Genre: Historical Fantasy
Author: Sherry Thomas
Goodreads Description:
It all began with a ruined elixir and a bolt of lightning.
Iolanthe Seabourne is the greatest elemental mage of her generation—or so she's been told. The one prophesied for years to be the savior of The Realm. It is her duty and destiny to face and defeat the Bane, the most powerful tyrant and mage the world has ever known. This would be a suicide task for anyone, let alone a reluctant sixteen-year-old girl with no training.
Guided by his mother's visions and committed to avenging his family, Prince Titus has sworn to protect Iolanthe even as he prepares her for their battle with the Bane. But he makes the terrifying mistake of falling in love with the girl who should have been only a means to an end. Now, with the servants of the tyrant closing in, Titus must choose between his mission—and her life.
THIS IS GENIUS.
It's several days after I finished this book and I am still marveling over Sherry Thomas' ability to weave a tale. I feel like this is the story I've been craving for years.
I'm giving you a direct link to both Amazon and Barnes and Noble because this book deserves to be on your bookshelf.
*dusts off hands*
There.
Now, if that wasn't enough of a review ;) …
Romance:
Slow burn. Definitely integral to the story. There's a touch of unrequitedness.
World:
Set in both our world and the "mage world" that is full of magic--both good and bad. When they are not in the mage world, they are in a historical London, England.
I don't remember a lot of setting descriptions, but my mind has every single setting fully furnished and clearly pictured. To me, this is a sign of an author's deft skill at world building. Sherry Thomas has it!
Adventure:
The overarching goal of the story is to defeat the nefarious Inquisitor and the even more evil Bane. In the process, Iolanthe (our female protagonist) must convince the world that she is a boy, come into her long-suppressed powers, put up with an arrogant prince, and adventure into worlds only ever told in fairy tales. Titus (our male protagonist) must convince the world that he is an arrogant and immature boy, come to grips with the reality of his prophesied death, and convince Iolanthe to destroy the Bane.
The book is written in dual POV and it also contains footnotes. Yes, you read that correctly. Footnotes. This jarred me at first. It wasn't until I was about a third of the way into the book that I started to view the footnotes as genius instead of obnoxious. The footnotes allow you to sink into the world to a far greater degree than would otherwise be possible. And if footnotes do not appeal to you in a novel, then ignore them and read without interruption. It's worth it.
Do I recommend? If the rest of this review didn't tell you, YES.
Genre: High Fantasy
Author: Sara Raasch
Favorite Quote:
"Everything must be dead to make way for Spring."
Goodreads Description:
A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.
Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.
Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.
So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.
This book pleasantly surprised me! An epic fantasy about sixteen-year-old Meira and her struggle to restore the Kingdom of Winter.
Romance:
The romance was not the main focus of the plot, but it was beautifully done. It was realistic--full of sad revelation and letting go and moving on. And it was not what I first expected! I'm afraid to say too much, so I'll leave it at this: the romance was both fast and slow. ;)
My favorite relationship of the story, however, was not romantic at all. It was the relationship between orphan Meira and the man she wishes was her father. It is a poignant exploration of wanting to be loved without condition, and falling short time and time again.
World:
The world was certainly map-worthy! There are eight kingdoms--the Rhythm kingdoms and the Season kingdoms. Each kingdom has its own magic. And the detail of the settings! O, the detail! It was not cumbersome, but it was intricate nonetheless.
Adventure:
The plot is constantly moving from one conflict to the next. It swept me away. I kept expecting the murky middle where things hit a plateau, but there was no plateau. Things pushed forward at a fast clip.
And while there's nothing new in YA about a strong-willed girl fighting for her homeland, Raasch's spin on the trope is well worth the read.
Do I recommend? Yes. To anyone who loves high fantasy. Yes.
The New Year is upon us! And with the New Year comes change.
In the past, I have written arbitrary posts about arbitrary things related to reading and writing. I lacked the kind of focus I needed to be both enthusiastic and deliberate about my posts. So, I've decided to focus on making this blog a place for readers of YA speculative fiction to go for recommendations of good books. If it turns into a community of readers who can bond over similar taste in books, that's grand! If not, then it will simply remain a resource for readers.
As a writer myself, I know how hard it is to write and publish a book and I therefore have the greatest respect for those who undertake such an endeavor. I will not bash books in my reviews. I will seek to be graciously honest.
To get an idea for my taste, take a gander at the sidebar where I list some of my favorites. For a more in-depth explanation of how I review, click on the "Review Style" tab.
The market is becoming increasingly saturated with YA novels. It seems that should make finding a good book easier. But, if you're anything like myself, it almost seems harder to find the kind of books you like. I hope that readers of fantasy, dystopian, and some paranormal will find this blog to be a useful resource for shortening their search for good books.
