Archive for 5 1/2 Points: I would have this book’s babies.

Publisher: Bantam
Publication Date: April 2, 2013
Format: Hardcover
Source: Received from the publisher for review.
Status: First in Shana Abe’s new young adult series. Book two, The Deepest Night, will be published in August of this year!
Genre: Teen, Historical Fantasy
Other Info: Shana Abe is also the author of the Drakon series, which is adult Paranormal Romance. The Sweetest Dark books take place in the same universe.
Description and link from Goodreads):

“With every fiber of my being, I yearned to be normal. To glide through my days at Iverson without incident. But I’d have to face the fact that my life was about to unfold in a very, very different way than I’d ever envisioned. Normal would become forever out of reach.”
 
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.

I don’t usually go in for dragon stories–I have a feeling these are going to be famous last words–but I’m familiar with Shana Abe’s Drakon books. They–or, rather, Shana–have been recommended to me since I’m a fan of alpha heroes. So, when I heard that Shana Abe was going to write a young adult novel, I automatically added it to my TBR. I was particularly excited about it because I’ve had such a bad run with YA historicals and historical fantasies. I knew, from having read The Smoke Thief, that I could expect an enjoyable read.

What I did not expect was to love it. I got a third of the way through and I was already on the internet making sure it was going to be a series. Here, finally, was a novel that worked as a historical and a fantasy both, with a heroine who didn’t feel transported from the 21st Century United States. Specifically, an impoverished heroine who wasn’t about to risk her entire future by having a smart mouth, or by spouting radical opinions that hadn’t even been thought of in her era. More on this another time–Small and I have had numerous discussions about this.

I think that Lora was the first heroine that I’ve really like in a long time. She’s kinda classy. I liked that she knew when to stand up for herself and when to toe the line. I also love that, while there were two potential romantic leads, it becomes clear pretty early on, which boy is the object of Lora’s affections. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t rooting for the other guy…I totally am, and I still think there’s hope…but I liked that Lora wasn’t all, “I love him. NO! I love him.” She has a genuine connection with both of them, and I think all of the relationships in the novel will evolve naturally–just like in real life!

If I had one complaint–and it certainly wasn’t the gorgeous, detailed setting!–it was that I think Shana Abe presumed a little too much on her previous readership. Since it’s been so long since I read The Smoke Thief, I can’t really lay claim to any knowledge of the Drakon folklore, and I don’t count myself as a loyal follower. I had to double check that “Rue” was a character I’d met before (she’s the heroine of The Smoke Thief), and certain details scratched at my mind like I should have recalled them. Sadly, I didn’t. Instead of frustrating me, however, not knowing these details made me really excited about going back and reading Abe’s Drakon books. I’ve left them unfinished for far too long!

If you haven’t already read The Sweetest Dark, you should. It will satisfy you to the last page, even as it leaves you eager for more of its wonderfulness.

Don’t miss Shana Abe’s guest post–or The Sweetest Dark giveaway!

Narrator: Sean Runnette
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: January 29, 2013
Format: Audiobook (CD)
Source: Received from the publisher in exchange for a review.
Status: Second in The Hunt series, following The Hunt.
Genre: YA Dystopians/Vampires/Science Fiction
Other Info: I can’t believe how much I love this series. Description and link from Goodreads):

For Gene and the remaining humans—or hepers—death is just a heartbeat away. On the run and hunted by society, they must find a way to survive in The Vast… and avoid the hungry predators tracking them in the dark. But they’re not the only things following Gene. He’s haunted by the girl he left behind and his burgeoning feelings for Sissy, the human girl at his side.

When they discover a refuge of exiled humans living high in the mountains, Gene and his friends think they’re finally safe. Led by a group of intensely secretive elders, the civilisation begins to raise more questions than answers. A strict code of behaviour is the rule, harsh punishments are meted out, young men are nowhere to be found—and Gene begins to wonder if the world they’ve entered is just as evil as the one they left behind. As life at the refuge grows more perilous, he and Sissy only grow closer. In an increasingly violent world, all they have is each other… if they can only stay alive.

Narrator Review: When I was first listening to The Prey, I had a hard time getting used to Sean Runnette. His voice is a little bit too mature for a seventeen year old boy. However, by the end of the first book, I’d grown to appreciate Runnette’s nuanced narrative style. He does a fantastic job with Gene and I even appreciated the way he embodied Sissy. Without a doubt, I’ll be listening to the rest of the books in this series, rather than reading them myself.

Book Review: My tolerance level for gore is only slightly higher than my tolerance level for white chocolate (IT’S NOT CHOCOLATE!). When my roommate watches The Walking Dead, I have to go to my room, close the door, put a pillow over my head and sing “LALALALA!” at the top of my lungs so I don’t accidentally hear any zombie noises. But this book? Oh, this book? I loved it, gooey, cheesey, melting flesh and all. Okay, I gagged at those parts, but I kept listening.

Before I continue with my review, let me recap a little. At the end of The Hunt, Gene was outed as a human. It also turned out that his crush, Ashley June, was human. She sacrificed herself so Gene could get away. Well, and come back to save her later, of course. (If you get the sense that I’m not an Ashley June fan, you’re right.) Unable to save her, and needing to get away from the ravenous vampire-creatures, Gene takes off on a river voyage with the hepers beneath the dome, including Ben, Sissy and Epap.

The Prey picks up so exactly where The Hunt left off that my head was spinning, trying to remember all the details of the last book. I know that I’ve complained about authors recapping in series books, but a little easing back into the world is, I think, necessary. No matter. I was soon swept up in the action and I never looked back. Andrew Fukuda is a master at creating suspense. It was almost unsafe to read The Prey while driving because I was gripping the steering wheel so tightly. I don’t think I ever breathed easy, not even when Gene, Sissy and Co. finally arrived in “the land of milk and honey, fruit and sunshine.”

The Prey isn’t without flaws. Gene, the main character, often irritated me. He’s still learning how to put others first, and he’s lucky that he’s got Sissy there to show him how it’s done. (Seriously. She’s awesome like that.) He’s also slow to understand what’s going on in the human village, even if he senses that something is off from the very beginning. The village scenario is pretty standard to dystopians, but I think Fukuda does a pretty good job of explaining how it came to be. He manages to humanize the elders (as much as that’s possible), but disappointingly doesn’t do the same for the village girls. I wanted have a better understanding of why they obeyed the elders. Or at least one that confirmed my suppositions. And I’m pretty sick of the he’s dead/he’s not dead back and forth about Gene’s dad.

But, really, the flaws just made The Prey that much more awesome. Or, rather, they made me realize how much I good the book really was. The Prey was completely engrossing. The ending left me hitting my steering wheel in frustration because it doesn’t just end on a cliffhanger, it ends on one that makes you go, “WHAT?! HE COULDN’T HAVE ENDED THE BOOK THIRTY SECONDS LATER?!?!” Basically, the most successful cliffhanger in the history of cliffhangers. I must have book three. I simply must.

Because I loved The Hunt and The Prey so much, I’m pleased to be able to offer copies for giveaway! Here are the contest rules:

1. US only, as I’ll be paying for shipping myself.
2. The contest begins at 12:00am 3/25 and ends at 11:59pm on 3/31.
3. One entry per person.
4. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email. After that time, a new winner will be chosen.
5. To enter, answer the following question in the comments section: What’s your gore tolerance level?

Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: April 10, 2012
Format: ARC
Status: Second in the Darkness Rising trilogy, following The Gathering, and fifth in the Darkest Powers series. They’re connected–and we get to see how in book three, The Rising!
Source: Received from the publisher for review.
Genre: Teen Paranormal
Other Info: I infamously love the Darkest Powers series, as well as the first book in the Darkness Rising trilogy. I even dared Amanda from On a Book Bender to read the former so she could start the latter.
Description and link from Goodreads): 

     The Calling was my most highly anticipated release for the first part of 2012. However, despite the fact that I received an ARC in the mail early in February (I think), I didn’t actually read the book until late in March. Why? You’d think I would have been all over that puppy, but I knew that the sooner I finished The Calling, the sooner I’d have to start waiting for The Rising to be published. And mother of pearl was I right. Once I finally started reading, I didn’t lift my head from the book until it was finished, and what a happy/sad moment that was!
     Kelley Armstrong is a fabulous author. She knows how to craft a story so tightly, that she keeps me on edge each second. Even when I think I know what’s going to happen, I never fully believe it until it does. I’m not saying she jerks her readers around–she doesn’t!–but she does take them on an adventure they’ll remember, and one that will make sense every step of the way. Each step, each event is deliberately planned and executed by the author, and if that’s not enough to keep you hooked, there probably isn’t any hope for you.
    In addition to the fabulous story-telling and world-building, all of the characters have depth, even the ones with the smallest roles. Maya is the central character, and as much as I root for her, I don’t mind seeing her learn a few salient lessons. Knowing that there are more to come doesn’t hurt, either. Maya’s so capable, and so in control, and so comfortable with who she is (and devoid of pretense) that she needs a little humility or I’d hate her. Daniel, her male counter-part and best friend is equally as awesome. I’m just sorry he’s still a teenager. The third central character, Rafe, is missing for a great deal of the book, and for that I’m grateful. He’s a pesky third wheel I wish I could swat with a fly-catcher.
     I want to finish this review with a thank you to Kelley Armstrong. Seriously, lady, you rock! But more than that, I want to thank you for avoiding that contrived plot technique called Withholding Pertinent Information From Each Other. There was a point in The Calling where I thought I was going to be gravely disappointed and started to get irritated…and then you pulled the rug out from under my head full of steam. Yes, I know I’m mixing metaphors, but this is my blog. I get to.

Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: March 6, 2011
Format: Mass Market
Status: Fourth in the Elder Races series, following Dragon Bound, Storm’s Heart and Serpent’s Kiss.
Source: Received from the publisher for review.
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Oracles and Djinn, plus Shifters, Vampires…lots.
Other Info: Amanda and I recently did a joint review of Natural Evil, Thea Harrison’s most recent Elder Races novella. There’s a giveaway, too! Also, don’t miss my interview with Thea Harrison! I got to meet Dragos!
Description and link (from Goodreads):

     The first Elder Races book, Dragon Bound, completely and utterly captivated me. And, as much as I have enjoyed each successive installment in this series, neither Storm’s Heart nor Serpent’s Kiss appealed to me the way that Dragos and Pia’s story did. Oracle’s Moon, I’m happy to say, ranks almost as high as Dragon Bound in my estimation. I could never say that Thea Harrison was back–because that would imply that her talent went elsewhere–and it has never done so. But, Oracle’s Moon definitely has that extra something special that made me go absolutely mad for her writing in the first place.
     My love for Dragos knows no bounds, but Khalil is pretty awesome, too. He’s arrogant, sexy, powerful and totally alpha. Just the way I like my paranormal heroes. And also like heroes of this type, he has some humbling to do. Because in his heroine, he’s met his match. Grace-Oracle, grieving sister, mother-replacement, struggling single parent and recovering accident victim–is plenty ready to take this djinn down a notch or two. Whatever Khalil thinks of Grace in the beginning (and it’s not in the least complimentary), she doesn’t dawdle in setting him straight.
     Another brilliant aspect of the Elder Races books is that each successive volume does more than introduce a new cast of characters and a new romantic pairing. It also unveils a new layer of the Elder Races world. I learn some new trick, rule or aspect each time, often about a new demesne. How Thea Harrison manages to keep all of these details in her head at one time, I’ll never know. It’s awe-inspiring, and she deserves props for that alone.
     While world-building is certainly one of Thea Harrison’s strengths, I think I love her characters most of all. Grace is fantastic. She’s down-on-her-luck, but still kicking. True, a part of this is due to the fact that she has two small children to look after. She doesn’t have the luxury of giving up, no matter how hopeless things get. But she’s a take-charge kind of woman, anyway, and she’s clear about her boundaries. With Khalil, and with others. You gotta admire that.
     Khalil, too, is a fascinating, irritating character. He may have great supernatural powers, but he’s not omniscient, and to watch such a powerful being make mistakes? One can’t help but be amused. He’s also the only person (or being) that I buy being able to stand up to Dragos and get away with it. But best of all? The kids. I loved them. I adored little Max and spirited Chloe. I could picture them perfectly in my mind, down to the way Grace felt when she held them in her arms. Kids are awesome, and frustrating and wonderful. Harrison captured that beautifully.
     Oracle’s Moon has been out for a while now, so I surely hope you’ve already purchased your copy. If you haven’t, I tell you, you’re seriously missing out. It’s a fantastic addition to the series. But don’t take my word for it. This is one you have to experience for yourself.

    

Publisher: Walker Childrens
Publication Date: February 14, 2012
Format: Hardcover
Status: Standalone
Source: Received from the publisher for review.
Genre: Teen Historical
Other Info: This is A.C. Gaughen’s debut.
Description and link from Goodreads): 

     While I have greatly enjoyed the various editions of Robin Hood that I’ve seen throughout the years, I can’t say that I’ve ever actually read a Robin Hood-themed novel. The primary reason for this is my lack of interest in the romantic pairing. Robin Hood and Marian have never particularly compelling to me–and you know that I’ve gotta love romance in order to love the story. I’ve always seen Marian as a kind of ineffectual, inconsequential heroine. In fact, I hesitate to call her a heroine at all. Rather, she personifies the kind of woman the age of chivalry deifies. Women didn’t take active roles according to the mores of the time, and that’s a concept I can’t get behind.
     All this is to preface this statement: It took a modern author to bring the legend of Robin Hood into the 21st Century. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it wasn’t to me. I didn’t know I loved the tale of Robin Hood until I read Scarlet. In fact, I don’t think I loved Robin Hood at all until I read A.C. Gaughen’s interpretation of him. For those two reasons alone, I loved this book. And the really wonderful thing is that it has so much else to offer besides.
     Scarlet achieves three lofty goals: One, it creates a strong, believable, admirable heroine who remains true to her time period. Two, it seamlessly weaves a new twist into a classic tale. In other words, it uses the good that the tale had to begin with, and makes it even better. Three: It tells a fantastic story. I honestly can’t say enough good things about this debut. A.C. Gaughen is an author to stalk, and I sincerely hope to see more of her. Though, I must admit, that I hope she doesn’t use dialect in her next book. It’s the only thing that kept this book from being a perfect six.

Now, I happen to have an extra copy of Scarlet, which means that I’m pleased to offer a giveaway! Here are the rules:

1. You must be thirteen or older to enter. 
2. US mailing addresses only. 
3. The contest begins March 9 and ends at 11:59 on March 16. 
4. To enter, leave a comment telling which legend you would like to see retold. You must also fill out the Rafflecopter form below! 
5. There are extra entries available, but the comment is required. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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