[Review] An enchantment of ravens - Margaret Rogerson

Author: Margaret Rogerson
Original title: An enchantment of ravens

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release date: September 26th, 2017
Finished date: September 29th, 2017
Pages: 300
Read in: English

Isobel is a prodigy portrait artist with a dangerous set of clients: the sinister fair folk, immortal creatures who cannot bake bread, weave cloth, or put a pen to paper without crumbling to dust. They crave human Craft with a terrible thirst, and Isobel’s paintings are highly prized among them. But when she receives her first royal patron—Rook, the autumn prince—she makes a terrible mistake. She paints mortal sorrow in his eyes – a weakness that could cost him his life.

Furious and devastated, Rook spirits her away to the autumnlands to stand trial for her crime. Waylaid by the Wild Hunt’s ghostly hounds, the tainted influence of the Alder King, and hideous monsters risen from barrow mounds, Isobel and Rook depend on one another for survival. Their alliance blossoms into trust, then love, violating the fair folks’ ruthless Good Law. There's only one way to save both their lives, Isobel must drink from the Green Well, whose water will transform her into a fair one—at the cost of her Craft, for immortality is as stagnant as it is timeless.

Isobel has a choice: she can sacrifice her art for a future, or arm herself with paint and canvas against the ancient power of the fairy courts. Because secretly, her Craft represents a threat the fair folk have never faced in all the millennia of their unchanging lives: for the first time, her portraits have the power to make them feel.

Source: GoodReads

Rating

I picked this up on a whim. I had heard it being compared to A court of thornes and roses, which I didn't particularly enjoy, but was a quick fantasy read, and since I was in a mood for that I decided to try it. It immediately surprised me. I wasn't expecting the writing to be this compelling and intricate, since this is Ms. Rogerson debut novel, but I quickly found myself immersed in the story.

Is is similar to A court of thornes and roses, at least in the beginning. The main character Isobel is a painter who is largely responsible for her family, and is kidnapped by her love interest, a centuries old brooding fae. Sounds familiar?

I thought so too. But while they sound very similar, the books are actually very different. Up until about 25% of the book, I was loving it. I was getting everything I wanted when I read A court of thornes and roses and didn't get. Unfortunately, I had some problems with the rest of the book. I didn't really like Rook, and while I actually really liked Isobel, one of her actions during the book completely ruined her character for me.

I feel like I should warn you this is a travelling book. Most of the book is spent with the two characters going from one place to the next, and then the next.

I found it very original in terms of the magic system, the worldbuilding was incredible and the writing, especially the descriptions were beautiful. There were some problems with it, some things didn't really make sense and the ending was kind of anti-climactic. Still, I am very curious to read more from this author; I see lots of potential here. Overall a good fantasy standalone read.

The following extended review contains spoilers

If you have not yet read the book and/or do not wish to be spoiled, please do not read any further.

[Review] Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Jack Thorne, John Tiffany & J. K. Rowling

Author: Jack Thorne, John Tiffany & J. K. Rowling

Original Title: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Publisher: Little, Brown

Release Date: July 31st, 2016
Finished Date: January 5th, 2017
Pages: 343
Read in: English

The Eighth Story. Nineteen Years Later.

It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn't much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband, and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

Source: GoodReads

Rating

The reading experience of this book did not go as I expected it to. In fact, with the sole exception of one of the characters, I pretty much hated it.

I am an incredibly hardcore Harry Potter fan, and as I’m sure many fans have, I have been eagerly waiting for a continuation of some kind. As such, when this play was announced I was immediately excited to read it (although not as excited as I would have been with some Marauders content).

Anyway, I knew I had no hope of actually going to London to see the play, so I would have to make do with reading the script. And I have to say that although a lot of people complained about the format, it really didn’t make that much of a difference to me - we knew the world already, and we’d spent seven books following most of the characters so that we would automatically understand what would not be written. Or we would have, if the world’s rules hadn’t been overlooked for the sake of this (lack of) plot and the characters hadn’t been completely unrecognisable.

I truly believe that J. K. Rowling did not write this in order to squeeze the cash-cow, as she literally has no financial need for it. In fact, I do not, or better yet, I choose not to believe J. K. Rowling wrote this at all.

There are so many plotholes in this story that it is hard for me to believe this was even allowed by her to proceed to publishing and performing. And most worrying, everyone is out of character. I simply can’t imagine that J. K. Rowling would ever let her characters talk and behave as they did.

I have spent many hours of my life reading Harry Potter fanfiction, and I can with all certainty say that some of those fanfictions are much more believable than this script is. And trust me, this is hard for me to say. You have no idea how much I wanted to love this book. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Maybe I’m being too critical, or I’m looking at it through a magnifying lens and nitpicking, but that is my nature. You might actually find it entertaining. I just couldn’t overlook these flaws enough to actually appreciate the story’s entertainment value.

The following extended review contains spoilers

If you have not yet read the book and/or do not wish to be spoiled, please do not read any further.

[Review] A Court of Mist and Fury - Sarah J. Maas

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Original Title: A Court of Mist and Fury
Publisher: Bloomsbury

Release Date: May 3rd, 2016
Finished Date: June 5th, 2016
Pages: 624
Read in: English

“Tell me what you see.”

“A world divided in two.”

Feyre survived Amarantha’s clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can’t forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin’s people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

Source: GoodReads

Rating

I did not particularly enjoy the first book in this series, A Court of Thorns and Roses (Is it a series? Is it a trilogy? I've no idea). I didn't even write a review for it, because I didn't feel like I had anything interesting to say about it. The characters seemed bland to me (with one peculiar exception, the mysterious Rhysand), the magic system was ambiguous and unexplained, and the plot felt too dramatic.

I had no intention of picking this one up, at all, especially since the ending of the first one was suggesting a love triangle. I mean, it seemed a bit contradictory to have the first book end like it did only to present a new love interest. It was as if the first book was completely invalidated.
But, after hearing much talk about it, I finally decided to pick it up and read a few pages to see if it grabbed my attention.
I must say, I'm very surprised with this book. First, because this was the first Sarah J. Maas book I really enjoyed. Second, because the characters that seemed bland to me on the first book, now were unique and compelling enough for me to not only keep reading, but to actually start caring. And lastly, because I really liked the way depression and abuse and PTSD was handled.
The magic system continues not to impress me. Everything seems unexplained and circumstantial, and we are never really told the extent of it or people's powers, which makes for poor tension in climaxes since the characters just use a new power that was never mentioned before to solve that particular problem. I understand some people might enjoy this kind of thing, but to me it just seems like lazy writing.
This book is not perfect, there are actually some really cringeworthy situations, especially the sex scenes. Still, I gave it four stars purely for my enjoyment while reading. It was a page-turner, and it didn't really feel like a 600+ page book.
I will say though that this is not YA. There are some sexy and steamy scenes in this book, and if you don't feel comfortable reading that kind of things, I would avoid this.

«Demons are made of shadow. Don't look at the shadows too long or a demon might look back.»

[Review] Cruel Beauty - Rosamund Hodge

Author: Rosamund Hodge

Original Title: Cruel Beauty
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Release Date: January 28th, 2014
Finished Date: April 18th, 2015
Pages: 342
Read in: English

Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl's journey to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing her heart.

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom - all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth she has been in training to kill him.
With no choice but to fulfil her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.
But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle - a shifting maze of magical rooms - enthrals her.
As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

Source: GoodReads

Rating

This is a very peculiar book. I'm glad I went into it knowing little more than that it was a Beauty and the Beast retelling. I can't decide whether this was beautifully weird or weirdly beautiful. Maybe it was both. The point is that this book should not have worked. But it did.

This book takes most of my buzzwords - greek mythology, Beauty and the beast retelling, morally grey characters - and blends them together in a complicated and strangely woven plot.

If you're looking for a great, out-of-the-box read, I definitely suggest picking this one up.

«Demons are made of shadow. Don't look at the shadows too long or a demon might look back.»

The following extended review contains spoilers

If you have not yet read the book and/or do not wish to be spoiled, please do not read any further.

[Review] Days of Blood & Starlight (Daughter of Smoke and Bone, #2) - Laini Taylor

Author: Laini Taylor

Original title: Days of blood & starlight

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Release date: November 6th, 2012

Finished date: April 17th, 2015

Pages: 517

Read in: English

Synopsis

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

Rating

«(...) In these days of blood, there was no luxury of choice. Death ruled them all.»

This is it, guys. It doesn't get much better than this. This book was perfection.

The thing about Laini Taylor is that she can write the most beautiful words that make it seem as if though you were reading a fairytale, but her plotline, her characters, her whole world feel so real and so raw you can't help but wonder if there isn't always a bit of darkness to every fairytale. This book is a beautifully crafted piece of heaven. It is not a happy book - it is a hopeful one.

I can't really go too much into detail here, seeing as it is a second book in a trilogy, but if you're wondering whether or not you should read this - DO IT.

Even though I seriously can't wait to see how this trilogy comes to an end, I really don't want to do it at the same time. I love this books, and as soon as I read the next one, it's over. I'm just not ready for it to be over.

Daughter of smoke & bone (Book 1) - ★★★★

The following extended review contains spoilers

If you have not yet read the book and/or do not wish to be spoiled, please do not read any further.

[Review] Life and death (Twilight, #5) - Stephenie Meyer

Author: Stephenie Meyer

Original title: Life and death - Twilight reimagined
Publisher: Little, Brown
Release date: October 6th, 2015
Finished date: October 11th, 2015
Pages: 442
Read in: English


Synopsis

Celebrate the tenth anniversary of Twilight! This special double-feature book includes the classic novel, Twilight, and a bold and surprising reimagining, Life and Death, by Stephenie Meyer.

Packaged as an oversize, jacketed hardcover “flip book,” this edition features nearly 400 pages of new content as well as exquisite new back cover art. Readers will relish experiencing the deeply romantic and extraordinarily suspenseful love story of Bella and Edward through fresh eyes.

Source: GoodReads

Rating

Life and death is a complete gender swapped version of Twilight, written by Stephenie Meyer to prove that Bella wasn't really a damsel in distress, but a human in distress. Did Stephenie prove her point? I'm not sure, but I really think not. What Stephenie did was show us in not such big words what a screwed up society we live in. But I'll get into that in the spoilery section of this review. The point is this is not Midnight Sun.

Now, what everyone wants to know: IS IT WORTH BUYING?

Let me start out by saying that I'm not a Twilight hater. I started out as a gullible Twilight lover, actually. As I grew up, I begin wondering why my 14/15 year-old self loved this book so much. I went back and reread it. I did not enjoy the story that time around, but I couldn't deny the feeling of nostalgia that came with reading it. You see, back in 1999, 6 year-old me began reading the Harry Potter series. I got a new book every few years, and can you guess what I read in between? The ones that were already out. So by 2007, with the release of the last Harry Potter book, my reading life fell to a standstill. I was in a book hangover for a very long time, during which I read mostly classics.

It's easy to see why Twilight revolutionised my reading - I began reading YA again. I began reading fantasy again. And even though I loved Harry Potter with all my heart, I could finally move on.

It sounds overly dramatic, I know, but everything feels this way when you're 15.

So back to the question, do I believe you should buy this book?

No.

Unless you want to read the Twilight series for the first time, and never came in direct contact with the franchise, in which case, if you're curious enough, go ahead.

If you're just super super curious but don't wish to spend that amount of money on it - lets be honest, the cash cow is moaning right now - and you already know Twilight, try reading the spoilery section to make sure you really are that interested.

All in all, I didn't hate this book - I actually thought it was better than Twilight in some ways -, but I couldn't really take it seriously. Because even though the characters were gender swapped, their dialogue and especially Beau's inner turmoil remained mostly identical to their opposite gender counterparts. 

The following extended review contains spoilers

If you have not yet read the book and/or do not wish to be spoiled, please do not read any further.

[Review] Emerald Green (Precious Stone Trilogy, #3) - Kerstin Gier

Author: Kerstin Gier

Original Title: Smaragdgrün
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.

Release Date: October 8th, 2013 (December 8th, 2010)
Finished Date: April 3rd, 2015
Pages: 451
Read in: English

Synopsis

Gwen has a destiny to fulfill, but no one will tell her what it is. She’s only recently learned that she is the Ruby, the final member of the time-traveling Circle of Twelve, and since then nothing has been going right. She suspects the founder of the Circle, Count Saint-German, is up to something nefarious, but nobody will believe her. And she’s just learned that her charming time-traveling partner, Gideon, has probably been using her all along. Emerald Green is the stunning conclusion to Kerstin Gier's Ruby Red Trilogy, picking up where Sapphire Blue left off, reaching new heights of intrigue and romance as Gwen finally uncovers the secrets of the time-traveling society and learns her fate.

Source: GoodReads

Final Rating: ★★☆☆☆

I was so sad when I finished reading this series. Not because the ending itself is sad, but because I was so disappointed. The first book was so good, it’s hard to believe the total downfall that took place in the next two instalments.

It was a light story and still fun to read but it had so much potential that I felt like it was lacking. It could have been much more developed than it was. It was overall a good story with a very convenient ending. But I’ll let you be the judge of that.

You can find my reviews for the other books in this series here:

Ruby Red - ★★★★☆

Sapphire Blue - ★★☆☆☆

The following extended review contains spoilers

If you have not yet read the book and/or do not wish to be spoiled, please do not read any further.

[Review] Hush, Hush (Hush, Hush, #1) - Becca Fitzpatrick

Author: Becca Fitzpatrick

Original Title: Hush, hush

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: October 13th, 2009
Finished Date: April 5th, 2015
Pages: 391
Read in: English

Synopsis

A SACRED OATH

A FALLEN ANGEL

A FORBIDDEN LOVE

Romance was not part of Nora Grey's plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how hard her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and seems to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life.

Source: GoodReads

Final Rating: ★ out of 5

I would like to start by saying that I do not wish to be offensive  but as you can see I really did not like this book. Therefore, I'll try my best to warn others about what I thought, so that they won't be disappointed and don't spend money in a book that they might not like. You are welcome to defend the book if you so wish.
Now that you are warned I have to say I do not understand people. This piece of crap novel has a 4.01 rating on GoodReads, which is unfathomable to me. I expect great things of novels that have these kind of ratings.
This is a sexist, abusive story, and it certainly does not deserve all the hype surrounding it.

The following extended review contains spoilers

If you have not yet read the book and/or do not wish to be spoiled, please do not read any further.

[Review] Saphire Blue (Precious Stone Trilogy, #2) - Kerstin Gier

Author: Kerstin Gier

Original Title: Saphirblau

Publisher: Henry Holt
Release Date: October 30th, 2012 (December 1st, 2009)
Finished Date: April 2nd, 2015
Pages: 362
Read in: English

Synopsis

Gwen’s life has been a rollercoaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit of their blood (gross!), she’s been trying to figure out what all the mysteries and prophecies surrounding the Circle really mean.

At least Gwen has plenty of help. Her best friend Lesley follows every lead diligently on the Internet. James the ghost teaches Gwen how to fit in at an eighteenth century party. And Xemerius, the gargoyle demon who has been following Gwen since he caught her kissing Gideon in a church, offers advice on everything. Oh, yes. And of course there is Gideon, the Diamond. One minute he’s very warm indeed; the next he’s freezing cold. Gwen’s not sure what’s going on there, but she’s pretty much destined to find out.

Source: GoodReads

Final Rating: ★★ out of 5

I can't even explain how much of a disappointment this story turned out to be. I was expecting it to be more of an intricate and overall serious plot than it actually was. You can see here that I actually really loved the first book, as I saw incredible potential for an awesome development of the story - the world building was quite sound and the characters were very interesting. Meaning, it could have been awesome. But it wasn't. Why?
It felt, quite honestly, like the actual time travelling plot did not matter much after all. This book was much more focused on romantic drama. And I was not expecting that at all. It seemed to me like a middle grade romance, and that was not what I signed up for.
If you keep that in mind and/or you are just looking for something light and fun to read, you might enjoy this. It really is funny.

The following extended review contains spoilers

If you have not yet read the book and/or do not wish to be spoiled, please do not read any further.

[Review] The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #3) - Rick Riordan

Author: Rick Riordan
Original title: The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #3)
Publisher: Disney Hyperion Books
Release date: Januray 1st, 2007
Finished date: March 11th, 2015
Pages: 320
Read in: English

Synopsis

When Percy Jackson receives an urgent distress call from his friend Grover, he immediately prepares for battle. He knows he'll need his powerful demigod allies at his side; his trusty bronze sword, Riptide; and... a ride from his mom.
The demigods reace to the rescue to find that Grover has made an important discovery: two new powerful half-bloods, whose parentage is unknown. But that's not all that awaits them. The Titan lord, Kronos, has set up a devious trap, and the young heroes have just fallen prey.
Hilarious and action-packed, this third adventure in the series finds Percy faced with his most dangerous challenge yet—the chilling prophecy of the Titan's curse.

Source: GoodReads

Final Rating: ★★★★ out of 5

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again - I wish I had read this when I was younger. It’s not that I cannot completely appreciate Percy Jackson at 21, it’s just that I feel like this series was missing in my childhood. Maybe if I had read this when I was 12 and waiting for the next Harry Potter release, - yes, because Harry Potter was all I read when I was 12 - I would have found another thing to fangirl and obsess about.

This was another awesome adventure in the Olympian world. I’m going to be really sad when I end this series. It was action-packed and so exciting, I found myself on the edge of my seat several times. Highly recommended! 

The following extended review contains spoilers

If you have not yet read the book and/or do not wish to be spoiled, please do not read any further.

[Review] Ruby Red - Kerstin Gier

Author: Kerstin Gier
Original title: Rubinrot
Publisher: Henry Holt
Release date: May 10th 2011 (original: January 6th 2009)
Finished date: March 3rd 2015
Pages: 336
Read in: English

Synopsis
Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for travelling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveller from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

Source: GoodReads

Final Rating: ★★★★

Ruby Red was a really nice surprise. I have always been fascinated by the concept of time-travelling, but I had never read a book in which it was the main issue. This book has it all - history, science-fiction, witty and funny dialogue, intriguing characters and even a little bit of fantasy.

I was a tiny bit disappointed that this was such a small book. It felt a little like an introduction to the actual story. When I was so excited I couldn't stop reading, it ended. I liked it very much, but I didn't feel like I was satisfied by the end. I definitely have to get my hands on the next instalments. 

I recommend this one if you are looking for a short, fun and intriguing read or if you also are interested in the subject of time-travel.

The following extended review contains spoilers

If you have not yet read the book and/or do not wish to be spoiled, please do not read any further.