Fawkes ~ Review

Fawkes
By Nadine Brandes

Thomas Fawkes has only ever wanted his father's attention, approval, and love but when he contracts the plague his hopes seem to be at an end. For a year his father has been silent but with his Color Test upon him, he knows his father will present him with his mask and he will bond with a color. But disappointment seems to be his lot as his father the famed Guy Fawkes again lets him down refusing to present him with his mask or his presence.

Maskless, Thomas has no place in school or society - his father has ruined him. Determined to track down his father Thomas makes his way to London. But London is a dangerous place to be when you are maskless and plagued. Those who are masked are either Keepers or Igniters and they are at war. Both sides blame the other for the plague that is making its way across England a plague that is turning the infected into stone.

But finding his father only brings new complications as he is involved in a plot to bring down King James on the belief that the plague will be defeated with a Keeper on the throne rather than a king who has Igniter sympathies. Determined to prove himself to father, gain his mask, and rid himself of the plague Thomas agrees to take part in the plot against the king.

But when Thomas comes across Emma Areben in London he is confronted with something he never expected - acceptance and a viewpoint on White Light that he never expected. But she is the enemy or is she? Thomas is on a journey to discover the truth for himself if he can discover it.

Fawkes is a delightful blend of history and fantasy that will leave the reader enchanted and perhaps on their own quest for the truth about England, the Gunpowder Plot, and Plague that was so feared. Thomas Fawkes is a young man who is on the cusp of manhood when his very identity is denied him. With his future in doubt, he has no choice but to go after it for himself. Emma Areben is the ward of a peer of English society but she has a secret, one that most know nothing of, one that could ruin her in polite society. And the White Light the most powerful of the colors is also the one most fought over - should it be suppressed or should it be wielded. For what it is the White Light is a pivotal force within this story - one that the careful reader will decern as being greater than just a color power to be used at will.

This book is as equally well-written as Nadine Brandes previous work the Out of Time series but completely different as this is a historical fantasy fiction instead of a dystopian work.  I enjoyed the historical elements that brought this story to life while the fantasy elements added an exciting and unexpected twist. The mistrust of both sides against the other just fans the flames of hate and fear as neither is willing to see beyond what they wish to see - which sadly has been a reoccurring theme throughout history. I highly recommend this book perfect for any time reading or a book club setting.

About the Book:

Thomas Fawkes is turning to stone, 

and the only cure to the Stone Plague 

is to join his father’s plot to 

assassinate the king of England.

Silent wars leave the most carnage. The wars that are never declared, but are carried out in dark alleys with masks and hidden knives. Wars where color power alters the natural rhythm of 17th century London. And when the king calls for peace, no one listens until he finally calls for death. But what if death finds him first?

Keepers think the Igniters caused the plague. Igniters think the Keepers did it. But all Thomas knows is that the Stone Plague infecting his eye is spreading. And if he doesn’t do something soon, he’ll be a lifeless statue. So when his Keeper father, Guy Fawkes, invites him to join the Gunpowder Plot—claiming it will put an end to the plague—Thomas is in.

The plan is to use 36 barrels of gunpowder to blow up the Igniter King. Unfortunately, doing so will destroy the family of the girl Thomas loves. But backing out of the plot will send his father and the other plotters to the gallows. To save one, Thomas will lose the other.

No matter Thomas’s choice, one thing is clear: once the decision is made and the color masks have been put on, there’s no turning back.

The Girl in the Tower ~ Review

The Girl in the Tower
The Winternight Trilogy #2
By Katherine Arden

This is the delightful sequel to The Bear and the Nightingale. Picking up where the previous book ended with Vasya returning to the hidden forest home of Morozko. But this is not the beginning of this part of the story.

Remote peasant villages are being destroyed - burned to the ground, peasants killed, and select girls spirited away. But all traces of these marauders vanish almost as soon as they leave as if they had never been. Vasya's brother Sasha with the Grand Prince of Moscow Dmitrii Ivanovich upon receiving a plea for help in hunting this threat head out into the wildness. But nothing of these bandits can be discovered until a lone horse bearing a most unusual and unexpected rider.

Fleeing her home following the death of her father and her sole protection Vasya has determined to see the world that lies beyond what she has always known. Morozko warns against such a dangerous undertaking but Vasya being Vasya pays little heed to his efforts to turn her to home. The world is full of wonders that she never imagined and unexpected dangers. When her path crosses that of her brother Vasya presents herself as the brother that Sasha left behind eight years previous.

Soon Vasya is on the road to Moscow at the side of Sasha and Dmitrii. But disguising herself as a young man comes with its own dangers and more than her life is at risk if she cannot keep her secret. But keeping in the shadows and not drawing attention to her very person is not something Vasya excels at. But Moscow needs Vasya and her gift of sight. For a threat has come to the kingdom and no one seems able to see its true source.

If Vasya's true identity is revealed all could be lost and Moscow could fall into the hands of an ancient foe.

In a world in which women were expected to marry or enter the convent, Vasya is an oddity. She refuses to be something other than what she wants to be but her defiance could cost her everything. This is a medieval Russian fairytale that is filled with a hidden spirit world that is losing ground in the minds of the people. But Vasya's life has been filled with the listening of these tales and unlike most she believes.

The Girl in the Tower is for those who have a fondness for tales of folklore and impossible love. Set in Russia before the days of the Czar this story has a feel about it that captivates the reader as Vasya learns who she is at her heart. Morozko is a character that one can't get a true feel for but he is of two personalities - the being Vasya knows and the being of lore.

If you have not yet read The Bear and the Nightingale it is a must to read this book first. Without this background, one will not fully grasp the story or the characters and how they fit together in this setting. With winter soon to be upon us what better way to appreciate a warm cup of cider and a cozy blanket than to enter the world of the winter-king.

I was provided an advanced review copy of this book by the publisher with no expectation of a review positive or otherwise. All opinions expressed are my own.


About the Book:
The magical adventure begun in The Bear and the Nightingale continues as brave Vasya, now a young woman, is forced to choose between marriage or life in a convent and instead flees her home—but soon finds herself called upon to help defend the city of Moscow when it comes under siege.

Orphaned and cast out as a witch by her village, Vasya’s options are few: resign herself to life in a convent, or allow her older sister to make her a match with a Moscovite prince. Both doom her to life in a tower, cut off from the vast world she longs to explore. So instead she chooses adventure, disguising herself as a boy and riding her horse into the woods. When a battle with some bandits who have been terrorizing the countryside earns her the admiration of the Grand Prince of Moscow, she must carefully guard the secret of her gender to remain in his good graces—even as she realizes his kingdom is under threat from mysterious forces only she will be able to stop.

Topaz Reign ~ Review and Giveaway

Topaz Reign
Altered Stones #2
By Teresa Richards

Destroying the Emerald was just the beginning, unknown to Garon the mysterious O has created another gemstone with powers. And Lindy's reign of Valstenia is threatened ~ but even more disturbing the world is changing and Garon and Maggie are the only ones aware of these changes.

Concerned about the changes occurring in the past Garon returns to the 1600's to determine what has happened. To Maggie's dismay Garon refuses to let her return with him because the danger involved in time travel.

But when the changes to history continue Maggie along with her brother Tanner (who knows nothing of the history changes) travel to the childhood home of their late mother. Maggie is looking for clues to the changes in history while at the same time trying to learn more about the mother that she lost all those years ago. What Maggie and Tanner discover could change the course of history yet again. But first they have to discover how to escape from a present that is in a state of flux to the past where it all began.

Valstenia's masses are falling victim to O's newest altered gem ~ a rare and beautiful topaz that has been given special properties. Unfortunately yet again these powers are being misused and again Lindy and the royal family are threatened by this deceptive power. With time against them Garon, Maggie, Lindy, Tanner and those few whose loyalty can't be turned are in a seemingly hopeless battle. And thanks to O they have an unexpected advantage if only they can determine what the clues all mean.

Topaz Reign is if possible even better than the first book Emerald Bound.  We learn more about Maggie and Tanner's past and there is a secret there that will surprise everyone involved. And does the timeline get restored? Who's to say which line is the right one? As the past and present come together yet again the reader is left with another delightful tale that skirts loosely with a fairy tale that has been twisted by time.

Fans of YA will enjoy this time traveling mystery that brings danger to the forefront. And if you want a touch of romance you can find that too though with a twist that doesn't guarantee a happily ever after for all involved. Though the series appears complete with the conclusion of this book I have to admit I wouldn't mind additional books following the various characters in their new normal.

I was provided a review copy of this book by the author with no expectations of a positive review. ~ All opinions are my own.


About the Book:

Fairy tales are simply tales, told and re-told, but changed over time.

It has been four months since Maggie learned the dark truth behind the tale of the Princess and the Pea and freed Princess Lindy from the cursed Emerald. Lindy is now back in the past where she belongs, queen of her tiny Scandinavian country, and Maggie is a fully reformed ex-stalker.

Except … she can’t stop doing internet searches on Lindy and her country. 

One morning, Maggie wakes to find history turned on its head. Apparently, you can’t destroy a centuries-old curse without consequence. In order to prevent the changes in history from wiping out the present, Maggie resurrects her stalking gene and learns that fairy tales don’t stay dead for long.

Or at all.

Back in 1623, Lindy is juggling a threat to her family, a handsome new guard she’s not supposed to have feelings for, and a cursed Topaz with ties to the tale of Thumbelina. When past and present collide, Lindy and Maggie are brought together again, and another of Andersen’s tales turns from twisted fiction to chilling fact. 

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Emerald Bound ~ Review

Emerald Bound
Altered Stones #1
By Teresa Richards

A simple game of Truth or Dare has an unexpected result when the dare doesn't go quite as planned. After a night of intense studying Maggie Rhodes and her BFF's Kate and Piper decide on an impromptu game of Truth or Dare and Maggie takes DARE. Big mistake when the Dare turns out to be a spy-by on Marshall Parker who is one of the meanest guys Maggie can think of. But Kate and Piper won't let her back out of her dare. What follows is the worst experience of Maggie's life and it's just starting.

With time against her, Maggie has no choice but to accept help from Lindy a fellow classmate who is more than she appears. But can Maggie trust Lindy's fantastical story one that if true adds a sinister twist to the old Princess and the Pea fairy tale? And when aid comes from a most unexpected source Maggie has a glimmer of hope at saving her friends from an unknown fate.

But an ancient magic is not easily defeated and the magic that Maggie is attempting to break has a failsafe that is about expire and all trapped within its grasp will soon be lost forever. The fate of a kingdom and those closest to her depends on the choice Maggie is about to make. Can she restore all that has been lost?

This is a book that the tension slowly builds as the past and the present come together in an exciting and altogether satisfying conclusion. But not all the questions are answered and the book ends on a climactic note hinting at what the sequel will bring.

This is well-written YA fiction with a unique twist on a well-known fairy tale. I believe teens (especially girls) will find this to be a book to draw them. This is a book about the power and loyalty of friendship and family with a sizeable pinch of fantasy and pinch of romance.

A word of warning Beware of strange beds with lumpy, bumpy mattresses! You may never wake up if you ignore it...

I was provided a review copy of this book by the author with no expectations of a positive review ~ All opinions expressed are my own. 

About the Book:

A princess, a pea, and a tower of mattresses. 

This is the sliver that survives of a story more nightmare than fairytale...

Maggie Rhodes, high school junior and semi-reformed stalker, learns the tale’s true roots after a spying attempt goes awry and her best friend Kate ends up as the victim of an ancient curse. At the center of the curse lies an enchanted emerald that has been residing quietly in a museum for the past fifty years. Admirers of the gem have no idea that it feeds on life. Or that it’s found its next victim in Kate. 

Enter Lindy, a school acquaintance who knows more than she’s letting on, and Garon, a handsome stranger claiming he knows how to help, and Maggie is left wondering who to trust and how to save her best friend before it’s too late.

If only Maggie knew her connection to the fairy tale was rooted far deeper than an endangered best friend.

How to Become a Pirate Hunter ~ Review

How to Become a Pirate Hunter
By Marty Reeder

Eric Francis just isn't good at anything and he has no idea what he wants to do with his life. And as a sophomore, he should have some inkling, at least his high school counselor seems to think he should. But when he meets Charlotte Reeves the newest student in his high school he's about discover who he was meant to be. There's just one problem he's in the wrong time and the wrong place.

According to Charlotte, Eric was born to be a pirate hunter and she's about to give him the chance of a lifetime to prove it. All it takes is a little trip back through time, which could be problematic as time travel has yet to be discovered. Luckily for Eric, he knows Charlotte - let the pirate hunting commence!

Eric's natural skills on the water seemingly prove Charlotte's assertions about him true. But can Eric's natural abilities as a pirate hunter be enough to stop the dreaded Willard Pirate Twins who are terrorizing the shipping lanes into and out of Port Raleigh?  And how can a teenage boy who doesn't even have a driver's license out think and outmaneuver pirates who have years of experience pillaging and plundering?

If your looking for some adventure that will thrill your tween and teen readers look no further. This is an exciting read that adds a touch of fantasy to give the story an added touch of something special. This would also make for a fun family read-together book and at 199 pages not too long. Sit back and let the adventure begin with the first page.

I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher with no expectation of a positive review ~ all expressed opinions are my own.


About the Book:

Eric has always felt useless. That is, until he meets Charlotte, the new girl who he is asked to show around school. Charlotte tells him she has the power to see other people’s natural born abilities—what they are born to do. Charlotte shows Eric that not only is he not useless, but he has a natural born talent with the potential to make him a hero. When the two teenagers leave their monotonous high school lives for a thrilling adventure on the high seas, Eric will put his natural abilities to the ultimate test to help his friends, and he’ll learn a lot about himself in the process.

Heartstone ~ Review and Spotlight

Heartstone
By Elle Katharine White

Have you ever wished for a little more action in Pride and Prejudice? Well, Heartstone adds a fun fantasy twist that brings dragons, trolls, hobgoblins, gryphons and other fantastical beings into the mix.  But all isn't fun and country dances - danger roams the countryside and those ready to wield a sword are called in to protect the local populations.

When Merybourne Manor finds itself at the mercy of a hoard of gryphon a band of riders is hired to rid them of this danger.  A danger that has already cost Aliza Bentaine the life of her young sister. But this band of riders calls Alastair Daired one of its own - that a dragonrider, one of the Daired of the legendary House Pendragon should be coming to their aid is most unusual.

But an even greater danger is threatening - a danger that few can see or sense and fortunately or not Aliza is one who has seen something. And the threat is one of legends. But how can one prepare for a threat when one has only myth and legend and the threats of a Silent King?

Unlike the Bennett sisters the Bentaine sisters aren't falling for every man who graces the pages. Yes there are suitable matches that leave all involved quite happy and more than content with the situations in which they find themselves. The characters are easily identifiable with their Pride and Prejudice counterparts yet different - suiting this new world that they call home. As this is a land that is under threat from various powerful creatures there are some deaths to key characters that may surprise some readers but it adds depth to the story.

This book is a standalone but if the author could find a way to expand this world to include additional works by Austen or even create a prequel that focused on the history that was hinted at throughout I would find myself first on the pre-order line. This world and the characters caught and held my attention and I had no trouble getting into the story from the first word.

I was provided a digital review copy of this book by the publisher with no expectation of a positive review - all opinions expressed are my own.

** I have since purchased a paperback copy of this book so that 

I could re-read this book again at my leisure. **

Title: Heartstone
Author: Elle Katharine White
Release Date: January 17, 2017
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Genre: Historical Fantasy

A debut historical fantasy that recasts Jane Austen’s beloved Pride and Prejudice in an
imaginative world of wyverns, dragons, and the warriors who fight alongside them
against the monsters that threaten the kingdom: gryphons, direwolves, lamias,
banshees, and lindworms.

They say a Rider in possession of a good blade must be in want of a monster to
slay—and Merybourne Manor has plenty of monsters.

Passionate, headstrong Aliza Bentaine knows this all too well; she’s already lost one
sister to the invading gryphons. So when Lord Merybourne hires a band of Riders to
hunt down the horde, Aliza is relieved her home will soon be safe again.

Her relief is short-lived. With the arrival of the haughty and handsome dragonrider,
Alastair Daired, Aliza expects a battle; what she doesn’t expect is a romantic clash of
wills, pitting words and wit against the pride of an ancient house. Nor does she
anticipate the mystery that follows them from Merybourne Manor, its roots running deep
as the foundations of the kingdom itself, where something old and dreadful slumbers . . .
something far more sinister than gryphons.

It’s a war Aliza is ill-prepared to wage, on a battlefield she’s never known before: one
spanning kingdoms, class lines, and the curious nature of her own heart.
Elle Katharine White infuses elements of Austen’s beloved novel with her own brand of
magic, crafting a modern epic fantasy that conjures a familiar yet wondrously unique
new world.

About the Author:
Elle was born and raised in Buffalo, NY, where she learned valuable life skills like how
to clear a snowy driveway in under twenty minutes (a lot easier than you think) and how
to cheer for the perennial underdog (a lot harder than you think).

When she’s not writing she spends her time reading, drinking absurd amounts of tea,
having strong feelings about fictional characters, and doing her best to live with no
regrets.

Connect with her on Facebook at @ellewhite.author, or witness the hilarious spectacle
that is a writer contending with the 140-character limit on Twitter at @elle_k_writes.

Connect online also at: website  GoodReads  or Tumbler

Purchase the book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Kobo

Be sure to check-out the entire Tour Schedule

Monday, January 23
Book featured at Rolopolobookblog
Book featured at Queen of All She Reads

Tuesday, January 24
Book featured at E-Romance News

Wednesday, January 25
Book featured at CBY Book Club

Thursday, January 26
Book reviewed at RhiReading

Friday, January 27
Book featured at The Bookworm Lodge
Book reviewed at Blooming with Books
Book reviewed at Books Are Love
Book featured at I Smell Sheep

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Monday, January 30
Book reviewed at I'm Shelf-ish

Tuesday, January 31
Book featured at A Book Lover

Wednesday, February 1
Book featured at The Dark Phantom

Thursday, February 2
Book featured at Write and Take Flight

Friday, February 3
Book featured at A Title Wave

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