Reluctant Concubine by Dana Marton

To escape punishment, Tera, a maiden healer sold to barbarians must hide the truth: she has not yet come into her healing powers. Born into a much gentler world, she struggles to survive in a land of savage warlords and their cruel concubines. When ancient prophecies begin to come to pass, can the healer-slave save the realm and awaken the High Lord’s heart?

For anyone who enjoyed the fantasy worlds of George Martin’s Game of Thrones, C.L. Wilson’s Lord of the Fading Lands, Elizabeth Vaughan’s Warprize, or the memorably crafted healer heroines in Jean Auel’s Clan of the Cave Bear and Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series, THE THIRD SCROLL is the next epic adventure to get lost in. – Goodreads

I purchased this through Amazon because it was on-sale and I was in the mood for an epic-fantasy. I enjoyed Game of Thrones, Lord of the Fading Lands, Warprize AND Outlander, so I thought, hey…I’ll give this a shot.

I enjoyed it, though the beginning was very slow and somewhat uncomfortable to read. I was a little bit nervous about the direction it was going, but my fears quickly evaporated. It really reminded me of Warprize, which I loved.

The characters were crafted well. Tera was very complex, and I felt like I knew her very well by the end of the book—her fears, her wishes, her passions, her history. It’s been a while since I’ve read a story about such a complex character. I even liked Batumar, the big ~~teddy bear~~, scary warlord. He was very mysterious at the beginning, but by the end, I felt as if I knew him, too.

The worldbuilding was alright. It was very overwhelming during the first 20%, with tons of names, locations, and religions to keep in mind. Once I had those down, the book flowed smoothly.

I liked the prophecy bit, but found myself confused when it finally happened. It took some reading and rereading to finally go “ahhh, I get it”. Again, once I got it, I was very into the storyline and excited to see where things went.

I’ll admit, though, I started laughing uncontrollably when genitals were referred to as a “manpart” and a “secret cave”. Especially when Tera explains how she views the birds and the bees—basically the man leaves a seed in the secret cave, where it sprouts into a babe…who then grows too big to live in the secret cave and thus crawls out. That’s a terrifying image, isn’t it?

Overall, it was an enjoyable Friday/Saturday read. I did buy the second book in the series, as I’m interested in what happens. I would recommend to those who like romance and fantasy. I rated it 3/5 on Goodreads.

Death Sworn by Leah Cypess

When Ileni lost her magic, she lost everything: her place in society, her purpose in life, and the man she had expected to spend her life with. So when the Elders sent her to be magic tutor to a secret sect of assassins, she went willingly, even though the last two tutors had died under mysterious circumstances.

But beneath the assassins’ caves, Ileni will discover a new place and a new purpose… and a new and dangerous love. She will struggle to keep her lost magic a secret while teaching it to her deadly students, and to find out what happened to the two tutors who preceded her. But what she discovers will change not only her future, but the future of her people, the assassins… and possibly the entire world. – Goodreads

I was hesitant to read this, simply for the fact that I’m a little bit tired of assassin novels. However, it was 99 cents on Amazon and I was like, whatsup. Can’t pass up a bargain book!

I actually enjoyed it. It took me several days to read, just because I’ve been busy. I looked forward to picking it up, but I was never struck with the oh my goodness, I can’t put this down and I loathe any activity I have to do besides read it moment. In fact, one of my major issues with the story is that the climax didn’t happen until the last 15% of the book. Up until then, it didn’t really build up very much, either—it just kind of coasted until BOOM BUILD UP AND CLIMAX AND END.

I enjoyed Ileni’s character, despite her flaws and weaknesses. I think her weaknesses are attributed well to her upbringing, and with a bit of a change of mindset, she realizes that perhaps the way her people brought her up wasn’t the best way.

I appreciate how determined she was to her cause. She didn’t mess around with dudes or crushes. Nope, she was in a nest of killers and was legitimately concerned for her life.

Sorin is the other protagonist. He’s a trained assassin who is put in charge of Ileni’s safety. He’s basically her babysitter/guard. He was very mysterious (assassin cliche) and orphaned (assassin cliche) and well-trained (assassin cliche….though necessary). I never realized how many assassin schools there were until reading YA fantasy. I want to read a book about homeschooled assassins. I digress.

There is some light romance between Ileni and Sorin, but it’s super light and not insta-lovey at all. It almost wasn’t enough.

The entire book takes place in the Assassin Cave. I don’t really remember or know what’s called, but it’s basically a cave that holds an assassin school. It has magical wards to keep people out. I thought this was kind of a cop out—I honestly don’t even know the name of the country or world. The worldbuilding was severely lacking in this book—it was incredibly vague and restricted to the cave.

The magical system was lacking as well. I was left with more questions than anything upon finishing the book. Why did Ileni’s magic disappear? Nobody knows.

Overall, I did enjoy this and would recommend it to those who like YA Fantasy (especially assassins). I rated it 3.5/5 on Goodreads.

Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

Snow Like Ashes is hands down, the best fantasy I’ve read this year (yes, including Shadow Study and I know it’s only 3 months into the year but still!). The world building, the characters, everything was just SO. GOOD. I want to read it again and again, and you know how rare rereading is for me! The only thing I’m really, truly sad about is that I have to wait until October to read the next in the series.

Meira and Mather and Theron… even Sir, they’re all such well-built characters that I couldn’t get enough. I sort of wish I had waited for the next books to be out so I could finish the entire series at once but… that would be forever from now so I’m glad I didn’t. The world building in this story is some of the best I’ve ever read (seriously) and I just couldn’t put it down – I ended up reading it in one sitting, 5 hours during which I put the book down only a couple of times to let my pups outside. IT’S THAT GOOD. Sara Raasch is a genius.

While I did see the major plot twist coming (I had an inkling and then was disappointed that I was wrong and I couldn’t figure out how it would even be, but then BOOM there it was) it was done so well, that I was actually surprised when it finally happened. Meira is such a badass and absolutely fearless – I could never have the guts that she has to get sh** done! Obviously, I cannot rave enough about this book. I need Lauren to read it so we can discuss in detail the amazingness that just occurred.

Anyway, anyone that likes fantasy even a little bit should read this. Even if you don’t like fantasy, READ THIS. I gave it 5/5 stars on Goodreads, and now I’m going to go read it again.

Blog Tour: The Griever’s Mark by Katherine Hurley

Astarti’s master controls her through a Leash, a bond of energy anchored deep within her. Despite being one of the few remaining Drifters, able to manipulate the energy world, she cannot break free. She knows her fate: she will serve until she dies, at which point her master will harvest her energy to augment his own.

Oh, yes, she’s done some bad things in her master’s name. She’s not asking for forgiveness. She expects you to hate her.

What she doesn’t expect is Logan, a man meant to be her sworn enemy. A man with secrets as dark as her own. – Goodreads

The Review

I’ll be honest—I didn’t have high hopes for this book. I was pretty unbiased and “eh, I’ll give it a go”. I will say—I was pleasantly surprised!

The best part of the book (hands down) is the construction of the characters. I am a sucker for a strong female protagonist, and Astarti fit the bill. I also love her name. She’s been abused (after all, she is leashed to a master) but she’s one tough cookie. She has no reason to be a decent human being, but she is anyway, despite how others have treated her.

The point of view switches between Astarti and Logan, who I also liked. He’s spunky and mysterious, both key characteristics that I appreciate in a love interest.

The magic was fascinating, though overwhelming (see below). There are Drifters and Earthmakers. Drifters pull from the Drift, Earthmakers wield elements.

I did have some issues with The Griever’s Mark, though. For one, the information and worldbuilding dumping was outrageous. The first few chapters were the absolute worst, and I found myself taking breaks after each chapter to take a breath. Had this not been for a book tour, I may not have continued because it was a lot of work to remember. I’m glad that I soldiered on, but this may turn some folks off.

I also found the Drift extremely confusing. It’s used for traveling and pulling weapons out of, that’s about all I gathered before my eyes glazed over whenever the Drift was mentioned.

I rated The Griever’s Mark 3.5/5 on Goodreads. It was definitely a pleasant read once you get into it and past the info dump bit. The characters make it worthwhile. You can buy The Griever’s Mark here.

About the Author

I’m Katherine Hurley, author of The Griever’s Mark series. Book 1 will be out in November 2014 and Book 2 in spring of 2015.

My love of myth and legend led me inexorably into fantasy, and I have no intention of leaving. Ever. I grew up riding horses and finally, finally, finally have one of my very own. (I’m hoping Astarti will get some quality horse time at some point, but Drifters don’t really need horses. Hmm.) I’m also an avid (but amateur!) mountain biker and whitewater kayaker.

I was born in New Mexico, grew up in Kansas, got my MFA in Michigan, and now live in West Virginia. The most beautiful place I’ve ever been is New Zealand.

Author Links: Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

A huge thank you to YA Bound Book Tours for organizing this! I received a free copy of The Griever’s Mark in exchange for an honest review.

Spelled by Betsy Schow

Fairy Tale Survival Rule #32: If you find yourself at the mercy of a wicked witch, sing a romantic ballad and wait for your Prince Charming to save the day.

Yeah, no thanks. Dorthea is completely princed out. Sure being the crown princess of Emerald has its perks—like Glenda Original ball gowns and Hans Christian Louboutin heels. But a forced marriage to the brooding prince Kato is so not what Dorthea had in mind for her enchanted future.

Talk about unhappily ever after.

Trying to fix her prince problem by wishing on a (cursed) star royally backfires, leaving the kingdom in chaos and her parents stuck in some place called “Kansas.” Now it’s up to Dorthea and her pixed off prince to find the mysterious Wizard of Oz and undo the curse…before it releases the wickedest witch of all and spells The End for the world of Story. – Goodreads

Seriously, I almost peed my pants cracking up at this one. What. The. Spell. I can’t even. I was pixed off that I finished it in one night.

Some of my favorite things from the book:
“It’s like that bedtime story ‘If You Give A Princess Some Tea, She’ll Ask For A Cookie to Go With It'”
“The first few bars from Wrong Direction’s hit song, “My Spell’s What Makes You Beautiful,” came on from somewhere close by.”

Basically, the puns and plays on real life and fairytales. Also, not only does Dorthea have a freaking hand bag the size of a novel that can contain a storage unit, her freaking ballgown is self-adjusting so she can park it at the buffet all night. What the spell.

So, it’s hilarious. We’ve covered that. Funniness aside, I didn’t think that the writing was anything awe-inspiring or poetic. But you know what? It was cute and funny and I was happy with that. That being said, it was occasionally TOO cute and clever—it was almost a little bit too much at times. Once you get used to that style it flows better, though.

The character building was decent—I liked how Dorthea was completely unlikeable at the beginning and morphed throughout the story. The other characters fell pretty flat in the character development department, though.

The worldbuilding was rushed but fun. There are different storybook lands—King Midas, Oz, etc—and the characters are retold and brought to life, which made it interesting.

Overall, it was an enjoyable, easy, quick read. If you like fairytale retellings, you’ll like this. I rated it a 3/5.

Big thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for giving me a free copy of this ARC to check out in exchange for an honest review. Spelled will be released on June 2nd.

Top Ten Tuesday: 3/31

TOP TEN BOOKS RECENTLY ADDED TO OUR TBR LISTS

1. A Walk in The Appalachian Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson

2. The Middle of Somewhere by Sonja Yoerg

3. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

4. Chasing the Devil: My Twenty-Year Quest to Capture the Green River Killer by Sheriff David Reichert

5. Helen of Sparta by Amalia Carosella

There is definitely a hiking and serial killer theme here.

6. Pines by Blake Crouch

7. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

8. Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano

9. Blood and Salt by Kim Liggett

10. A Tale of Two Besties: A Hello Giggles Novel by Sophia Rossi

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by the Broke & the Bookish. Check out more Top Ten features on their site.

Hidden Huntress by Danielle L. Jensen

Beneath the mountain, the king’s reign of tyranny is absolute; the one troll with the capacity to challenge him is imprisoned for treason. Cécile has escaped the darkness of Trollus, but she learns all too quickly that she is not beyond the reach of the king’s power. Or his manipulation.

Recovered from her injuries, she now lives with her mother in Trianon and graces the opera stage every night. But by day she searches for the witch who has eluded the trolls for five hundred years. Whether she succeeds or fails, the costs to those she cares about will be high.

To find Anushka, she must delve into magic that is both dark and deadly. But the witch is a clever creature. And Cécile might not just be the hunter. She might also be the hunted… – Goodreads

I just finished this book and my mind is reeling. In fact, I feel a little bit abused—do I really have to wait until 2016 until the third book comes out? Woe is me! This is a unique form of torture that only fellow bibliophiles understand.

Hidden Huntress is the second book in the Malediction Trilogy. You can check out my review for the first installment, Stolen Songbird, here. You may remember that I raved about it.

Though I still enjoyed the first book more, the second book was not a disappointment. It’s told in two points-of-view—Cecile’s and Tristan’s. This gives the storyline a well-rounded view for the reader, as well as a glimpse at what each one is feeling, thinking, and plotting. I think it works well because they’re bonded, so it gives you a small feeling of what that bond is like.

As with the first, Jensen’s writing style flowed beautifully, which really helped bring the magic to the story. I definitely found myself missing Trollis, though, as most of the story was set in Trianon.

I’d like to give a round of applause for the supporting characters. Though I wish Christophe had been fleshed out a little bit more (plus, is it weird that I picture him as Kristoff from Frozen?) I loved Sabine’s character during the course of the book. Many authors have a rough time constructing their supporting characters, but Jensen does not.

It did lose half a point for predictability, though. I knew from the beginning who Anushka was, and was desperately hoping that I would be very, very wrong. Nope. So that plot twist flew out the window.

The ending was definitely a cliffhanger, though, and I can’t wait for the third installment to come out. I rated Hidden Huntress a 4.5/5 on Goodreads and highly recommend the Malediction Trilogy to those with even a minor interest in YA fantasy!

HUGE thank you to Angry Robot and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Hidden Huntress will be released on June 2nd, 2015.

Read It, Watched It: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

If I had to choose a favorite hobby besides reading, I would choose binge watching television. If I had to pick something besides that, I would pick watching shows/movies based on books and ripping them apart.

I’ve yet to watch something that beats the book. In fact, it’s pretty difficult to even get close to the book. There are some exceptions, such as Harry Potter, but even those could be a disappointment at times. I didn’t like The Hunger Games, Divergent, or Eragon. The only movies I like better than the books seem to be Nicholas Sparks books.

But damn, guys, damn. They really hit the nail on the head with the Outlander series.

I read Outlander last September, but haven’t had a chance to read the rest of the series yet. My husband was on a business trip this week and I thought hey, what the hell, I’m going to rent it from Hastings.

I loved it just as much as I loved the books. The actors they chose were perfect, I’m about 120% more in love with Jamie, and the production quality is fantastic.

If you haven’t checked it out yet, I strongly recommend it! Actually—read the book first. Then watch it. You won’t regret it.

Compulsion by Martina Boone

Three plantations. Two wishes. One ancient curse.

All her life, Barrie Watson has been a virtual prisoner in the house where she lives with her shut-in mother. When her mother dies, Barrie promises to put some mileage on her stiletto heels. But she finds a new kind of prison at her aunt’s South Carolina plantation instead–a prison guarded by an ancient spirit who long ago cursed one of the three founding families of Watson Island and gave the others magical gifts that became compulsions.

Stuck with the ghosts of a generations-old feud and hunted by forces she cannot see, Barrie must find a way to break free of the family legacy. With the help of sun-kissed Eight Beaufort, who knows what Barrie wants before she knows herself, the last Watson heir starts to unravel her family’s twisted secrets. What she finds is dangerous: a love she never expected, a river that turns to fire at midnight, a gorgeous cousin who isn’t what she seems, and very real enemies who want both Eight and Barrie dead – Goodreads

Oh. My. Word. I am SO happy that Compulsion is the first book in a series (even though the next book doesn’t come out until October) because I finished this book wanting so much more. If i could stay in Barrie’s world forever, I probably would!

Now, my opinion on this book may have a little (or a lot) to do with the fact that I’m missing Louisiana and my family down there BADLY right now, but I absolutely loved the entire story – there’s romance, some fantasy and a dash of mystery all thrown in together which is basically the perfect combination in my book!

I read a review on Goodreads that said it’s like a ‘slow burn’ and that’s exactly right! While you shouldn’t read this book if you’re looking for action right off the bat, you definitely should if you want some of the most amazing writing I’ve ever read. Never have I been able to picture everything so vividly, again, that may have something to do with my “homesickness”, but I truly think it has more to do with the way Martina Boone writes.

Barrie is definitely a character I can relate to, but there are definitely times that I just wanted to smack her (doesn’t that always happen though?). She very much needed to start listening to her intuition instead of blowing it off, and the instances in which she knew what her gut was telling her but chose to ignore it are the ones that I hated the most. As readers, we obviously have a very objective view and know what the characters SHOULD do, but they generally don’t because… well, that’s what makes the story so good.

I gave Compulsion 5/5 stars on Goodreads and I’m sending my copy in a care package to my little sister in Louisiana – I can’t wait to hear what she thinks!

Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives by Gretchen Rubin

The author of the blockbuster New York Times bestsellers, The Happiness Project and Happier at Home, tackles the critical question: How do we change?

Gretchen Rubin’s answer: through habits. Habits are the invisible architecture of everyday life. It takes work to make a habit, but once that habit is set, we can harness the energy of habits to build happier, stronger, more productive lives.

So if habits are a key to change, then what we really need to know is: How do we change our habits?

Better than Before answers that question. It presents a practical, concrete framework to allow readers to understand their habits—and to change them for good. Infused with Rubin’s compelling voice, rigorous research, and easy humor, and packed with vivid stories of lives transformed, Better than Before explains the (sometimes counter-intuitive) core principles of habit formation. – Goodreads

Do I love Rubin’s writing and passion for researching topics like happiness and habits? Yes. Do I love personality tests and did I love defining myself into the roles she laid out in the book? Yes. Did I feel like I learned a lot about how to apply her research to my own life? Ehhh.

I wanted to love this book. As with all self-help books, I desperately wanted to read it and be struck with an aha! moment, suddenly armed with the necessary motivation and tools to change my habits. Did that happen? Not really, but I did close the cover with a better understanding of why people form the habits they do.

For starters, my favorite part of the book was the bit that explains how everyone is different. Just because I am alright with waking up every morning at 0445 (because I’m a Lark, she says) to go to the gym doesn’t mean that you will be alright with it. Some people habitually go to bed every night at the same time and love it, whereas other people (me) don’t. It has to do with your personality type and what motivates you.

For example, according to the book, I’m an Obliger, so I meet my outer expectations but resist my internal expectations. I depend on external accountability to get things done—meaning I’m great at deadlines, but terrible at internal things, like getting my car serviced. I’m a Lark (morning person). I’m a Sprinter, meaning I like deadlines and to work in short bursts. I’m an Overbuyer, a Simplicity Lover, and an Opener. I’m a Novelty Lover, Promotion-Focused, and Small Step Taker. So, what does this tell me (besides the fact that I realllllllly love putting labels to my tendencies)? It tells me what I value and what motivates me, according to Rubin.

She also covers the Pillars of Habits: monitoring, scheduling, foundation, and accountability. Trying to get more steps in? Use an UP band to track it by monitoring your progress. Tell people to hold yourself accountable. Schedule a walk into your every day routine. Figure out what works best for you—the foundation.

I’d like to use myself as an example here for a moment—not that I’m particularly good at forming habits, but just because I inadvertently used those four methods to actually create a habit for myself last year. Growing up, I was not an athletic child. Unless you counted walking to the pantry for a snack or turning pages in a book, I did not do athletic things. Thus, I figured, I hated exercise and continued to tell myself this. Fast forward to May 2014, when I decided I better get fit because I was an adult and what else was I supposed to do? Yes, the foundation wasn’t the best, until I learned one key thing: I hate cardio and I hate team sports, hence never participating in anything growing up. So, I started lifting, which I fell in love with. I scheduled my gym time into my week. My husband went with me, so he helped keep me accountable. And I monitored my progress using a bodybuilding app. Fast forward again, and I’ve been hitting the gym 4x a week for (almost) the past year. It’s a habit, and I get grumpy when I miss the gym. Without those four pillars, I don’t think I would have stuck with it. /ramble over/

Overall, the book was easy and quick to read. I really enjoyed it, if only to take personality quizzes and confirm what I already knew about forming habits. It did get me fired up to form some new habits, which is good. I rated this a 3.5/5 on Goodreads.

A huge thank you for Birchbox who sent this to me through their Birchbox Bloggers program in exchange for an honest review!