Tag: strong protagonist

YA

Review: Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge

Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

crimson bound -rosamund hodgeWhen Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless— straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.

Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in an effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her find the legendary sword that might save their world. As the two become unexpected allies, they uncover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic, and a love that may be their undoing. In a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

Inspired by the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Crimson Bound is an exhilarating tale of darkness, love, and redemption.

3 Drink Me Potions

“‘In all your life, your only choice is the path of needles or the path of pins.'”


There is such a poetic quality of that opening statement in the prologue that is really lost on the reader until a little later in that chapter. Such a strong analogy. The path of pins represents taking the easy way out by just pinning up your problems and letting them hold until they can’t anymore and need to be fixed again. Whereas, taking the path of needles sounds more exhausting. Come on, who has the time to sew up a torn mess every time a problem comes along? But it’s the choice to fix something more permanently, regardless of the pain or effort. And that is what Rachelle’s story in Crimson Bound is all about.

There are things I loved about this book and things that I appreciated. I will differentiate these things for you.

Rachelle
She was such a complex character. She was struggling throughout the story with herself, looking for redemption for what she will ultimately become: an unnatural, wicked creature of the dark Great Forest known as a forestborn.

There were seeds of darkness and black desire in her, no matter how hard she resisted the pull of the Forest and the evil being that reigned in it. She wanted to save the world no matter the risk to herself, taking the path of needles, and that’s what led her to such a detrimental consequence. BUT even with the occasional pleasure of darkness, she never gave in. Never gave up her heart without a fight. She saved human lives with whatever leftover time she had before she completely turned into a heartless, soulless forestborn.

You see? Rachelle is quite possibly one of THE strongest protagonists I have yet to read about. Crimson Bound wasn’t even written in 1st person, but there is such a clear indication through Hodge’s writing of how conflicted she was yet made strong by it.

She quite possibly judged herself the most harshly out of all the humans who knew her, but that also made her push herself harder than anyone else would. And thus, she really did take the path of needles.

“She’d never said the rosary that was to be her penance…Besides, penance was for those who had a hope of heaven, and she wasn’t at all sure that God could hear or find her in this place. But that was all right, wasn’t it? She had known she was risking her soul, but she had gone ahead anyway…She might’ve repented, but she couldn’t quite regret.
This was her home. This, her inheritance.”

Even when things went horribly wrong, and plot twists flew from areas even I didn’t imagine until too late, she put herself last, all else be damned. Or rather, she thought she was damned for all eternity for what she was now, so this was her way of being courageous.

There’s just so much to say about Rachelle that I could go on but it’s best that I don’t or else this would get so long. She wasn’t some simple, fit-into-some-mould of a YA protagonist. She was fierce and strong, yet vulnerable too when it came to the human side of her that she desperately clung to. And that shone through the best when dealing with the people she loved.

Which brings me to…

The love interest and only friend
First, I have to mention, it’s awesome that Hodge made our love interest a guy with no hands. Don’t ask why. You’ll have to figure that out for yourself in the book. But that’s also pretty original and talented on her part for making us root for a guy who honestly? I would not know how I’d feel about someone with silver hands that burn up in the hot sun. But he brought out the side of Rachelle that reminded her that she could still choose to love, even with the dark temptations inside drawing her deeper into the Forest and away from human memories. That is possibly the only reason why I loved this romance.

Here’s where I appreciated Armand, the love interest. He was a pretty confusing person too, with secrets of his own. I liked him, and especially what he was able to do for Rachelle through this love forming between them, but I just didn’t FEEL the hot chemistry between them that I was hoping for. Ah well.

As for the friend, Amelie was amazing for a secondary character. I loved how she also in another way did the same for Rachelle as Armand did. She was an anchor and testament of a human who could love a wicked creature even when no one else trusted Rachelle, not even herself.

The last character I want to touch upon is…

The villain – The not-so-good guy
I can’t really call him that. Maybe call him the potential love triangle that could be. Although Rachelle never loved him, hate and love are pretty strong opposite end of the spectrum feelings. No matter what it was she felt for this guy, it was strong. And normally, as a reader, I can hate the other guy pretty strongly no matter what the protagonist feels.

Oddly enough, not this time. And that speaks volumes. Hodge made him into such a complex character as well. He wasn’t good, that’s for sure, yet I can’t quite bring myself to despise him. He was charming, but snakes can be charming and deadly and pure awful. He wasn’t charming in THAT sense. I think he loved Rachelle in the limited way that he could with the bad decisions he made, and honestly thought he was doing the best for them both in a twisted way.

He did unspeakable horrors and wasn’t repentant. That alone should deter me away from him. But no, at the end, I felt what Rachelle felt for him. Love, hate, and sorrow for what could’ve been.

And this is what separates good writing with brilliant ones.

I just wanted to conclude off this long review with my clarification of what I loved and what I appreciated. I loved Hodge’s extremely complex and well-rounded characters. They weren’t just flat, one-dimensional people who were just good or just bad. It’s not black and white like that, just as it is in reality. I also loved her writing and its storytelling manner. Just look at this excerpt from the beginning.

“This story begins with endless night and infinite forest; with two orphaned children, and two swords made of broken bone.
It has no ended yet.”

But what I only appreciated and thus lowered my rating was – well – the sheer darkness of it. Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t dislike it or anything. It made the book gritty and full of character. I just don’t happen to love my stories extremely dark, that’s all. And it was fierce and vicious sometimes, what those characters did to each other, even in the name of sacrifice and love. Unfortunately, my little fluffy heart can’t take all that much of it in such large doses, but I CAN appreciate how well done it was and how it cemented everything together.

All in all, Crimson Bound was an epic tale of good versus evil, with a heroine that isn’t just purely good. She walked a fine line in the gray zone, but it showed that decisions and the choices we make can ultimately decide our fate and which side of that line we may fall on.

Overall Recommendation:
There’s a whole lot that can be said about Crimson Bound. It’s beyond a simple tale of good versus evil. Hodge regales us with characters that are more complex than the average fantasy hero. They may not be strictly good, but the choices made in life can determine whether they can be redeemed. So this story is basically one of redemption and conflict against the darkness, with a brilliantly written protagonist at the centre of it, fighting to maintain her human heart and the ability to love like they do. I would recommend that this be given a shot as Hodge has crafted a very dark and deliciously scary world, but this may not be the best book for those of the light-hearted. I have given you fair warning. Now go and check it out!

YA

Review: Frostbite by Richelle Mead

Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

Series: Vampire Academy #2

frostbite -richelle meadWHEN LOVE AND JEALOUSY COLLIDE ON THE SLOPES, WINTER BREAK TURNS DEADLY…

Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with a rare gift for harnessing the earth’s magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest vampires – the ones who never die. The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa’s best friend, makes her a dhampir. Rose is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making Lissa one of them.

Rose has serious guy trouble. Her gorgeous tutor, Dimitri, has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason has a huge crush on her, and she keeps getting stuck in her best friend Lissa’s head while she’s making out with her boyfriend, Christian.

Then a nearby Strigoi attack puts St. Vladimir’s on high alert, and the Academy whisks its students away on a mandatory holiday ski trip. But the glittering winter landscape and posh Idaho resort only provide the illusion of safety. When three students run away to strike back against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. Only this time, Rose – and her heart – are in more danger than she ever could have imagined…

3.5 Drink Me Potions

I’ll be honest. Having read the spin-off series Bloodlines first originally didn’t seem so bad. Until I realized that it spoiled the biggest twists of nearly all the Vampire Academy books. By then, of course, it was too late.

So upon entering Frostbite, I knew what the “surprise”/climax was going to be. That’s why it’s taken me this long to read the sequel even though its predecessor had definitely intrigued me.

With this thought in mind, for me to still give it a high enough rating when there was no surprise tells you how much I appreciate Richelle Mead’s writing. Rose is a delightfully strong and whole character. She knows who she is and she’s definitely not some damsel in distress. She’s the freaking knight in shining armor. In a smaller size and with greater hair, that is. I find her recklessness sometimes way too much for my own taste, but at least she’s distinctly someone I’ve never come across too often in YA novels. I guess I’m saying that she’s discernible in a world full of young, female teenage protagonists. Definitely refreshing.

As for the story, I didn’t find the pace too slow. It wasn’t fast, but the tidbits of suspense relating to the evil vampires (aka Strigoi) held my interest where other areas may not have. This book also revealed more about the special elemental magic known as ‘spirit’ in which Rose’s bestie Lissa had. Once again, not much of a surprise for me but I guess it was nice to see how the information slowly unravelled. I will say that one character I adore made an appearance here, although I’m not happy for what the near future holds for that person.

For a book that’s part of such a long series, it’s hard to rate them high as they are just one tiny part of the whole. I will say that a 3.5 is rather good for such a book, especially with the spoiled surprises included in the picture. There was not a lot of romance going on with Dimitri in this one, so romance people? Don’t get your hopes up. But then again, that’s one thing I love about it. Not everything has to be on just the romantic aspect to make it a good read.

Overall Recommendation:
Although Frostbite was ruined for me by reading the spin-off series first, it was still a fun and enjoyable read. More suspense is created from Strigoi attacks on Moroi vampires, leaving the world of vampires shaken. Rose is still her amazing self, bouncing between fighting and flirting. Even with a mild pacing, the unveiling of new details in this imaginative world of vampires and magic will be more than enough to keep you reading. It was the only thing that did it for me, and I already knew the twists! So for someone who hasn’t figured out the ending already, I’d say it may be even better for you.

YA

Review: Open Road Summer by Emery Lord

Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

open road summer-emery lordAfter breaking up with her bad-news boyfriend, Reagan O’Neill is ready to leave her rebellious ways behind. . . and her best friend, country superstar Lilah Montgomery, is nursing a broken heart of her own. Fortunately, Lilah’s 24-city tour is about to kick off, offering a perfect opportunity for a girls-only summer of break-up ballads and healing hearts. But when Matt Finch joins the tour as its opening act, his boy-next-door charm proves difficult for Reagan to resist, despite her vow to live a drama-free existence. This summer, Reagan and Lilah will navigate the ups and downs of fame and friendship as they come to see that giving your heart to the right person is always a risk worth taking. A fresh new voice in contemporary romance, Emery Lord’s gorgeous writing hits all the right notes.

4 Drink Me Potions

Open Road Summer was everything I thought it would be and way, way more.

Reagan has made a ton of mistakes in her past. She’s no good girl, unlike her best friend and superstar singer, Delilah (Dee) Montgomery. She gets tempted by things she shouldn’t and can’t have, going for harmful relationships that mean nothing.

Dee, on the other hand, is her rock. She doesn’t judge Reagan for what she does, but instead, is willing to bail her out of whatever trouble she’s in, even when she’s miles away on tour. She’s the exact opposite, the good-girl role model that tweens and their mothers can look up to with a smile.

I love that about this story. There is so much depth to all the characters. And each and everyone of them grows and develops for the duration of the summer.

Reagan meets Matt Finch, a guy who is nothing like the other guys she would normally go for. But, Reagan is determined to put behind her old ways, referring to herself as New Reagan, something who would think about her decisions and their consequences before doing anything rash and selfish. Matt is the symbol of a great and decent guy. He’s got manners and is polite to his fans. He doesn’t wear his fame like a second skin, feeling like he deserves all that he gets. Besides Dee, he’s the only one who sees Reagan for who she is, the brokenness that she deals with and was hoping to relinquish after a summer away on tour across the country.

For Matt and Reagan, I felt their attraction and friendship were very real. They started off with fun teasing and ribbing on each other. They flirt and laugh. But occasionally, they can share a conversation that shows Matt’s vulnerable side after the loss of his mother, and Reagan lets down her hard outer shell for him to see how broken she was underneath. They both grow in so many ways, but ultimately learning to live for the moment as life is precious and short. They can either choose to run away and hide from their problems or they can choose to risk pain and hurt in order to feel everything with someone special while they can.

Open Road Summer held so much more depth in its story beyond what the synopsis made me believe. It’s what drew me to it, and kept me reading straight through the day. No one’s perfect, as Reagan is such a flawed character. But it’s her determination to do things right as New Reagan, and her loyalty and fierce protectiveness of Dee as the media tries to marr her public image that makes me love her. Flaws shouldn’t define a person, and it definitely doesn’t do that for Reagan. There’s always more layers, which Matt finds out for himself.

And my, Matt is one amazing guy. Yes, he may be cheeky and unabashedly confident as he chased Reagan half the summer on the mutual attraction they felt. But he also writes the sweetest song lyrics, for the different women in his life. From an ex who exploited their relationship to the media, to his girl best friend, to Reagan and the most heartbreaking one? A beautiful song prose written about his mother on learning how to be strong as she taught him to be. See? It’s so hard not to love the characters when there are so many layers to them that make them so tangibly real. Like I can reach out to the stars and find a Matt Finch for myself (I wish).

As for Dee, she may seem like the 3rd wheel to this story but it’s nothing like that at all. I love her for how she is with Reagan, and for the tough situations that being in the spotlight puts her in. Yet she always finds the courage to keep on going through, wanting to put a smile on her fans’ faces while staying true to herself. She had her heart broken, but it’s not because her ex (Jimmy) didn’t love her. Quite the contrary, he loved her too much to keep her tied to him so he set her free. Their crazy love story, which was obviously not the highlight of Open Road Summer, was still so compelling and sweet, and I’d like to think that there is a lot of hope for the two of them. Whether they really get back together or not, a love built on a friendship like they had can’t be broken so easily.

I can go on gushing about this book, but then this review would be way, way too long. I loved that the 3 main characters each grew into their own by the end of the summer. They each had to learn what was important in life and where to move on with themselves after facing changes or heartbreak. The ending was kept particularly real. Although I love a good fairy tale ending, Emery Lord doesn’t make it out that Reagan and Matt have all the answers. There will be fights, and there are no guarantees that they’re not gonna hurt each other or end up breaking it off, but they’re worth the risk and worth fighting for. They don’t need all the answers or have to have a set plan of the future. They just need somewhere to start.

And that’s the beauty of it. Such a wonderful lesson that anyone can reflect and relate to. I’m pleasantly surprised and pleased to have found such depth to a book I initially thought was going to be more on the fluff side of things.

Overall Recommendation:
With three very compelling and realistic characters, Reagan, Matt and Dee really stole my heart. Each facing different problems at the beginning of Dee’s summer concert tour across the country, they learn so much about facing up to the problems that life hands you, and possibly even allowing themselves to be vulnerable for once. None of them are absolutely perfect, each frazzled by either fame, heartbreak or the horrible mistakes of the past. The characters give off such an honest feel to them that it tugs on your heartstrings when things get crazy. With such a straightforward plot, Emery Lord wrote it in such a way that drives home deeply the message of coming into your own and taking each moment for what it is. I highly recommend Open Road Summer for pretty much everyone.