Category Archives: Fantasy

Review: Girl in the Shadows by Gwenda Bond

Book Review and Content, Paranormal, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

Girl in the Shadows by Gwenda BondGirl in the Shadows
Gwenda Bond
Skyscape / Amazon

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Moira longs to prove to her father, a famous magician, that she has what it takes to carry on in the family tradition. The real problem? Moira’s dad doesn’t want her anywhere near magic. An invitation to audition for the Cirque American falls into Moira’s hands, and she leaps at the chance to make her own destiny. During her audition, Moira’s routine goes awry when she accidentally performs real magic. Suddenly Moira finds herself surrounded with questions about her impossible abilities and a secret society of similarly the similarly talented. Her absent mother seems to be the only one who can answer them, but finding her mother opens Moira to more danger than she could ever imagine. Her newfound Cirque family may be filled with as many enemies as allies.

My one regret in reading this book is that I didn’t read Girl on a Wire first, as the stories are pretty closely linked and feature some of the same characters. Also, Girl in the Shadows includes a bit of plot recap which reveals some key moments in Girl on a Wire. Honestly, I’d still read Girl on a Wire anyway, even though some of the surprises are spoiled.

I liked Moira. She’s fun and silly and has a lot of heart. It’s her heart which often makes her vulnerable to others, and I spent many pages biting my nails hoping for the characters in whom she places her trust to turn out deserving of it.

The descriptions of Moira’s performances make for cool elements. Often Moira connects her illusions to great female magicians. It made an interesting way to include some real historical information in an organic, unusual way. Her use of Dez as her assistant was another fun twist – sort of a feminist spin on the typical gender roles of magician and assistant.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. If you haven’t read Girl on a Wire, I do recommend you read that one first because Girl in the Shadows has some spoilers. See below for additional content information.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Moira and Dez become romantically involved, and they engage in quite a bit of kissing. They spend several nights together, but other than a hint from Moira that the two did enough, though not everything, those moments remain private. At one point Moira makes it clear she’d like to have sex with him and it appears they do. Again, no description, but rather suggested that kissing moves to touching and on from there.

Spiritual Content
Moira learns of a missing coin that promises luck and power to its bearer. A secret society of people with magical abilities desperately want the coin for its power. Moira describes her power as a cup filled with magic. As she expends energy to perform magic, the volume in the cup lowers. She’s told that if she empties her cup, she’ll die.

Violent Content
Moira meets a creepy guy hanging around playing poker with some of the circus members. At one point he beats up one of the performers. In another instance, she witnesses him smash a boy’s hand with a hammer as punishment when he fails to complete a task on time.

Drug Content
Eighteen year-old Moira drinks champagne to celebrate her success.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Review: Paper and Fire by Rachel Caine

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

Paper and Fire
Rachel Caine
New American Library/Random House
Available July 5, 2016

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Jess survived induction into the Library, but life as one of their soldiers is far more grueling than he expected. The girl he loves is locked away forever, and his best friend is lost. When rumors bring Jess’s old classmates together again, they face a terrible choice: a rescue mission that would mean living the rest of their lives on the run from the Library, if they manage to escape. Jess promises refuge with his family, but even he isn’t sure he can count on his father to hide them without having something valuable to offer in return.

After devouring the series opener, INK AND BONE, (and then pestering everyone I know to also go read it) I was anxious to start reading PAPER AND FIRE. I love Jess. Something about the combination of his cleverness and vulnerability makes it essential for me to root for him.

I felt like the story in INK AND BONE was a tiny bit more organized, but I still really enjoyed PAPER AND FIRE. In the first book, I was nervous about liking each new character as they were introduced. In PAPER AND FIRE, I was biting my nails down to the quick because again and again, all the characters I love find themselves in mortal peril. I kept having to stop and take a breath.

One of the really difficult things for a series like this where the story world is so unbelievably inventive is that the second book doesn’t have that wow factor with regard to that story world. We already know about the Great Library and the sinister automata. Though they’re still as unique and interesting, I didn’t feel the same awe, because I had kind of already acclimated to the wonder. If that makes sense. I felt the same way about THE HUNGER GAMES. But by the second book, I was like, oh yeah, the Arena. I remember that. Not quite the same.

So yeah. That’s my take. Still a great read, and possibly cleaner than the first book. I’m super excited to see what happens in the next book, ASH AND QUILL.

Content Notes

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Some passionate kissing. At one point, it seems like two characters are winding up to have sex, but they argue instead, and that kills the mood.

Two men kiss.

Jess and his friends learn that in the Iron Tower, Obscurists are matched based on ability and forced to have sex in order to produce children. The process isn’t described, but during Morgan’s imprisonment, Jess worries for her and hates the idea of her being forced into anything.

Spiritual Content
Khalila is a practicing Muslim.

Violent Content
Burners use Greek fire to set books and themselves ablaze. They also use it against soldiers and members of the Great Library. Jess serves as a soldier and faces battle. The battle descriptions are more about the strategy than about warfare. Guns are used.

Jess and the others learn that Wolfe and other prisoners were tortured. While there aren’t scenes actively depicting the torture, characters who’ve experienced it react strongly to any triggers, and there are some references to the fact that it happened. At one point, Jess and the team find the room where others have been tortured.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links which don’t cost you anything but help support this blog.

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Review: Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine

Book Review and Content, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

Ink and Bone (The Great Library #1)
Rachel Caine
New American Library/Penguin/Random House

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

The Great Library controls all knowledge in a world that’s never known the printing press. Jess believes in the rule of the Library, even though his family has built their fortune selling forbidden books on the black market. When he’s sent to join the Library as a spy for his family, his passions only become stronger: to protect knowledge, to serve an agency created to bring that knowledge to the masses. But something dark and twisted has taken root at the core of the institution Jess loves, and as he’s faced with the horrible truth of it, he must decide where his true loyalties lie, and what is worth dying for.

I have to say that from the very beginning, before I even cracked the cover, I was fascinated with this book. For so many readers, the library represents comfort, safety, and one of the best parts of our childhoods. To see a series in which the villainous entity is in fact the most powerful library, our favored institution gone horribly wrong? Oh yes, I was totally hooked.

And then I read the opening pages. And I couldn’t stop. Jess had me immediately. This boy who lived in the shadow of his father, risking his life every day for one precious book at a time. Wow. Just wow. I loved that kid. Then, when he goes to training to join the Library, I worried I’d lose some interest in the story. It wasn’t where I expected the tale to take me, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to like those Library yahoos. And Caine did it again. Each twist and turn totally blew me away. Every time I met a character and thought, ehh, not sure I’m going to like that guy, the story turned, and I was surprised and further intrigued.

I’ve already got a copy of PAPER AND FIRE for review. In fact, the publisher first sent me that one and then offered INK AND BONE, which I hadn’t yet read, so that’s how I ended up reading it. I CANNOT WAIT to start it. Like, I want to be reading it right now. You’ve heard enough about INK AND BONE, right? Just go get a copy if you haven’t already. Seriously.

Okay, maybe check the content notes first, because there is a bit of heavy stuff there.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used with moderate frequency.

Romance/Sexual Content
Some intense kissing. At one point, a boy and girl lie next to each other to sleep. Jess discovers that two men are lovers—he doesn’t witness much in the way of romance between them, but they live together and the tenderness between them is clear.

Spiritual Content
Khalila is a practicing Muslim and mentions Allah. Catholicism is mentioned briefly in reference to burial rites.

Violent Content
As a child, Jess sees a giant mechanical lion crush innocent people to death. Later, Jess and his friends find themselves in a warzone where they witness firsthand some of its brutality. Rebels called Burners use Greek fire to light books and themselves ablaze. They also use it as a weapon against their enemies.

Drug Content
After a long ugly battle, the group reforms and shares wine (except Khalila.) Some members get drunk. Jess visits an establishment where tobacco and “other weeds” are smoked.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

What Makes an Amazing Villain?

I love that in this series, the villain is something so unusual, something with such a positive connection to so many of us. What other stories have you read with unexpected villains? What do you think would make an interesting villain that you’ve never seen in a novel before?

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Review: The Queen’s Poisoner by Jeff Wheeler

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , ,

The Queen’s Poisoner
Jeff Wheeler
47North

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

When his father betrays a dangerous king, Owen is forced to leave his family and live in the castle as a hostage to ensure his family’s loyalty. If his father’s loyalty falters again, Owen will be cast into the river to die, as his eldest brother was. As the youngest son of the Duke of Kiskaddon, Owen is alone in a castle full of spies. To survive, he must discover allies and prove himself valuable to the king.

The storyworld in The Queen’s Poisoner was simple yet vivid and believable. I loved the way water factored into the lore and traditions of the kingdom. Someone with a special ability is said to be Fountain-blessed. Traitors are sent over the waterfall to their deaths. Even the simple addition of the game of Wizr (a chess-like game) and how it factored into the story as a framework for Owen learning strategy added deeper layers to the story.

Owen is immediately likeable and fascinating. I definitely wanted him to survive. I loved his friends, from the cook Liona to the poisoner Ankarrette to the loquacious Elysabeth Victoria Mortimer. Wheeler describes The Queen’s Poisoner as the first book he’s written from a boy’s perspective. Though the adult characters played very strong roles (as the title indicates, in many ways Ankarrette is the heroine of the tale,) the story still centered around Owen’s point-of-view and his growing understanding of the world around him.

I’m often nervous reading books by authors as prolific as Jeff Wheeler. Sometimes books being published so closely together means the writing feels rushed or the story underdeveloped. I didn’t sense that at all in this story. I felt like the voice was developed and the writing was very clean and enjoyable. I would definitely recommend this story and would love to read other books in the Kingfountain series.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
The king executes traitors by tying them up in a boat and sending it over a waterfall. About one in one hundred people survive. Executions are often public, and Owen attends one.

Drug Content
The queen’s poisoner is educated in how to use medicines and poisons to help or hurt people. She gives Owen a tea to help strengthen his lungs, but she has used poisons in the past to kill at the command of the king.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Review: Grayling’s Song by Karen Cushman

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

Grayling’s Song
Karen Cushman
Clarion Books

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

When a dark force transforms Grayling’s mother into a tree, she must track the evil and free her mother’s stolen spell book. Grayling has never been far from home, and she has no skills with which to battle a sorcerer, so along her journey, she gathers a team of companions with various magical inclination, including a shapeshifting mouse and a witch who can control the weather. Together they follow the call of Grayling’s mother’s book to the source of the evil that’s taken it, and there, Grayling will have to fight to free the grimoire.

It might be impossible not to enjoy a book with a shapeshifting mouse. Pook might have been my favorite character, though Grayling’s other companions were fun in other ways. I liked that Grayling has to find her own strength and talent, and that it comes in a way she doesn’t expect. Her confidence builds with each challenge she faces.

Grayling’s relationship with her mom seemed a little less focused. Or maybe I lost track of the details in the story. Either way, I found it odd that she had the memories of the hurtful things her mom had said and yet from other descriptions, her mom seemed really caring and compassionate and close to Grayling. I kind of want to go back and reread to see if it’s just me being confused because I wanted them to be closer or whether there are in fact mixed signals in the story.

This was a fun, offbeat read that went pretty quickly. I think I read the whole thing in an evening. I definitely enjoyed it. This is a great one to add to that summer reading list for late elementary-aged readers.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
One of Grayling’s companions is an enchantress. Men tend to fall in love with her and can easily be persuaded to give her anything she wants.

Spiritual Content
A dark force has stolen spell books from persons of various magical gifting. In Grayling’s world, whether magic is good or evil depends on how it’s used—whether to help or hurt someone.

Violent Content
A soldier captures Grayling and her companions and threatens to hold them captive until they make him invulnerable.

Drug Content
Various herbs are used to heal. At an inn, the companions are offered mead.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Review: Rebel by R J Anderson

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

Rebel
R J Anderson
Enclave

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

A disciplinary issue at boarding school sends Timothy Sinclair to live with his aunt and uncle. While there, he meets a bizarre creature he never would have believed existed: a tiny, winged girl named Linden who desperately needs his help.

As Timothy becomes caught in Linden’s grave mission, he draws the attention of dark faeries. Soon, hunters close in on their trail. The only hope lies in a myth about a white stone that could secure the freedom of Linden’s people, faeries living in the Oak on Timothy’s aunt and uncle’s property. Timothy and Linden must find the stone before the deadly hunters catch them.

Yet again author R J Anderson brings us a unique tale about faeries in modern England and the humans who vow to protect them. I loved that this time the faery world expanded to include other faery kingdoms, each with their own myths and beliefs about how to interact with humans.

While I wasn’t as captivated by Timothy as I had been with Paul in Knife, the first book in the series, he definitely grew on me. I enjoyed the references to his life in Uganda, and the descriptions of his spiritual journey throughout the story. I missed the Oak and its inhabitants, so I hope to see more of them in the next book in the series, called Arrow. I loved the addition of the male faeries, too. I can’t wait to see where those stories go.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Timothy grew up with missionary parents in Uganda. He’s been attending a Christian boarding school in England, but he’s really struggling with whether or not he believes in Christian doctrine. Along his journey, he meets some very kind, very authentic Believers and while their faith doesn’t immediately reinstate Timothy’s he does find himself energized to search and ask deeper questions of the beliefs he’s been raised with, and he feels much more confident about pursuing faith.

As with the first book in this series, Rebel contains faeries who possess magic. The faeries make references to the Great Gardener, whom we understand to mean God. Some faeries believe in living lives invisible to humans while others form friendships or relationships with them. Some evil faeries use their magic to take advantage of humans.

Violent Content
Some brief battle scenes. Nothing gory.

Drug Content
None.

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