Sea of Shadows Review

Title: Sea of Shadows (Age of Legends #1)
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Publisher: Random House Canada
Release Date: April 8th 2014
Source: Purchased
Rating: 3.75/5

In the Forest of the Dead, where the empire’s worst criminals are exiled, twin sisters Moria and Ashyn are charged with a dangerous task. For they are the Keeper and the Seeker, and each year they must quiet the enraged souls of the damned.

Only this year, the souls will not be quieted.

Ambushed and separated by an ancient evil, the sisters’ journey to find each other sends them far from the only home they’ve ever known. Accompanied by a stubborn imperial guard and a dashing condemned thief, the girls cross a once-empty wasteland, now filled with reawakened monsters of legend, as they travel to warn the emperor. But a terrible secret awaits them at court—one that will alter the balance of their world forever.

Review:

I have read pretty much everyone one of Kelley Armstrong's book, YA and adult, and she is one of my favourite authors (and she's Canadian, yay!), so of course I was excited for her first book in the Age of  Legends series/trilogy and intrigued because it is a fantasy, which is must different than Kelley's typical paranormal/urban fantasy series. While I did really enjoy Sea of Shadows I have to say I much prefer Kelley's paranormal books that I have read in the past, it is only the first book in the series so maybe my opinion will change and it while match the ranks of  the Darkest Powers and  Darkness Rising trilogies. Only time will tell!

Sea of Shadows is told in third person in two points of views, twins Ashyn and Moria, both tactics are different from what I have read from Armstrong in the past. I admire her for break out of her paranormal mould, and change in form of narration I think the changes in style are part of the reason that I did not absolutely love Sea of Shadows. I do prefer to read in first person POVs, in fact all of my favourite books and written in first person.

The premise for Sea of Shadows in really unique and the world is very dark and really grabbed by attention. I will say though that the world building is quite slow and I was confused for the first third of the novel, but after, when it became clearer it was truly an amazing fantasy world. Because both twins are different, Moria is more the outgoing aggressive one, and Ashyn the quite, kind and polite one, so the change in narration was not confusing what so ever and was easy to distinguish who was telling the story at a given time.

I really enjoyed how, while being  a fantasy novel, the still was a very, very slight paranormal aspect tied in as well. I also enjoyed the side characters, which are boys and could  be possible love interests for the twins in later books, and Sea of Shadows are very minimal romance which is refreshing. It seems that the relationships will for at a more reasonable speed that in some other books.

The best parts of the novel by far for me would have to be the mythical creature that appear in the book, all of which I have never heard of, or seen in other books or movies. They were awesome! I also absolutely LOVED the ending, if definitely raising the rating I was going to give Sea of Shadows, and I cannot wait until next April to continue with the series to see what happens next.

Ultimately I think fans of Kelley Armstrong will enjoy Sea of Shadows even though it may not be her best book to date, reader will admire a change in genre and narration and fall in love with the amazing world that Kelley created in Sea of Shadows.

Siege and Storm Review

Title: Siege and Storm
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Publisher: Henry Holt
Release Date: June 4th 2013
Source: ARC for Review
Rating: 4.5

Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. But she can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her–or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

Review:

Siege and Storm takes place not long after the events of Shadow and Bone with Alina and Mal on the run from the Darkling. Right from the very first page I got swept away again into the story the Leigh Bardugo has created in the Grisha trilogy. In 2012 Shadow and Bone was in my top ten books, and I'm sure that Siege and Storm will be in my list for 2013 it was just that good.

I already had the dilemma a picking a guy I liked better, Mal or The Darkling. Siege and Storm brings in a third  guy I couldn't help falling for, Strumhond. Thanks god I'm not Alina because I couldn't possibly pick just one. I think this may be the only series where I can't narrow down who I like, their just all great for different reasons.

As for the story; it was an epic, thrilling, heart pounding, and well written sequel that is perfect in every way. The intricate well thought of world of the Grisha is absolutely amazing and unlike anything I have ever scene. The Russian twist to the series also adds to my interest towards the book.

The only minor issue that I had with the book was with the main character, Alina. She seems to have taken to her power too well, which is good but she acts like she's superior then everyone and is the only hope for Ravka against The Darkling. Even though she is all these things I feel she shouldn't act all high and mighty I would prefer to read from her perspective much more.

All together Siege and Storm was a fantastic sequel to Shadow and Bone that was well written and had a great story with high stakes. If you enjoyed Shadow and Bone I have no doubt that you will end up falling for this one as well. Get ready for an unbearable wait for the final book, Siege and Storm is left on a bit of a cliffhanger that well definitely make you eager for more.

 

Between the Lines Review

Title: Between the Lines
Authors: Jodi Picoult & Samantha Van Leer
Release Date: June 26th 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Source: ARC for review
Rating: 3.5

What happens when happily ever after…isn’t?

Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book—one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah.

And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He’s a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He’s sure there’s more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom.

Delilah and Oliver work together to attempt to get Oliver out of his book, a challenging task that forces them to examine their perceptions of fate, the world, and their places in it. And as their attraction to each other grows along the way, a romance blossoms that is anything but a fairy tale.

Review:

Having only heard of Jodi Picoults books briefly before I didn't know really what to expect in Between the Lines, the concept of the book really interested me though. I loved the mix of fairytale with reality and the alternating chapters spilt into 3 sections;  Delilahs point of view, Oliver's point of view and the actual fairytale story that Oliver lives in.

If you think other book you've read previously have a forbidden romance you have to check out the one in Between the Lines, can't get more forbidden then falling in love with a guy who lives in a book and not even in your world. Although the concept of falling for a guy who is a "fiction"character may seem a bit odd, I enjoyed it and it made the book unique in its own way. Jodi Picoult and her daughter, Samantha Van Leer worked very well together and I couldn't tell where one began and where one ended, it was seemless.

The characters in Between the Lines (the fictional book Oliver lives in) are controlled to act out the story as readers read it, when I discovered this while reading I was entralled, that just sounds so awesome and made me think does that happen when I read a book. I wish! Each of the characters has a life outside of the role they play in the book, it's like characters that we read about are actual people, awesome!

This book did seem though that it's written more for pre-teens are younger teens, or die hard fairytale fans. Throughout the book there are little drawings on the side of the pages that go along with what's happening in the book. They made the book really cute and detailed, I can't wait to see what they look like in the finished copy.

Between the Lines is a great book written by a mother, daughter duo. Blends reality with fiction seemlessly and incorporates a forbidden romance that takes place in 2 worlds. Between the Lines is a pysically detailed piece of literature that should not be missed based  on it's unqiness. If you love fun, cute reads and fairytales, this is the book for you.

Shadow and Bone Blog Tour: Interview & GIVEAWAY

Thanks to Ksenia from Macmillan for putting together this blog tour and asking me to take part in it,a and thanks to Leigh Bardugo for writing an amazing book and doing an interview with me. Check out my review for Shadow and Bone HERE.

Go HERE to follow the Shadow and Bone blog tour! Don't forget at the end of this post is a giveaway sponsered by Macmillan.

Favourite Colour: Red. Everything I buy is red. I can't stay away from it. I'm like one of those monsters in The Village.

Favourite Band/artist: Stevie Nicks. I adore her.

Favourite Book: That's impossible to answer! Today, we'll say it's Many Moons by James Thurber

1. How did you get the idea for the Grisha and the world they live in?

I've always been interested in the functionality of magic. What happens physically when you mutter a curse or wave a magic wand? I thought it might look a lot like a version of molecular chemistry where matter is manipulated at its most fundamental levels, but by magical means. This became the basis of the Small Science and the foundation for Grisha power. As for the world, it evolved as I built the story, but I knew early on that I wanted to use Tsarist Russia as a kind of cultural touchstone. It just made sense in terms of the power dynamics that were already emerging in the narrative. 

2. Alina has some pretty interesting love interests, if you were Alina who would you choose?

 Mal or The Darkling? If I were Alina, I'd wait until Book 2 before I made any rash decisions. But mercenaries and privateers are a particular weakness of mine.  
3. For those who don't know, what exactly are Grisha?

The Grisha are the magical elite of Ravka, the soldiers of the Second Army. Though their powers are vital to the kingdom's defense, they're viewed with suspicion, envy, and even hatred by much of the population. Still, they have it better in Ravka than anywhere else. In other countries, they're burned at the stake, experimented on, and sometimes sold into slavery. They're divided into three Orders-- Corporalki, Etherealki, and Materialki.

4. Did you always want to write a fantasy book, or did it just sort of happen?

I always loved reading fantasy and science fiction and what I suppose would be referred to as "magical realism" in literary fiction, so it's probably not surprising that I ended up writing fantasy. But I was never that hung up on genre as a reader, and I don't worry too much about it as a writer either. I just write the story I find interesting and hope the genre will work itself out.

5. What can readers expect to see in the next instalments of The Grisha Trilogy?

In Book 2, we'll get to travel a bit more beyond Ravka's borders, and my favorite character of the entire series makes his first appearance. I don't want to give anything away, but I can tell you that the Darkling will be back and that the most sacred boundaries of Grisha power will be tested.

6. Do you have a playlist for Shadow and Bone or a song you think fits it?

I have a few playlists out there, but there are three songs I keep on heavy rotation:

Running Up that Hill (Placebo's Cover of Kate Bush) has a cool, driving intensity that I've always associated with the Darkling.

Winter Song (Sarah Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson) perfectly describes both the bond and the growing distance between Mal and Alina.

Cosmic Love (Florence + the Machine) I know, I know. This is everyone's song. But the lyrics so perfectly suit all three of my main characters that I can't resist it. Plus, the map reference always makes me think of the fact that Alina is a cartographer (though not a very good one).

If anyone is interested in some of the music I associate with Ravka, they can check out this clip of one of my favorite folk songs or Polegnala e Todora from Le mystère des voix Bulgares. Not everyone likes this type of sound, but I'm a sucker for a Slavic chorus.  

(Hey Hayley! I just wanted to thank you for having me by to talk about Shadow and Bone!)

Macmillan has offered up a finished copy of Shadow and Bone as part of the Shadow and Bone blog tour. This giveaway is for CAN/US Residents only and will end on July 3rd. Fill out the rafflecopter below to be entered to win.

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Shadow and Bone Review

Title: Shadow and Bone
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Publisher: Henry Holt
Release Date: June 5th 2012
Source: ARC for Review (Thanks Macmillan)
Rating: 4.5
Buy:

Summary:



Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart

Review:

I don't think I've read something as strange and awesome as Shadow and Bone. I can honestly say that I have never read anything quite like it. I'm new to the high fantasy genre, and if others in this genre are a great and unique as this one than I will have to read them all. Shadow and Bone was extremely well done!

What a great way for Leigh Bardugo to debut! Will an imagination this vast and writing and story telling skills this great she will no doubt go far with her writing career. The world of the Grisha is epic, with the shadow-fold and the frightful creatures that hide in its darkness I was drawn in so far that I just didn't want to come out. To top it all off Grisha powers are pretty kick-ass, I wish I had some of those.

Alina started off as an okay character, but as she learnt about her powers and how to use them I grew to love her. Her powers are pretty neat as well, but I won't tell you what they are you will have to find out for yourself. I really loved her bestfriend Mal, especially as their friendship leaned towards something more towards the end. Even though the Darkling is the bad guy of the story I loved him as well he had some nice sensitive sides with Alina in the book.

As first I was a bit confused with the odd words used in Shadow and Bone to describe the world and didn't types of Grisha and what exactly their powers were. Eventually I did learn them, they are just words I have never seen before and their were so many I kept having to flip back to the Grisha guide at the front of the book. That guide was very helpful. Once you get used to and understand the world of Ravka, you will no doubt fall in love with all the characters, and the world of Grisha. This book is seriously amazing, and I need book two now. I'm am ecstatic to be apart of the blog tour coming up, look out for an interview with Leigh in mid June.