The False Prince~ Jennifer A Nielsen | Review

Title: The False Prince (The Ascension Trilogy #1)
Author: Jennifer A Nielsen
Genre: Middle Grade/YA Fantasy
Length: 342 Pages
Release: April 2012
My Rating: 5/5 Stars

Review

I first read The False Prince in 2015 and fell absolutely in love with it. Recently I reread it with a friend of mine and loved it just as much the second time around.

The story follows the orphan Sage as he is taken from the orphanage and taught to think, act, and become a prince. But it's not just Sage being trained, there are two other boys. And after two weeks one will be chosen to rule.

Sage is one of my favorite characters. This story is told in first person, so you get to spend a lot of time in his head. It also has kind of an unreliable narrator feel to it, because you're not entirely sure about some of the stuff Sage is telling you as the narrator. Which is awesome. And he has this sharp wit and humor that are spot on.

In some ways this story is predictable, but to me predictability is not really a bad thing. I don't mind being able to figure things out or know the ending before I get there, because that's not what reading was about. It was about seeing how it happened. And here it was such a fun journey. You get be with Sage as he makes new friends, new enemies, is tested by himself and by others.

This has a fantasy feel, but has no magic or mythical creatures, so isn't exactly a fantasy novel. It's one of those nice in-between type reads. It feels fantasy enough to be a fantasy adventure, but is real enough to have happened in history. Perfect blend.

And one thing that I truly gained an appreciation for in rereading this was the way that Nielsen was able to turn her foreshadowing into an art. Seriously, it was beautiful. And having already read the entire trilogy I was able to pick up on all the subtle hints she laced throughout this first novel. Hints that tell you exactly what will happen without you even realizing it! Absolutely beautiful work.

These characters are all extremely well developed and real. Sage, Imogen, Mott, and Roden in particular stick in my mind. Conner, our antagonist, is so bad that you start to feel sorry for him at points. You start to wonder how he got where he is. And the journey that all of these characters have taken was utter perfection.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is remotely interested in reading it. It's a really quick read and a lot of fun. So pick it up and fall in love.  

Philia and Sophia~Nikitha Hingad | review

Title: Philia and Sophia
Author: Nikitha Hingad
Genre: Poetry
Length: 180 Pages
Release: March 2015
My Rating: 2.5/5 Stars

I received a copy of this poetry collection in exchange for an honest review.  

Review

I have always loved poetry and over the past year I've been trying to read more of this beautiful art form. I am by no means an expert, so when it comes to all the technical forms of poetry, I am definitely not the person to ask, but reading and writing (particularly free form) are always fun for me. So let's talk about Philia and Sophia.

There was nothing particularly wrong with this collection, I just had a hard time connecting personally. The collection is split into two sections, one about love and one about wisdom. I thought the concept was interesting, but found the implementation rather difficult to follow.

A lot of the poems were rather repetitive to me and I found that this detracted from my reading experience. Many of them did not flow as comfortably as I would have liked either, but that's often a personal thing where poetry is concerned. I was also not particularly fond of some of the subject matter, it just seemed like the speaker was putting herself down a lot.

This was enjoyable, but not great. I think another round of editing would improve much of what I had difficulty with as far as flow and repetition. There were also some word choices that did not make sense, but this could be a language issue (I believe the author is not a native English speaker, though I could be mistaken). 

Nikitha has promise and I hope that she continues to hone her craft.

Imaginary Fred~Eoin Colfer & Oliver Jeffers | Review

Title: Imaginary Fred
Author: Eoin Colfer and Oliver Jeffers
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Length: 48 Pages
Release: September 2015
My Rating: 5/5 Stars

Review

Eoin Colfer has been one of my favorite authors for over ten years now. When I found out he had a picture book, I knew I had to get my hands on it.

This is a story of what it is to be an imaginary friend. Fred is an imaginary boy who keeps being forgotten about when his friends become friends with other real children. Fred is happy for them, but he wants a friend he can have forever. And thus begins the tale.

This story is really cute and the artwork is perfect. It would be a perfect story for an older picture book lover who enjoys the story and not just the pictures. You really need both to truly appreciate this. Not having any children of my own, I can't tell you too much about what children actually think of this title, but I personally loved it. And it will be added to my shelf for my future children.

If you have children and want to encourage them to read from a young age, read this with them. It's cute and has a great story with fun drawings that give great detail without being overwhelming. If you're a fan of either Eoin Colfer or Oliver Jeffers, you will definitely enjoy this book.

Against a Brightening Sky~Jaime Lee Moyer | Review

Title: Against a Brightening Sky (Delia Martin #3)
Author: Jaime Lee Moyer
Genre: Historical/Paranormal
Length: 336 Pages (Hardback)
Release: October 2015
My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Review

I found Delia's Shadow while browsing through the library a couple of years ago. It was on the new books shelf and the cover immediately pulled me in. When I found out it was a historical book involving ghosts I knew I had to read it. And I have really enjoyed the entire trilogy.

This final installment in Delia's story was an engaging and fun read. It's been a while since I've read a good mystery book and I forgot how much I enjoy them. It's always fun trying to figure out the mystery before the characters, rooting for the good guys, and being surprised along the way. And this was no exception.

The story is told in alternating viewpoints from Delia and her husband Gabe. I love the way this was done. Delia's portions are all told in first person, while Gabe's perspective is written in third. This keeps the two from mixing together or becoming too similar, though each character has a very distinct voice anyway.

Delia and her friend Dora can both see ghosts and deal with occult forces. This plays a huge part in the story but is by no means the only focus. Through these ghosts Delia is able to help Gabe (who is a police captain) solve difficult cases. This novel is no exception as they are all pulled into a fight with a necromancer who is killing off the Russian royals after WWI.

One great thing about these books is that it has extremely strong women characters. They are all loving and supportive wives, mothers and friends. But they also have other depths to them. This does away with some of the stereotypes surrounding women of the time period.

I don't want to go too deeply into the story as you should experience it for yourself, but it's both hopeful and heartbreaking. New characters are introduced and it's hard to tell if they are villains or good guys. It deals with nightmares, murder, suffering, love, hope, and friendship. It's a beautiful world and I will miss reading about these characters. Delia and Gabe are fantastic, but I also love Dora and Randy as well as Sam, who was adorable.

If you like ghost stories and historic fiction, read this series and enjoy the ride.   

Ivy's Bind~P D Kalnay | Review

Title: Ivy's Bind (Legend of the White Sword #2)
Author: P D Kalnay
Genre: YA Fantasy
Length: 157 Pages
Release: February 2016
My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Review

This novel picks up just after Ivy's Tangle (the first installment) left off. Jack has started high school and is waiting for the summer to start so he can see Ivy and Mr Ryan again. In the meantime he starts making things in his grandmother's basement, learning to build furniture and make jewelry.

The novel starts off a bit slowly, but even in those slow portions some interesting questions are raised and important pieces are laid for later events. And it was always enjoyable, just not quite what I was expecting for the start. Although it is a second book, which I am usually wary of. 

This book is just as strong as the previous installment if only for the fact that it builds the world started in that earlier volume. A lot of questions are answered and revelations made that really open up the first book to new interpretation. I found myself enjoying both Jack and Ivy a lot more than I had before and found their relationship absolutely adorable. 

One thing that I loved about this book was the way it introduced fae. This is not something that I usually enjoy reading about, so had I known this book was going to introduce this story line I might have been a little more hesitant with it. But I enjoyed it here! The way that Kalnay introduces fae and their world was different than other stories I've read and I found myself drawn into their history and what this implies for our characters in their future. Definitely not something to fault the book for. 

If you are at all interested in young adult fantasy stories then give P D Kalnay a try. His novels are always a lot of fun to read and I find myself becoming completely lost in them. Highly recommended series and author. 

Doorways Home~Jacqueline Dooley | Review

Title: Doorways Home (The Spirit Oak's Gift #2)
Author: Jacqueline Dooley
Genre: YA Fantasy
Length: 304 Pages
Release: September 2014
My Rating: 4/5 Stars

I won a copy of this novel through the goodreads First Reads program.

Review

I don't know why it has taken me so long to pick this book up because I really enjoyed the first one and knew that I would likely enjoy this one. But alas, it took me forever. 

This story follows Grace and Sorel two girls that will fulfill a prophecy in Arkomo (the fantasy world that Sorel is from). Grace has cancer that is eating away her life and that's how she and Sorel first meet--in the hospital. 

The prophecies surrounding the fantasy world of Arkomo are really interesting. There is a darkness that is never explored extremely deeply, but what you do know is horrifying. The ceremony known as The Departure is approaching and only Sorel has guessed what it really is. This novel is her trying to save her land and her brothers. 

One thing that I really like about this book is how honest it is. It doesn't sugar coat the horrors of cancer for an eleven year old. As Grace is trying to help save this other world she's suffering through treatment, unsure if she will live long enough for the transplant she desperately needs. And while some might find this off putting I found it refreshing because it was real. 

This is definitely a good adventure and really fast reading. There are sick kids and most of the story takes place within a hospital, so if that's not something you can handle reading I would not suggest picking this book up. Otherwise it's a lot of fun and I would recommend it. 

Enlightenment~Liz Keel | Review

Title: Enlightenment (The Driel Trilogy #1)
Author: Liz Keel
Genre: YA Fantasy
Length: 256 Pages (Paperback)
Release: April 2016
My Rating: 1.5/5 Stars

I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Review

It's really hard for me to give books low ratings because I know that the author has put in a lot of work. But I had a really hard time with this book and finishing it was difficult. Since it was short I decided to read the entire thing so that I could form a full opinion. I think this story had potential, but it lacked enough development to make it truly enjoyable for me.

One thing that I personally have a hard time with in books is an overuse of exclamation points. I feel like I'm being yelled at when I see too many of them, which gives me a headache. I also don't like the use of ?! for than a couple of times. In dialogue it can sometimes work when a strong emotion needs to be conveyed, but more than a few times in one book is too much.

The love story in this book is probably the thing I liked the least. The age difference between Thea and Eli and Isaac was rather disturbing to me. Had it been presented differently I might not have found it that bad, but as it is, I found it kind of creepy. The insta-love was also over the top. Attraction I get, but this was taking it too far. And the love triangle was forced and unnecessary. I would have enjoyed for Eli to be nothing more than a brother figure to both Thea and Isaac. That would have worked really well and been enjoyable, as I found the moments that were more like this very sweet.

I did not enjoy that almost all of the important stuff that happened to Thea was glossed over. She's taken to become the queen of a fairy realm, but then we don't see any of her political training and she zones out during important meetings. It's honestly a story line that I don't really get. Why would you want this person to be your leader? Shouldn't it be based on qualifications and not blood?

I was really hoping to enjoy this book, but it was not for me. The pacing was too abrupt, the love story over simplified, and the politics brushed aside. Thea was only ever interested in checking out the men around her when she should have been worrying about become a good leader. There was potential that shone through at moments, but that potential was never met.