Category: Young Adult

Book Review: Granted by Kendra Thomas

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Author: Kendra Thomas
Publisher: Independent Book Publishers Association
Publish Date: May 5, 2020
Pages: 270
Type: Paperback

Official Synopsis
Sabeara Aigoviel, princess of Aveladon, wants nothing more than for her heart to glow. The Stone-Hearted power that is received at the age of eighteen is her ultimate wish. With a grim curse looming over the realm and a neighboring kingdom’s conspiring plans, contentions arise. Moments of danger summon evil forces, sending Sabeara into a whirlwind of adventure, captivity, and even love.

Rescued by a handsome stranger in a brown cloak, they navigate the kingdoms to bring her safely home. When her rescuer arrives betrothed to her beloved older sister weeks later, it is all she can do to erase their memories. Will Sabeara be able to defeat the curse on the Stone-Hearted race? And will she be able to forget the memories of her epic ventures with her cloaked rescuer?

My Review
I received a free, digital, advanced reading copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is my own and reflects my honest opinion about this book.

Granted by Kendra Thomas is a very character-driven young adult fantasy about a princess who stumbles across the existence of a curse threatening her kingdom. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with character-driven (over plot-driven) books and I’ve read plenty of great character-driven stories. However, I picked up this book up because its summary intimates an intriguing magic system and adventure prompted by a looming curse. I was also looking forward to a little YA fantasy romance.

Unfortunately, the magic system, at least in this first book of a trilogy, is somewhat underdeveloped. At the age of 18, the Stone-Hearted people receive their power from a magical tree that houses spirits and magic. Each person’s power is different as is the magnitude of said power, which is indicated by the color of their glowing stone heart.

The author sets up a perfect opportunity to tell us more about this system in that Sabeara’s sister, who’s just turned 18, is about to receive her power. But the door to learn more is literally (in the story) shut and we only learn snippets about it as Sabeara meets new people and learns what they can do with their power. I feel like it was a missed opportunity to tell the reader more about how a Stone-Hearted person receives their power. I can only hope that Thomas elaborates more on this in the next book.

Thomas does, however, spend more time developing Sabeara’s character than she does with the magic system. Sabeara’s mother died when she was young. In his grief, Sabeara’s father, the king of Aveladon, loses sight of the importance of running the kingdom and giving his daughters the attention they deserve. As a result, Sabeara doesn’t feel like he’s been a good father and loses some of her respect for him from his poor governance. This sort of situation is a breeding ground for complicated feelings. Thomas does explore this, but the way Sabeara navigates these emotions fell a bit flat for me. Sure, volatility, glares, and disrespect from Sabeara are to be expected, but the way Thomas writes these actions make Sabeara seem more juvenile than she actually is.

With respect to the promised YA romance, it is a bit trope-y. Guy rescues girl and they end up liking each other. I’m totally fine with that trope. I have absolutely no problem with it and even concede I have a soft spot for it. However, the flirting dialogue was cheesy and forced. There are a lot of sarcastic “sweethearts” (think Han Solo from Star Wars, but not witty). There’s a lot of smirking and a lot of the author describing words and emotions as “sarcastic.” I think the most interesting part of the romance is when [semi-spoiler!] we find out he has a hidden identity, which causes some family drama later in the story.

Thomas also misses an opportunity to tell us more about the curse. She describes Sabeara spending hours reading about the kings involved in this old curse. But as a reader we learn almost nothing from Sabeara or her conversations with others who know about the curse.

The writing in Granted isn’t bad, but in my opinion needs improvement. I feel there’s an overabundance of passive voice for a first person narrative. I also feel that there are unnecessary descriptions of rather mundane topics. The example that sticks out to me is the description of clothes. I don’t need to know what each character decides to wear each day; it’s not important to the plot. I constantly felt like the author used a thesaurus to insert synonyms into sentences. There are many sentences whose structures seem “off” (and I know I’m not perfect, either!), though for the most part I did understand what Thomas tries to impart to the reader. For example:

“The roof gave the resemblance of a tower to my prison…”
“An outside wind drafted into my bastille, causing me to be wracked with more shivers.”
“Unable to control the excitement within me, I fell onto the bed of roses and sunk into their soft contents.”

Overall, I feel like this story needs more copy editing. The magic system and the history of the curse provide a good backbone upon which the author can elaborate. I hope the next book(s) delve more into these story elements. Personally, I probably will not continue this series.

Rating: 2.25/5
Content warnings: kidnapping
Reading format: Kindle e-book

Book Review: The Wicked King by Holly Black

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This review contains spoilers The Cruel Prince, the first book in Holly Black’s The Folk of the Air trilogy.

Author: Holly Black
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publish Date: January 8, 2019
Pages: 336
Type: Hardback

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Official Synopsis
You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring. The first lesson is to make yourself strong.

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.

My Review
At the end of The Cruel Prince, Jude bound Cardan to her before making him the High King of Elfhame. Taken by surprise, Cardan refuses to play the role of a good High King and instead spends his time living in gluttony and revelry. Thus, Jude, now the High King’s Seneschal, becomes the power behind the throne and makes decisions for the good of Elfhame behind the scenes. But not everyone wants to see Cardan wear the crown. There are some who’d rather see it on another Greenbriar head, and some who’d rather wear it themselves. So Jude balances her silent rule with her duties as spymaster to keep the High King safe. Only a few months into Cardan’s rule, Jude learns that someone close to her will betray her. Working against time, she seeks to identify the traitor while also trying to understand her complicated feelings for the wicked king.

This book is the second installment of Holly Black’s The Folk of the Air series. I enjoyed the first book a lot and, now that Elfhame is a firmly established setting, there’s more room for plotting and scheming. The Wicked King reminded me a lot of a “game of thrones,” but told from the viewpoint of one character, Jude.

In The Cruel Prince Jude uncovered Madoc’s plot to rule as High King as regent to Oak, Jude’s younger brother. Though Jude won that battle, Madoc is a redcap and battle is his nature and he will not fly the flag of surrender. Jude now knows that Madoc won’t underestimate her again, and she must constantly gather information to stay one step ahead of him.

Though Jude begrudgingly secured the loyalty of some courts, discontentment still simmers, particularly in the Undersea, ruled by the powerful and influential Queen Orlagh. Cardan’s ghastly behavior creates further dissatisfaction among those who’ve pledged their loyalty to the crown. And Locke’s appointment as Master of Revels does little to improve Cardan’s reputation and threatens to jeopardize Jude’s silent rule. Disapproving of Cardan’s behavior, confused by her feelings for him, and worn down by her responsibilities, Jude avoids the High King as much as possible, but can only do so for so long.

Once again, Jude’s tenacity and fortitude impress me. Cardan is unspurprisingly frustrating, but the slow burn is there and I’m here for it. The story mostly focuses on the political chess game, but there some moments allow us a glimpse into what makes Cardan do what he does. There are a couple of scenes which “humanized” the Bomb and the Roach into characters who are more than just spies. Though still minor characters, there is more page time with Vivi and Heather, Vivi’s girlfriend. I think most of us agree that Taryn’s and Locke’s relationship is toxic, but I feel similarly about Vivi and Heather.

(Mild spoiler ahead.) I don’t think their relationship is nearly as toxic as Taryn’s and Locke’s. But Vivi, who seems to have a vivid understanding of right and wrong where Madoc is concerned, seems strangely unable to be truthful with Heather. Since this story is from Jude’s point of view we don’t know exactly why Vivi isn’t forthcoming with Heather, but I hope she finds it within herself to be honest in the next book. (End mild spoiler.)

The character who betrays Jude surprised me. There are a couple of betrayals, one of which I expected, and the other, not so much. Not to mention the ending of this book shocked me and, if you follow me on Twitter, you got to see my reaction after I finished it. I was so mad! I truly hope these characters redeem themselves in the final installment of this trilogy.

Rating: 4.25/5
Content warnings: murder
Reading format: Paperback

Book Review: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

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At seven years old, Jude Duarte’s parents are murdered. She abruptly finds herself carried off with her two sisters to live in Elfhame with her parents’ murderer. After ten years, Jude no longer has a desire to return to the human world. Despite the fact that it’s a dangerous place to live for humans, she realizes she wants to rise and find her place in the High Court of Faerie. But Jude’s proud and headstrong personality attracts the attention of Prince Cardan, the youngest and most cruel son of the High King, and his friends. They’re used to getting their way and make life hell for those who don’t conform to their demands. To win a place at Court, Jude must plot, scheme, and decide who to trust as she navigates through young love, betrayal, and threats against her life.

This book has been on my radar for a while, ever since I picked up the A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACoTaR) series, and it didn’t disappoint. I feel like the blurb on the back of the book doesn’t do the plot justice. This is an urban fantasy in which Jude and her sisters, Vivienne and Taryn, are whisked away from their home in Maine and brought to live in the land of the fey. They spend the next ten years living with their parents’ murderer, Madoc, whom they learn to call father.

Naturally, this evokes a lot of complicated emotions in Jude, her twin Taryn, and Vivi, which we see manifested in how they try (or not) to acclimate to their new home. Vivi wants nothing more than to return to the human world and isn’t shy about letting Madoc know it. Taryn wishes to stay in Elfhame and so works to please everyone in order to find her place. Jude also wishes to stay, but refuses to acquiesce to the notion that humans have no business at the High Court, which she quickly finds makes her life more difficult.

This book also has a lot more court intrigue and political scheming than I expected. Whispers of the High King wishing to pass on his crown to one of his heirs tests other courts’ ties of loyalty and breeds plots abound to ascend to the throne. There were definitely a couple of moments in the book that surprised me. One particular character’s life choice and betrayal definitely frustrated me. I suspected this person’s betrayal for a while, and hoped it wouldn’t come to pass; but it still upset me for Jude when the truth came to light.

Though The Cruel Prince is the first book in a trilogy, I think Black did a great job with the world-building. Rather than describing every little aspect of Elfhame, we learn about it through Jude’s interactions with others and her surroundings. I feel like this kept the pace moving without bogging the reader down with long descriptions of the different beings or settings in Elfhame.

I also enjoyed Black’s writing style. It’s to the point, but not dry. I recall encountering a few words that I don’t think I’d ever seen before. Kudos to introducing me to new vocabulary! If you read my reviews on the ACoTaR series, then you know the author’s writing style frustrated me at times (even though she’s great at portraying complicated emotions). So I also feel I should mention when the writing style is enjoyable, if that’s an aspect you as a reader like to know.

Overall, I highly recommend this book, particularly if you enjoy reading about a strong female protagonist, scheming, and stories set in a world with elves. Though romance is not a central component of the plot, what does manifest is slow-burning, which I personally prefer.

Reading format: Paperback
Content Warnings: murder, blood, violence
Rating: 4.25/5

Product Details
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publish Date: January 2, 2018
Pages: 384
Type: Hardback

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ARC Review: A Light in the Sky by Shina Reynolds

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Reading format: e-ARC

Content warnings: death, mention of torture

Rating: 2.5/5

I received a free, digital, advanced reading copy of this book from Wink Road Press via NetGalley. My review is my own and reflects my honest opinion about this book.

—

Aluma Banks dreams of riding her very own winged steed. But that privilege is reserved for the king’s Empyrean Cavalry, who guard Eirelannia from the troublesome land of Laithlann. So Aluma resigns herself to a life on the ground and a future that doesn’t interest her. Moreover, she’s about to lose her close friend Thayer, who plans to compete in the Autumn Tournament for a chance to join the Cavalry.

Just when Aluma thinks she’s hit an emotional low, her father is tragically injured in the tournament. Suddenly thrust into the competition for a spot in the Cavalry, she now has a chance to pursue her dreams. But along the way she begins to realize that not everything is as it seems and Eirelannia’s king may be keeping a secret from his people.

The description and cover of this book intrigued me as, at the time, I hadn’t yet read a fantasy book involving winged horses. Similar to many stories, A Light in the Sky shares themes of coming of age, learning about and pushing oneself, and loyalty. A couple of characters reminded me a little bit of Peeta from The Hunger Games and Draco Malfoy from Harry Potter.

Shina Reynolds’s writing is clear, if not a little plain. There’s nothing wrong with that, though I prefer writing that evokes a little more emotion. I will always give kudos to authors whose grammar and punctuation are on point since I find continuous errors of this nature to be distracting. I was very happy to see that there were no errors of this kind worth mentioning.

It’s also evident in the descriptions of the horses’ movements that the author has equestrian experience. I looked the author up afterwards and found she used to ride horses when she was a child. One of the more vivid scenes in this book, to me, is when the horses compete in the tournament. Reynolds does a great job describing the course and how each horse navigates it.

However, the characters in this story are a bit two-dimensional. Their dialogue is elementary and stilting considering they’re all in their late teens. I also felt their dialogue was rather formal. I wasn’t sure if this was due to the author’s writing style, or because most of the characters had to become fast friends. And though there’s the beloved (or hated) love triangle trope, I found Aluma’s inner dialogue about it so awkward. It felt slightly misplaced with everything else going on in the story; I found myself wishing it hadn’t been included at all. Reynolds also recycled descriptors of physical appearances of the two boys in the love triangle, which I personally found annoying.

I also had a difficult time with how naïve Aluma is. Her character takes everything at face value. Despite someone close to Aluma betraying her, she allows herself to fall for it again. And, perhaps the most important critique in my mind, the plot is fairly predictable. Almost everything seems to go Aluma’s way even though she’s basically a newborn to how the world works outside of her family home.

The most interesting part of the story for me concerns two different types of powerful objects that are important to Eirelannia and Laithlinn. Keeping this spoiler-free, I found this concept intriguing. Though several characters use these objects in the book, I felt like I didn’t really understand the full concept of them. I’m happy to chalk that up to the fact that this book will be part of a series. But I also felt like we could have learned more about them from several characters if Aluma had chosen to push certain people for information.

Overall, if you’re looking for a complex storyline or well-developed characters, I would look elsewhere. If you’re up for a light, fast-paced read, then dive right in. This book ended up not being for me. But I’m sure there’s someone out there who will since we all enjoy different things.

Product Details
Publisher: Wink Road Press
Publish Date: November 9, 2021
Pages: 420
Type: Hardback

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson.

Book Review: An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

Published on by Celeste2 Comments

Today’s review is about AN ENCHANTMENT OF RAVENS by Margaret Rogerson. This Young Adult fantasy follows Isobel, who paints the fae to capture their immortal vanity. She unexpectedly finds herself accused of failing to accurately paint the likeness of the autumn prince. This sets her off on a journey to stand trial.

Author: Margaret Rogerson
Series: None
Age Category: Young Adult
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publish Date: September 26, 2017
Print Length: 304

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