Tag Archives: 3.5 stars

The Gilded Ones Review

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Title: The Gilded Ones
Author: Namina Forna
Publisher: Ember
Publish Date: May 1, 2020
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Pages: 432
Format: Paperback

Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs.

But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity-and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.

Then a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice: stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her. They are called alaki-near-immortals with rare gifts. And they are the only ones who can stop the empire’s greatest threat.

Knowing the dangers that lie ahead yet yearning for acceptance, Deka decides to leave the only life she’s ever known. But as she journeys to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, she will discover that the great walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one are quite what they seem to be-not even Deka herself.

This debut novel was an entertaining story about a girl whose blood causes her to be ostracized by her community and sent to become a warrior for the emperor. The feeling I got from this was that it definitely felt like a debut, with some instances of slowness, fast-paced bits, and some plot holes that I felt weren’t fleshed out fully, but it was overall a good book that had me intrigued enough to want to continue to read the next book.

Deka’s a girl of golden blood, one in which causes her to not be able to die – no matter how hard others try to kill her. I thought that she was done well in that she was scared and innocent at the beginning, showing just how separated from the situation she would be dragged into. As time progressed, she grew stronger physically and mentally, allowing her to become a warrior like she was expected to be. I felt that she had a lot to gain and learn during her time in training, and sometimes I felt that the plot didn’t allow for us as the reader to really see her full potential.

Many of the other female character did a great job of being there for her, whether forced or naturally, and I loved being able to see that sisterhood and friendship blossom. One thing that I did think was rushed and almost out of no where was the small romance subplot. It didn’t necessarily feel forced, but there was no real time with Deka and her love interest, so it felt kind of rushed. There was a lot more telling than showing around these parts of the narrative, but I hope that it’ll be more fleshed out as the story continues.

The world in which Forna writes feels rich and large, as though there are many more secrets that lie ahead than just what we’re reading about. I did appreciate that aspect as I was reading. There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to the world, and what the emperor wants to do in it. As well as the gods.

I think this book would be good for someone looking to start in YA fantasy, or someone looking for a fast-paced read. I’ll continue on to the next book in the new year, and look forward to seeing what’s in store!

★★★.5☆☆ (3.5)

Vox Machina: Kith & Kin | Book Review

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Title: Vox Machina: Kith & Kin
Author: Marieke Nijkamp
Publisher: Del Rey
Publish Date: November 30, 2021
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure
Pages: 368
Format: Hardcover

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Explore the past of Critical Role’s daring half-elf twins, Vex’ahlia and Vax’ildan, in this original prequel novel to their adventures with Vox Machina.
 
Vex and Vax have always been outsiders. A harsh childhood in the elite elven city of Syngorn quickly taught them not to rely on others. Now, freed from the expectations of their exacting father and the scornful eyes of Syngorn’s elves, the cunning hunter and the conning thief have made their own way in the world of Exandria. 
 
The twins have traveled far and experienced great hardship. But with the help of Vex’s quick wit and Vax’s quicker dagger, they’ve always kept ahead of trouble. Now, unknown perils await them in the bustling city of Westruun, where the twins become entangled in a web spun by the thieves’ guild known to many as the Clasp. Trapped by a hasty deal, Vex and Vax (along with Vex’s faithful bear companion, Trinket) set out into the wilds to fulfill their debt to the infamous crime syndicate. 
 
As the situation grows more complicated than they ever could have imagined, for the first time Vex and Vax find themselves on opposite sides of a conflict that threatens the home they have carried with each other for years.
 
Written by #1 New York Times bestselling author Marieke Nijkamp, Critical Role: Vox Machina—Kith & Kin follows a brand-new adventure that delves into the twins’ unexplored history, and returns to some of the iconic moments that forged Vox Machina’s most unbreakable bond.

Following another book from one of my favorite shows, Critical Role, we follow the twins from campaign one, Vex and Vax, on a journey before their time with Vox Machina. This story takes place over their lifetime, jumping from the present day to moments in the past where events would reflect each other in ways that made you understand why they were happening or give more insight into how things came to be the way they are.

As I stated in my The Nine Eyes of Lucien review, I love to read about character backstories, especially of ones that I care about. As of writing this review, I haven’t finished campaign one yet, but I know the twins and that they’re a chaotic duo who are thick as thieves and would do anything to protect the other. Which, we love to see such a strong family dynamic, but it’s also a dynamic that can and will be used against them time and time again throughout their lives.

In this book, though, we switch between alternating points of view, following either Vex’ahlia through her actions and thoughts, or from Vax’ildan’s thoughts and actions, and I think that it was a delicate balance of the two that was woven well into the story. Though, I also feel like we definitely saw more of Vex’s point of view than that of her brother, but in ways it made sense, especially for the scenes that were playing out before us.

The parts of the book that takes place in the present follows them over just a short series of a couple of weeks, where Vex finds herself in trouble and being targeted by someone who was paid by a noble to have her caught and brought to him, but Vax is never far behind his sister and ends up apprehending the person following her – which causes him to be caught himself and get himself into a situation that he doesn’t have much choice of getting out of if it means protecting his sister.

The parts that take part in the past flow over a time period of about five or six years, following the twins from the time they were about ten years old until they were sixteen and showed the cruelness that can come from growing up unwanted by a singular parent – and their entire community around them – while also showing the softer moments of learning about the self and discovering that there’s more to the world that what’s been shown to them so far.

I found the pacing of the book to be stunted in ways. I found myself not completely drawn into the story, but I chock that up to not being as attached to these characters as I am The Mighty Nein characters. However, there were moments where the plot was fast paced and full of action, bringing you into the moments and wanting to see how it played out, and moments that were slower and calmer that allowed you to be able to soak in the moment in question.

Vex is a strong willed woman who is always seeking approval from those around her, and always has her walls up as a result because there is more than one occasion where she was put down by those she tried to make proud. I liked that we got to see her in the early stages of becoming a ranger (D&D class) and how she learned how to track, hide objects, and befriend Trinket – her bear companion.

Vax is an impulsive man who acts on a whim and tries to blend in with the shadows, always going against the grain of what’s expected of him. He’s cunning and smart, though he puts himself down in ways that compare him to his sister, whom he holds in such high regard.

The contrast between the two is apparent in the campaign setting as well as the book, and I highly appreciate that. They bounce off one another effortlessly, and they have a bond that almost transcends time itself. It’s one of my favorite parts of the book, even when the story itself wasn’t engaging me as much as I had wanted it to. There were moments I was full in on, and others I found myself pushing through to get to the next chapter.

Overall, though, I did enjoy the book, though less that I was imagining. I recommend this book if you’re a fan of Vox Machina or Critical Role, and I also recommend it to those who don’t know what the show is about but are looking for an adventure with siblings and high stakes involved.

★★★.5☆☆ (3.5 stars)

Darkfever Book Review

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darkfeverTitle: Darkfever
Series: Book #1 in the Fever series
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Publisher: Dell
Publication Date: October 1, 2006
Genre: Adult – Urban Fantasy
Pages: 347
Format: Purchased Paperback

When MacKayla’s sister was murdered, she left a single clue to her death, a cryptic message on Mac’s cel phone. Journeying to Ireland in search of answers, Mac is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to master a power she had no idea she possessed – a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae.

As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister’s death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysteriou Jericho…while at the same time, the ruthless V’lane – an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women – closes in on her. As the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac’s true mission becomes clear: to find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book – because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control both worlds in their hands.

As this book had faeries in it, I was instantly intrigued. I’ve always loved faeries and reading about the Fae and their world, so when I picked this book up I was instantly intrigued. This book also had a great premise: a grieving sister seeking vengeance for her sister who was murdered overseas. That alone also had me wanting to read this book.

When I read it, though, I wasn’t totally sold on it, but there was still enough of the book that had me wanting to know what would happen next that I’m definitely going to continue onto the next book.

When the book started, it had me hooked – I HAD to know what would happen next. But as MacKayla was doing more in Dublin, I was actually kind of annoyed with a lot of her decisions and felt that some of the other characters had a lot of similar personalities, so they kind of blended in together.

But I will say that I did enjoy reading about the Fae and the different types within this book, and that there was a whole other world that was joined with ours that was right under our noses. That sort of aspect of the world building intrigued me by far. The Shades, the Gray Man, the Many-Mouths-Thing, all of the different kinds of Fae were interesting and held their own sort of stories and folklore behind them that really made them come to life on the pages.

So let me talk a bit about MacKayla and some of the other characters. MacKayla was kind of really prissy in this book. I found a lot of what she said or thought to be annoying in the way a bratty kid who got everything she wanted and her way to be said. The tone came across that way on occasion – not always. She also praised her appearance way more often than was necessary. Don’t get me wrong – appreciation of one’s own beauty is perfectly fine, but when it feels like it’s every other chapter, it can be a little bit overbearing.

Other times I thought that she acted like any other normal person would in that situation, or she acted like how her blood called to her and who she was. Overall I wasn’t totally thrilled with her character, but I’m hoping she’ll mellow out in the upcoming books and really hone her skills as a sidhe-seer. I was a little sad we got to see so little of her sidhe-seer skills in this book, but then again, it was only the beginning.

Jerico Barrons was a mysterious character throughout the whole novel. He acted much more mature than what his age perceived him to be, and that kind of threw me for a loop. He was very sort of domineering, always trying to be in charge, and Mac was always butting heads against him. I really want to get to know him better because I really don’t feel like I got a true feel for him, but I do have my theories that he, himself, is a Fae – we’ll just have to see if that theory is true!

V’lane, the Fae who drives human women to want sex like crazy, was also just as mysterious and only made two appearances in the book, but both times were highly erotic in ways that didn’t really involve touching or anything of the sort. His character just felt kind of put in there to me, like he was just there for certain plot points, but I’m sure he’ll make more appearances in further books.

Other than that, I really hope that the plot grows and that the characters grow, too. I felt like this book could have been a lot better and included so much more.

That’s also not to say this book was bad! Some of the descriptive elements helped to paint the picture of Dublin and the state in which it is in, and also it held elements that made me wondering what will happen next. If you want to give it a shot, definitely do so, but just remember that this is the first book in the series and that it’s just laying the foundation for the rest of the series.

I give this book a 3.5/5 stars and recommend it to anyone looking to get into some more adult urban fantasy.

The Selection Novellas Reviews

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So I recently just read all of The Selection novellas by Kiera Cass, and rather than do separate reviews for them, I’m just going to combine them into one review here. There’s a few spoilery kind of things in the reviews, just so you’re aware.

theprinceTitle: The Prince
Series: The Selection 0.5

Before thirty-five girls were chosen to compete in the Selection…
Before Aspen broke America’s heart…
There was another girl in Prince Maxon’s life…
Don’t miss this thrilling 64-page original novella set in the world of the New York Times bestselling novel The Selection. Also features a teaser to The Elite, Kiera Cass’s hotly anticipated sequel to The Selection.

In this novella, we got to see part of The Selection from the viewpoint of Prince Maxon, and I was actually excited to read from his perspective because I liked his character when I read the first book. In this we saw him dealing with his emotions before the Selection process and I think that he stuck true to his character: he was shy, but confident, and tried to make the right decisions.

And then there was this girl from France who just kind of made a situation in the novella seem kind of abusive and I was like, “Um, yeah no.” Trying to make Maxon think he was in love with her and he just didn’t know it? Yeah, no thanks. She was nice up until that point and then BAM.

Then we saw him during his first encounter with America and a few more after, and I really enjoyed those scenes, being able to get his thoughts on what had just happened and all of that.

There wasn’t much to go on here, but it was nice nonetheless to see from Maxon’s point of view. If you’re a fan of the series, give this a read!

3.5/5 stars

theguardTitle: The Guard
Series: The Selection 2.5

Before America Singer met Prince Maxon . . .
Before she entered the Selection . . .
She was in love with a boy named Aspen Leger.

Don’t miss this digital original novella set in the captivating world of Kiera Cass’s #1 New York Times bestselling Selection trilogy. This brand new 64-page story begins just after the group of Selected girls is narrowed down to the Elite and is told from Aspen’s point of view. The Guard also features a teaser to The One, the thrilling conclusion to The Selection trilogy.

So when I originally started this I thought I was going to read a bit more from Aspen’s point of view before he became a guard, and maybe his journey into it, or something like that. But this novella was about his time in the palace when America is going through her Selection and the various times they meet in The Elite.

Frankly, I’m not a huge fan of Aspen, so I had to push through this one. I found him kind of annoying like I did in the series, but it was still good to get a perspective from him.

He was confident in his role as a guard, but a lot of his thoughts were only about America. When he had a talk with Lucy, I was hoping for something else to happen, but he just went right back to thinking of America, which is fine since he was still infatuated with her.

Overall, I thought him to be a little too dependent on America. He tried so hard to show he still cared, but I didn’t really get that from him. I got a desperate boy trying to win back the heart of the girl he made brokenhearted.

The plot of the novella did follow some different sequences, though, and we did get to see him in action a little bit, which was cool. I wanted to know more about the rebels and see more fights, but alas, it didn’t happen.

3/5 stars

PrintTitle: The Queen
Series: The Selection 0.4

Before America Singer’s story began, another girl came to the palace to compete for the hand of a different prince….

Don’t miss this digital original novella set in the captivating world of Kiera Cass’s #1 New York Times bestselling Selection series. This prequel story takes place before the events of The Selection and is told from the point of view of Prince Maxon’s mother, Amberly. Discover a whole new Selection with this inside look at how Maxon’s parents met—and how an ordinary girl named Amberly became a beloved queen.

This was actually my favorite Selection novella and I wish there had been more!

This novella followed Queen Amberly when she was in the Selection back in the day. I found her to be reserved and polite, knowing a little bit more strife than some of the other girls that were there. I think that it was kind of adorable that she had been in love with (then) Prince Clarkson ever since she was a little girl from having seen him on TV and whatnot and the fact that that little girl crush continued on into her Selection process.

It was nice to see Clarkson take an interest in her and show some concern in his own way for her because of her medical condition. From there, their subtle romance took off and I actually thought that it was really kind of cute and enticing.

The plot itself showed a glimpse as to why Clarkson became the king he was due to his parents, and it showed how Amberly handled that situation. The two seemed kind of made for each other, which was sweet.

Definitely give this novella a go if you’re a fan of the series.

4/5 stars

thefavoriteTitle: The Favorite
Series: The Selection 2.6

While America Singer’s heart was torn between Aspen and Prince Maxon, her friend Marlee knew exactly what she wanted—and paid the price.

Revisit the captivating world of Kiera Cass’s #1 New York Times bestselling Selection series in this digital original novella. Told from Marlee’s point of view, this all-new 64-page story returns to the fateful Halloween when Marlee and Carter were discovered, and reveals how that night—and Prince Maxon—changed their lives forever.

This novella took place during the events in The One and I actually really enjoyed this novella, too. It follows Marlee during the time she’s going to be beaten for treason, and it also goes into flashbacks about her and Carter first meeting and the times in between to their first kiss and beyond.

I was super suspicious of Marlee at the beginning of the series, but as it progressed I saw that she was really just a genuine friend, and after her little rendezvous with Carter, it kind of really showed that her heart was elsewhere.

This novella was divided into two parts, and I was honestly hoping the second part had more to do with a little bit into the future of their lives, but it was during one of the attacks from the rebels. As with the other novellas, I just wished for more because I wanted to see how they’d act and react in certain situations.

I really liked the characters explored in this novella, and though I wish the plot in the second half had been a little different, it was still good nonetheless, though there were some parts where I questioned why something was funny or why something had to happen the way it did.

Either way, check this novella out if you enjoyed the series.

3.5/5 stars

*All novellas were read in ebook format on my nook Simple Touch.

The Heir Book Review

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theheir

Title: The Heir
Author: Kiera Cass
Series: Book #4 in the Selection series
Publisher: HarperTeen – an imprint of HarperCollins
Publication Date: May 5, 2015
Genres: Young Adult – Dystopian, Romance
Pages: 352
Format: Purchased Hardcover

“The Heir” by Kiera Cass is the story of Princess Eadlyn, the heir to Illea’s throne. She was the first child born – seven minutes separating her and her brother from switching positions – and she feels she is one of the most powerful people in the world. But there is unrest in Illea even though the castes have been done away with and it’s really starting to take a toll on her father, King Maxon. So her parents come up with the idea to host another Selection – one for Eadlyn – and she’s hesitant to do it at first, not wanting to fall in love with anyone and wanting to do everything herself. But she agrees to it with some conditions and is soon thrust into her own Selection.

This book was definitely different from America’s story. I thought it was interesting to see how Eadlyn didn’t want to do it and how there were conditions and everything, but as it kept going I just kept thinking, “Why are you being so… frustrating?”

Hey, I’m all for women power and doing things on their own, but man I found the way Eadlyn to do it extremely frustrating.

So, let me talk about some of the characters:

Eadlyn, being in the place for the heir of Illea, has a lot pressure put on her to learn policies and diplomacy and many other things a queen would have to learn to do when she ascends the throne. So she’s kind of a workaholic in a way, wanting to focus more on work than building relationships. When the Selection was initially presented to her, she acted childish and threw a bit of a tantrum. Many times throughout the book I found her to be frustrating, manipulative, and selfish. During the times she let her guard down and become vulnerable were the times I actually enjoyed reading. The fact that she had a wall up – and realized it – was frustrating, yes, but the fact that she didn’t do anything about it was probably the most frustrating of all. She’d realize that she’d let too much slip or someone would ask the wrong question and she’d clam up, instantly shunning them. I didn’t think it was right, in a way. But she is the future queen and sees herself as above others. At least, that’s the impression I got from her.

Ahren, her twin brother, was much more likable and I kind of wanted to see more of him throughout the book. He was funny and charismatic, much like his father, Maxon. Maybe that’s why I liked him more. He cares for Eadlyn deeply and would do anything for her, but even he has his limits.

Maxon and America are different from their stories because they’ve grown up and matured and it’s nice to see how they have matured in their own ways. I definitely felt motherly affection from America and the strain of ruling from Maxon.

Some of the suitors whom I love and hope will make it to the end:

  • Kile: he’s lived in the palace his whole life as Marlee’s son, and he and Eadlyn have been at each other’s throats for just as long. But once he became a suitor and they started opening up to each other, I was rooting for him.
  • Henri: his first language is Finnish, so he has to have a translator – Erik – around him in order to help communicate. But he’s super sweet and nice and caring and he makes me smile.
  • Hale: he’s just so polite and kind and I love him to bits. He says he’s going to prove to Eadlyn every day something new to win her over, and he does do something everyday to try to show her what she means to him.
  • Fox: he was kind of in the background through most of the book, but I think that they shared a great moment and I think he’s actually really kind (he kind of reminds me of the situations America came from).

The others I don’t really care about, sorry to say. But it’ll obviously get down to a few of them, and I’m hoping she picks well (though I think I know who will be picked).

The plot was similar to the original trilogy, but it was different in how staged a lot of it was and how Eadlyn was doing it just to comply and make her parents and people happy. When things continually go wrong and she sees the errors, but dismisses them, I’m glad that someone does eventually kind of make an obvious statement, but… then she kind of brushes that off too. She’s just really frustrating and doesn’t really reflect on herself and her actions.

Anyway, yes, I do recommend this if you’ve read the Selection trilogy. It’s a good continuation and yes, I am looking forward to the next book despite all of the frustrating moments in this one.

I rated this book 3.5/5 stars.