The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

I have tried to be better than them, and I have failed. What could I become if I stopped worrying about death, about pain, about anything? If I stopped trying to belong?

Instead of being afraid, I could become something to fear.

~Holly Black, The Cruel Prince, p. 197

 

It is no easy life for a stolen child in the world of Faerie–at least, not for Jude and Taryn Duarte, who are raised by their parents’ murderer, a redcap named Madoc, as his his very own daughters–as faerie gentry. Humans aren’t supposed to be raised this way in faerie–they aren’t supposed to be privy to revels and court intrigue or have an education on par with the royal family. That is to say, there is no end in trials for our heroine–Jude. Although Jude hates faerie, hates feeling the voiceless victim of cruel and capricious faeries, it is her world and she is determined to find a way to fit in–no matter what it might cost her.

My thoughts:

I FRICKIN’ LOVED IT. Not the most eloquent sentence I have ever pieced together, but I think it will serve to show how I feel about this book. I feel like Holly Black’s Tithe was such an intrinsic part of my adolescence (I re-read it obsessively) that it is now a part of me and I will read pretty much everything that Holly Black publishes (my only regret is that I haven’t been able to read some of her books/series for younger audiences–but one day I will). However, fans of Tithe should be warned–The Cruel Prince takes us into the very world of faerie. It is not so much the gritty, urban fantasy that you might be used to reading from Holly Black. That is not to say that this book doesn’t carry her mark–there is darkness, there is violence. There is also Jude–whose journey from frustrated, powerless human girl, to a major player in her world was fascinating–one of my favorite things to read. I wholeheartedly recommend The Cruel Prince to fans of Holly Black or YA fantasy in general. It will definitely make you rethink W.B. Yeats’ famous poem, “The Stolen Child.”

 

 

Also, if this were ever turned in to a movie or mini-series for TV, I think I know who my vote for Madoc would be:

 

 

Before the Devil Breaks You by Libba Bray

“The people are afraid now. Too much history rises from the graves. Ghosts take shape in the cornfields. Behind the factories. Along the rivers. At the creeping edges of the cities and towns. They burn brightly like a secret revealed. The night is illuminated by truth so sharp it scrapes breath from the lungs of those who finally see. The people are anxious for vague reassurances.

But this is the history: blood.”

(Before the Devil Breaks You 314-315)

1920’s New York City has a new major problem that only Evie and the Diviners can solve: an infestation of ghosts. Evie and company essentially become Ghostbusters while trying to solve the mystery of her brother’s death and Project Buffalo.

The stories of our protagonists continue—Evie, Theta, Mabel, Ling, Jericho, Sam, and Memphis all undergo major changes in the latest Diviners installment.

I have to say that while I immensely loved this book, I was a little disappointed in yet another cliffhanger ending. I suppose this means the series will continue, which is good, but some parts seem to drag on. I thought the pacing of this particular installment was a bit off—I felt the same way about the third book in Libba Bray’s Gemma Doyle series (The Sweet Far Thing). However, that being said, Bray’s writing continues to be hauntingly beautiful, laugh-out-loud funny, and downright terrifying by turns and I will pretty much read anything this lady publishes (grocery lists included).

I recommend every novel she has published, but if you haven’t yet read Beauty Queens, I suggest you hie thee to a library and check it out. Just don’t read it in public unless you want people staring at you while you break down into fits of hyena-worthy laughter.

Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas

Tower of Dawn is the latest installment of Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series. Rather than picking up exactly where we left off in Empire of Storms, Tower of Dawn follows Chaol Westfall and Nesryn Faliq on their journey southward to the city of Antica. It is a city renowned for its healers, who reside in the Torre Cesme, and also for its empire–the khaganate.

Chaol and Nesryn have come to ask for the Khagan’s assistance in the war against the Valg, and for Chaol to be healed, but through many twists and turn they find much, much more than they ever expected.

 

I will be honest–a part of me is very impatient to return to Aelin’s story. After reading the ending of Empire of Storms, you will understand. That being said, I did actually enjoy this latest installment. It’s a slight break from the constant turmoil that Ardalan is currently in when we last see it. The clues that both Chaol and Nesryn discover in their respective adventures on the Southern continent are of course important, or will be important for the future. However, with fantasy, I find that Fighting the Great War of Good and Evil can get a bit, well, boring. There are only so many epic magic/sword fights to be had before it becomes repetitive. I like that Sarah J. Maas took the time to slow things down, just for a little while, introduce new love stories, new intrigues, and of course, poses an important question–what if Evil is conquered by healing, rather than killing. It is a question that has been posed before, of course, but Maas does it in her own unique way. After the very short teaser chapter at the end, I know I’ll definitely continue to read this series. I recommend the entire Throne of Glass series if you like fantasy and have not picked it up already.

Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause

“They can’t change,” Gabriel said, abandoning her lips in favor of her eyes. “But I do believe they have a beast within. In some it’s buried so deep they’ll never feel it; in others it stirs, and if a person can’t give it a safe voice it warps and rots and breaks out in evil ways. They may not be able to change, but they still can be the beast of their own nightmares. It’s our blessing that we can exorcise those demons. Sometimes it’s our curse.”

~P. 261

This was a re-read for me. I knew the first time I read this book that I would need to return to it. Annette Curtis Klause does something rather underrated and rare when it comes to crafting her YA novels–she creates a vivid world, but does not need a multiple book series to tell the story. (I’m not trying to hate on series books, by the way. I enjoy book series very much, but sometimes I feel as though single-book stories don’t get enough love or attention in the YA fantasy world–perhaps that is changing, however, with the amount of “duologies” I see coming out now–perhaps the next phase will be back to singles). Even though Blood and Chocolate is not very long, I feel like Klause packed it full–and perhaps it will take another re-reading in the future to unravel Vivian’s story further.

What stood out to me with this re-reading was actually Vivian as a heroine. When I first read this, I remember thinking Vivian was a bit vain. But now, years later, I see Vivian less as vain and completely self-centered and more as just a teenage girl who doesn’t hate herself. Though occasionally she is self-centered, or rather, has tunnel vision, believing that Aiden will accept her in her werewolf form.

If you haven’t read Blood and Chocolate, and are a fan of YA paranormal/fantasy, I fully recommend it. I also recommend her novel about vampires, The Silver Kiss. You won’t regret picking up either, as they are both fast reads, very fun, but also complex in their exploration of what a teenager’s life is like in the world of werewolves or vampires. Also, Annette Curtis Klause was also a librarian while she wrote these–which makes her even more awesome automatically.

A Court of Thorns and Roses–series review

 

I’ve been reading Sarah J. Maas’s other high fantasy series, Throne of Glass, for the past couple of years and I have been a frequent and enthusiastic reader of Young Adult (and adult) fantasy for many years. For some time now though, I’ve been out of the habit of reading what is usually my first pick, and I’m not sure why. Perhaps it’s because I needed to live somewhere else for awhile—in the world of murder mystery thrillers, period romance, and memoir (the bulk of what I’ve read this summer). However, I decided to end my summer reading by trying out Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses series. And at first, I was skeptical. The very first book, eponymous to the series, seemed to be a retelling of two tales very dear and very familiar to me: The Ballad of Tam Lin and Beauty and the Beast. In other words, the first book did not wow me….until. Until our protagonist Feyre finds herself biting off more than she can chew—like young Janet from the Ballad she tries to save her beloved (Tamlin, in this instance) from the evil faerie queen, in this case Amarantha, in her horrible “court” (really just underground caverns where all the High Lords and other fae of Prythian are held captive) aptly named Under the Mountain.

It’s there, I think, that the story really begins for me. Feyre is tested, finds herself an unexpected ally in the High Lord of the Night Court, supposedly Amarantha’s right hand man and lover. It is Under the Mountain that Feyre changes—from vulnerable, young, pretty girl to now a major player in the world of the High Fae.

She returns “home” with Tamlin after the ordeal, only to find herself so unrecognizable, so altered, that she begins to realize her love for Tamlin, the safety he stood for and represented while she was human, did not survive her transformation. It is in the second book in the series, A Court of Mist and Fury, that she finds her place, her voice, and her strength at the Night Court with her former ally/enemy, Rhysand. The second book is nearly entirely dedicated to the relationship between Rhysand and Feyre, and Feyre’s realization that she does not love Tamlin…does not want the fairytale wedding with him or the role of being his safe, tame, pampered, and mostly ignored wife. The second book also provides a backdrop for the third, A Court of Wings and Ruin, which deals with the consequences of Feyre’s sisters also having been turned from human to fae, and the every looming war from Amarantha’s former master, the insidious King of Hybern—an island off the coast of Prythian that refused to yield any land to humans and is now bent on world domination (sorry Ireland).

Before I go further with my thoughts on the series, I will just say this. I haven’t been drawn into a story or a world in the way that this one drew me in in a very long time. The Court of Thorns and Roses series was a reminder—why I love books and why I love fantasy books in particular. For all its flaws—and there were many (constant phrase repetition—i.e. “clanged through me,” just made my inner editor cringe, also—she still didn’t escape the Big War Between Good and Evil trope that has been written into the ground by fantasy authors by now)—I really and truly could not put these books down. I haven’t read an actual series of books all the way through like this in a long time. Usually I am fine with putting a bit of space between the first book and the second. However, that just wasn’t an option here. Both the first and second books left me wanting more. The third ended on a note that made me wish that any continuing books in this world won’t center on our hero and heroine—that Rhysand and Feyre can have their adventures in peace.

One thing I will say for this series is that I’m not entirely sure I would classify it as Young Adult. It is sold in the Young Adult section and certainly labeled YA at the library. And that is fine—I think I probably would have enjoyed the series as a teenager. However, Feyre’s challenges and issues that she faces trying to end a relationship maturely, how to react to that person when they do not handle it well…I think this might belong to the newer, more slippery category of New Adult.

In any case—whether it is incorrectly categorized or not, I definitely recommend this series to readers who enjoy fantasy and romance. Even though I think some of the mechanics of the language could be improved, I have to hand it to Maas that she really does create a marvelous and monstrous world that I definitely want to return to by re-reading this series at some point in the future.

 

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Although perhaps not the most twisted, surprising whodunit/mystery thriller that I’ve ever read, I do give this book an A for atmosphere. Paula Hawkins did a wonderful job crafting the atmosphere of the novel—which was mostly set in a suburb of London. Yet with the rickety trains and the dark skies and Rachel’s (our primary narrator’s) inner demons, the atmosphere definitely feels a bit gothic. Also, I loved that Hawkins gave us not one, but the perspectives of three unreliable narrators. The first being Rachel, an alcoholic who has blackouts, the second being Megan, a young woman who we find out about a quarter of the way into the novel has died, and sometimes Anna—the woman who Rachel’s husband left her for. In the end, for me, I think the questions that the book poses are much more interested than the answer to the murder mystery. Can addiction be overcome? Is there such a thing as a second chance, a new start? Can you ever trust anyone, even the ones you love?
Hawkins does an excellent job weaving the three women’s perspectives together and creating the rules of her suburban London world. Honestly, though, I’m not a big fan of the thriller genre. I probably wouldn’t have read the novel if I hadn’t heard an interview with Paula Hawkins on one of my favorite BBC podcasts. I’d be interested to read her most recent novel, although I most likely won’t be picking up a mystery again for some time.

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

I don’t think I could possibly pull a quote from this book–there are just too many. The book demands to be read in its entirety. Once again, Laini Taylor’s writing astounds me. She truly has a gift for describing her own odd, ethereal, beautiful, and sometimes ghastly worlds. One thing you can always expect to see in her writing are images of the vivid and surreal–no doubt her artist’s imagination informs the world of her fantasy. And I have to say, I will always love Dreamdark and Daughter of Smoke and Bone, but Strange the Dreamer might have dreamed its way into the title of my favorite Laini Taylor book. Maybe it’s because it’s about a dreamer and a librarian…and I am a bit biased.

In any case–I loved the world, the gods, the godspawn, the Mesarthim and Mesarthium. I loved that Lazlo Strange’s nose was forever broken from a book of fairytales. I can still remember Laini Taylor speaking about dreams to an eager audience at the Texas Teen Book Festival. This book was everything I hoped it would be after listening to her speak–she is a true champion of following your dreams and it is very evident in her novels–this one most especially.

I only had one major issue with this novel. Perhaps I’m being too critical or nit-picky–I really did enjoy it. BUT….I did feel that the big revelation of Lazlo’s identity was a bit too…..convenient. Or perhaps its because this big revelation of identity IS a major component of the YA novel. I’ve seen it done time and time again–sometimes masterfully and sometimes clumsily. On the spectrum, I felt this revelation inched toward the latter. Perhaps because it felt a little too Dickensian to me–that Lazlo instantly found out who he was and that he could save the day (almost). It was just too easy and yes there were some clues (his skin reaction to the Mesarthium, Nero’s discovery, and the white bird), but it seemed to be too much too soon for me there at the end.

I’ll have to say–it was the very ending and revelation of who Minya is that really saved the novel for me. I will wholeheartedly be looking forward to Muse of Nightmares. And despite my feelings on the identity, I definitely would recommend this book to any dreamer or fantasy reader.

 

 

And I Darken by Kiersten White

“I am your father. But that woman is not your mother. Your mother is Wallachia. Your mother is the very earth we go to now, the land I am prince of. Do you understand?” Lada looked into her father’s eyes, deep-set and etched with years of cunning and cruelty. She nodded, then held out her hand . “The daughter of Wallachia wants her knife back.” Vlad smiled and gave it to her. ~p. 12

Radu and Ladislav (Lada) are born into a world of conflict–they are the children of Vlad Dracul, who rules Wallachia, an outlying province/principality of the Ottoman Empire. They are as different as night and day–Lada can be a terror, a bully, but she is also strong and fiercely protects what she considers to be her own (such as Radu). Radu is quiet, bullied, but kindness and cunning are his gifts. When their father, Vlad Dracul, allows them to be held hostage by the emperor, Murad, who rules the Ottoman Empire all to keep his throne in Wallachia, Lada remains fiercely loyal to Wallachia, if not her father, while Radu is ready to eschew everything about his former life. Radu loves the Ottoman Empire, Islam, and most of all their friend, the emperor’s son Mehmed. The bonds of their friendship are tested again and again as they grow up and Mehmed takes the throne. Mehmed will need both Lada’s ferocity and Radu’s quiet cunning to help him gain and keep the throne. But what of Lada’s destiny, and her strange place in society as a fighting woman, a woman who refuses what traditional womanhood means? While they are so different, both Lada and Radu don’t quite “fit” into the roles society has given them–Lada desperately wants to rule and protect Wallachia, and Radu desperately wants Mehmed–a desire that he knows is somehow forbidden though no one speaks of it. In the end, what will each of them be willing to sacrifice for what they want?

I have to say that I absolutely loved this book. I loved how bravely the author posed the question, what if Vlad Dracula (Vlad the Impaler) was a woman? How would this story change? Fair warning though, if you like your protagonists to be straightforward good guys, this might not be the book for you. White does an excellent job of complicating both Lada and Radu. And what a love triangle! I see that this is going to be a series and I can’t wait to read the next installment. I enjoyed the writing (subtle and sharp as Lada’s hidden knives), the characters, and even the setting of Wallachia and the Ottoman Empire. And I Darken earned my wholehearted recommendation.

 

 

 

 

Emma by Jane Austen

Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her. ~Chapter 1, Vol. 1

I first read Emma when I was in high school, and I can’t say that I finished the book just absolutely loving or hating it. I can say that as I’ve grown older, I’ve noticed that Emma is very far from a favorite heroine of Austen’s, but that Mr. Knightley is generally one of her most popular heroes. Yet Jane Austen didn’t title the novel, Mr. Knightley, so on this re-reading I decided to pay more attention to Emma–what was it about her that made me dislike…or simply like her less than my favorite heroines (Anne Elliott, Fanny Price, Elizabeth Bennet, Elinor Dashwood). Upon first impression, Emma is spoiled, privileged–her help does more harm than good to Harriet Smith and for most of the novel she ignores Jane Fairfax, who would have made a better BFF. But you know what, I found that I liked Emma–she may not be the Austen heroine most in tune with reality–she often has her own vision of things, but she does care for her friends and family. And I have to say that I think Highbury/Hartfield is one of Austen’s best settings. It is much less stuffy than Mansfield Park and certainly better than any of the settings poor Anne Elliott must endure (“smoky” Bath, her sister’s and brother-in-law’s house–her only reprieve, really, is Lyme). The familiarity of Ms. and Mrs. Bates, Emma’s father (overly anxious about his health and the health of everyone else), Mr. Perry, and though we never meet him–the William Larkins that Emma teases Mr. Knightley about. I think Austen crafted some of her most lovable and equally frustrating characters in Emma and I am certainly glad I gave it a second chance!

 

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

“Skies,” Afya says. “I thought you told me you loved stories. Have you ever heard a story of an adventurer with a sane plan?”

“Well….no.”

“And why do you think that is?”

I am at a loss. “Because….ah, because–”

She chuckles again. “Because sane plans never work, girl,” she says. “Only the mad ones do.”

~p. 388

Note: Spoilers ahead

A Torch Against the Night is the sequel to Sabaa Tahir’s An Ember in the Ashes. It continues the story of Elias and Laia, right as they’re beginning to escape the city of Serra and on their way to get to Kauf prison to free Laia’s brother Darin.
But on the way, they will meet with many unexpected guests. As with any good adventure story, friendships are tested, true identities are revealed, and destinies are made and challenged.
I have to say that I enjoyed the sequel to Ember every bit as much as I did the first book. Tahir’s writing is enjoyable and at times very beautiful. My only complaint is that it could be a little tighter. One of the characters which seemed completely nonessential (Keenan) turns out to be one of the core antagonists. But the love story between him an Laia seemed really extraneous and so the big reveal just wasn’t as devastating to me as it could have been with some tighter writing. In the first novel I seriously thought his only purpose was to be a secondary love interest for Laia–since there was already a triangle between Elias/Laia/Helene.
Speaking of Helene, I am actually very interested in her story arc. I think her story is the one I’m most looking forward to continuing to read in the next installment. I’m also intrigued by Avitas Harper–her former torturer and spy for the Commandant turned ally to Helene. And I’m also curious to see how all the new magical powers everyone has will play out.
Overall, I think I’ve found yet another YA fantasy series that I will be following. I’ve lost count of how many of these I’m supposed to be keeping up with–a very good problem to have, I’d say!

Save