Lumiere, a teen steampunk novel, places it's reader firmly in a dystopian society that doesn't tolerate wickedness or witchcraft. 17-year-old Eyelet has always been protected by her unusual parents. If it is discovered that she suffers from seizures she will be put away...or destroyed. Her father was working on a machine to cure her before his death. One day she will find that machine - the Illuminator - and finish what he started. That day comes sooner than she expects when she's forced to run or suffer the fate of her mother, who is found guilty of wickedness and sentenced to die.
Urlick is a disfigured orphan with a quick mind and a soft heart. When Eyelet jumps aboard his conveyance and hitches a ride to his home, he takes her in and protects her. He knows she has secrets. But then, so does he.
This may be the least restful novel I have ever read. Eyelet and Urlick simply do not slow down - their tale pushes them onward from adventure to adventure, always on the run and in pursuit of the Illuminator. Both characters are inquisitive, intelligent, and likable. The supporting characters are less developed and sometimes seem like an afterthought, but even so they add dimension to the plot. Likewise a plot twist or two had me scratching my head, though overall things made sense and flowed well.
Lumiere is the first book in a new series, The Illumination Paradox. Fans of Kady Cross's Steampunk Chronicles and dystopian fiction (such as the Maze Runner and the Hunger Games) will love this title.
Garlick, Jacqueline E. Lumiere. Skyscape, 2015. 4 stars
Jack Sturges disappeared in September 1969, the 110th child to go missing in San Bernadino’s Milk Carton Epidemic. His brother, Jim, was never the same.
Forty-five years later fifteen-year-old James Sturges, Jr., or Jim, like his dad, is living with the aftermath of his uncle’s disappearance. His father has become a security nut, locking the house down each night with ten different dead bolts, metal shutters, and an outdoor alarm system. None of it stops the monsters from coming for Jim. The monsters didn’t use the front door or the windows; they ambushed Jim from their lair under his bed. Or, more correctly, from the portal under his bed which led to a cave in the underground troll city. It seems that an evil troll, Gunmar the Black, was responsible for the Milk Carton Epidemic. There was a war, ending with the good trolls and their human paladin fighting off and exiling Gunmar. Gunnar’s wrath and strength have only grown however, and he has begun assembling a new army. The trolls and their paladin, who has never aged, need Jim’s help to defeat Gunmar once and for all. Why Jim? It seems he comes from a long line of warriors. His illustrious lineage includes such warriors as Ragnar, who saved Wales from an invasion of Mugglewumps in 1533, and Rosalind, who accidentally set fire to London in 1666 when she fended off a horde of Irish Batmuggs. And of course Jack, the current paladin, who first defeated Gunmar the Black forty-five years ago.
This somewhat gory, occasionally violent adventure will be a hit with readers who want their books full of humor and action and light on romance. The well-written, page-turning plot never stops, nor does it turn into standard fairy tale. The characters are intriguing and unique - I especially loved the troll scholar and the best friend who found his inner ninja. The universal themes of friendship and good versus evil are well-developed without being overpowering. All in all, Trollhunters is a great choice for older tweens, be they reluctant readers or avid fans of fantasy and adventure.
del Toro, Guillermo and Daniel Kraus. Trollhunters. New York: Disney Press, 2015. 4 stars.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in the review are mine alone.
I was lucky enough to get an advance readers copy of this book and...OMG!!!
Wizard sentinel DJ Jaco thought things might settle down, at least a little bit. No such luck, since New Orleans post-Katrina is still full of the preternatural, and they really don't get along. The major factions, the elves, the vampires, and the fae, are trying to create a council that will rule the city together. If they can't make this work, it could mean war. Meanwhile DJ is assigned a simple guard/spy duty. Unfortunately her "client" is the sexy pirate Jean Lafitte, who has just returned from his latest "death" with vengeance foremost in his mind. He's sneaky and doesn't play fair, and he has the council - and DJ - very worried. As if this weren't enough, New Orleans is experiencing some very unusual weather - it's freezing, snowing, sleeting, etc. Eugenie, DJ's best friend, also has an unusual condition to report - and this one will test loyalties. While DJ is on the side of what's best for her friend, her shifter boyfriend, Alex, is firmly on the side of duty. For him everything is black and white, no matter the consequences for the people involved. This installment of Sentinels of New Orleans was absolutely amazing. I loved getting sucked back into DJ's world even as the suspense almost killed me. I stayed up late reading, totally unaware of the time, because I just had to see what happened next. And the ending...WOW! I cannot wait to read book five! (Seriously. I'll be stalking the author's blog for teasers and hints.) Johnson, Suzanne. Pirate's Alley (Sentinels of New Orleans Book 4). New York: Tor Books, 2015. Publication Date: April 21, 2015. 5 stars. Speaking of the author, I asked Suzanne Johnson five questions. Her absolutely honest answers may surprise you...
What song makes you dance no matter where you are?
It varies according to what I’ve been listening to the most. Lately, it’s “Embarque ma Belle” by Kaïn, a Canadian band. The song’s about ten years old, but even if you don’t understand the lyrics, I defy you not to at least dance in your chair ☺.
What is your favorite guilty pleasure TV show?
Er...um...sigh. “General Hospital.” I DVR it. Don’t judge. How long is it gonna take for poor Jason to regain his memory? And Elizabeth’s toddler, Aidan, has been napping upstairs for over a year!
What is your writing process? Do you outline and block out scenes, write the whole thing chronologically, or piece it together? Are you a plotter or a pantser?
I don’t plot down to the color of the draperies, but I do map out every scene before I start writing it and know the beginning, ending, and major turning points and relationships in the book before I start. I spend about 2-3 weeks plotting before I start writing, then go straight from beginning to end.
Are you a collector? What do you collect? What would you collect if money and space were no option?
I’m a fickle collector. I collect obsessively, then get swayed by another shiny thing to collect and abandon the previous one. I’ve collected and sold collections of dolls, colonial blue thumbprint Fenton glass, and Early American Pattern Glass. Currently, I seem to be obsessively collecting art supplies.
What traits have you picked up from your parents?
I am a leg-jiggler, like my dad was. The creative streak comes from my mom, and, like her, I dabble in art. I come by stubborn honestly, from both of them.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in the review are mine alone.
Sometimes a book just
comes into your life at the perfect time. A Blind Spot for Boys is possibly the
oddest occurrence of this phenomenon for me.
Since her traumatic
relationship with Dom ended Shana Wilde has earned a rep as a heartbreaker.
Finally she’s decided to take a moratorium on boys until she can
sort out her feelings. Which, of course, is when she meets Quattro, a cute,
smart, and stylish boy, as she’s capturing a photo of Seattle’s Gum Wall. Before
she can explore even the possibility of their potential relationship her home
life explodes: Her father learns that he’s losing his sight. The
family decides to take one last epic adventure while he has some vision
remaining. Shana and her parents will start with a Dreamwalk, hiking the Inca
Trail to Macchu Picchu, then she’ll fly home and each
of her brothers will take another leg of the adventure with their parents. It
will be the trip of a lifetime.
But in Peru Shana’s
parents turn into people she doesn’t know. Her mother
becomes indecisive and hovers protectively around her grouchy, petulant,
standoffish husband. Meanwhile Shana runs into Quattro and his father, who are
doing their own Inca Trail hike. Quattro is blowing hot and cold, one minute
flirtatious and the next obviously keeping his distance. Shana, confused and
hurt, decides to keep their relationship at a friendship. But a lot can happen
on a days-long hike through the wilderness, especially when a flash flood and
mudslide strip away the hikers’ outer veneer of civility.
A Blind Spot for Boys is a realistic, romantic fiction novel for teens with
multiple plotlines. On one hand a teenage girl is recovering from an abusive relationship
and learning lessons about life and love from the people around her. On the
other, a family tragedy forces a couple and their children deal with an
uncertain future. For me this novel also had a third plot – the Inca Trail
whittled these trekkers down to the essence of themselves and made them
confront who they really were. Some were strengthened by the experience. Others
were broken by it.
And here’s where we come
to why this novel was so opportune: just weeks before reading this book my
husband and I tentatively planned an Inca Trail hike of our own. Now I’m even
more excited about our upcoming trip. I just wish Stesha could be our guide.
Chen, Jennifer. A Blind Spot for Boys. New York: Little,
Brown and Company, 2014. 4 stars.
Aenor, warrior and dragonrider, has been sent across the border into Huria to ask for the Maester’s help. The crown prince is the victim of an assassination attempt and while his body lives his spirit is wandering the Darkland. Only the Maester, an ageless healer and magician, has the skill and strength to go into the Darkland and bring the prince’s spirit back.
But the Maester refuses to help. He cannot cross into the kingdom of Norwall because of an ancient feud with the Abida, another ageless magician and the Maester’s sworn enemy. With only seven days before the prince’s spirit is forever lost, Aenor has no choice. She kidnaps the Maester and starts the journey home.
The journey, on the back of Aenor’s bonded dragon Eld, should have been simple and quick. Instead they must face air battles, black mages, and a trek overland through barren enemy territory. To cap it off, Aenor’s onset begins early, causing the release of her mating pheromones and making it difficult for her and the Maester to keep their minds on their quest.
The Sword & the Spellcaster is the first pure fantasy novel I’ve read in a while, and it reminded me why I love the genre. The tale is an action-filled epic quest with mythical beasts and powerful magic. The world building was excellent, and Wyn’s plot development pulled me in immediately. The characters of Aenor and Marius, the Maester, were well developed and interesting from their first appearances. The writing style, though overly enthusiastic with commas, was readable and engaging.
Note: The novel describes itself as an erotic romance. While there are three or four very descriptive sex scenes, I wouldn’t call this erotic fiction.
Wyn, Annabelle. The Sword & the Spellcaster: An Erotic Romance Novel. Amazon Digital Services, Inc.: 2014. 4 Stars.
Frostborn explodes into action on the very first page,
propelling readers into the story at a breakneck pace that continues throughout
the novel.
Karn and Thianna couldn’t be more different. Karn want’s
to escape his birthright, leave the family farm, and find out what’s
beyond Norrongard’s borders. Half frost giantess, half
human Thianna only wants to fit in with the other giants and live out her life
in peace on the giant’s frozen Northern mountain, but the
pureblood giants bully her and take every opportunity to remind her that she
isn’t one of them. Karn and Thianna meet at a trading fair, and
a tentative friendship is born.
At the end of the fair Karn’s Uncle Ori betrays
him, tricking him into challenging the undead warrior Helltopper for a battle.
Karn’s father is lost instead, and Karn runs away in fear and
guilt, chased by Helltopper’s undead servants. Meanwhile Thianna
and her father return to their home to find foreign warriors riding wyvern
looking for Thianna. She must act quickly to get away, though somehow the
warriors are able to track her and follow close behind.
Chance, or fate, throws the two friends together again and each
quickly comes to rely on the other’s unique skills to survive. Thianna is
strong, loyal and brave. Karn’s years honing his Thrones and Bones
game have given him an eye for strategy and an ability to see the enemy’s
weaknesses. Together they battle draugs, giant linnorms, evil uncles and fierce
warriors in an effort to save themselves and their loved ones.
Anders’middle grade tale seizes the reader’s
interest and keeps it. Karn and Thianna are fun, intelligent characters, and
their friendship has chemistry. Personally, I appreciated that the two never
viewed each other romantically, instead naturally falling into an easy
camaraderie. The plot is well thought-out and fast-paced, written to capture a
reader’s imagination. This is a book to hand boys and girls,
adventure lovers, fantasy fans, and those who don’t think they like
to read. I look forward to the next installment.
Anders, Lou. Frostborn (Thrones and Bones book 1). New York: Random House Children's Books/Crown, 2014. 4 stars.
The small sealed bottle drops and breaks, and the boring
ball Emma Day is attending finally gets interesting. The room lurches. Emma finds a bruised and bloody debutante in
the garden room. A fire breaks out. And the debutante is murdered by black magic.
The breaking of the bottle Emma found in her mothers things has unbound the powers of Emma and her three cousins and opened their minds to a world that had been carefully hidden from them. This world of ghosts, curses, magical traditions
and rules is utterly foreign to Emma, Gretchen, Penelope and Godric. Despite their disbelief and confusion, they must all quickly learn to control and harness their powers, Emma most of all. Her mother, before she went mad, was a famously feared and incredibly powerful witch who created a spell that caused everyone to forget...something. Something very important. The daughter of such a witch bears watching, and her actions are judged with extreme prejudice and distrust.
Meanwhile the serial killer is striking throughout London. The targets are getting closer and
closer to Emma, and she and her cousins Gretchen and Penelope must find the
killer before the cursed deaths bring life to the evil, black, ghostly Greymalkin
Sisters, who feed on the magic of the murdered.
Parts of this novel were awkwardly written, but the
overall tale was fantastic: full of magic, adventure, romance, and heroines with
clever minds and quick wits. Emma is a strong character, and this is primarily
her story, though Cormac shares the limelight enough to let the reader know his
true thoughts and feelings. The cousins are delightful characters, as is Moira,
the magical street urchin, and I think they’ll each be given room to grow as
this series progresses. Ultimately, when A
Breath of Frost ends and the threads are neatly wrapped up, there’s plenty
of magic and romance left in Regency London to fill Moira, Gretchen and
Penelope’s novels.
Harvey, Alyxandra. A Breath of Frost. New York: Walker and Company, 2014.
I had high hopes for this digital ARC (advance reading copy), obtained through Netgalley. The premise sounded amazing: set in modern times, ancient gods were awakened and are a constant threat. Only through the intervention of a small group of people, the Society, and the relics they weild, are the gods and their interfering magic under any sort of control...and that’s all I read before I was intrigued enough to request the ARC. It sounded very Rick Riordan meets Warehouse 13, and I really wanted to check it out.
The day the gods awoke - no one’s sure how or why that happened - Kyra was forgotten by her parents. While other kids were picked up at school by tearful and frightened adults, Kyra was left alone on the school steps until she finally gave up and walked home, getting lost more than once, to find an empty house awaiting her. Ever since that day Kyra has assumed this was her lot in life: to be the unimportant one, the one who gets left behind.
Soon after that day her mother went mad and her father, a librarian, became even more distant and absorbed in his work. Kyra has done everything she can think of, even staying out all night, to get his attention, but he doesn’t even seem to notice. Coming home in the early hours one morning she’s surprised to find him at home, and even more surprised when he actually seems to have been waiting for her. He’s not angry, but...odd. He tells her that if anything should happen to him she’s to take all the money in the house and run. Then he leaves her - again - for his work.
This odd conversation with her father is just the start of events that will turn Kyra’s world upside down and inside out. She will discover family secrets that shake her to the core. She will meet gods and tricksters. She will drag her friends, old and new, into schemes and adventures. And she will uncover a plot within the Society that could end the world - one that only she can stop.
The Woken Gods has a lot of potential, but also quite a bit of overwhelming info dump, primarily at the beginning. Instead of world building naturally over the course of the narrative, the first third of the novel gives the reader the back story of the awakening as well as the critical stages of character development. For me it was confusing, and it simply didn't flow well. Once the preliminary groundwork of the plot had been laid and the alternative history set, however, the novel evened out and became very interesting indeed. There were still a few unusual and jarring moments, but overall the remainder proved to be an entertaining tale.
The ending of The Woken Gods isn’t really “The End” but sets us up for at least one sequel, if not a multi-book series. I’m not overly invested in this tale, but may check out book two just to see what happens. The author’s first novel, Blackwood, has been picked up by MTV as a series, so I’m sure we’ll be hearing more from Gwenda Bond.
Note: This review is based on an Advance Reader's Copy, and editing may still be done before this book is published. All of the comments above should therefore take this into account.
