ARC Review: Malice by Heather Walter

A princess isn’t supposed to fall for an evil sorceress. But in this darkly magical retelling of “Sleeping Beauty,” true love is more than a simple fairy tale.

Once upon a time, there was a wicked fairy who, in an act of vengeance, cursed a line of princesses to die. A curse that could only be broken by true love’s kiss.

You’ve heard this before, haven’t you? The handsome prince. The happily-ever-after.

Utter nonsense.

Let me tell you, no one in Briar actually cares about what happens to its princesses. Not the way they care about their jewels and elaborate parties and charm-granting elixirs. I thought I didn’t care, either.

Until I met her.

Princess Aurora. The last heir to Briar’s throne. Kind. Gracious. The future queen her realm needs. One who isn’t bothered that I am Alyce, the Dark Grace, abhorred and feared for the mysterious dark magic that runs in my veins. Humiliated and shamed by the same nobles who pay me to bottle hexes and then brand me a monster. Aurora says I should be proud of my gifts. That she . . . cares for me. Even though it was a power like mine that was responsible for her curse.

But with less than a year until that curse will kill her, any future I might see with Aurora is swiftly disintegrating—and she can’t stand to kiss yet another insipid prince. I want to help her. If my power began her curse, perhaps it’s what can lift it. Perhaps, together, we could forge a new world.

Nonsense again.

Because we all know how this story ends, don’t we? Aurora is the beautiful princess. And I—

I am the villain. 

Author: Heather Walter

Expected Publication Date: 4/13/21

Publisher: Del Rey

My Review:

I want to thank Del Rey and Net Galley for providing me with an ARC of this book to read and give an honest review. There may be a few spoilers ahead, so reader beware!

I was very excited to have a chance to read this book. I love all kinds of fairytale retellings. And in all honesty, I am not as familiar with Sleeping Beauty as I am with other tales. So this was a nice little jump into that story line for me.

I truly enjoyed Alyce. She was definitely a dark character who carried a lot of baggage and had very low self esteem. I can totally understand how turning dark would be where she might go. Needless to say, the devolvement of her character was anticipated and not unexpected. I was hoping she might hit a low point and then turn it around. Sadly, that was not the case. This was a bit of a disappointment for me. But I can see how this book might have a sequel so I'm hopeful for something there if it comes. And I'm not sure she's truly the villain of this story if you think about the society in which she lives where jewels and baubles and looks are all that truly matters.

As for the storyline, It was totally intriguing. The writer truly developed all her characters and you saw how each one played a roll in Alyce's overall personality: the monster, the outcast, the thing. And her writing drew me in from the first few pages. Though there were some slower dips in the story and places where the author seemed to spend more time than necessary, overall it flowed well. There was some repetitiveness I would have liked not to see, though.

I did enjoy the romance but I needed more development there. Aurora was too quick to fall in love with Alyce. I would have liked to see more of a connection between the two. 

The author toes the line in this book between what is good and evil. And what is good and evil will play out much differently than anyone would usually guess.

If you're looking for a fairytale retelling with a twisted ending that leaves you wondering just what happened and what could possibly happen in the future, this is the one to read.

Heather Walter has been telling stories for as long as she can remember. A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with both English and Information Science degrees, books are--and always will be--a definitive part of her life.

As an author, Heather loves writing about what-ifs, flawed protagonists, and re-imagined history. Her favorite characters are usually villains.

When not writing, you can find her reading (duh), knitting, binging TV, and planning her next travel adventure.

ARC Review: My Contrary Mary (Mary #1) by Cynthia Hand, Brody Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

 

Welcome to Renaissance France, a place of poison and plots, of beauties and beasts, of mice and . . . queens?⠀
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Mary is the queen of Scotland and the jewel of the French court. Except when she's a mouse. Yes, reader, Mary is an Eðian (shapeshifter) in a kingdom where Verities rule. It's a secret that could cost her a head—or a tail.⠀
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Luckily, Mary has a confidant in her betrothed, Francis. But after the king meets a suspicious end, things at the gilded court take a treacherous turn. Thrust onto the throne, Mary and Francis are forced to navigate a viper's nest of conspiracies, traps, and treason. And if Mary's secret is revealed, heads are bound to roll.

Expected Publication Date: June 22, 2021

Publisher: HarperTeen

My Review:

Thank you Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I picked up this book because of the authors. I have read books by all three and was excited to jump into something they wrote together. I also love the story of Mary Queen of Scots (I mean, REIGN), so I figured this would be something I would enjoy.

First off I'd like to point out that I have not read any of the Lady Jane books. In my opinion while  most of the story in this book does stand alone, I saw many spots where having read the Lady Jane books would have given me more background and made it easier to understand some things that were happening in the book.

I loved the idea of many points of view. It was fun to the read the story from the three different characters (Mary, Francis, and Ari). Each character was unique in how they viewed the world around them. 

I will say this book comes off to me as much more upper middle grade than YA. The characters, while teenagers, are very simple in their views of the world around them. They do not appear mature as 17 year old teens might. Maybe I've read too much YA where the teens are more mature than they really should be. But having a 17 year old myself, I think I can with confidence say these characters acted more like my 14 year old.

I did find the pace a bit slow at times. The last 25% was fun and certainly picked up but that is kind of long to wait for things to really happen.

The romance in the book was cute. I liked that we got more than just Mary and Francis with the addition of Ari's perspective. And that the book addressed a relationship what wasn't just male/female in nature. 

Overall it was a fun read, though I didn't find myself running to pick it up and read it and it took a bit longer for me to finish than I anticipated. 

I definitely recommend this for middle school to young HS students as a fun read that will take you back to Renaissance France.

Authors:

I write books. I snuggle cats. I drink coffee.

Jodi Meadows wants to be a ferret when she grows up and she has no self-control when it comes to yarn, ink, or outer space. Still, she manages to write books. She is the author of the INCARNATE Trilogy, the ORPHAN QUEEN Duology, and the FALLEN ISLES Trilogy (HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen), and a coauthor of the New York Times bestsellers MY LADY JANE and MY PLAIN JANE (HarperTeen). She lives in rural Virginia. Visit her at www.jodimeadows.com

I write Young Adult novels. I eat cinnamon bears. I love me some Diet Coke.

My debut book EVERNEATH (the first in a trilogy) comes out Winter 2012 with Balzer and Bray (Harper Collins).
I'm represented by Michael Bourret at Dystel and Goderich Literary Management.

Because of two parents who were Greek myth geeks, I grew up thinking the latest fashion trends were inspired by Aphrodite, and a good conversational opener was, “So, which mythological character do you most resemble?” Despite these social shortcomings, I found a great husband who’s always my first reader. We live in Utah with our two young boys, who still have no idea why I'm at the computer all the time.

I received a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Utah and a Master’s degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics.

Cynthia Hand is the New York Times bestselling author of several books for teens, including the UNEARTHLY trilogy, THE LAST TIME WE SAY GOODBYE, MY LADY JANE, MY PLAIN JANE, and MY CALAMITY JANE (with fellow authors Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows), THE AFTERLIFE OF HOLLY CHASE, THE HOW AND THE WHY and the upcoming novels WITH YOU ALL THE WAY and MY CONTRARY MARY (also with Ashton and Meadows). Before turning to writing for young adults, she studied literary fiction and earned both an M.F.A. and a Ph.D. in fiction writing. She currently resides in Boise, Idaho, with her husband, two cats, one crazy dog, two kids, and mountain of books.

Review: The Bright & The Pale (The Bright & The Pale Duology #1) by Jessica Rubinkowski

Seventeen-year-old Valeria is one of the only survivors of the freeze, a dark magical hold Knnot Mountain unleashed over her village. Everyone, including her family, is trapped in an unbreakable sheet of ice. Ever since, she’s been on the run from the Czar, who is determined to imprison any who managed to escape. Valeria finds refuge with the Thieves Guild, doing odd jobs with her best friend Alik, the only piece of home she has left.

That is, until he is brutally murdered.

A year later, she discovers Alik is alive and being held against his will. To buy his freedom, she must lead a group of cutthroats and thieves on a perilous expedition to the very mountain that claimed her family. Only something sinister slumbers in the heart of Knnot.

And it has waited years for release.

My Review:

I want to thank Net Galley for providing me with a copy of this book to read and review.

I was excited to read this book, I don't know much Russian folklore and wanted to really learn some of it. Unfortunately, this one missed the mark. There may be spoilers ahead.

Let me start with the characters; I had no connection at all. I didn't feel that even the main character was fleshed out enough to help me be invested in her. I wanted to like the main character, Val, but I just could not picture her in my mind. I also found her to be quite winey. And every other chapter she had huge self-doubt but suddenly at the end she was full of power and self-assured. I would have liked to see more of a progression with this. As for the other characters: flat. The author tried to give back story on them. The relationship between Valeria and Luisa. I wanted to understand it more. But we see Luisa at the beginning than never again. So even though Val is trying to tell us how they were like mother and daughter, I just didn't feel it. Same with Alik. I just don't see their connection; like where is the budding romance and the googley eyes you always wish for when there is romance involved? It wasn't in this book. The only connection I see is they grew up together, but there are no back scenes to truly show us how they bonded and how her feelings changed for him over time. 

As for the Russian folklore, I don't feel it was well researched. I know it's something about Gods, but I don't have much of an idea of the backstory. Val spent maybe a page or so giving us some background, but it never really showed me what it means to all those that live in her small town. And the build up to the introduction of the Pale God is wishy washy at best. The author barely skimmed at the mythology associated with this book, I still don't know anymore about the Russian folklore behind this book than I did when I started it, unfortunately. Adding more layers would have helped me understand the underlying concept of the book and why it progressed as it did.

The pace was slow, though it did pick up at the 75% mark. But for me that's too long to wait for something interesting to happen in a book.

The writing is absolutely that of a debut author. It needs more fine tuning. 

On the plus side, the cover is gorgeous, which is what drew me initially to look at the book. And the blurb is what drew me to want to read it. I'm a sucker for a good fantasy.

Overall, I was disappointed in this book and I don't see myself reading the follow up.

Jessica Rubinkowski grew up in the fields of Illinois beside a haunted house. A fan of never sitting still, she picked up Scottish dancing, horseback riding, and general herb lore. Now, when not creating fantastical words to throw her characters into, she can be found baking or gardening. She lives in Central Illinois with her family and far too many pets to keep track of.

 

Review: With You All The Way by Cynthia Hand

Ada’s life is a mess. She just caught her boyfriend cheating on her after a humiliating attempt at losing her virginity, and she’s had it up to here with her gorgeous older sister’s unsolicited advice.

But things really hit the fan during a family vacation in Hawaii, where Ada discovers her own mother is having an affair. Apparently, everyone is falling into bed with people they shouldn’t. Everyone except Ada. But when Ada decides she’s going to stop trying and start doing—sex, that is—her best laid plan overlooks an inconvenient truth:

Feelings, romantic or not, always get in the way.

Expected Publication Date: March 30, 2021

Publisher: Harper Teen

Review:

I want to thank Harper Teen for supplying me with a copy of this book to read and review.

I won't lie, I had high hopes. I have always loved Cynthia Hand and her writing. Angels, contemporary, collaborations, she seems to be able to take it all on.

That being said, this is not her greatest work for me. If you are looking for a drama filled book with a self-centered teen (I know, I know, that's typical in real life, too!) who makes serious errors in much of what she does and chooses, this one is for you. Is it a lesson? Probably. Did she learn it? In my opinion, no.

The main character is 16 year old Ada who seems to be fixated on fixing her life with sex. Do 16 year olds think about it? Sure. Do they obsess on it? Maybe. But for me, it was way too large of a part of this book. I found her constant return to and reiterations of it tiresome and ridiculous. I also had issue with her sister letting her flounder and wallow in her own self-pity.

Overall it was a fast read but considering my affinity for picking books up by this author, not one I can see myself recommending. Too much drama without real situations for my taste.

Cynthia Hand is the New York Times bestselling author of several books for teens, including the UNEARTHLY trilogy, THE LAST TIME WE SAY GOODBYE, MY LADY JANE, MY PLAIN JANE, and MY CALAMITY JANE (with fellow authors Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows), THE AFTERLIFE OF HOLLY CHASE, THE HOW AND THE WHY and the upcoming novels WITH YOU ALL THE WAY and MY CONTRARY MARY (also with Ashton and Meadows). Before turning to writing for young adults, she studied literary fiction and earned both an M.F.A. and a Ph.D. in fiction writing. She currently resides in Boise, Idaho, with her husband, two cats, one crazy dog, two kids, and mountain of books.

 

Review: An Emotion of Great Delight by Tahereh Mafi

 From bestselling and National Book Award–nominated author Tahereh Mafi comes a stunning novel about love and loneliness, navigating the hyphen of dual identity, and reclaiming your right to joy—even when you’re trapped in the amber of sorrow.

It’s 2003, several months since the US officially declared war on Iraq, and the American political world has evolved. Tensions are high, hate crimes are on the rise, FBI agents are infiltrating local mosques, and the Muslim community is harassed and targeted more than ever. Shadi, who wears hijab, keeps her head down.

She's too busy drowning in her own troubles to find the time to deal with bigots.

Shadi is named for joy, but she’s haunted by sorrow. Her brother is dead, her father is dying, her mother is falling apart, and her best friend has mysteriously dropped out of her life. And then, of course, there’s the small matter of her heart—

It’s broken.

Shadi tries to navigate her crumbling world by soldiering through, saying nothing. She devours her own pain, each day retreating farther and farther inside herself until finally, one day, everything changes.

She explodes.

An Emotion of Great Delight is a searing look into the world of a single Muslim family in the wake of 9/11. It’s about a child of immigrants forging a blurry identity, falling in love, and finding hope—in the midst of a modern war.

Expected Publication Date: June 1, 2021

Publisher: Harper Collins

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Review:

I want to thank HarperCollins for providing me with an ARC of this book. Honestly, I didn't even read the synopsis. When I saw it was Mafi, I just requested it because I really do love her writing and thought for sure I would enjoy this one as well. The book gives a dive into the life of a Muslim teen status post 9/11. I will say I didn't like the main character. That may have been some of the intention with the book, though. After all, 17 year olds are usually quite self-centered and Shadi came off as exactly that. She made some poor life choices throughout the book. And it's not until the end that she owns up to that, at least somewhat. I liked how Mafi gave us a look into what Muslims were experiencing status post 9/11. It was also an interesting look into a different culture for me. I will confess to not knowing much about the Muslim religion or about Iranian/Persian family life or culture. I do wish she had expanded on it just a bit. I found the relationship Shadi had with her family more superficial than I would have liked, given her strong emotions about them. A deeper dive would have been welcome. Overall it was a quick read but not my favorite YA contemporary. It did feel a bit rushed with how short it was. Tahereh Mafi is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Shatter Me series. She was born in a small city somewhere in Connecticut and currently resides in Santa Monica, California with her husband, fellow author Ransom Riggs. She can usually be found over-caffeinated and stuck in a book. Shatter Me is her first series, with television rights optioned by ABC Signature Studios; Furthermore, her first middle grade novel, is on shelves now, and Whichwood, its darker companion, will be on shelves November 14, 2017.

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Blog Tour: Intro Laconic by WH Rose

Intro: Laconic
W.H. Rose
Publication date: September 22nd 2020
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Taein Kim, affectionately known as “Blondie”, is an incredibly talented young man and leader of the rookie K-Pop group Eclipse. Tae has his whole life and career in front of him, but it comes to a screeching halt when a standard meet and greet leads to him finding his soulmate, a foreign girl named after the goddess of love.

Venus Woods is the young heiress of the largest tech corporation in Southeastern America. Her life revolves around meaningless events and empty white walls, devoid of color and purpose. She never thought she would meet her favorite idol group, Eclipse, let alone form the incredibly rare soulmate bond with their leader. As if that’s not life-changing enough, her absent mother is determined to have the two married, using her daughter as a bargaining chip.

Separated by lifestyle, culture, and language, the teens have wall after wall between them. None of it stops the blossom of love that blooms in their hearts when they lock eyes under the cover of a thunderstorm.

Goodreads / Amazon

“Did you research different bands for your book to get information to make it authentic? If so, which bands. If not, how did you come to understand band life?”

I did a lot of research for this book, but that mostly revolved around the locations Venus and Taein went to. As for understanding Eclipse as a band and making sure I did them justice, I really relied on my prior knowledge of K-pop. I’ve been a K-pop fan for around four years now, and in that time I have learned a lot about how the industry works. Every K-pop group is similar in many ways because of the way K-pop is manufactured. Most groups come from a handful of entertainment companies in Korea. They almost always are all male or all female. Band members almost always live together. They have assigned roles in the group like the lead singer, or lead rapper, or even visual (the member who is marketed as the most attractive). They almost always start when the members are in their teens. They all have to go on variety shows, make performances, and promote their music, etc. Of course, exactly how they do these things can be different, but K-pop can be quite formulaic.

Knowing this, it was easy for me to construct the bones of Eclipse as a group. I knew I needed to have members who sang and members who rapped. I knew Eclipse needed to have a manager who helped guide them. I knew that they were likely to have a meet and greet. But of course, what makes every group unique is the members. Personality, talent, and friendships have so much to do with what makes a group lovable. I really wanted to make the members important and feel like they really contributed to the band. This first book focused very heavily around Venus and Taein, but the second and third books will really shed more light on how Eclipse operates as a band and on the relationships between all of the members. Readers will definitely get a closer look into the K-pop industry (the good bits and the not so good bits) as Venus and Taein’s story progresses. 

Author Bio:

W. H. Rose is an emerging author who just released her debut novel, Mythomania, in January of 2020. Her life's passion is storytelling. Rose has always entertained those around her with her ability to create moving and impactful tales and is proud to share her first novel at the young age of eighteen. She lives in Georgia with her loving family and pet rabbit, Soba.

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