ARC Review: Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman

Title: Shadow Scale (Seraphina, #2) 

Author: Rachel Hartman 

Rating: 4 Stars

Release Date: March 10th, 2015

When it comes to Shadow Scale, I confess I remain conflicted. Hartman's highly anticipated sequel to Seraphina is the type of novel I've gone and pinned all my hopes and dreams on. I loved Seraphina like I've loved few other books when I first read it and its beauty never dwindled upon my multiple re-reads. Thus, I expected to adore Shadow Scale just as much as I loved its predecessor. Unfortunately, though Shadow Scale is a beautifully written sequel and a truly impeccable ending to this unexpected duet, I still have a qualm too many with it.

Shadow Scale picks up roughly three months after the events of Seraphina which the country on the verge of civil war. Queen Glissenda and Prince Lucian Kiggs send Seraphina on a mission to gather all the half-dragons she possibly can as magical abilities only they possess may be the key to winning a war against dragons. The first half of Shadow Scale is devoted to Seraphina's journey as she travels the kingdom in search of other half-dragons. Hartman's world-building truly shines within these pages for every region of this fictional country is teeming with its own customs, religion, and bias. Everywhere Seraphina travels, she is treated differently as a half-dragon and, what's more, the other half-dragons she meets have endured circumstances far removed from her own. Though Seraphina expects to gather a group of people who can instantly connect to one another due to their shared experiences, the reality is far more complex than she can imagine. Building upon Seraphina's insecurities from its predecessor, Shadow Scale continues to challenge Seraphina to think beyond her own life experiences and bind these half-dragons for the betterment, not only of her nation, but of her own heart as well.

Hartman infuses each of these half-dragons with personalities so distinct that getting to know them feels like falling in love with aspects of Seraphina herself. From living in her mind's garden, there is already such a strong link between the strangers Seraphina meets and our beloved heroine herself and though the first half of this novel feels slow, in many ways, as it is the build-up to the tension in the last half, it is also necessary. Despite tackling such a large host of characters, most of them newly introduced in Shadow Scale, Hartman maneuvers them with ease and the end result--the reader feeling just as close with nearly ten half-dragons as Seraphina does--is remarkable.

Yet, the first half is not merely about Seraphina discovering and meeting these half-dragons. No, Hartman introduces our villain into these first few hundred pages as well and the depth and moral ambiguity she is given from the start makes Shadow Scale a fascinating read. Jannoula, a half-dragon with the capacity to take over the minds of other half-dragons, is both pitiable and dangerous. As Seraphina travels, finding new half-dragons every region she goes to, she also discovers that many of these half-dragons have been possessed by Jannoula who has her own agenda. Though she claims to want to help Seraphina gather the half-dragons, her unwillingness to let go of their minds is frightening, particularly as neither Seraphina nor any other half-dragon knows how to fight her and combat her powers.

Jannoula's shadow follows Seraphina on her journeys in Shadow Scale and as the tensions come to a head during the last half of the novel--Seraphina fighting to discover where her uncle Orma is, the half-dragons attempting to expel Jannoula from their minds, the civil war creeping closer to home--Hartman proves her incredible ability to write. Just as with Seraphina, I couldn't predict the plot twists revealed in the second half of this narrative and the resolution reached by the end was truly satisfying. Moreover, I loved the heart-breaking plot line concerning Seraphina's uncle, Orma. Within the pages of Shadow Scale is a rare epilogue that is truly wonderful. Although I didn't expect, at first, for Shadow Scale to be the end of this short series, I couldn't have asked for a better ending to the duet and Hartman's scope of imagination has convinced me that she will--hopefully!--return to this world as there remain many stories left to be told.

Where my disappointments with this narrative arise, however, are with the romance. Shadow Scale could have easily simply been the first half of itself, forcing readers to wait for a third novel to discover how the plot thickened and came to a resolution. By choosing to write a duet, Hartman allows her plot to thrive as readers are able to witness the back-to-back nature of the tensions at once instead of with a year in-between. Yet, the rich relationships developed in Seraphina between our heroine and her friend, Queen Glissenda, or her lover, Lucian Kiggs, are minimal as a result. At just over 600 pages, it would be remiss, likely, of Hartman to extend her narrative for the sake of the romance. Nevertheless, I wish that was the route at hand.

I was incredibly invested in the romance outlined in Seraphina and though it reaches a conclusion--of sorts--in Shadow Scale, it also leaves many unanswered questions. Moreover, the interactions between Kiggs and Seraphina in Shadow Scale, though full of the intelligent conversation these two adore and incredibly supportive, lacked the longing I felt palpable in Seraphina. Kiggs isn't a significant character in this plot line and though he is important to Seraphina, there are so many other characters--half-dragons and dragons alike--that her relationship with him doesn't pierce the heart. I wanted much, much more on the romance front, particularly due to some last-minute revelations that were sprung upon readers. Especially because Hartman tells us that there has been much discussion as to matters of the heart but the reader is not privy to these discussions and, on the love story angle, I needed more closure.

With such a large host of characters, Hartman managed to make Shadow Scale an incredible novel with distinct character personalities and relationships. I only wish the few we had seen develop in depth in Seraphina continue to be as strong in this sequel. While Seraphina was a distinctly character-driven tale, Shadow Scale is more firmly plot-driven. Nevertheless, Hartman accomplishes so much with this sequel. From her world-building to her plot development and beyond to the diversity of race, sex, and gender that she includes within these pages, Shadow Scale feels revolutionary. For fans of Seraphina this one is worth waiting for, minor disappointments and all.

A huge thank you to Lauren @ Love is Not a Triangle for lending me her ARC of this novel. If not for her, I'd have likely gone insane waiting for this sequel. Thank you, Lauren!(:

ARC Review: The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski

Title: The Winner's Crime (The Winner's Curse, #2) 

Author: Marie Rutkoski

Rating: 4 Stars

Release Date: March 3rd, 2015

The Winner's Crime is tragic. Unlike Game of Thrones, where the train wreck disasters are interspersed with complex political motivations and nearly shrouded from the reader, The Winner's Crime blatantly opens the flood gates of impending doom from the start itself and though the reader knows what the inevitable, terrible conclusion will be, they are forced to watch the entire sordid tale of despair and irony unfold without the added benefit of side politics to distract them.

Frankly speaking, I just wasn't a fan of this form of storytelling. I adore Rutkoski's prose and her ability to seamlessly weave glimpses of the past--The Winner's Curse--into the present. Moreover, her gift for metaphor wins me over every time and the simple pleasure to be gained from reading her words is unrivaled. Yet, The Winner's Crime is a slow-build novel which, for me at any rate, offers very little to love beyond the prose and impeccable characterization. I wanted politics. I wanted passion. I wanted assassinations.

The Winner's Crime picks up shortly after The Winner's Curse ends with Kestrel on the verge of marrying Prince Verex and Arin reclaiming Herran as the governor of his people. With Kestrel's impending nuptials, the Governor of Herran must travel to the Imperial Palace to be present during the proceedings prior to the wedding. Arin, who knows nothing of Kestrel's role in securing a Herrani treaty, believes that she is following through with her upcoming marriage in order to gain more political power and wealth. Suddenly, the Kestrel Arin though he knew is no longer the same woman standing before him. For Kestrel, revealing the truth of her role in Herran's freedom to Arin only leads to a dead-end. After all, she is stuck in a marriage of convenience, torn between her desire for Arin and her life-long wish to please her father. The tension between the two is painful, at times, for the truth lies between them, as wide and deep as the ocean, and the doubts and misconceptions that they share only grow with time.

And that, truly, is why I am not as big a fan of The Winner's Crime as I could be. I don't relish the drama that is built up after multiple compounding misconceptions and, frankly, felt as if Rutkoski could have used the palace setting to enrich the political machinations of this world. Though Kestrel does her best to use her power to help both the Herrani people and the people of the East, the only true individual with power is the emperor. Everyone has either been bought by the emperor, living under his thumb, or killed by the emperor, dying under his hand. It's a black-and-white world of politics, one that Kestrel struggles--and fails--to succeed in. As far as the political sphere is concerning, The Winner's Crime barely moves pieces into place for the grand finale. Arin and Kestrel remain as estranged as ever and with their relationship slowly falling to pieces over the course of this novel, the future remains bleak.

The Winner's Crime does, however, introduce a new host of characters. Verex, Kestrel's future husband and the prince, is a difficult character to like at first but I thoroughly enjoyed the development of his friendship with Kestrel. Risha, the Eastern princess who has grown up in Valoria and, ironically, is an integral part of the plot despite having very little to say throughout the novel. The manner in which Rutkoski wrote her into the plot and made her such an important figure, albeit an often silent one, amazed me. Tensen, the Herrani minister of agriculture who arrives at Valoria to represent Herran. Although Tensen seems to be loyal to Arin and Herran, his vision of what is best for the governor often clashes with the reader's vision of what is best. And, of course, the emperor himself. Rutkoski writes the emperor to be every bit as ruthless and cunning as expected--a true villain to defeat--though his weaknesses and flaws are never revealed.

Instead, what becomes increasingly evident as the novel progresses, is the weaknesses of Arin and Kestrel. Arin, who keeps wanting to believe the best of Kestrel even when she treats him with disregard and without any of the former affections she used to exhibit for him. Kestrel, who yearns to make her father proud and constantly puts a man who has disappointed her over men, like Arin, who have cared deeply for her. Arin, who is so consumed by thoughts of Kestrel and her impending marriage that he often fails to see what is right before his eyes. Kestrel, whose association with Arin causes her to lose her lifelong friendships despite the fact that Arin himself doesn't know the truth about Kestrel's feelings for him. It's all such a complicated emotional web, and though I love it, I also hate it for the wreck it made me by the end of the novel.

While I am not a fan of the tactical devices employed in The Winner's Crime, namely the endless list of misconceptions Arin harbors towards Kestrel and the lack of resolution concerning them, I couldn't put this book down. Personally, I enjoy the middle books which lend themselves to hidden clues and hints of the impending finale, unlike The Winner's Crime where the conclusion seems open-ended and tragic, but The Winner's Crime is compulsively readable and for fans of The Winner's Curse, will not disappoint in the least.

ARC Review: The Trouble with Love by Lauren Layne

Title: The Trouble with Love 

Author: Lauren Layne 

Rating: 4 Stars

Release Date: March 3rd, 2015

The Trouble with Love is one of my favorite Lauren Layne novels. I'll admit, having read all of her works to date, I was losing steam with this author. While I remained blown away by her first few novels, I just haven't clicked with her more recent installments. With The Trouble with Love, though, Layne has only reaffirmed what I always suspected and knew: she's an incredible romance author.

The latest in the Stiletto series presents us with Alex and Emma, two ambitious individuals whose past has torn them apart a few too many times. Alex, now the head of Oxford, a men's magazine which rivals Stiletto, the women's magazine Emma writes for, is put in charge of Stiletto for three months while their leader takes a sabbatical. Alex and Emma have tacitly agreed to keep their past in the past--after all, no one wants to remember being left at the altar--but with Alex's new position as Emma's boss, this puts them in closer proximity than they've been in seven years. Although the two maintain a veneer of cold civility, indifference dripping purposefully from their every interaction, it hides a deep hurt--on both sides--and simmering sexual tension. Will Alex and Emma finally be able to give in to their chemistry and put the past behind them? Or can some grievances just never be forgotten?

The Trouble with Love has been teased at ever since the second novel in Layne's quartet and the continued sexual tension that just builds over the course of this novel is both enticing and unbearable. What I loved about the love story here, though, is how authentic it felt. Emma is hurt. Alex is hurt. For them to move on and forget their past will take a lot and Layne really maps out their growth and relationship in a believable manner. It's all in the baby steps. Moreover, the friendship between the women of Stiletto and the men in their lives is heart-warming to read. All of these relationships boast equality, respect, and success on both sides of the equation.

Emma observes her friend's relationships and struggles to define what she wants which is a fascinating struggle. Layne's romances read light and fluffy but there are a lot of deeper themes and connections running through her heroines, making their characters stand out. Emma is, hands down, one of my favorite heroines she has written to date, right up there with Julie. Alex, too, is a pleasantly well-rounded romantic interest. When he assigns Emma the task of writing about her ex-boyfriends, he begins to realize just how he wants Emma to be treated in a relationship. Because of the nature of their past, The Trouble with Love takes a lot of time in establishing what Emma and Alex want individually from a union before finally bringing them together which is so, so worth the wait.

Though readers may be a tad bit concerned that The Trouble with Love starts out with Emma and Alex dating other people, Layne deals with this issue tactfully and it isn't dragged out long at all. No worries about a love triangle here, folks! I'll be sad to see this series end but I've already fallen for many of Layne's other projects and can't wait to see what--or rather who--she writes next.

ARC Review: I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios

Title: I'll Meet You There

Author: Heather Demetrios

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Release Date: February 3rd, 2015

When it comes to Heather Demetrios, I've come to expect that my expectations will be blown out of the water. It doesn't matter just how outrageously excited I may be for her novels to release and, believe me, even the hype can't ruin the feeling of finishing a Demetrios novel--that click when it feels as if a small part of the world--and yourself, in the process--is repaired,without even realizing it needed fixing. I'll Meet You There is not only a profoundly realistic, human tale; it's one that transcends boundaries, particularly those invisible ones the YA genre feels all-too-trapped in.

I'll Meet You There is slow to start and open to end--just the way I like it. In fact, the magnitude of this novel is at a low simmer when you first begin to read until, suddenly, you're embroiled in the tension; it crept on you. Skylar and Josh, the protagonists of this tale, are, from the surface, far from "likable" people. And, as Demtrios builds the fictional town of Creek View, it isn't difficult to see why. The women of Creek View typically find themselves pregnant at seventeen, living and raising their children on a trailer park only to see history repeat itself, generation after generation. Skylar, though, has one foot out of Creek View already and after the three hot, sticky summer months, she'll be in art school, determined to never look back. When her mother loses her job, however, and spirals into depression, it seems as if Skylar is forced to plant both feet firmly back into Creek View, despite the fact that it's the last thing she wants to do. Josh, on the other hand, left Creek View--and returned, only this time, only with one leg. After joining the Marines, his ticket out of Creek View, Josh changed--drastically. No longer the drunk womanizer who curses and plays pranks, war has left Josh hurting. Although he quickly falls back into his old ways, the unexpected friendship he strikes with Skylar reveals that there is far more to him than his persona may suggest.

Demetrios has a way with words, one that leaves you feeling. Just feeling. About everything. From the despair that settles over Skylar's shoulders as she contemplates a life stuck in Creek View to the horrors of war that play behind Josh's eyelids every time he blinks, it's impossible to crack open the spine of this story without endangering your heart to fictional characters in the best possible way. Skylar and Josh's romance is slow to develop, as it should be with two such opposite, angry, and deeply pained protagonists. What makes Skylar and Josh so perfect for one another is the fact that they take the time to see beneath the veneer, have the patience to wait until the time is right, and are willing to lend the ear needed to peel off the paint. Yet, their slow transition from acquaintances to friends to more is interspersed with dialogue, banter, jokes, and fights. Neither Skylar nor Josh are perfect and their flaws are apparent, bleeding through every page, but it is those very same qualities which render them such poignant characters.

Moreover, despite their flaws, they are both characters who straddle the line between "likable" and "unlikable," proving that there's so much more to them than just black-and-white. Skylar is strong-willed and ambitious, but those qualities also emphasize her weaker moments where her loyalty seems to shift towards selfishness versus selflessness. Josh, too, with his moments of guilt and helplessness shows, all too clearly, that there is substance to him beyond his past actions but that his future is tied up with his past, particularly Afghanistan, and moving on means moving past not only his perceptions of himself but those of others as well. Despite the fact that I've grown up in a town that's the antithesis to Creek View, despite the fact that I've always seen my mother as a pillar of strength and inspiration and never as a burden or disappointment, despite the fact that I've never known the struggles of war; despite all that, I still felt deeply for these characters and connected with them on a purely personal level.

What's more, I'll Meet You There  has a stellar cast of secondary characters whose personalities, goals, hopes, and dreams are far removed from that of either Skylar or Josh. Dylan, for instance, Skylar's best friend, won't be leaving Creek View and at one point in the novel, she completely calls Skylar out for acting as if staying back is the lesser option. Dylan and Skylar's friendship is rock solid but I think it's also demonstrative of so many close friendships in high school where college means that one person in a former duo is going farther. It happened to me--I'm the one who left in my friend group--and, much like Skylar, I admit to being ecstatic at the choice to leave my hometown. But, that doesn't quite make us better people and I love that Dylan's perspective grounds Skylar, making her appreciate the options she has without looking down upon the existence others have chosen to live.

I'll Meet You There is told primarily from Skylar's perspective but there were a few chapters told from Josh's POV and, though Demetrios excels at capturing the male voice and distinguishing Josh's narrative from that of Skylar's, I didn't find every insight into his mind to be completely necessary. I felt as if Demetrios gained traction with Josh's perspective as the novel wore on and, by the end, I really loved being in his mind and felt closer to him as a result but, like all good things in this novel, it took awhile. I'll Meet You There is only Demetrios's sophomore contemporary piece and, with only three books under her belt, she writes like a seasoned author; confident, willing to take risks, and able to gauge the direction that the genre she writes in needs to go. Each one of her novels have been original and enticing, filled with characters I can get behind and a style of prose so impressive I wish to imitate it myself. Needless to say, with I'll Meet You There Demetrios as only secured her spot as one of my favorite authors and, no matter what she chooses to write next, I know that I will both buy, and love, it.

ARC Review: Once Upon a Rose by Laura Florand

Title: Once Upon a Rose (La Vie en Roses, #1) 

Author: Laura Florand

Rating: 4 Stars

Release Date: February 3rd, 2015

I've been savoring this one. Once Upon a Rose, the start to a new and all-too-beautiful romance series set in the South of France, nearly begged to be read carefully. Each page a petal, thick and heavy with the perfume of roses; meant to be wafted, not inhaled.

Because I just didn't want this book to end. Florand's Amour et Chocolat series ranks among my favorite, ever, so of course I cracked open the spine of Once Upon a Rose with sky-high expectations. Florand's prose can move me to tears, affect me with emotion of the acutest kind, and render me hopelessly in love. I thought, after five full-length novels, three novellas, and two short stories that I knew the intricate ins-and-outs of Florand's writing style and ability. After all, she had covered such a wide range and scope of characters, love stories, and depth within her debut series. But I was wrong. 

What I hadn't known was that Florand's prose has the ability to make me grin like a lovesick fool, giggle like a young schoolgirl, and squeal at the absolute adorable-ness on the page. As an avid reader of Florand's, I'd come across sexy, arrogant chefs; ambitious, motivated, and passionate. But few things delight quite the same way that a strong, rugged, and handsome French countryman who blushes does. 

Layla Dubois is a rockstar. After winning a Grammy for her debut album, Layla--known as "Belle" to her fans--has hit a wall. Unable to find the inspiration she needs to write another album, Layla leaves Paris and journeys to the South of France to find the countryside home that has recently become part of her inheritance. It turns out that Layla's cottage is a part of a rose valley owned by Matthieu Rosier. When we first meet Matt, it is his thirtieth birthday party and the adorable man is drunk and absolutely besotted with Layla, who he affectionately calls "Boucles." It's an encounter that will leave Matt utterly embarrassed the next morning, when his shyness takes over and renders him grunting grumpily in contrast to the chatter of the previous night. 

But it's all just so cute. I wanted to read and re-read every interaction between Layla and Matt; I wanted to savor it and prolong it and live in their world for as long as I could. Because Matt, despite the tough act, is all gooey on the inside. And I love that. I just have to share one of my favorite scenes because it captures the essence of these two characters so perfectly and it was the precise moment I fell insanely in love with their love:

"What do you want now?” Matt growled at her, tightening his arms around himself.

“I only need directions!” Layla snapped back at him. “I can’t believe how unhelpful you people are being!”

Matt blinked. He slid the oddest glance toward the other men, almost—vulnerable? “They couldn’t give you directions?”

Tristan shook his head woefully. “Even Damien,” he said sadly, “proved unequal to the task.”

Matt stared at them for a moment. And then his sunburn seemed to get worse than ever, and he rubbed his chest, as if it felt strange to him. Clearing his throat, a rough growl of sound, he took her map from her. “Where do you need to go?”

“I’ve been lost enough around here, thank you,” Layla said. “I don’t need you to get me lost some more, just to punish me for inheriting a house.”

Matt scowled at the map. “Where do you need to go?” he growled again.

Tristan coughed a little into his hand. “Ahem, Matt. People skills!” he stage-whispered. 

Matt glared at him.

“He’s really a nice guy,” Tristan told her out loud, cheerfully, as if Matt wasn’t even listening. “No, I swear.”

Matt transferred his glare back to the map.

Again, Layla fought the urge to just lay her hand against his chest. It was a really hot chest, that probably explained it. She kept imagining all that growly tension relaxing away from him in surprise. And then what would he be like? That cute, enthusiastic, uncontained man he had been drunk?

“Where?” Matt insisted. He cleared his throat again. And then managed to get words out that were still rough, but considerably quieter. “Where do you need to go?” he repeated, carefully.

“I don’t even know where I am.”

“You’re in the Rosier valley,” Matt said blankly and put a callused finger to her map. “Here.”

[...]

His gruff voice elaborated as he wrote: “A three-story house with blue shutters will be on your left. It has lace curtains. If not, if it’s a house with blue shutters and roses climbing up the walls but no curtains, you’ve taken the wrong exit. There’s a little bar two buildings farther down, with a faded red awning. Be careful, there’s a pale orange tabby cat that likes to lie right in the middle of the road there, and he will not move. You have to stop the car and pick him up and carry him to the garden of the little house with the jasmine climbing up the green gate. That’s where he belongs. Then you—”

Layla watched his square hand around the pen, his big body bent over the hood of her car as he wrote. His bare back curved and she stalwartly fought the need to reach out and see if it was as smooth as it looked. As warm. To see if his voice would grow more or less gruff when he was being petted.

He knew a particular cat might be sleeping in the middle of the road on her route. And he stopped and picked it up. He made sure she stopped and picked it up.

From this angle, his face was in shade and the sunburn didn’t look as bad, his skin less ruddy under the matte tones. Her head tilted.

It wasn’t sunburn, was it? Sunburn didn’t subside like that.

This big, growling man had been blushing.

“You’re way better than a smartphone,” she said wonderingly. 

Actually he was more like a…guitar. Someone she wanted to run her fingers over to see what sounds she could pull out. 

He made a sound of acknowledgement that was pretty darn close to a grunt.

She grinned. Definitely a bass guitar. “And you have a much better voice. Do you think I could record you giving the directions instead?” Except, of course, she didn’t have a phone to record with. If she wanted to hear that rough bass talking to her again while he blushed, she’d just have to figure out a way to keep getting him to do it.

A musician had to, you know, coax her instruments into making the sounds she wanted sometimes.

She bit back a grin.

He stopped writing and turned his head just enough to look at her. The color started to mount back into his cheeks again.

Her smile started to escape her efforts to restrain it. “Do you need help with your sunscreen?”

That stern upper lip relaxed its pressure on the full lower one. He stared at her, frozen. 

Her smile deepened. Whether it was the pure fun of flirting in French—a language that had, after all, been refined for centuries to that purpose—or the vulnerable blush on someone that big and rough and growling, this whole moment was developing a delicious zing. 

“You’re pretty cute, you know that?” she tested softly.

The streak over those strong cheekbones turned ruddy bronze. He looked back at her journal, and the pencil lead broke. He stared at it, apparently not having a clue what to do with himself.

See what I mean? An absolute teddy bear if there was one. But Once Upon a Rose is so much more than the developed love story between Matt and Layla. As the inheritor of so much land, Matt is burdened with living in rose valley and caring for her roses constantly. While his cousins travel the world and date gorgeous women, Matt's first love has always been the land he is rightfully heir to. From Matt's perspective, nothing is in black-and-white. Matt recognizes that his cousins yearn for the land Matt owns--and Matt is proud to be the sole inheritor of the Rosier valley and he selfishly loves his roses--but he also envies his cousins for the freedom they possess for, unlike him, they are not tied down to the land of their ancestors. Matt's relationship with his cousins is complex, however, for in brief glimpses we are able to see that his cousins care deeply for Matt and, contrary to what he may believe, they aren't looking for weaknesses in his character to exploit so that they can take his inheritance away from him. We see time and time again that Matt's cousins are there for him and, eventually, Matt, too, comes to realize that there are more options in front of him than he believes, if only he would open himself up to others and allow them to help. 

Layla, too, undergoes her own journey of growth over the course of the novel but it is Matt's character who has stuck with me, long after my languid read of Once Upon a Rose. At its core, this is a story of two people who, by finding love, find that they have room in their hearts for so much more than they imagined. It's about finding the courage to be brave enough to accept change, invite help, and alter your entire world-view. In addition to the Rosier cousins, there are a handful of other vibrant secondary characters who make this novel that much more special and, as always, the cameo appearances and mentions of characters who we've met in previous novellas and short stories is such a delight. Once Upon a Rose, though different from the Amour et Chocolat books, still possesses a hero and heroine who are equally matched, who bring out the best in one another, and who share a riveting passion--whether it be for chocolate or roses, believe me, they're both just as romantic, sensual, and swoon-worthy as the other. I am still unable to adequately express just how deeply I feel for this novel; it's soft, sweet, and oh-so-very hug-able. Between Parisian chocolatiers and Southern countrymen, I'm going to have a difficult time deciding where to stop first when I eventually visit France to find my future husband! ;)

ARC Review: The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon

Title: The Mime Order (The Bone Season, #2) 

Author: Samantha Shannon 

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Release Date: January 27th, 2015 

So much of the thrill within a fantasy novel lies in the sequestered magic, so firmly hidden, yet present. Whether it be Narnia or Hogwarts, these mythical realms are out of sight of typical human sight and all the more magical as a result. As readers, we don't want to read about the Pevensie siblings in London, going about their day-to-day lives and reminiscing about their time in Narnia. We don't want to think of Harry, sitting in 4 Privet Drive during the long, sticky summer and dreaming of Hogwarts. I know I, for one, don't want to be subject to the inner monologue of, say, Lucy Pevensie, as she debates spilling the truth about Narnia despite knowing no one will believe her.

It seems Samantha Shannon hasn't quite got this memo, though. 

The Mime Order begins with an extremely tedious start. For the first half of the novel, Paige struggles to mend the broken bridges with her mime lord, Jaxon, all while debating how best to reveal the truth about the Rephaim to other voyants in such a way that they will not only believe her, but they will also share her passion for action. It's slow. It's boring. It's unexciting. The Bone Season sets up a fascinating realm all while throwing its protagonist, and subsequently the reader, into the midst of the action. Now, in The Mime Order, we are forced to take a step back. 

Typically, I'm all for the contemplative moments within a novel or series. I love the slower, more reflective parts. But not when it's written like The Mime Order. To me, the first half of Shannon's sophomore novel reads like an extended version of what is meant to be a brief look into Paige's inner struggles. We, as readers, should be given a lens into the world Paige left--and is now returning to--and, in better understanding where she has come from perhaps we can better understand her as well. Yet, my understanding of the relationships Paige sustains with those around her is minimal in this first-half and everything, from the long dialogues with side characters I wasn't invested in to the multiple ideas Paige considered and rejected and considered and rejected were simply exhausting. I wanted a brief run-down of the important events and then I wanted to get to the real meat of the story. Perhaps, if this series wasn't a seven-book deal already, we wouldn't have been subjected to such a disappointing start to The Mime Order. 

Thankfully, the novel picks up--considerably--during its second half as the tensions outlined in the first half finally come to a head and Paige is finally acting instead of merely thinking all the time. Though its disastrous first half ensures that The Mime Order is a far cry from the brilliance of The Bone Season, the excellence of its second half nearly makes up for it. Nearly.

One of the best aspects to The Mime Order is also a part of the novel I've been complaining about--its set-up. The Mime Order begins to take the revolution within Oxford in The Bone Season to the wider world of voyants in London. As such, it is very much a set-up novel but, by the end, you're left wanting to know how the events outlined will unfurl and play out. The relationship at the core of this novel is, I feel, that between Paige and Jaxon. In The Bone Season, Paige discovers that Jaxon is cruel and willing to go to great lengths in wielding his power. The last thing Paige wants, after returning to London, is to fall prisoner to Jaxon. But Paige has no power unless she is Jaxon's dreamwalker. It puts her in a precarious situation and their exchanges are all very cat-and-mouse, full of underlying political undertones that are chilling, to say the least.

The manner in which their relationship progresses, changes, and comes to a head by the end of The Mime Order is fascinating. Another absolutely thrilling aspect to this sequel is the introduction of yet another villain--one who aims to cause chaos amongst the voyants. Since he features more prominently during the second-half, I will refrain from saying much more but will depart with these few words: prepare to be terrified. I really love how The Mime Order builds up the sense of fear, tension, and danger over the course of the novel. The last few chapters are the most intriguing, by far, so to see all those emotions finally reach a peak is rewarding (though, mark my words, it's also frustrating since we have to wait another YEAR to see what Paige does next).

What I didn't expect to find much of within The Mime Order was romance. After all, this is a seven-book series; we can't conclude the romantic arc that quickly. Yet, Warden makes his appearance sooner than you'd think and his interactions with Paige are as fraught with sexual tension and wanting as you'd dream of. I loved their dialogue, the backstory Warden provided to build upon Shannon's intricate world-building, and am even more excited than before to see how their love story develops over the course of the series. Granted, there are plenty of hurdles that lie before this couple and the romance lies very much in the back-burner of this series. But, that being said, it's a huge component to why I adore these books. Warden and Paige are a perfect match; they challenge each other without putting one another down. They're both strong personalities and, coming from different races with a difficult history, their road to romance is paved with distrust but, if I had to put my money on any couple combating those odds, it's them.

Despite the fact that The Mime Order picks up considerably and puts this series in an absolutely fascinating position by the end, I remain a disappointed fan of this novel. It wasn't an easy or enjoyable read in the least and though it is necessary for the arc of the series, I almost wish there was a condensed summary I could have read instead. Nevertheless, here's to hoping fans of The Bone Season find this far more intriguing than I do and that its sequel, whenever it may release, recaptures the magic the first novel in this series possessed. 

ARC Mini-Reviews: First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen and Things We Know by Heart by Jessi Kirby

Title: First Frost (Waverley Family, #2) 

Author: Sarah Addison Allen 

Rating: 3 Stars

Release Date: January 20th, 2015

Anyone who has read Garden Spells can confirm that the novel hardly needs a sequel. It's a magical, beautiful stand-alone novel and Allen's debut holds a special place in my heart. First Frost, on the other hand, does not. It takes place a decade after Garden Spells ended and though the re-visit to the Waverley household is familiar--warm, comforting, loving--it feels strangely unnecessary. I didn't have to know of Claire's new candy-making business, Sydney's desire for a son, or Bay's feeling that she belongs with Hunter John's son. While I loved being back in Waverley House and the distinct feeling of Allen's writing is a sensation that wraps around you and holds you tight, like a blanket, First Frost is possibly the most disappointed I have been by her work. If it were not that these were beloved characters I knew before--and intimately, loved these characters--I wouldn't even have given First Frost three stars.

The issue with Allen's latest is the fact that the conflict at hand is flimsy. I appreciate the post-marriage struggles Sydney and Claire face. Their demons from Garden Spells aren't as pronounced but that doesn't mean they have disappeared. Thus, I rather enjoyed being back in their minds, witnessing them come to terms with the change in their lives that time inevitably introduces. Most of all, I loved Bay's narrative and the teenage issues she found herself face-to-face with. Yet, the coming together of these plot lines didn't work quite as seamlessly as it worked in Garden Spells. The shift from Teenage to Adult perspectives wasn't perfection. The strange side plot line with an odd old man entering town, poking around and asking about the Waverley's, ended too abruptly and anticlimactically to satisfy. Ultimately, First Frost lacked the strength of Garden Spells. Claire and Sydney were a unit and in being so, the union of their sisterhood from Garden Spells is a far more compelling story than their joint unity in First Frost.

Allen's latest isn't bad, not in the least. It is beautifully written and, as always, her prose is impeccable and characterizations are point-on. In my eyes, though, there wasn't enough of a story to be told, here. I didn't feel moved by these characters or their struggles as I was in Garden Spells. I wasn't charmed or enchanted or rendered speechless by the magic in the air. First Frost is a novel that fans of Allen are bound to read--and I don't fault them. It's a few hours well spent in the company of an author and characters I adore. Just don't go in expecting the caliber of Allen's debut.

Title: Things We Know by Heart

Author: Jessi Kirby

Rating: 3 Stars

Release Date: April 21st, 2015

Things We Know by Heart is laughably predictable. Unlike Kirby's Golden, which delivered on being more than just a road trip novel, Things We Know by Heart does not. From what its synopsis says, it is easy to deduce that Quinn, who has lost her boyfriend to a horrible accident, tracks down the patient who received his heart, Colton, and falls in love. Naturally, the romance is well-developed and sweet, making Quinn believe that there is more to Colton than simply sharing a heart with her deceased boyfriend. Quinn comes away from their love story knowing that sharing a heart does not mean sharing a personality and as she falls for Colton, an entity separate from her former boyfriend, Trent, there is only a calm sense of relief to be found.

Yet, Kirby creates a novel about grief that is strangely lacking. Quinn chases after Colton well over a year after Trent's death and, as a result, her grief isn't fresh or raw. It's a different kind of grief, which I appreciated, but her interactions for Colton do little to assuage her grief except replace it with love. Quinn has a supportive family, a strong relationship with her older sister, and she discusses--in great length--her relationship with Colton before labeling it as love. Nevertheless, for me, the overwhelming message felt as if to overcome grief, one must simply find true love. Things We Know by Heart beautifully writes Quinn and Colton's romance and, moreover, Colton's thoughts as a heart recipient, though never explored from his perspective, are realistic, meaningful, and in-depth. I learned so much more about organ donations and the pain felt from both sides of the equation--how it's not just happily ever after once the organ is transplanted successfully--from this novel. Regardless, though, I felt as if Kirby could have used this innovative, fresh idea and done more with it than make it a love story. I wanted more of Quinn's emotional journey as explored through her grief. I wanted more of Colton's anger and confrontation after realizing the truth Quinn hid from him as she never reveals that she is the girlfriend of the guy whose heart now beats in Colton's chest. Instead, this romance plays out in a predictable manner, complete with the "break-up" towards the end that eventually culminates in a relationship.

Things We Know by Heart just felt too easy for a novel about life and death. Perhaps if this were written more like If I Stay with us getting to know Trent and Quinn before his death, this would have made a stronger impact. As it rests, however, it is a solid love story and a unique premise. Yet, if you've come looking for the type of depth and scope offered by the author of Golden, re-read Golden--there's little to be found here.

ARC Review: This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Title: This Shattered World (Starbound, #2) 

Authors: Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner 

Rating: 4 Stars

Release Date: December 23rd, 2014 

I have to be honest: This Shattered World isn't nearly as good as These Broken Stars. But, it's still really, really good. With this companion novel, Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner not only introduce us to new characters which burrow their way into our hearts, but they significantly expand on their galactic world as well. While This Shattered World didn't capture my heart to the extent These Broken Stars did--it lacked the same level of swoon-factor and, what's more, I missed the back-to-back revelations--it's a sequel I wouldn't hesitate to re-read, re-visit, and cherish on my shelves.

This Shattered World takes us to a new planet, Avon, where the terraforming that should have taken place never has. Thus, there is a divide between the original residents of Avon, now rebels and militants fighting for their planet back, and military personnel who have been hired to keep the peace and monitor the planet. Flynn, the younger brother of a rebel leader who died for their cause, is now leading the rebellion against the corporations which have taken over Avon. When he captures Captain Lee Chase, a deadly fighter sent to crush the rebellions occurring on Avon, the course of their lives changes forever.

The opening pages of This Shattered World are impossible to look away from. Lee and Flynn's initial meeting, Lee's kidnapping at the hands of Flynn, their travels in the swampy marshlands of Avon to the rebellion hideout... It all feels cloaked in an aura of dream-like reality. Not only is it a brilliant start to a novel that is full of action and betrayal, more so than These Broken Stars, but it also introduces us to two such strong personalities at their best. Lee, whose name is uttered in fear as she is a tough captain, is immediately placed in a position of vulnerability where she finds herself duped by a rebel. Thus, the antagonism between Lee and Flynn is understandable though the slow manner in which their perceptions of one another grow to change is simply captivating.

While Tarver and Lilac's story felt so isolated--the two of them, a mysterious planet--Lee and Flynn's story is set against a backdrop of war, rebellion, and years of suppressed misconceptions and anger. It raises the stakes in their relationship and makes that eventual reconciliation between the two seem far more inevitable than that between Tarver and Lilac. After all, what is social hierarchy in the face of war? Yet, their story is completely unpredictable from start to finish and I found myself pleasantly surprised by the turns the narrative would take and, moreover, the slow build to the truth about Avon and its lack of terraformed earth.

Although Lee and Flynn's romance is not as large an aspect of this novel as Tarver and Lilac's may have been, it is no less effective and swoon-worthy. Additionally, the dual narration, giving us both Lee and Flynn's perspectives, is executed to perfection. Not only are both their voices completely different, but their demons are too. Lee and Flynn's pasts play an integral role in their growth and romantic journey and witnessing that from two perspectives allowed these two to become as near and dear to my heart as Tarver and Lilac themselves.

This Shattered World would not be complete, however, without a glimpse at our previous hero and heroine. Tarver and Lilac don't play a huge role in this novel, but their parts are more substantial than I anticipated and I loooved re-visiting them. Flynn, Lee, Tarver, and Lilac. I love these characters, the depth of their personalities, and their relentless passion for the galactic world at hand. Without a doubt, I know that the next novel Kaufman and Spooner write is going to be just as good, if not better, than these previous installments. In my eyes, they can simply do no wrong.

Blog Tour: This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner (Guest Post & Giveaway)

I am so excited to be part of The Midnight Garden's Blog Tour of This Shattered World today! I loved These Broken Stars when I read it last year and I can vouch for the fact that this companion novel is just as brilliant and romantic as its predecessor. If you're even the tiniest fan of science fiction, you'll want to pick up this series for sure!  

Today I'll be welcoming the authors of This Shattered World, Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner to talk about the world-building in their science fiction realms. If you're a frequent reader of the blog then you'll know that I love nothing more than a well-developed world, especially one grounded in reality, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading what Amie and Meagan had to say about their world-building. I think you will too. :)

Secrets of Starbound Unlocked: Science and Settings

The Starbound trilogy might be set in the future, but it’s grounded solidly in today’s science. We check our science is correct by consulting with physicists, doctors, botanists and others, or we check our science is plausible, if we’re getting creative. Some things (like hyperspace travel) we can’t do yet, but we try to make sure that nothing is scientifically impossible based on what we know right now.

Back when we were drafting These Broken Stars, our editor asked us to put together what we now call the Starbound Encyclopedia. It’s nearly ten thousand words of vital information about the characters and worlds you’ll encounter as you read these books. Here are a few excerpts that will tell you a little bit more about what you’re going to find on Avon in This Shattered World!

Terraforming: A Brief History

Mankind’s first experiments in terraforming took place on Mars in the mid-21st century, but the process did not become viable until after the discovery of faster-than-light travel almost a hundred years later. With the advent of interstellar exploration, the transportation of materials to Mars for terraforming became much cheaper and quicker, and the Mars Company took over from the government-funded scientists. By the time Mars was (barely) habitable, mankind had discovered dozens of other candidates for terraforming outside of our solar system, and had begun to apply the same process to them. These days, Earth is little more than a vast museum of mankind’s history, with environmental stabilizers to prevent complete ecological collapse. Thus far there have been no signs of life elsewhere in the galaxy, intelligent or otherwise… as far as the public record shows.

Avon: Planetary Purgatory

Avon is a recently terraformed planet, unable to sustain human life without the aid of respirators until only a generation ago. It’s co-owned by NovaCorp and Terra Dynamics. It should be much further along in the process than it is, but for generations the planet has been “stuck” at a particular stage in its development. Much of the planet is infertile swamp land, and the plant life is limited to algae and reeds. Its skies are constantly obscured due to a thick, constant cloud cover shrouding almost the entire planet.

The Fianna

Ten years before the start of This Shattered World, some of the descendants of Avon’s original colonists rose up in rebellion against Terra Dynamics and NovaCorp. Calling themselves the Fianna (Irish for warriors), they were led by a young woman named Orla Cormac. They demanded to know why Avon’s terraforming hadn’t progressed—until the planet becomes self-sufficient, Avon’s colonists are not considered citizens, and have no representation in the Galactic Council. The rebellion was unsuccessful, and Orla was executed for her crimes. The military has had fully-operational bases there ever since, acting as the planet’s police and security force until it becomes self-sufficient enough to have its own local governmental forces. Now, Orla’s little brother, Flynn Cormac, has inherited the rebellion. Unlike his sister, Flynn longs for peace, and hasn’t given up on the idea that there’s a way out for his people that doesn’t involve bloodshed.

Avon: The Fury

Though the locals are unaffected, soldiers posted on Avon succumb to a creeping madness called the Fury, which begins with disturbing dreams and escalates into an outburst of (usually fatal) violence. Most soldiers last only a few months before being reassigned to other planets. Despite numerous studies of the environment by doctors and scientists, no one has been able to determine a cause for this affliction. The only cure, once symptoms begin, is to be transferred off of Avon.

Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner are longtime friends and sometime flatmates who have traveled the world (but not yet the galaxy), covering every continent between them. They are sure outer space is only a matter of time. Meagan, who is also the author of the Skylark trilogy, currently lives in Asheville, NC, while Amie lives in Melbourne, Australia. Although they currently live apart, they are united by their love of space opera, road trips, and second breakfasts.

Tour Schedule:
Monday, December 8          The Midnight Garden    Secrets of Starbound: Characters
Tuesday, December 9         The Book Smugglers    Making an Audiobook
Wednesday, December 10  Ivy Book Bindings        Secrets of Starbound: Science and Settings
Thursday, December 11       Cuddlebuggery             How Amie & Meagan Met
Friday, December 12            Little Book Owl             Video Interview
Monday, December 15         Mundie Moms               Shooting the Cover
Tuesday, December 16        Xpresso Reads             Starbound Inspirations
Wednesday, December 17   A Book Utopia               Video: Your New Book Boyfriend
Thursday, December 18       Supernatural Snark       Q & A

Friday, December 19            Love is Not a Triangle   Gender in Science Fiction

Giveaway!

We have some incredibly cool giveaways thanks to the authors and Disney-Hyperion. Not only do we have 5 hardback copies of This Shattered World to give away, but we also have a grand prize that’ll make fans of the series super, super excited!

Grand Prize:

Autographed copies of These Broken Stars and This Shattered World

Starbound Swag

A secret letter from Tarver to Lilac, which you may keep secret for yourself, or may be posted and shared with others

Your choice of coffee with the authors at one of their upcoming U.S. tour stops (locations TBD) OR a Skype chat!

All you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form and leave a thoughtful comment below telling us why you’re specifically excited to win this prize! Don’t forget, you may earn additional points by sharing this giveaway on social media and by visiting the other tour stops as well.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A huuuge shout out to Wendy @ The Midnight Garden for organizing this blog tour and for selecting me to be a part of it. I had a blast, Wendy, so thanks a bunch! If you haven't already, be sure to check them out! :)

Also, be sure to look out for my review of This Shattered World soon to find out more about these characters, their journey, and, most importantly, their love story!

Release Day Mini-Review: Shadowed Heart by Laura Florand

Title: Shadowed Heart (Amour et Chocolat, #5.5) 

Author: Laura Florand

Rating: 4 Stars

Release Date: December 3rd, 2014

Three words, to shake a man’s existence.
Three words, to call on all a man’s strength, all his courage, all his love, and all his ability to hope and dream…and trust.
Three words, to wake up every fear a man has ever had.
“I’m pregnant, Luc.”
Now how could a man be perfect enough for that?
Now in this sequel to The Chocolate Heart, Florand takes us into the heart of happily ever after with a story full of love, hope, and friendship. Struggling to get their new restaurant off the ground in the south of France, newly married top chef Luc Leroi and his wife Summer must face all their demons at the prospect of becoming parents. Fortunately, Summer's cousins and Luc's rival chefs join forces with the couple to prove that not even a top chef has to handle everything alone and happiness really can last ever after.

I've been stalking NetGalley for months, now, just waiting for the next Florand novel to appear. I've read and re-read Florand's novels so often that to re-visit an old favorite doesn't quite give me the same pleasure as cracking open the spine of a new one. Thus, despite the fact that I've read other Florand novels only earlier this year, and re-read a handful of her books recently, picking up Shadowed Heart felt like coming home after a long, long break.

While the majority of Florand's titles can be read as stand-alones, this is one novella that simply demands that the reader have read The Chocolate Heart. Even though it's been awhile since I perused the volume myself, Luc and Summer's romance is such a strong, visceral, and truly humbling experience. It's full of heartache and strength, both in such equal magnitude, that it's impossible not to become entirely embroiled in their tale and wish, desperately, for the happiest ending possible. Thus, a follow-up novella is both a welcome surprise and a certain dread. I knew, even before opening the PDF of this, that I was going to become an emotional wreck at some point during the story--that's just the type of writer Florand is. Luc and Summer feel fleshly-real, so much so that their very being intertwines with yours until their slightest pain affects you in a physical manner.

It's a sign of Florand's skill that she's able to encompass such a wide range of emotion into such a slim volume. Shadowed Heart follows Luc and Summer as they discover that Summer is pregnant, all while Luc struggles to open his own restaurant and come to terms with what it means to be a father, support a family, and be the type of husband Summer needs him to be. Many of the themes Florand touches upon in this novella are echoes of what we saw in The Chocolate Heart but they feel just as poignant here, if not more. At a time of so much happiness, for this married couple to fall prey to doubt and most importantly, self-doubt, is a terrifying scene to watch unfold. Yet, I appreciate that Shadowed Heart has glimpses of happiness, moments of comic relief, and just the right amount of sugar. We manage to re-visit old favorites (my sweethearts, Sylvain, Dom, and Patrick *swoon*) and the delight of being back in Luc and Summer's minds doesn't wear off as easily as one would imagine. Their thoughts, so similar and yet so different, their new familiarity with one another, all while maintaining a distance still, is all strangely moving and immensely touching. I love this couple. I rooted for this couple. And I root for them still.

Shadowed Heart is a must-read for fans of Florand's work. It's heart-felt and the depth packed into its short pages is unbelievable. Moreover, who wouldn't kill for a chance to lose themselves among Florand's prose, her descriptions of Southern France, or all the delectable chocolate her leading men can make? (Someone, PLEASE, let me know where I can find a French chef of my own!) Without a doubt, Shadowed Heart is yet another incredible novel from Florand--one of her finest yet.

Release Day Review: Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle, #3) 

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Release Date: October 21st, 2014

I’m not entirely sure Cabeswater is quite fictional. I cracked open the spine of Blue Lily, Lily Blue and from just the whisper of those initial words on the page, I could feel it coursing through my bloodstream. I emerge from Stiefvater’s novels blinking wildly at the sight around me. It takes a few seconds for my brain to process a mere desk, laptop, bookshelf, bed, and lamp before my eyes when, only seconds ago, I was running through the forests of Cabeswater, walking through hidden caverns, breathing life into my dreams. It’s simultaneously Stiefvater’s best and worst quality; her ability to immerse her readers thoroughly in her work and, sadly, her ability to render those fictional realms so life-like that the inevitable disappointment that I cannot, in fact, visit Cabeswater, is crushing.

But, I digress—Blue Lily, Lily Blue. After two beloved novels already published in this series, it’s easy to believe, by the third book, that you know the direction of the plot, the decisions the characters may make, or even the relationships they’ll continue to develop. Maggie Stiefvater, however, shatters every illusion you’ve harbored within the opening pages of her prologue itself and you’re taken back in time to that moment of trepidation before you cracked open The Raven Boys; that moment when you have no idea which character you’ll fall in love with, which one you’ll hate, who is about to become your soul sister, or even what the plot of the entire novel even is. Stiefvater proves to be just as unpredictable as always in Blue Lily, Lily Blue, and though reading this third novel in the Raven Cycle feels like returning home after a long, arduous year apart, its characters nevertheless manage to evolve, the plot twists and turns, and the relationship dynamics become ever-more complex. Thus, just when you’re thinking you’re going to enjoy another trip to Henrietta, your heart rate begins to pound, you lean forward in your seat, and, just like that, you’re just as frantic and impassioned and in love as Blue and her Raven Boys.

For me, perhaps the most jarring effect of Blue Lily, Lily Blue is the fact that the school year has, once again, begun. For Blue and her Raven Boys, this means that while the hunt for Glendower has not ended, it has become more difficult. Moreover, the economic gap between Blue and her Raven Boys, which felt, perhaps, diminished within the excitement of The Dream Thieves, rears its ugly head again. Blue Lily, Lily Blue marks the first Stiefvater novel I’ve read since attending college and, as a result, I find myself all the more grateful for the economic diversity Stiefvater writes of. I feel underrepresented within my economic bracket here, on my college campus, but it’s reassuring to know that isn’t the case within Stiefvater’s literature. Adam’s economic situation, as always, is keenly felt and the strides Adam makes in his thinking during the course of this novel are tremendous. But Blue, especially, stands out to be in Blue Lily, Lily Blue, not only because she has lost her mother, but also because her closest friends are looking into a future of posh, elite Ivy League schools while she herself must settle for a local college she can afford opposed to a college that caters to her academic intelligence level. Truly, I don’t mean to linger on this topic for too long, but for those of you who have felt as if the college admissions process has been simplified and far too glorified in literature up until now, you will love the harsh reality Stiefvater breathes into the situation with her latest.

But, yet again, I digress. I do not love Blue Lily, Lily Blue for its economic diversity (though that is certainly a noteworthy component to the novel), but I love it for the manner in which its characters and their relationships continue to surprise me. I wrote in my review of The Dream Thieves that though Stiefvater writes of a multitude of characters, everything she writes of somehow returns to Gansey. At the heart of the Raven Boys, at the heart of this quest for Glendower, lays Gansey. While this continues to be true in Blue Lily, Lily Blue, what struck me about Gansey in this third installment is how little we truly know of him. By the closing of Blue Lily, Lily Blue we’ve gained answers to the mystical powers that Blue and the rest of her Raven Boys possess but Gansey? Gansey still remains an enigma. But, in Blue Lily, Lily Blue he becomes a humanized one. The Gansey of this latest installment is not always the calm, collected, and put-together Gansey we’ve come to know. Stiefvater shows us the glimpses in which he morphs and isn’t quite the same person, though their essence is identical. It’s subtle, but Blue Lily, Lily Blue allows us to see Gansey through a lens of vulnerability—a term we’ve associated with everyone from Adam to Noah to Ronan to Blue—but, never before, with Gansey.

Blue Lily, Lily Blue further continues to alter the relationship dynamics simply between Blue and her Raven Boys. Noah becomes ever-more distant and otherworldly in this installment as Ronan and Adam begin to forge a tighter friendship now that Adam and Gansey are at such a stand-still in their own relationship. Between Blue and Gansey, however, there continues to be a strong stream of longing and though their relationship isn’t touched upon as much as it was in the previous installment, the scenes Stiefvater gives us are utterly bittersweet. Blue Lily, Lily Blue truly goes beyond just Blue and her Raven Boys, though. We finally get to meet Gansey’s Professor and Blue’s own relationships with the women in her house (and Mr. Gray!) take on a new significance with Blue’s mother missing. Additionally, Stiefvater introduces a slew of new characters; all of them complex, many of their roles unexpected. While Blue Lily, Lily Blue certainly furthers the plot significantly, it also leaves a large number of questions to be answered and generates new ones along the way as well, all contributing to an ending full of shock, excitement, and curiosity. Of course the wait for the next novel is sure to be unbearable but Blue Lily, Lily Blue packs such a punch that I am confident I’ve overlooked at least a dozen important clues. It’s the type of novel that, much like The Dream Thieves, simply demands to be re-read from its position on your shelf.

It hardly needs saying, but Stiefvater has outdone herself yet again. I believe she always says that her favorite book is the one she has just written and though I cannot agree with that statement, what with The Scorpio Races out in the world, Blue Lily, Lily Blue is one of her better novels. It doesn’t quite capture the madness and raw energy of The Dream Thieves for me, but it has an essence and magic all of its own. Just don’t expect to emerge from this novel unscathed and you’ll be good. (Trust me, Stiefvater just brings on ALL the feels…ALL OF THEM.)

ARC Review: Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay

Title: Princess of Thorns

Author: Stacey Jay

Rating: 2 Stars

Release Date: December 9th, 2014

I picked up Princess of Thorns expecting a fairy tale re-telling on the scale of Jay's Of Beast and Beauty.

Don't do that.

Princess of Thorns is nothing like Of Beast and Beauty, which is, frankly, a disappointment. Of Beast and Beauty burst upon my bookshelf last year with a fresh, innovative take on the age-old tale of "Beauty and the Beast." It wasn't solely Jay's creativity that set it apart as one of the finest re-tellings of "Beauty and the Beast" to be told, it was also her willingness to explore all-too-human themes in a fantastical settings, her risk-taking with a truly evil villain on hand, and her impeccable pacing that introduced plot twists when the reader least expected it. What's more, at its core Of Beast and Beauty is a love story; a beautiful one. It's impossible to pick up Jay's former novel and not become lost in the swirls of tension, passion, and love that emanate from these characters. Sadly, Princess of Thorns contains none of that.

For one, it should be noted that Princess of Thorns is not a re-telling of "Sleeping Beauty." Instead, it continues the original French story, only instead of ending completely in death and demise, Princess Aurora's two children live and are raised by the fey to eventually fight their evil ogre family. Princess of Thorns begins promisingly enough, what with a prophecy being foretold and Ror, our protagonist, becoming a fierce and determined leader. Certainly, from the first few pages, Jay's latest seemed to possess the qualities needed to make Princess of Thorns as big a success as Of Beast and Beauty but, alas, it was not to be so.

My main issue with Princess of Thorns is, quite simply, that it is boring. Aurora is on a quest to win over an army and save her younger brother, Jor, from his current imprisonment with the Ogre Queen who wishes both Ror and her brother dead. With her is Niklaas, the eleventh son of an immortal king who has cursed his heirs to turn into swans on their eighteenth birthday so that his kingdom may never be turned over to them. (Also, can I just inject here that this entire plot thread is ridiculously weak? Is this meant to be another re-telling similar to Marillier's Daughter of the Forest randomly interjected with "Sleeping Beauty"?) Niklaas finds Ror and, presuming that Aurora is her younger brother, Jor, agrees to help her on her quest if Jor will introduce Niklaas to his elder sister so Niklaas may propose marriage to Aurora. Niklaas needs to marry in order to escape his curse but Aurora's fairy blessings prevent her from even kissing another and, parading around as her younger brother Jor, their relationship forms into a tight friendship after their initial revulsion passes. Though their journey could have been intriguing, with "Jor" diplomatically fighting to win over an army or find one (*ahem* Aragorn in Return of the King when he rallies the ghost army to fight for him!), this novel passes by with Aurora and Niklaas merely walking, sleeping, talking.

What's worse, there's barely a hint of chemistry between Niklaas and Aurora. I enjoyed the manner in which their relationship developed but I wasn't wholly involved with it. Plus, Niklaas is the type of male protagonist who enjoys boasting of the broken hearts and cold beds he leaves behind and while Aurora is strong, capable, and a perfect match for him, I found Niklaas's subtle misogyny to be...unpleasant. Of course, Jay allows her characters to grow and change over the course of the novel and the ending is satisfying, though anticlimactic. It isn't the epic battle we expect it to be and, on that count, it's disappointing. Jay doesn't pull out all the stops when it comes to her villain this time around either--yet another upsetting factor--but the last few pages ensure that readers finish Princess of Thorns with a smile if nothing else.

Unlike Of Beast and Beauty, this novel is not introspective, reflective, or thought-provoking in the least. The relationship dynamics are all present--and I really enjoyed the glimpses of Ror and Jor's sibling relationship--but ultimately, this isn't a novel to boast about. Its gorgeous cover aside, I wouldn't recommend it and frankly feel as if readers who expect the same caliber of Of Beast and Beauty will be happier skipping out on this one. Sorry Princess of Thorns, but you leave much wanting.

You can read my review for Of Beast & Beauty (which I highly recommend!) HERE. 

ARC Review: Whatever Life Throws at You by Julie Cross

Title: Whatever Life Throws at You

Author: Julie Cross

Rating: 3 Stars

Release Date: October 7th, 2014

When it comes to authors, like Julie Cross, whose past work has received a variety of mixed reviews, I hardly know whether or not to invest in their trilogies. Is it worth my time to dive into those three books? Or am I doomed to emerge unhappy like countless readers before me? When Whatever Life Throws at You landed on my doorstep, though, I figured I had the perfect opportunity. Not only could I sample Cross's prose, but it was a contemporary stand-alone and bound to bring a heady dose of swoon into my life.

I found a lot to love within the pages of Whatever Life Throws at You. Cross's latest centers around seventeen-year-old Annie Lucas, a hard-core runner whose dream is to land a scholarship for track. Her father, once a major league baseball player who retired prematurely while battling cancer, has just been offered the job opportunity of a lifetime to return to baseball, this time as a coach, and Annie refuses to allow her father to give up this chance. All she wants is to see him happy and if that means moving across the country to an all-girls high school, it's a small price to pay. In Missouri, though, Annie doesn't expect to run into the Royal's new--and very attractive--pitcher. Nor does she expect to fall for him as hard as she does. Brody and Annie start out as mere friends but is Annie truly a match for a nineteen-year-old on the verge of stardom? And even if Brody finally sees Annie as more than a little-sister figure, there are always consequences for every action...

At the center of Whatever Life Throws at You is a strong father-daughter relationship which I fell head-over-heels for. When it comes to familial relationships, sibling bonds or parental struggles are often emphasized in YA so I appreciated the breath of fresh air Cross brought with Annie's relationship concerning her father. Annie and her father are best friends, practically. He's supported her all her life, especially with her mother breezing in and out of the house, and Annie both looks up to and respects him immensely. I really felt the strength of their bond, even early in the novel, and their growth arc throughout the novel is incredibly real-to-life. Moreover, I enjoyed how Cross juxtaposed the ease of Annie's relationship with her father to the turmoil of other parent-child relationships in the novel. Annie may not have a steadfast mother or a whole lot of wealth, but her father makes up for all of it.

Annie's relationship with Brody is additionally at the forefront of this novel. Brody is nineteen-years-old, out of high school, and about to become a star baseball pitcher. Annie doesn't expect him to like her, let alone care for her in any capacity, but as they spend more and more time together she can't help but begin to fall for him. What I love about their relationship is that it begins firmly as a friendship and their understanding of each other, their trust in one another, and the affection they share is a cornerstone of their bond. Brody has so many hidden layers to him beyond his ability to pitch and as Annie peels those back, slowly, the entire novel opens up in new and unexpected ways. What's more, I love Cross's decision to explore the sexual aspect of Brody and Annie's relationship. Cross doesn't romanticize sex, for one, which is a relief. What's more, instead of simply jumping from making out to outright sex, Cross fills in the gaps, proving there are more ways than one to grow physically closer to a partner. More often than not, these ideals are glossed over in YA and I give Cross props for approaching sex in YA in a new and improved light.

Yet, where Whatever Life Throws at You falters is in the dilemma built up over the course of the story. For one, it felt far too superficial and inauthentic for me to truly invest in and by the time all hell broke loose, I simply felt removed from the novel. What's more, it feels jarring against the backdrop of such a mature, realistic YA contemporary. Another aspect of the novel I felt could have used a dose of improvement were Annie's friendships outside of Brody. In her entire high school she makes exactly one friend and, even then, though their interactions were more frequent in the beginning of the novel, they almost entirely peter out by the end when the entire focus shifts to her romance with Brody.

So. Not. Cool. Yet, regardless of that, Whatever Life Throws at You is a sweet, swoon-worthy contemporary to curl up with for a few hours. I know next to nothing about baseball and still wound up enjoying it--there's just something about all the sports-related novels that are so much fun, what with all the fake tension about a game being lost--so I'd certainly recommend this to readers. Its positives outweigh its negatives by far and I'm looking forward to reading a voice as natural and authentic as Annie's from Cross soon.