The #FridayReads Review (10/9/20)

  

Welcome to The #FridayReads Review, a regular Friday segment where I share what I've been reading the past week, and what I'm planning to read next! Want to join the Friday fun? Post your own #FridayReads Review and leave the link in the Comments below, or just Comment with what you've been reading!

>> CURRENTLY READING <<

Tunnel of Bones by Victoria Schwab (PBK)

I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this ghostly MG series a few months ago (review) and once this sequel arrived I just couldn't hold off reading it in favor of more pressing titles. Just like City of Ghosts it is easy and engrossing with a chilling ghost story and lots of spooky atmosphere, and no surprise I'm already eager for the third book!

>> ON HOLD <<

The Language of Ghosts by Heather Fawcett (ARC)

The writing style was a lot thicker and the story a lot slower than I was expecting so I wasn't enjoying this as much as I'd hoped. I'm definitely still interested in reading it though, and plan to continue after Tunnel.

>> [POSSIBLY] READING NEXT <<

(subject to change with my ever-shifting reading whims)

Yokai Rental Shop by Shin Mashiba (PBK)

I was reminded of this series last week and discovering there are only four volumes, all released, I put them on library hold for an October binge. Possible review to come.

So what are you reading this week?

The #FridayReads Review (10/2/20)

  

Welcome to The #FridayReads Review, a regular Friday segment where I share what I've been reading the past week, and what I'm planning to read next! Want to join the Friday fun? Post your own #FridayReads Review and leave the link in the Comments below, or just Comment with what you've been reading!

>> CURRENTLY READING <<

The Language of Ghosts by Heather Fawcett (ARC)

Decided I felt like a MG fantasy and finally started this September release. Only a few chapters in and it's a little odder than I expected, but it's certainly intriguing and I'm invested enough to continue.

A Library Miscellany by Claire Cock-Starkey (HBK)

I have a special fascination of libraries so I'm thoroughly enjoying this little book of factoids. So far I've learned about different types of libraries (including lost ones), classification systems, book thefts, fines, popular borrowed authors, Public Lending Right, the Future Library, and library philanthropist Carnegie.

>> JUST FINISHED <<

Death Marked by Leah Cypess (ARC)

2 Stars. While readable with an interesting premise, the vague setting, confused magic, forced plot, conflicted and cowardly main character, and anticlimactic end where nothing actually changed after two books of soul-searching left me very disappointed. Review to come.

>> [POSSIBLY] READING NEXT <<

(subject to change with my ever-shifting reading whims)

Waiting for Spring vol. 12 by Anashin (PBK)

Discovered I'm a few volumes behind in this series so I've acquired them from the library (not that I quite remember what the story is about...).

So what are you reading this week?

The #FridayReads Review (9/25/20)

 

Welcome to The #FridayReads Review, a regular Friday segment where I share what I've been reading the past week, and what I'm planning to read next! Want to join the Friday fun? Post your own #FridayReads Review and leave the link in the Comments below, or just Comment with what you've been reading!

>> CURRENTLY READING <<

Death Sworn by Leah Cypess (ARC)

I was struggling to get into Ten Thousand Skies and was craving a fantasy so I grabbed this for a re-read with plans to finally read the sequel next. It's been at least 5 years since my original read so I didn't recall much going in, but I think I've been enjoying it as much as I did before. It's a simple plot with a static setting, and I recalled one of the twists from the start so one aspect has been rather frustrating, but overall it's a quick, easy read with engaging characters and I'm already looking forward to the sequel. 

>> JUST FINISHED <<

Living-Room Matsunaga-san vol. 2 by Keiko Iwashita (PBK)

4 Stars. A fun and cute boarding house love story with interesting characters. Looking forward to the next one!

>> [POSSIBLY] READING NEXT <<

(subject to change with my ever-shifting reading whims)

Sacrificial Princess & the King of Beasts vol. 10 by Yu Tomofuji (PBK)

A Beauty & the Beast-esque story with unique characters and a generally interesting plot. This next volume is due to arrive at the library for me soon.

So what are you reading this week?

The #FridayReads Review (12/29/17)

Welcome to The #FridayReads Review, a regular Friday segment where I share what I've been reading the past week, and what I'm planning to read next! Want to join the Friday fun? Post your own #FridayReads Review and leave the link in the Comments below, or just Comment with what you've been reading!

>> CURRENTLY READING <<

Prince in Disguise by Stephanie Kate Strohm (ARC)

After passing on three fantasy books I decided to give this teen contemporary romance a try. The banter is slightly odd, but the characters are realistically engaging and the story has proven fun and interesting enough to hold my interest. Currently half a dozen chapters in and happily sneaking pages whenever I can.

>> JUST FINISHED <<

Honor Among Thieves by Rachel Caine & Ann Aguirre (ARC)

5 Stars. ALL THE STARS. An engrossing and exhilarating teen sci-fi with a kick-ass female lead and sweet but strong sentient ship. Review to come.

>> PASSED <<

Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce (ARC)

I've heard such amazing things about Tamora Pierce, so when an ARC appeared from the publisher I decided it was time to give her a try. Sadly I didn't even make it through the first chapter - I didn't mesh with the writing style, where I'd expected YA I instead found MG, and I got the feeling the story would be a slower one with little action (not my cup of tea). For my full review, see my Goodreads comments here.

Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson (ARC)

Passed after 2 chapters. As much as I enjoyed Rae Carson's Fire & Thorns series, I'm just not much for westerns and with its slower journey story and little magic to speak of I sadly passed.

>> [POSSIBLY] READING NEXT <<

(subject to change with my ever-shifting reading whims)

Honey So Sweet vol. 8 by Amu Meguro (PBK)

Time to finish this utterly adorable series!

So what are you reading this week?

Duo Review: The Crown of Embers & The Bitter Kingdom (Rae Carson)

Titles: The Crown of Embers | The Bitter Kingdom
Series: Fire & Thorns Trilogy, Books 2 & 3
Author: Rae Carson
Publisher: Greenwillow Books (HarperCollins)
Release Date: September 18, 2012 | August 27, 2013
Genre: Young Adult Action-Adventure Fantasy
Told: First Person (Elisa), Present Tense
Content Rating: Older Teen (violence, minor gore, sensuality)
Format Read: Paperbacks (purchase)
Find & Purchase Book 2 On: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
Find & Purchase Book 3 On: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
Book 2 Summary:

She does not know what awaits her at the enemy's gate.

Elisa is a hero.

She led her people to victory over a terrifying, sorcerous army. Her place as the country's ruler should be secure. But it isn't.

Her enemies come at her like ghosts in a dream, from foreign realms and even from within her own court. And her destiny as the chosen one has not yet been fulfilled.

To conquer the power she bears, once and for all, Elisa must follow a trial of long-forgotten—and forbidden—clues, from the deep, hidden catacombs of her own city to the treacherous seas. With her go a one-eyed spy, a traitor, and the man whom—despite everything—she is falling in love with.

If she's lucky, she will return from this journey. But there will be a cost.

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In a Sentence: A thrilling two-part travel adventure that expands the world of the first book and concludes a stellar fantasy trilogy.

After really enjoying Book 1, The Girl of Fire and Thorns (see my review here), I was excited to continue what I thought of as "the further adventures of Elisa" with the rest of the Fire & Thorns trilogy. As Books 2 & 3 turned out to be rather Parts 1 & 2 of the same story - with a cliffhanger at the end of Book 2 that slid almost immediately into Book 3 - I decided to review them together.

Where Book 1 was about Elisa finding the strength in herself to rule, Books 2 & 3 are the story of a girl who would be queen, struggling to rule and protect her people as best she can while dealing with court politics and trying to solve the mystery of her power. Set mainly on an epic road trip that expands the fantasy world into unknown reaches above and below by visiting lost islands and abandoned tunnels and venturing deep into enemy territory, these books are definitely travel adventures at their heart as Elisa and friends are almost constantly on the move rescuing people and places and saving the day even as they dig themselves deeper into danger and intrigue.

STRENGTHS

• While Book 2 most certainly connects and continues the first book, due to the "further adventures of Elisa" aspect there was absolutely no Middle Book Syndrome!
• The immersive writing style I loved in Book 1 continued in these and brought the world and movement to life with vivid description that didn't shy away from the grit and sweat of real living.
• Main character Elisa remained the amazing and highly relatable young woman I came to know and root for in Girl of Fire and Thorns. Also highly relatable and interesting were the secondary characters, and I grew to love every one of them (especially Red, but who couldn't love Red I mean c'mon).
• The romance was a strong thread woven through the two books but it didn't dominate in any way, instead acting as a kind of breather here and there amidst all the action and an emotional undercurrent for Elisa and Hector. When it finally came to its climax it was (to my happiness) rather mild and faded to black at the proper moments.
• The end was strong and sweet and fitting. Even with a lot of tragedy weighing them down most got a happy ending, and their lives continued right past the last page into greater adventures.

WEAKNESSES

• The story was 90% action, 7% romance, and 3% emotional depth, which left little time to ponder the emotions and intelligence that drove the action. While so much action made for a fast-paced and thrilling read, I really would've liked a bit more depth to the otherwise straight adventure story.
• While I knew Elisa was smart and resourceful based on the first book, in these I was told instead of shown the thought process behind her brilliant plans. It made me feel left out, and left the story with very little depth to hold the string of miniature adventures together.
• Several times in passing there was mention of Elisa's people coming to planet Inverno after theirs was destroyed, hinting that there is a sci-fi origin story to the fantasy setting. I was thrilled with the hope that it would be expanded, and highly disappointed when it wasn't. Sequel series?

Conclusion: While I would've liked more depth, The Crown of Embers and The Bitter Kingdom were adventurous reads with lots of exciting action and magic and a sweet romance. If you enjoyed The Girl of Fire and Thorns and wanted more, these are most definitely worth picking up.

Series Conclusion: As a whole, the trilogy is a solid fantasy adventure read with highly relatable characters, vivid description, and a thrilling story. If you enjoy fantasy, you cannot miss this series.

Scribble Rating: 

4 of 5 Scribbles

Review: The Girl of Fire & Thorns (Rae Carson)

Title: The Girl of Fire and Thorns
Series: Fire & Thorns, Book 1
Author: Rae Carson
Publisher: Greenwillow Books (HarperCollins)
Release Date: September 20, 2011
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Told: First Person (Elisa), Present Tense
Content Rating: Older Teen (violence)
Format Read: ARC (EpicLibrarian)
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase On: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
Summary:

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.
Elisa is the chosen one. 

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can't see how she ever will. 

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he's not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people's savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

*          *          *

In a Sentence: An engrossing read with a relatable main character, vivid description, diverse world, and intense religion, even if the magic was rather weird. 

With the entire Fire & Thorns trilogy sitting on my shelf, I randomly grabbed this last year without really recalling what it was about and dove right in. Happily I was rewarded with a dazzling adventure!

STRENGTHS:

• Elisa. Elisa was one of the best main characters I've ever read. While she could be material and self-deprecating, she had a strong and caring heart and a sharp mind. Her flaws made her highly relatable and real, one of the most real characters I've read, and her strengths made her admirable and worth rooting for.
• The diversity. Although a fantasy, it seemed to be based around a kind of Hispanic culture, especially in language and religion. So refreshing!
• The religion. The heavy religious aspect was also a pleasant surprise, and I loved how it was front and center through it all without being heavy-handed.
• The setting and description. The story took place in desert and jungle regions which made for raw description that wasn't afraid to get real with sweat and grit and the discomfort of it all. It pulled me into the story so deep I felt like I was there, and I had a hard time pulling out when I had to put the book down. 

WEAKNESSES:

• The romantic emotion. Elisa struggled with her feelings for two men in this book, but I never really felt her affection for either of them. While her feelings for her friends and family came through, there was an emotional disconnect with romantic matters for me. I personally didn't consider this a bad thing, but my indifference did considerably lessen the thrill and tension of several romantic and tragic moments in the story.
• The magic. I love all kinds of magic and revel in new forms of it, but this... it was just weird. I mean, a power stone in her bellybutton? I eventually came to terms with it, and loved how it reacted to her prayers, but the more she learned about the Godstones the weirder things got until the end saw me reading with one eyebrow raised through the entire climax. I think it was a matter of elegance: the world, the writing, even the raw but carefully crafted description had a sense of elegance to them. The magic did not, climaxing in the category of ridiculous for me that did not balance with the most definitely elegant religion it was paired to. The idea of the stone was elegant - how it was used was not.

Series Note: This book encompasses a full story arc with resolution, and could be read alone without needing to continue the series. The prospect of more adventures with Elisa definitely interested me though, and I immediately reached for the next book: The Crown of Embers.

Conclusion: An engrossing fantasy of diversity and religion that I highly recommend for fantasy fans!

Scribble Rating: 

4.5 of 5 Scribbles

GAMESCAPE: OVERWORLD Blog Tour - Emma Trevayne Guest Post (+ Intl Giveaway)

Welcome to my stop on the GAMESCAPE: OVERWORLD Blog Tour! Today I welcome author Emma Trevayne for a guest post on her Top 3 favorite books read while writing Gamescape: Overworld! See below for more information on this thrilling YA sci-fi dystopian, and be sure to enter to win a signed hardcover at the end!

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TOP 3 FAVORITE BOOKS READ WHILE WRITING GAMESCAPE: OVERWORLD

I have to be pretty careful about what I read while I’m drafting. I’ve learned the hard way that it’s too easy for me to pick up on tone/style and veer away from my own voice. Because of that, I almost always steer clear of anything for the age group I’m writing for while I’m drafting, and anything in the same genre. Gamescape: Overworld is YA sci-fi, so I had to save up all the YAs and sci-fi I wanted to read and binge on them after I’d drafted the book! While I was actually writing, I read a lot of Middle Grade and adult fiction, mostly fantasy for both, and a lot of nonfiction. (When I’m drafting my other stuff, which is MG fantasy, that’s when I read all the YA sci-fi I can get my hands on.) It’s hard to pick just three great books from the ones I read during that period, but I have to, so here they are:

The Blind Giant: How to Survive in the Digital Age by Nick Harkaway

This could (and does) sort of count as research for Gamescape, but it’s the kind of book I’d read in joyful fascination even if I didn’t write cyberpunk. Harkaway, a fantastic fiction writer as well, turned to nonfiction for this exploration of the impact of technology on our humanity. Rather than being a dogmatic “this is what we should believe” type treatise, which books of this kind can sometimes can be, it’s more of an invitation to think about and discuss these issues, which makes it a more inviting and interesting book. Two years later, I’m still dipping in and out of it, still forming thoughts of my own on the questions it raises.

Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett

No drafting process is complete for me without at least one Pratchett novel. In all honesty, I usually read about half a dozen of them while I’m writing any given book, because Pratchett’s unique and hilarious voice is one I am simply guaranteed never to accidentally pick up. There is no way, unfortunately, that I will ever be that funny. Guards! Guards! is almost always one of those six or so, because of all the Discworld novels, the Watch ones are my favorites, and this is the Watch and dragons. It begins the story of Sam Vimes and the other Watchmen, who are the laughing-stock night-duty policemen in the city of Ankh-Morpork. Someone has stolen a book from the magical library at Unseen University. Someone is using that book to summon a dragon to the city. It’s hilarious. Read it if you haven’t.

The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch

I meant to read this the day it came out, and then life got in the way, and then I saved it another few months specifically so I could read it while I was drafting some science fiction. Scott Lynch’s Locke Lamora series is amazing—funny, fantastical, incredibly richly drawn and well thought out. I probably can’t talk too much about what happens in the third book in a series, but suffice it to say it is more of Locke and his crazy, ethically-questionable adventures. Humor and magic await you.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

YA sci-fi/cyberpunk writer. Fan of words and music and chocolate. She has published several novels for Young Adult and Middle Grade readers, including her first novel, CODA (May 2013), and its sequel, CHORUS (May 2014) from Running Press Kids, and FLIGHTS AND CHIMES AND MYSTERIOUS TIMES (May 2014) and THE ACCIDENTAL AFTERLIFE OF THOMAS MARSDEN (July 2015) from Simon & Schuster. She is represented by Brooks Sherman of FinePrint Literary Management. 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Gamescape: Overworld

Series: The Nova Project #1
Author: Emma Trevayne

Release Date: September 13, 2016
Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Summary: 

The planet is dying. Centuries of abuse have damaged the earth beyond repair, and now all the authorities can do is polish the surface, make the landscape look pretty to hide the disease within. Two prominent yet mysterious businessmen couldn’t fix it, either, but they did something even better. Together, they invented Chimera, the most complex and immersive virtual reality video game the world has ever known. The Cubes in which Chimera is played quickly became a fixture of this landscape: part distraction, part hospital, and almost wholly responsible for holding up the failing world economy.

Miguel Anderson is also dying. He isn’t the only one who plays the game–everybody does–but Miguel has more reason than most: When players leave their Cubes for the day, the upgrades and enhancements they’ve earned for their virtual characters leave with them. New lungs to breathe poisoned air, skin that won’t burn under the sun are great and everything… but Miguel, born as broken as the earth, needs a new heart–and soon–if he wants any hope of surviving just a little longer.

Then the two Gamerunners announce a competition, with greater rewards and faster progression than ever before, and Miguel thinks his prayers have been answered. All he needs to do is get picked to lead a team, play the game he’s spent years getting good at, and ask for his prize when he wins. Simple, really.

At first, things seem to go according to plan. Mostly, anyway. Inside his Cube, with his new team–including his best friend–at his back, Miguel begins his quest. He plays recklessly, even dangerously, for someone whose most vital organ could give up at any moment, but his desperation makes him play better than ever. The eyes of the world are on him, watching through status updates and live feeds, betting on his chances. With greater rewards, though, come greater risks, and the Gamerunners seem to delight at surprising the competitors at every turn. As he ventures deeper into a world that blends the virtual and the real to an unsettling degree, Miguel begins to wonder just why the game was invented at all, and whether its stakes could be even higher than life and death.

EXCERPT

Add to Goodreads 

Order Links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | iTunes

TOUR GIVEAWAY

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Check out the rest of the tour HERE!

Best of the Bunch: March 2016

Best of the Bunch is an end of the month blog hop hosted by A Cocoon of Books where you share which books you've read and reviewed and give that month's favorite read the Best of the Bunch award!


This month... I read some powerful and imaginative novels, discovered some great new comics, and reviewed two gorgeous covers!

READ

Raging Sea by Michael Buckley {2.5 Scribbles}
My Hero Academia vol. 3 by Kohei Horikoshi {3 Scribbles}
Platina vol. 1 by Yeon-Joo Kim {4 Scribbles}
Log Horizon: The West Wind Brigade vol. 1 by Mamare Touno {3 Scribbles}
Tell the Wind & Fire by Sarah Rees Brennan {3 Scribbles}
Pick of the Litter vols. 5-6 by Yuriko Suda {3 Scribbles}
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones {5 Scribbles}
Railhead by Philip Reeve {4 Scribbles}
The Nameless City vol. 1 by Faith Erin Hicks {3 Scribbles}

REVIEWED

A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia  Gray (Review)

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (Review)

BEST OF THE BUNCH

Railhead by Philip Reeve

A diverse teen epic sci-fi with a choppy writing style but mind-blowing universe, this was a powerful and imaginative read that I highly recommend. Look for my review soon!

What was your Best of the Bunch this month?