#ReadIndie Audiobook Review: Jackaby by William Ritter

Title: Jackaby (Jackaby #1)
Author: William Ritter
Narrator: Nicola Barber
Publication Date: September 16, 2014
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
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“Miss Rook, I am not an occultist,” Jackaby said. “I have a gift that allows me to see truth where others see the illusion--and there are many illusions. All the world’s a stage, as they say, and I seem to have the only seat in the house with a view behind the curtain.”

Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary--including the ability to see supernatural beings. Abigail has a gift for noticing ordinary but important details, which makes her perfect for the position of Jackaby’s assistant. On her first day, Abigail finds herself in the midst of a thrilling case: A serial killer is on the loose. The police are convinced it’s an ordinary villain, but Jackaby is certain it’s a nonhuman creature, whose existence the police--with the exception of a handsome young detective named Charlie Cane--deny.

Doctor Who meets Sherlock in William Ritter’s debut novel, which features a detective of the paranormal as seen through the eyes of his adventurous and intelligent assistant in a tale brimming with cheeky humor and a dose of the macabre.

I have had my eye on Jackaby for over a year, at least. The cover is just gorgeous and the synopsis is intriguing. For some reason, though, I was scared to actually read it. I think part of it was that there's no romance, which is something I really prefer to have in my YA. I was also a little iffy about a book that was described as "Doctor Who meets Sherlock." Coming out on the other side, I am glad I read it, although it wasn't quite as incredible as I'd hoped it would be.

This isn't so much Jackaby's story as it is the story of Abigail Rook who is new to New Fiddleham and in immediate need of a job. She stumbles across Jackaby by accident and basically stumbles into becoming his assistant. I really enjoyed Abigail and found her to be a refreshingly normal heroine. She didn't have any super magical powers or amazing skills other than being an intelligent young woman, and I really enjoyed that after a long string of (admittedly incredible) fantasy novels.

I also really loved Jackaby! It is very obvious that he is essentially Sherlock Holmes, just with a little bit of a paranormal flair. However, I'm not entirely sure why he was compared to Doctor Who, unless it was just because of his personality. He did give off a strong Ten/Eleven vibe. That's really where the comparisons to Who end though and I'm not sure it's entirely fair for the synopsis to claim that similarity... Regardless, Jackaby was a fun character, although I've heard that he did get on some readers' nerves, and I can also understand that position. Personally, I loved his quirks and strangeness, but I'm also a huge fan of Ten! ;)

Jackaby and Abigail together were so much fun to read about! I loved the relationship between the two of them, platonic as it was. There was also a great cast of minor characters including a really interesting ghost and duck duo. Despite there being no -real- romance in this story, there was a teensy bit of romantic feelings thrown in for good measure and, although I'm not sure there was a real need for it, I did find it to be cute and believable.

The plot of Jackaby had a very whodunit atmosphere and it kind of felt like being in an episode of Scooby Doo, but with legit supernatural stuff instead of a guy in a mask. I really enjoyed this addition to the more classic Sherlock Holmes tales and did enjoy the way the fantastical elements were worked in, although it did make the whole read feel a little more silly than I might have expected from this kind of mystery. New Fiddleham also offered a fantastic atmosphere to the mystery.

Overall, I enjoyed Jackaby, although it isn't necessarily the kind of book I would usually read. One thing that I did find odd was that Abigail repeatedly described herself as an adult, all the other characters were adults, but this was a young adult novel. I think this may be the first time I've encountered a YA book with an all-adult cast. As I've said, it was a little more silly than what I would usually read, and it actually was a little slow in places, but the mystery was fun and every now and then I enjoy a lighter read.

Audiobook review: Soldier by Julie Kagawa

Title: Soldier (Talon #3)
Author: Julie Kagawa
Narrator: Caitlin Davies, MacLeod Andrews, Chris Patton, Tristan Morris 
Publication Date: April 26, 2016
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
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Reviews for book 1 and book 2

The price of freedom is everything.

When forced to choose between safety with the dragon organization Talon and being hunted forever as an outcast, Ember Hill chose to stand with Riley and his band of rogue dragons rather than become an assassin for Talon. She’s lost any contact with her twin brother, Dante, a Talon devotee, as well as Garret, the former-enemy soldier who challenged her beliefs about her human side.

As Ember and Riley hide and regroup to fight another day, Garret journeys alone to the United Kingdom, birthplace of the ancient and secret Order of St. George, to spy on his former brothers and uncover deadly and shocking secrets that will shake the foundations of dragons and dragonslayers alike and place them all in imminent danger as Talon’s new order rises.

Talon is a series that I never thought I'd get into. I'm not into contemporary fiction and I don't really get the appeal of dragons. But against the odds, I ended up really enjoying the first two books in the series and I obviously had to pick up book three! To be honest, when I first went hunting for this, I thought it was the last book in a trilogy, but... Nope. It's book three in a five book series. I'm not sure why exactly this is five books long, but okay. Luckily, the third was a solid addition to the series!

This book begins with Garret and Ember having gone their separate ways and each missing the other, but knowing they can never be together. Ember is firmly on Team Riley/Cobalt at the moment, but she still battles with the desire to be back with Garret. Still, she knows that "her dragon" would not be happy with that. So... basically, this book is one huge love triangle. I guess that's not a huge change from the other two, now that I think about it, but sometimes you can forgive the romance when the story is super interesting and here it mostly is!

I did enjoy that, like Talon did for Ember and Rogue did for Cobalt, Soldier gave a lot of insight into Garret's history. We learn about his childhood, his upbringing in the Order, how he was singled out among his classmates, and how he came to be the perfect soldier. I liked having more of a clear understanding of his motivations and his relationships, especially with Tristan, who I hope to see more of in book four.

After enjoying Cobalt so much in the last book, I really expected to be more firmly on his team during Soldier, but I found myself disliking him more as the book went on. He was extremely possessive of Ember and went overboard at times trying to stake his claim. I didn't like how he told her that she was his because it didn't seem romantic, in my opinion. It seemed aggressive. I know you might say that's because it was "his dragon," but I'm not buying that the "human" and "dragon" sides are two separate things. I was glad that Garret didn't act ridiculous also and am surprised to find myself on Team Garret at this point.

Speaking of dragons/humans, one of the things that has really started to annoy me about this series is the way each character has 380174910 names. For example, Ember is also Firebrand, Riley is also Cobalt and The Rogue, and Garret is also Sebastian and The Soldier. I understand the author's need not to be repetitive, but come on. I know by book three that Riley is a rogue and Garret is a soldier. Just stick to their actual names, please! But I digress...

Even with the heavy handed romance, this installment is pretty much non-stop action. Although the book begins with Garret on a different continent, it doesn't take very long for them to find their paths crossing again in an attempt to save both dragons and humans from the corrupt plans of both organizations. I was riveted by each piece of the plot that was uncovered by Ember and Co. and couldn't wait to see what happened next! This book definitely held my attention and never really lagged.

Something I really enjoyed was getting to know about the Eastern Dragons and learning the ins and outs of a completely new species. I did think it was interesting that they had never been mentioned before though. Jade was a fun new addition who I'm hoping plays a role in future books as well.

Soldier did have it's problems, but they were mostly more of the same problems that I've had with the last two books as well. I wish that the back and forth of the love triangle would hurry up and die in a fire and I would really like for Cobalt to back off of Ember and stop acting like a caveman. The action was great and I liked learning new things about the world, though. I definitely do plan to continue the series when book number four is released!

Audiobook Review: The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye

Title: The Crown's Game (The Crown's Game #1) 
Author: Evelyn Skye
Narrator: Steve West
Publication Date: May 17, 2016
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
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Review for book 2

Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the Tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.

And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the Tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death.

Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg. But can she kill another enchanter—even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has?

For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown’s Game is the chance of a lifetime. But his deadly opponent is a force to be reckoned with—beautiful, whip smart, imaginative—and he can’t stop thinking about her.

And when Pasha, Nikolai’s best friend and heir to the throne, also starts to fall for the mysterious enchantress, Nikolai must defeat the girl they both love... or be killed himself.

As long-buried secrets emerge, threatening the future of the empire, it becomes dangerously clear... the Crown’s Game is not one to lose.

This book caught my attention pretty much as soon as I saw it. The cover is clearly gorgeous and the description promises magic, adventure, and romance! The entire premise sounds amazing and I just KNEW I would love it! Then I read it and it turned out to be too good to be true.

Vika Andreyeva and Nikolai Karimov are the main characters of this story. They're enemies by nature, both having to compete to become the Imperial Enchanter for the Tsar. When only one can win, while the other must die, these characters have nothing else to do than fight to the death. At least, that's the logical course of action in this case, but that is not what these two do. Nope. They make each other gifts and dance and flirt and, obviously, obsess over each other and "fall in love." Because that makes sense.

I didn't particularly care for either of these characters. Vika's actions were confusing from the very beginning. I never quite understood her motivations and didn't find her to be endearing in any way. At least I did enjoy Nikolai at some points throughout this book, although not often. He was the typical tortured love interest who sacrifices for a woman he doesn't even really know. But most of all, they weren't really people I felt like I ever got to know. They were both flat and boring and unsympathetic.

The romance is the worst thing about this book because it did not make sense AT ALL. Not only were these characters enemies and knew that only one could live through the game, but they also did not know each other. At all. They met for like, 3 seconds before they were already feeling electricity or whatever. I didn't buy it. And of course there had to be a love triangle in this book or it wouldn't be a debut YA novel, right? Meet Pasha, the best friend who's just kind of there as a plot device to move the story along. He also happens to be in love with Vika. Oh, and he's spent even less time with her than Nikolai. The whole thing was just impossible to believe.

Like I said, this book promised magic and lots of it, and it did deliver on that one. There was a lot of really cool magic from start to finish! Unfortunately, the magical aspects didn't make much sense either and neither did the game everything revolved around. I feel like the entire premise of the Crown's Game could've been a fantastic book had it been better executed. As it is now, things were vastly under explained in favor of romance that just didn't work and really should have been left out.

The saving grace of this book was its world building. Have I ever been to Russia? Nope. Did I feel like I was in Russia while reading this book? Yes, I did. I'm not sure how accurate the descriptions were, of course, but I did feel like I could have stepped directly into this book because Evelyn Skye did such a fantastic job of painting the settings for me.

The Crown's Game had so much promise and potential! I wanted it to be incredible, but instead the author wrote a romance novel with some magical elements that didn't quite tie together crammed in to make it more interesting. The world building was really well done, but it wasn't enough to save this one for me. I didn't completely hate it, but I certainly did not like it enough to read the second in this series.

Audiobook Review: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Title: Ready Player One
Author: Ernest Cline
Narrator: Wil Wheaton
Publication Date: November 16, 2011
Publisher: Broadway Books
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It's the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place.

Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets.

And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune — and remarkable power — to whoever can unlock them.

For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Halliday's riddles are based in the pop culture he loved — that of the late twentieth century. And for years, millions have found in this quest another means of escape, retreating into happy, obsessive study of Halliday's icons. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes's oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig.

And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle.

Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the hunt — among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win. But to do so, he may have to leave behind his oh-so-perfect virtual existence and face up to life — and love — in the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.

A world at stake.
A quest for the ultimate prize.
Are you ready?

Ready Player One is a book I have heard about EVERYWHERE forever. Since "soon to be a motion picture" got plastered on the cover, I feel like I can't look anywhere without seeing it. Even friends who don't usually care about hyped books have hyped this book to me! When I picked it up, I didn't know much about it except the synopsis for the hardcover, which is considerably more vague than the one I chose to include in this review. The description I read pretty much said the world sucks, everyone spends all their time in the OASIS, and there's a huge prize that everyone is trying to win, but it's dangerous. I went into this one pretty blind, but I fully expected to love it!

This story follows Wade, a down-on-his-luck teenager living in the year 2044, when the world has run out of energy so everyone lives most of their lives inside of virtual reality. Unlike a lot of teenagers, Wade has dedicated his life to learning 80s pop culture inside and out. That's pretty much all I can say about Wade because that's literally his entire life. For the majority of Ready Player One, Wade is totally alone, holed up in an apartment and playing inside the OASIS, throwing around 80s pop culture references. He does go to school every now and then and has a crush on a girl he's never met, but I can't say much about his character other than he's a geek who knows a lot of things about the 80s.

The OASIS itself was interesting, if problematic. (I'm not even going to get into how this thing runs in a world with such a huge energy problem.) As someone who has dabbled in a MMORPG or two, I could appreciate the vastness of the world, although it did seem a little too massive at times, at least in my opinion (having tons of copies of the same planet, for example). Still, it was really cool to see this author's take on virtual reality. I thought the idea of schools being inside of the OASIS was a really unique one and actually think it's something that we should even consider for ourselves in the future.

But let's jump into some of my bigger issues with this book, shall we? This book had so much potential to be an incredible treasure hunt set in virtual reality during a bleak, dystopian future, which was kind of what I was expecting. I knew that there would be 80s references - plenty of people warned me about that. What I was not expecting was the first 25% of the book being one huge infodump, which it was. Infodumps about the world, the creator(s) of the OASIS, their enemies, the game, and random other people, some who were not even important to the story. The infodumps almost made me give up on this book entirely.

Then there were the gratuitous references to 80s pop culture. I expected that the 80s would be a big part of this book, but the endless references were just too much. At times it seemed like Ernest Cline decided to write a book with as many 80s references as possible instead of writing an awesome dystopian novel with 80s references integrated into it. Many of them made sense within the story, but many did not. And many were so, so over-explained that I wanted to throw the book across the room. But I couldn't. Because I was listening to the audio.

The actual story beneath all the infodumps and 80s references was actually a really good one! During the times when Cline stopped throwing constant explanations of 80s bands, movies, and games at me and actually focused on the hunt for the prize, I was totally invested! I love the idea of one low level player going up against a massive corporation. I thought that some of Wade's plans were brilliant and I wanted more of THAT and less of the meaningless pop culture lessons.

I expected to love this book so much. Most people that I know loved this book. It has gotten rave reviews from pretty much everyone. Even Wil Wheaton loved this book enough to narrate it! I don't know what I'm missing. Maybe we're witnessing some kind of psychological phenomenon? In any case, I didn't totally hate it. I thought that the OASIS was a really cool concept and I actually did LOVE the actual story underneath it all. Unfortunately, the bad kind of outweighed the good for me on this one.

Audiobook Review: Wink Poppy Midnight by April Genevieve Tucholke

Title: Wink Poppy Midnight 
Author: April Genevieve Tucholke
Narrators: Michael Crouch, Alicyn Packard, Caitlin Davies
Publication Date: March 22, 2016
Publisher: Dial Books
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Every story needs a hero.
Every story needs a villain.
Every story needs a secret.

Wink is the odd, mysterious neighbor girl, wild red hair and freckles. Poppy is the blond bully and the beautiful, manipulative high school queen bee. Midnight is the sweet, uncertain boy caught between them. Wink. Poppy. Midnight. Two girls. One boy. Three voices that burst onto the page in short, sharp, bewitching chapters, and spiral swiftly and inexorably toward something terrible or tricky or tremendous.

What really happened?
Someone knows.
Someone is lying. 

I finished Wink Poppy Midnight a few days ago and ever since then I've been debating what to say in this review. The one thing I'm sure of about this book is that it's really odd and I'm having a hard time figuring out to go from there, so bear with me.

This story is about three teenagers: Wink, Poppy, and Midnight. All three of these characters were incredibly unique in their own way, although I didn't particularly care for a single one of them. At first I really thought I was going to love Wink the most, with her quirky characteristics and the weird fantasies she spins around herself. I knew immediately that I didn't like Poppy at all. There came a point when I wasn't quite sure if I was supposed to feel sorry for her or not, but I couldn't bring myself to care about whether she even lived or died, to be honest. She's just a bitch. :/

If I had to choose one character who I sympathized with most it would be Midnight who seems to be caught up in the middle of everything through no fault of his own. Poor Midnight seems to want to just live his life and be happy. Meanwhile, Poppy the Bully and Wink the Weirdo are both pulling him in different directions. Poppy wants Midnight for herself (or does she?) and Wink wants him to be the hero of her super weird fantasy world. I didn't quite get his romance with either of the female leads - one seemed incredibly unhealthy and the other seemed like an extreme case of insta-love. Unfortunately, I couldn't really love Midnight either and I have a hard time with books that don't make me feel close to any of the characters.

The plot of this story is... weird. It's certainly very mysterious and I would expect no less from the author of The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, but I'm not sure that it worked out quite as well in this book as it did in that one. The mysteries were so mysterious that, by the end, I honestly didn't know what was going on. I didn't understand why everyone ended in the place they did and why no one seemed to be mad at anyone who deserved it.

The one thing I can say Wink Poppy Midnight really has going for it is its setting. Although the story was a little too weird for me, the author definitely made me feel like I was in the midsts of this kind of Southern, kind of fairytale(ish) setting. It achieved all the dreamy feels it was going for - I just wish more had been done with it than just spinning a super strange tale that left with more questions than were answered.

I know this review may seem a little jumbled, but I'm not sure what else I can say without giving the story away completely. Even if I could include all the spoilers, I'm not sure I'd be able to get much across because that's just how weird this book was. I didn't hate it. In fact, I kind of enjoyed it at times. At the end of the day, though, I really couldn't identify with a single character and I was still really confused at the end. I have loved every other thing April Genevieve Tucholke has written, but this one just didn't do it for me.

Audiobook Review: Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

Title: Salt to the Sea
Author: Ruta Sepetys
Narrators: Jorjeana Marie, Will Damron, Cassandra Morris, & Michael Crouch
Publication Date: February 2, 2016
Publisher: Philomel Books
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Winter, 1945. Four teenagers. Four secrets.

Each one born of a different homeland; each one hunted, and haunted, by tragedy, lies…and war.

As thousands of desperate refugees flock to the coast in the midst of a Soviet advance, four paths converge, vying for passage aboard the Wilhelm Gustloff, a ship that promises safety and freedom.

Yet not all promises can be kept.

Inspired by the single greatest tragedy in maritime history, bestselling and award-winning author Ruta Sepetys (Between Shades of Gray) lifts the veil on a shockingly little-known casualty of World War II. An illuminating and life-affirming tale of heart and hope.

Salt to the Sea is totally not the kind of book I would usually read. I read a lot more fantasy and dystopian fiction than I do historical fiction (as in I can't remember the last historical fiction I read), but the shipwreck angle of this book really caught my attention. I'm a sucker for disaster stories, so I figured this might be up my alley after all. Basically, I went in expecting to read a book about a ship sinking, but this turned out to be so much more than that!

There are four main characters in Salt to the Sea - Joana, Florian, Emilia, and Alfred - each with a unique story. I absolutely adored Joana, Florian, and Emilia. The way their stories wound together was incredible. Usually I have a really hard time connecting with characters in historical fiction, but Ruta Sepetys did a fantastic job of making these characters sympathetic and at times I felt maybe too much for them. Alfred made my skin crawl, but I also felt sorry for him, which is not something I think just any author could have pulled off. Although there is romance in Salt to the Sea, it is both subtle and extremely well done. You will not find insta-love in this book! The relationships in the book form slowly and realistically, especially amongst such extraordinary circumstances.

The narration of this story is split between all four of these characters. I don't usually care for split narration, but it actually worked really well in this case. Each character is hiding big secrets and bringing a different perspective to the events that are taking place and I don't know if that could have been achieved as beautifully had this story been told from a single perspective.

Obviously, this story is set during World War II, a time period I don't often read about, so I felt like I was being introduced to a somewhat new setting and the author did an amazing job of setting the stage. I felt like I could picture the bleakness that each of these characters was facing, despite which side they were on in the bigger picture of the war. The maritime tragedy mentioned in the synopsis doesn't actually come into play until fairly late in the book and everything up until that point is about braving a country ravaged by war. The conditions these four people face are brutal and Sepetys does nothing to sugar coat it.

My favorite thing about Salt to the Sea is that I feel like I learned something about history that I may have never learned otherwise and even got to share it with a few other people. As a teenager I was a Titanic junkie and devoured everything I could find about that and other great sea disasters, so I was extra shocked to find out that there was one even worse that I'd never even heard of. The history this book tells is incredible and heartbreaking and has shockingly been overlooked by (at least American) history teachers.

The only small complaint I have about this book is that it moved a little slower than what I usually prefer. Had I not been listening to the audio, it's very possible that I might have put this back on the shelf to be continued later. Luckily I WAS listening to the audio and was able to feel the full emotional effect of reading it all at once.

Ruta Sepetys has seamlessly combined history and fiction together In Salt to the Sea to create a heartbreakingly brutal story. I've already recommended this book to several people who I know enjoy historical fiction and will continue to do so.

Audiobook Review: The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead

Title: The Glittering Court (The Glittering Court #1) 
Author: Richelle Mead
Narrator: Kristen Sieh
Publication Date: April 5, 2016
Publisher: Razorbill
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Big and sweeping, spanning from the refined palaces of Osfrid to the gold dust and untamed forests of Adoria, The Glittering Court tells the story of Adelaide, an Osfridian countess who poses as her servant to escape an arranged marriage and start a new life in Adoria, the New World. But to do that, she must join the Glittering Court.

Both a school and a business venture, the Glittering Court is designed to transform impoverished girls into upper-class ladies who appear destined for powerful and wealthy marriages in the New World. Adelaide naturally excels in her training, and even makes a few friends: the fiery former laundress Tamsin and the beautiful Sirminican refugee Mira. She manages to keep her true identity hidden from all but one: the intriguing Cedric Thorn, son of the wealthy proprietor of the Glittering Court.

When Adelaide discovers that Cedric is hiding a dangerous secret of his own, together they hatch a scheme to make the best of Adelaide’s deception. Complications soon arise—first as they cross the treacherous seas from Osfrid to Adoria, and then when Adelaide catches the attention of a powerful governor.

But no complication will prove quite as daunting as the potent attraction simmering between Adelaide and Cedric. An attraction that, if acted on, would scandalize the Glittering Court and make them both outcasts in wild, vastly uncharted lands…

Wow. Okay, full disclosure - I almost DNF'd this book several times and only decided to finish it so my review would be fully informed. Basically I wanted to make sure I wasn't complaining about things that were later worked out. There are so many things wrong with this book I don't even know where to begin, but I'll try to make a coherent review out of this.

The Glittering Court is a book that is trying to be way too many things all at once. Someone (the author? the publisher?) saw fit to market this book as fantasy for some reason I can't quite figure out. The best way I can describe this book is historical fiction with lots of name swaps. The setting varies from 19th century England Osfrid to the American Frontier Adoria, where they are literally mining for gold. This book has it all! English(ish) nobility, pirates, Native Americans Icori "savages," and Pagans Alanzan heretics.

To be honest, The Glittering Court seems like (at least) two books crammed into one, although neither quite works for me. The first half is about Elizabeth's Adelaide's desperate flight from an arranged marriage... into another arranged marriage where she will actually be sold to the highest bidder. Um... what? So anyway, Adelaide runs away to The Glittering Court where she will (pretend to) learn to be a lady in order to gain passage to the New World for... reasons. Fast forward eight months and she's on her way! Then the whole story spirals into a Wild Wild West story complete with cowboys and Indians. But, wait! There's more! Every time this book seems like it might be over, it keeps going. Seriously, this book has more endings than The Lord of the Rings.

The Glittering Court made no sense at all and left me with more questions than answers. Here are a few: 

• HOW did no one find Elizabeth/Adelaide?? She was an extremely well-known, influential member of high society in a time period when pictures existed. And NO ONE thought to look in a house full of girls her age that her maid had a connection to? 
• Better yet, how was this not in every newspaper? How did no one at The Glittering Court know about this? Much suspension of disbelief is needed. 
• Why in the hell would Adelaide run away from an arranged marriage into an arrangement where she would basically be sold to the man with the most money? What exactly was Richelle Mead's thought process when she came up with this plot? 
• How exactly did this "romance" with Cedric even happen? Maybe this would have been better explained had eight months of their story not been jumped over, but I did not buy it at all. They go from acquaintances to in love with next to no explanation. 
• What was the point of the Alanzan religion? It seemed like it was thrown together last minute for added drama. 
• Is what Tamsin has at stake really that big of a secret? Are there people who didn't figure this out immediately? 

This brings me to the actual ending of The Glittering Court, also known as the most glaring example of deus ex machina I have ever seen in my reading life. Just... wow. Dear authors everywhere, bringing in a random character who has never appeared in the story to save the day is extremely lazy writing and your readers are not fooled. 

I haven't even gotten into the blatant sexism and racism in this book, or the fact that the secondary characters are infinitely more interesting than Adelaide is. I could honestly go on and on with the problems I found with The Glittering Court, but I'll leave it at that. I wanted to enjoy this book so much. Unfortunately, my first Richelle Mead book is definitely going to be my last. 

DNF Audiobook Mini Reviews: Truthwitch & The Calling

Title: Truthwitch (Witchlands #1)
Author: Susan Dennard
Narrator: Cassandra Campbell
Publication Date: January 5, 2016
Publisher: Tor Teen
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MC's Review

In a continent on the edge of war, two witches hold its fate in their hands.

Young witches Safiya and Iseult have a habit of finding trouble. After clashing with a powerful Guildmaster and his ruthless Bloodwitch bodyguard, the friends are forced to flee their home.

Safi must avoid capture at all costs as she's a rare Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lies. Many would kill for her magic, so Safi must keep it hidden - lest she be used in the struggle between empires. And Iseult's true powers are hidden even from herself.

In a chance encounter at Court, Safi meets Prince Merik and makes him a reluctant ally. However, his help may not slow down the Bloodwitch now hot on the girls' heels. All Safi and Iseult want is their freedom, but danger lies ahead. With war coming, treaties breaking and a magical contagion sweeping the land, the friends will have to fight emperors and mercenaries alike. For some will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.

That was disappointing. Truthwitch has been on my to-read list for MONTHS! For the longest time I couldn't go anywhere without seeing this book on every kind of social media, other blogs, even Amazon wouldn't shut up about it. I even bought a hard copy of this! But I was running short on reading time and decided to grab the audio from my local library. You know, I love audiobooks. LOVE THEM. But man... when you get a boring one it is actually painful to pay attention. And this one was painful.

This book has no plot. I made it 25% of the way into Truthwitch and the only thing I know is that Safi and Iseult are being chased by a Bloodwitch for... reasons? Literally nothing is explained in the first 25% of Truthwitch and the reviews I skimmed through have told me it probably wouldn't have gotten much better. There is no world building. Random words are thrown at the reader and EVEN THE CHARACTERS don't know what they mean! The two female characters were so dull I kept mixing them up! Their special magical powers were literally just them sensing things. This book was a mess.

Honestly, Truthwitch struck me as a total ripoff of The Grisha Trilogy (and a badly done one at that). At least from the audiobook, I got the feeling that this was written with a Russian(ish) setting in mind. A few of the witches mentioned are Tidemakers Waterwitches, Squallers Airwitches, and Heartrenders Bloodwitches. Alina Safi is a Sun Summoner Truthwitch, the ONLY one of her kind. The love interest, Sturmhond Merick is a prince who is also a pirate ship captain whose brother sister thinks he's weak and not capable of ruling a country. I mean... Does this author not know about Leigh Bardugo? Honestly? Are other people not seeing what I'm seeing??

Maybe I'm overreacting, but I just couldn't force myself the other 75% of the way through this book. We all win, really. I don't have to read anymore and Susan Dennard doesn't get a 1 star rating on Goodreads! Hurray!

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Title: The Calling (Endgame #1) 
Author: James Frey & Nils Johnson-Shelton
Narrator: Sunil Malhotra
Publication Date: October 7, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
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Twelve thousand years ago, they came. They descended from the sky amid smoke and fire, and created humanity and gave us rules to live by. They needed gold and they built our earliest civilizations to mine it for them. When they had what they needed, they left. But before they left, they told us someday they would come back, and when they did, a game would be played. A game that would determine our future.

This is Endgame.

For ten thousand years the lines have existed in secret. The 12 original lines of humanity. Each had to have a Player prepared at all times. They have trained generation after generation after generation. In weapons, languages, history, tactics, disguise assassination. Together the players are everything: strong, kind, ruthless, loyal, smart, stupid, ugly, lustful, mean, fickle, beautiful, calculating, lazy, exuberant, weak. They are good and evil. Like you. Like all.

This is Endgame.

When the game starts, the players will have to find three keys. The keys are somewhere on earth. The only rule of their Endgame is that there are no rules. Whoever finds the keys first wins the game. Endgame: The Calling is about the hunt for the first key. And just as it tells the story of the hunt for a hidden key, written into the book is a puzzle. It invites readers to play their own Endgame and to try to solve the puzzle. Whoever does will open a case filled with gold. Alongside the puzzle will be a revolutionary mobile game built by Google’s Niantic Labs that will allow you to play a real-world version of Endgame where you can join one of the lines and do battle with people around you.

Will exuberance beat strength? Stupidity top kindness? Laziness thwart beauty? Will the winner be good or evil? There is only one way to find out.

Play.
Survive.
Solve.
People of Earth.
Endgame has begun.

I was sucked into Endgame, err... The Calling (I mean really, why is the series title larger than the BOOK title?) because it's pretty and it sounded intriguing. I'd heard the comparisons to Hunger Games. I'd heard the controversy around James Frey. None of that bothered me. I'd been in a reading slump and needed to find something amazing! When this popped up as an available audiobook through my library, I grabbed it and hoped for the best. Nope.

I only made it 25% into this book before almost losing my mind and cutting my losses. I honestly couldn't tell you how many characters I met because there are TWELVE in all. Yes, twelve main characters. Twelve players. Too damn many for me. This is told in such a way that I felt very detached from all of the characters I actually met. At 25% into a book I should know all the protagonists and should at least care whether they live or die.

My main issue with The Calling was the writing. It was all choppy sentences and random numbers and repetition. Listening to this on audiobook, I skipped a solid five minutes of seemingly random noises, apparently some other language that I don't speak. Five minutes. Of another language. Is excessive. I've been irritated by audiobooks before, but I've never had to hit the skip button, even in Shatter Me.

I'll admit, I got a little excited when asteroids started blowing everything up, but that was literally the only time I felt anything about this book other than indifference or irritation. I really wanted to love this. I wanted it to pull me out of my slump. Unfortunately that didn't happen and the search continues!

#ReRead Review: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Title: Twilight (Twilight #1)
Author: Stephenie Meyer 
Narrator: Ilyana Kadushin
Publication Date: October 5, 2005
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
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About three things I was absolutely positive.

First, Edward was a vampire.

Second, there was a part of him - and I didn't know how dominant that part might be - that thirsted for my blood.

And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.

In the first book of the Twlilight Saga, internationally bestselling author Stephenie Meyer introduces Bella Swan and Edward Cullen, a pair of star-crossed lovers whose forbidden relationship ripens against the backdrop of small-town suspicion and a mysterious coven of vampires. This is a love story with bite.

I first read Twilight waaaay back in 2008 at the ripe old age of 20 as a buddy read with a coworker. Every day we'd come in to the hospital we worked at and rant and rave over Bella and whatever she had been up to since the previous day's conversation. It was quite honestly ridiculous, but oh so much fun! Sometimes I really miss having a friend (offline) to read with and discuss. (Not to say I'm not immensely thankful I have all of you lovelies!) Recently I've really, really wanted to re-read the series, but I've also been really scared to take the plunge for fear that I'd absolutely hate it after having read so many fantastic YA books in the last 8 years. When I was able to check out the audiobook from the library, I finally read it and I have mixed feelings.

Twilight is the story of Bella, new resident of Forks, Washington, where it apparently never stops raining. Bella has always hated Forks, the town where her dad lives and where she was born, but is determined to make the best out of her living arrangement now that she's back. Lucky for her, everyone in school is seemingly obsessed with Bella and wants to be her friend or her boyfriend. Everyone except Edward Cullen, the aloof and even rude classmate who doesn't even want to be in the same room with her... until he gets over himself and becomes even more obsessed with Bella than everyone else.

As you may have guessed by now, I did not love Twilight as much 8 years later and my main problem is the characters. First of all, Bella. One of the first notes I made regarding Bella was, "Is she mentally handicapped?? Why can't she walk?" Seriously. There is a difference between being clumsy and whatever Bella Swan is. She literally cannot seem to take ten steps without falling over. She can't participate in gym class because she'll hurt herself. SHE CANNOT PUT A SEAT BELT ON. If I was Bella's mother, I would have taken her to a doctor to be checked out. I'm also immensely curious why every single person in this book is obsessed with her. I mean, I'm sure she's a nice girl, but no one in the history of people has ever been that likable.

Next, there's Edward. After re-reading this book, I can absolutely draw the similarities between this and Fifty Shades. Edward is absolutely, unhealthily controlling of Bella. From the second he takes notice of her, Edward is totally consumed with making sure she's "safe," which apparently includes while she's sleeping. Honestly, how does he think she survived how ever many years of her life until the point he met her? Surely she is capable of basic day-to-day activities without his constant supervision. It's super creepy to watch the lengths that Edward goes to to keep an eye on Bella, even against her will. Which brings me to their actual relationship.

It isn't so much insta-love as insta-obsession. Unhealthy. I won't go to the extreme of calling Edward abusive, but there are certainly red flags all over the place. More than once, Bella thinks about how she's afraid of making him angry. She's afraid of his anger and his mood swings, not the fact that he is a vampire! What even?? In addition to his apparently constant PMS, Edward is also extremely controlling. He does not allow Bella to do anything he doesn't like. I mean, I'm married. I get doing things to make your spouse happy, but Bella seems to have basically relinquished every claim she has to herself by the middle of this book, instead allowing Edward to make all of her decisions for her. I do not understand how anyone (including my 20-year-old self) could read this relationship and think it's romantic. It's toxic.

All that being said, I do actually enjoy the story. I find this take on the vampire story to be really interesting and honestly refreshing. I like the thought of a coven of vampires coming together as a family and finding a new, non-harmful way to exist with the rest of humanity. I love them bringing a human into their fold and protecting her from other, less friendly vampires. I love the apparent rivalry between Jacob's people on the reservation and the Cullen family. I love the conflict that comes up towards the end. There isn't much to be said about the setting other than it's rainy.

All of this... this entire review is why I was scared to re-read Twilight. I enjoyed it so much 8 years ago and I didn't want to see any of it in a new, negative light. Still, I'm glad that I've been able to see how much I've changed as a person and as a reader since way back then. I enjoy the story so much!! I just wish Stephenie Meyer could have written the characters to be more realistic and less toxic. I will probably continue the series for the same reason that I read the first book, but now I guess I know what to expect.

Audiobook Review: The Royal We by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan

Title: The Royal We
Author: Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan
Narrator: Christine Lakin
Publication Date: April 7, 2015
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
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"I might be Cinderella today, but I dread who they'll think I am tomorrow. I guess it depends on what I do next."

American Rebecca Porter was never one for fairy tales. Her twin sister, Lacey, has always been the romantic who fantasized about glamour and royalty, fame and fortune. Yet it's Bex who seeks adventure at Oxford and finds herself living down the hall from Prince Nicholas, Great Britain's future king. And when Bex can't resist falling for Nick, the person behind the prince, it propels her into a world she did not expect to inhabit, under a spotlight she is not prepared to face.

Dating Nick immerses Bex in ritzy society, dazzling ski trips, and dinners at Kensington Palace with him and his charming, troublesome brother, Freddie. But the relationship also comes with unimaginable baggage: hysterical tabloids, Nick's sparkling and far more suitable ex-girlfriends, and a royal family whose private life is much thornier and more tragic than anyone on the outside knows. The pressures are almost too much to bear, as Bex struggles to reconcile the man she loves with the monarch he's fated to become.

Which is how she gets into trouble.

Now, on the eve of the wedding of the century, Bex is faced with whether everything she's sacrificed for love-her career, her home, her family, maybe even herself-will have been for nothing.

It is common knowledge that I really don't read contemporary fiction. Basically ever. I was surprised at what a long book The Royal We was when I picked up the hard copy at the library a couple weeks ago and ended up putting it back down, deciding it probably wasn't worth my time. I'm not sure what it was about The Royal We that caught my attention and made me actually give it a try, but when I saw an audiobook copy available, I decided listening might give me the chance to hear the story without the effort of actually reading it. I am so glad I gave it a chance!

The Royal We is a love story, but it's so much more than that. This book spans over the course of several years and tells the story of Bex's life and relationships with several friends and family members. Bex is a fantastic, down to earth heroine who I loved getting to know and following over the years. I found her to be fun and spunky and believable, even if I did get the sense that the authors were trying to make her just a little too American at times with constant baseball and beer references. Even though I obviously have no idea what it would be like to become part of a royal family, I was able to easily sympathize with Bex and ended up falling in love with her, despite her issues (and her apparent snorting problem).

Apart from Bex, there is a huge cast of characters, but I never had a hard time keeping them straight and I loved almost all of them. Obviously, Nick is the main love interest, being the prince and all, and I really did enjoy him for the most part, even if I did want to beat him over the head once or twice. But perhaps my favorite character in The Royal We was Freddie, Nick's younger brother. He was hilarious but sweet and it was easy to understand how all the girls fell head over heels for him! One character I really couldn't stand was Lacey, Bex's twin sister. I didn't understand why she seemed to be SO much more immature than Bex, despite the fact that they were the exact same age. She irritated me almost from her introduction, but maybe that was the point. There is no way I can talk about all the characters in this book. Just know that they were all fantastic!

The plot of this book was surprisingly good. I really didn't know what to expect going in. You probably know that I read a lot of YA fiction, so I'm very used to the romantic love triangles found within the YA genre. It was actually very refreshing to read a book about a relationship that felt genuine and totally believable. It wasn't all sunshine and butterflies and there wasn't a ridiculous amount of completely ridiculous drama (although there was some drama, don't worry). I know a lot of people have complained and warned me that this was basically the story of Prince William and Kate Middleton, but with an American. Lucky for me, I know absolutely nothing about their relationship other than they keep having babies, and I was able to enjoy just about every minute of this story!

The one thing I didn't love about this book was the way it was split up. There are five parts, but it begins at the end, so there is no real mystery about whether or not Bex and Nick will ultimately end up together. Each part essentially ended at a different milestone in their relationship. Because of the narrative style, there were a few times it did seem to drag when I would have really preferred to speed things along. This wasn't a major sticking point though.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Royal We, which is way more than I thought I'd end up saying about it! Maybe this is because I don't pay attention to news or magazines and have no idea what's going on with the English royal family. Maybe the royal parts of it were enough fantasy to make me overlook my disdain for contemporary fiction. In any case, I thought this was a really great story and I would definitely recommend it to fans of contemporary romance (and even those who aren't)!

Audiobook Review: The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins

Title: The Great Hunt (Eurona Duology #1)
Author: Wendy Higgins
Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld
Publication Date: March 8, 2016
Publisher: HarperTeen
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“Aerity…” Her father paused as if the words he was forming pained him. “I must ask you to sacrifice the promise of love for the sake of our kingdom.”

She could only stare back, frozen.

When a strange beast terrorizes the kingdom of Lochlanach, fear stirs revolt. In an act of desperation, a proclamation is sent to all of Eurona—kill the creature and win the ultimate prize: the daughter of King Lochson’s hand in marriage.

Princess Aerity knows her duty to the kingdom but cannot bear the idea of marrying a stranger…until a brooding local hunter, Paxton Seabolt, catches her attention. There’s no denying the unspoken lure between them…or his mysterious resentment.

Paxton is not the marrying type. Nor does he care much for spoiled royals and their arcane laws. He’s determined to keep his focus on the task at hand—ridding the kingdom of the beast—but the princess continues to surprise him, and the perilous secrets he’s buried begin to surface.

Inspired by the Grimm Brothers’ tale “The Singing Bone,” New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins delivers a dark fantasy filled with rugged hunters, romantic tension, and a princess willing to risk all to save her kingdom.

A couple months ago, in the middle of a pretty intense fantasy binge, I added The Great Hunt to my must-read list for 2016. Not only was the cover gorgeous, but the synopsis was intriguing, and it was even a retelling, albeit of a story I'd never heard of. All that to say, I was really excited to read this book! I was really surprised to see that it was available without a wait through my library as an audiobook, so I immediately snatched it up and started listening.

Aerity is the "heroine" who "risk all to save her kingdom." I expected a lot out of Aerity, but was actually more confused by her than anything. First of all I have to ask the most pressing question: what color is Aerity's hair?? The cover model looks exactly like Merida, blue dress, red mane, and all. In the book, however, she is described as having blonde hair, which is apparently a big deal because all of her siblings have red hair. Later on, though, her hair is described as red. Just... what?? Does the author have no idea what her character looks like? Maybe this is a petty complaint. It seems like such an obvious thing not to mix up, but I digress.

I really didn't connect with Aerity at all. She is a princess and she acts like a princess. Her talent is aerial fabric acrobatics, no joke. She "gives all" by agreeing to an arranged marriage with whoever kills the beast who is terrorizing the kingdom. I get that it might suck, but the synopsis make her involvement sound much more noble and dramatic than it actually is. She really doesn't do much in the entire book other than flip around in the air, talk to hunters, and hang out with her cousin...

Thankfully, there's no love interest in this story. Unfortunately, the romance itself isn't impressive. In fact, Aerity and Paxton speak maybe ten sentences to each other before they're in love, and most of them involve Paxton being kind of a jerk. Still, he's a better character than Aerity. Paxton has something of a tragic backstory and is unconditionally loyal to his younger brother. He's also a skilled hunter. Even though he does have a decent excuse for being rude to Aerity, it still bothers me when male love interests act this way and women swoon all over them.

The story here is honestly the saving grace of The Great Hunt. The beast itself, while not actually very terrifying (especially once it's actually revealed) still creates enough tension to make everything seem a little bit urgent. There's always the mystery of where the beast came from and why to keep the reader guessing. The other unique element is the magic. There are those in Eurona who have magical healing (or killing) powers called the lashed. They aren't allowed to use their magic and, if they do, there's an obvious sign that allows them to be found out. I thought they were interesting, although I wish there had been more background information given.

The Great Hunt honestly comes off as an adult historical romance novel masquerading as a YA fantasy. Literally the first scene of the book is two teens getting very close to down and dirty on a boat dock. I feel like the author really wanted to write a more explicit book, but tamed it a bit and threw in some magic to market it to a younger crowd. Although it was an okay book, it wasn't anything like what I expected. This is a duology and I honestly probably won't read the next one since this book actually wrapped up pretty well. If you're into fantasy that's overpowered by romance or you want to break into Harlequin romance gently, this is the book for you!

Mini Book Reviews: Uglies by Scott Westerfeld & Hell House by Richard Matheson

Title: Uglies (Uglies #1)
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Publication Date: February 8, 2005
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 425
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Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. In just a few weeks she'll have the operation that will turn her from a repellent ugly into a stunning pretty. And as a pretty, she'll be catapulted into a high-tech paradise where her only job is to have fun.

But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to become a pretty. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world-- and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally a choice: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. Tally's choice will change her world forever...

Uglies is a book that I've had my eye on for years, but just never got around to read it, despite the fact that it's one of my brother's absolute favorites. When it came up as the Dystopia Challenge group read for February, I knew it was time to take the plunge!

This is a story set at some point in the future when age (quite literally) comes with beauty. As children, everyone is an ugly, also known as normal. Everyone has nicknames based on their "ugly" qualities, but no one cares because they all know it's only a matter of time before they're made pretty with a complex medical procedure and moved to the pretty side of town.

Tally is very close to the day of her procedure when this book begins, before she makes friends with Shay and her whole world is turned upside down. Tally is also one of my issues with Uglies because I just really didn't like her very much. I tried to cut her a little slack, knowing that she had been brainwashed from birth, but I had a very hard time liking her. Her loyalties were disturbing and her insistence on becoming pretty even after she'd started to learn the truth made her difficult to sympathize with.

The story itself was definitely unique and had the potential to be great. The technology was cool and I found the ruins themselves fascinating! I thought the idea of this kind of "pretty" conformity was an interesting one and I wish it had been better fleshed out. Instead, I had problems with the world building and the writing, finding it slow even when it was supposed to be exciting. I really wanted to know more about the why and how of the current state of the world. Maybe that's something that will be further explored in the remaining books.

I really expected more from Uglies than what I got. I think part of the problem might be that I waited too long to read it. Perhaps I would have enjoyed it more ten years ago? The concept was interesting and there were certainly some bits that were enjoyable, but I probably won't continue with the series.

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Title: Hell House
Author: Richard Matheson
Narrator: Ray Porter
Publication Date: June 28, 1971
Publisher: Viking Books
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Rolf Rudolph Deutsch is going die. But when Deutsch, a wealthy magazine and newpaper publisher, starts thinking seriously about his impending death, he offers to pay a physicist and two mediums, one physical and one mental, $100,000 each to establish the facts of life after death.

Dr. Lionel Barrett, the physicist, accompanied by the mediums, travel to the Belasco House in Maine, which has been abandoned and sealed since 1949 after a decade of drug addiction, alcoholism, and debauchery. For one night, Barrett and his colleagues investigate the Belasco House and learn exactly why the townfolks refer to it as the Hell House.

So here's the thing... When Stephen King raves about a book that's topic is the "Mount Everest of haunted houses," I expect a REALLY scary book. Hell House has even been called a horror classic! So what the heck did I just read?? It couldn't have been the book all these people, including Stephen King, have raved about! I hate to contradict the Master, but Hell House was just... not scary.

There were several problems I had with this book, one being that I really didn't like most of the characters. They all came off as either really arrogant, annoying, helpless, or a combination of those. The only character I somewhat enjoyed was Fischer, and I honestly had to just go hunt down his name because I'd forgotten it less than an hour after finishing the book, if that's any indication. Even more than that, these characters are really, really stupid. There were so many moments where I wanted to just ask them if they were serious. I cannot actually believe that anyone with a brain would do most of the things these characters did.

Another major problem I had with Hell House was the horror. Where was it? What I learned from this book is that horror = sex. (Cover your eyes, kids.) I don't even mean violence! I just mean... sex. Even between a woman and her husband. The sexy horror ranged from Edith attempting to come on to her husband, ghosty sex, lady sex, basically all the sex. was. horror. I wish I was joking. Maybe sex was terrifying in the 70s? I honestly don't know how this was considered scary. There were a few possessions (and a few had to do with sex) but they were more amusing than scary. There was a teensy bit of tension here and there, but it quickly dissipated each time.

The ending of Hell House was also a huge let down. Huge. I didn't -totally- HATE Hell House. Hate is such a strong word. I did think that Dr. Barrett's idea for conquering the house was an interesting one and I did like Fischer enough, although even he was forgettable. Ultimately, I would not recommend this book.

Audiobook Review: Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

Title: Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Daughter of Smoke & Bone #1) 
Author: Laini Taylor
Narrator: Khristine Hvam
Publication Date: September 27, 2011
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
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Around the world, black hand prints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherworldly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands", she speaks many languages - not all of them human - and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Let me just go ahead and share that I was late to the YA game. I didn't really start reading young adult fiction until 2013 and I missed out on a lot of great books, it seems. This year has turned into the year of checking out books that I missed in the years before I got into the genre. So far I've caught up on the Grisha, Nevermore, and Shatter Me series, and Daughter of Smoke and Bone was another that I was dying to add to the list! I wasn't really sure what I was getting into with this one, but I knew that the synopsis sounded pretty original and the cover was beautiful, and that was enough!

Karou is a girl who has had a very unusual life. She has been raised by chimera - various human and animal hybrids - who live in a shop that opens to portals around the world. Although her childhood has been very different from that of most of humanity, Karou is happy and loves her strange family. When the story begins, Karou is living in Prague and attending an art school. She has friends and an annoying ex-boyfriend and a feeling that there is something more, but she isn't sure what it is. I like Karou, although I wasn't positive I would from the beginning. She was intelligent and talented, even if she did have a little bit of help from magic. I loved how unusual she was and I also loved her determination and devotion to those she cared about.

Akiva is an angel, one of many who is at constant war with the chimera. He has had a rough life and is surprised to find himself attracted to Karou when she should be his enemy. He wouldn't have even been in her world, if he hadn't been working towards fulfilling a mission, but it seemed like fate somehow. My feelings toward Akiva and the romance between him and Karou was... neutral. I didn't necessarily dislike Akiva, I just didn't feel like I had enough information about him to form a real opinion.

The good news is, there was no love triangle in Daughter of Smoke and Bone! The bad news is, there was some substantial insta-love between Karou and Akiva. They literally went from not knowing each other to basically in love in a matter of a couple days. There is an attempt made to explain why insta-love makes sense, but it never really sits quite right with me. I just wish there had been more time between them for their feelings to make more sense.

Many other characters make appearances in this book and most of them were amazing! I really enjoyed Brimstone and Zuzana, but Brimstone was my favorite by far! Although he was often gruff and even rude, it was obvious that he was extremely wise and cared a lot for Karou. I really hope that he features more in future books!

Laini Taylor did a fantastic job of creating a unique world and mythology to go with it for Daughter of Smoke and Bone. This is the first book I've read featuring chimera where the chimera actually seemed human instead of monstrous. The world of the angels and chimera wasn't perfect and I do have some questions about it, but it did have the right amount of gloom to feel kind of hopeless in a way that seemed to fit with the story.

The plot was definitely unique, as was the narrative style. I'm not sure how much I actually loved the way the story was told, kind of jumping from present to past and back, although I did appreciate the backstory that provided. I thought the way the wishes worked and even the wish currency was really interesting and creative too! What I guess was the "twist" became really easy to predict by the time it was actually revealed, but I'm not sure that it was supposed to be all that shocking anyway.

I really enjoyed Daughter of Smoke and Bone, although it did have its issues. The narrative style got kind of annoying towards the end when I just wanted to find out what happened next and the insta-love was something I really wish could have been avoided. Even with the problems I had with this story, it was really unique and I definitely plan to continue the series to see what happens next.

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°o°  Notes on the Audiobook  °o°

I thought Khristine Hvam was an amazing narrator! The accents she had to put on for some of the characters in this book could have so easily gone wrong, but she made the work for both the male and female characters. She is definitely going on my list of top voice actors! 

Audiobook Review: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Title: Red Queen (Red Queen #1) 
Author: Victoria Aveyard
Narrator: Amanda Dolan
Publication Date: February 10, 2015
Publisher: HarperTeen 
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Review for book 2

This is a world divided by blood – red or silver.

The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.

That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

Fearful of Mare’s potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.

But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance – Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart ... 

In February 2015, Red Queen hit the shelves with a BANG. Every single reader I knew was talking about it and rating it five stars... which was why I have been avoiding it like the plague since then. Super hyped books scare the crap out of me because most of the time when I go into a book with really high expectations, I get let waaaaay down (which sucks). When Glass Sword came out this year, I decided it might finally be time to give Red Queen a chance, especially since I had the option to listen to the audiobook! I am happy to report that this book was actually really freaking awesome.

My biggest fear going into this was exactly what I've read on the bad reviews I stalked: that it was a ripoff of The Selection and The Hunger Games. Almost immediately I realized that those were not really fair assessments of Red Queen. Yes, there are some teenagers trying to kill each other. Yes, there is a chapter where girls compete for the privilege of marrying the crown prince. But that's really where the comparisons end.

This is the story of Mare Barrow, a Red, and her immersion into the world of the Silvers. Through circumstances out of her control, Mare finds herself living in the Silver world in a position very close to the royal family. Mare was an enjoyable protagonist, thank goodness. She was neither too helpless nor too bitchy, but tried to fit into her new world while simultaneously gathering information about what was -really- going on. Although she did try to see the best in those around her, she remained wary, and of course this wouldn't be a YA dystopian series without at least one love triangle!

The two real love interests in Red Queen are the two princes, Cal and Maven. Cal is the older brother who is next in line for the throne and a bred soldier with a hot temper. Maven is the younger, more gentle brother who sympathizes with the Reds. Mare's relationship was pretty set in stone early on, but that didn't stop her from feeling for both of the guys and finding herself attracted to different qualities in each of them. I didn't really mind the love triangle too much since I felt like it worked okay within the story. Luckily, the triangle was mostly resolved by the end of this first book.

Victoria Aveyard did a really fantastic job setting up the world of this book. Without being overly wordy in her descriptions, she painted landscapes that I could easily picture in my mind. I especially liked the village that Mare grew up in, the Stilts. The worlds of the Reds and Silvers were very divided in terms of class and I really felt like they were very well formed and I could see all of them plainly. This is a series I would love to see on the big screen one day! It would be visually breathtaking!

I did feel that the plot of Red Queen was unique, despite some surface similarities with other YA dystopians. I really enjoyed learning about the Reds and the Silvers and the differences between the two. I also really loved finding out about all the different abilities within the Silver world and how each of them worked. My only complaint is that I wish the history of how the Reds and Silvers diverged (since that seems to be what they were hinting at) was better explained instead of just focusing on their current differences. I definitely look forward to learning more about their history in future books. I also can't wait to see what happens with the politics between the different players, which is not something I usually say.

One thing I did NOT see coming in Red Queen was the twist! I actually had no idea that there was even a twist in this book at all. I have avoided reviews as much as I could and apparently did a great job of it. I was left with my jaw hanging open and immediately had to message a friend to freak out about it with her. Well done, Miss Aveyard. Well done.

Red Queen is a book that is intricate and well done, something I was not really expecting based on the claims that it was ripping off so many other stories. While there were a couple slow parts, the pacing overall was good enough to keep me engaged and I actually ended up buying a hard copy so I could finish it faster! For those of you who are still on the fence about this one, I definitely recommend that you finally pick it up! I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Audiobook Review: Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Title: Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2)
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Narrator: Kate Simses
Publication Date: February 5, 2013
Publisher: HarperCollins
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Review for book 1

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it's almost
time for war.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life. 

"It will get better," they said. "Warner is worth it," they said. "Juliette grows as a character," they said. They LIED.

I finished Shatter Me, considered for a few hours, and then got Unravel Me later that night because I really just wanted to know how the whole thing with Warner worked out. I was curious. I love a good villain and I needed to find out how he could become a love interest. Then Unravel Me finally ended and I was rooting for Juliette to hurry the hell up and die. To be honest, this was the first book that has ever made me regret keeping my reviews PG-13. There were many, many choice words I would love to say. For your sake, I'll try to keep it clean.

Unravel Me picks up shortly after book one left off, with Juliette and Adam at Omega Point trying to fit in with the other gifted people. Well, sort of. Mostly it's just Juliette and Adam making out and making huge scenes in public. But whatever. Throughout this book Juliette is attempting to discover more about her gift and what its properties are. She discovers that her super strength is pretty freaking super and attempts (poorly) to learn to control it. Mostly, though, Juliette spends the entire second book being a miserable human being.

Juliette is literally the worst heroine I've ever read about, which is saying a lot because I have absolutely hated some others. She is incredibly selfish and, despite trying to act like she gives a crap about other people, actually only cares about ALL HER FEELS and getting in the most make out sessions with as many people as possible. World needs saving? Make out. Friend is dying in another room? Better make out. When Juliette wasn't making out, she was crying, shaking, forgetting how to breathe, or counting something. She was literally useless.

Then there's Adam. Not quite as useless as Juliette, he's basically Bella from New Moon. He spends this book being pissed off or depressed, fighting or wanting to fight people, and begging Juliette not to leave him. The plot surrounding Adam in this book was one of the dumbest things I have ever seen in a book. (Guys, I am trying SO hard to keep this clean for you!) Remember back in Shatter Me when Juliette and Adam spent all night sleeping, cuddled in each others arms? Remember?? Their skin was touching all night long while they were ASLEEP? Well, just forget all of that because the author needs a convenient reason for them to break up so Juliette and Warner can be together!

Speaking of Warner, he is the least worthless of these three characters, although he still wasn't the incredible villain love interest I was promised. Yes, he has a tragic backstory. Yes, he calls Juliette "Luv" a lot. Yes, he has green eyes. That's about where it ends. I don't get it. I don't get why he's so swoon-worthy to every other person who has read this book. Despite his Big Bad status, Warner is weak and apparently "he's in love with [Juliette]" almost immediately for some reason. (WHY does everyone love Juliette??)

Kenji was honestly the only character in this book who I cared about at all. I mean, seriously, even the 10 year old brother got on my nerves. But Kenji seemed like a normal human being with normal human emotions and priorities.

I don't even have anything to really say about the plot of this book other than that it was worthless. I said it in my review of book one and I'll say it again: this is not a dystopian novel. This is crappy romance disguised as dystopia. There is zero world building and I give zero cares (I'm trying) about whether or not the world even survives. Honestly, just blow the whole thing up.

And who could forget about the writing? It is just as ridiculous in Unravel Me as it was in book one. I actually (seriously) had a headache by the time this book finally ended from rolling my eyes so much at the idiotic metaphors and descriptions. I counted at least 7 uses of the phrase "small smile" in this book and those were just the ones I paid enough attention to make note of. Of course I wouldn't leave you without a sampling of my favorite quotes from this book!

"Panic is doing backflips in my bones."

"My emotions jump out of a plane."

"He says it like it's a lit cigarette lodged in his throat."

"I am the incarnation of air."

Seriously, if it wasn't for all the ridiculous metaphors this book would be at least 100 pages shorter.

In case you hadn't guessed, I hated this book. I try not to hate many books because I understand how hard authors work to create them, but this one had not one redeeming quality. The writing was painful, I was screaming for characters to hurry up and die by the end, and the world building is non-existent. I am aware that a lot of people adore this series, but I wouldn't wish it on anyone.