Tag Archives: Political Intrigue

Review: Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch

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

Ice Like Fire by Sara RaaschIce Like Fire
Sara Raasch
Balzer + Bray

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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.

Stunning Teen Sci-Fi Novel: Inherit the Stars by Tessa Elwood

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Inherit the Stars
Tessa Elwood
Perseus Book Group/Running Press Kids

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When an explosion during a riot leaves Asa’s sister in a coma, she vows to do what she must to bring her back. As the youngest daughter in a royal house on the brink of collapse, her choices are desperate. She impersonates her sister in a marriage alliance to the heir to another ruling family, a boy with tragic secrets of his own.

Every time Asa thinks she has made things better, she’s met with the bitter realization that she’s in fact only made her sister’s and her family’s situation more dire. War could come at any moment. War which will destroy them all. Asa scrabbles to right each new domino that falls, hoping against hope that she can get ahead of the catastrophe enough to spare those she loves most: her sister, her family, her kingdom, and unexpectedly, her new husband.

This book is one of those fantastic ones that left me amazed at the way the plot twisted in on itself. Every time I thought I knew what was going to happen, it was like the author flipped my whole perception upside down or revealed a secret that completely changed the game. The rabbit hole of political intrigue went deeper and deeper until I didn’t think there was any way there could be light at the end of that tunnel.

I loved the characters. I felt like each of them could have walked off the page. I liked the relationship and conflict between Asa and her father and Asa and her sister Emmie best. Super complex relationships, really getting into that tug-of-war between love and hate. I loved the way her relationship with Eagle unfolded, too. I am least crazy about his name, but absolutely adored him other than that.

Another thing that I’m a total sucker for is a really dense artistic narrative style. In a response to a question I asked her via Goodreads, author Tessa Elwood talks about being inspired by Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi in her development of the raw emotional style in Inherit the Stars. She did an amazing job. There were passages I read multiple times just because I liked them too much to read them only once before moving on. An example, you ask? Here’s one of my favorites:

“He steps with me. Hands catching my cheeks, closing in until the room disappears and I taste him. Wide lips and lost places. Tangled forests of pine nuts and rivers and the way the air sings before the sun rises. His fingers chase dawn into my hair.”

Love it. Love this book. Cannot wait for the next one, which it sounds like will be out around this time next year.

Language Content
Mild profanity used moderately.

Sexual Content
Brief kissing.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
Brief battle violence, references to explosions. Asa’s sister is injured in a riot and remains in a coma. Asa has to cut into her husband’s shoulder, he then has to cut into hers. He tells her how he earned his scars and of a fellow soldier’s injuries. Some of that is a bit wince-worthy more in word choice than length of the description.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: The Ring and the Crown by Melissa de la Cruz

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

The Ring and the Crown by Melissa de la Cruz
Disney-Hyperion

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Two girls, best friends. One is heir to the Lily throne. The other is the daughter of the most powerful mage in the empire.

Princess Marie-Victoria has always been a sick and weak child. As the time comes for her to inherit the throne, her mother and the Mage of England seek an alliance with the powerful, savvy crown prince of Prussia. But Marie-Victoria has other plans for her life.

Aelwyn, the bastard daughter of the Mage of England, has to make her own choice: return to Avalon and live as a magician in exile, or take her vows and join the order who serve the Franco-British Empire. Aelwyn has never desired to serve. In her heart, she has always envied the princess’ life and privileges. When Marie-Victoria approaches her with a plan for the future, Aelwyn’s heart thrums at the possibility and quakes in terror at what her friend is asking of her.

Together the girls have the opportunity to shape the future of the world. Only first they must decide which future to choose.

I was a little nervous beginning this story because I’d read one of her Gates of Paradise books and really struggled with the story and characters. I found myself really fascinated with the set-up of this story. If Merlin were real and his power continued beyond King Arthur’s day, how would that shape the world? In The Ring and the Crown, this means England conquers France. The Revolutionary War? Not so much. The American colonies still belong to the English – er, the Franco-British – Empire. These guys can’t be beat.

I liked the way de la Cruz wove in some French cultural references into the politics and traditions surrounding the royal family. It added an authenticity to the story world in a really subtle way. As strange as the concept sounds, the story world felt totally believable. I loved the idea and it read like the author really thought through a lot of the lore about Merlin and the period of European history.

The characters were fantastic. Each had really distinct personality and voice. It was easy to root for them. I liked that the romance was a bit unpredictable. Several times I thought I knew what would happen and was surprised at the real outcome.

All in all this was a really entertaining read. I would definitely consider following this series, which isn’t something I normally do. The ending really set a great hook for the next story, though, so I’m finding it hard to resist!

Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Sexual Content
Leo is a bit of a cad and appears to frequently take ladies to bed with him. He coerces Isabelle into having sex with him. Isabelle’s guardian has been sexually abusing her since she was a girl. Very few real details about it. Her description is more of a flickering memory, so we don’t experience him doing anything in scene, other than kissing her. Aelwyn recalls a love affair with another resident of Avalon. She briefly recollects having sex with him and the heartbreak that followed when the relationship ended. No details describing the sex, just a brief reference to waking up together, etc. There are no rules regarding same-sex relationships, and two very eligible bachelors have chosen one another as lovers. No description of the physical affection between them.

Spiritual Content
Merlin’s order has pretty much taken the place of the church in England. The order appears to operate much like a monastery, and the head rules alongside the queen of the empire. A Pandora’s box is the only weapon that can stand against the power of the magic held by the English.

Violence
Brief references to battle. A young prince takes out frustrations in the boxing ring. A young man defends the honor of his love in a duel to the death.

Drug Content
References to drinking wine.

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Review: Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

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Seraphina
Rachel Hartman
Random House
Published in 2013

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Seraphina has lived a carefully unnoticed life. Even as a talented musician, she’s always avoided the spotlight in order to protect a terrible secret that, if discovered, will threaten her life and that of her family.

When a prince of Goredd is murdered, rumors circulate that a dragon is the culprit. These rumors threaten the uneasy peace between humans and dragons. Drawn into the murder investigation, Seraphina helps the handsome captain of the guard, Prince Lucien, to bring the killer to justice.

Seraphina’s quick thinking and easy lying has always protected her in the past. Now her friendship with the betrothed prince threatens to out her. When the investigation reveals a terrible plot jeopardizing the entire kingdom, Seraphina is forced to choose between her secrecy and the survival of all she loves.

Political intrigue. Murder. Fantasy. Romance. This story has it all. Unforgettable characters march across each chapter. Dragon culture is well-developed and very different from other dragon stories. Hartman does a great job throwing the human and dragon characters in situations in which the cultures clash, sometimes in humorous ways. The murder investigation keeps the tension high. This is one book you won’t want to put down until the last page.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
No profanity.

Sexual Content
Brief suggestive comments.

Spiritual Content
Seraphina discovers she can use her mind to communicate with others. She also meets several others with varied unusual abilities.

It seems that the human population worship a large collection of revered saints at various shrines. One of the clever ways Hartman incorporates this into the story is through the use of colloquialisms based on different saints. “St. Daan in a pan!” someone might shout.

Violence
A prince’s body is found. He has been beheaded. No gory details.

Brief battles between human and dragon or dragon and dragon.

Drug Content
Seraphina consumes too much wine and nearly gives away her secret.

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