Heir to the Sky

Heir to the Sky is by Amanda Sun.

As heir to a kingdom of floating continents, Kali has spent her life bound by limits—by her duties as a member of the royal family, by a forced betrothal to the son of a nobleman, and by the edge of the only world she’s ever known—a small island hovering above a monster-ridden earth, long since uninhabited by humans. She is the Eternal Flame of Hope for what’s left of mankind, the wick and the wax burning in service for her people, and for their revered Phoenix, whose magic keeps them aloft.

When Kali falls off the edge of her kingdom and miraculously survives, she is shocked to discover there are still humans on the earth. Determined to get home, Kali entrusts a rugged monster-hunter named Griffin to guide her across a world overrun by chimera, storm dragons, basilisks, and other terrifying beasts. But the more time she spends on earth, the more dark truths she begins to uncover about her home in the sky, and the more resolute she is to start burning for herself.

The Breakdown:
1. I won this book in a giveaway from the Blog tour off That Artsy Reader Girl's blog.  I was super excited about it after reading the synopsis,  but the actual book fell a little flat for me. I had a hard time with several of the characters, and most of Sun's revelations where really not that surprising, and others were like she just threw them in for a twist factor but were not very integrated into the story.

2. I had a very hard time liking Kali. Even though she knows about the rebels, and has seen clues to the origins of the floating continents, she remains resistant to the story that Griffin's sister and others tell her, and that her father is totally innocent in all of it, even though he is the Monarch. I just wanted to shake some sense into her at times.

3. I did like Griffin.  I think for me he was the best part of this book.  He is smart, cunning, and loyal.  He is quick to help Kali, and keeps his promises to her despite the risk to him.  Although, I figured out his origin as soon as his sister was introduced, and strongly suspected before that even.

4. I felt many of the supporting characters, including the antagonist, were very one dimensional. It was hard to really like them, when there was so little to them.  I am a firm believer that a supporting cast of characters can make or break a story, and sadly they were broken in this story.

To Read or Not to Read:
Skip It

The Crown's Game

The Crown's Game is by debut author Evelyn Skye and is the first of the series of the same name.

Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.

And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death.

Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg. But can she kill another enchanter—even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has?

For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown’s Game is the chance of a lifetime. But his deadly opponent is a force to be reckoned with—beautiful, whip-smart, imaginative—and he can’t stop thinking about her.

And when Pasha, Nikolai’s best friend and heir to the throne, also starts to fall for the mysterious enchantress, Nikolai must defeat the girl they both love…or be killed himself.

The Breakdown:
1. I am fascinated by Imperial Russia, and I do love a good fantasy book, so this book was a natural for me to pick up. Skye does a beautiful job of mixing actual Russian history to her fantasy. I just loved her descriptions of St. Petersburg, the people, the buildings, and the food. She did an excellent job of transporting me there.

2.  One of my favorite things about this book was the characters of Vika and Nikolai. Skye wrote each so wonderfully, and so different from each other, despite both being Enchanters. Each is a master enchanter, but their strength in their powers differ so greatly.  With Vika leaning toward the natural elements, and Nikolai more in tune with construction of man made things. Plus, when they finally meet, the pull between them is incredible.

3. Skye has a wonderful cast of supporting characters.  Pasha, the tssesarevich, who is kind and wants to understand the world around him, but really has not head for politics. Ludmila, Vika's friend, the baker who cares deeply for Vika, and I sincerely wish I could try her pastries. And Yuliana, the princess, who is smart and a bit ruthless.

4. I was captivated as the game progressed to see what Vika and Nikolai's next moves would be, and how they would deal with their feelings each other. Oh and that ending, I suggest having some tissue in hand.  I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book.

To Read or Not to Read:
Must Read

The Skylighter

The Skylighter by Becky Wallace is the second book of the Keepers' Chronicle.

As the last of the royal line, Johanna is the only person who can heal a magical breach in the wall that separates her kingdom of Santarem from the land of the Keepers, legendary men and women who wield elemental magic. The barrier protects Santarem from those Keepers who might try to take power over mere humans…Keepers who are determined to stop Johanna and seize the wall’s power for themselves.

And they’re not the only ones. As the duchys of Santarem descend into war over the throne, Johanna relies more than ever on the advice of her handsome companion, Lord Rafael DeSilva. But Rafi is a duke too, and his people come first. As their friendship progresses into the beginnings of a tender relationship, Johanna must wonder: is Rafi looking out for her happiness, or does he want the throne for himself?

With war on the horizon, Johanna and Rafi dodge treacherous dukes and Keeper assassins as they race to through the countryside, determined to strengthen the wall before it’s too late…even if it means sacrificing their happiness for the sake of their world.

The Breakdown:
1. Wallace picks up where the last book left off in the beginning of this book.  Just like the first book, she switches between several characters perspectives.  It makes for interesting story telling, especially since several of the characters have their own stories that do not come together until the end. I think she does a good job of keeping different character's chapters having a unique voice to them.

2. I really enjoyed Dom's chapters the most.  He is learning to be responsible for his people.  He is intelligent, and funny. I also think that he makes the most character development in this book.  From the fun loving second son of a duke to a man that really in the end saves the day.

3.  My main complaint that at times the chemistry between Johanna and Rafi was a little forced.  There are moments of greatness between them, but other times, I have a hard time believing that they are falling for each other.

4. This is, from what I read, the end of the series.  I did think that Wallace tied up the main story line very well.  I can still room for more stories, like between Dom and Maribelle, or even from the Keeper side of the wall.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

The Love That Split the World

The Love that Split the World is by debut author Emily Henry.

Natalie Cleary must risk her future and leap blindly into a vast unknown for the chance to build a new world with the boy she loves. 

Natalie’s last summer in her small Kentucky hometown is off to a magical start... until she starts seeing the “wrong things.” They’re just momentary glimpses at first—her front door is red instead of its usual green, there’s a pre-school where the garden store should be. But then her whole town disappears for hours, fading away into rolling hills and grazing buffalo, and Nat knows something isn’t right.

That’s when she gets a visit from the kind but mysterious apparition she calls “Grandmother,” who tells her: “You have three months to save him.” The next night, under the stadium lights of the high school football field, she meets a beautiful boy named Beau, and it’s as if time just stops and nothing exists. Nothing, except Natalie and Beau.

The Breakdown:
1.  Henry's debut novel was wonderful adventure.  I loved that she was able to mix contemporary issues, like ex-boyfriends, friends, family, and starting college so well with the fantasy aspects, alternate dimensions and time travel.  The story was engaging and the characters were fun to read. Bonus, that it was a stand alone book.  I feel, at times, that I have committed to way too series.

2. I enjoyed reading Natalie's character so much.  She was fun, and I loved her sense of humor. Her interactions with her best friend, Megan, and Beau were so wonderful. They were characters that just clicked so well together. Plus, she really does hold it together so well, when the world appears to be going crazy and no one else can see it.

3. Then there is Beau, who is wonderful and has hidden depths to him.  He is not perfect by any means, but appears to be so comfortable with his faults.  He and Natalie together is just magic.

4. I loved the fact that as I was reading that the him Natalie has three months to save is not obvious.  Even at the end, I wondered if it actually referred to more than one person. Also enjoyed the Native American legends that were told by Grandmother during the story.

5.  I have to say my biggest complaint is that I guessed who Grandmother was so earlier in the story, that is was not a surprise when the reveal was made for me.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read

Darkthaw

Darkthaw is the second book of Kate A. Boorman's Winterkill series.

Council has fallen. The Thaw is here. The world outside Emmeline’s fortification awaits. Urged on by her dreams, Emmeline sets out with her new friend Matisa and her beloved Kane, venturing into exhilarating wilderness, into freedom, into the unknown.

Into danger.

The secret that has secured peace for Matisa’s people for generations has been compromised. Newcomers are arriving, laying claim to the land and bringing unimagined horrors. Emmeline vows to help Matisa warn her people, but with new perils at every turn and the enemy closing in, she finds herself faced with an impossible choice: Forsake the friend who saved her life or abandon the boy she loves.

The Breakdown:
1. In this book, Boorman sets Emmeline on  her great adventure, outside of her settlement, to see the world.  She really makes this book a little of parallel of history with the imposing threat of the expansion of the Dominion westward. It is interesting the people that Emmeline's group meet on their journey, both good and bad.

2. I enjoy seeing Emmeline grow in her dreams and views of the world.  She is so excited to leave the settlement, but along the way that not everything is what she expects. She learns to how to be her without the expectations of the settlement.

3.  One of my favorite things is the evolving relationship between Emmeline and Isi, Matisa's cousin. He starts as subtle hostility to her, that later becomes outright hostility. As the story progresses they are forced to work together, and he comes to begrudgingly respect her and eventually they become friends.

4. Forewarning, there are some heartbreaking scenes in this book, so have your tissue ready.  There is also, a little more violent action compared to the first book, but it really helps to set up the scene and the changes going on around them.

To Read or Not to Read:
Read