Review: Mastiff (Beka Cooper #3) by Tamora Pierce

Mastiff by Tamora Pierce

Copy Courtesy of Random House
Release Date: TODAY!!!

This is the third book in this series and there may be some spoilers if you haven't read the previous 2 books (Terrier and Bloodhound), but honestly these stories are pretty standalone so you shouldn't worry too much.

Summary
The ultimate task for the best tracker team in the kingdom: Beka and her dog Achoo. The prince has disappeared, and the kingdom is in grave danger unless Beka can track him down. The trail though is a treacherous one, and there will be many twists, turns, and surprises.

Commentary
I'm still squee-ing over having gotten my hands on this book. I may in fact be a bit of a fangirl... tiny teeny HUGE bit. As was decided when I featured this for a Third Sentence Thursday, this series is grittier than some of Pierce's other works, but it's still got the Pierce touch.

I took this book with me on my trip to Taiwan, and I kept wanting to read instead of going off and doing things. I was definitely surprised by how the hunt for the prince turned out, which was yay ^.^ and filled with lots of tense moments. I was able to slide into this story faster than the others perhaps because I've gotten used to the slang of Beka's day.

I think this was a great last book for this trilogy, and it satisfies much better than the Protector of the Small series (in my opinion anyway). I also love how this story wraps back around to George Cooper since we started with a small vignette from his home life at the beginning of the series. So, what are you waiting for? Go get it ^.^

Star Rating: 4.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

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Review: Crossed (Matched #2) by Ally Condie

Crossed by Ally Condie

Copy Courtesy of Penguin USA (Dutton)
Release Date: November 1, 2011

This is the second book in this series so this may contain some spoilers if you haven't read the first (Matched) yet. If you haven't yet, you can check out my review of the first book.

Summary
Cassia is out in the Outer Provinces in search of Ky. Ky is in the Outer Provinces being constantly bombarded by the Enemy. The two will journey through this new land, and mayhaps, if fate lines up just so, they will be able to find each other once more.

Commentary
There is a lyrical quality to Ally's writing which just sucks you in and makes you want to keep reading this book. It's just so beautiful that I can't help liking it, and it really makes the story go by without even realizing it.

There is lots more world-building in this second story, and it's woven into the character narration very naturally. While there will likely be only one more book in this series, I do hope there's more to discover yet.

My only real critique of this book is that there is somehow a lack of depth to what is going as though there weren't really strong emotions evoked even when the characters are in danger. Granted, I did worry for them so perhaps it wasn't that bad. I look forward to reading the next book ^.^

Star Rating: 4.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

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Review: Legend (Legend #1) by Marie Lu

Legend by Marie Lu

Copy Courtesy of Putnam Juvenile (Division of Penguin)
Release Date: November 29, 2011

Summary
June is a prodigy groomed for the highest echelons of the military. Day is the Republic's most wanted criminal. When Day is accused of killing June's brother, June sets out to bring Day down. Things though aren't all they seem to be in the Republic, and June's quest will change her perspective on everything.

Commentary
Yeah, yeah, I know, it's another dystopian book, but this one is pretty good. It's written in dual-narrative with alternating chapters between June and Day. Some people have said that the printing of the two characters with different colors is distracting, but I liked it since it was a very visual indicator of the switch between narrators.

Pacing was pretty quick although perhaps because of the moments each chapter ends at (lots of mini-cliff hangers) it didn't feel like it went too fast because you had to wait for the juicy parts even if only for a chapter. I also have a certain liking for child geniuses so even though they have a lot of talents and there may be cries of Mary Su and such, I enjoyed it because the premise for their many talents was established to my satisfaction.

It's light on the romance, which I liked although this may be disappointing to some, and the fleshing out of the world was sprinkled in throughout the book, which gave a sense of complexity without being overwhelmed with information. I, for one, am looking forward to the next book.

Star Rating: 4.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

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Review: Witchlanders (Witchlanders #1) by Lena Coakley

Witchlanders by Lena Coakley

Coy Courtesy of Simon and Schuster and Lena Coakley
Already Released

Summary
Ryder doesn't believe that the witches really have any magic. After all his mother always said so, and she used to to be a witch. Now though, she may be changing her story, and Ryder is about to be caught up in a terrible prophecy.

Commentary
Why aren't there more books like this in YA right now? WHY?! I would read them; I would read all of them. I want to thank Lena for writing this, and then persevering to get it published because this is the epic fantasy YA I've been waiting for.

Ryder is a somewhat selfish at times teenage boy who is really trying to do his best for his family while things fall apart, and he feels real. It also helps that there's magic being thrown around as well as an age old feud between countries thrown in for good measure. I also feel like we've only seen the tip of the iceberg in terms of what this magic system can do, and I'm really excited to see what else there is to it.

Witchlanders is epic while maintaining a feeling of a personal journey. I can see some of you thinking that this book moves a bit slowly, but it shouldn't all just be about action, there's a great story being told here so sit back and enjoy the ride.

Star Rating: 4.5/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

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Review: Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

Copy Courtesy of Simon and Schuster
Release Date: Oct 18, 2011

Summary
The top of the violin world comes together every four years to choose a star at the Guarneri competition, and Carmen is one of those select few chosen to compete. To be at the top, Carmen has sacrificed everything, but when Jeremy, her main competitor, enters the picture, Carmen starts to wonder whether any of it was really worth it.

Commentary
Wow, I was surprised. In the first scene of the book, Carmen is poised to throw away a $1.2million violin (a Stradivarius for those who know anything about violins), and I was poised to not like the book because while that is a dramatic gesture, I wasn’t sure I could take such a horrific waste of money whether or not it was mean to be a gesture or not. Virtuosity though, turned around and surprised me with an engaging story, personable characters, and a building tension that broke at just the right moment.

Carmen’s slow realization throughout this book of the gilded cage surrounding her is not a new story, but it is told so well that it doesn’t need to be new to be great. The way Carmen’s addiction to an anti-anxiety medicine played out might have been a tad unrealistic since it seemed a bit too easy, but the thoughts which went through her head were well-written.

Maybe it’s because I don’t read that much contemporary fiction that I thought this one was good or perhaps it’s because it was good ^.^ Either way, this is a book you should get on the bandwagon for reading.

Star Rating: 4.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

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Review: Wisdom's Kiss by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Wisdom's Kiss by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Copy Courtesy of Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Already Released

Summary
Three people are brought together to save Montagne from certain destruction.

Commentary
The writing shifted through multiple different formats (3rd person omni prose, letters, play, 3rd limited prose) which made reading very choppy. I read through about the first 100 pages and really had no sense of the characters or what was happening because of the constant shifting so I stopped reading it.

All told, supposedly there are 7 viewpoints although because I never knew who was who because they also seemed to all have nicknames which were used inconsistently. The characters might have been interesting for all that I couldn't tell them apart.

Honestly, there are better and easier to read books out there.

Star Rating: 0/5.0 - Mostly Structural

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

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Review: The Iron Witch (The Iron Witch #1) by Karen Mahoney

The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney

Copy Courtesy of Flux
Already Published

Summary
Donna has iron tattoos all over her hands that she keeps covered with gloves so that no one else sees them. Her former classmates thinks she's a freak, but when the evil wood elves appear in the city, she may have to accept what she is and face them.

Commentary
There are books that tuck in pieces of world-building here and there, that weave the history of a place beautifully into the story, this is not one of those books. Donna has a best friend who is her very bestest friend, but his place in the story is really as a prop for Donna to tell the history of the story and for her to have someone to rescue.

There is never a sense that Donna has any idea what she is doing despite being trained in this mythical world for the last seven or eight years. There is all too much time spent telling the reader how Donna is and not enough time by far showing the reader. I think this is probably the biggest failing of this book.

I had really hoped this book would be good, but it seems that is not the case. Perhaps others will think differently, but I can't recommend this book.

Star Rating: 1.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

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Review: The High Lord (Black Magician Trilogy #1) by Trudi Canavan

The High Lord by Trudi Canavan

This is the third book in the trilogy, and the review may contain some spoilers if you haven't read book one and two. You should check out my review of The Magicians' Guild (book one) and my review of The Novice (book two).

Summary
As Sonea gets to know the High Lord better, she learns that the evil he is dabbling with may be related to an ancient enemy just waiting its chance to take over. Can Sonea navigate these treacherous plans and survive?

Commentary
If nothing else, Trudi is completely willing to do evil things to her characters. Did I mention the tension these books have. Yikes! Every time I hope it breaks, I just get wound up even tighter.

We get to spend more time with Cery in this one, which was kind of fun although I wish we had seen more of him in the last book since it feels like we didn't get to see his character development. He's kind of badass now, and I really like the trap things that he sets up (yes, I know you have no idea what I'm talking about). Trust me they're pretty cool.

I do wish it had ended on a different note because as I've mentioned before, I like my satisfying happy endings, but it is in the style of writing throughout this trilogy so I won't say that it wasn't fitting.

Star Rating: 3.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

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Review: The Novice (Black Magician Trilogy #2) by Trudi Canavan

The Novice by Trudi Canavan

This is the second book in the trilogy, and the review may contain some spoilers if you haven't read book one. You should check out my review of The Magicians' Guild (book one).

Summary
Sonea is the only member of the Magicians' Guild who is not a noble. This, unfortunately, means just about everyone is really mean to her until the High Lord intervenes. His intervention though isn't all it's cracked up to be though.

Commentary
This book, as with the first, is filled with a lot of tense scenes and not a whole lot of comedic relief which wears on me a bit although plot wise I am sucked in. I want to know what happens although we keep getting pulled off to follow Dannyl who is off being an ambassador.

It feels like there are two main characters in this book because we spend so much time with Dannyl, and while his story is interesting, I'm not as invested in his character because the first book was all about Sonea. I also want to punch every single person who is mean to Sonea. The author steals your hope little by little that things will turn out ok for Sonea, which was different and interesting but made me like the book less at the same time.

Again, not a happy book, so don't expect it. It's still an interesting read with characters that I care about, but a little too much meandering off on Dannyl's journey.

Star Rating: 3.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

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Review: The Pace (The Pace #1) by Selena Shorts

The Pace by Shelena Shorts

Summary
Weston is not immortal, but he doesn't age. Sophie is strangely drawn to him, and she also wants to know why his body does such strange things. Also

Commentary
My biggest gripe with this book: UC Berkeley doesn't have a medical school. Really, how hard would it have been for the author to do basic research BEFORE writing this book. It's not like Berkeley hides what schools it has >.>

My other big gripe: it claims that the blood from an animal injected into a human will completely overtake the human system, change the cells - in essence all of the DNA. If this were presented as magical blood, I would've been OK with it, but NO it's an old science experiment that did this.

Also, the male love interest strikes me as a total pushover stalker, and there's love at first sight which is somewhat nullified by 'historical' stuff, but I still wasn't all that pleased. In short, I did not like this book; it made me angry.

Star Rating: 1.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

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Review: Curse of the Bane (The Last Apprentice #2) by Joseph Delaney

Curse of the Bane by Joseph Delaney

This is an audiobook review.

*Note this is the second book in the series. You can take a gander at the review for the first book Revenge of the Witch.

Summary
Thomas is learning more about being a spook, and now he's accompanying the Spook to Priest town where they are really not welcome. He and the Spook are going to try to take care of a monster called The Bane which has poisoned the minds of the priests in Priest Town, but of course, that's easier said than done. Also, we get to see Alice again.

Commentary
The second book in this series also had it's slightly comical moments although I think the first book did it better. There are still the elements of a horror story here so some gruesome images although toned down for a younger audience.

Delaney manages the expectations of the reader really well yet again. I love the way he builds tension for the most part. I do think some of the moments could have been a bit faster, but I think my feelings may have more to do with my impatience with listening to an audiobook though although the narrator really does a great job with the voices again. I hope he continues to voice the other books.

At this point, I am still happy with this series although I can see the style losing its luster for me. You should definitely give this series a try though.

Star Rating: 3.5/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

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Review: Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 (Michael Vey #1) by Richard Paul Evans

Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans

Copy Courtesy of Simon and Schuster
Already Published

Summary
Michael Vey has never fit in due in part to his Tourette's syndrome and also the constant moves he's had since he was younger. Michael, though, has power he can deliver very powerful electric shocks, and when the most popular girl in school reveals that she too has a special power, they accidentally alert a very powerful organization to their existence. One which will stop at nothing to control them.

Commentary
Ok, so the basics of this plot are very typical kind of mutant children (super-hero) and evil organizations, but the execution puts this story at the top of the heap. You might not think a lot about research for a book like this, but this author has done his homework from the thoughts and actions of someone with Tourette's to the mechanics of electricity in various situations.

Michael is bumbling at times, but he's got a lot of spunk which really made me want to cheer him on. Also, while there is a lot of information that he needs to convey about himself and his abilities, there is never a feeling that the author is just having an info-dump and plausibility be damned.

There is a secondary character called Ostin (pronounced Austin), who is incredibly endearing. He's a know-it-all and likes to spout off facts about everything, but instead of glossing over his lines with summaries, the author actually puts in the relevant facts that Ostin says. These little additions really built up the character and made him realistic despite the incredible claims on his intellect.

You NEED to read this book. It's got just the perfect mix of action, suspense, interpersonal relationships, and character building. I am eagerly (did I mention eagerly?) awaiting the next book in the series.

Star Rating: 4.5/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

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Review:The Pearl Wars (Skyship Academy #1) by Nick James

The Pearl Wars by Nick James

Copy Courtesy of Flux
Release Date: September 8, 2011

Summary
Earth relies on the energy of the Pearls to survive after multiple cataclysmic attacks take place. Jesse is a rather inept Skyship Academy student, and Cassius is a much beloved Surface Pearlhound in training. When their paths cross, unexplained powers emerge, and well, the Pearls will take on a whole new meaning.

Commentary
I wanted to like this book because it promised to be a romance-light sci-fi/action heavy book. While it did deliver those parts of it, I didn't develop much of an emotional connection with Jesse or Cassius (the latter of whom had a very self-important, holier-than-thou attitude which made me want to smack him).

Jesse, I think, had more 'screen' time, and his motivations were better revealed. There just didn't seem to be enough back story and/or maybe it was just that he didn't seem to have anything that was important to him even while he's moving full speed toward his goal.

The premise was intriguing while the world-building was decent though not spectacular, but what I have perceived as weak characterization is perhaps a big part of why the revelations felt less poignant. Granted I thought Maze Runner (the author's book who is the prominent blurb-er for this one) was pretty weak on characterization too, and I'm guessing this one is supposed to appeal to that audience, so you may want to check it out for yourself.

Star Rating: 2.5/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

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Review: The Magicians' Guild (Black Magician Trilogy #1) by Trudi Canavan

The Magicians' Guild by Trudi Canavan

Summary
Sonea throws a rock that changes her life when it pentrates a magical shield. Soon the Magicians' Guild hunt for this new untrained girl whose power when it gets beyond her control could destroy the city.

Commentary
The basic idea behind this book isn't new, you have a girl who is not from the nobility developing magic powers, and now the magicians who are nobles must find her. Usually though, the finding of the girl/boy is quick, but this time the chase is the main focus of the book. This felt much more realistic to me although I almost couldn't take the tension of it.

This is not much for a happy book because of the tension with very few downtime moments for Sonea. I do wish that had been broken up a bit more, however, Sonea was well developed, and there was a realistic gamut of reactions from those within the Guild as well as political maneuvering throughout the Guild as well as the seedy underworld of the city.

If you're looking for a fluffy read, this is not for you. If you want tense action, high fantasy, and realism though this might just be the book for you. I really liked it, and I hope you will too.

Star Rating: 4.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

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Review: The Iron King (Iron Fey #1) by Julie Kagawa

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Summary
Meghan suddenly becomes a daughter of a Fae King, and her best friend turns out to be one of them too. Suddenly she is caught up with a Prince of the Winter court, and needs to stop an evil faery that every other faery is scared of.

Commentary
I heard many good things about this, and I thought this might be the book that turned around my dislike of Fae focused books. Unfortunately, it really didn't so my search for a good Fae book will have to continue with another book that is hopefully highly recommended.

I think my problem is that Fae are never very varied. Yes, there are different types of faeries, but the attitudes of faeries are always cookie cutter, and this book was no exception. Meghan is a forgettable main character, and the attraction with no real reason is prominent in this story. Granted, that seems to be very Harlequin so I shouldn't be surprised.

I imagine this would appeal to the crowd that liked the Wicked Lovely series. I do not belong to that crowd though so it is what it is.

Star Rating: 2.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

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Review: The Wish List by Eoin Colfer

The Wish List by Eoin Colfer

This is an audiobook review!

Summary
Meg hasn't been a saint for most of her life, but when she dies unexpectedly, she finds out that she hovers right between god and bad. Now, in order to try to get into heaven instead of hell, she must help an old man finish his final wishes. Hell, though really wants her and is trying their very best to thwart her.

Commentary
This book had a lot of fun light moments, and while the subject of going to Heaven or Hell is a heavy subject, this is definitely a comedic treatment of the whole thing. I really liked the little touches of modernization of the afterlife which were sprinkled in.

The audiobook narrator did a pretty good job of using a variety of different voices for the various characters although one or two of the voices were hard to understand. There are a lot of different viewpoints so the voices helped a lot.

In general this is a feel good sort of book, and while it's not all that heavy on substance, it's still a fun read when you're not looking to think too much. If you enjoy Colfer's other YA books, this is very similar in tone and style.

Star Rating: 3.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

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Review: Half-Blood (Covenant #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Copy Courtesy of Spencer Hill Press
Release Date: October 18, 2011

Summary
Half-bloods have 2 futures: slave or daimon killer (Sentinels). Alexandria (Alex for short) has been on the run for the last 3 years since leaving the Sentinel training academy. Now though, she is back, and she must prove herself or risk becoming a slave.

Commentary
At first I wasn't all that into this book because Alex mouths off to her 'betters' (the Pure Bloods) in a rather annoying fashion. In a society where the half-bloods are supposed to be downtrodden, this struck me as unrealistic. There is lots of talk about the danger of offending Pures, but the actions and talking back from Alex without any punishment contradicted any sense that there were punishments.

But ok, I pretend that these are normal-ish modern teenagers in a high school setting, and the story that followed was actually pretty good. There were edge of the seat action scenes, decent character development, and a satisfying ending.

It was really the second half of the book that saved it since I spent the first half in lack of suspension of disbelief mode. Basically if you don't have problems with the first half, this is a pretty good book.

Star Rating: 3.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

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Review: Revenge of the Witch (The Last Apprentice #1) by Joseph Delaney

Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney

This is an audiobook review!

Summary
Tom is apprenticed to the county Spook, who helps to keep the evil away. Unfortunately, Spooks are also feared by many so Tom may not have many friends, and well, there may be some witches to content with. Witches are dangerous they are.

Commentary
Girls with pointy shoes are dangerous! This is somewhat classified as horror (perhaps because it's scary feeling?), which is usually not a genre that particularly interests me, but I did enjoy this one especially because of statements like the previous one.

The narrator did an excellent job with the different voices, and he brought the lighthearted, scary, and all the other parts to life. I was a bit annoyed by Tom's continual insistence that he had no choice for things, but other than that he was an interesting character to follow.

If you like audiobooks, I suggest you try this one in audio. Otherwise, I still suggest you give it a read because the author does a great job of knowing what readers expect and not always following that expectation so there is a real element of suspense.

Star Rating: 4.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

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Review: Possession (Possession #1) by Elana Johnson

Possession by Elana Johnson

Copy Courtesy of Simon & Schuster
Already Published

Summary
Vi knows she shouldn't be kissing Zenn, but he is her match so it can't be all bad right? Then she is captured, and the Thinkers who rule wants her to join them in controlling society. Along the way she meets another inmate, Jag, who also makes her skin tingle.

Commentary
Ok, I'm really not sure whether the final version had significant revision or not, but I do hope it had some revision because this had some issues. This was another one of those books where I really was pulled in by the cover :(

Biggest issue I had was that the story jumped constantly. I really had no idea what was going on for a lot of the book because we would be somewhere and then suddenly we would be in Vi's head or Jag's head without any warning or indication or it would jump to a new scene with no transition. Because of this constant confusion, I also had a hard time following character growth because sometimes I wouldn't be able to remember who had thought or experienced what.

I'm sure the society was interesting, but much of it wasn't really explored. I also wasn't really able to immerse myself in it. Perhaps you will think differently (especially if there were more edits). Also, apologies for taking so long to actually write this review heh~~

Star Rating: 1.0/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

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Review: Eden by Keary Taylor

Eden by Keary Taylor

Copy Courtesy of Keary Taylor
Already Released

Summary
The Fall, self-evolving tech took over almost all the humans in the world into robots. Eve doesn't know anything of the world before the Fall but she is working hard to keep her small enclave alive, but the Hunters (robots who used to be humans that are actively hunting down the remaining un-turned) are coming closer with each minute so she must fight for their survival.

Commentary
The fear of the machines taking over the humans has been around for a very long time, and this is yet one more story in that mix. I found this one to be lighter in nature and perhaps more fun because of it (not that I don't enjoy the grimmer versions).

There is a good amount of world-building although it doesn't get overwhelming since it comes in pieces. I do think that there was too much time spent on Eve's indecision between her two love interests, but I liked the way things turned out so I suppose I can't complain too much.

In some ways this book is reminiscent of many of the post-apocalyptic zombie novels that are prevalent now, but for some reason, I like robots better. This one definitely has its moments so you might consider picking it up.

Star Rating: 3.5/5.0

For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.

Check out prices for Eden at Amazon (The Kindle Edition is only $0.99)