Tag: Book Review

Book Review: Earth’s End (Air Awakens #3) by Elise Kova

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ 
Audience: Young adult fantasy + romance
Length: 350 pages
Author: Elise Kova
Publisher: Silver Wing Press
Release Date: February 11th, 2016
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A woman awoken in air, a soldier forged by fire, a weapon risen from blood.

Vhalla Yarl has made it to the warfront in the North. Forged by blood and fire, she has steeled her heart for the final battle of the Solaris Empire’s conquest. The choices before Vhalla are no longer servitude or freedom, they are servitude or death. The stakes have never been higher as the Emperor maintains his iron grip on her fate, holding everything Vhalla still has left to lose in the balance.

BEST BOOK YET.

You know when you love a book SO MUCH that you can’t even form a coherent sentence let alone a whole review? This is what’s happening to my mind trying to put this together. Let me leave at least this one sentence here: I love this series with a crazy bookish passion and it has been the best series I’ve picked up in 2019 thus far (And I’m not even through with it yet).

I swear this series is out to destroy me. Though this much heart ache hopefully leads to the amazing reunion, happy ending I MUST HAVE. Sucker for happy endings. Give them allllll to me.

First and foremost, I am completely obsessed with Aldrik. He is a tortured soul with such deep pains and is struggling so much, and somehow still gives his heart to Vhalla. Every time they spoke I couldn’t handle how sweet his words were to her. HE LOVES HER SO MUCH.

Vhalla is a stellar character in her own right. I gave the first book (Air Awakens) 4 stars because I wasn’t convinced that I liked Vhalla, but figured there would be a major character arc brewing. And so far, so good! I love how passionate, stubborn, and full of strength she is. We also got to see her break to a very low point. This was raw and important for further moving her along in the story. It was a moment for her to dive deep and find her own way.

I do feel it pertinent to mention that this is a fantasy series with a heavy focus on the relationship between Vhalla and Aldrik. I love books like this, but I know others prefer a lot more components. And while this does have a lot of politics, battles and tense moments, it’s heavy on the focus for my OTP.

I love the friendships! Vhalla has her own little crew and all of the relationships have blossomed and flourished in their own ways. She has a support team and everyone actually enjoys each other’s company. Nobody annoys me. They all have a purpose and I know enough of their background that I’m going to be devastated if someone else dies (knock on wood).

This book kept me on my toes. I was never sure what was going to happen next. Would get a nice moment? Would someone else die? *Bonus: Kova is not afraid to kill off characters* Would all be okay?! ALL IS DEFINITELY NOT OKAY.

Overall audience notes:

  • Young adult fantasy + romance
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: kisses/make-outs, a few love scenes that are a little detailed, but mostly fades out; nothing explicit
  • Violence: swords, poison, battle scenes, loss of loved ones, elemental magic
  • Trigger warnings: alcoholism – used specifically to suppress feelings/emotions

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Book Review: The Whispering Skull (Lockwood & Co. #2) by Jonathan Stroud

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆ 1/2
Audience: Young adult paranormal mystery
Length: 435 pages
Author: Jonathan Stroud
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release Date: September 16th, 2014
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In the six months since Anthony, Lucy, and George survived a night in the most haunted house in England, Lockwood & Co. hasn’t made much progress. Quill Kipps and his team of Fittes agents keep swooping in on Lockwood’s investigations. Finally, in a fit of anger, Anthony challenges his rival to a contest: the next time the two agencies compete on a job, the losing side will have to admit defeat in the Times newspaper.

Things look up when a new client, Mr. Saunders, hires Lockwood & Co. to be present at the excavation of Edmund Bickerstaff, a Victorian doctor who reportedly tried to communicate with the dead. Saunders needs the coffin sealed with silver to prevent any supernatural trouble. All goes well-until George’s curiosity attracts a horrible phantom. 

Back home at Portland Row, Lockwood accuses George of making too many careless mistakes. Lucy is distracted by urgent whispers coming from the skull in the ghost jar. Then the team is summoned to DEPRAC headquarters. Kipps is there too, much to Lockwood’s annoyance. Bickerstaff’s coffin was raided and a strange glass object buried with the corpse has vanished. Inspector Barnes believes the relic to be highly dangerous, and he wants it found.

EXCELLENTLY SPOOKY.

I think I can easily say this one was better than the first. I loved getting to know these characters more and having already established themselves I was further invested in the story.

The banter and team dynamics of Lockwood & Co. is what keeps me coming back for more. They are fantastic. It reminds me of the Jackaby series I’m currently reading right now. Everyone cares of each other, but they are also not afraid to give it to another if necessary to put them back in line. A close knit group that makes me so happy every time they’re together.

I love Lucy’s inner dialogue. This girl tells it like it is. Not everyone is handsome or beautiful and things are not always going the right way. I love how she puts her world together and is smart and strong-willed. I didn’t initially like that it was from her perspective, but book two has convinced me that this is the way to go.

Since I’m personally not a big horror fan, this is right at the level that I can love. It’s creepy, spooky, and I felt it should be fall every time I picked this up. The ghosts are definitely a bit haunting and the descriptions really bring them to life.

Even when you can kind of tell what’s going to happen and who the main culprit is in the the given scenario, there’s still enough pieces missing to keep you interested. I found myself second-guessing and freaked out at what was happening. Some moments where I know I was shouting wild thoughts hoping that everything worked out in the end.

Overall audience notes:

  • Young adult paranormal mystery + fantasy
  • Language: none
  • Romance: none
  • Violence: swords, descriptive ghostly apparitions, description of murders and corpses, murder, explosions

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Book Review: The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #5) by Rick Riordan

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆  
Audience: Young adult fantasy + mythology
Length: 381 pages
Author: Rick Riordan
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: May 5th, 2009
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of victory are grim. Kronos’s army is stronger than ever, and with every god and half-blood he recruits, the evil Titan’s power only grows. While the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster Typhon, Kronos begins his advance on New York City, where Mount Olympus stands virtually unguarded. Now it’s up to Percy Jackson and an army of young demigods to stop the Lord of Time. 

In this momentous final book in the New York Times best-selling Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, the long-awaited prophecy surrounding Percy’s sixteenth birthday unfolds. And as the battle for Western civilization rages on the streets of Manhattan, Percy faces a terrifying suspicion that he may be fighting against his own fate.

LOVED THIS.

This was a great ending to a wonderful series. I absolutely adored all of the mythology and friendships that played a major role in all of these books. I haven’t read many Greek mythology books and thought that this clearly had so much research done to bring these characters to life. I am now really interested in seeing what other books Riordan has.

I love Percy. He is a great MC. So full of heart, loyalty, and a desire to help those around him. I cheered for him throughout this entire series and laughed at the ridiculous (and often cute) situations he would get himself into. His ending for this series was not quite what I expected. Not a big deal, I liked the way this went better.

I think it’s crazy it took me so long to pick these up. It’s a fantastic series for all ages. I think it has many things that appeal to the masses. The focus on friendships, continual flow of action and moments that’ll stop your heart. It’s all there and quick to get through.

Percabeth is SUCH A CUTE SHIP. At times they annoyed me a touch because they were being a little naive. But, I realized they are 16. It’s okay to work through feelings and first love and all those moments that most of us remember going through too. I loved watching their relationship blossom over all of the books and it was a nice little touch to this one.

ACTION. The battle scenes took up chapters. It was crazy. I never felt like it was too much though. There were pauses and dreams throughout the battle that broke it up nicely and kept it from overpowering what was happening. I got the redemption I was hoping for and was pleased with how the everything else unfolded.

Overall audience notes:

  • Young adult fantasy + mythology
  • Language: none
  • Romance: a kiss
  • Violence: swords, death, battle scenes (never bloody/gory), loss of loved ones

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Book Review: The Woman Who Rides Like a Man (Song of the Lioness #3) by Tamora Pierce

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Rating: ☆☆☆ 1/2  
Audience: Young adult fantasy
Length: 284 pages
Author: Tamora Pierce
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: 1986
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Newly knighted, Alanna of Trebond seeks adventure in the vast desert of Tortall. Captured by fierce desert dwellers, she is forced to prove herself in a duel to the death — either she will be killed or she will be inducted into the tribe. Although she triumphs, dire challenges lie ahead. As her mythic fate would have it, Alanna soon becomes the tribe’s first female shaman — despite the desert dwellers’ grave fear of the foreign woman warrior. Alanna must fight to change the ancient tribal customs of the desert tribes — for their sake and for the sake of all Tortall.

Alanna’s journey continues…

SOME GOOD. SOME BAD.

This book was so quick I’m having trouble formulating a review. I’ve sat on it for a few days and I’m going to try to put some thoughts to page, but we’ll see what happens. Maybe I’m using a list again:

Things I did like:

  • That Alanna did stand up for the type of relationship she wanted.
  • A bit more intrigue with her brother Thom and trying to decide his motives and who’s side he’s on. Adds some mystery to the plot.
  • George. I love the King of Thieves. He’s fun, sweet, gentle, and ruthless. I like watching his relations with Alanna develop.
  • I did like the characters from the Bazhir and enjoyed seeing Alanna form some tentative friendships with them.
  • It’s a super quick read.

Things I didn’t like:

  • I’m not sure about the story overall. I thought it was random she stayed with the Bazhir. It was like this book was added to give Alanna “an adventure.” Not much really happened in regards to the larger story (defeating the Duke).
  • Jonathan. Wow, and I was into him. He ruined any redemption chances. And I really hope there isn’t one. I’m over that ship.
  • Much slower pace than the previous two books and seemed oddly out of place.

Overall audience notes:

  • Young adult fantasy
  • Language: none
  • Romance: implied nights together, but no further details; some kisses
  • Violence: swords, magic, fire, poison, arrows

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