Henge (Le Fay #1) by Realm Lovejoy BLOG TOUR -- REVIEW, GIVEAWAY!!!

Henge by Realm Lovejoy

(Le Fay #1)
Publication date: November 11th 2014
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Modern-day Camelot. Where knights no longer carry swords. Magic is dangerous. And those who seek control are not to be trusted.

Sixteen-year-old Morgan le Fay is a fire user. An ordinary girl with an extraordinary skill, she has the ability to create and command fire at will. Her dream is to become the Maven—the right hand of the future King Arthur. In the chance of a lifetime, Morgan is selected to join Arthur’s Round, an elite group of young magic users from which the new Maven will be chosen.

Along with the other fire, water, and wind users in Arthur’s Round, Morgan is rigorously trained and tested. The handsome Merlin, a brilliant water user, takes a particular interest in her. Is his friendship to be trusted, or is Merlin simply trying to win the position of Maven for himself? Among the many rivals Morgan faces is the current Maven, Mordred, who seems determined to see her fail.

But Morgan has a secret—years ago, her mother was executed for using fire magic, and Morgan’s desire for justice makes her more than ready to take on the challenge before her. Can she prevail in Camelot’s tests of survival and magic? Only time—and Morgan’s powerful fire—will tell.

_________

“Camelot meets Hogwarts meets Panem in this intriguing, well-written beginning to a planned YA series.”–Kirkus Reviews

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23151530-henge?ac=1

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qoGAE2s8RE

Purchase:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Henge-Fay-Book-Realm-Lovejoy-ebook/dp/B00PBV1HKK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416855764&sr=8-1&keywords=Henge+Realm+Lovejoy

AUTHOR BIO:

Realm Lovejoy is an American writer and an artist. She grew up in both Washington State and the Japanese Alps of Nagano, Japan. Currently, she lives in Seattle and works as an artist in the video game industry. CLAN is her first book. You can find out more about her and her book at realmlovejoy.com

Author links:

http://www.realmlovejoy.com/index2.php#/home/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7339930.Realm_Lovejoy

https://www.facebook.com/authorrealmlovejoy

https://twitter.com/realmlovejoy

Review

       It's hard to find a good Arthurian retelling these days - even harder to find one that's a MODERN retelling of the well-known legends.  Realm Lovejoy's Henge, the first in a series about a teenaged Morgan Le Fay, is both of these things.  I started reading this book and was immediately drawn in by Morgan who seems like such a good girl, living in an isolated area with her overprotective father Gorlois, who has been told to hide her elemental ability with fire most of her life.  At least, she's been hiding her abilities ever since her mother was executed for the murder of her husband using her abilities.  But it's Morgan's dream to one day be Maven (basically main advisor) to Arthur once he's on the throne, like her Grandfather was to the Prince's grandfather.  So Morgan sneaks away to compete for a place in the trials for Arthur's Round, whom the Maven will ultimately be chosen from.  Even competing with a forged license and against her father's wishes, Morgan is chosen to participate in the competition.  But does she even have any chance of winning when the man who convicted her Mother, the current Maven, Mordred, seems to be blocking her at every turn?  And when some very fishy incidents involving the other candidates (including her friend Guinevere, and rival Merlin) and near death experiences seem to point towards illegal magic usage, Morgan may be fighting for more than just Maven - she might be fighting for her very life...

       Morgan was such an easily connectable main character.  She loves her father and still misses her mother, even after all these years.  She just wants a chance to prove that she's not going to make the same mistakes her mother, Morgause, did and to renew her family's legacy.  Morgan starts to really come into her own once she's competing in Arthur's Round, really learning to control the fire and do things with it she never imagined.  I liked that Lovejoy put Mordred in a position of power, and in opposition of Morgan, especially considering that in the legends he's her son!  It was an interesting dynamic, almost verging on complete role reversal.  Morgan's the one trying to take over Mordred's position of power, instead of helping him depose Arthur.  The take on elemental magic was interesting and the conspiracy involving some of the other candidates, along with the iffy-ness of Merlin's honesty/innoncence in the incidents makes things even more interesting.  But probably my favorite things about this book were: Morgan's friendship with Guinevere, who has a healing ability (I have NEVER seen them represented as friends before in ANY retelling!), the twist near the end about what really happened the night Morgan's mother murdered her husband (never saw it coming) and the prophecy/visions Morgan has for her future.  Not going to say anymore because I don't want to spoil it, but I really enjoyed this book!  Can't wait to read what happens next and I'm really excited for Morgan's further adventures.  I highly recommend it!

VERDICT:  4/5  Stars

*An ebook copy of this book was provided via the author and Xpresso Book Tours, in exchange for an honest review.  No money or favors were exchanged.  This book was published November 11th, 2014.*

GIVEAWAY

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I Walked With You, Once Upon a Dream

Expected Publication:  February 24th, 2015

A Wicked Thing

By: Rhiannon Thomas

HarperTeen

ISBN-13:  9780062303530

One hundred years after falling asleep, Princess Aurora wakes up to the kiss of a handsome prince and a broken kingdom that has been dreaming of her return.  All the books say she should be living happily ever after.  But as Aurora understands all too well, the truth is nothing like the fairy tale.

Her family is long dead.  Her "true love" is a kind stranger.  And her whole life has been planned out by political foes while she slept.

As Aurora struggles to make sense of her new world, she begins to fear that the curse has left its mark on her, a fiery and dangerous thing that might be as wicked as the witch who once ensnared her.  With her wedding day drawing near, Aurora must make the ultimate decision on how to save her kingdom: marry the prince or run.

Review

       This book was a bit of an oddball in terms of fairy tale retellings.  We all know the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty, who was awakened by true love's kiss and lived happily ever after.  In reality, Aurora woke up confused and frightened, with everyone she ever knew long dead and buried.  Now she's expected to marry a young Prince that she doesn't even know (just because he woker her up) and be a pawn in the political games of the people sitting on what used to be her parents' thrones.  Can Aurora manage to stay alive and get her happy ending?  Or will her whole world go up in flames before all is said and done?  I didn't mind that she was weak, confused and frightened at first.  It made absolute sense and was really realistic, in terms of how someone would really feel waking up 100 years after being put in a cursed sleep!  I felt almost as bad for Prince Rodric as I did for Aurora, being used as a pawn by his father, a cruel King, who wants to stay in power even with Aurora awake and able to rule her kingdom.  I liked that everything was in shades of gray.  Practically every character was morally ambiguous and this was really a story without heroes/heroines.  It was dark in a way that rang true.

       That said, it also felt like nothing happened till the very end of the book.  Now knowing that it's a planned trilogy (didn't know that, or I wouldn't have bothered reading it), it makes more sense to me.  This book was the build-up, the bare bones of a story that will (maybe) be fleshed out into something solid in the next two books.  But reading it while thinking it was a stand alone, it definitely fell short.  It was basically just a bunch of asshole-ish royalty (and some rebels) entertaining/threatening/messing with each other, until it turned to bloodshed and a "climax" to the action.  I did like that Aurora had a strength she wasn't aware of and the ongoing situation with the sorceress Celestine was intriguing (if bare bones, like everything and everyone else).  Probably my least favorite thing about this novel was the way it dragged on and on.  If it hadn't been written in such an easy-to-read way, I definitely would have quit it long before the ending.  Also, three possible love interest?  A love triangle isn't enough, now it has to be a LOVE SQUARE???!!!  At least the romance was basically non-existent - yet another of the few things saving this book for me.  Overall, not the worst thing I ever read, but also far off from the best.  I won't be bothering with the sequel.  To be frank the thought of reading it bores me.

VERDICT:  2/5  Stars

*I  received this book from HarperTeen, on Edelweiss.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book was published on February 24th, 2015.*

Witches of East End (The Beauchamp Family #1)

Published:  June 21st, 2011

Witches of East End (The Beauchamp Family #1)

By: Melissa De La Cruz

Disney-Hyperion

ISBN-13:  9781401323905

The three Beauchamp women -- Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid -- live in North Hampton, out on the tip of Long Island.  Their beautiful, mist-shrouded town seems almost stuck in time, and all three women lead seemingly quiet, uneventful existences.  But they are harboring a mighty secret -- they are powerful witches banned from using their magic.  Joanna can resurrect people from the dead and heal the most serious of injuries.  Ingrid, her bookish daughter, had the ability to predict the future and weave knots that can solve anything from infertility to infidelity.  And finally, there's Freya, the wild child, who has a charm or a potion that can cure most any heartache.

For centuries, all three women have been forced to suppress their abilities.  But then Freya, who is about to get married to the wealthy and mysterious Bran Gardiner, finds that her increasingly complicated romantic life makes it more difficult than ever to hide her secret.  Soon Ingrid and Joanna confront similar dilemmas, and the Beauchamp women realize they can no longer hide their true selves.  They unearth their wands from the attic, dust off their broomsticks, and begin casting spells on the townspeople.  It all seems like a bit of good-natured, innocent magic, but then mysterious, violent attacks begin to plague the town.  When a young girl disappears over the Fourth of July weekend, they realize it's time to uncover who and what dark forces are working against them.

Review

       I was never intitally interested in reading this series when it first came out, especially since I quit Melissa's Blue Bloods series by book #4.  Her writing in the past had never impressed me and I didn't even care to try.  Then I checked out Season One of the Lifetime TV show, based on these books, from my library.  I got addicted to the show within just one episode (and took my younger brother right along with me :p) and decided that I should stop being ass-backwards and just give the book a shot already!  This being the first in the series, I wasn't expecting much beyond the normal fluff, world-building and character introductions.  Maybe I enjoyed it as much as I did because I was picturing the wonderfult characters from the TV show.  But I was suprised by just how much I did happen to enjoy this particular bit of fluff!

       We get to see each chapter from a different Beauchamp woman's perspective.  Therefore we get insights into the minds of Freya, Ingrid, and their mother, Joanna.  All of them are immortal witches who have been banned by a council from using their powers, after an incident in Puritan-era Salem.  We aren't told exactly what happened, but are able to gather that it was verging on catastrophic.  The ladies are happy in North Hampton, with Ingrid working at the library and having a possible romance on the horizon with the handsome police detective, Matt Noble, and Freya on the cusp of marriage to wealthy Bran Gardiner.  But something is always missing from their lives.  The pull of magic becomes too strong to resist and they start using again,  Freya starts mixing magical drinks at the bar where she works.  Ingrid starts weaving knots to help people with their problems, doing an open hour at the library when people can come to her.  And Joanna is just using magic to amuse their housekeeper's little boy, who reminds her of her own lost son, Frederick.  

     A lot of people complain that nothing really happens in this book and it is a slow burn, I will admit.  Especially since there is seemingly nothing for them to discover.  Unlike on the TV show, Ingrid and Freya are not continuously reborn/reincarnated and they know about their powers.  It's very much about the daily monotony of life and the choices the women make for their lives.  But a chain of events is set off when Freya sleeps with Bran's brother, Killian, at their engagement party.  Another chain starts when the girls start using their powers.  It all culminates in a girl's disappearance and the start of a witch hunt by people who had previously revered the Beauchamp's recently revealed powers.  The book ends in an answer to the mystery, but opens more questions with a startling mythological revelation.  Let's just say that the witches aren't necessarily witches, but something far more ancient and powerful.  I will not say anything else so as not to spoil, but while I do think the TV show is surprisingly better done, this was a quick and fun, fluffy read.  I'd recommend to those who like a bit of candy-floss now and then.

VERDICT:  3.5/5  Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

I Am Yao, King of the Rock (Not Really, but Whatever)

Published:  February 9th, 2010

Finnikin of the Rock (Lumatere Chronicles #1)

By: Melina Marchetta

Candlewick Press

ISBN-13:  9780763643614

At the age of nine, Finnikin is warned by the gods that he must sacrifice a pound of flesh to save his kingdom.  He stands on the rock of three wonders with his friend Prince Balthazar and Balthazar's cousin, Lucian, and together they mix their blood to save Lumatere.

But all safety is shattered during the five days of the unspeakable, when the king and queen and their children are brutally murdered in the palace.  An imposter seizes the throne, a curse binds all who remain inside Lumatere's walls, and those who escape are left to roam the land as exiles, dying by the thousands in fever camps.

Ten years later, Finnikin is summoned to another rock -- to meet Evanjalin, a young novice with a startling claim: Balthazar, heir to the throne of Lumatere, is alive.  This arrogant young woman claims she'll lead Finnikin and his mentor, Sir Topher, to the Prince.  Instead, her leadership points them perilously toward home.  Does Finnikin dare believe that Lumatere might one day rise united?  Evanjalin is not what she seems, and the startling truth will test Finnikin's faith not only in her but in all he knows to be true about himself and his destiny.

Review

     I have only read one of Marchetta's books before this, a contemporary called Looking for Alibrandi, and while I liked it, I was by no means in love with it.  I didn't really know what to expect from a high fantasy written by her.  But a good portion of my Goodreads friends and fellow groupmates in my one active corner of the internet were mentioning it a fair bit.  This made me curious and I really do love me some well-written, deeply developed fantasy.  If I step into a book and the world catches my attention, I like to stay and visit for awhile.  So I figured this might be the one to get me out of my reading slump.  I actually think I may have been right, if not for the reasons I originally thought.

     Finnikin is the son of Captain Trevannion of the Royal Guard and best friends with the royal children.  Making a blood pact with Prince Balthazar and his cousin, Lucian of the Mont people, the boys vow to protect Lumatere to the death.  Then five days of unspeakable horror come to Lumatere, during which the entire royal family is slaughtered, Finnikin's father is imprisoned, many of the people become exiles, and a curse is laid upon the land.  Ten years later, Finnikin along with his mentor Sir Topher follow a rumor to a sort of convent (can't remember the exact word they called it), looking for information about Prince Balthazar possibly being alive.  What they get instead is Evanjalin, a mysterious novice, who claims to walk the sleep of the people of Lumatere.  She claims she has been chosen for the King and will lead them to him.  Of course nothing is really that simple, and Evanjalin is hiding secrets of her own.  Can they unite the people of Lumatere, break the curse, and restore the rightful heir to the throne?  Or will they kingdom continue to lay in ruin, destroyed by the horrors of the past?

     I think my biggest problem with this book was that it had so much potential.  The characters were well developed, with Finnikin especially taking center stage and garnering the interest of me as a reader.  I didn't quite like him, but I could understand his motivations.  Evanjalin, is a girl who has a purpose.  She has suffered great horrors, but it willing to sacrifice everything to make Lumatere right again.  That said, the constant lying, manipulation and flat-out refusal to tell Sir Topher or Finnikin anything got on my everlasting nerve!  Not to mention, she treats them like dirt and speaks to them like they're idiots - when she even speaks to them.  More often than not she just does something seriously dangerous, just expecting to be excused for her reasons, which are always worthwile (*snorts in derision*).  I felt like everything was just a little too smooth.  Yes, there was some struggle along the way, such as breaking Trevannion out of the mines, and when they're attacked by a tribe in Yutland Sud.  But I never felt like anyone was ever really going to die in the process of reinstating the kingdom.  That's strike one.  

     Strike two happened to be that I had already figured out Evanjalin's identity by the time I was even halfway through the book.  A complete lack of the element of suprise in what should have been a major plot twist just had me speed-reading to see how things would end.  The side-story with Lady Beatriss and Trevannion, not to mention the witch Tesadora was probably one of the most interesting things in that interim.  The only things other than that really catching my interest was the growth of Froi, who starts his place in the story as a thief, slave and general scum of the Earth.  By the time the book ends, Froi is loyal to both Evanjalin (who he almost did serious harm to) and Finnikin, pledging himself to Lumatere and learning to better himself.  It was a very stark and realistic character development throughout the course of the book and the characters are definitely where Marchetta shined.  I might not have liked Finnikin (his density towards his destiny annoyed me greatly as it dragged on) or Evanjalin all that much, but they were well-written.  That said, this book is full of action, magic, curses and some serious court/political intrigues - I won't say anymore to try and avoid spoilers.  I recommend it if you're a fan of high fantasy and if you can make it through this one, you'll be after Froi's story next if only to find out what happens.  I got caught in that trap myself.

VERDICT:  3/5  Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

Witch Rhymes With.....

Published:  June 10th, 2014

Hexed (The Witch Hunter #1)

By: Michelle Krys

Delacorte Press

ISBN-13:  9780385743372

If high school is all about social status, Indigo Blackwood has it made.  Sure, her quirky mom owns an occult shop, and a nerd just won't stop trying to be her friend, but Indie is a popular cheerleader with a football-star boyfriend and a social circle powerful enough to ruin everyone at school.  Who wouldn't want to be her?

Then a guy dies right before her eyes.  And the dusty old family Bible her mom is freakishly possessive of is stolen.  But it's when a frustratingly sexy stranger named Bishop enters Indie's world that she learns her destiny involves a lot more than pom-poms and parties.  If she doesn't get the Bible back, every witch on the planet will die.  And that's seriously bad news for Indie, because according to Bishop, she's a witch too.

Suddenly forced into a centuries-old war between witches and sorcerers, Indie's about to uncover the many dark truths about her life -- and a future unlike any she ever imagined on top of the cheer pyramid.

Review

     This book started out weird, but it had some potential.  The main character, Indigo "Indie" Blackwood, is a beautiful, popular high school cheerleader.  Her biggest problem right now is her competitive frenemy Bianca, who may or may not be attempting to steal Indie's hot footballer boyfriend, Devon.  So when some guy seemingly kills himself and Indie witnesses it, things begin to fall out of wack.  He's holding a paper with the address of Indie's family occult shop on it.  But it doesn't mean anything, right?  Then the family Bible is stolen, and it's up to Indie to retrieve it before there are horrific consequences - like end of the world-type consequences!  It turns out that the Bible holds the key to killing witches, and the sorcerers they are at war with would like nothing more than to unlock the secrets.  Since Indie is apparently a witch, it could be her own life on the line.  With the help of Bishop, a hot and mysterious member of "the Family" (the main Witch community heads of power), and her nerdy neighbor Paige, it's up to Indie to save what's left of her family, her own life and the rest of her race.  Can the three of them do it before it's too late?

     Obvious issues with it, but it doesn't sound like it could be all that bad, right?  WRONG!!!  What starts out with the basic threads to lead into a coherent and more detailed plot, devolves into a complete and total train wreck.  Indie herself displays almost constant stupidity after finding out about the reality of magic, witches and the evil sorcerers after the family Bible and by association, her.  She keeps rushing headlong into dangerous and intense situations, under the guise of stubbornness when really she's just too dumb to reason out a better solution.  Both of the guys Indie is involved with are sexist, asshole pigs.  Devon cheats on her with her "best" friend Bianca, and then has the gall to ask her to go to Homecoming with him, just because they already had plans!  And Bishop, the "mysterious" bad-boy type, is a dickwad to Indie.  He basically talks circles around her, neglects to actually explain anything about being a witch and makes fun of her at every opportunity he gets (for being a cheerleader, her clothes, the way she talks, even the girl her boyfriend chooses over her).  And this d-bag is someone I'm supposed to like?  Not mention his tattoo of naked Betty Boop on his neck.  What a f**king pervert.  The love triangle later on with a girl named JEZEBEL (yes, you read that right! NO SUBTLETY!) just worsens my opinion of all these characters, if you can even call them that.

      The battles with the sorcerer henchmen are a pathetic cluster fuck, and even the scene when SPOILER Indie's mom is put into a movie screen and killed by a savage tiger SPOILER was more of a WTF confusion moment than anything else.  The mythology of the witches was convoluted and attempted some genealogical, DNA explanation that made about zero sense to me (not that I'm all that scientifically knowledgeable - but my 10th grade Bio education calls bullshit on this one).  Also, the revelations about her Mom's witch status and her irresponsible Aunt Penny's, made no sense in the context they were used.  The fact of what Aunt Penny was hiding made no sense - unless she's evil.  Probably what will happen in the next book.  Not to mention, "Hey guys, I know you've been looking for the SPESHUL BIBLE THINGY but it's an EFFING DECOY!!!  The only character I didn't want to drop kick in this book was Paige, who was way too nice to Indie, who was obviously using her for her own gain.  And also, a fucking Jay-Z concert?  Why not just a freaking dinner-movie date?  Or something that was, y'know, in the realm of actual believability?  I'm going to stop here, although the scenes with the magic and their pitiful plotting and description (i.e. next to none) take the cake.  I am only marking this as high as I am because of the fact that I finished it.  Won't be torturing myself further.

VERDICT:  1/5  Stars

**I  received this book from Delacorte Books, on NetGalley.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book was published June 10th, 2014.**

Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?

Published:  September 30th, 2010
Dust City
By: Robert Paul Weston
Razorbill
ISBN-13:  9781595142962

When your dad is the wolf who killed Little Red Riding Hood, life is no fairy tale.

Henry Whelp is a Big Bad Wolf.  Or will be, someday.  His dad is doing time for the double murder of Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother so everyone assumes crime is in Henry's blood.  For years, he's kept a low profile in a Home for Wayward Wolves on the outskirts of Dust City -- a gritty metropolis known for its black market, mind-altering dust.  And the entire population of foxes, ravens, and hominids are hooked.  But it's not just any dust the creatures of this grim underground are slinging and sniffing.  It's fairydust.

When a murder at the Home forces Henry to escape, he begins to suspect his Dad may have been framed.  With a daring she wolf named Fiona by his side, Henry travels into the dark alleyways and cavernous tunnels of Dust City.  There, he'll come face to snout with legendary mobster Skinner and his Water Nixie henchmen to discover what really happened to his father in the woods that infamous night...and the shocking truth about fairy dust.

Review

     In case you didn't get it by the bunches of other reviews on fairy tale infused books on this blog, I'm a bit of a nut for anything involving fairy tales or magic.   So when I saw this book on the shelf at my library, I was intrigued.  The concept of a retelling (in an urban setting, with humans "hominids" and animalia [ravens, foxes, wolves, etc.] as each others' antagonists, mind you) was interesting to say the least.  And Weston does manage to establish a world that is fairly easy for the reader to picture.  He has a great descriptive turn-of-phrase, that really brought things to life for me as a reader.  But there was some slightly annoying repetition of language, and overall stupid decisions, especially on the part of Henry Whelp.  I liked the integration of characters like Jack, the one friend Henry has at the reform school.  Jack is a mischief maker, and obviously some form of the kid from the "Jack and the Beanstalk" story.  The Detective who is always waiting for Henry to slip up (she also put away his Dad) is Detective White, aka Snow White.

      The main story of this book is a mystery of what happened to all the fairies in the land.  They disappeared years ago, and with them went the magic that kept people's lives on track - and their hopes up.  Another mystery interconnected with it is what really happened that night with Red Riding Hood and her Grandma.  Is Henry's father innocent?  Was he coerced by an influence he had no prayer of ever controlling or subverting?  Just what sinister plan do Skinner and his Water Nixies, not to mention the manufacturers of the new, improved "fairydust" have for the city's animalia?  Overall, it was an enjoyable read if you like noir and fairy tales, and don't mind the two being mixed together.  As I saw another reviewer point out, it was far more of a children's book than I'd have liked, in its overall simplicity and slightly too easy character arcs.  The ending is also somewhat loose and left me unsatisfied.  I did enjoy the idea presented, I just wish it would have been better executed.

VERDICT:  3/5  Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

Lurking Around the Corner

Published:  January 28th, 2014

Will O' The Wisp

By: Tom Hammock (Author), Megan Hutchison (Illustrator)

Archaia Entertainment

ISBN-13:  9781936393787

After her parents' accidental death by mushroom poisoning, young Aurora Grimeon is sent to live with her estranged grandfather on Ossuary Isle, deep in the southern swamps.  Joined by her grandfather's pet raccoon Missy, Aurora explores the fog-covered island of graves.  Along the way she meets its sinister residents who care for the tombstones and mausoleums, living out their lives by the strange rules of Hoodoo magic.  When ghostly things start happening out in the swamp and island residents start disappearing, Aurora thrusts herself into the middle of the mystery, uncovering secrets that might be better left buried.

Review

     When Aurora Grimeon's parents die from eating poisonous mushrooms, she is sent to live with the Grandfather she has never met (the only living relative she has), deep in the swamps of the South, on an isolated track of islands.  Aurora feels lonely, with her Grandfather immersed in his research and only a pet raccoon named Missy for company, other than the suspicious and superstitious natives.  She begins to take comfort in the hoodoo rituals of the locals, striking up a relationship with the local Priestess, Mama Noonie, and becomes friends with a local boy as well (possibly more).  However, Aurora's sense of belonging is interrupted by violent, unexplained deaths taking place.  With a connection to the past and surprisingly to her Grandfather's own tragic history, its up to Aurora and Mama Noonie to solve the mystery of who the killer is and how to get rid of him - once and for all.  But can they do it before its too late?

     This whole graphic novel has a very Southern Gothic-style to its artwork, story and overall feel.  I very much enjoyed it and it kept me reading straight from the beginning to the end!  I think what I really enjoyed was how dark and creepy this one was.  The style definitively matched to tone and the plot completely.  The story wasn't the most original of the bunch, with a ghost of a killer being the culprit of the present day murders, but it made sense for this particular book.  Also, I enjoyed the journey to put a stop to his spirit walking the earth and the scenes that showed him talking with the Devil himself.  Probably my biggest regret is that we never do find out if Aurora's young friend (verging on boyfriend), and his family, survive the burning of their home by the spirit.  We see everyone wondering, but then the story skips on to the next point of interest.  Other than that, and an unfinished feeling I had at the end of the book, I really enjoyed myself.  It's one that I think teenagers and people with a slightly morbid streak will appreciate.  

VERDICT:  3.5/5  Stars

*I received this book from Diamond Book Distributors, on NetGalley.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book was published on January 28th, 2014.*

Summoning Forces Beyond Your Control

Expected Publication:  June 24th, 2014

Summoned (Redemption's Heir #1)

By: Anne M. Pillsworth

Tor Teen

ISBN-13:  9780765335890

When the Elder Gods extend an invitation, be wary of the strings attached.

While browsing in a rare book store in Arkham, Sean finds an occult book with an ad seeking an apprentice sorcerer, from a newspaper dated March 21, 1895.  Even more intriguing, the ad specifically requests that applicants reply by email.

Sean's always been interested in magic, particularly the Lovecraftian dark mythology.  Against his best friend Edna's ("call-me-Eddy-or-else") advice, he decides to answer the ad, figuring it's a clever hoax, but hoping that it won't be.  The advertiser, Reverend Redemption Orne, claims to be a master of the occult born more than 300 years ago.  To prove his legitimacy, Orne gives Sean instructions to summon a harmless by useful familiar -- but Sean's ceremony takes a dark turn, and instead he accidentally beckons a bloodthirsty servant to the Cthulhu Mythos god Nyarlathotep.  The ritual is preemptively broken, and now Sean must find and bind the servitor, before it grows too strong to contain.  But strange things are already happening in the town of Arkham.....

Review

     I thought that the premise of this one sounded pretty cool.  A boy answers an ad for a wizard's apprentice, to find out the secret behind the authentically aged piece of newspaper containing it.  The mystery is there, because the ad mentions email which was not invented until over 100 years after the ad was taken out!  I thought to myself, okay, here we go.  A book with some humor and mostly about a modern teenage boy training to become a wizard's apprentice.  I even speculated that it involved time travel (that interesting me slightly more than just a wizard character who is centuries old), which would have been spectacular.  I was unfamiliar with the term "Cthulhu Mythos god" and was sincerely hoping that I would have it explained to my satisfaction, or be so minor to the plot that it didn't matter what it was.  None of my expectations were met in a way that I wanted them to be.

     Being that I am not really a horror aficionado, I can't really compare the mythology in this book to that in the stories of H.P. Lovecraft.  But I can tell that the author draws heavily from him, on the basis that in her book's world, Lovecraft was part of a secret society in the know and just writing the truth.  That is a cool concept and I would have loved it - had I already been a Lovecraft fan, and been in on the history.  The whole plot of this book relies on prior knowledge of terminology and ideas from a mythology that I was not the least bit familiar with (at least in my opinion and reading experience)  and it wasn't really fleshed out in the novel.  I felt like it assumed prior knowledge, and because of that the terminology was vague to me - something that I was never really able to picture all that well in my mind.  Something that might have made this book a better experience for me would have been highly developed and sound characters.  I love characters that are so real they could walk off the page and share a drink with me at the local coffee shop.  That, or a plot that surpasses my need for intimate connections with the main characters (it takes an extremely special kind of book to accomplish this feat).  Keeping that in mind, me being on the outskirts of this very plot driven novel, with characters whose whole lives seem to revolve around the plot, it never really connected.  

     Eddie was only there to scold Sean for contacting some "creep" on the Internet and to annoy the heck out of him.  To be the one-dimensional best friend (although their strong bond is showcased when later on she knows exactly where to find him when he's missing).  I believe the friendship, but it does nothing for me.  Sean's Dad is the "concerned single parent" who also restores stained glass windows.  That's about all there is to him, other than him being a widower who doesn't date and a skeptic of all things magic/supernatural.  His role is parent and skeptic: check mark.  Most of the other characters are fleeting, just there to move along the plot.  Redemption Orne, arguably the most important character other than Sean, is nothing more than an Internet presence, of someone who might be a mentally deluded weirdo just playacting.  Sean is the typical hero, just goofing off and doing things out of curiosity - until it gets him into real trouble and the shit hits the fan.  I never really got to know him as a character though, outside of his mission to bind the servitor, find out the truth about Redemption and become "serious" in regards to messing with the supernatural.  The message of this book seems to be, don't play with fire unless you're ready to be burned.  And it's not a subtle message, with the very serious consequences of Sean's actions on a pet-killing spree across the neighborhood and sucking his own blood.  The action was spotty, the plot dragged in it's odd pacing and the novel was mostly set up for a series.  The disappearing pharmacy and its quirky pharmacist felt like they belonged in a different novel altogether, the one I had initially thought I was going to read (and its not a coincidence they were my favorite part/little fantasy quirk).

     That said, a lot of people would probably adore this book beyond belief.  I am not by any means stating that this book was bad, or does not have its audience somewhere out there.  Hell, Pillsworth probably has a built in curiosity audience in all the Lovecraft fans lurking out there, waiting for a book like this.  It's modern, approachable for a younger audience and has a very dark, science fiction edge to it.  But as someone who self-proclaimedly prefers fantasy to science fiction it just wasn't the book for me.  I thought it was a fantasy book and was highly disappointed.  But I did finish the book and was interested in the resolution of the whole issue Sean caused, so Pillsworth did manage to draw me in regardless of my slight boredom.  Overall, a decent book but not my thing.  Lovecraftians take notice and add to your to-reads.

VERDICT:  3/5  Stars

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication date is June 24th, 2014.*

Sugar and Spice, but Nothing Is Nice

 

Published:  January 7th, 2014

Salt (Salt #1)

By: Danielle Ellison

Entangled Teen

ISBN-13:  9781622663484

 

Penelope is a witch, part of a secret society protecting humans from demon attacks.  But when she was a child, a demon killed her parents -- and stole her magic.  Since then, she's been pretending to be something she's not, using her sister's magic to hide her own loss, to prevent being sent away.

 

When she's finally given the chance to join the elite demon-hunting force, Penelope thinks that will finally change.  With her sister's help, she can squeeze through the tests and get access to the information she needs to find "her" demon.  To take back what was stolen.

 

Then she meets Carter.  He's cute, smart, and she can borrow his magic, too.  He knows her secret -- but he also has one of his own.

 

Suddenly Penelope's impossible quest becomes far more complicated.  Because Carter's not telling her everything, and it's starting to seem like the demons have their own agenda...and they're far too interested in her.

 

Review

 

     It took me A LONG TIME to become invested in this book.  Probably because Penelope is kind of stubborn, stupid and overall annoying for a great portion of this book!  The whole premise of this one, is that Penelope is a witch (part of a secret community of witches) and her sacred duty is to protect the Nons (humans) from demons.  But when Pen was a young child, her parents were killed by a demon who also took away her essence, leaving her without magic.  It should have killed her, but instead it left Pen almost an ordinary human and only able to do magic with family members around to draw power from.  Penelope is absolutely determined to be one of the elite demon hunters prized by her society, since it will give her access to the ritual she needs to restore her essence.  But one problem - without powers she can't pass the tests!  When mysterious fellow witch Carter comes into her life unexpectedly and she is able to draw magic from him, Pen needs to find out why.  Also why are all these demons after her?  Can they discover the truth before it's too late?

     The very first scene of this book, after us learning how important it is to have salt to fight off demons, is Penelope being cornered by one - without any salt, because she forgot it at home!!!  For someone with absolutely ZERO powers, you'd think she'd have a heck of a lot more common sense.  Also, she has a truly asinine need to join the Enforcers and fight against demons.  Every time her Grandma, Grandpa, or younger sister try to reason with her and get her to come to terms with her lack of magic, Pen basically does everything but actually stomp her feet and throw a fit!  She basically sticks her head in the sand and comes up with stupid plans to "work around it," by using her sister's magic secretly so she can pass her tests.  She doesn't seem to think about what will happen afterwards, when she has no one to draw from out in the field, and has to face a demon on her own!  Her family is made up of pretty flat characters, and her sister is especially a cardboard cutout only there when Pen really needs her.  There's a nice moment near the end, when she's forced to tell her boyfriend Thomas the family secret and he breaks up with her.  Then we see a little more depth to Pen's sister - too little, too late though for the most part.

     The whole family secret thing and speshul snowflake reveal of why Penelope is so different from anyone else with no essence, wasn't really all that surprising.  The reluctance of any adult in this book, EVER to listen to reason and do something about the demon crisis also wasn't surprising.  That's what happens when you write a young adult fiction book with NO strong, sensible, capable adult characters and make the teens the end-all-be-all of you fictional world.  They are the only ones able to clean up the mess, even if all they do is make out with each other and fumble the world saving until they barely squeak by.  Carter was nothing special as heroes go, though he was a likeable protagonist and I liked his backstory much more than Penelope's.  But him saving her stupid ass every five seconds from her own inability to THINK BEFORE ACTING got very old.  I'm glad  I didn't DNF, because I truly hate doing that and I did start enjoying myself later in the book.  Near then end it started getting its act together and the cliffhanger left me genuinely curious.  But all said and done, I don't think I'll be reading any further in this series for one reason alone: Penelope.

 

VERDICT:  2/5  Stars

 

*I received this book from Entangled Teen on NetGalley.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book was published on January 7th, 2014.*

Killing Me Softly

Published:  May 7th, 2013

Chantress (Chantress Trilogy #1)

By: Amy Butler Greenfield

Margaret K. McElderry

ISBN-13:  9781442457034

Lucy, shipwrecked on an island at 8, is forbidden to sing by guardian Norrie. On All Hallows Eve 1667, at 15, she sings, and is swept into darkness. She wakes to hear powerful men hunt Chantresses who sing magic into the world. At the Invisible College she finds sanctuary, plots to overthrow the evil Lord Protector, and distrustful scientist-apprentice Nat. Only a Chantress can overcome the Protector, and Lucy is the last in England.

Review

     When Lucy was a small child, she and her Mother went on the run from people hunting their kind.  Lucy was sent to a secluded island, with only her nanny Norrie for company, to protect her.  Now that she is fifteen years old Lucy longs to see other places and meet new people.  Also, she'd like to know what became of her Mother, who she hasn't seen in seven years.  Lucy has been told one thing above all else in her time on the island - not to sing ever, no matter what happens.  The temptation proves too much and after singing on All Hallow's Eve, she finds herself back in England in the middle of a hostile environment.  It turns out that Lucy is the last of the Chantresses and it prophesied to save England from Lord Scargrave and his awful monsters called Shadowgrims.  With the help of a group of intellectuals who have dubbed themselves the Invisible College, and a mysterious, magic-hating apprentice named Nat, Lucy might be able to fulfill her destiny.  But can she stay alive long enough to infiltrate and conquer the evil threatening them all?

     I liked this book a lot.  That is the thing I need to tell all of you first, before I start pointing out the things that bothered me.  It's one of the better historical fiction books that I've read in quite awhile and I really enjoyed how well researched it was.  I may just be a complete nerd, but the historical notes on what was real and what wasn't totally enhanced my reading experience.  I like knowing the origins of things!  That said, let's get down to the nitty gritty of the book itself.  Some series books have the extraordinary power to make you forget they aren't standalone, and build their own complex story just in one part of the series - this isn't one of those books.  The whole thing is pretty mush setup for the rest of the series.  We are introduced to Lucy, Nat, Lord Scargrave, Pennybrygge (the scientist Nat is apprenticed to), Norrie and Lucy's mysterious Godmother.  There is a lot of character development, but Nat's past is pretty shrouded in mystery still.  Throughout the book, Lucy and Nat built a friendship out of initial dislike and distrust (her of his motives, him of her magic) and the tenative beginnings of romance were visible at the end.  Praise be to Ms. Greenfield for staying FAR away from the insta-love trope!  What a relief to not have that be a factor.

     Whereas a lot of the reviews that I've read about this book seem to complain about the lack of action, I feel like the world-building and character strength made up for it in spades.  I don't mind being without consistent periods of action in a book, but the plot needs to make me think a little harder and the good versus evil dynamic has to be awesome.  I felt like with the difference between Wild and Proven Magics, the Shadowgrims existence ( the supernatural elements in general), etc. that it should have been slightly more pulse pounding of a final confrontation.  The 'defeat' of Lord Scargrave was too easy and the whole thing felt really anticlimactic.  Overall, there was a lot to love about this book and I will definitely be reading the next one to get answers to the questions I still have from this one.  But beware, if slow paced novels that are chock full to the brim with detailed world-building and little action aren't your thing, you might want to avoid this one.

VERDICT:  4/5  Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

In A Land Far, Far Away

Published:  June 11th, 2013

Far, Far Away

By: Tom McNeal

Knopf Books for Young Readers

ISBN-13:  9780375849725

It says quite a lot about Jeremy Johnson Johnson that the strangest thing about him isn't even the fact his mother and father both had the same last name. Jeremy once admitted he's able to hear voices, and the townspeople of Never Better have treated him like an outsider since.

After his mother left, his father became a recluse, and it's been up to Jeremy to support the family. But it hasn't been up to Jeremy alone. The truth is, Jeremy can hear voices. Or, specifically, one voice: the voice of the ghost of Jacob Grimm, one half of the infamous writing duo, The Brothers Grimm.

Jacob watches over Jeremy, protecting him from an unknown dark evil whispered about in the space between this world and the next. But when the provocative local girl Ginger Boultinghouse takes an interest in Jeremy (and his unique abilities), a grim chain of events is put into motion.

And as anyone familiar with the Grimm Brothers know, not all fairy tales have happy endings...

Review

 

     Jeremy Johnson Johnson lives in the small town of Never Better.  But things have definitely been better for him, with only his agoraphobic Dad left to take care of him and a Mom that ran off years ago.  Oh, and there's also the fact that he can hear ghosts.  Jeremy's constant companion is Jacob Grimm, one of the famous Brothers Grimm, who didn't pass on when he died.  Instead he's spent all the time since then looking for his brother Wilhelm.  But there is evil lurking in the town of Never Better, the kind only thought to exist in fairy tales.  With the help of Ginger, the girl Jeremy likes, and Jacob Grimm, can Jeremy find a way to defeat evil, win the money to save his family's bookstore and their house - all while staying alive?

     As a bit of a slow starter, I wasn't really all that invested in things at first.  I felt like it took forever for anything to actually happen.  But when it did, it was definitely an interesting ride!  I do like the narrator being Jacob Grimm.  It gave the story an interesting, somewhat outside perspective from Jeremy, Ginger and the other main characters of the novel.  That said, when a story isn't being told in a first person perspective of the main character (for whom you're supposed to be feeling everything and getting attached to) or in third-person omniscient (which allows you to get the emotions in many characters heads, with an overall deeper view) it can cause a serious disconnect from the outcome of what will happen to the characters in the end.  And unfortunately I felt that to a pretty large extent while reading this book.  One of the things that saved it for me was probably that I kept hearing Jim Dale's voice in my head when Grimm was narrating.  The whole quirky, small town with secrets thing drew a Pushing Daisies comparison - in a really awesome way!

     Jeremy to me was the basic, run of the mill, everyman or the stock orphan character.  I did like the fact that he could talk to ghosts and further into the novel I did feel like I got to know him better.  But I still feel like he was a pretty bland character in general.  Ginger was more interesting, because she made her own fun, pulling pranks and overall running amuck through the town.  She reminded me more of a normal teen than Jeremy but she was still fairly clichéd as a character type.  I would say just for lack of character depth or development that this book belongs as a middle grade novel.  But the main plot and the identity of the evil person in Never Better alone make this far too dark to be middle grade.  It definitely falls into YA territory when it comes to that!  All I will say is that while the MCs are starving to death in a hidden room of the person's house, I was still getting over their identity.  Looking back there was foreshadowing, but I kind of passed right over it.  That twist is what made this that much more like a Brothers Grimm fairy tale.

     Overall, I enjoyed reading this book.  I liked what McNeal tried to do with the concept and I feel like he succeeded pretty well.  I can even get past the detached narration, because it makes sense when you think of Jacob Grimm being the ultimate storyteller who is detached himself.  At least until the very end, when he realizes what Jeremy means to him personally and his own journey.  Recommended for younger teens, late middle school or early high school aged.  Or anyone who just likes twisted fairy tales for that matter!

 

VERDICT:  3.5/5  Stars

 



**No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

On Fire, Burning At These Mysteries

 

Published:  September 17th, 2013

The Burning Sky (The Elemental Trilogy # 1)

By: Sherry Thomas

Balzer + Bray

ISBN-13:  9780062207296

 

It all began with a ruined elixir and an accidental bolt of lightning…

Iolanthe Seabourne is the greatest elemental mage of her generation—or so she's being told. The one prophesied for years to be the savior of The Realm. It is her duty and destiny to face and defeat the Bane, the greatest mage tyrant the world has ever known. A suicide task for anyone let alone a sixteen-year-old girl with no training, facing a prophecy that foretells a fiery clash to the death.

Prince Titus of Elberon has sworn to protect Iolanthe at all costs but he's also a powerful mage committed to obliterating the Bane to avenge the death of his family—even if he must sacrifice both Iolanthe and himself to achieve his goal.

But Titus makes the terrifying mistake of falling in love with the girl who should have been only a means to an end. Now, with the servants of the Bane closing in, he must choose between his mission and her life.

 

Review

 

     Iolanthe Seabourne has grown up with only a guardian for love and support, but he has become increasingly addicted to a substance that makes him paranoid and semi-violent.  As an elemental mage she agrees to create the light elixir for a wedding in her village,  but her guardian ruins the elixir when she refuses to bow out.  So she decides to fix it - by calling down lightning into the cauldron!  All Hell breaks loose after she does, forcing Iolanthe to go on the run with the unfamiliar and mysterious Prince Titus of Elborne.  He is also only sixteen and yet their fates are inextricably linked according to his Mother's journal of the psychic visions she had before she died.  Iolanthe is destined to confront the Bane, a magical tyrant, and defeat him with the help of Titus.  First they must outwit all the people hunting them and they start by disguising Iolanthe as a boy and attending boarding school in another dimension, non-magical England, together.  Can Iolanthe really make a difference in the face of evil and most important of all, can she find the courage to even try?

     I really enjoyed this book!  I have a natural aversion to fantasy that is set half in our world and half in another.  When I read it, I enjoy it but convincing me to put my eyes to the page in the first place can be a bit of challenge.  Sherry Thomas generally writes adult romances, so I was kind of surprised to see her cross into the YA side of things - especially YA high fantasy (I shouldn't be though, after Sophie Jordan did the same a few years ago with Firelight).  Her main characters Iolanthe and Titus are both rather mysterious, in that because the book was told in third person we didn't get to know either one of them very deeply.  There was some character development, in that Iolanthe especially learned to accept herself and her abilities, plus the responsibilities inherent with them.  I really appreciated the spotlight on the gradual change between Iolanthe from strangers to reluctant (and somewhat resentful) partners, to friends, to something more.  Characters are something that can make or break a book for me and I think that Sherry Thomas created some pretty great ones.  That said there was a bit of a disconnect on my part for whatever reason, so I still can't claim this as a favorite book.

     The plot was interesting and complex in the world-building aspects, but it was kind of predictable.  I really liked the magically interactive scenes with the Crucible (inter-generational book from Titus' family).  The fairy tales and stories that tested both kids in the book were very well-detailed and realistically creepy.  All the events and life happenings at Eton in London also were very captivating, with the reader holding their breath each time someone almost catches on to fellow boy student Fairfax actually being Iolanthe in disguise!  Probably the biggest plot problem that I had as a reader was the ease with which Sherry dispensed with The Inquisitor, the main evil antagonist of the two teenagers, just as she was about to discover something detrimental about Iolanthe and Titus.  The politics and poisonous environment of Titus' one-day kingdom was interesting, but somewhat unclear in terms of laying out its rules and regulations for me as a reader.  The book moves slowly at first, with bursts of action but once it really picks up the pace it doesn't slow down again until the end.  My favorite part was when Iolanthe was transformed into a canary to attend an event with Titus.  Overall, a very intriguing first foray into the YA world on the part of Sherry Thomas.  I can almost compare my fascination with this book, as flawed as it may be, with my love for Girl of Fire and Thorns.  While it's not quite there in terms of polish, the easy humor and fun mythology of this first book make me excited for the next installment.  Honestly it's worth reading if you're into high fantasy, want something new and can get past the sometimes choppy, jumbled feel of the third person narrative.

 

VERDICT:  3.75/5  Stars

 

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book was published September 17th, 2013.*

Lurking In The Shadows

 

Expected Publication:  September 26th, 2013

Shadows

By: Robin McKinley

Nancy Paulsen Books

ISBN-13:  9780399165795

 

Maggie knows something’s off about Val, her mom’s new husband. Val is from Oldworld, where they still use magic, and he won’t have any tech in his office-shed behind the house. But—more importantly—what are the huge, horrible, jagged, jumpy shadows following him around? Magic is illegal in Newworld, which is all about science. The magic-carrying gene was disabled two generations ago, back when Maggie’s great-grandmother was a notable magician. But that was a long time ago.

Then Maggie meets Casimir, the most beautiful boy she has ever seen. He’s from Oldworld too—and he’s heard of Maggie’s stepfather, and has a guess about Val’s shadows. Maggie doesn’t want to know . . . until earth-shattering events force her to depend on Val and his shadows. And perhaps on her own heritage.

In this dangerously unstable world, neither science nor magic has the necessary answers, but a truce between them is impossible. And although the two are supposed to be incompatible, Maggie’s discovering the world will need both to survive.

Review

 

     It's Maggie's Senior Year of high school and she's determined to enjoy herself.  But with an extremely creepy new Stepfather who seems to be covered in shadows and may or may not be an illegal magician, Maggie is seriously stressed out.  When strange things begin happening and Maggie is drawn into them against her will, can she keep herself and her family safe?  Also, just what dangerous secrets have her friends been keeping from her.  And is magic really gone from her genes, or is Maggie more special than she ever imagined?
     I am a fan of Robin McKinley, but I like her best when she is writing high fantasy books such as her Damar novels The Blue Sword and The Hero and The Crown.  That said, I was excited to be able to read a new novel by her that sounded like a foray into contemporary magic.  This book was far more of an odd cross between science and the most tantalizing hints of magic that McKinley could write, without actually giving us the full-fledged kind I long for as a reader!  I disliked the way I was thrown into the odd terminology that McKinley seemed to have created from thin air.  I'm still not quite sure what cobeys and silverbugs are even a few days after I've finished reading the book.  I felt consistently lost and annoyed at the sink or swim feel of the world-building.  Things did get better as the book progressed, but I had some feelings of confusion up to the very end.  The differences between the different lands (Oldworld = magic, Newworld = science) were interesting and the choice to make one scientific governmentally and the other magical was intriguing.  It built the conflict for the majority of the book, but it wasn't a very active conflict until close to the ending.  Mostly the novel's conflict centers around Maggie and her much misunderstood Stepfather Val for a good portion, until the shit really starts to hit the fan when Maggie shows unexpected talents (won't say anything further on it!).   
     I think the strongest thing about this novel was the characters.  I really did not like Maggie all that much.  Yes, she was a strong protagonist.  But her colloquialisms (she said 'critters' instead of 'animals' and it made me want to axe-murder her so hard) got on my nerves and the innocence, bordering on downright stupidity of her mindset made me want to dropkick her a few times.  Her relationships with her best friends Jill and Takahiro were what saved her for me.  They were each strong, fleshed out characters on their own (Taks especially) and I enjoyed watching them come into their own.  Also the family dynamic between Maggie, her Mom, Val and her brother Ran was so realistic it made me cringe at some points in sympathy.  All of Maggie's animals also have distinctive personalities and my favorite in particular was a mysterious creature called Hix (untraditional to say the least).  The addition of origami as an important plot device was interesting and entirely unique.  I feel like all the action in this book happened in the last 75 pages or so and that didn't help me to enjoy it any more, as I already felt like it dragged and got confusing/boring for a fair bit.  The way it ended was decent in terms of wrapping up the main plots, but it still left things wide open for a sequel.  Especially in the case of Casimir, who is an afterthought of a character who only seems to exist as a romantic interest for Maggie and later on, Jill.  I would be interested in knowing his backstory which was pretty vague.  All in all, not one of my favorite reads of the year but I appreciate it's strength in characterization and ability to confuse the heck out of me!  I would recommend for fans of her more intricately detailed works, such as Pegasus and Sunshine.

VERDICT:  2.5/5  Stars

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication is September 26th, 2013.*