Tag Archives: young adult

Review: Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder

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Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder

Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder
Series: Healer #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: December 18th 2012
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback

Hunted, Killed—Survived?

As the last Healer in the Fifteen Realms, Avry of Kazan is in a unique position: in the minds of her friends and foes alike, she no longer exists. Despite her need to prevent the megalomanical King Tohon from winning control of the Realms, Avry is also determined to find her sister and repair their estrangement. And she must do it alone, as Kerrick, her partner and sole confident, returns to Alga to summon his country into battle.

Though she should be in hiding, Avry will do whatever she can to support Tohon’s opponents. Including infiltrating a holy army, evading magic sniffers, teaching forest skills to soldiers and figuring out how to stop Tohon’s most horrible creations yet; an army of the walking dead—human and animal alike and nearly impossible to defeat.

War is coming and Avry is alone. Unless she figures out how to do the impossible … again.

Maria freaking V. Snyder does it again! Scent of Magic is another excellent book in the Healer series, which I am totally in love with. Maria V. Snyder does fantasy so perfectly–if you’re looking to read a fantasy book, you must read Maria V. Snyder. And oh my, Scent of Magic was just too good.

To be honest, I was a bit worried, because in the blurb, it says “And she must do it alone, as Kerrick, her partner and sole confident, returns to Alga to summon his country into battle.” When I saw that, I went NOOOO, because I adore Kerrick, and I wanted more of him and Avry. They FINALLY got together at the very end of Touch of Power, and it made be so happy. But it’s not only the romance I love about them. The author writes them in a way that is so perfect–it’s the way they work together, how they’re so kickass and strong independently and together that really appeals to me. The Healer series is not a romance, but a fantasy book with romance in it. Which is perfect for me!

Okay, okay, back to me being worried. Was I worried? Yes. Did I need to be worried? Absolutely not. Imagine my surprise when I saw after chapter one the word KERRICK at the top of the page! Yes, we get Kerrick’s POV! Technically, it’s third person, but who cares? We get to see Kerrick’s side of the story, since he and Avry don’t get to physically be together. Avry is believed to be dead by everyone, and only Kerrick knows differently. And they have to use this advantage to fight against Tohon, the evil, intriguing megalomaniac. Avry must go back to find her sister while Kerrick must go to meet up with Prince Ryne to make battle plans.

I loved reading Kerrick’s POV, and learning more about him since we didn’t get very much in the first book. I like the way he thinks, the clever way he plans everything. He’s a very straightforward man, and his top priorities are Avry and helping Prince Ryne defeat Tohon. He makes me swoon so freaking hard. Love this man.

Avry is equally fantastic as well. While trying to make amends with her sister, Avry disguises herself and joins Estrid’s army (who is an ally of Ryne). She integrates herself into the soldiers’ lives, becoming familiar with them, and even developing friendships. Avry also has to teach these soldiers how to successfully move about silently while out on the battlefield. I was glad to see that Avry and Kerrick still managed to be grow independently, and does a lot of growth in this second novel. I admired her even more–she can heal people and fight people with her swords!

Scent of Magic is just divine. But fair warning, there is a KILLER cliffhanger at the end! Other than that, this book is definitely not a disappointment for fans of the first book. It’s an excellent sequel, and the plot is just brilliant! Twist after twist that I did not see coming, and there’s non-stop action. 4 hearts!

4-hearts

lacey

Reading Order: Healer series

Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder Taste of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder

#1 ~ Touch of Power: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Scent of Magic: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Taste of Darkness: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

Review: Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder

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Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder

Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder
Series: Healer #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: December 20th 2011
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback

Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.

Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life….

It’s been FOREVER since I’ve read a YA book, and a fantasy one at that, but what better way to get back in the genre than with Maria V. Snyder? I adored Poison Study, which is the only book I’ve ever read from the author, but Maria V. Snyder can do fantasy like no other. Reading Touch of Power just reminded me of how much I love fantasy books. I miss that genre!

As a healer, 20-year-old Avry has the power to take away other people’s injuries, and assume them as her own. If they have a broken bone, she can use her healing magic to fix it back, but she’ll have a broken bone herself. Even dire injuries that are fatal wouldn’t be fatal to Avry because her healing powers improve and speed up her recovery. But as miraculous as her powers are, healers like her have been hunted ever since the devastating plague broke out. Healers couldn’t heal those infected with the plague without dying themselves, which is abnormal. And so Avry has been on the run for 3 years trying to survive, except she gets caught by a group of men who want to use her powers to save a prince who might be able to save the kingdom from being taken over by an evil tyrant.

Avry is a fairly impressive heroine. She’s tough, she’s loyal, and she’s very adamant about using her powers for good. She’s not afraid to take on any illness or injury, no matter how dire, but she refuses to help save Prince Ryne for certain reasons. The gang who kidnaps her (Kerrick, Belen, Flea, Quian, and Loren) try to convince her to change her mind, but ultimately, they force her to travel with them across the land to get to the prince.

I adored Kerrick. The second I read “Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own” from the blurb, I knew there was going to be some tension going on between him and Avry. Kerrick is a cold-hearted man in the beginning of their journey, only wanting to use Avry for her powers, not even viewing her as a person, but as the group travel across dangerous terrain, fighting against enemies and creatures, and fighting for people worth saving, he lets down his defenses. He starts to have a heart (not that he’d let anyone know), but as their leader, he has to be tough and ruthless. And I loved that Maria V. Snyder was able to build up the romance without even focusing on it. And even if there was no romance, I’d still be content with the book, because the plot is just that good!

I loved the other characters as well. The six of them bond through their travels, and they end up building a camaraderie and caring for one another. And sometimes the gang is just hilarious! I admit I was chuckling at parts, because they pick on each other all the time. Their group isn’t just based on duty, but also on friendship.

There’s so much going on in this book, and there are so many twists and turns, and I highly enjoyed it! I love how even though it’s a fantasy book, and there are people with magical powers, all the characters still felt believable. I could connect with Avry, and I really admired her character. Kerrick is freaking awesome, along with the rest of the gang, and there’s a nasty villain who’s complicated and intriguing. The only thing I wasn’t too fond of was the writing. Or should I say Avry’s narration? Either way, it’s didn’t really sound like a 20-year-old woman, but the story was still able hook me in so I overlooked that. Other than that, Touch of Power is a wonderful fantasy novel that I highly recommend to fantasy lovers and non-fantasy lovers alike!

4-hearts

lacey

Reading Order: Healer series

Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder Taste of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder

#1 ~ Touch of Power: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Scent of Magic: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Taste of Darkness: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

Review: Fracture Me by Tahereh Mafi

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Fracture Me by Tahereh Mafi

Fracture Me by Tahereh Mafi
Series: Shatter Me #2.5 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: December 17th 2013
Purchase: Ebook

In this electrifying sixty-page companion novella to the New York Timesbestselling Shatter Me series, discover the fate of the Omega Point rebels as they go up against The Reestablishment. Set during and soon after the final moments of Unravel Me, Fracture Me is told from Adam’s perspective.

As Omega Point prepares to launch an all-out assault on The Reestablishment soldiers stationed in Sector 45, Adam’s focus couldn’t be further from the upcoming battle. He’s reeling from his breakup with Juliette, scared for his best friend’s life, and as concerned as ever for his brother James’s safety. And just as Adam begins to wonder if this life is really for him, the alarms sound. It’s time for war.

On the battlefield, it seems like the odds are in their favor—but taking down Warner, Adam’s newly discovered half brother, won’t be that easy. The Reestablishment can’t tolerate a rebellion, and they’ll do anything to crush the resistance . . . including killing everyone Adam has ever cared about.

Fracture Me sets the stage for Ignite Me, the explosive finale in Tahereh Mafi’s epic dystopian series. It’s a novella not to be missed by fans who crave action-packed stories with tantalizing romance like Divergent by Veronica Roth, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and Legend by Marie Lu.

Fracture Me was… okay. I mean, I really liked it, but Adam just got really annoying sometimes. The novella takes place at the same time as near the ending of Unravel Me, when Warner has escaped, and everyone at Omega Point is planning an attack on The Reestablishment. Juliette is freaked, which makes Adam freaked, Kenji has just woken up from almost dying supposedly because of Juliette, and Adam has to take care of his little brother.

I was really hoping this novella would make me like Adam more. He started turning really, and I mean really, whiny in Unravel Me. That wasn’t the main reason why I switched to Team Warner

I love warner

because Warner does just fine on his own (SQUEEEEE I love Warner so freaking much). I was just hoping that Fracture Me would change my mind about Adam the same way the previous novella, Destroy Me, changed my mind about Warner. And I guess it kind of did. I like Adam more as a brother to James than as a love interest for Juliette.

In Fracture Me, it’s all about James vs. Juliette, which is not okay. I didn’t like how Adam had to choose between his brother and his love.

But Tahereh Mafi’s writing is flawless as always, and she builds up the tension and intensity of the war so well. And that sneak peek of Ignite Me? Yeah, that was my favorite part of the book. I suppose it’s not absolutely necessary to read Fracture Me, unlike Destroy Me, where we get a lot more info and a different perspective than just the rebels, but for fans of the series, or for those on Team Adam, you should give Fracture Me a go.

4-hearts

lacey

Reading Order: Shatter Me series

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi
Fracture Me by Tahereh Mafi Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi Untie Me by Tahereh Mafi

#1 ~ Shatter Me: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Goodreads
#1.5 ~ Destroy Me: Ebook • Goodreads
#2 ~ Unravel Me: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Goodreads
#2.5 ~ Fracture Me: My Review • Ebook • Goodreads
#3 ~ Ignite Me: My Review • Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Goodreads
Unite Me (paperback bundle of Destroy Me & Fracture Me): Paperback • Goodreads

Review: World After by Susan Ee

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World After by Susan Ee

World After by Susan Ee
Series: Penryn & the End of Days #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: November 19th 2013
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback

In this sequel to the bestselling fantasy thriller, Angelfall, the survivors of the angel apocalypse begin to scrape back together what’s left of the modern world.

When a group of people capture Penryn’s sister Paige, thinking she’s a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. Paige disappears. Humans are terrified. Mom is heartbroken.

Penryn drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for Paige. Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels’ secret plans where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go.

Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can’t rejoin the angels, can’t take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose?

*There will be spoilers for those who haven’t read Angelfall!*

Susan Ee does it again! I fell in love with World After, and with Penryn and Raffe all over again. Oh, how much I love this series. Angelfall was absolutely genius and World After doesn’t disappoint. It’s got everything that I loved in Angelfall–a kickass heroine, a fascinating world, a badass, swoony angel, and an intensity that hooks you in and blows your mind.

After I read Angelfall, I wanted to get my hands on World After so freaking bad, but nope, I had to wait nearly a year for it to release. And Angelfall having a cliffhanger that nearly killed me certainly didn’t help with the wait. But now.. the time has come. I’ve finally read World After, and all I can say is… I WANT MORE. I loved World After, but I couldn’t believe it when I finished. I never wanted it to end. It was gorgeously written, and the characters are so real and relatable (I’m excluding the angels of course). The only bad part about World After was that it didn’t have Raffe in it as much as I’d have liked.

Alright, listen up. If you’re expecting World After to be a romance where Penryn and Raffe end up happily ever after–don’t. Because in the devastating world they live in, you don’t get happily ever afters, especially if you’re an angel and a human. As much as you wish they’d get together…

“Stay with me,” says a familiar masculine whisper from above my head. Even over the yelling of the mob and the roaring of the waves, something unfurls in my chest at the sound of that voice.

Sniffles. Yeah, okay I’m one of those readers who want Raffe and Penryn to have their own HEA, but I’m still perfectly content with the way Susan Ee is taking their story. World After mainly focuses on Penryn and her sister, Paige. Paige is an abomination now and Penryn doesn’t know how to deal with that. She’s terrified that Paige has lost her humanity, but it’s clear that Paige is frightened and terrified of what she’s become. Paige is run off by those who only see her as a monster, and once again, Penryn goes out in search for her.

I love Penryn. She’s awesome and kickass and fiesty and protective of those she loves. And she’s hilarious. I found myself laughing just as much as I did in Angelfall because of her. Penryn’s tough and brave, and she’s not afraid to go after Paige. She has to deal with killer angels and nasty, scorpion-like creatures, one of which had almost killed her at the end of Angelfall, leading Raffe to believe she died, and it’s so gripping and exhilarating to read. I was always at the edge of my seat, worried for Penryn and how she’d get out of situations alive.

As for Raffe, he’s still searching for his wings. His bat wings have caused the other angels to shun him, and he’s out for revenge on Beliel, the angel who stole his wings. We get glimpses of his past through his sword, which Penryn has, but unfortunately, Raffe doesn’t have a big part of the book until later on. And oh. my. goodness. I was squealing so hard when he and Penryn finally see each other again. I mean, come on, Raffe thought she was dead, and he was devastated over it. And it was such a relief to see them together again. They honestly belong with each other. They’re perfect together, they work well together, and their bantering is always so hilarious.

Okay, one more for the Raffe fans:

“Let go,” I say into his ear. Raffe holds me tighter like there’s no room for discussion.

World After is an incredible sequel to Angelfall. The ending isn’t nearly as bad as Angelfall’s, thank god, but I’m still eagerly awaiting the third book. I’m not sure if the series is a trilogy or not, but please Susan Ee, don’t make me wait long! This series is an absolute favorite, and I can’t recommend it enough!

5 hearts!

5-hearts

lacey

Reading Order: Penryn & the End of Days series

Angelfall by Susan Ee World After by Susan Ee End of Days by Susan Ee

#1 ~ Angelfall: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ World After: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ End of Days: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

Blog Tour + Review & Giveaway: Undertow by K.R. Conway

Posted in 3 hearts, Blog Tours, Giveaways, Reviews by

undertow blog tour bannerClick the banner to see the rest of the tour stops!

Undertow by K.R. Conway

Undertow (Undertow #1) by K.R. Conway
Release Date: 10/18/13
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Luckless Eila is unknowingly the last of her kind: Rare. Gifted. Breakable. Stunning Raef is her kind’s historic enemy: Soulless. Lethal. Lost. A legendary death 160 years before would set their lives to collide, forcing a beautiful killer to become a savior, a simple wallflower to become a warrior, and ruthless destiny to become a death sentence.

SUMMARY:
High school senior Eila Walker knows that good luck skips over her like an Easter Bunny on Speed. So when she inherits her grandmother’s million-dollar Cape Cod home, she is downright shocked. And yeah, her new town isn’t perfect: the cheerleaders are heinous clones, the local undertow can kill ya, and her Great Grams was supposedly fried by lightning in the harbor square. Still, Eila is hopeful her luckless days are in the past . . . until history decides to repeat itself.

A self-proclaimed loner and previous-social reject, Eila thinks she’s hit the jackpot when drool-worthy Raef O’Reilly becomes her friendly, yet weirdly protective shadow. But being hauled beneath the waves by an unnatural undertow slams the brakes on bliss – especially when Raef storms to her aid with coal-black eyes and iron-like strength.

Eila, entirely freaked, demands an explanation and Raef comes clean, revealing that neither of them are average humans but rather the genetic remnants of an angelic pissing-match gone wrong. Eila supposedly can channel the power of human souls, while Raef is quite adept at stealing them. Even worse, the legend about her ancestor isn’t such a myth, since Eila’s grandmother was one kick-ass warrior until her lightning-like power backfired. A power that is written all over Eila’s DNA.

Now sought by Raef’s own family for her destructive ability, Eila must trust him to watch her back. But when a quest for information goes terribly wrong, Eila is suddenly left with only two options: become a weapon for the enemy or follow in her Gram’s fearless footsteps to save those she loves. Unfortunately she needs a willing enemy to ignite her suicidal energy and the only one she trusts has been guarding her butt and scorching her lips.

Buy Links:
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Kobo

What readers are saying:

WOrkS of FiCTioN – “All in all Undertow is a great book that not only keeps you guessing, but doesn’t let you set it down. I loved the characters and their interactions and definitely hoping for a continuation of their story.”

Reading Diva – “This series takes paranormal somewhere I haven’t been as a reader and I can’t wait to spend more time at the Cape or wherever Eila’s journey takes her. Do I recommend this book? Yes, Yes, Yes, and YES!” (TOP PICK winner)

Book Talks by the Library Lady – “I could not put this one down!  Even when I needed to put it down, I had to almost immediately pick it back up.  It took mere hours for me to read this entire book and I am truly ticked that Eila’s next story won’t be published until July 2014.  I don’t want to wait for this story to continue! This is an addictive read.”

review

Undertow surprised me, but in a very good way! There was a little of everything–an intriguing world with strange, fascinating beings, a sweet romance, and an edge-of-your-seat mystery. I enjoyed reading this book, and though I didn’t connect much with the characters, I found the story very interesting and the twists and turns kept me hooked and guessing.

Eila Walker has inherited an enormous, beautiful house in Cape Cod from a mysterious benefactor. She and her guardian move to the new house, and Eila has to attend a new school. She makes friends with a jokester named M.J., and his friend Ana. And on the first day of school, she meets a mysterious, gorgeous boy named Raef. She and Raef have a connection with one another, but Eila doesn’t know what to make of it, while Raef seems to know what’s going on between them, and he seems to be more than he is.

Undertow had a slightly vampire-themed feel to it, in that there this secretive mystery surrounding Raef, but luckily, Undertow is not a vampire book, and we don’t have to wait long to find out what Raef–and Eila–truly is. Raef is what’s known as a Mortis, a soul-sucking creature, and Eila is a descendent of the Lunaterra, beings that are meant to fight the Mortis. So Raef and Eila are meant to be enemies (star-crossed lovers!) and their relationship has a forbidden feel to it, but they make it, or at least try to make it work anyways. They grow to care and love each other, and Raef is very protective of Eila in the sweetest way.

The paranormal part of the story really intrigued me. It’s the usual good vs. evil, but I really liked how K.R. Conway played it out. I couldn’t guess what would happen next, and the tension and mystery built up very nicely. Overall, Undertow is a good paranormal read, and I’ll be looking forward to the sequel.

3-hearts

lacey

about the author

K.R. ConwayI have been a journalist for 15 years and serve on the Board of Directors for the Cape Cod Writers Center. I also drive a 16-ton school bus because I am ENTIRELY NUTS.

In addition to working jobs that should come with a warning label , I hold a BA in Psychos (Forensic Psych), torment the tourists about Jaws, and occasionally jump from the Town Neck bridge in an attempt to reclaim my youth.

I live on Cape Cod with two smallish humans who apparently are my kids, my fishing- obsessed husband, two canines (adept at both flatulence and snoring), and a cage-defiant lovebird that sleeps in a miniature tent. Nope – that’s not a type-o. The bird is quite the indoor camper.

Website • Goodreads • Twitter • Facebook

giveaway

2 – Signed print copies of Undertow (US only)
1 – ebook of Undertow (INT)

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