The Wrath & the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh

Original Title: The Wrath and the Dawn

Year Published: 2015

Published by:  G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Number of Pages: 404

First Sentence: “It would not be a welcome dawn.”

Goodreads Rating: 5/5

Plot:

One Life to One Dawn.

In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad’s dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph’s reign of terror once and for all.

Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she’d imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. Incredibly, Shahrzad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It’s an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid’s life as retribution for the many lives he’s stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?

Inspired by A Thousand and One Nights, The Wrath and the Dawn is a sumptuous and enthralling read from beginning to end.

My thoughts:

This was such a magical book. It gets its claws in you from the first page and never lets you go. I was a little hesitant to start this book though since I had read E.K. Jonhston’s fantastic A Thousand Nights which I absolutely loved. I thought I wouldn’t be able to look at this without comparing it with just A Thousand Nights, but that wasn’t a problem. This stands very well on its own and it was only after I finished it that I compared it to Jonhston’s book and found that they are both excellent in their own ways.

Shahrzad is an excellent main character and such a fantastic character. I pretty much fell in love with her, she is just that amazing. She is strong yet not fearless, good yet not perfect. She felt real and is a heroine I happily support. She did what she believed was right and what she needed to do, but it didn’t make her a hundred percent certain in her ability to make things right. She doubts herself which made her so very human.

Khalid is a complex and very interesting character as well. It was interesting to see how his relationship with Sharzad developed and changed, and how he struggled with being a good ruler for his country. He is a complex character that I instantly cared about. That doesn’t mean that the book makes excuses for his actions.

The handful of minor characters are very important to the story and add a depth to it. None of them feel superfluous, they are just smaller keys to the story in comparison to the big keys that are Sharzad and Khalid.

The language and the overall way this fantastic book is written are what gives it that extra magical feeling. The words flow from the pages and you feel the story in your bones. The plot is captivating and I was never bored reading this book.

Do I recommend it? 

Oh god yes!

A Darkness Strange and Lovely by Susan Dennard

Original Title: A Darkness Strange and Lovely

Year Published: 2014

Published by:  HarperTeen

Number of Pages: 432

First Sentence: “When Jie’s letter came in the mail, I was so elated I forgot I had no hand.”

Goodreads Rating: 4/5

Plot:

With her brother dead and her mother insane, Eleanor Fitt is alone. Even the Spirit-Hunters—Joseph, Jie, and the handsome Daniel—have fled to Paris. So when Eleanor hears the vicious barking of hounds and sees haunting yellow eyes, she fears that the Dead, and the necromancer Marcus, are after her.

To escape, Eleanor boards a steamer bound for France. There she meets Oliver, a young man who claims to have known her brother. But Oliver harbors a dangerous secret involving necromancy and black magic that entices Eleanor beyond words. If she can resist him, she’ll be fine. But when she arrives in Paris, she finds that the Dead have taken over, and there’s a whole new evil lurking. And she is forced to make a deadly decision that will go against everything the Spirit-Hunters stand for.

In Paris, there’s a price for this darkness strange and lovely, and it may have Eleanor paying with her life.

My thoughts:

This was such a good sequel to Something Strange and Lovely. I loved the first book and I adored this one as well. It was the perfect mix of adventure, mystery, suspense and with a dash of romance.

I really like Eleanor. Yes, she has her flaws and there are moments when I just want to shake some sense into her but overall, I really like her. She is dealing with something extremely stressful and I do believe that it would have been unrealistic if she had reacted to it with complete ease.

All the characters from the first book are back in this one. Although some are only mentioned a few times whilst other play bigger parts. All the Spirit-Hunters are back, now living and thriving in Paris. I loved seeing how they were coping with the events that transpired in Philadelphia and also how they handled their new situation. I did get a little mad with Joseph for his behaviour but at the same time it was understandable (read the book and you will know what I mean).

We also get a marvelous new character, Oliver. He is just absolutely fantastic and pretty much made this book for me. It would have been good without him, but is amazing with him. He is sassy, sarcastic and just adorable. You’ll love him too.

The plot then. It was interesting and entertaining, but this time around there were some issues with the pacing. Either something was happening all the time or nothing happened. It sometimes felt like you were being bombarded with things, some even a little over the top. But it is still very entertaining and it’s not a bad thing per se. I still enjoyed this very much and will soon get on to book number three!

Do I recommend it? 

Yes, I do!

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Original Title: Crown of Midnight

Year Published: 2013

Published by:  Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Number of Pages: 418

First Sentence: “The shutters swinging in the storm winds were the only sign of her entry.”

Goodreads Rating: 5/5

Plot:

Crowned by Evil.
Bound by Duty.
Divided by Love.

Celaena Sardothien, royal assassin, is the King of Adarlan’s deadliest weapon. She must win her freedom through his enemies’ blood – but she cannot bear to kill for the crown. And every death Celaena fakes, every lie she tells, put those she loves at risk.

Torn between her two protectors – a captain and a prince – and battling a dark force far greater than the king, Celaena must decide what she will fight for: her liberty, her heart or the fate of a kingdom…

My thoughts:

This book slayed me. It was just such a rollercoaster of emotions and when it finished I had such a book hangover. It was fantastic and such a good continuation of the first book.

We get to learn so much more about all the characters here, things that start telling us just how they ended up being the persons they are now. And it is mostly heartbreaking. I know that Celaena is a badass assassin but I just want to cover her in blankets, cuddle her and hide her away from all the evil in her world. I loved how we got to see so much more about her character and see how she changed, not always for the better, but into something that could fight the evil king.

Chaol and Dorian have me tugging at my hair in exasperation. Men really are dense aren’t they? That doesn’t mean that they don’t have their hearts in the right place, but goddammit boys, stop being so stupid! Dorian is my baby. He fights and fights, and despite being broken so many times he still fights for what he thinks he is right and manages to maintain his image of the fancy prince. Chaol is the soldier with a heart of gold, and through it all, he never stops caring for his prince, his men or Celaena. Gotta love a man like that.

The plot is just fantastic. It has such a nice flow to it and the pace never feels rushed or too slow. Sure, it has moments where it slows down, but trust me, you need those moments to catch your breath. Maas’s writing is amazing and draws you right in. The plot is interesting with twists and turns that make it even more interesting. I literally closed this book and immediately reached for the next.

Do I recommend it? 

Hell yes!

ARC Review: The Bachelor Girl’s Guide To Murder by Rachel McMillan

Original Title: The Bachelor Girl’s Guide to Murder

Year Published: 2016

Published by:  Harvest House (an arc was kindly provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

Number of Pages: 289

First Sentence: “Jemma, Your father and I have decided that, after giving you several appointments to prove you are pursuing proper a proper course for a lady of your station and background, we can no longer financially support your endeavours.”

Goodreads Rating: 4/5

Plot: 

In 1910 Toronto, while other bachelor girls perfect their domestic skills and find husbands, two friends perfect their sleuthing skills and find a murderer.

Inspired by their fascination with all things Sherlock Holmes, best friends and flatmates Merinda and Jem launch a consulting detective business. The deaths of young Irish women lead Merinda and Jem deeper into the mire of the city’s underbelly, where the high hopes of those dreaming to make a new life in Canada are met with prejudice and squalor.

While searching for answers, donning disguises, and sneaking around where no proper ladies would ever go, they pair with Jasper Forth, a police constable, and Ray DeLuca, a reporter in whom Jem takes a more than professional interest. Merinda could well be Toronto’s premiere consulting detective, and Jem may just find a way to put her bachelor girlhood behind her forever–if they can stay alive long enough to do so.

My thoughts:

I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun story obviously inspired by the stories of Sherlock Holmes (who is mentioned in this book as well) but instead of starring two gentlemen it stars to ladies.

I was happily surprised when I realized this book was set in Canada. I was expecting either London or somewhere in the US as that’s where books are usually set (or so it seems). Anytime a book is set somewhere else I get a little giddy. It was wonderful to read a historical book set in Toronto and having the author explore some of the issues that were plaguing even Canada in the early 1900’s. We have women being treated as very inferior, immigrants being very badly treated and severe differences between the classes (ok, this could have been set this year).

Merinda and Jemima were absolutely wonderful characters. Just like Holmes and Watson, they balance each other perfectly. One is the wild one with a brilliant mind and the other more grounded but still very clever. Just like the Sherlock books, this is written from Jemima (or Watson’s) p.o.v, with small sections being written from other characters point of view. There is some romance in this book as well, but it never overshadows the plot or implies that the girls need a man to be successful. Well done, McMillan, well done.

The plot was really well written and I for one could not correctly guess the murderer until the big reveal in the book.There were several twists and turns that were so interesting and kept the mysterious air of the plot.

Do I recommend it? 

Yes, I really do.

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Original Title: Cruel Beauty

Year Published: 2014

Published by:  Balzer + Bray

Number of Pages: 346

First Sentence: “I was raised to marry a monster.”

Goodreads Rating: 5/5

Plot:

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she’s ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle—a shifting maze of magical rooms—enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex’s secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

My thoughts:

There are several rewrites of stories inspired by the Beauty and the Beast. Some are good, some are bad. This one was neither. It was freaking superb!

Nyx is a total badass yet very feminine. She doesn’t turn into a super warrior in order to fight the monster she has married, no instead she uses what she was born with and the fact that she is a woman as her main tools when fighting the darkness. But not in a sexist way, but in a believable way that on its own made her totally badass.

Ignifex is one of those “bad” characters you cannot help but fall in love it. He is evil and good at it. He is a total sassmaster and had me laughing several times, things I did not expect when starting this book.

The world in this book is absolutely magnificent. It appears to be quite simple but Hodge has created a complicated yet understandable world that was amazingly written. The world combined with the plot made this book one of my favourite books last year.

Do I recommend it? 

Hell yes! This was a fantastic book.

Defy by Sara B. Larson

Original Title: 

Year Published: 

Published by:  

Number of Pages: 

First Sentence: “The crackle of and hiss of the flames devouring our home couldn’t block out the screaming and wailing of those who were still alive.”

Goodreads Rating: 4/5

Plot:

Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king’s army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince’s guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can’t prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she’s sworn to protect?

My thoughts:

This book started off quite bad from me. I thought it was slow and not really that interesting to begin with. But I stuck with it, and thank god I did! This is a really interesting and entertaining book set in a very interesting and captivating world.

Alex is a very interesting and likable character. It is interesting to see how she handles having to hide who she really is and still easily interacting with the world around her. She is forced to disguise the fact that she is a girl because the girls in this world that are captured by the king are sent to a breeding house. To avoid that Alex has to pretend to be a boy. I loved that she honestly was so good at it. She is a good fighter and strategically smart, not despite being a girl but because she is a girl. She has to work twice as hard and do twice as good as all around her to avoid suspicion.

The boys in this book are also quite interesting. The prince, Damian, turns out to be so much more than a spoilt prince. He has a depth to him that makes the development of his character so important and entertaining to read. Alex best friend, Rylan, is another good character. He is sweet, loyal and above all a good friend. Yes, there is a bit of a love triangle but it is actually nicely handled and didn’t make me cringe as a lot of them make me do.

The plot then. It is well thought out with twists and turns that feel relevant and are very entertaining. Yes, it does take a few chapter (less than 20% of the book) for the story to really get going but when it does it will have you hooked. It was a proper and good adventure that I really enjoyed.

Do I recommend it? 

Yes, I do!

ARC Review: Otto von Trapezoid and the Empress of Thieves by Jesse Baruffi

Original Title: Otto von Trapezoid and the Empress of Thieves

Year Published: 2015

Published by: Curiosity Quills Press (an arc was kindly provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

Number of Pages: 264

First Sentence: 

Goodreads Rating: 4/5

Plot:

OTTO VON TRAPEZOID AND THE EMPRESS OF THIEVES is the story of two criminal masterminds who can conquer anything except their own feelings. Otto Von Trapezoid is a mad scientist who rules an army of robots from his orbital space station. Angry and grumpy, he sees no value in humanity except becoming their ruler. Esmerelda Santa Monica is the stylish self-proclaimed “Empress of Thieves,” who values her own legend and the thrill of the theft over actual wealth. Both live lonely lives, the desire to become the greatest villains of all time primarily on their minds

When the two meet in simultaneous attempts to blackmail the UN, their instincts are to attempt to kill one another, but soon they discover a mutual attraction that neither thought possible. Once they begin to pool their resources, the pair seems on track to become the most successful evil-doers of all time and set out to conquer the world itself. But what happens when their villainous natures emerge, and both realize there can only be one absolute ruler of Earth? Can either be satisfied with being second to another?

To make matters worse, they must deal with the protestations of Otto’s sidekick robot SCRAP, the meddling of their fellow villains, their families, and worst of all, heroic superspy Jake Indestructible is determined to bring them both down, once and for all.

Filled with robot dinosaurs, exploding dinner parties, and villainous poker games, OTTO VON TRAPEZOID AND THE EMPRESS OF THIEVES is a hilarious sci-fi comedy that will leave you falling in love with the bad guys!

My thoughts:

This book was so much fun to read! I was literally giggling my way through most of it. It took me ages to read, though, which was mostly because I was in the middle of a reading slump when I started reading this.

There are so many references in this book that are hilarious. For example, there is a super hilarious reference to the Star Wars prequel trilogy (you’ll have to read it to find out what it is). The plot itself is over the top, but in a way where you can tell it’s satire and appreciate it for it. The references and the exaggerations are not dumb, they are classy and very entertaining. The characters are of course also over the top and every stereotype you can think of when thinking of villains and heroes. Otto is the typical scientist, super smart and great with robots, but when it comes to humans he is very lost. Esmeralda is the gorgeous thief that can steal the Louvre with ease (no, I’m not kidding). The hero, Jake Indestructible, is the biggest mortal superhero to ever hero. Blow him up and he still comes back. He is the perfect example of how extremely ludicrous all action movies

The characters are of course also over the top and every stereotype you can think of when thinking of villains and heroes. Otto is the typical scientist, super smart and great with robots, but when it comes to humans he is very lost. Esmeralda is the gorgeous thief that can steal the Louvre with ease (no, I’m not kidding). The hero, Jake Indestructible, is the biggest mortal superhero to ever hero. Blow him up and he still comes back. He is the perfect example of how extremely ludicrous all action movie heroes are. If you are punched you don’t shrug it off as easily as all people in action movies do.

This book is the perfect satire of all superhero and supervillain types there are out there.

Do I recommend it? 

Yes, it was good fun.

Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett

Original Title: Equal Rites

Year Published: 1987

Published by:  Corgi

Number of Pages: 283

First Sentence: “This is a story about magic and where it goes and perhaps more importantly where it comes from and why, although it doesn’t pretend to answer all or any of these questions.”

Goodreads Rating: 4/5

Plot:

On Discworld, a dying wizard tries to pass on his powers to an eighth son of an eighth son, who is just at that moment being born. The fact that the son is actually a daughter is discovered just a little too late. The town witch insists on turning the baby into a perfectly normal witch, thus mending the magical damage of the wizard’s mistake. But now the young girl will be forced to penetrate the inner sanctum of the Unseen University–and attempt to save the world with one well-placed kick in some enchanted shins!

My thoughts:

Sir Terry Pratchett once again proves just why I love him and the Discworld. I adore the witches.They are absolutely perfect. Sure they have access to pretty much the same magic as the wizards, but they choose to utilize the earth and natural resources rather than relying on magic. Granny is my favourite character in the Discworld series and this book just further cement my immense love for her.

This book mostly revolves around Esk, an 8th son of an 8th son. Except she is a girl not a boy. She is given a wizard staff in the belief that she is a boy, which is a huge cosmic mistake since girls can’t be wizards. And that is what this book is all about. Equality between men and women. Why are some walks of life considered to be for males only and some for women only? Equal Rites explores this topic in a very humoristic yet clever way.

Just like all Pratchett books, this is written with the perfect mix of warmth, satire and thoughtfulness. It has you laughing, humming in agreement and also gets you thinking.I always learn something reading a Pratchett book which is what makes them so very fantastic. This book was no exception.

Do I recommend it? 

Yes, along with all the Discworld books.

Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer (The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod #1)

Original Title: Eighth Grade Bites

Year Published: 2007

Published by:  Dutton Children’s Books

Number of Pages: 182

First Sentence: “A tree branch slapped John Craig across the face.”

Goodreads Rating: 4/5

Plot:

Junior high really sucks for thirteen-year-old Vladimir Tod. Bullies harass him, the principal is dogging him, and the girl he likes prefers his best friend. Oh, and Vlad has a secret: his mother was human, but his father was a vampire. With no idea of the extent of his powers, Vlad struggles daily with his blood cravings and his enlarged fangs. When a substitute teacher begins to question him a little too closely, Vlad worries that his cover is about to be blown. But then he faces a much bigger problem: he’s being hunted by a vampire killer.

My thoughts:

I wish I had discovered this when it first was published, because then it might have suited my age a little better. That is not to say that it wasn’t thoroughly entertaining now, just that it did at times feel like I was reading a children’s book (which it sort of is).

I loved Vlad and seeing how he had to cope with being a vampire trying to blend into normal society. I really liked how Brewer approached the vampire thing. It didn’t feel like too much of a cliche, but it also never felt too outlandish. It actually came off as believable, which of course made Vlad as a character more believable.

The plot was quite interesting and really entertaining. Same thing here, it actually felt kind of believable. There were some things that had me wanting to roll my eyes in exasperation, but it wasn’t too often, and the rest made up for it.

Do I recommend it? 

Sure, it is a good book but do note that this is more of a children’s book than ya.

ARC Review: Rend the Dark by Mark Gelineau and Joe King

Original Title: Rend the Dark

Year Published: 2015

Published by:  Gelineau and King (an arc was kindly provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

Number of Pages: 78

First Sentence: “The boy felt it before he saw it.”

Goodreads Rating: 4/5

Plot:

The great Ruins are gone. The titans. The behemoths. All banished to the Dark and nearly forgotten. But the cunning ones, the patient ones remain. They hide not in the cracks of the earth or in the shadows of the world. But inside us. Wearing our skin. Waiting. Watching.

Once haunted by visions of the world beyond, Ferran now wields that power to hunt the very monsters that he once feared. He is not alone. Others bear the same terrible burden. But Hunter or hunted, it makes no difference. Eventually, everything returns to the Dark.

My thoughts:

Gelineau and King have quickly become favourites of mine. The stories are short (becuse they are novellas) but packed with entertainment.

In this installment, we meet Ferran, who has the ability to see the monsters that haunt his world. From being terrified by those monsters as a child, he is now a hunter who hunts them down. Despite being the sort of main character, Ferran doesn’t actually star in it that much. Sure, he is very important but he isn’t the actual narrator for the majority of the story. Instead, we are guided by Hileon, a young magistrate who meet Ferran when monsters threaten his peaceful life. Just as Hileon is being accompanied by his fellow magistrate Riffolk, Ferran also has a hunting partner, Mireia, a badass female huntress.

It is impressive just how well Gelineau and King develop their characters within the limited amount of pages a novella can hold. It really felt like you got to know the characters and by the end of it all, you care deeply for them at the end (which comes way to quickly).

The story is very engaging and well written. It’s the perfect combination of adventure and suspense. There is violence and some graphic scenes, but they aren’t horrible to read. In fact, they swish by so fast the slight gore in some scenes quickly fade from your mind. I won’t spoil the story for you, but I will tell you that it is thoroughly entertainment and the pages will fly by, not because there are so few of them, but because you will be so entranced by the story.

Do I recommend it? 

Yes, I really do.