Title: Poison
Author: Bridget Zinn (web | twitter)
Genre: Fantasy YA
Amazon | Goodreads
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release date: March 12, 2013
Challenge: Debut Author Challenge
Source: NetGalley (Thanks Disney Hyperion!)Summary: Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend.
But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart . . . misses.
Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her?
Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she’s certainly no damsel-in-distress—she’s the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.
Book Review: Poison by Bridget Zinn
The Lumatere Chronicles Readalong: Week 5
My Thoughts
I’m really getting into this readalong, friends. I’m so glad that we’ve made it to FROI OF THE EXILES!! Because while I enjoyed FINNIKIN OF THE ROCK a lot, I am already liking this book better. I am loving Froi, I’m loving the glimpses we got this week of Lumatere three years after Isaboe and Finnikin broke the curse, and I’m convinced that I’m going to love Lucian and Phaedra. Questions after the jump if you’ve read this week’s portion! (Or if you just like spoilers.)
The Lumatere Chronicles Readalong: Week 4
My Thoughts
I can’t believe we’ve read a whole book already!! It feels like such an accomplishment to finally read a book that’s been on my TBR for ages. The end of FINNIKIN OF THE ROCK was pretty satisfying, in a Melina Marchetta way. I haven’t read any of Melina Marchetta’s books before this one, but I feel like I already have a sense of her storytelling ways: She doesn’t spell things out for her readers, which I appreciate. And she doesn’t always tie things up in a super neat bow for everyone, either. The thing that I most appreciate–and the thing that also frustrates me the most–is that her characters ALWAYS seem to have qualities that I don’t like. Kind of prominent ones, too. But she always gives us hope for them to be people of great character anyway. You know, kind of like real human people. The end of this book had some of that, but lots of other things to talk about besides! I can’t wait to start FROI OF THE EXILES next week!!
The Lumatere Chronicles Readalong: Week 3
My Thoughts
SOOOOO much happened in this week’s reading!! One of the bigger reveals wasn’t really a surprise to me, though, as I had been thinking that very thing since week 1. Another bigger reveal was sad to me, but as always, the action keeps ramping up. More after the jump!
Book Review: Mastiff by Tamora Pierce
Title: Mastiff
Author: Tamora Pierce
Series: Beka Cooper, #3
Genre: Fantasy YA
Amazon | Goodreads
Publisher: Random House BFYR
Release date: October 25, 2011
Challenge: 2013 TBR Challenge
Source: Own it
Summary: The Legend of Beka Cooper gives Tamora Pierce’s fans exactly what they want—a smart and savvy heroine making a name for herself on the mean streets of Tortall’s Lower City—while offering plenty of appeal for new readers as well.
Beka and her friends will face their greatest and most important challenge ever when the young heir to the kingdom vanishes. They will be sent out of Corus on a trail that appears and disappears, following a twisting road throughout Tortall. It will be her greatest Hunt—if she can survive the very powerful people who do not want her to succeed in her goal.
The Lumatere Chronicles Readalong: Week 2
My Thoughts
This week’s reading was filled with lots of action and perfectly paced developments, I thought. Characters are growing and becoming more complex, but things are also steadily moving towards some kind of resolution. Chats after the jump!
The Lumatere Chronicles Readalong: Week 1
Check out this week’s prompts over at Hannah’s blog!!
My Thoughts
So, I’m pretty much hooked on FINNIKIN OF THE ROCK so far, guys. I have to admit, it took me a few chapters to get a grasp on the who/what/where of this world (especially because I’m reading this book on my kindle so, even though there are maps, I can’t get to them easily while reading to orient myself). That usually happens for me in lots of fantasies I read. But I think Melina Marchetta has really created a great world with tons of political drama and dangerous magic and treachery. There’s so much at stake for these characters!
Speaking of characters, I love them all. Finnikin is kind of intense and prickly, but guys he has SO MUCH LOVE for his country. I really enjoy the deep connections that all of the characters still feel for Lumatere. And I’m completely intrigued by Evanjalin. I feel like I have a thought about who she might be but I don’t know. I’m oftentimes wrong when I postulate that way, so I’ll keep it under wraps for now. Just trust that she’s awesome, but a total unknown quantity.
Anywho, Hannah, our awesome hostess, has given us the following questions to hash out our thoughts on this week’s reading, which was all of Part One. More chatting after the jump!!
Book Review | The Cadet of Tildor | Alex Lidell
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Cadet of Tildor by Alex Lidell Published by Dial Books for Young Readers on January 10, 2013
Genres: Fantasy YA, Young Adult
Pages: 408
Format: eARC
Source: the publisher via NetGalley
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Goodreads
There is a new king on the throne of Tildor. Currents of political unrest sweep the country as two warring crime families seek power, angling to exploit the young Crown’s inexperience. At the Academy of Tildor, the training ground for elite soldiers, Cadet Renee de Winter struggles to keep up with her male peers. But when her mentor, a notorious commander recalled from active duty to teach at the Academy, is kidnapped to fight in illegal gladiator games, Renee and her best friend Alec find themselves thrust into a world rife with crime, sorting through a maze of political intrigue, and struggling to resolve what they want, what is legal, and what is right.
Book Review: The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Title: The False Prince
Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen
Series: The Ascendance Trilogy #1
Genre: Fantasy YA
Publisher: Scholastic
Release date: April 1, 2012
Challenge: TBR Challenge
Summary: In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king’s long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner’s motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword’s point — he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage’s rivals have their own agendas as well.
As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner’s sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together.
An extraordinary adventure filled with danger and action, lies and deadly truths that will have readers clinging to the edge of their seats.
Book Review + Giveaway | The Raven Boys | Maggie Stiefvater
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater Series: The Raven Cycle #1
Published by Scholastic on September 18, 2012
Genres: Paranormal YA, Urban Fantasy YA, Young Adult
Pages: 409
Format: ARC
Also in this series: The Dream Thieves, Blue Lily, Lily Blue
Also by this author: The Dream Thieves, Blue Lily, Lily Blue
Source: the publisher
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Goodreads
There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”
It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.
Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.
His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.
But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.
For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.
