Tag Archives: magic

Sworn to Raise by Terah Edun

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Sworn to Raise (Courtlight #1)Sworn to Raise by Terah Edun

 

I have found lately that I haven’t had as much time to read as I would like, but I have been very lucky to find some really, really great books. This is definitely one of them. If you haven’t checked out Terah Edun’s work yet, this would be a beautiful way to start.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

 

Here is the description from Good Reads :

Seventeen-year-old Ciardis has grown up in poverty, a cleaner in a small vale on the outskirts of the kingdom. But beneath her kingdom’s seemingly idyllic surface lies a hidden secret. Whispers of an inept crown Prince are growing ever louder—intensified by the five year anniversary of the soulbond initiations.

Amidst scandalous whispers, Ciardis finds herself chosen to tra…more

Paperback, 265 pages
Published April 10th 2013 by Amazon Digital (first published April 8th 2013)
ISBN
1481918087 (ISBN13: 9781481918084)
edition language
English
series
Courtlight #1

 

I LOOOOVE this book. The cover first caught my attention, but so often the cover lies. Not here. The cover is beautiful but the writing is completely incredible.

I always find books with magical main characters interesting and even more so when they are not aware in the beginning of the story what they are capable of, but this book was even better. Not only is the main character interesting before she discovers who she really is and what she can do, but she is a strong character that does not while away her time being whiny and waiting for things to be done for her.

The supporting characters are interesting. There are a range of personalities within the girls at the companion’s school and they made it interesting. I love the idea of how Ciardis learned to read, another original idea from Terah Edun.

Excellent choice in the random chance meeting that led the main character her to her future destiny. This book is entertaining, skillfully written and one that I would be happy to read again. The magic is original and does not follow the typical pattern of here, use this wand and repeat said incantation.

This book kept me entertained for an entire day. I really did not want to see it end. I am very much looking forward to the next book. I cannot wait to see where Ciardis goes next.

This review is based on a digital ARC from the publisher.

 

Isn’t it great when you pick a book for a lazy day and the book ends up making you truly stay in lazy mode? I must find more books like this:)

Garden Princess by Kristin Kladstrup

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Hardcover, 272 pages
Expected publication: March 12th 2013 by Candlewick Press
ISBN
0763656852 (ISBN13: 9780763656850)
edition language
English
Dig in to this middle-grade fantasy featuring a horticulturally minded princess, a beautiful butevil witch, and a magpie with a shameful secret.

Princess Adela is not a typical princess. She’s neither particularly beautiful nor particularly graceful, and she’d rather spend her days digging new plots for her garden than listening to teatime gossip. But when her friend Garth is invited to a garden party hosted by Lady Hortensia — whose beauty is said to be rivaled only by the loveliness of her gardens — Adela can’t resist coming along, even if it means stuffing herself into a too-tight dress and donning impractical shoes. But the moment Adela sets eyes on Hortensia’s garden, she knows something is amiss. Every single flower is in bloom — in the middle of October! Not only that, there is a talking magpie flitting about the garden and stealing the guests’ jewels. Is it possible that Hortensia is a witch and the magpie an enchanted prince? And what of the flowers themselves? Will Adela get to the root of the mystery and nip trouble in the bud before it’s too late?–Description from Goodreads

My review of “Garden Princess”
Garden Princess is a wonderfully refreshing twist on the typical princess story. The main character is not perfect as all princesses tend to be. She is not over the top beautiful, nor is she particularly graceful. She can be stubborn, outspoken and a variety of other things that made me love her. She is low maintenance and proud to be exactly who she is.

This book reminded me of the simple, elegant classics of the past, but with a more updated and modern feel. The characters are sassy and the relationships they develop during the story are the type that you expect to last. I feel rewarded when the characters seem to be working toward a strong finish and in this book, they did.

What made me love this book so much, was the descriptive language of the author. She was able to set the stage for a truly magical story without ever boring me with an overload of pointless banter. The imagery that she produces with her words made me want to keep reading this forever. I could see the flowers and hear the material of the dresses crinkling.

This is a book that I could see a younger or older audience enjoying. There is romance, magic, animals, mystery and laughs to be discovered in these pages. If you love fantasy and magic you can’t miss this one.

The Song of Unmaking by D. Barkley Briggs

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The Song of Unmaking

Paperback, 336 pages
Published October 14th 2011 by Living Ink Books (first published September 15th 2011)
ISBN
0899578659 (ISBN13: 9780899578651)
edition language
English
series
The dreadful Goths have invaded Röckval, testing the strength of Bitterland’s beautiful, widowed ruler. Meanwhile, the Barlow brothers are growing stronger and stronger in their powers – all except for Ewan, who traded his gift away to save the life of his friends.

Soon it becomes clear that the Goths are the least of their worries. A terrible machine is being built high atop Mount Vishgar, above Röckval, where the raging winds never cease. If the machine really does release the Song of Unmaking, what will happen? Can Arthur lay aside his grief and once more become a great leader of men? And what is the mysterious Doorless Tower, Nein Dyrr?

As Kr’Nunos grows more bold, the Barlow brothers take their stand with the viks of the north. Yet it is Ewan alone who must answer the question: Is any music stronger than the most powerful song of destruction the world has ever known?–Synopsis provided by Goodreads

My Review of “the Song of Unmaking”
D. Barkley Briggs is leading the way for a whole new generation of fantasy lovers! I read book one of this series, missed book two and just finished this one. I am pleased to report that missing book two didn’t kill it for me. The author has done an excellent job of backtracking (without making it boring) so that if you missed the other books (or in my case one of the other books) this will still make sense.

I was amazed with the first book in this series how bold and detailed the author’s descriptions are, and this book is even better. The author has a wonderful grasp on what fantasy is all about. In The Song of Unmaking, he has created characters that are intelligent, witty, hilarious at times and the kind of protagonists you can’t help but cheer for. As far as the dialogue, it is some of the best I have seen in a YA book. The speech never feels stilted or silly and each character has their own personality that comes through in the way they speak.

The one criticism I do have, is that you almost need a reference guide to keep up once you get halfway through. The younger the reader, the more difficult I see it being for them to sort out all of the characters and the places. Even for me, who is an experienced fantasy reader, at times it became a bit confusing.

The plot is great and the story was very well executed. One thing is for sure, whether you are young or old, it is hard to put this book down for more than a moment.

There is nothing in this story that wouldn’t be appropriate for a younger audience. The language is clean and the violence is mild and appropriate for the reading level.

If you are looking for a book that is right for the younger end of the YA audience but would still hold the interest of an older teen, you really can’t go wrong with this series.

This review is based on a digital copy from the publisher.

The Sweetest Dark by Shana Abe

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Lora Jones has always known that she’s different. On the outside, she appears to be an ordinary sixteen-year-old girl. Yet Lora’s been keeping a heartful of secrets: She hears songs that no one else can hear, dreams vividly of smoke and flight, and lives with a mysterious voice inside her that insists she’s far more than what she seems.

England, 1915. Raised in an orphanage in a rough corner of London, Lora quickly learns to hide her unique abilities and avoid attention. Then, much to her surprise, she is selected as the new charity student at Iverson, an elite boarding school on England’s southern coast. Iverson’s eerie, gothic castle is like nothing Lora has ever seen. And the two boys she meets there will open her eyes and forever change her destiny.

Jesse is the school’s groundskeeper—a beautiful boy who recognizes Lora for who and what she truly is. Armand is a darkly handsome and arrogant aristocrat who harbors a few closely guarded secrets of his own. Both hold the answers to her past. One is the key to her future. And both will aim to win her heart. As danger descends upon Iverson, Lora must harness the powers she’s only just begun to understand, or else lose everything she dearly loves.

Filled with lush atmosphere, thrilling romance, and ancient magic, The Sweetest Dark brilliantly captures a rich historical era while unfolding an enchanting love story that defies time.–Description from Amazon.com

Pre-order here:

  • ISBN-10: 0345531701
  • ISBN-13: 978-0345531704
  • Publisher: Bantam (April 9, 2013)

My Review of “The Sweetest Dark”

Lora Jones has not grown up as one of the privileged members of society. To make matters worse, she is also different. Hearing sounds, seeing things; she does not fit in. Her life is about to change…

This book started out really well. I immediately took a liking to the main character. She was humble, engaging and the type of girl that you just want to hug. After the first chapter, the set up for the book began and to be honest, I worried for a little while that the promising book before me could be taking a turn for the less interesting.

The slow down does not last for more than a few pages. I am so happy that I kept reading. What the author has created here is more than just fantasy. By including things we are all familiar with the common themes of, such as war and poverty and offsetting that with fantasy and magic, I felt it was much easier to relate to the story.

The author has written a book that not only compelled me to keep reading, but also had some of the most brilliant imagery I have discovered in a YA novel.

I thought the romance in this book was handled masterfully. There is enough tension between the characters that you are forced to side with one or the other. This made reading more fun. I really find it boring when you love everyone in a book and in this one, there are conflicting personalities to choose amongst.

The ending was not expected and I appreciated that. I look forward to reading the rest of this series as soon as possible. Recommended.

This review is from a digital ARC from the publisher via Netgalley. My opinions are my own.