"Defy" By: Sara Larson

Defy

By: Sara B. Larson

Rating:

3.5 Stars

Review:

Let me just say ~ I started this book a little while ago, and it is flipping stellar so far~

02/11/2014 Finished.

Hmm..Okay, this is not a very easy review..
There were parts in the book that I was very annoyed...Maybe because Alex(a) goes through a whole rollercoaster of character development.
In the beginning, she was BAD ASS.. I loved her strength, her courage and her convictions.
Then..around the middle...there was something strange happening; she got awfully fragile. But maybe that's because she is a human, not a machine.
This was like Mulan with a love triangle...And I didn't appreciate the love triangle till the very end..
It was rather tedious seeing the transition of Alex(a) go from: completely tough to love sick teenager in less than a chapter.
However, the final 5 or 6 chapters of the story, she really does perpetuate into a strong protagonist.
~Spoiler~
When she rejected the prince at the very end, it was completely upsetting but it fit in well with the story...I felt so sad for him, but even worse for Rylan, who is basically on the rebound with this girl.
I have so many conflicting feelings, but it is not the most terrible fantasy I have read - it is actually fairly decent.

The middle is where I got the most thrown off ~ but it rectifies itself in the end..as most good books do.

However, I do not see this as a series...It ended pretty nicely...I am interested to see what more there is to this story because there were no other conflicts presented or unanswered questions.
Only time will tell, and I will let this book simmer a little more in my mind...

3.5 stars from me. 

Hark! A Vagrant By: Kate Beaton

Hark! A Vagrant

By: Kate Beaton

My Rating:

5 / 5 Stars

My Review:

Possibly the best and wittiest book of its kind / genre.

More detailed review to come 

<3 

A MUST READ ~ if you are a lit nerd, like myself. 

The Burning Sky By: Sherry Thomas

The Burning Sky

By: Sherry Thomas

Rating:

    

3.5 Stars

Review:

Let me begin that I did thoroughly enjoy this read. It does have a very huge "Harry Potter" influence behind it...so some aspects seemed painfully unoriginal (at least to me, a bleeding hard Harry Potter fanatic). For instance the double world (based mainly in the UK during the 1800s) of the "mages" and "nonmages" ...it seems very lazy to not come up with a quirky synonym for "nonmage" humans..At least in HP we had muggles <3 However, at least it was a timeframe that is not "today"; rather 200 years ago.

Some magic was also eerily similar, such as "vaulting" (ie Apparition spell) and "illegal spells" (ie Unforgivable curses) etc. ~it goes on a tad, but in Burning Sky, there are variation of "mages": elemental, mind, healing etc.

But those were just the small, almost insignificant details, that had me not too submerged in what is practically a very good and creative YA fantasy.

I did really like Iolanthe Seaborne; she had a very heavy character development and, being a biased female, i love how she began very naive and weak, than became resistant and fierce.

However, many of the scenes did seem diluted for a less mature reading audience; so that also was something that made me put the book down after a while...there seemed to be a lack of adventure for many chapters, than a cluster of paragraphs of juicy intrigue in the main plot..then back to, what I like to refer as "filler chapters".
I understand that most of those chapters where to show how Iolanthe was transforming and breaking out of her shell...but it just seemed quite unnecessary and I would have liked for something more edgy..a lot of parts seemed so safe when I believe the author had an oppertunity to really take risks and give a bit more danger to this first installment..

Actually...after the book ended, it seemed to neatly wrap up..almost as if it doesn't need to keep on with the series~

SPOILSSS

At the very end, when the Inquisitor dies and the Bane came back younger and more refreshed after this 3rd resurrection, I feel that there wasn't enough punch to this twist at the end...
The reading came off as: "Yup, that nasty lady died but this dude..eh, he's still here...we knew he would be since the mystery of his resurrections has been looked into yet."

All in all...I can sum up this novel in one, very unexciting word: Cute.

I enjoyed it, yes...I wasn't sucked into it, no. Would I read the second installment? Sure...But i'm not going to die without it (like I am with so many other sequels I am waiting for).

I do recommend this book if you like the more "tammer" fantasies..there are a lot of imaginative and lovely events that I adored...it was just too..nice? I don't know how to further describe it, but it is a good read.

3.5 / 5 stars from me
:)

Seraphina By Rachel Hartman

Seraphina

By: Rachel Hartmen

Rating:

4.5 / 5

Review:

Amazing, review coming soon

"the Bitter Kingdom" by Rae Carson

The Bitter Kingdom

By: Rae Carson

Rating: 

4/5 stars

Review: 

To come 

The Kings Gaurd By: Rae Carson

 

The Kings Gaurd

By: Rae Carson

My Rating:

4/5

(I have been so busy these past few weeks, but I will pick up on my reading!)

Raven Flight By. Juliet Marillier

 

Raven Flight

By: Juliet Marillier

My Rating:

4.5 / 5 Stars

My Review: 

This book is a spectacular bridge between the first book and the finale. The tale really focused on Tali and was so dark, heart retching and beautiful all wrapped together.

The mystical creatures are so vivid and fresh. I enjoy the mythology in this realm, it injects such a dynamic element that most fantasy novels lack. 

Neryn is a fantastic protagonist; so pure, fierce and wise. 

The only thing that sways me back and forth, is the love between Flint and her. I don't know if it's just me, but it seems so anti-climactic. I feel that the real passion is the brink of war, rather than the lovestory undertone...but maybe that's what the author intends: for the readers to focus on the destruction of hate and how hope still conqures. 

I am inlove with this tale, however, cannot asses it until the very end, i suppose. This is a must read! However, you need to read Shadowfell first.