Edrie Elen

~Check out more on my blog, The Bent Bookworm!~One Day in December was my local bookstore's book club pick for December (the meeting of which I did not get to attend, to much sadness). I was a bit dismayed, to be honest, as I don't typically read a lot of romance and often find myself too jaded and cynical to enjoy books with a heavy romantic focus. I am very happy to report that this book warmed even my crusty old heart!While this book is, yes, a story of love, it is also a story of friendship. Laurie and Sarah have been best friends for years, and their friendship is really the glue that holds this book together. I loved them both, even if I definitely identified more with Laurie's feelings and experiences. I've never been glamorous or someone who shines in the spotlight, so I was right there with her! The story spans 10 years from the time Laurie first spots her Mr. Right at a bus stop, and while Laurie and Sarah have their disagreements and even fights at times, they stick together through it all. Even when thousands of miles separate them! Again, having many long distance friendships, this really struck a chord with me. They aren't all sunshine and roses, and Laurie really struggles sometimes with Sarah being in a relationship with Jack, but in the end she does the absolute best that a best friend could do and tries to be rational. After all, it's pure silliness to think that you could be destined for someone you took a fancy to through the window of a bus...right?Whoever the hell is in charge of TV scheduling needs a bullet between their eyes. Surely they could work out that anyone who needs to resort to watching TV on Valentine's night is single and potentially bitter, so why they thought The Notebook would make suitable viewing is beyond me.Despite the somewhat serious tone of the book - three young people seeking their own path in life as well as seeking for someone to share it with - there are moments of humor sprinkled throughout. More than once I giggled to myself while reading.The storyline does move relatively fast, skipping over large chunks of each year and only coming back to “big” events or conversations. I was leery of that concept too, but it really seemed to work well for this type of growth in relationships and characters. All of the main characters grow, and growth includes some “mistakes” that are rather painful and costly at times. Some of the choices they made had me gasping in horror and feeling pains in my own heart, as again I just found them SO relatable (and in a couple of cases I've even walked the exact same path and could see the impending danger). Jack starts off as a classic nice guy, goes through some shit and turns into a complete asshole. Not because that's who he really is, but because he sinks into depression after a major accident and it completely changes his personality. He can see this, himself, but seems powerless to stop it. I found this to be a very accurate portrayal of how depression can wreck havoc on a person AND their relationships with other people - again, having been on both sides of that coin to some extent. Thankfully this was only temporary but it did leave his mark on him and the people around him. I did have a couple little...bothers with this story. First of all, Jack lies to Laurie right from jump. It's a little white lie, but it affects her more than he could possibly know and it just felt...bleh. And then, there is a certain THING that happens, that results in lies of omission that (naturally) create problems further down the road. It bothered me, and yet I can't say what I would have done in the same circumstance would really have been any different. People make mistakes, and sometimes it is better for other people - people who might be hurt by the truth - to not find out. Sometimes. It's such a gray area, which I guess was the point here. 5/5 stars. Overall I loved this story because yes (as I have already said MANY times, I know), it was relatable for me, and because I felt it was so true to life. Life is messy. Sometimes life sucks. Relationships and love are EXTREMELY messy and often uncomfortable. But people and relationships ARE worth it! I loved that even after all the heartache and struggle, Laurie and Sarah and Jack all have hope and love in life, no matter how long they had to wait or look to find it. Sometimes the road to get to where we need to go is long, but life isn't just about the destination.Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram Google+

~Check out my blog at The Bent Bookworm!~Please note: this is the second in a series, and it would probably be good to link the first one to it somehow: Pemmican Wars.Red River Resistance is a graphic novel taking place through the eyes of a 13-year-old girl, Echo who time travels between events in the Red River area of Canada in 1869-1870. Not being Canadian, I was not familiar with the history at ALL and so greatly appreciated the timeline in the back of the book!The story portrays the injustice done to the indigenous people throughout North America during this time in history, but focusing on the Metis people of Canada. Despite the more than a 100 years since the events, Echo - a descendent of some of the original inhabitants - still struggles with her identity and place in the world, and the effects of a corrupt government that cared nothing for the people it displaced, only for the monetary value of their lands. The illustrations in this book suit the story perfectly. They have an overall blue/gray cast that lends itself to the mood, and there are very few words even for a graphic novel. For the subject matter, it really works. I will definitely be going back and looking for the first of this series, and hope there will be more after!Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram Google+

~Check out all my reviews over on The Bent Bookworm!~ Teen Titans: Raven was fun and entertaining, even if you have next to zero knowledge of the world of Teen Titans. I've never seen any of the TV show/movie, and can count on one hand the number of comics I've read in general. I still thoroughly enjoyed this coming-of-age story for one of the main characters from Teen Titans. The plot is very basic, but it answers the story of how Raven came to be who she is and the awakening of her powers well enough. I would have liked a little more...personality, I suppose, in Raven. She seems a little flat, as the only two emotions she really seems to have are fear and anger. The ending also seems open-ended, perhaps for future books? The artwork is very atmospheric, staying almost entirely in shades of gray, black, purple, and white. The detail is quite good, and the font is easy enough to read (a plus for those of us with less than stellar eyesight). 3.5/5 stars. Another excellent contribution to the DC Ink lineup!Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram

~Be sure to stop by my blog,The Bent Bookworm!~The Midnight Witness pulled me in quickly and, barring anything totally off the wall happening, has hooked me for the remainder of this series. I had never read anything in the “nordic noir” genre so I was really eager to see how this would work for me, and it did not disappoint. I felt a kinship with Louise almost immediately, one adrenaline junkie to another.Suddenly she felt it. All morning she'd been worried it wouldn't show up.The rush.The energy came like a wave, a familiar feeling that usually came on at a crime scene. It was like an injection, adrenaline shooting up her body and into her chest, ending with her scalp prickling. She was ready.Louise lives for the rush, but it's a pleasant perk to her main goal of getting justice for the victims of crime and their families. I really liked the balance of focus on her job and the details of all the workings of the homicide unit with the time spent with her friend/family relationships. I think there was a lot of setup in this book, as in many first-in-a-series books, and we don't get to see much of Louise's back story at all so I'm hopeful that will come more in the sequels. The story behind the murders here was less compelling than I really wanted it to be, and I was much more interested in the murder of the young woman in the park than that of the journalist. Still, about halfway through I started talking to the characters - a sure sign to myself that I'm invested in the story. I really enjoyed Louise and Camilla's friendship, even while I wonder what kind of trouble a murder detective can get into by being friends with a reporter. Whenever I read mysteries, I try to form a theory as early in the book as possible. I take notes so that I know exactly where I was in the book when I formed my idea of who-dun-it. My theory kept changing in this one - as soon as I would settle on one suspect, something else would happen and I'd be off on a rabbit trail again. It was great fun. I didn't guess the true murderer until about 20 pages before it was revealed, so huge props to Blaedel on that.4/5 stars. This is definitely different than most other mystery or thriller books I've read. It's not a thriller - the pace is slower, and it's less gory. There are SOME details of the murder but nothing too extreme. It's also not a cozy mystery - too analytical for that. I guess it's most similar to the Sherlock Holmes type detective novels, but it has more layers of personal relationships in it. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The Louise Rick series and Sara Blaedel were brought to my attention by the awesome blog Crime By the Book, and I am so excited to have a new detective series to follow. Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram Google+____________gasp Look at me! I finished a book less than a month after buying it! 😱😱😱

~Check out all my reviews over on The Bent Bookworm!~ No Place Like Here was so much more than I expected! I went into it thinking I was getting a somewhat fluffy summer camp novel (at only 272 pages I finished it in half a shift at work – yes, my job is that slow). While there were fluffy aspects, it was so much deeper and touched my heart in ways I was completely surprised by.Ashlyn's entire world has been turned upside down. All her plans for the summer have gone out the window. Her parents BOTH seem to have abandoned her. She's been shipped off to stay with relatives she hasn't seen for nearly a decade. She plans to just keep her head down and her mouth shut, just like she has for the entire life she's spent with her overbearing, self-centered father. But then she realizes that she does still have a family that cares about her, and she starts to grow into herself. She grows SO MUCH in this short book, it was really amazing and yet still very believable.I loved that she didn't just grow up and shut her parents out. She grew up and at least tried to start the healing process with them. Her mom's struggle with depression felt realistically portrayed, and I really appreciated the positive mental health rep in the book! Getting help is NOT a weakness, or a waste of time. YES!Also, a HUGE thank you to Christina June for not making this a “romance is the answer” story. There is a little flirtation, a little kissing, a lot of attraction – but no real romance. So many stories portray romantic relationships as the cure-all for what ails us and it's just so not true!Now I need to go back and read the books that came before this one. Apparently some of the same characters show up, so I'm personally hoping that after No Place Like Here we get to hear more of Baxter's story...5/5 stars. I loved this book! I'll be waiting for anything else Christina June puts out.Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram

~Review first appeared on The Bent Bookworm!~The Once and Future Geek is a fun, fast frolic through time and space as the young protagonists try to keep history's course steady. While the target audience is middle grade, and the writing and plot make that clear, even as an adult I enjoyed the story – especially since I've been a gamer (in another time, when I had many free hours in a day) and so many of the phrases and occurences in the story had me laughing and nodding because yes, that is indeed what happens when you play an MMO.“I'd rather my heart be broken a thousand times than spend one day without her,” Arthur declared valiantly. Merlin groaned. “I seriously don't know why I bother,” he muttered under his breath.This is NOT your high fantasy King Arthur story. Don't go looking for that, and you'll probably be just as happy with it as I was. I love the banter between the various characters. I did think it was a little odd that the kids were just totally okay with Merlin lying to them at the very beginning...has no one ever told them creepy old men stalk kids online?!? But anyway...the story itself was entertaining, if a bit lacking on historical detail and high in artistic license. I sort of got a Percy Jackson meets Ready Player One vibe. All the family relationships and time switcheroos got a little confusing part way through the book, but then I got so interested in what was going on with Sophie's parents that I didn't care.4/5 stars, minus a star due to some odd wordiness and events that I felt were a little too eye-rolling worthy even for the target audience. Also at the end the author clearly sounded like an adult trying to speak to children, or trying to sound LIKE a child, which irritates me to no end and I'm sure would be off-putting for a kid. Otherwise a really solid read and one I would love to add to my shelf! A refreshingly positive, upbeat take on the King Arthur legends.I loved Sophie and Stu – their friendship, their geekiness, and their acceptance of each other and other people. Sophie's attitude was awesome, and given that ending I really hope the series gets continued now that this reprint is out!She was going to knock some sense into this little once and future twerp's head if it was the last thing she did.Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this book for free in exchange for an honest review! This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram Google+

“I called every power of this land to war, winter-king. It had to be done. We cannot fight amongst ourselves.”The Winter of the Witch is the absolute perfect ending to this trilogy. It shattered my heart, stitched it back together, then stomped on it. Just in case I had any hope of it ever healing properly.The previous books in this trilogy are just as beautiful and just as compelling, as we first meet Vasya in The Bear and the Nightingale and see her growing into herself in The Girl in the Tower. In this final installment Vasya is still young and still growing, but she has come into herself as a woman and refuses (as she always has, in her way) to bend to societal expectations.I was bawling within fifteen minutes of starting this book. And then I cried even harder at the end. I was wrung out, unspeakably sad, and yet there was an undercurrent of contentment and joy and hope that has made me recommend this beautiful trilogy to every. single. person. who would listen!CharactersVasya, of course. I would go to war with and for this girl. She hasn't had an easy life but she refuses to be cowed and she embraces who and what she is, even if she doesn't always understand it.In her hands was the strength that had broken the bars of her cage in Moscow...”I may die tomorrow. Or live to sour old age. But you are only a wraith in a lake, and you will not command me.“She has heart, and she loves so fiercely and completely, it completely breaks my soul. Unlike in the previous books, Vasya also explores her sexuality in this one – and while I sort of saw her love interest coming, I couldn't see HOW exactly it would work out...and then it did, and it was fabulous. Vasya will not take being anything less than an equal, and I absolutely LOVED how her path in life was not something she was willing to give up (nor did she) for anyone, regardless of her feelings for them. So often, even strong female heroines fall in love and give up their plans/dreams for their partner. Not that this is always bad...but it's so often that it's almost expected, and it's definitely still an expectation in our society. It was SO refreshing to see how things settled out for Vasya.I really fell in love with Vasya's brother, Sasha, in this one too. He was always a sympathetic character, but his devotion to being a monk sort of turned me off. He really came into his own in this book too, and it became obvious his devotion is really more to people and country than any god. He also stops treating Vasya like a child, and their relationship just blossomed into what I've always dreamed a brother/sister bond to be.Vasya put a hand on her brother's arm. “Then, if you come with me tonight -” Her grip tightened; their eyes met. “I warn you, the road leads through darkness.”Sasha said, “Then we will go through darkness, sister.”Then of course, there are the bad guys...Medved, the Frost-King's brother, as always up to treachery and warmongering, and the priest Konstantin with his hatred of Vasya and all she represents, coupled with an unrelenting thirst for power. The evil radiates off the page...and yet it is not all so cut and dry. Just as life is not all black and white, no matter how much we may wish it.PlotA threat from outside will tear Russia apart, but the boyars seem incapable of anything but internal bickering. Moscow burns, and the people blame Vasya. The only way to unite Russia seems to be the road through midnight...The plot, while it definitely moves the story along and provides the catalyst for the various characters' actions, is really secondary to the character and relationship development. It proceeds at a rather breakneck pace (unlike in The Girl in the Tower, where it seemed to meander at times), hurtling us all along towards the final bloody conclusion.WorldbuildingWhile I can't say I would want to live in Katherine Arden's medieval Russia, it is certainly beautiful and captivating – while also be cold and cruel, especially to women. She weaves in folktales and pagan traditions with the new Church, and who is to say it wasn't, actually, just like that?I am planning to re-read this trilogy every year. I bought the US and the UK editions of all three books. They resonate in my heart and soul. If you ever listen to any recommendations I make, PLEASE GO READ THESE BOOKS. Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram Google+________________Just got an ARC of this and I am OVER THE FREAKING MOON!!

~Full review here on The Bent Bookworm!~As soon as I saw that Toil and Trouble had a story by one of my favorite authors, [a:Elizabeth May 5303332 Elizabeth May https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1520961546p2/5303332.jpg] of the Falconer trilogy, I knew I had to have it. Even if the subject matter hadn't been one of great intrigue and interest to me, I would have bought it for that alone! Then it turned out to also have a story by [a:Zoraida Córdova 4824952 Zoraida Córdova https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1495672725p2/4824952.jpg], which was also awesome.The fifteen short stories in Toil and Trouble vary widely. They all have a couple common elements, as one might guess from the subtitle – all involve women, most of them amazingly strong, vibrant characters, and all involve “witchcraft” as defined by each particular author. Some I enjoyed more than others, namely the ones by Elizabeth May, Jessica Spotswood, and Emery Lord. I will definitely be finding books by the latter two and reading them, as somehow I had never come across their work before. For a more detailed review individually, check out The Sassy Book Geek's review. She has an absolutely AMAZING overview of each story in this anthology!The relationships that many of the stories showcase – and in such a short few pages – are beautiful, and heart-wrenching. There are sisters, lovers, friends, mothers and daughters and grandmothers. Reading these made me realize how much I need to value the female friends and caring family members I have in my life, as well as feel a little jealous of a few of them! The sister trio in Emery Lord's story really pulled at my heart strings.“She'd tell her daughters someday: ‘If you don't feel safe enough to yell back, you're not safe enough. My babies, that is not love.'” ~ Emory Lord in Toil & TroubleIf you are looking for an atmospheric collection of stories, this is definitely it! If you are looking for horror, this is NOT it. The hair-raising factor in these is due to the “unnatural” powers and magic, not anything particularly grotesque.Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review!Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram Google+

~Full review here on The Bent Bookworm!~A Thousand Perfect Notes is for anyone who needs a story of hope in darkness, of relief from oppression, of happiness out of pain and sorrow. Not being melodramatic, either. TW: mental and physical abuse, parental neglect.He wouldn't be kissable. He's piano keys and crumpled music trapped in his soul. Not kissable. Kickable.Excuse me while I go bawl my eyes out. This book just tore open my soul. I haven't wanted so badly to protect and take care of a fictional character in a long, LONG time. Let me try to put all these feelings into words.Beck's story is one of the harshest I've read in the YA genre, and the first I've felt it really necessary to post a Trigger Warning for. My heart was bleeding by the time I finished, and trust me – I tore through this book in about two and a half hours. I was just so desperate to see what happened to him!Beck is not perfect. He sometimes acts in ways that perhaps are not the epitome of kindness and definitely not politeness. But he carries so much pain...mental, physical, emotional. And on top of all that he is ALWAYS HUNGRY. It kills me to think of anyone being really, truly hungry – not just the hangry we all like to joke about when our regular mealtime gets off kilter, but honest-to-god hungry because there isn't enough food and nowhere except maybe the trash to get it. All my mama bear instincts just want to go on a rampage for the person who would do this to their children.If people cut him open, they'd never accuse him of being empty. He's not a shell of a pianist – he's a composer. Cut his chest and see his heart beat with a song all his own.Part of the conflict is that while Beck's mother uses music to contribute to his abuse, Beck has his own musical talent inside him – one that she belittles and says is worthless, but that is desperate to break out of him.Then there is Joey. Wild, free spirited, painful Joey, the little sister that Beck would do anything for – be anything for – if it meant being able to protect her. Regardless of the personal cost to himself. He sees himself as weak for being unable to stop his mother's abuse.The Maestro – Beck's mother – is a loathsome, vile person. I had such a deep anger boiling in me towards her at the end of the book, I wanted to reach through the pages and physically rescue Beck and Joey myself. Perhaps tripping the Maestro down a very tall flight of stairs in the process. Sadly, while she may SEEM to be a bit over the top, there are far too many people just like her, and even more who are willing to inflict the kind of emotional and mental abuse she deals out to Beck, without necessarily the physical.August is amazing. While I can see many of the typical “manic pixie girl” characteristics in her, she is still very much her own little quirky self. I loved the repartee between her and her parents, who are awesome in their own right. Yay for having a healthy, loving family to contrast Beck's horrible mother with!The ending was satisfying, but still heartbreaking. I am very upset that there is not a sequel planned. 🙁This might be the most incoherent review I've written yet, I'm just so in my feelings about these characters.Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram Google+—————————————–This book completely broke my heart. RTC.

This book caught my attention and held it from the first page. I was drawn into the world...right into, not just skating on the top of it, but into it. I was sad when it was over. I wanted desperately to know what happened to Jonas and Gabe. I still do! Someone please tell me there is more of their story in the next 3 books...

~Check out all my reviews over on The Bent Bookworm!~

I was not, honestly, expecting this book to be creepy. In my experience most YA books that try to be “horror” or even just plain mystery are usually only vaguely so. I am thrilled to report that Remember Me was better than most! I actually felt the hair on my arms raising at points. It was awesome! It did have a little trouble getting off the ground, in my opinion, but once the settings (yes, plural, as the POV alternates with a modern day one and a historical one) were established I absolutely couldn't put it down. Highly recommend if you enjoy both YA and mystery/paranormal type books! Check out my blog for some awesome quotes from the book (no spoilers).

My one caveat: mental illness is somewhat used as a plot device. Treatment is given respect and not made fun of, and Nell's feelings about her mother's death and her subsequent therapy and very common, but I didn't like the way it was made to be just a result of a THING in the plot. Terribly vague to avoid spoiling.

This is a very hard book to review because of the risk of spoiling, which really would ruin a lot of the story...so here are some quotes to whet your appetite! It really is an amazing, multi-layered tale and I strongly recommend it. Also, there's a good bit of sweet, swoon-worthy romance.

~Review first appeared on The Bent Bookworm!~ 5/5 stars for an adorable, realistic summer romance! I was not expecting to love this book as much as I did. But I was intrigued by the synopsis, being a small-town girl at heart myself, and while I've only visited Maine once it was gorgeous and picturesque and I would love to go back.“The cardinal rule of every beach town is that locals do not get involved with tourists. They always leave.”Babe is a bisexual baking barista (try saying that five times fast) who is struggling to let go and move on as her life – and her best friends – change around her. Her two bests friends are going on to college, and she's not. Her choice, but she wants everyone she's grown up with to stay the same right along with her. But is she really staying the same?I absolutely loved the way Babe stuck to her guns about NOT going to college and staying in her home town. I think sometimes in all the narratives (and real life experiences) of people leaving home and never looking back, that we forget there are people who love their towns and what to stay there, build a life for themselves in the same place they grew up. On the other hand, I was glad that Babe realized she wasn't entirely staying the same, she was growing and changing as a person too – even if she stayed in the same physical place.Levi and Babe were adorable together. Even though their relationship is a little insta-y, it wasn't insta-LOVE and I appreciated that. After all, insta-LIKE is pretty common and has a large variety of endings, haha. They had chemistry, but the author steered away from things like heavenly boy-sweat and sparks flying from the touches of fingertips. Thank you. I also loved that they both knew, pretty much from the start, that their relationship (whatever it was at the time) might not be permanent, and they were okay with that.Babe's issues with Elodie, her ex-girlfriend, were difficult to read about. Elodie is not out, and Babe has been for years, so that really threw a painful wrench into their relationship. After their breakup, Babe eventually – after a lot of tears and pain – moves on. When Elodie comes back to town after a year at college, Babe didn't crumble. She had realized how much Elodie hurt her and how much she was a selfish person, and wasn't going to let her do it again.She was deflecting, trying to unload the responsibility of her decisions on me.Having let people do this to me more times than I can count, I actually teared up that Babe found the strength within herself to call Elodie out on it. YES. Because it is damn difficult.Also I desperately wanted some of Babe's baking confections. OMG. I was EXTREMELY disappointed that there were not recipes for these...I mean, come on! That's just cruel. Maybe someone will be inspired to come up with some? Because I know I'm not that talented...just page me if it happens. Kthx.Highly recommend for a breezy summer read that still has some substance. I loved it and am very excited to see what debut author Lillie Vale comes out with next!Many thanks to the publisher and author for a review copy in exchange for an honest review!Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram

Well that's some shit, the KU version has such a long “excerpt” from the 3rd book that when you're at the literal end of this one it says you're only 63% done!

Well that was interesting. More please?

~Check out all my reviews on the blog over at The Bent Bookworm!~The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane is the kind of book I would have LOVED reading as a nine or ten-year-old. It has strong, independent kids with their own unique voices, an intriguing mystery (that the adults are dead-bent on NOT being helpful with), and juuuuust enough creep factor to make a warm blanket desirable. Emmy's father disappeared when she was a toddler, and her mother is a “parenting expert” that is rarely around and emotionally distant even when she's physically present. At the start of the story, Emmy is shipped off to a boarding school in England, despite having never been there in her life. Never one to remain down for long (however much her mother's actions might hurt her), she acclimates quickly, making new friends with some of the more colorful characters at the school. The mystery of Emmy's father's disappearance is a main theme, as she is (as many of us would be) desperate to find out anything about him, his life, and yes of course his disappearance. It was very intriguing to have all that thrown in with the typical school stuff (reminds me vaguely of Harry Potter here, considering the main friend group is also three people), and it seems the groundwork has been laid for future books in the series. Some questions were answered by the end, but even more were asked! I'm very eager to see when the next book will be released and what will happen to Emmy and her friends next. I did wish there had been at least ONE adult who was straight with the kids, instead of constantly blowing them off or just trying to pretend things hadn't happened. Children are smarter than we give them credit for, and often able to handle things much better than we might anticipate.4/5 stars. Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram

Overall: 3/5 stars
Romance: 2/5 hearts
Spice: N/A
Genre(s): YA fantasy

Best quote:

“There's nothing wrong with being a lizard either. Unless you were born to be a hawk.”

Feelings

Characters

Worldbuilding

~Review first appeared on The Bent Bookworm!~Be forewarned, there is swearing involved in this review, because, um...What TF just happened.I really wanted to review The Curses without giving spoilers for the first one, [b:The Graces 25365584 The Graces (The Graces, #1) Laure Eve https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1461413482s/25365584.jpg 45110085], but it's so damn difficult because you absolutely cannot be reading this one without reading the first. Please don't even try. So yes, there are some spoilery comments for the FIRST book contained in this review. You should be tolerant of every kind of behavior...except ignorance and stupidity. No one should ever tolerate behavior that ruin the world.This book is so much better than the first. SO MUCH. Like so much I want to hug it. Once I started it, I finished in less than a day. I could barely put it down, I wanted so much to know what the heck was going on! Considering my “meh” feelings over the first book, I am just ecstatic that this one pulled the story out off the runaway train track. In fact, had it not been for the TOTAL shocker at the end of The Graces, I probably wouldn't have picked this one up. But I think you would have to be just about inhuman to not be overcome by curiosity about that ending.The Curses picks up a few months after the events of The Graces, and this time is written from the perspective of Summer, the youngest Grace. This was soooo much better than the narrative voice in the first book. I really hate unreliable narrators, it makes me feel like my entire life is a lie, so I was relieved that Laure Eve didn't repeat that in this book. We also spend almost no time at the school in this one – hallelujah.Thalia, Fenrin, Summer, River, and Wolf are all active players once again, but they are quite changed by the previous events and are all coping in various ways. Wolf's dramatic disappearance and subsequent reappearance has cast a shadow of sorts over the entire town, and the Grace household bears the brunt of it. Everything is different, with an undercurrent of ill feeling, but no one seems able to quite put a finger on the cause. Summer, ever curious and following her gut, digs and probes until she has her siblings just as involved as herself, and eventually River gets dragged back into their circle as well.Time had brought a folding inward instead of outward. They had trapped themselves in a relentless limbo of deliberate numbness. Too afraid to feel, too afraid to let go.The magical realism in this story is, well...so very real. The Graces are pagan witches – which is an actual thing, and I have friends who follow practices very similar (and often with similar reactions from the general public, sadly), as far as the herbal magick and belief in binding, etc. However, none of them – as far as I'm aware – actually think there is a way, or if they did, would ever actually TRY, to resurrect anyone. Which is where the magical, or fantasy if you will, part comes into play. Also, the “power” of various witches to bend events or the future to their will (such as River, particularly) is set firmly in the realm of fantasy. The use of tarot cards, spells, wardings and bindings...not so much. Perhaps it is the slightly blurry line between the two that allows this story to pull you in so very well. At times I variously felt the hairs on the back of my neck raise, as though I'd been punched in the gut, and as if my blood was actually turning cold in my veins. Some of the events are just almost too much to bear, as the pain and loss with accompanying grief is completely palpable through the page.My favorite part of this book though? The sibling solidarity. The Graces have each others' backs, no matter what, and they will go down without even a peep to protect one another. Even if they fight and bicker like any siblings, if anyone else threatens one of them, the outsider quickly wishes they hadn't. And when one of them is in serious trouble, the others think nothing of getting into trouble right alongside them.The events really just come one right after another in this one, with none of the drag I felt in the first book. Also, the foreshadowing – maybe Laure Eve should take up writing suspense or thrillers, because OMG the cellar scene where all the lies come out was INTENSE and I was just left with my jaw hanging open...and then I realized, like Summer did, that HOLY SHIT IT WAS THERE ALL ALONG.5/5 stars. I really can't think of anything bad to say about this one! Which totally surprises me, given that I had quite a few bones to pick with The Graces. The Curses is full of amazing quotes and feelings, and the ending – while it left me feeling sad and melancholy – was really full of closure and not without hope. The author seems to have worked out just about all the things that made me twitch in the first book, and I was just left with a massive hole in my heart for all the things the characters went through.Oh, and once again, let's end with a note about this freaking fabulous cover. I am obsessed and I can't WAIT to have this sitting beside The Graces on my shelf because they look absolutely stunning together.Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram Google+________RTC! So much happier with this one than the first. Night and day difference.________Couldn't for the life of me remember how the first book ended, had to go back and read my old review. Hahahaha. Oh boy.

~Check out all my reviews over on The Bent Bookworm!~ “Kill them all. God will know His own.”3.5/5 stars. The Burning Chambers is the first in Kate Mosse's new series, set in a similar historical time period as her earlier series, but this time entirely in France during the bloody wars between French Huguenots and Catholics. This book started out reeeeeeeally slow. So slow that, had I not been given a review copy, I probably would have put it down indefinitely. However, the description was excellent and so was the writing, it was just...so much. Also SUCH a huge cast of characters! There was a three page list of characters at the very beginning (which honestly terrified me before I even started reading). A lot of focus was on the religious conflict, too, which I found kind of off-putting but I understand that it was a HUGE part of life at that time, and was the motivating factor for a lot of the characters' actions. There was SO MUCH double-crossing in this story...it made my head spin at times, trying to figure out who was on what side and who was a spy and who was playing both sides!CharactersThe story is centered around Minou and to a lesser extent Piet, but there are so many chapters from such a variety of people it was rather mind boggling. Minou is great and I loved that she acted demure enough to blend in seamlessly in the current French society no matter where she was...but beneath all that “proper-ness” was a backbone of steel and GOD HELP ANYONE who tried to hurt her loved ones. Phew.Piet is a good, steady man with a heart of gold and again the backbone of steel. Despite getting something of the short end of the stick in life, he is still unwilling to believe the worst of people (something that comes back to bite him in the behind). I liked him, but I wasn't swooning over him. I guess I prefer more of the bad-boy/wounded hero type. He's just too...nice? (What kind of a person does this thought make me...)However, all that said, my favorite character was Minou's little brother. HE is going to grow up to be just the sort of bad-boy-with-a-cause I can get behind, I just know it! The most INTERESTING character is actually the villainess, but the interest of spoilers I'll leave it at that.PlotThe Huguenots (Protestants) and the Catholics of 16th century France hate each other for various reasons, and those with no strong religious sensibilities want only to profit from war. Minou's father has been keeping some dark family secret, Minou receives a vaguely threatening letter...and she is oblidged to leave her beloved Carcassonne for the “safety” of Toulouse, which turns out to not be safe at all.I really thought this would be more of a historical thriller than it was. As it turned out it was much more of a political/social commentary for the first 75%, with a insta-love sort of romance thrown in. It was sweet, but seemed QUITE unfounded...however, ignoring that little issue, the last quarter of the book really picked up the pace and made me MUCH more invested in the characters and their story, as everyone actually came together instead of being scattered all across the map.Overall3.5/5 stars, rounded up. The last quarter really saved the book, and I'm hoping all the meandering and emphasis on the societal aspects of the Huguenot/Catholic wars was setup for the future books in the series, which I will definitely be reading!Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram

I bought this book when it came out from Baker about three years ago, due to Diana Gabaldon's mention of it on her page. Fanfiction approved by the author? Intriguing. Could be great. Could be really freakin' awful. This is me at the end of the book. This is a huge improvement over the me in evidence about 60 pages in, which was more like:Let me explain.Good things first. The writing is smooth, descriptions are detailed but not too much. I could see the places Emma was going in my mind, I could picture the people she was meeting. Great! Also I love all things Scotland, but I try really hard to keep a real and not touristy view of the country, and I think Dyer did a great job of bringing this out in the book. The story - once a certain amount of suspension of disbelief was applied - was amusing. I laughed out loud several times. The author is good at making even secondary characters different enough to remember (even if a couple of them turn out more caricature-like than I would prefer). It's a fluffy, fast read. Actually, this is the first non-academic book I've finished in months, and I finished it in one evening (stayed up almost three hours past my usual bedtime to do so). So, if fluffy, ridiculous, entertaining books are your thing or you need a break from your usual thing, this book might do it for you. Please bear in mind, it pretty much reads like a fanfiction. Because...well, it is! It was approved/allowed by Diana Gabaldon, due to the heavy influence of her Outlander books on the writing. Ahem. I.e., FANFICTION. If you haven't read at least the first Outlander book, much of this one will make absolutely no sense and no doubt engender even more eye-rolling than it did for me (I love the Outlander series with a passion). Now the reason for the Anger. Please excuse my undeniable urge to use caps. WHAT THE EFF CENTURY ARE WE IN, THAT OUR MAIN CHARACTER DEDICATES HER ENTIRE LIFE TO FINDING A MATE?!? Are you freaking kidding me right now?!? I think Emma needed a counselor more than she needed a trip to Scotland. She was clearly suffering from a horrible lack of self worth due to constantly comparing herself to her highly successful (and younger) sister, and by a chronic tendancy to derive her self worth from the amount of male attention she received or could obtain. What, exactly, has Emma been doing with her life? I tried to figure it out, as just because one works at Starbucks at the age of 30 does not mean one has wasted one's life. Things happen, circumstances change...maybe I just missed it, but Emma seems unable to have pursued anything other than boyfriends with any real vigor. No. Just no. Okay, so I still love a good HEA and cutesy romantic stuff as much as the next person...sometimes. When it is warranted. In this case, I chose to finish the book and suspend by disbelief/outrage/horror at Emma's underlying reasoning for “searching for her Jamie,” and was able to somewhat enjoy the rest. I gave three stars because of the quality of the writing, but I wouldn't read it again. Give me a book with a female MC with LIFE GOALS, not man goals.Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram Google+

Reviewed October 2018, updating to remove broken links.

First of all. This cover. AND VIKING WARRIOR WOMEN. Just take all my money right now, why don't you. Of course, there's also a huge danger in being completely taken by a cover and brief blurb...sometimes the copywriter is a better writer than the actual author. So I was sort of kind of worried that might have happened, but I am very happy to report that it most certainly did not disappoint!

Oh, and btw – I was reading my copy of this book in the bath, and my puppy knocked it out of my hand and INTO THE WATER. There was much shrieking and flailing but the book survived and so did the puppy. The book is now all ripple-y and much thicker than it should be, but still readable. eyeroll

FIRST OF ALL:
Adrienne Young, can we pleeeeeeeease have a sequel where Eelyn and Fiske are a little older?? PLEASE??? Like maybe a NA type? Maybe where the enemy tribe resurges? I know there is a companion novel coming but it sounds like it might be more about someone else and I just need more of Eelyn. Please and thank you. Ok, now I will attempt to write something more coherent...there ARE some SMALL potential spoilers. You have been warned.

Characters:
Obviously, Eelyn. Our fierce Viking shieldmaiden. When the book first started, I was slightly put off by just how ANGRY she seemed to be, as if she had no other emotion (other than feeling pain, I definitely got the sense that she was in pain, but her reaction to pain was MORE ANGER). Did she have reason? Yes, probably more than most of us reading. Life in this time was hard, even if women were treated more equally in this Viking world. Eelyn kicks ass, but beneath her strong soldier exterior she still has a heart, she loves her family and her village more than life itself...which is why it hurts her so deeply when she discovers what her brother, Iri, has done. Eelyn is also NOT one of these heroine who walks and talks like a badass but never quite manages to DO anything badass...nope. She is downright brutal at one point in the book, and I found myself quite literally gaping at the page.

I'd envied Iri my whole life for his open heart, and now mine had been pried open too.

Plot

The words were small but they were true. ‘I'm thinking that I wish you'd died that day.'

Worldbuilding

I could still see a young Eelyn standing on the beach turned into the wind, a sword in one hand and an axe in the other. I hadn't lost her. I hadn't buried her. I'd only let her change into something new.

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Chase the Dark seemed to be the logical place to jump in after Three Mages and a Margarita, while I was waiting NOT so patiently for the next in that series (which I've since read, and a review is coming soon!). Also, the entire Steel & Stone series is available through Kindle Unlimited, which I happened to be trying for a free month. I hesitated slightly because in my experience, often an author's first book or even first few books are not as good as their later works. I am thrilled to report that I was wrong, and I quite enjoyed the start to this storyline.As with any fantasy, urban or otherwise, there's a good deal of worldbuilding setup required in the initial book. Chase the Dark is set in a somewhat-future earth world that sees traffic from daemons of various “species,” most of which take on a humanoid form during the time they spend on earth. Piper, our main character, is in training to be a consul, a go-between for the daemon guests and earth's diplomatic figures. It is, OF COURSE, frowned on for consuls to have any kind of personal relationships with daemons, regardless of their benevolent intentions...OF COURSE. wink winkThe story moves fast, as Piper, with Lyle – an on-so-alluring succubus – and Ash, an enigmatic draconian daemon (which is just as interesting as it sounds) – in tow has to make a run for her life and freedom after a horrifying attack on the human embassy erupts. Naturally, law enforcement jumps to conclusions about just who is behind the attack. Things snowball from there.CharactersI love Piper. I love her backbone, her willingness to try ANYTHING to do what she perceives as her duty, and I love how she cares about people. She's young, but not TOO young (I do think the YA label is somewhat misleading on this series...it felt more New Adult to me, but without some of the explicit sex scenes that a lot of NA books have). She has a lot of past hurts from her parents and relationship issues, but she keeps going, chasing her dream, despite the fact that she has a sizeable obstacle in her way. Piper is haemon – half human, half daemon – through a VERY interesting set of circumstances, and as such has none of the magical capabilities that haemons usually have. She hasn't let this stop her though, instead training ten times harder than most in an effort to level the playing field. You. Go. Girl.Somehow, Annette Marie has managed to avoid making this feel like a love triangle. I suppose it...sort of IS, regardless, but it just doesn't feel like a typical one. Despite Lyle and Ash both being insanely hot and there being quite a few sexy scenes. The three of them are a team, and they work best when they are ALL together...it's not only hot, it's funny as hell. They all have their strengths and weaknesses. One of which involves spiders.Piper went stiff as board. Ash crouched over her, a knee on either side of her as he craned to try and spot the insect. She bit her lip so hard she tasted blood...her muscles quivered. Give her minotaurs, sphinxes, anything but spiders.I love that they do have weaknesses. Perfect characters are so unrealistic and unlikeable.Though if you're wondering, Ash was my favorite of the two guys. Because I love anti-heroes. He IS a real piece of work though...which is about all I can say without spoiling anything. Also, HE HAS A DRAGONET FOR A PET AND SHE IS THE MOST ADORABLE THING EVER. Ahem. I need a Zwi in my life. Ash does seem a little too emo at the beginning, but once they start running his seeming immaturity sort of evaporates. Again also, his refusal to show his real form at ANY costs is very VERY intriguing. What can I say, curiosity killed the cat. Some of the events at the end of the book involve him in a way that pretty much had my jaw on the floor...who IS Ash, exactly? And why does he have to be my favorite? I feel like he might end up the bad guy and I would absolutely HATE that...PlotSO MUCH HAPPENING. I find this is usually the case in the first of a fantasy series, because as mentioned before the entire world, etc., has to be set up. I was just more and more intrigued the longer this went on, and while a few things were explained in the end, it is really just a gigantic cliffhanger that left me gasping for air. I desperately need to read the rest, and plan to do so hopefully over winter break. Piper learns a lot about herself and her family that she never knew, and basically entire pieces of her life have been a fake or a lie. Yay overprotective parents.Oh, and there's a freaking amazing fight scene (as in ring fight) – because Piper can kick just about anyone's ass, be they human or daemon – that is hot. AF. Just saying.WorldbuildingThe world is basically our current earth with some technological upgrades and the addition of daemons from both an underworld and overworld. Very fascinating, especially since the good and evil distinction does not necessarily follow the under and over bit. I loved it. I hope the next books maybe actually let us GO to these other worlds.Flame RatingThere isn't any actual sex, or even any real clothing removal. Just load and loads of sexual tension and some hot kissing. And the fight scene.5/5 stars. If you like urban fantasy AT ALL, I would definitely give it a try!Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram Google+

~Check out my blog at The Bent Bookworm!~ Comics Will Break Your Heart was an adorable story with hattips to geeks of all kinds - from the greats of British literature to, obviously, comic book fans! The plot is loosely based on Romeo and Juliet, only the two families in question are descendents of patriarchs who together birthed one of the greatest comic book franchises of all time, only to have a bitter falling out. Mir and Weldon are both likable characters, young people approaching the end of high school with the usual amount of trepidation and flailing about as they try to figure out their place in the world and what they want to do with their lives. They meet by sheer accident, when Weldon's misbehavior prompts his high-powered, fame and fortune focused father to send him away for the summer, to his aunt and uncle's house in the small town he has rarely seen. Despite his undercurrent of resentment and propensity for lying, Weldon is charismatic and charms just about everyone he meets. Mir has a work ethic to rival most adults, desperate to rise above her family's extreme economy of existence. I liked that she didn't seem embarrassed by her admittedly rather eccentric parents, but she knew that their choices were not going to be hers. I could understand her resentment of being forced to the extremes of frugal living - such as buying a second hand Monopoly and painting rocks to replace the missing pieces. The cast of side characters was endearing too, even if I felt that their stories were left unfinished. I loved Mir's friends Evan and Raleigh, and I hope maybe the author plans to write more about them at some point. Evan especially! He was just so sweet and kind and clearly cared so much about Mir. I really liked that even though he wanted to care about her in a more-than-friends way, when she said made it clear she wasn't interested he completely dropped it, but remained a great friend. A lot of guys could take a lesson! :P The Romeo/Juliet plot was a little weak, mostly because of its predictability. The adults of the two families have had some hard feelings in the past, but their reasons for estrangement sound weak, especially the way Weldon's aunt presents her case. 4/5 stars. I loved the descriptions of fandoms and comics, and Comic Con. It definitely appeals to the inner (and not so inner) nerd! Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram Google+

DNF. This isn't a book that's particularly bad, and it's not badly written. I just find myself perpetually annoyed with it. I open it and...sigh. Groan. I just don't care that much about the characters and this far in, I feel like I should.

~Check out all my reviews over on The Bent Bookworm!~ I'm very happy to report that this book was an improvement on the last one in this series (#3)! There was more banter, more feeling, and less confusion overall. The four kids are STILL having issues trusting each other, and the adults continue to be conveniently swept out of commission by some event or other - which of course forces the four into making BIG DECISIONS. I really like that the series allows the kids to not only make decisions, but forces them to be responsible for them and doesn't really sugar-coat the consequences of foolish ones. In this episode, they are off to the land of frozen tundra in search of the polar bear Great Beast. Again, the cultures they meet bear strong resemblance to ones in actual places in the world, but have different names. Fire and Ice takes a bit of a darker turn than the previous installments of Spirit Animals. The threat to the kids' families and homes is getting closer, and there are some rather bloody battles and heart-rending scenes, particularly where Rollan is concerned (my poor little street kid just can't catch a freaking break). Still, I think this book will rekindle interest in the rest of the series. I really wasn't sure after Book 3 but I'm going to continue reading!Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram

The Girl in the Tower continues the story of Vasya, the child called a witch and shunned by her own rural village. This time it takes place mostly in Moscow, and at last we are able to continue the stories of some of Vasya's other family members as well. A great evil is stealing across the land, stealing the daughters of the people, and someone must do something about it. The lords are growing restless and angry with the tzar for not keeping their people safe.The detail and atmosphere in the story have once again managed to amaze and enthrall me. Arden manages to blur the line between fantasy and fiction in such a way that, while the mind “knows” that these things could not happen as written, perhaps...perhaps...perhaps they might have, or could. Taking old stories, and superstitions and tales that are Russian in origin, but often familiar in some form across the globe, the tale told is one that resonates on a deep level and often sends chills down the spine.Vasya is still my sister from another mother, with spunk and intelligence far beyond her age. She refuses to be discouraged or held down by societal expectations, choosing instead to carve her own path in the world. It's a difficult way, but one that sets her soul on fire. She is growing older in this part of the story, coming into womanhood with all of its medieval troubles, which typically far outweigh its charms.The plot does seem to be a little slow, but that only occurred to me later after I finished reading. While I was reading I was so immersed and entranced by the Vasya's world that I did not care. There is action, emotion, and worldbuilding in this book and all are artfully done. Highly recommend.Many thanks to Del Ray for providing an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. ~Full review here on The Bent Bookworm!~2019 - Still in love with this series!Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram Google+