because life isn't always in tidy "you're good, you're evil" boxes. That's all part of the epic landscape of Dust to Flame--a landscape I couldn't tear myself from. Some elements may seem dusty at first, a hazy mystery that draws you in. But in the end, it couldn't burn any brighter or any clearer. HEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!
HOPE ANN HAS A NEW BOOK! *composes herself* Happy Thanksgiving, by the way. And in keeping with the season, I have a little gift for you. The cover reveal to Hope Ann’s (aka one of my best friends) new book! Are you ready for this? Alright. Here it comes! When you defeat everything life hurls at you, it’s a perfectly legitimate move to rub your conquest in the faces of those who sneered at your suffering. Rafe, a former street-lad who clawed his way to the glittering life of a story-actor, has been waiting. But from the moment he sprung from his carriage into the gritty dust of Cainth, life has not gone Rafe’s way. Unexpectedly dragged into a web of greed, treachery, and stolen rift powers, Rafe intends to do what he has always done. Survive. At least that was the plan before he accidentally protected a child. Before he accidentally gained the powers of an immortal. And before he caught himself accidentally slipping toward the deadliest mistake possible. The mistake of letting one’s self care for another. Welcome to the world of… DUST TO FLAME Hope Ann entertains a mob of younger siblings, manages shifts at Culver’s, and writes a wide range of fantasy. Fueled by passion, relationships, and constant learning, she works to provide an escape from the grind of normal life through fiction and the sarcastic, no-nonsense inspirational posts on her blog. The self-published author of the Legends of Light series, a personal writing coach, and the Story Embers newsletter manager, she has more information on her website: authorhopeann.com. You can also find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, or Twitter. |
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