Tag: romance

YA

Review: The Wish Granter by C.J. Redwine

Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

Series: Ravenspire #2

the-wish-granter-cj-redwineAn epic, romantic, and action-packed fantasy inspired by the tale of Rumpelstiltskin, about a bastard princess who must take on an evil fae to save her brother’s soul, from C. J. Redwine, the New York Times bestselling author of The Shadow Queen. Perfect for fans of Graceling and the Lunar Chronicles.

The world has turned upside down for Thad and Ari Glavan, the bastard twins of Súndraille’s king. Their mother was murdered. The royal family died mysteriously. And now Thad sits on the throne of a kingdom whose streets are suddenly overrun with violence he can’t stop.

Growing up ignored by the nobility, Ari never wanted to be a proper princess. And when Thad suddenly starts training Ari to take his place, she realizes that her brother’s ascension to the throne wasn’t fate. It was the work of a Wish Granter named Alistair Teague who tricked Thad into wishing away both the safety of his people and his soul in exchange for the crown.

So Ari recruits the help of Thad’s enigmatic new weapons master, Sebastian Vaughn, to teach her how to fight Teague. With secret ties to Teague’s criminal empire, Sebastian might just hold the key to discovering Alistair’s weaknesses, saving Ari’s brother—and herself.

But Teague is ruthless and more than ready to destroy anyone who dares stand in his way—and now he has his sights set on the princess. And if Ari can’t outwit him, she’ll lose Sebastian, her brother…and her soul.

3 Drink Me Potions

Thank you Edelweiss and HarperColins for this copy in exchange for an honest review

**The Wish Granter comes out February 14, 2017**

The premise of this story was a unique spin on a less common fairy tale that C.J. Redwine opted for, that being Rumpelstiltskin. Let me start off by saying that our protagonist, Ari, was a breath of fresh air. What do I mean by that?

Well, 1) she wasn’t a thin rod to start off with, where time and time again she was described as having “generous curves”. 2) She wasn’t a true princess by birth, but rather a bastard one. Like, how often do you have the main character as the bastard offspring? She and her brother Thad made the story more interesting with this angle of animosity against them by the kingdom they ended up leading. 3) She has this undying love for all things baked – pies, cakes, you name it. I dunno why this point had to be construed so many times to the reader, but I suppose it made Ari different too.

The choice of fairy tale was entertaining as it’s not as overdone as other ones, ahem *Snow White like in The Shadow Queen*. The Wish Granter and his (literally) bloody contracts threatened peace in the kingdom of Sundraille. After reading Redwine’s previous Ravenspire novel not so long ago, it was nice to get to know another kingdom in this world she had created. There was creativity put into spinning this tale in her own way, including Ari’s path of discovery to destroying The Wish Granter, Alistair Teague.

I enjoyed the tense emotions running seeing the ruthless underground network of Teague’s employees in the city of Kosim Thalas. I loved the excitement pumping when reading about the sneaky ways people were ensnared in Teague’s fine print contracts (because of course, I knew they’d be saved somehow – not a fairy tale for no reason). And I loved that there were guest appearances from other sources. For example, near the beginning of the book, some of you may be delighted to see the reference to Lorelai and her dragon prince. I sure was. But I almost fan-girled to see a badass version of Hansel and Gretel pop into the plot as well. I kinda wish there would be a separate story on these twins in the future. Maybe in the story for the fae kingdom of Llorenyae? *Here’s to hoping*.

So why doesn’t this have a higher rating?

Well, for starters, my heart just wasn’t into the romance. Gasp! I know, right? The romance is everything.

Here’s why. The chemistry between Ari and Sebastian was okay, at best. It didn’t light any fires in my heart. It didn’t make me rush through the pages in hopes that they’d get their happily ever after. No, I just felt…indifferent. I may have liked Ari’s fiery personality and quick thinking, but Sebastian felt too clichéd to me.

Now, don’t go hating on me but his broken family situation and physical abuse in childhood made him into a very quiet man with many issues to overcome. That’s to be expected. But sometimes reading from his POV, it just brought down any romantic mood. I liked him enough, I suppose, on his own. He tried to do his best by the princess he thought he didn’t deserve to be friends with, but he’s just a broken hero at the end of the day. Maybe in fairy tales a princess’ love can change a man and overcome any problem, but it just seemed to be a little clichéd. And I just didn’t feel true chemistry beyond falling for each other due to intense circumstances.

Although the plot of the story was unique, it also was a little predictable towards the end. The climax really picked up, but for the most part, it dragged. It took me a while to finish this book. Yes, I was busy, but if it was really exciting, I’d have set time to finish it no matter what. And the conclusion to the big question, how do you destroy the Wish Granter and his binding contracts?, just felt too simple. And predictable. And frankly confusing. I can’t give away any answers without ruining it, but honestly, her final plan in play (that related to the original tale) felt unnecessary in getting rid of Teague.

So I have good points and not-so-good points to make. At the end of the day, it was still an interesting enough read. Would I recommend it? Maybe not. Unless you really enjoyed book 1 in the Ravenspire series, The Wish Granter might just be a pleasant afternoon read that doesn’t quite stir your blood pressure.

Overall Recommendation:
The Wish Granter was a different take on the Rumpelstiltskin story with a leading character that had a fiery personality and might be more relatable to some readers. The story continues as a companion novel to the Ravenspire series by Redwine and it’s up to standard with her previous work. However, lack of true chemistry between the leads, slower pacing throughout and somewhat predictable ending after all that buildup left a bit of disappointment behind. I will probably only recommend it to those who loved The Shadow Queen and to those who aren’t expecting a grand spin on this fairy tale.

YA

Review: Rise of Fire by Sophie Jordan

Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

Series: Reign of Shadows #2

rise-of-fire-sophie-jordanThe richly suspenseful sequel to Sophie Jordan’s romantic fantasy Reign of Shadows.

Luna and Fowler have escaped the kingdom of Relhok, but they haven’t escaped the darkness. When a battle against the dark dwellers mortally injures Fowler, Luna is faced with a choice: put their fate in the hands of mysterious strangers or risk losing Fowler forever.

Desperate to keep the one bright part of her life alive, Luna accepts the help of soldiers from a nearby kingdom. Lagonia’s castle offers reprieve from the dangerous outside world—until the king discovers both Fowler’s and Luna’s true ties to Relhok and their influence over the throne.

Now pawns in each kingdom’s political game, Luna and Fowler are more determined than ever to escape and build the life they’ve been dreaming of. But their own pasts have a tight hold on their hearts and their destinies. Luna must embrace the darkness and fire within her before she loses not only Fowler, but the power she was destined to inherit.

4 Drink Me Potions

Thank you Edelweiss and HarperCollins for this copy in exchange for an honest review

**Rise of Fire comes out February 7, 2017**

“Do you feel my gaze on you? Do you feel my heart, Luna? It’s yours. It belongs to you. You know me.”

Even after a year I still remember where we left off in Reign of Shadows with our dear princess watching her loved one sacrificing himself to the dark creatures known as dwellers in order to save her.

And this is exactly where this novel picks up from. At that horrid cliffhanger. At least I’ve finally got my hands on what happens next.

Rise of Fire is even more enjoyable than its predecessor. With more essential characters coming into the story (finally!) and more of Fowler’s past catching up to him that we only had glimpses of previously, this was mostly satisfactory.

Another kingdom has taken them in and now they’ve escaped one darkness only to hop into a different kind. Being pawns of yet another maniacal king (can there only be evil kings in fantasy stories that you just yearn to overthrow?), there is plenty for Luna to overcome to reach her happily-ever-after.

She’s still the brave and beautiful girl I remember. Her blindness both makes her unique and memorable. She uses it as an advantage that doesn’t slow her down in any way. Thrown into a completely different – and civil – environment among the nobles at court, you’d think she’d be like a fish out of water after all this time in the Outside where it’s an eat-or-be-eaten world. But she holds her own as she tries to care for Fowler, and her POV was always very enjoyable to read.

The bench was pulled out so quickly I nearly fell. I’d almost forgotten the existence of the king’s guards. Sadists. Apparently they were never far.

With plenty of swoony scenes for those of us rooting for more romance, this book gives enough to make you smile to yourself. Fowler is the guy you want for your princess. Add to that the suspense of escaping from the clutches of their manipulators, I couldn’t stop myself from flipping through these pages rapidly.

The only point that made this book less-than-perfect was that I could’ve used so much more to their story. Being a duology instead of a trilogy, it didn’t have the middle book syndrome, but I felt the action could’ve peaked a lot higher, especially nearer to the end. The whole ending felt a little anti-climatic to me. It was wrapped up too simply in my opinion. Maybe I just expected it to go out with a bang that was a little more nitty-gritty and complex. Don’t get me wrong, it still was a nice ending. Not all the loosest ends were tied up (I was glad for that because it would’ve just been TOO much of a happily-ever-after moment that’s only seen in traditional fairy tales), but it was a positive note overall. I’m happy with it, at the end of the day, and I hope you would be too.

Overall Recommendation:
Rise of Fire gives a smacking punch to the story that started off in Reign of Shadows. With amped up suspense and romantic scenes worth swooning a little over, Fowler and Luna’s adventures get a little crazier as they set off to stop a mad king. Wrapping up this duology, this sequel delivered in ways that were more than satisfactory, with most loose ends tied up in a nice bow. I recommend it to all you fantasy lovers that like equal parts romance and suspenseful plots.

Note: all quotes taken from this novel are subject to change

YA

Review: Diplomatic Immunity by Brodi Ashton

Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

diplomatic-immunity-brodi-ashtonRaucous parties, privileged attitudes, underage drinking, and diplomatic immunity…it’s all part of student life on Embassy Row.

Piper Baird has always dreamed of becoming a journalist. So when she scores a scholarship to exclusive Chiswick Academy in Washington, DC, she knows it’s her big opportunity. Chiswick offers the country’s most competitive prize for teen journalists—the Bennington scholarship—and winning will ensure her acceptance to one of the best schools in the country.

Piper isn’t at Chiswick for two days before she witnesses the intense competition in the journalism program—and the extreme privilege of the young and wealthy elite who attend her school. And Piper knows access to these untouchable students just might give her the edge she’ll need to blow the lid off life at the school in a scathing and unforgettable exposé worthy of the Bennington.

The key to the whole story lies with Rafael Amador, the son of the Spanish ambassador—and the boy at the center of the most explosive secrets and scandals on Embassy Row. Rafael is big trouble—and when he drops into her bedroom window one night, asking for help, it’s Piper’s chance to get the full scoop. But as they spend time together, Piper discovers that despite his dark streak, Rafael is smart, kind, funny, and gorgeous—and she might have real feelings for him. How can she break the story of a lifetime if it could destroy the boy she just might love?

3 Drink Me Potions

Thank you Edelweiss and HarperCollins for this copy in exchange for an honest review

**Diplomatic Immunity comes out September 6, 2016**

I will admit, reading this book about wannabe journalists had my blood boiling at times. It might just be some odd bias, or it could have just been Piper’s callousness, but her desire to get whatever she wanted over what may happen as a result of her story just made me wanna poke her at times.

Let me start from the beginning.

Piper comes from a family that’s facing money problems so her only way of getting into college was obviously by way of a scholarship. Having won the chance to study at a prestigious school that happens to cater to a bunch of diplomatic families’ kids gave her the brilliant idea that her featured story would be some expose on the antics they throw without having to face the consequences. ‘Cause they’re rich. And ’cause they’re DI kids.

Don’t get me wrong. I thought the plot summary sounded fun because this is basically what was written there. But having to read through Piper’s thoughts as she kept persuading herself that she could do this, write something objectively on people she encountered day after day without feeling like this could all go so wrong, I couldn’t handle it.

And the subject of her attentions? Rafe was indeed something. He played up the antics, looking for danger and not seemingly too worried about the consequences of such actions. I didn’t particularly like him all that much in the beginning either. He was the clichéd bad boy who had a deeper sensitive side that would slowly open up to our protagonist.

Of course, that’s what happened. Okay, I sound kinda snippy and I guess I am a bit, but the last 30% of this book made up for the rating. There were very romantic moments set up by Rafe that made me wish I had a Rafael of my own. That’s why it bugged me that Piper could go and continually deceive him even though he could be rather sweet and vulnerable towards her.

Diplomatic Immunity follows a rather predictable storyline, a storyline that I normally would really enjoy, but at the end of the day, its execution could’ve been better. And maybe Piper could’ve been a tad less annoying.

Overall Recommendation:
Your typical girl meets boy kinda story, Diplomatic Immunity just adds a bit of extra flavour because it involves the kids on Embassy Row. Piper Baird was a little too aggressive in her means to attain her goals which made the story harder to swallow when you’re annoyed with the protagonist. It eventually gets a bit better as she finally grows a conscience – I mean, realizes her mistake – and that’s where the entertaining bit of the book comes in. Overall, it’s like any chick lit kinda novel, being mildly entertaining without sticking out a whole lot in its genre.