Review: A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin

July 3, 2013 by Alyssa

Title: A Clash of Kings

Author: George R. R. Martin

Publishing Information: May 28th 2002 by Bantam

Genre: Adult, Epic Fantasy, Adventure

Series information: Book two in A Song of Ice and Fire

Format: Hardcover, 761 pages

Source: Purchased for my e-Reader

Recommended For: Fans of high fantasy novels and readers who don’t mind picking their jaw up off the floor.

Time is out of joint. The summer of peace and plenty, ten years long, is drawing to a close, and the harsh, chill winter approaches like an angry beast. Two great leaders—Lord Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon—who held sway over and age of enforced peace are dead…victims of royal treachery. Now, from the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding shores of Winterfell, chaos reigns, as pretenders to the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms prepare to stake their claims through tempest, turmoil, and war.

As a prophecy of doom cuts across the sky—a comet the color of blood and flame—six factions struggle for control of a divided land. Eddard’s son Robb has declared himself King in the North. In the south, Joffrey, the heir apparent, rules in name only, victim of the scheming courtiers who teem over King’s Landing. Robert’s two brothers each seek their own dominion, while a disfavored house turns once more to conquest. And a continent away, an exiled queen, the Mother of Dragons, risks everything to lead her precious brood across a hard hot desert to win back the crown that is rightfully hers.

Wow! We made it through two books of this epic series! For those of you who have stayed strong with me, give yourself a pat on the back, this is a serious accomplishment and I am proud that we have made it this far! Go #SOIFRA!!

As we all know, Game of Thrones just concluded it’s third season, which means that for the first three books I haven’t been as surprised as some of our other readers. I think this is a really fun thing because it gives me a different feeling while reading the books, that being said, I can’t wait to go into the rest of the series “blind,” to what is coming. With that in mind, I found that reading A Clash of Kings really provided some much needed detail on many of the characters and their motives. I was especially affected by the THINGS that came up that I knew to be foreshadowing events in future books, specifically book three. I was literally taking pictures of parts to send to Amy, who has already read the series with little notes like “This is interesting,” and “EEP!” because it is a totally new experience to know what is coming next (in detail) prior to reading!

In terms of characters, I still love Dany, and Tyrion is still totally awesome, though in all honesty, I wasn’t extremely blown away by anyone in this book. My love for Jon kind of wavered, he is brooding, for sure, but he is becoming a little too good for me. Sigh. I am LOVING the Bran storyline, and I can’t wait to see how he grows with THINGS, and admittedly, I still read through Catelyn’s chapters as fast as I can. I will say that I am glad to be reading about the “other” families living in this world. The Greyjoy Family has definitely become more prominent in my mind (grumblegrumble), and I am intrigued to see what is up with the Bolton Family (though I know some stuff from the show and OH EM GEE.)

When reading epic fantasy novels I tend to fall right into the world, to where I am thinking and dreaming of it more often than not. Westeros is no different for me, these are the books that I am reading while on my lunch, or in line at the post office. I can’t get enough of them, and if there is one thing that I am taking away from this series, it is:

Valar Morghulis.

Read Along Schedule: A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin

July 1, 2013 by Alyssa

I will now be taking over hosting duties! Here’s a bit of information about A Storm of Swords, including our reading schedule for July and August! I am pretty excited about this one since I hear it is a tad different from the HBO show, and after watching this season, specifically after watching “The Red Wedding”, I just can’t wait to see the emotions that this one is going to bring.

A Storm of Swords: by George R.R. Martin

Series: A Song of Ice and Fire #3

Publisher: Bantam Books

Publication Date: March 4, 2003

Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as violently as ever, as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey, of House Lannister, sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the land of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, the victim of the jealous sorceress who holds him in her evil thrall. But young Robb, of House Stark, still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Robb plots against his despised Lannister enemies, even as they hold his sister hostage at King’s Landing, the seat of the Iron Throne. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world. . .

But as opposing forces maneuver for the final titanic showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost line of civilization. In their vanguard is a horde of mythical Others–a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. As the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords. . .

Reading Schedule:

July 6-13: Prologue to Tyrion II (Chapter 12)

July 14-20: Tyrion II to Arya IV (Chapter 22)

July 21 – 27: Arya IV to Tyrion IV (Chapter 32)

July 28 – August 3: Tyrion IV to Dany IV (Chapter 42)

August 4 – 10: Dany IV to Arya XI (Chapter 52)

August 11 – 17: Arya XI to Jaime VII (Chapter 62)

August 18 – 24: Jaime VII to Jaime IX (Chapter 72)

August 25-31: Jaime IX through Epilogue (end!!)

Let me know if this schedule is confusing or wrong, it isn’t easy with a book that has so many formats and pages!!

For more information on this read along, check out my intro post, anyone can join! Also don’t forget to join the Twitter chat using #SOIFRA ! Happy reading!!

Review: Bloodspell by Amalie Howard

June 20, 2013 by Alyssa

Title: Bloodspell

Author: Amalie Howard

Publishing Information: June 1st 2011 by Langdon Street Press

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Series information: Book 1 in a planned series

Format: Hardcover, 394 pages

Source: Obtained an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley

Recommended For: Readers looking for a swoony, paranormal romance with a strong and likable heroine

Victoria Warrick has always known she was different. An outcast at school, she is no stranger to adversity. But when she receives an old journal for her seventeenth birthday, nothing prepares her for the dark secrets it holds — much less one that reveals she’s a witch with unimaginable power.

What’s more, when she meets the dazzling but enigmatic Christian Devereux, she has no idea how much her life is about to change. Enemies will hunt her. Friends will turn on her. The terrible curse that makes her blood run black will stop at nothing to control her. And Christian has a sinister secret of his own…

Without knowing whom to trust, can Victoria survive her blood’s deadly desires? Or will she lose everything, including herself?

If there is one thing that stands out in Bloodspell, it is the character development, and level of change in the characters and their relationships with one another. Though much of the novel focuses on Christian and Victoria and their FORBIDDEN romance, it also includes layered subplots that really have more to do with the history of the characters, the characters being witches and vampires, and the struggle with the powers within them as well as those who would seek to harm them because of what they are. The secondary characters in this novel don’t get as much page time as I would have liked, specifically Leto, Victoria’s familiar (yeah, he’s a cat so obviously, I love him), and some “friends” that play very integral parts in the overall story, but don’t have much detail provided to their characterization throughout the novel.

In terms of plot, Bloodspell isn’t extremely intricate. In fact, it follows some familiar tropes that readers might roll their eyes at. There is the familiar forbidden love, (teeny) love triangle issues, and there is even a vampire council of sorts who rule over all vampire matters, specifically the law that states witches and vampires can (NEVERRRR!!) unite in any sort of…union. When it is spelled out like that, this book seems like all the rest, it seems like a slightly altered version of twilight, something that can easily be moved aside for more unique novels, however, things aren’t exactly as they seem in Bloodspell. Ms. Howard goes beyond the typical tropes and adds vast layers of self discovery, intricately dark forces, and unbeatable relationships of multiple kinds.

Speaking of relationships, I’m not going to lie to you guys, one of the biggest reasons that I enjoyed this book was because of the swoons. There are a lot of them. Good ones. Ms. Howard has a knack for writing those kissy scenes, lemme tell ya. Though the relationship between Victoria and Christian is a driving force throughout the novel, there are also stellar friendships and some very moving familial relationships that sort of broke my heart a little.

To be honest, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed Bloodspell. While reading, there were moments that I was worried that it was falling into a very typical paranormal romance, and as it concluded I was happy to see that that was not the case at all. I was surprised by parts at the conclusion of the novel, and extremely happy to see that the author left many things open without tying things up too neatly. As a reader I felt that things were conclusive enough that I was happy where it left off, but also intrigued to see where things can go if and when the author continues on with the series. Bloodspell held its own in a very overdone genre, I highly recommend it to those of you who enjoy paranormal romances, but are getting sick of reading the same tropes again and again.

Literary Lushes is LIVE!

June 17, 2013 by Alyssa

Remember when I asked you last week about the hypothetical Twitter chats? Well they aren’t hypothetical anymore! Brittany and I have officially launched a new website called Literary Lushes! We will be specializing in ARC tours (yay!) and bi-weekly Twitter chats! We are extremely excited and hope that you will join us. The site is live, so go take a gander and find more info below:

What is Literary Lushes? Literary Lushes is twofold: First is an ARC tour site. After our experience at BEA 2013, we decided that we wanted to be able to share these ARCs with our friends and fellow bloggers but we needed a fair way to do that. We got the idea to organize it into a more casual-type ARC tour site. Secondly, Literary Lushes is a Twitter chat. We will be hosting bi-weeky Twitter chats on Thursdays at 9pm, with the hashtag #LitLush to talk about anything and everything books — and preferably with a beverage in hand! Each chat will have a specific topic of focus to help keep us on track!

So how do the tours work? It’s simple! We’ll throw out announcements on Mondays with information about the upcoming galley(s) that will be available to request. On the following Wednesday, a post will go up which will allow you to request the title, each title will be available on a first come, first serve basis. While it is first come, first serve to be granted access to the title, to cut down on travel times, it will be location that determines your place on the tour. The number of people approved for a tour will depend on the popularity of the book as well as the publishing date. You’ll have a week to read the book and then pass along to the next person.

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Calling all Readers!

June 11, 2013 by Alyssa

Dear Friends,

Brittany and I have been thinking up something awesome, and we decided that we need your help!

Let’s say, hypothetically speaking, there was this really awesome but totally informal book club of sorts. The kind where you can just hop on your Twitter and have a casual chat with like minded people. People who enjoy books, drinks, Richard Armitage, and all (um, other) things literary. That would be fun, no?

Hypothetically, if you were to join (no obligations, of course), what sort of thing would you have time for? How often would you want to chat with us, and for how long? We know that you have THOUGHTS and FEELS about this because you’re our kind of peeps, so if you would be so kind as to fill out the form below, we would be thrilled.

Remember, assisting us with this poll in no way obligates you to participate if and when we start hosting, it just helps a gal out, and that’s just good karma.

P.S. Though things are still in the works and we don’t want to tell you ALL THE SECRETS, we want you to know that this is part of a bigger (and we promise, awesome) project that will be announced early next week. So stay tuned!

Book Expo America 2013 Recap

June 10, 2013 by Alyssa

YAY my second year that I was lucky enough to head to Book Expo America! Can you believe that this year was even better than last year? It was less focused on getting ALL THE BOOKS and more focused on meeting all of the amazing people. I am going to try and be as coherent as possible but excuse me if I tell you of the FEELS and sound a little AHHHFLAILSBEAAHHH!

Wednesday 5/29

My “trip” started a little early than most (and a little later than those of you who attended BBC) since Brittany (from The Book Addict’s Guide) flew in to Boston and I drove to pick her up to start our festivities! It’s always a tad unnerving meeting new people, and though B and I talk every day, there were still some moments where I was all “OMG what if we hate each other…” as I was driving to the airport. THANKFULLY, that was not the case and meeting B IRL just better reiterated that you can find your best friends later in life, and that things do happen for a reason, and ya know, feels. SO anyway we decided to save some cash and stay in CT and take the train in to NYC every day for BEA. Yeah, that meant we had to get up a few hours earlier than some, and yea we weren’t able to see as much of the city and attend ALL THE EVENTS, but that will be another trip. We got sangria at dinner, and then bought a bottle of wine for the hotel room all while networking with the dude who worked at the liquor store. Skill.

Sangria out of mason jars, yeah buddy!

Thursday 5/30

EARLY start to the morning, but totally worth it. We spent some time looking in awe at ALL THE BOOKS and then headed over to see Kendare Blake and pick up Antigoddess, which I can’t wait to read. Shortly after we headed over to wait in line to meet Victoria Rossi who is, by the way, one of the most beautiful people I have ever seen, and we were like SCOREWERULE because we were told that we were first in line!!! Yeah… that was a lie. Turns out things weren’t as organized as they had hoped over in the BEA autographing area so while we were told that we were number one, so were (lots of) other peeps over on the other side of the hall! So anyway, we got in the special roped off line and totes thought we had MADE IT, and then they ran out of time and cut us off right after Britt! EEP! I was super sad, mostly because I wanted to tell Ms. Rossi that Aaron said hi and that he may or may not be sending us to stalk her, but really, I get it, and felt lucky to even have the opportunity, plus I was able to make a new friend (Hi, Shelver M!) and that is always awesome. A particular highlight was meeting Adam Gidwitz, I told him how I am currently reading A Tale Dark and Grimm out loud to Stan and how I wanted to get a copy for my love, so he signed it with a very sweet and personal message…

*I* love Adam Gidwitz

The best part about this day was meeting some fellow bloggers, a very distinct highlight of my day was when Jamie (from The Perpetual Page Turner) literally hopped and ran across the hall to flail at us (seriously love her), and of course meeting Anna (from Anna Reads), Alexa (fromAlexa Loves Books), Asher (from Paranormal Indulgence), Mandee (from Vegan YA Nerds/The Bookish Manicurist), and of course my IRL dear friend, Heidi (from Bunbury in the Stacks).

B and I headed home after a long and successful day, I was actually surprised at how huge (and awesome) my haul was!

Yeah! Signed books up top!

Friday 5/31

Friday was a tad more chill than Thursday and I spent a significant amount of time standing in line waiting to see some of my favorite authors. Specifically, Elizabeth Wein, and Victoria Schwab, also super awesome shoutouts to my girl Amy (from Tripping Over Books) who fangirled with me a bit, and Betty (from Book Rock Betty) who I was able to very quickly exclaim with (and share sads that we didn’t get to spend more time together)! WOO!

SO excited for this one, and check out those cards!

I’ll be honest, I felt really crummy on Friday, and wasn’t in the best of moods, which was sad because I was enjoying myself immensely but was still bogged down with the grumpiness, and not feeling my best. Highlights included seeing Grumpy Cat, WHO I LOVE, she is so tiny, and being able to spend some time with Heidi! B and I headed home early on Friday, which means that we skipped out on the Book Blogger’s Picnic, which SUCKED, but we both felt so crummy so it all worked out that we got some extra sleep!

Day 2 haul! Signed ones up top!

Saturday 6/1

Saturday was the most chill and also most EXCITING. Exciting because I GOT TO LISTEN TO NEIL GAIMAN SPEAK FOR ONE WHOLE HOUR. It was amazing. I plan on doing a recap of the event early next week so stay tuned but in a nutshell: SWOONS. It was the most chill because it was really more focused on friend time and less on GET ALL THE BOOKS, so we only stayed at Javits for a bit and then headed INTO THE CITY! Britt, Heidi, Mandee, Asher, and I headed to The Strand which is amazing and a bit overwhelming. I picked up a lesser known (by me, at least) Gaiman book, and We Hear the Dead by Dianne Salerni, which I am so excited about. We were also lucky enough to meet up with Estelle from Rather Be Reading!!

All of us minus Estelle, because she was awesome enough to take the picture!

After The Strand we headed over to eat some “New York Pizza” which was really more like regular pizza that I can find anywhere on the East Coast but equally delicious, and then we hung out for a bit because it was HOT and we wanted some time to chat together. We decided to head over to Books of Wonder because it has THE WIZARD OF OZ THINGS and as you know, I am obsessed.

I am excited to be around all of the OZ THINGS!

I obviously had to buy the signed copy of Chu’s Day, and signed copy of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, because of reasons. Soon after we said our goodbyes and headed back to ~~Magnolia Bakery~~ Connecticut to rest up after a very eventful three days.

Day 3 BEA haul! WOO!

Sunday 6/2

Sunday was a sad day, I had to say goodbye to Britt with the knowledge that we have no clue when we will see each other again, and the fact that it honestly might be a year before we are reunited, but let’s not dwell on it, because I am so thankful to have been able to spend as much time with her as I did.

Hideous picture of me, but we are rockin' our "KEEP CALM AND READ ON" shirts!

A less than flattering picture of me, but we are rockin’ our “KEEP CALM AND READ ON” shirts!

Once I got home I was able to relax and it has taken me a few days to even comprehend the amazing-ness that was this conference. I feel so lucky to have been a part of it, the best part wasn’t the books I brought home or the swag I received, but sheer excited-ness that I felt (and felt from others) over meeting each other and expressing our love for all things literary. Also Neil Gaiman. Always, Neil Gaiman.

My final haul picture ❤

Book Hoarders Anonymous (6)

June 6, 2013 by Alyssa

June is here! That means ~~freedom~~ that the school year is almost over, which means I will have quite a bit of time to read ALL THE BOOKS! This is a good thing since I just got back from BEA and I picked up some excellent titles. I won’t be featuring those in this post, but check back for my BEA recap in a few days!

From the Library:

Cubs in Toyland by Bill Willingham – I have been eagerly anticipating this next installment in the series, I can’t wait to start! Also, did you hear that Fables is being adapted into a movie?? By the same producer as the HARRY POTTER films? OMG. OMG. OMG.

From Netgalley/Edelweiss:

Love and Lament by John Milliken Thompson – Family curse, historical fiction!

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein – Companion to Code Name Verity!

Black Spring by Alison Croggon – Inspired by Wuthering Heights

Wild Boy by Rob Lloyd Jones – Traveling freak show!

The Kingdom Of Little Wounds by Susann Cokal – “a single errant prick of a needle sets off a series of events that will alter the course of history.”

North of Nowhere by Liz Kessler – (MG) “The sleepy seaside village of Porthaven hides a mystery…”

A Wounded Name by Dot Hutchison – A retelling of Hamlet!

Bought/Received:

Yes, I know that I was just on a three day trip in which I was given SO MANY BOOKS…that doesn’t mean that I can’t still treat myself. Right? RIGHT?!

Brittany and I went to The Book Barn, and while we were in NYC I also gifted myself with a few books from The Strand, and Books of Wonder, because…obviously..

Above we have The Last Tempation and Chu’s Day (signed) by Neil Gaiman, Oz: The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz (signed) by Eric Shanower, We Hear the Dead by Dianne Salerni, The Blade of Fortriu, The Well of Shades, Wolfskin, Child of the Prophecy, Son of the Shadows, and Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier, Scarlet by A. C. Gaughen, What the Dickens by Gregory Maguire, The Thirteenth Child and The Book of Enchantments by Patricia C. Wrede, Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George, and The Nature of Monsters by Clare Clark.

Sync is again offering free audiobooks throughout the summer, I was lucky enough to download Of Poseidon by Anna Banks, and The Tempest by William Shakespeare.

I was SO excited to be a winner from The Hero’s Guide to Storming the Castle giveaway on Mod Podge Books because look at the AMAZING artwork (and hardcover!!) I received!!

I was also lucky enough to be a winner during Candice’s birthday giveaway and she sent me a gorgeous frame featuring one of my favorite quotes, EVER. Also bustedtees and teefury had some awesome shirts (and sales) this month so I treated myself!

What Did You Miss?

I reviewed one of my favorite, and one of the funniest books of the year, The Hero’s Guide to Storming the Castle by Christopher Healy.

Sign ups for Classics Retold closed, and I decided to focus on Robin Hood. After much deliberation I decided on some awesome books, movies, and shows to focus on this summer!

A Song of Ice and Fire Read Along is still happening, and I am going strong! You can read my thoughts on book one, and if you are further along in the series, consider joining us!

After reading one of my favorite books of the year, I am able to conclude that I have a serious love for historical fiction novels. Check out my review of The Caged Graves to learn about the deeply layered, mysterious, and SWOONY novel by Dianne Salerni

What’s to Come?

As you all know, I went to Book Expo America and had a fantastic time. Look for a recap of the whole conference, and a separate author recap because I HEARD NEIL GAIMAN SPEAK and wow..it was amazing.

In terms of reviews, look for my thoughts on Bloodspell by Amalie Howard, The Name of the Wind audiobook by Patrick Rothfuss (OMG.), and some other upcoming titles.

I picked up quite a few books from BEA that will be used for giveaways, some of them are signed but I won’t tell you which…just stay tuned…especially if you enjoyed Code Name Verity. Just sayin’!

Review: Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff

May 28, 2013 by Alyssa

Title: Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin

Author: Liesl Shurtliff

Publishing Information: April 9th 2013 by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers

Genre: Middle Grade, Fairy Tales, Retellings, Fantasy, Magic

Series information: Standalone

Format: Hardcover, 272 pages

Source: Borrowed from my local library

Recommended For: Fans of Christopher Healy and Adam Gidwitz, readers looking for a fun and lighthearted read

This novel was positively adorable. You may think you know the story of Rumpelstiltskin, but what of the child who became the man? As in the original tale, names hold power in this debut middle grade novel, a name is someone’s destiny, but who controls it?

This novel is run by its characters, and it’s a good thing too because they were all vibrant and interesting, and altogether enjoyable. Rump was a steller character, it was so easy to root for him throughout the novel and I personally wanted to just pluck him out of the novel, fatten him up, and keep him in my pocket, safe from harm. I have to say that as a reader, I was expecting Rump to turn into the villain that most of us know from childhood tales, as this novel is telling the story of how he became who he is. Instead, Rump is a character I completely sympathized with and it was really refreshing to see him as a sweet and innocent child.

His best friend Red was feisty and I sincerely hope that the author has some plans to tell us her story because that is surely something that I would love to read. The other secondary characters were just as entertaining, though the trolls were by far my favorite. The villains were villainous but not overly so, just enough to make you grind your teeth in frustration and wish you could poke them directly in the eye or something equally appalling.

“Because some things people like to keep to themselves. This has always been my tree, and I don’t want anyone else to know about it. If you tell, I’ll punch your teeth out.”

“It made me feel really special that she would share it with me.”

I just feel as if I need to get this out of the way, what is up with these middle grade novels being so incredibly long?! That isn’t particularly a complaint because I adore them and there is of course no “right” way to write a novel but I can’t tell you how many times I was secretly wishing that the fabulous 400+ page MG I was reading was really only 300 or less. The point of this mini rant is that Rump was not one of those overly long novels that make you wonder why so many ineffectual details have been included in an already fabulous tale. There are so many middle grade novels out there that feel too long, or on the other end, too juvenile, to entertain an array of readers. Thankfully this is not the case for Rump. Instead, readers are transformed to an entertaining, yet simple setting to watch a detailed yet straightforward plot unfold. This is not a novel that contains twists and turns, but there are enough obstacles that you will find yourself holding out hope that Rump is able to write his own destiny and escape the magic that holds him hostage.

Rump felt just right in the manner that it wasn’t lacking detail or plot in any way, yet it was also enough to undeniably entertain a reader of all ages. Fans of Christopher Healy and Adam Gidwitz will absolutely adore this book. If you are looking for a fun and lighthearted read, pick this one up immediately.

A condensed version of this review can be found at bookalicious.

Review: Of Triton by Anna Banks

May 23, 2013 by Alyssa

Title: Of Triton

Author: Anna Banks

Publishing Information: May 28, 2013 by Feiwel & Friends

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Mermaids, Romance, Mythology

Series information: Book 2 in the Of Poseidon series – read my review of Of Poseidon

Format: Hardcover, 336 pages

Source: Received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley

Recommended For: Those looking for an exciting novel filled with swoony mermen, romance, and non-stop action

Of Triton picks up where Of Poseidon left off, on the edge of a cliffhanger. There is much to be done to right a history of wrongs by the main characters in this novel and I don’t want to spoil either book in the series for you but just know that Of Triton includes a lot of glorious scenes in the water, where Galen is right at home. The romance is aplenty for more than one couple and the reader gains more insight into quite a few characters in this sequel, and that was what stole the show for me.

Emma left me a bit conflicted in Of Triton. On one hand, I loved how much of a BAMF she was and her new found abilities were pretty spectacular (aka I WANTS THEM), but on the other hand I had a hard time with how whiney she was. The complications involving her mother and her involvement with the Syrena brought about many emotions from Emma. Most of which I completely appreciated and understood, however there were moments where I was jolted out of the story because her demeanor toward her mother and others just seemed childish and out of character for someone so strong willed. For the most part, though, Emma represented herself as a strong female that I had no trouble standing behind. Though she was a simple human standing (swimming?) among fantastical creatures, she stood on her own in a really magnificent way. Galen really doesn’t need any explanation as he is just as swoon worthy and charming as he was in Of Poseidon. Now Toraf, oh, Toraf, how do I love thee? Toraf and Rayna were absolutely captivating in Of Triton. Those of you who read Of Poseidon know how, hmm what’s the word…passionate Rayna is. Mix that with Toraf’s strong demeanor and you really have a fabulous couple worth watching. Though I enjoyed Galen and Emma, I would really love to read more of Toraf and Rayna.

As for secondary characters, Emma’s mother was enjoyable and we are able to see where Emma gets her stubbornness and fiery characteristics. I also LOVED Emma’s grandfather; his devotion to his family was really very endearing and had me smiling on more than one occasion. All of those wonderful things being said, if someone stole the show for me in Of Triton it was without a doubt Rachel. Rachel is smart, witty, loving, and definitely ruthless. I adored that we got to see more of her in this novel and I really appreciated how much she cared about Galen and the others.

Though Of Triton was significantly shorter than Of Poseidon, it was filled with a bit more action. Where Of Poseidon focused on the laws of the Syrena and the background of the characters, Of Triton is definitely more about living in the moment and fighting for what is important. I enjoyed the history of the first book but I really appreciated how the reader gets to see Galen in his own world, in the water, fighting his own internal and external conflicts.

Overall Of Triton was an enjoyable and entertaining read. I can’t say that Ms. Banks leaves us with as big of a cliffhanger as she does at the end of Of Poseidon, but in lieu of that she leaves us with some bittersweet heartbreak. That really sealed my enjoyment of the series, and personally I can’t wait to read the conclusion of the trilogy.

Review: Towering by Alex Flinn

May 21, 2013 by Alyssa

Title: Towering

Author: Alex Flinn

Publishing Information: May 14, 2013 by HarperTeen

Genre: Young Adult, Retellings, Fairy Tales, Fantasy

Series information: Standalone

Format: Hardcover, 304 pages

Source: Received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley

Recommended For: Fans of quick reads filled with a little bit of mystery, and a lot of insta-love
Rachel is trapped in a tower, held hostage by a woman she’s always called Mama. Her golden hair is growing rapidly, and to pass the time, she watches the snow fall and sings songs from her childhood, hoping someone, anyone, will hear her.

Wyatt needs time to reflect or, better yet, forget about what happened to his best friend, Tyler. That’s why he’s been shipped off to the Adirondacks in the dead of winter to live with the oldest lady in town. Either that, or no one he knows ever wants to see him again.

Dani disappeared seventeen years ago without a trace, but she left behind a journal that’s never been read, not even by her overbearing mother…until now.

It’s hard to tell you how I feel about this novel because while I was reading it I really enjoyed it. However, now that I am looking back to write my review I am thinking of all of the things that I didn’t particularly enjoy. Does that ever happen to you? You read a book and you’re entertained at the moment but then looking back you find that it wasn’t a particularly good book? It’s hard to rate a book like that, but I’ll do my best.

The POV in the novel goes back and forth between Wyatt and Rachel, though much time is spent in Wyatt’s head as Rachel really doesn’t have much going on up in that tower. I liked Wyatt a lot, I found him endearing and gentle and a little bit sad. Rachel was a decent enough character as her naivete is believable due to her circumstances and her reliance on her “Mama” is necessary for her continued survival. I like Wyatt’s curiosity and strength, and I enjoyed the way Rachel took control of her own life when she felt the need, even though it did seem rather forced. However, I did not like the instalove between these two, and despite the fantastical elements that went into their meeting, it didn’t click for me and I was annoyed at how quickly and deeply they fell in love. The secondary characters in the novel were scarce and the villains fell very flat. In fact, the only time we really see the villains in depth is during the climax of the novel, and that was a disappointment as I really felt that so much more could have been done with their characterization.

My absolute favorite part of the novel was the mystery and setting. It read like one of those old school mysteries, teenage daughter goes missing, ghost starts haunting the new boy in town, mysterious singing, deep snow and wind reminiscent of the moors of Wuthering Heights. Sounds awesome, right? It really could have been, had it contained more detail and depth. On a whole, there was one interesting part that I honestly did not see coming, and there were times that I couldn’t stop thinking about the plot and even while I wasn’t reading, I was wondering what was going to happen next. I think that was the biggest disappointment for me. Once the novel climaxed, and the mystery was solved, I couldn’t help but feel let down. It wasn’t just that things were solved too quickly, though that was an issue for me, it was my disappointment in the flatness of the tale. The BIG REVEAL happened and tied up ALL THE THINGS and Rachel saved the day (and her man) with her MAGIC and all was well!

The gist here is that before I started, and as I was reading, what I thought I was getting was an incredibly layered, detailed, and intriguing mystery. What I got was a rather typical young adult novel filled with enough magic to tie up all loose ends, and an insta-love between a troubled boy who would have a lot going for him if he hadn’t fallen so in love that he now has a live in girlfriend who doesn’t know the difference between a car and a carriage.

For those of you who are looking for a quick read to cleanse the palate in between those layered and detailed novels, give this one a go. It was enjoyable enough, but I won’t be running to read the author’s other novels any time soon.

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Author Archives: Alyssa