Category Archives: Romance

Review: The Feuds by Avery Hastings

Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Romance, Sci-Fi, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

The Feuds by Avery HastingsThe Feuds
Avery Hastings
St. Martin’s Griffin

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

As a member of the privileged, genetically enhanced Priors, Davis lives a sheltered life in which she pursues dance and enjoys parties with her friends. As the day of the Olympiads draws ever nearer, the pressure rises for Davis to succeed in competition, but to do that, she’ll have to be perfect.

Cole has only known about Priors from the outside. As an Imp, or Imperfect citizen, he’s second-class, barred from opportunities that could mean a world of difference to him and his struggling family. Cole makes his living as a fighter, working for an up-and-coming politician. When the man asks for one last favor before financing Cole’s biggest fight yet, Cole can’t refuse. After all, what’s the harm in bringing down a Prior? Then he meets Davis, and his whole perception of her people changes. If he follows through with his job, it will destroy the girl he may be falling in love with. If he fails, he will be destroyed.

After reading the sequel, Torn, I really wanted to read this book. As I read Torn, I kept thinking, man, there’s so much history to this story! I really wanted to read the story referenced in all these little backstory hints. Then I discovered there IS a first book. So, now I’ve read it.

I wish I’d read The Feuds closer to the time I read Torn. It’s been long enough that I’ve forgotten some of the things I liked or disliked about the second book, and I know there were things I was hoping were more deeply explored in the first book in the series. One of those things was Davis’s relationship with her dad. He’s a much more present character in The Feuds, and the relationship between them does drive a few of the story elements, so that was satisfying. It made the second book make more sense in terms of what was said vs just hinted at.

I still wanted more information about the Olympiads and the Feuds. They were happening, but I think I wanted to feel like this was a huge tradition really grafted into a culture, and it really just felt like an event. Which was okay.

In terms of the story, I think I liked Cole better in this book but Davis better in the second book. Over all, I think I liked the second book better. I’m not sure if that’s simply because I read it first?

Readers who liked the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld might like this series. The writing is very different, but some of the themes explored in terms of what makes a person beautiful or valuable are similar.

Language Content
Extreme profanity used with moderate frequency.

Sexual Content
Cole and Davis have a powerful, immediate connection. They share passionate kisses. Davis is still a virgin when the story begins, as if she’s waiting for someone special. It’s implied that she and Cole have sex on a rooftop in what could be their last moments together.

Spiritual Content
Davis comments that she wishes she could believe in God sometimes because of the hope that faith offers. Her world has proven that God does not exist.

Violence
Cole provides for his family by fighting in an arena. He’s brutal and gifted. The fights are briefly described, one through a terrified Davis’s eyes. One fighter is killed in the arena.

Drug Content
Davis and her friends have fancy parties where alcohol and drugs are consumed. When one of her friends seems to be in some kind of medical distress, Davis assumes she’s had some kind of drug or too much alcohol.

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Top Ten Books that Leave Your Heart Aching (In a Good Way)

Blogger's Favorites, Lists, News and Fun, Romance, , , ,

Top Ten Tuesday is a Meme hosted by The Broke & the Bookish. Here’s my post for this Top Ten Tuesday:

Five Stories With Swoon-Worthy Romance (Gimme Heartache!)

It’s almost Valentine’s Day, and next to a romantic date, my favorite way to celebrate is with a book featuring a romance that leaves me breathless on those last pages. Here are my top five O2 snatching reads:

  • Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell- That last pages leaves us with just three words. If you’ve read the book, you know exactly what I mean. *sigh* My review.
  • Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo- I’m pretty sure I tweeted about this. Gah. Kaz and Inej FOREVER!!! They must get together. I never pre-order a book seven months before it releases– unless it’s by Harper Lee OR the sequel to Six of Crows. My review.
  • Not if I See You First by Eric Lindstrom- This was one of those books that I could have immediately read over again when I reached the last page. The romance had so many hurdles to overcome. So much angst and drama. So great. My review.
  • Hawk’s Flight by Carol Chase – Yep. You were wondering when I’d bring that one up again, weren’t you? It has been a long time favorite, despite the fact that it’s out of print. This was a book that I’d read almost every year. Faith, love, politics, star-crossed lovers, a good guy who has to do the hard things, a philosophy debate. Man, I love this book.
  • Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor – I can’t help it. I feel like I was rooting for Karou and Akiva from the quote before the first chapter begins. So good. To me this story makes a great parallel to life in that there are these two groups at war over their differences — literally, the difference between them as creatures. Yet two people found the courage to see past those differences and cultivate love and respect anyway. Okay, I’m kind of talking you out of reading the story, but you should definitely check it out.

Five Stories that Love Being Single (Non-Love Heartache)

It’s easy to get overloaded on the super sweet lovey-dovey stuff. If that’s you, here are five stories where romance is not the be all, end all:

  • Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein- A WWII story about a female pilot and a woman working behind enemy lines in France. Both strong, admirable women and one wild ride of a story. My review.
  • Sensible Shoes: A Story About the Spiritual Journey by Sharon Garlough Brown- this tale follows four women as they journey through grief, loss, and heartache. I want to attend their study sessions. Wowza. Really deep, really brave stuff.
  • The Gone-Away World by Nick Harkaway – a really fun sci-fi featuring mimes, scary goo, special forces, ninjas, and best friends. Wow, that doesn’t even begin to do it justice. It’s a super-fun read.
  • Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman – If you’re a big fan of YA, you’ve probably already at least heard about this book, if you haven’t read it four times. Shusterman won the National Book Award for his brilliant story about a boy facing mental illness. I loved this book, and wholeheartedly agree with its status as an award-winner. My review.
  • Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon – A boy looking for a favorite author stumbles onto a dark mystery. I’m grossly under-educated about Spanish history, but I loved this book set in 1945 Barcelona. Made me want to get out there and learn more history and also read more Zafon!

Review: Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch

Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

Ice Like Fire
Sara Raasch
Balzer + Bray

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

After Angra’s defeat, Meira’s people find themselves deep in debt to Cordell. The king commands payment in the form of jewels from Winter’s mines, so Meira sends her weary citizens to work. What they unearth is far more dangerous. In a dangerous cavern miners discover the lost chasm of magic. While Meira believes opening the chasm will unleash the decay on all of Primoria, Theron, her betrothed sees it as the world’s only hope. When Meira leaves on a mission to gather allies for Winter, those closest to her choose their own courses rather than her commands. She must sort friend from traitor before her enemy destroys her.

This was a tough read for me. Some of the things that really drew me to the first book actually kind of repelled me from this one. I don’t want to give away the plot, but there are some shifts in allegiance that felt… I don’t know. Forced? I can see why Raasch chose to take the story there, because it really sets up a huge conflict for the next book. I think I really liked Meira in the first book for her verve and her commitment to what she believed was right. This time, I don’t know… she seemed lost at certain moments when I really needed her to lead. It definitely didn’t hook me the way the first book did.

There were two things I liked, though. I really liked the team of soldiers Mather trains up and especially the girl among them. I think she hit that note for me that I lacked in Meira. Also Ceridwen, the rebel from the kingdom of Summer. I was definitely a huge fan of hers.

Overall, I feel really torn about this book. I wish I liked the major characters more. I like that the plot has sort of opened up into this world-wide stage of politics and alliances. Will I read book three? I’m not sure yet. I might listen to the audiobook version because I can do that at work.

Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Sexual Content
Brief kissing. In one kingdom, casual sex is a high value of the culture. The king is found holed up with several partners and offers to provide partners to the envoy from Winter as well. We know what they’ve been up to, but we don’t get a scene showing any of it. Meira’s pretty disgusted, refuses to have anything to do with the Summer king as much as possible.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
Battle scenes. In one, a woman is killed, pierced through the chest by a sword. In another, a woman uses powerful magic to destroy enemies. A man is decapitated. Some people are sold into slavery in the kingdom of Summer.

Drug Content
None.

Review: Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne

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

Midnight Thief
Livia Blackburne
Disney Hyperion

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Kyra’s survival on the streets of Forge stands on a knife’s edge. She’s constantly scraping for the coin to make ends meet. A talented thief-for-hire, she often works for dangerous clients. When one such client offers her a job too good to be true, Kyra’s tempted by his ability to protect her and by the pull of attraction she feels for him. But James quickly proves to be more than he claims, and Kyra finds herself drawn deeper and deeper into the web of the Assassins Guild, and there may not be a way out alive.

Tristam serves as a Palace knight, defending against fearsome Demon Riders, warriors with giant cats who terrorize the people. When important documents begin inexplicably disappearing from the Palace, Tristam uncovers the identity of a thief who may be the best chance at bringing down the Assassins Guild. If he can convince her to betray them.

I’ve been curious about this book since before it came out. I started trying to read it once before, and just didn’t get hooked enough to continue. I must have been really tired or something, because this time when I started reading, I didn’t want to stop. Kyra’s character captured me from the first page. She’s too smart for her own good, with a soft heart and a deep loyalty to her friends. Loved her. I loved her best friend, Flick. I really wanted him or James to be the big romantic interest, but it was clear (because he has his own point-of-view) that Tristam was going to be the hero. He grew on me. At first he was too clean and neat and predictable.

The plot moved really quickly and I kept turning pages to see what would happen next. There were several revelations that I didn’t see coming. The resolution was satisfying but also left me eager to pick up the sequel. I liked that there were moments that turned my perceptions of characters and situation on their heads. I feel like that’s a pretty true-to-life experience (things not being what they initially seem), so I’m always interested when I find that in literature.

Would I pick up the second book in the series? Yes. I’m curious what happens next to Kyra, Tristam and their friends, but I’m not so desperate that I have to read it right now. I think it was a good book definitely worth reading. I think especially fans of Robin McKinley will enjoy this story.

Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
There are a few hints that some women live as mistresses to knights or powerful men, and that perhaps that life comes with high costs. Tristam’s superior asks if he intends to take a mistress, but he says he will not.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
Kyra joins a guild of assassins whose assignment grow steadily more brutal. She doesn’t want to kill anyone, but an accident wakens a hunger for violence in her that plagues her nightmares. She dreams about killing, choosing to kill. The scenes are brief but a bit disturbing. The barbarians who invade her city are fierce warriors who kill mercilessly. Giant cats kill and devour villagers or soldiers in a couple of brief scenes. There are some gory or intense descriptions.

Drug Content
Kyra learns about the use of poisons from her time in the Assassins Guild.

Review: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , ,

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
St. Martin’s Press

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Eleanor just wants to keep her head down and survive. To stay out of her step-dad’s notice. To preserve the tiny space in her tiny house that contains the only things that belong to her.

To Park, she’s the girl with the crazy hair and the weird clothes. When he lets her share his seat on the bus so she doesn’t fall victim to bullies behind him, he doesn’t realize he’s opened his life to a girl who will wake him up in a way he’s never been awake before. At sixteen, they both know love doesn’t always last, but sometimes you can’t help hoping it will.

I didn’t expect to fall in love with this book. I’d started reading Fangirl over the summer last summer, and just didn’t really get into it. I thought maybe I wasn’t a Rainbow Rowell fan, (possibly the only one?) but then I read the first page of Eleanor & Park.

It didn’t even take the whole page. Just the first line, and I was HOOKED. I love Park. I love his passion, his determined optimism, his complicated relationships with each of his family members. The relationship between him and his dad? So good. So complex and believable. I loved that none of the relationships felt clichéd or simplistic. Even Eleanor’s relationships with her family members and the relationships with the peripheral characters carried their own weight and had this organic feeling to them. I loved when the characters surprised me, and the ways those surprises made so much sense.

I also really liked that though there’s some romantic content between Eleanor and Park, Rowell doesn’t give us the play by play report of everything that happened. We get the setup and then maybe a summary sentence or two that kind of just lets us know things happened. We didn’t need the details. The important parts of their relationship weren’t the physical things that happened between them. I liked that Eleanor didn’t reinvent herself in the story. That it wasn’t like “oh, hey, if I dress cool and lose weight so I look like other girls, I’ll land this cute boyfriend.” She stayed herself, and that was exactly who Park loved. It wasn’t really a focal issue in the story. There are a couple of moments where she shows some insecurity about her body, but it felt natural, the way we all have those moments. Over all, I loved it. Definitely a must-read for romance lovers.

Language Content
Extreme profanity used frequently.

Sexual Content (SPOILER ALERT)
Some heavy making out. They do remove their clothes a couple of times, and there’s a moment where it looks like they’ll have sex, but they stop just shy of it. For the most part, we get a few details about the point at which the romance progresses, but I liked that Rowell sort of sets up the scene and then jumps ahead, so we don’t get the play by play between the two. Eleanor is so private, I’m sure she prefers to maintain that silence.

Eleanor finds creepy sexual notes written on her school textbook covers. She worries that the sender means her harm.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
Eleanor and her siblings hear arguments between her mom and step-dad that become violent. Park and another boy fight. It’s brief. Park kicks a drunk man in the face (it’s a revenge move.)

Girls in Eleanor’s gym class pick on her and at one point destroy her clothes.

Drug Content
Eleanor’s step-dad is an alcoholic. Kids from school offer Eleanor a beer. She takes a sip but spills most of it.

Review: The Last Faerie Queen by Chelsea Pitcher

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

The Last Faerie Queen
Chelsea Pitcher
Flux

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

After a brutal battle left her without wings, dark faerie princess Elora begs the queen of light to heal her. Elora and the queen share an uneasy alliance, promising to work together to stop Elora’s mother from harming humans and end the monarchy of faeries forever. But the light queen may have bigger plans than she’s sharing with Elora. Elora’s boyfriend Taylor may have made a promise to the queen, as mortals do, without understanding the ramifications. His word may place him and his friends in peril from which not even Elora can protect them. The Light and Dark Queens move their pawns toward war, but only one can be victorious. One will enslave humanity. The other, free it.

The romance is probably the strongest thread in the story. It’s tempered by the looming war between the faerie groups, but it definitely felt like the focus of the story. I liked the human characters and the unfolding of their stories. I felt at times like I just didn’t get Elora. There were some references to the fact that she’s a dark faerie, and therefore evil, but other than one specific instance, the inner battle that she supposedly should have been having wasn’t really apparent. I think more of that inner conflict would have added more depth to the story. (In fairness, it may be that the first book had a LOT to do with this conflict, and maybe would have scratched that itch for me, had I read it.)

The moment where she does something really evil, the other characters kind of glossed over it. There’s a brief moment where it looks like she might be called to account, but then it passes with little to-do about it. The ending of the book was a little bit disappointing, too. One really complex character (one of those that you love to hate) kind of just shrugs and instantly resolves an issue. I don’t know, I felt like it was a bit of a letdown. I had really liked that she was such a complex character whose loyalties I could never really pin down. I wanted her to have one final political twist or something before just fading out.

Readers who like Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey series will probably enjoy Pitcher’s take on the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. Fans of The Lost Princess by Dani-Lyn Alexander may want to give this series a try.

Language Content
Extreme profanity used frequently. Also some crude language.

Sexual Content
There are several really steamy suggestive scenes. There’s not a lot of specific description of each event, but some very detailed moments leading up to them are included. While erotic language isn’t used, the effect is pretty erotic. Elora and Taylor’s love-making appears to have a sort of superpower that strengthens them. Two girls also engage in some heavy kissing.

Spiritual Content
Faeries exist to protect the earth and nature. Light faeries believe in not harming humans. Dark faeries have no qualms about enslaving humans and causing direct harm to them.

Violence
Brief battle violence.

Drug Content
None.