Review: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Book Description:

Hardcover, 1st, 624 pages
Published May 3rd 2016 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

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 torn apart.

Reviewer's Copy: Hardcover

Source: Purchased

My Thoughts:

Warning: Might contain spoilers for people who have not read A Court of Thorns and Roses.

A Court of Mist and Fury broke my heart to pieces in ways that I never imagined, and put it back together again. After reading the ending of A Court of Thorns and Roses, I couldn't wait to get my next dose of Rhysand.

Feyre was back in Tamlin's arms after the disastrous and painful time under the mountain. Despite the relief of having Tamlin back, there was something troubling Feyre. In the process of saving the cursed immortal boy that she loved, she broke herself beyond repair. In the sequel, we witness a different kind of Feyre - floating and broken. It was life-changing to see her slowly healing from the tragedy and trauma she experienced. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. This was true in Feyre's case. She came back stronger as High Fae.

I fell in love with the Persophone-esque twist to the story, when Rhysand would whisk Feyre away to the Night Court. I found the Night Court filled with life, brilliance and entertainment, so different from what everyone in the novel imagined it to be: a dark, dire place with torture. Rhysand's court thrived in magic, art and wonders. The sounds and smells, tastes and sights of every corner of Velaris gave me life. The artists' quarters was vibrant. It was the perfect hangout that I would very much like to visit.

Rhysand was the dream boy of every fangirl alive. In A Court of Thorns and Roses, I found more reasons to fall in love with his character. He was such a giving, considerate and sweet character. He gave space when there was only confinement, chance when there was a dead end, and strength when Feyre only had weakness. Rhysand and Feyre's banter was entertaining. There was much to analyze in their conversations. The tension between them was so electrifying that you could feel it on the pages.

Rhysand's inner circle is my new favorite team. Azriel and Cassian thoroughly brought on the entertainment and humor. Eventhough Azriel didn't really have that much lines in the book. His actions and gestures spoke volumes for him. I loved his shadowy personality. Cassian and Mor made me laugh several times throughout the story. Amren intrigued me with her old world history and otherworldly vibes. Rhysand and Feyre, together with the inner circle, made the Night Court a worthwhile place to stay in.

The writing was beautiful, woven from one line to another in strategic plotting. I loved reviewing the breadcrumbs that Maas left in A Court of Thorns and Roses, and connecting it to A Court of Mist and Fury. Maas was a master plotter. I loved every bit of the foreshadowing that was involved in the series. I kept reading back and forth. There was a different kind of magic in unraveling the connections between the installments.

A Court of Mist and Fury was the perfect, wild blend of romance, action, adrenaline and humor. It was action-packed, emotionally-charged and humor-injected. I highly recommend this series to all fantasy fans!

Rating:

5 Cupids = Eternal book love.
I will never, ever, ever forget this book. I highly recommend this!

Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas

Book Description:

Hardcover, 416 pages
Published May 5th 2015 by Bloomsbury Children's

A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it... or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

Reviewer's Copy: Hardcover

Source: Purchased 

My Thoughts:

A Court of Thorns and Roses surpassed my expectations. It was as amazing as I thought it would be and more. I was immediately lost within its charm and riveting tale. The fey winked at me and like a willing victim, I went with them.

The story world was all the sounds and sights that I have imagined and more. Prythian was a sprawling land of surprises, magic and danger. The writing was beautiful, captivating and flawless. There was no fault that I could find. It was the first thing that drew me in. The words wrapped around me like a comfortable blanket that I could not let go of, before drifting into a magical dream.

Feyre was an artist, sensitive and observant when it came down to color and texture. However, for the most part of the book, I saw her as a hunter who had the skills to survive. She was fierce and brave, going against all odds to bring food to the table, when no one else would. Living in Prythian was life-changing for Feyre. Her heart held such loneliness and I wanted to see something good happen to her. However, instead of walking into happiness, Feyre walked into a cage of pain and trials. I was constantly at the edge of my seat with the life-threatening situations and suspense that Feyre faced.

Rhysand was the one who caught my attention and held it in his night-kissed hands. He was the High Lord of the Night Court. He was perfection in my eyes. His moon-white skin, inky black hair and violet eyes were bullets against my armor. Throughout the story, I saw the good and bad sides of him. He was magnetic, devastatingly attractive and brilliant. His mind was a beautiful thing to observe and behold - always one step ahead of the game. His charm was like the stars in the sky - constant and forever. He seemed like the bad guy at times, however, behind his actions, I could see kernels of goodness. He was constantly masking his good deeds and intentions underneath smirks and threats. He has taken my heart for himself and I cannot get it back. I have fallen in love with his character right from the beginning, in Calanmai. I am looking forward to knowing him more thoroughly in the next installments.

Tamlin, the 'Beast' of the story, was good and noble. He was the High Lord of the Spring Court. Upon bursting violently through Feyre's front door, he had my eyebrow raised. He was a gentleman in his own right, however he had a layer of temper lingering underneath his skin. He tended to be overprotective and perhaps unwilling to value other's capacity to take control of themselves and be in control of a situation over his loss of control. It made me sad and a bit put off how he dealt with some things in his life.

The minor characters were brilliant and alive as well. Lucien, the Emissary of the Spring Court, was an intriguing character. He had a dark past, a quick mind and charm. It was endearing how he and Feyre slowly began to turn into friends despite their bad beginning. Alis, one of the household helps, was also a joy to read. She had a heart for a human. Her concern and compassion spoke volumes.

The action and suspense made my blood flow a little faster and my heart beat a little louder. It brought me back to the days when I read The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa. The twists and turns kept things interesting. I was constantly picking up breadcrumbs left by Maas throughout the pages, following any trail and any pattern that I could find. I was forming and testing theories in my head all throughout the novel. It was fun and stimulating to read something so well-planned and well-written. The ending was a promise of better and exciting things to come. I was satisfied with it, considering that it dealt with my favorite characters.

A Court of Thorns and Roses is heart-pounding and unforgettable with its burst of colors, wonders and twists. Cloaked with magic and layers of secrets, it is relentless in delivering entertainment. I highly recommend this to readers of faeries/fey, readers of fantasy and readers who delight in stories inspired by fairytales. You need this series in your life!

Rating:

5 Cupids = Eternal book love.
I will never, ever, ever forget this book. I highly recommend this!

Review: Ironskin by Tina Connolly

Book Description via Goodreads:

Hardcover, 304 pages
October 2, 2012, Tor Books

Jane Eliot wears an iron mask.

It’s the only way to contain the fey curse that scars her cheek. The Great War is five years gone, but its scattered victims remain—the ironskin.

When a carefully worded listing appears for a governess to assist with a "delicate situation"—a child born during the Great War—Jane is certain the child is fey-cursed, and that she can help.

Teaching the unruly Dorie to suppress her curse is hard enough; she certainly didn’t expect to fall for the girl’s father, the enigmatic artist Edward Rochart. But her blossoming crush is stifled by her own scars, and by his parade of women. Ugly women, who enter his closed studio...and come out as beautiful as the fey.

Jane knows Rochart cannot love her, just as she knows that she must wear iron for the rest of her life. But what if neither of these things is true? Step by step Jane unlocks the secrets of her new life—and discovers just how far she will go to become whole again.

Source: Alexis + Tor Teen (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

When I started reading Ironskin, I was mesmerized with the vividness of the story world. It was easy to get sucked into Jane's steampunk world, with its old-world mysterious vibe and tragic history. I liked how Connolly told the story. The writing was very beautiful and poetic, matching the era of the book. Aside from the plot, what really draws me in (always) is the writing. I like reading something that I would repeat in my head, over and over again.

The characters were likable. Jane was scarred physically and emotionally. Her flaws made her realistic for me. Her interaction with the other characters made her even more real to me. Though people shrunk away from her, she held her head high - well, as high as she could. I wouldn't say that she was the most confident woman in the book, no, in fact, she struggled with her 'damaged' face and the social and aesthetic consequences of it. Although Dorie was a handful, the way Jane handled her showed her never-ending patience and devotion to help out another victim of the faeries.

Mr. Rochart was a harder character to like. At the beginning, I was drawn to his mysteriousness. But as the chapters passed, I found my questions piling up. One after the other. He was too secretive. Although the author planted clues here and there, I believe that it took a bit too long to have the answers. Don't let this discourage you though. I breezed through the pages in my mad-desperate attempt to find those answers. When I found them, it was worth it. I was torn between liking and hating him in the end. But I settled for the former. Edward, like Jane, was flawed and I couldn't blame him for his weaknesses. I can't say much about the romance though, there were sparks but I wanted a fireworks display between them, emotional and sexual tension. I hope that this will be developed in the sequel.

What I liked about Ironskin was the twist on the faery mythology. Gone were the traditional small faeries and what I like to call the modern gorgeous faeries. We got bodiless glows of blue for faeries. More like specters with no form, they needed to attack humans with magic to gain a body. Once their magic attaches or spreads to the dead human body, they can slip in and reanimate the body. I found myself freaking out at this old-world horror. There were scenes that gave me the fear that zombies/possessions incited in me. Bravo to Connolly for doing that! The comeback of the faeries was also something the part that I liked best - adrenaline, chaos and creep-factor raised to the highest level. It was so vivid that I could easily imagine it as a scene in a movie.

To sum up, Ironskin is a fresh and intriguing spin on the faery + steampunk equation. Be prepared to enter into a well-built Gothic story world. I recommend this to people who enjoyed The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann, who wants a more mature take on that kind of story (although the two are just similar in terms of the genre.) If you like steampunk, faeries and retellings, this is for you!

Rating:

4 Cupids = Strong book love. 

I really enjoyed this. I recommend this!

    

Review: The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann

Book Description via Goodreads:

Paperback, 376 pages
September 1, 2012, HarperCollins Publishers

THE GRAVEYARD BOOK meets JONATHAN STRANGE & MR. NORRELL in this gothic steampunk page-turner for readers of all ages.

Bartholomew Kettle won't live long. Changelings never do. The child of a human mother and a faery father, Bartholomew is a secret, despised by both his races. If the English don't hang him for witchcraft, the faerys will do something worse. So his mother keeps him locked away, hidden from the world in the faery slums of Bath.

But one day Bartholomew witnesses a mysterious lady kidnap another changeling through a shadowy portal, and he realizes the danger is closer than ever before. Changelings are surfacing in the rivers, their bodies empty of blood and bone and their skin covered in red markings. A powerful figure sits in the shadows, pushing the pieces in place for some terrible victory. When a sinister faery in a top-hat begins to stalk Bartholomew's steps, he knows it's his turn. Something is coming for him. Something needs him. But when you're a changeling there's nowhere to run...

Buy The Peculiar!

Source: Christine, HarperCollins + PBT (Thank you!!)

My Thoughts:

Before reading The Peculiar, I was prepared for steampunkery and faeries. I guess I expected a taste of the ambiance of Ironskin by Tina Connolly. But instead I got a piece of a cruel, cruel world, a glimpse into the lives of the people in the faery slums and a lonely changeling. In London, faeries, changelings and humans co-existed and shared a strained relationship. Bells rang every five minutes, hindering and molding the magical nature of faeries. Without a way home, they were forced to stay in the human world. I loved my short stay in the story world of The Peculiar. It was a vivid and imaginative world, with a balance between the elements of magic and technology. The attention to detail reminded me of the style of Cassandra Clare.

I enjoyed reading the story from two perspectives: Bartholomew’s and Mr. Jelliby’s. I liked how the author wrote this novel in such a way that the story of these two characters formed two halves of a whole. Bartholomew was a changeling living in the faery slums and as a changeling, he lived in fear of discovery. He was constantly reminded to be extra careful. He shouldn’t grab the attention of other people. Despite Barty being half-faery and half-human, he seemed more human than fay. He longed for friendship and was protective of his younger sister. I liked to consider changelings as the minority in this equation. They were often viewed so negatively in such a way that they were a menace and are easily disposable that their lives were in constant danger.

Mr. Jelliby was a character that I was fond of. He had the big heart of Mo from Liesl & Po and the gentlemanliness and sophistication of Jem from Clockwork Angel, only more posh, slightly unlucky and active in politics. He was super nice, to the point that he dreaded Privy Council meetings because it involved topics like murder, but he was not weak. Through his luck and persistence, Mr. Jelliby uncovered important bits of information and he didn’t sit still for one minute. He acted out. I liked how Mr. Jelliby’s strengths and weaknesses were balanced out and more importantly, I liked how he braved the danger he knew he was getting into.

The faeries in The Peculiar were the kind that interested me and creeped me out. For instance, Mr. Lickerish reminded me so much of a typical faery prince or a faery nobel. Powerful, gorgeous and elegant but with a mean streak and an innate coldness in him, in my mind I was associating him with the UnSeelie. Jack Box was the one that creeped me out and annoyed me the most but at the end of the book, I found pity and understanding for his character. Back to basic was what happened in The Peculiar and it was very effective. As Bachmann said in his guest post, sometimes faeries tend to be romanticized and I do agree with him. Showing the 'evil' side of faeries was something I liked.

The ending was heartbreakingly good. I was so sad that it ended there. It was that moment when you find yourself sitting at the edge of your seat, looking for the next page only to find out that you’ve finished the book. My only complaint was that there were times while reading it that I felt that the pacing was slow. However, I have no issues with slow pacing. I just felt that these parts weren’t in sync with the other parts where I flipped the pages like mad.

The Peculiar was a heart-pounding steampunk fantasy with a mystery that will keep readers at the edge of their seats and enough suspense to cause a heart attack. I recommend this to readers of steampunk, fantasy and fans of faery novels. Questions, creepiness and murder. If these things interest you, pick this up! If you liked Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr, I believe you might like this, too – in my opinion, the true nature of the faeries were revealed. Minus the romance.

Rating:

4.5 Cupids = Obsessive book love.
Almost made it as one of my favorites! I strongly recommend this!

We have another giveaway! This one is for PH residents only (sorry US and International peeps!)

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Review: The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa + Giveaway

Book Description via Goodreads:

361 pages, Paperback

October 25, 2011, Harlequin Teen

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.

To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Source: Netgalley & Gifted (Thanks, Mom!)

Note:

I’ve been postponing reading The Iron Knight for as long as I could. I got the ebook in Netgalley and I downloaded it right away but I realized that I couldn’t read it at that time. I had just finished The Iron Queen and I wasn’t ready to end the series. Then I tried reading it, I got to less than page 200 before I stopped because again, I didn’t want it to end. And then early this week, I walked in the bookstore, went to the YA section and saw a copy of The Iron Knight. I held on to it and never let go.

My Thoughts:

Ash was always an interesting character for me. Aside from Puck and Meghan, he’s my favorite. I like how his character was a complex ‘badboy’ with a twist – he was an Unseelie Prince. Ash was so many things: determined, fearless, icy to the core but at the same time held a soft spot for Ariella, his former love and Meghan, his queen. From The Iron King, I witnessed how he changed because of Meghan. He left his icy shell, letting himself out into the open, honest and vulnerable. But in The Iron Knight, I met the totality of Ash. He was Winter Prince, vulnerable Ash, exile Ash, and determined Knight. The most important question in this novel was that, who is Ash? Who does he want to be?

With his oath to Meghan, promising he would find a way to come back, he went on a mini-journey to find Grimalkin the cat. Considering that the said cat was always disappearing, it was not an easy task to accomplish. He was accompanied by Robin Goodfellow, who, as always, injected as much humor into this installation as he could. They bickered, threatened each other and fought one another. Through all of this, the tension between them intensified as Ash’s oath to Ariella – to avenge her by killing Puck – weighed on the Unseelie Prince’s shoulders. The friendship and enemy-ship of these two fey guys were an interesting part of the novel.

In an attempt to gain a human soul, Ash, Puck and Grimalkin ventured to a Seer, who knew the way to the End of the World, where Ash could fulfill his oath. It was an unforgettable adventure. I traveled with them, growing weak, eager and anxious as they got one step closer to their destination. The Journey itself was full of surprises. The River of Dreams was one of my favorite parts of the path. It was filled with the debris of human imagination. Imagine a river and now imagine dumping random things in it: books, apples, coffins, dragons and other mythical creatures. I encountered several new, extremely bizarre characters that chilled me and disturbed me.

The Iron Knight stood out because this novel, no matter how fey and magical it was, had a human touch. When I say human touch, I mean that it was close to how a human would narrate. Swirling emotions, dreams, doubts, thoughts, worrying about the future more than necessary, pain, loss, grief, regret and conscience. Throw all of these in with magic, danger, high possibility of death, drama, long distance, no talk relationship and you get an amazing result. Through old memories, dreams and hopes, I got to learn more about Ash than in the first three books combined.

The ending of the Iron Fey Series is phenomenal. I was really happy when I found out that there would be a book for Ash (because I’m Team Ash.) I wasn’t disappointed. I loved every word of The Iron Knight. To everyone who hasn’t read the series yet, this is the perfect time to start it. I highly, insistently, passionately recommend this to everyone who loves fantasy, romance and adventure!

Rating:

*CLOSED* Giveaway: The Iron King/ The Iron Daughter/ The Iron Queen/ The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa *CLOSED*

And now, because I LOVE The Iron Fey Series...and because I've reached 844 followers (which is SO awesome - thank you for the support!), I will be giving away a book from The Iron Fey Series that YOU haven't read yet. One or maybe two lucky winners will win! If you haven't started the series, this is the perfect chance to get your hands on The Iron King. If you've read The Iron King and haven't gotten a copy of the next installment, you can get The Iron Daughter or The Iron Queen. Or if you're Team Ash and you want to finish the series...you can win The Iron Knight.

Rules:

Must be a follower (since, of course, this is a Thank You Giveaway for my followers)
Open internationally! Ends on December 15!

Leave your email address so I can contact you if you win.

Tell me which book of The Iron Fey Series you want to win.

Extra entries (not required):

+2 spread the word: twitter, goodreads, wherever (please leave link)

+2 sidebar link

That's it! Come back on December 15, 2011 to see if you won!

Review: The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton

Book Description via Goodreads:

Advanced Bound Manuscript, 352 pages

September 27, 2011, Tor/Macmillan USA

Debut novelist Kiki Hamilton takes readers from the gritty slums and glittering ballrooms of Victorian London to the beguiling but menacing Otherworld of the Fey in this spellbinding tale of romance, suspense, and danger. 


The year is 1871, and Tiki has been making a home for herself and her family of orphans in a deserted hideaway adjoining Charing Cross Station in central London. Their only means of survival is by picking pockets. One December night, Tiki steals a ring, and sets off a chain of events that could lead to all-out war with the Fey. For the ring belongs to Queen Victoria, and it binds the rulers of England and the realm of Faerie to peace. With the ring missing, a rebel group of faeries hopes to break the treaty with dark magic and blood—Tiki’s blood.


Unbeknownst to Tiki, she is being watched—and protected—by Rieker, a fellow thief who suspects she is involved in the disappearance of the ring. Rieker has secrets of his own, and Tiki is not all that she appears to be. Her very existence haunts Prince Leopold, the Queen’s son, who is driven to know more about the mysterious mark that encircles her wrist.


Prince, pauper, and thief—all must work together to secure the treaty…

Source: Kiki Hamilton (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

Hamilton presented a London that had so many abandoned children, orphans and pickpockets. It was a fragile and problematic time wherein money was hard to earn and food came scarcely. I was entirely sold out to how the world was built. It seemed real, complete with all the drama of everyday life in the streets. I found it easy to sympathize with the street urchins of The Faerie Ring because here in my country, there are a handful of them too. Their situation was really heartbreaking.

Tara Kathleen, aka Tiki, was one of a kind. Born into a well-off family, she had luxuries as a child. She was well-loved and taken care of. But everything changed when her parents died. She wound up in the streets, penniless, hopeless and lost. She met Fiona and Shamus, two cousins who lived in the streets, striving to live and getting money from pickpocketing. Fiona and Shamus, among two other children – Clara and Toots, were Tiki’s new family. They were unfortunate victims of fate but they tried to make the most out of their situation. They were not related by blood but they lived together and helped each other.

Tiki had found Clara in a pile of trash, almost dead. She struggled to nurse Clara back to health. But with the lack of food, lack of clean clothes and water, Clara kept getting worse. But with Tiki’s amazing find, the Queen’s ring, she might just be able to get enough money to pay Clara’s hospital bills, bring her home, buy a house and supply enough food for her family. But it turned out, getting the money was going to be difficult.

Rieker, a known name among pickpockets, bumped into Tiki a couple of times. He had noticed the strange birthmark on her wrist – a swirl of vines and leaves – and had become intrigued with her. With his handsome face and his charm, he was easy to admire. But Tiki was worried about his interest in the Queen’s ring. Tiki did not trust him. Could Rieker prove that his intentions were good before it’s too late?

The Queen’s ring held the fire of the treaty between the royal family of London and the fey. With it gone missing from the palace, anyone (any fey) could easily get rid of it and then the treaty would be broken. War will set loose. The fey could conquer London.

As usual, there were two fey courts: Seelie and Unseelie. However, only Unseelie fey appeared in The Faerie Ring. They wanted to break the treaty, get back what was once theirs – London. Hamilton portrayed them as vicious, hot-tempered and unpredictable creatures donning human skin. Larkin, the blonde fey, was absolutely intriguing. Even though I hated her, I have to admit that her character kept me reading on.

The Faerie Ring is a perfect fusion of historical fiction and urban fantasy – the best of both worlds, outstanding in tragedy, suspense, peril and magic. Enthralling, dark, mysterious – the story took my breath away with every passing shadow, every budding doubt and every unearthed secret.

Rating:

Review: Elemental Reality by Cesya Cuono

Book Description via Goodreads:

E-ARC, 249 pages

August 21, 2011, Revolution Publishing

When Callie Pierce was ten, her mother disappeared without a trace. On the eve of her disappearance twelve years later, the earth seemingly comes alive. The elements speak to Callie, and that's only the beginning. Everything she has ever known was a twisted fabrication to protect her. Now the truth is set free. Callie and her sister are more powerful than any Faerie ever born. Now they have to use their powers to save their mother and family from the evil hands of fate that threaten to tear them apart. Welcome to her elemental reality.

Source: Jennifer from Revolution Publishing (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

Elemental Reality started with Callie’s birthday. But she had issues with this special day. She always remembered her mom who has been gone for years. The birthday coinciding with an unfortunate day was a trend in YA. I always encountered it. But Cuono handled it well – not dwelling too much on the dark side. I liked how she was able to balance the elements of light and dark and sweet and bitter throughout the novel.

Callie was 22 years old. She was a working girl who was also a punk rocker minus the singing talent. She was lively, loved the color hot pink and had a semi-bad love life. In a way, she reminded me a bit of Becca Bloomwood of The Confessions of a Shopaholic. She had the same charm, minus the obsession and the uncontrolled money spending. She was also a Faerie – a very talented one. But with her living in the human world, believing that she was one of them, she had not really developed that ‘Faerie attitude’ that I usually encounter in YA novels. She was like a human mentally and emotionally.

The two guys in her life were Cayden and Oli. Cayden was the first one she met on the night of her birthday. He made her feel like she was an emotional mess. Back then, Callie liked it. He was confident and seductive. Enter, second love interest – Oli. He was the new Australian neighbor. He was naturally hot, handsome, gentle and adorable. Above all, Callie felt something unexplainable that connected her with Oli. He was so easy to trust, so easy to fall for. They had great moments together that I enjoyed reading.

Cuono’s twist in the mythology of faeries and demons was new to me. This was the first time that I encountered a book with faeries against demons. Usually they worked together. With this mythology, she molded Callie’s life into an exciting, dangerous and dramatic one. Her mission to save her mother was probably the most risky and most important thing she ever had to. She faced the challenge and the probability of them failing with her family and friends. Cuono’s writing injected humour and appeal to her debut.

Elemental Reality is an entertaining, witty, unique and promising paranormal romance. I can see this series getting better. Although I’m not exactly sure if this one is YA, I feel like it’s not an Adult novel too. It’s somewhere in between. I recommend this to readers of paranormal and fanatics of faeries.

Rating:

Review: Summer's Crossing by Julie Kagawa

Book Description via Goodreads:

Ebook, 57 pages

June 1, 2011, Harlequin Teen

A Midsummer's Nightmare? Robin Goodfellow. Puck. Summer Court prankster, King Oberon's right hand, bane of many a faery queen's existence—and secret friend to Prince Ash of the Winter Court. Until one girl's death came between them, and another girl stole both their hearts.

Now Ash has granted one favor too many and someone's come to collect, forcing the prince to a place he cannot go without Puck's help—into the heart of the Summer Court. And Puck faces the ultimate choice—betray Ash and possibly win the girl they both love, or help his former friend turned bitter enemy pull off a deception that no true faery prankster could possibly resist.

Source: Harlequin Teen (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

Summer’s Crossing started after The Iron Queen. When someone came to collect a favor from the Winter Prince that involved slipping into Arcadia, Puck’s help was enlisted. Together, two former best friends headed to Faeryland to retrieve a prized possession. But as they were on their way to Summer territory, Puck came face to face with a realization: as long Ash existed, Meghan will never be his. He could just as easily betray Ash, comfort Meghan as she mourns for her prince and then he would have all the time in the world to make her fall in love with him. But could Puck really do that to Meghan and Ash, knowing how much they loved each other and how much they were happy?

I really loved Puck’s narrative. It was as fun and as mischievous as Robin Goodfellow. As he deliberated about his choice, I got to see an old part of him that I barely saw in the other books – the part that was Ash and Ariella’s best friend. Seeing things from the eyes of the greatest prankster was amusing and entertaining. Everything was different, seen with a brighter color. Oftentimes, I could see the love he had for Meghan laced with his thoughts. All of a sudden, I remembered why I used to be Team Puck. The guy was quite sweet and protective in his own way.

In Arcadia, Ash and Puck found themselves in a dangerous situation that could lead to their destruction. But Ash put his trust on Puck and I liked that. After all the battles they have been to with Meghan, the animosity was starting to decrease enough for Ash to trust him again.

Summer’s Crossing is the perfect fun read for people who belong to Team Puck and even to Team Ash! It’s a light read that will make readers smile, laugh and will have them charmed. If you want an entertaining novella to pass your time, read this!

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