Category Archives: Fantasy

Review: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

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

Beautiful CreaturesBeautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Little, Brown and Company

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Nothing ever changes in Ethan’s small hometown. That is, nothing until the day the girl who’s been haunting his nightmares walks into the halls of his high school. Lena Duchannes is every bit as beautiful and tragic as she is in his dreams. As the two fall in love, the weight of the curse hanging over Lena threatens to tear their worlds apart. On the sixteenth moon of her sixteenth year, Lena will be chosen by light or darkness as payment for the sins of her ancestors. Nothing can stand in the way of her fate, not even Ethan’s love for her.

It’s a familiar setup: one normal high school student and one bearing some kind of supernatural power. What’s less common, though, is that Garcia frames her story around an ordinary hero. Ethan’s an average guy surrounded by supernatural power, but kept apart from it. Lena bears a supernatural gift as a Caster, someone with power to perform magic spells. Ethan’s family housekeeper also possesses some supernatural gifting in her ability to create charms and contact dead spirits.

I liked that Ethan had only his humanity, his wits and affections to guide him through this labyrinth of a story. Sometimes his self-righteousness bothered me, though. He’s got very little to say about his town or his friends that’s positive or endearing. I get that he’s kind of a diamond in the rough, but that song and dance got old after a while. Still, his actions made him respect-worthy and much more likeable as the story progressed.

Lena definitely worked as a complex, tragic heroine, but some of her emotional motivations confused me. Sometimes she made decisions that didn’t seem to make sense in light of the rest of her character or in light of her relationships with other characters. She doesn’t trust her uncle, yet the guy is pretty consistently showing up to save her from disaster. She refuses to ask him for help, but it was unclear why she wouldn’t do that. I felt like I was missing some explanation there. Maybe it’s revealed later in the series.

Beautiful Creatures had some plot twists that took me completely by surprise, so I enjoyed that unpredictability. I wished I liked the characters more. Lena’s uncle was a definite favorite of mine, as was Ethan’s housekeeper. I liked the tension in the backstory between them, too. If you like paranormal high school stories, this is definitely one to check out.

Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Sexual Content
Some pretty intense kissing, but nothing beyond that.

Spiritual Content
Lena’s family are casters who use magic and have varying abilities. (Sort of witch versions of the X-men.) Some family members use their powers for evil.

Ethan’s housekeeper uses charms and contact with spirits to protect Ethan’s family. It’s got a very voodoo flare.

Violence
Lena and Ethan witness a Civil War skirmish in which a man is shot. Casters engage in a battle that causes injury to several people. It’s intense but not gory.

Drug Content
None.

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Review: All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

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All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
Disney Hyperion

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The walls of her tiny prison cell and the soothing voice of the boy in the cell next to hers make up Em’s world. She waits, dreading the moment the doctor will come again, because she knows he’ll use whatever means necessary to force her to reveal the location of coveted documents. When Em finds a message hidden in the cell’s drain, she knows following the instructions are the only way she can be free. She must find a way to kill the doctor and prevent the creation of the time machine that will destroy the world as she knows it.

As Marina prepares to attend a prestigious political dinner with her best friend James, all she can think about is finding a moment alone with him to reveal her feelings for him. Before she has a chance, an assassin’s attack throws the evening into chaos and threatens the life of the person James holds most dear. Determined to protect James, Marina and James’s best friend Finn launch their own investigation into the identity of the assassin. What she uncovers forces her to reevaluate everything she knows about the one she loves most. Marina’s investigation and Em’s mission collide in a desperate struggle that could destroy everything.

Because it’s a story about time travel, many characters appear more than once as different versions of themselves. Terrill handles this really well, allowing the readers to experience through these different character versions the effects of disillusionment, torture and desperation on once innocent, ordinary teens. Finn is probably my favorite character. I loved the banter between him and Marina, and the way that his relationships with other characters unfolded.

In this story, Time is sentient and can take action to keep the universe from totally unraveling as a result of changes made during various trips back and forth through time. While I loved this concept of Time being almost a character in its own right, I wanted more. I kind of wanted Time itself to play a role in the resolution of the story, so I was a little disappointed when the concept wasn’t developed to play a more important role. Still, this was one plot that kept me guessing. I kept making predictions about what the characters were going to do to restore some kind of order to their future lives, and often I was wrong about how that was going to come about.

The ending was a little bit jarring – there’s kind of a disconnect at one point where things sort of jolt forward or reset and I felt like it was a little bit of a weak transition. I think we’re meant to assume that Time has taken action to protect itself, but that seemed like a bit of a stretch to me in this instance. I’d have liked to see that transition more smoothly and would have liked some of the gaps to have better explanations. Overall, though, I still really enjoyed the story and totally fell in love with the characters.

At one time this book was intended to have a sequel. Since then the author has issued a statement saying that All Our Yesterdays will remain a stand-alone novel. While I am curious what happened next for the characters, I think that was probably a smart move. All Our Yesterdays is a stronger story on its own. Fans will be pleased to know that Terrill has released a short story taking place several months after the end of the story on her web site.

Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Sexual Content
During some pretty intense kissing, Marina removes her shirt. Things break up and go no further. Em and Finn have a romantic relationship and share kisses and sleep together. No details.

Spiritual Content
In this story, Time is sentient and capable of self-preservation.

Violence
Em and Finn are tortured for information regarding missing papers. An assassin tries to kill James and his brother. Torture scenes are brief but intense. The assassin uses a gun.

Drug Content
None.

Review: Storm Siren by Mary Weber

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

Storm Siren (Storm Siren #1)
Mary Weber
Thomas Nelson
Published August 19, 2014

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About Storm Siren

Since her parents’ deaths, Nym has lived as a slave with one unusual problem. An inexplicable ability erupts from her when she’s terrified or furious. Storms and lightning explode from the sky and take out her oppressors as well as any innocent bystanders. Nym carries memories of their deaths marked into her arms: the owners as rings on one arm, the innocent as an intricate mural on the other.

When a new owner purchases Nym and reveals that she’ll be trained to use her ability as a weapon to save her kingdom, Nym balks. Then she meets the handsome trainer whose skill and ability make her feel safe for the first time. Gradually he draws her out, builds her trust, and captures her heart. With the advancing army drawing ever nearer, Nym doesn’t have time for romance. A powerful foe threatens civilians. Nym can’t stand the thought of more innocent lives lost. She rushes into battle as a treacherous plot unfolds, one which could destroy her people before she even has a chance to save them.

My Review

Throughout the story Nym remains a complex character. It’s so easy to root for her, to want her to give in to her love for Eogan, her trainer, and to trust her new friends Rasha, Colin, and Breck. The whole cast of characters is well-balanced and interesting. From the cheerful blind servant girl, Breck, to Nym’s highly volatile new owner Adora, each character has a distinct personality and contributes something essential to the story.

The story may begin with gentle pacing, but it doesn’t take long for things to begin to rocket forward, growing more and more intense. Other reviewers commented on wishing for more world building. It’s true that there isn’t a lot of time pausing and going into the politics and history of the story world, but I enjoyed the fact that it kept the pace quick and allowed for more focus on the characters. There are things I would have wanted to know more about, but I’m hoping they will be revealed in subsequent books. I have a feeling there are reasons we weren’t told certain things… yet.

Overall I really enjoyed this story. I’d requested the second book, Siren’s Fury from NetGalley to review it and had started reading it before I realized I was just too interested in the characters and backstory to start with book two. I definitely recommend starting with Storm Siren if you’re new to the series.

Content Notes

Profanity/Crude Language Content
No profanity.

Sexual Content
Brief kissing. One very brief reference to Nym’s past in which she was forced to work in the “Favor House.”

Spiritual Content
Nym’s people (Elementals) possess powers, things like controlling water, wind, earth, etc. One very powerful man can shape shift and take over someone else’s body.

Violence
Nym trains for battle in a war her people are currently losing. Her powers have accidentally killed several people in the past, including her parents. She bears a lot of guilt for these deaths.

A terrible monster attacks Nym and her ally in the woods on their way to battle. Nym and another warrior battle an army. Descriptions are brief and not gory.

Drug Content
None.

Extra Goodies
Read an interview with author Mary Weber on the blog Love is Not a Triangle.

Check out the book trailer from You Tube:

Review: Draven’s Light by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

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

Draven’s Light by Anne Elisabeth Stengl
Rooglewood Press

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When the chief’s son comes of age, the tribe presents him with a prisoner. He is to kill this man and take up a new name as a man. He refuses and instead earns the name Draven, or “fainthearted.” Draven lives as a recluse, a shadow among his people with only his fierce sister Ita as a companion. The drums of war take the men of the tribe to battle, but Draven stays behind. A strange plague follows the warriors home, and when it strikes the one Draven loves most, he vows he will find a way to save her.

This short (less than 200 pages) tale is framed as a story repeated to a little girl as she battles her own fears. Before the end the author ties both the present and past together neatly. Stengl brings her usual powerful story-weaving ability and packs action, danger and romance into this tale, keeping it both moving and exciting. Perhaps the most beautiful part of the story is the relationship between brother and sister, Draven and Ita. Ita seems to understand instinctively when to push her brother, and he knows equally well when to respect her independence. While Draven’s Light isn’t saturated with the story world fans of the Tales of Goldstone Wood books have grown to love so well, they will recognize the mysterious Wood itself as well as two brothers from myth – Akilun and Etanun – and the little wood thrush who often leads heroes seeking aid.

Profanity and Crude Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
A couple brief references to “the airy gods.”

Violence
In Draven’s tribe, young men must kill an enemy prisoner in order to be recognized and honored as men. A fatal plague causes its victims to foam at the mouth and writhe on the ground.

Drug Content
None.

Review: Siren’s Fury by Mary Weber

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Siren’s Fury (Storm Siren #2)
Mary Weber
Thomas Nelson
Published June 2, 2015

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About Siren’s Fury

Nym’s power saved her people, but it wasn’t enough to save those she loved most. While there’s still hope, she vows rescue and revenge. But to have even a chance, she’ll have to risk harnessing herself to a darkness that may destroy rather than save. As Draewulf rallies his armies to march into surrounding kingdoms, Nym and her friends scramble to keep ahead of his plot. To understand Draewulf’s plan, Nym must uncover truths about who she really is, facts she may not be ready to face. She and her friends must face an even more terrifying question: what if every move they make simply brings the dark wolf one step closer to his ultimate victory?

My Review

Weber’s second novel begins with the same intensity with which its predecessor ended. It’s a wild ride from page one all the way to the ending. I thought the plot had good layering. I’d start thinking I had things figured out only to discover that there was another layer I hadn’t accounted for which altered everything.

As with the first book, the characters really make this novel shine. I loved the development of relationship between Nym and Rasha. Even some minor characters, like Kel, the boy Nym meets on the airship, really added to the story. I found myself wishing he’d been more of a part in the tale’s resolution, but that was a small disappointment.

Honestly, I do recommend beginning this series with the first book. I started reading this one first and quickly found myself so intrigued I had to go back and read the first one. If you do start with book two, it’s not impossible to piece together the important bits of what you missed in book one. I did find myself scrambling to figure out what was going on several times before I went back for Storm Siren.

Some of the questions readers had about the relationships between kingdoms and politics will be answered in this novel. Still, many things are just hinted at as important clues preparing readers for the final installment of the trilogy.

Content Notes

Language Content
No profanity.

Sexual Content
Brief kissing. When Nym goes to Myles’s room in the middle of the night, she reluctantly allows guards to think she’s visiting him as a lover.

Spiritual Content
Nym’s people (Elementals) possess powers, things like controlling water, wind, earth, etc. One very powerful man can shape shift and take over someone else’s body. A woman uses her ability to kill men by internal injuries and control an army of dead. They’re pretty creepy. A witch offers powers to the right buyer.

Violence
Nym and her allies fight an advancing army from behind the lines. Descriptions are brief and not gory.

Drug Content
None.

Upcoming Summer Reviews

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Seems like this time of year more than any other, my To Be Read list just explodes. It’s summer time! The perfect time to kick back and read a book or two. Or seven. Maybe thirteen…

Here are just a few of the books I’m most looking forward to this summer:

Storm Siren and Siren’s Fury by Mary Weber

Originally I’d requested to review Siren’s Fury via NetGalley, but as I started reading, I realized book two wasn’t going to be enough. While I could follow the story, I was too interested in the things that happened in book one: in Nym’s dark past, in her romance with Eogan, and in her part in a terrible war. I ordered the first book with a gift card and caught up. Totally worth it. I’m excited about reviewing these.

Feuds and Torn by Avery Hastings

I read Torn without knowing it was a sequel (though I probably wouldn’t have minded if I had known.) I had no problems following the story, but some parts, while not confusing, clearly referenced events that had happened in book one. I liked the story world and characters well enough to immediately order the first book.

Turning Point by Various Inspirational Authors

I’ve read and really enjoyed several of the ebooks included in this set. I’m excited to explore the other stories. It’s an incredible deal – seven books for $0.99. (Sadly it seems to be no longer available.)

Draven’s Light by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

If you’ve followed The Story Sanctuary long, you’ll know I’m totally in love with Stengl’s Goldstone Wood series. I love that the stories all take place in the same story world, but often at drastically different times or in very different places. Good stuff.

More to Come

I’ll also be reviewing Those Girls by Laura Saft and Every Last Word by Tamera Ireland Stone this month. Look for Tattooed by Jesus, a memoir review coming later this week.

What tops your summer reading list?