The Winner's Kiss

The Winner's Kiss is the final book of Marie Rutkoski's The Winner's trilogy.

Some kisses come at a price.

War has begun.  Arin is in the tick of it with untrustworthy new allies and the empire as his enemy.  Those he has convinced himself he no longer loves Kestrel, Arin hasn't forgotten her, or how she became exactly the kind of person he has always despised.  She cares more for the empire than she did for the lives of innocent people- and certainly more than she did for him.

At least, that's what he thinks.

In the frozen north, Krestel is a prisoner in a brutal work camp.  As she searches desperately for a way to escape, she wishes Arin could know what she sacrificed for him.  She wishes she could make the empire pay for what they've done to her.

But no one gets what they want just by wishing.

As the war intensifies, both Krestel and Arin discover that the world is changing.  The East is pitted against the West, and they are caught in between.  With so much to lose, can anybody really win?

The Breakdown:
1. It was bittersweet reading this book.  I was excited to see how Rutkoski brought the trilogy to an end, but at the same time I was sad to say goodbye to the characters.  Although sad to see it end, I thought that Rutkoski did a fantastic job of ending Krestel and Arin's story.  It just fit so well with the other two books.

2. This book did put me through a vast range of emotions. From the heartbreak when Arin founds out just what Krestel has done, and what has happened to her.  To the friendships developing between Arin and Roshar, Roshar and Krestel, and Krestel and Sarsine.  And most importantly, to Arin and Krestel finding their way back to the love between them. I love that Rutkoski makes me so emotionally invested in these characters, and makes them so mutli-dimensional.

3. I want to take a minute to appreciate the character of Roshar.  He puts on the haughty prince mantle when it suits him, but he becomes an amazing friend not only to Arin, but to Krestel, too.  Plus, he has quite the wicked sense of humor, and I very much enjoy his sarcastic comments.

4. Going to be honest, the final battle of this book was a real nail biter.  Rutkoski keep me guessing on how everything would play out between the East and the empire, and how the final battle would affect the relationship between Dacrans and the Herrani.  This book definitely keep me engaged with the story until the very end.

To Read or Not to Read:
Must Read

Lady Midnight

Lady Midnight is the first book of Cassandra Clare's The Dark Artifices series.

In a Kingdom by the sea...

In secret world where half-angel warriors are sworn to fight demons, parabatai is a sacred word.

A parabatia is your partner in battle.  A parabatai is your best friend.  Parabatai can be everything to each other- but they can never fall in love.

Emma Carstairs is a warrior, a Shadowhunter, and the best in her generation.  She lives for battle.  Shoulder to shoulder with her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, she patrols the streets of Los Angeles, where vampires party on the Sunset Strip, and faeries- the most powerful of supernatural creatures- teeter on the edge of open war with Shadowhunters.  When the bodies of humans and faeries turn up murdered in the same way Emma's parents were when she was a child, an uneasy alliance is formed.  This is Emma's chance for revenge- and Julian's chance to get back his brother Mark, who is being held prisoner by the faerie Courts.  All Emma, Mark, and Julian have to do is solve the murders within two weeks... and before the murderer targets them.

Their search takes Emma from the sea caves full of sorcery to dark lottery where death is dispensed.  And each clue she unravels, uncovers more secrets.  What has Julian hiding from her all these years?  Why does Shadowhunter Law forbid parabatai to fall in love?  Who really killed her parents- and she bear to know the truth?

The Breakdown:
1.  This is much anticipated next book in Clare's Shadowhunter saga.  In City of Heavenly Fire, Clare first introduced Emma and Julian, and much of there back story in explained in that book.  This book is five years later, and I personally loved seeing who they have be come.  I loved the fast story, and seeing how Clare had everything come together.

2.  Along with Emma and the Blackthorns, Clare introduces a  few new characters.  Cristina is a visit Shadowhunter, that is running from something.  She and Emma are great together.  I really enjoyed their friendship, and learning more about Cristina.  Diana is the institute's tutor.  She is protective of everyone there but she is definitely hiding something big.  Then there is Malcom Fade, who is the High Warlock of L.A.  He is a bit scatter brained, and believer in true love.

3.  Along with murder and mayhem, the other big story is that Emma and Julian are falling in love.  This is one of the biggest no-no's of Shadowhunter law.  It was a little heartbreaking to watch them deny it, and then struggle to figure out if it can work anyway.  Oh, and finally Clare revels what it is forbidden for parabatai to fall in love.

4. Another thing that I liked about this story was Clare addressing how the Shadowhunter community as a whole deals with those who are different, i.e. some kind mental handicap.  It is clear from the start that there is something wrong with Julian's uncle.  He is no longer mentally competent, and Julian is the one running the institute.  Then there is Ty Blackthorn.  He is smart, but he is like a high functioning asperger syndrome child.  Clare makes it clear that the Shadowhunter community does not deal well with those who are different.  She hints that they are hidden away from the world.

5. This story is full of secrets, mysteries, betrayals, and revelations.  I love how Clare makes it seem so easy as the story comes together, and still leaves me wanting more.  I cannot wait for the next book, and to see how things will progress based of what she revels in this book.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

Fire Touched

Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs is the latest book in the Mercy Thompson series.

Tensions between the fae and the humans are coming to a head.  And when coyote shapeshifter Mercy and her Alpha werewolf mate, Adam, are called upon to stop a rampaging troll, they find themselves with something that could be used to make the fae back down and forestall out-and-out war: a human child stolen long ago by the fae.

Defying the most powerful werewolf in the country, the humans, and the fae, Mercy, Adam, and their pack choose to protect the boy no matter what the cost.  But who will protect them from a boy who is fire touched?

The Breakdown:
1. Briggs's Mercy Thompson series is one of my favorites.  It has great characters, engaging stories, and the perfect amount of romance.  It is a big reason this blog is Don't Trust the Fairies. Even the fae don't trust the fae in this series. Plus, I think that Mercy and Adam have one of the best relationships in fiction.  They are equal partners in their marriage, and I love the fact there was a real courtship for them, not just love at first-site as too many fictional couples go.

2. Okay, so real talk, when Mercy and Adam get the call about there being a troll on the bridge, in my head it went "TROLL ON THE BRIDGE, just thought someone should know," all in Professor Quirrell's voice. But all that aside it was a pretty awesome fight scene, and I loved seeing Joel work with the pack as the tibicena.

3. Aiden made an interesting character.  At first, I thought him a haughty brat who had spent way too long with the fae.  As the book progressed, he really grew on me.  I saw him as the scared boy, who was terrified of having to go back to the fae. He really starts to fit in well with Mercy and Adam's family.

4. I loved the intrigue in this book in what exactly the Grey Lords wanted from Mercy and Adam, and it was interesting to see their divided on what they wanted. Also was a fan of Adam finally laying down the law the the pack on their treatment of Mercy, it was amazing!

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

Kingdom of Ashes

Rhiannon Thomas's Kingdom of Ashes is the sequel to A Wicked Thing.

Asleep for a hundred years, awoken by a kiss. Aurora's life was supposed to be a fairytale.

But since discovering that loyalty to the crown and loyalty to her country are two very different things, Aurora knows she can only dream of happily ever after.  Once the enchanted princess, savior of her people, she is now branded a traitor.

Aurora is determined to free her home from the king's tyrannical rule, even if it means traveling across the sea to the kingdom of the handsome and devious Prince Finnegan- someone who seems to know far more about her magic than he should.  However, Finnegan's kingdom has perils of its own, and any help he give Aurora will come at a price.

As Aurora and Finnegan work together to harness her power- something so fiery and dangerous that is as likely to destroy those close to Aurora as it is to save them- she begins to unravel the mysteries surrounding the curse that was placed on her over a century before... and uncover the truth about the destiny she was always meant to fulfill.

The Breakdown:
1. I felt that this book was a little of a sophomore slump for Thomas.  It did not draw me in as quickly as the first book.  There were times that it felt like Thomas was really wrestling with the characters and the story to make them play out the way she wanted.

2. I did, however, like Aurora's struggle with what she wanted to do with her magic.  She is trying to find out who she is and what she wants for her kingdom.  She has been told by so many what is is meant to do, and she struggles with if that is really what she wants to do.

3. I, also, liked getting to know Finnegan better. Mostly in A Wicked Thing, he comes off as the charming prince, but Thomas hinted at deeper things for him.  In this book, she really fleshed out his character more. Getting to know his personality, and his thoughts and dreams really made him a well rounded character in this book.

4.  I was disappointed with how Tristan was treated in this book.  He was such a big part of Aurora's life in the first book, and shaping what she believed.  That I was sad that his appearance in this book felt almost as an afterthought.

5.  The ending to this book felt incomplete.  It  left me wondering so much, and not crazy about the direction Aurora's character takes at the very end.  So far, there has not been another book in the series announced, so I am left wondering if this was the end, or will Thomas continue with Aurora's story, because there feels like there should be more.

To Read or Not to Read:
Maybe Read- depends if Thomas goes further with the series.

Flawed

Flawed is Cecelia Ahern's debut YA novel.

You will be punished...

Celestine North lives a perfect life.  She's a model daughter and sister,she's well-liked by her classmates and teachers, and she dating the impossibly charming Art Crevan.

But then Celestine encounters a situation where she makes an instinctive decision.  She breaks a rule and now faces life-changing repercussions.  She could be imprisoned.  She could be branded. She could be found flawed.

The Breakdown:
1. First, I was lucky enough to get a chance to see and hear Cecelia Ahern talk about this book on the Fierce Reads Tour.  She was amazing, and I loved hearing how she did not set this book in a distant future.  Rather, the ideas were largely influences by how media/social media has become so judgmental about everybody's actions.  I could see how these things influenced her story, and even the characters.

2. I loved Celestine.  She acted with compassion, when others refused to help.  Despite what many tried to make her, she had no desire to be the poster girl for change.  She just did what she thought was right, not because of outside influences or change the system, but because it was the kind thing to do.

3.  I am intrigued by the mystery that is Carrick.  The boy who Celestine met while awaiting her trail.  Ahern slowly gives bread crumbs about him, his past, and the reason his was in the Flawed court, but there is so much more I want to know about it.  I am already excited about the next book, so I can get more of Carrick.

4. So, I am circling back around to the society that Ahern has created in this book. So being flawed means you have broken society rules, but have not actually broken any laws.  There is a court that judges the flawed and they are then branded, and have to keep to certain rules, like curfews, diets, etc.  It is an interesting concept, and frightening at the same time.  There is a lot of moral ambiguity in the system, which partly leads to the flawed judges being able to use the court for their personal goals.  I am interested to see how things play out in the next book, and what is the future of the court and those deemed flawed.

To Read or Not to Read:
Must Read

P.S.  I just got back from vacation, so check back tomorrow for my review of Kingdom of Ashes by Rhiannon Thomas.

The Awakening of Sunshine Girl

The Awakening of Sunshine Girl is the second book of Paige McKenize and Alyssa B. Sheinmel's The Haunting of Sunshine Girl series.

Having passed her test in Book One, Sunshine's Luiseach powers are not fully awakened: for months now, Sunshine has felt spirits everywhere: heard voices, felt emotions- intense and sometimes overwhelming.  She tries to ignore then, but it is impossible.  Hoping to get her powers under control- and hoping for answers to her never-ending questions- she agrees to undergo training with her Luiseach mentor, even though she still hopes to give up her powers someday.

She and her mentor clash left and right; he doesn't understand or approve of her attachment to humans in her life; and she can't understand how he could give her up so many years ago, only to endanger her mother's life as part of a test.

Sunshine's training is every bit as terrifying and creepy as her test was, and along the way she meets and befriends another young Luiseach, forcing her to confront her feelings for Nolan.  Though her mentor is reluctant to answer her many questions, she finally learns more about her lineage, as well as the rift that threatens the future Luiseach and the human race... and the crucial part she has to play in repairing it.

The Breakdown:
1.  In this book, McKenzie and Sheinmel, answer a lot of the questions that the last book left me wondering about.  Everything from why Sunshine's father gave her up to the reason for the rift in the Luiseach community.  Compared to the first book, this book felt more like information gathering and backgrounding, and less action.

2. In this book, the authors really start fleshing out the character of Sunshine's mentor/father, Aidan. I honestly had a very hard time liking him.  There are moments that it appears he really cares for her, but he comes off very cold and clinical most of the time.  Plus, there is the fact that he is not only keeping information from Sunshine, but took her away from everyone she knows and loves to train her.

3. I did enjoy the addition of Lucio, the other Luiseach that Aidan is mentoring. He is a much lighter character than Aidan.  He helps to remind Sunshine why being a Luiseach is important when she gets discouraged.

4.  I was disappointed on how little Sunshine and Nolan interactions there were.  Their relationship was a big part of the reason why I enjoyed the first book. I get why the authors did it, but it does not mean I have to like it.

5. Like I said before, this book spends a lot of time answering questions.  The main action really takes place in the last third of the book, but it is quite the game changer when it happens.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

The Star-Touched Queen

The Star-Touched Queen is by debut author Roshani Chokshi

Fate and fortune. Power and passion.  What does it take to be the queen of a kingdom when you're only seventeen?

Maya is cursed.  With a horoscope that promises a marriage of death and destruction, she has earned only scorn and fear of her father's kingdom. Content to follow more scholarly pursuits, her whole world is torn apart when her father, the Raja, arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellions.  Soon Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of Amar.  Neither roles are what she expects:  As Akaran's queen, she finds her voice and power.  As Amar's wife, she finds something else entirely: Compassion. Protection. Desire...

But Akaran has its own secrets- thousands of locked doors, gardens of glass, and a tree that bears memories instead of fruit.  Soon, Maya suspects her life is in danger.  Yet who, besides her husband, can she trust? With the fate of the human and Otherworldly realms hanging in the balance, Maya must unravel an ancient mystery that spans reincarnated lives to save those she loves the most... including herself. 

The Breakdown:
1. Chokshi spins the most beautiful imagery and heartbreaking wonderful story in this book.  The story reminds me of the Greek myth of Hades and Persephone, which is probably one of my favorite myths, but Chokshi weaves the tale with Indian myths and imagery. The way she describes everything from the people to the flowers makes it easy to picture the scenes in my head.

2.  Loved the characters they are well rounded having both great points and flaws.  I love how intelligent Maya is and how stubborn she is at times.  I love that she is not perfect, and her flaws get her into trouble.  Amar is a little brooding and so obviously devoted to Maya.  But it is his secrets that had me truly fascinated by him. They kept me turning the pages wanting to know more about him, and what exactly he was Raja of in Akaran.

3. The supporting characters help to make this book wonderful.  Gupta, friend and scribe to Amar, and his quirks and knowledge.  Kamala, a blood thirsty horse, who Maya befriends on her journey. Gauri, Maya's sister who loves her stories, and grows into an even more interesting character as the story progresses.  I honestly would love to see more of her in future books in the series. (Which just announced today, the second book will be A Crown of Wishes.)

To Read or Not to Read:
Must Read!

Tricky Twenty-two

Tricky Twenty-Two is the latest of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels.

Something big is brewing in Trenton, N.J., and it could blow at any minute.

Stephanie Plum might not be the world's greatest bounty hunter, but she knows when she's being played.  Ken Globovic (aka Gobbles), hailed as the Supreme Exalted Zookeeper of the animal house known as Zeta fraternity, has been arrested for beating up the dean of students at Kiltman College.  Gobbles has missed his court date and gone into hiding.  People have seen him on campus, but no one will talk.  Things aren't adding up, and Stephanie can't shake the feeling that something funny is going on at the college- and it's not just Zeta fraternity pranks.

As much as people love Gobbles, they hate Doug Linken.  When Linken is gunned down in his backyard it's good riddance, and the list of possible murder suspects is long.  The only people who care about finding Linken's killer are Trenton cop Joe Morelli, who has been assigned the case, security expert Ranger, who has hired to protect Linken, and Stephanie, who has her eye on a cash prize and hopefully has some tricks up her sleeve.

The Breakdown:
1. Evanovich's books are always good for a laugh.  The Stephanie Plum series is my favorite of hers.  Over the years, I have really come to love the characters and all their quirky craziness. These books never fail to keep me entertained.

2. I am amazed at the ways that Evanovich keeps coming up with to destroy Stephanie's cars. It is one the things I look forward to in these books. What will happen to Stephanie's car this time? It amazes that she is able to get insurance. ;)

3. I particularly liked this books FTA's Gobbles, the frat boy, and Billy "Bacon" who greased himself in bacon grease to get down an chimney.  Plus the Gobbles story line leads to some strange happenings at Kitlman College, which kept me very interested.

Read or Not to Read:
Read