Review: The Treachery of Beautiful Things by Ruth Frances Long

March 15, 2013 by Alyssa

Title: The Treachery of Beautiful Things

Author: Ruth Frances Long

Publishing Information: April 16, 2012, Dial Books

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Fairytale

Series information: Standalone!

Format: Hardcover, 363 pages

Source: Borrowed from my local library

Recommended For: Fans looking for a magical tale about love, jealousy, mischief, and happy endings.

As Jenny and her brother Tom were walking through the woods on their way home one day, her brother was taken by the woods. That’s right, he wasn’t abducted in the sense you would think, but quite literally, the woods reached out and swallowed him whole. Before Jenny is able to leave for college she comes to the conclusion that she must make peace with the woods, so she travels back to the place where her brother was taken, and is then taken by the woods herself.

Thankfully (in my opinion) Jenny finds herself in the land of faerie and finds that her brother is now a grown man, and the lover of Queen Titania. Jack and Puck (yes – that Puck) do their best to convince her to leave the wood but she refuses, determined to rescue her brother before leaving. Thankfully she is not on her own as Jack and Puck realize that she isn’t leaving and therefore do their best to keep her safe.

I loved these characters. Jenny was determined and intelligent, but also flawed. She found herself in trouble and did her best to finagle her way out of tricky situations but I found her distress believable as she did need saving on more than one occasion. Jack o’ the forest was quite possibly my favorite. He was complicated in the sense that he believed (and some could argue) that he was not the hero of a tale, but a man bound by duty who did not always fall on the pure side of the line. Additionally, I found their romance to be believable and fun to watch unfold. It wasn’t instantaneous, but sweet and not without fault. More importantly, though the novel didn’t revolve around their romance, it was still a subtle, yet important aspect and fleshed out the novel beautifully. I was particularly fond of Puck, who you may remember from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He was the same mischievous, and fun character that I remembered but I found him to be more layered in this novel. I don’t know what it is but when he did something “good” I found my heart skip a beat a little. I liked what the author did with her secondary characters, Tom was extremely interesting in how his music took an important role in creating his character. Titania was fiercer and slightly more evil than I remember (for reasons I can’t divulge here), she was more in charge of Oberon, who truly just seemed to love the queen and be at a loss on what to do with (and without) her.

“Beware a kiss, he told her. Kisses are powerful things. You expose part of your soul.”

It is really not question that I was bound to adore The Treachery of Beautiful Things. I mean, lets be serious, any novel that has characters from Shakespeare’s plays is bound to be an Alyssa book, not to mention the swoons, and hello? The whole thing takes place in a forest. I LOVE FORESTS. Now, don’t misunderstand me, I loved the book for those reasons but I am no fool, there has to be some uniqueness in a novel for me to have full out adoration, and friends, The Treachery of Beautiful Things has all of those things! The fey world was beautiful, intricate, and at times a tad creepy, the characters were layered and interesting, not once was I bored while reading throughout this novel. I do have to be up front here and say that though I did appreciate the way the novel ended, it wasn’t how I pictured it in my mind, nor was it the ideal ending that I had hoped for. That isn’t to say it wasn’t appropriate or lovely, because it definitely was.

Ruth Frances Long writes glorious prose, she has an innate ability to weave words together to create something magical and I can hardly wait to see what she write next, though I must admit I would like some more Jack, please!!

Swoonfest: Favorite Disney Men

February 24, 2013 by Alyssa

The Top most swoon worthy Disney men

In response to a recent post by BuzzFeed on the top 10 hottest Disney princes I decided to compile my own list since I disagreed with nearly every choice presented. I brought this to the bf and he argued that these princes didn’t really rank in manliness, and he had a point. So I went to Twitter and asked the masses, and more importantly, our expert blogger on manliness: Aaron from Real Men Read YA, head over to his blog and read his thorough and hard to argue with post. I’m going to go beyond the first glance and look for a well rounded male. Let’s see what we have…

Prince Phillip – Let’s start from the beginning, he isn’t wearing any creepy poofy sleeves like some Disney princes and he doesn’t just sit in his palace hoping that his dad will put together a ball so that he can find a wife – he gets shit done. Like when he views a hot blonde singing and dancing with his cape (that’s right ladies, he wears a cape) he jumps right in like “HAI I’m Phillip, do you like the feather in my cap?!” Later, when a witch imprisons his beloved and is like “Yeah..imma let you in right after you slay this dragon.” HE DOES IT, then becomes so overwhelmed with LOVE for Aurora that he goes against ya know, MORALS and kisses her! SAVING THE KINGDOM! Also? Points for kissing someone he’s already betrothed too, no heartbreakers here!

Prince Eric – Okay I have to admit, at first I wasn’t sure that he would even make the cut but then I started really thinking and Eric is totally swoon worthy. First, he plays an instrument – this shows us he has a sensitive side and those musical fingers – enough said, am I right?! Then there is the fact that he knows his way around a ship, I mean, he’s basically a pirate and who doesn’t wanna walk the plank for Captain Hook? *That’s circa 2013 – OUaT Captain Hook and not Neverland Captain Hook because when it comes down to cross dressing pirates, guy liner wins over wigs any day in my book. I digress…back to Eric – the guy isn’t pretentious, he isn’t one to promote a statue of himself and we all saw those muscles as he rowed Ariel to the middle of the lake. Finally, he is super protective of those he loves, he jumped in to save Ariel from a sea witch! Lets not kid ourselves, Urusula may be the queen of the BAMFs of Disney movies and Eric is like “That’s cool I’ll just use my pirate skills to steer my boat and pop a big ‘ol hole in your stomach!! Finally, I can’t lie to you guys, the moment when Eric goes back to the EXPLODING ship to save Max? I can’t. IT GETS ME EVERY TIME and even my tiny black heart skips a beat or two.

The Beast – Is he a wolf? Is he a lion? Do we care? Didn’t think so. This is the kind of man we like to call “brooding” or “misunderstood.” He’s a serious grump most of the time but it’s just because no one “gets” him and this girl loves a challenge. His voice is so deep it melts the clothes right off and let’s not forget that he can fight a whole pack of wolves with just his hands! Oh my! In the end he is both protective of Belle and does that signature brooding guy move where he pushes her away because he knows that “she deserves better.” My favorite! Now if that wasn’t enough, he gives Belle a library. A whole library! With ladders! And marble! After giving her the most epic present in the history of presents, he plays with her in the snow, feeds the birds, and sits with her while she reads him Romeo and Juliet! (I’m not making this up, it’s in the deleted scenes on the new DVD – nerd alert!) *Note: This entry is for The Beast only. I’m not sure what Disney was thinking in transforming The Beast into a rather effeminate blonde. Guy was tall, and kept his blue eyes, but I’m still partial to The Beast, I don’t care how often I’d be vacuuming his hair off of the couch.

Flynn Rider – The only man to come along and make me doubt my love for our number one Disney male. I’ve heard some people complain that Flynn was a thief, but look – the guy had a hard childhood and anyone with the first name Eugene is someone who can be trusted. Lets get into the pleasantries: That hair! Those eyes! The GRIN! That SMOLDER! Props to Rapunzel because I’m not sure many of us could say that we could easily resist that compilation! Lets not forget his excellent singing voice, I personally stop what I’m doing to watch him dance his little jig and sing about enormous piles of money. The best part about Flynn is that we are able to watch him grow as the movie progresses. He starts off as a thief but who didn’t swoon a bit when he rows Rapunzel to the middle of the ocean and brings her a lantern to partake in the festivities?! That was above the line of duty, my friends. We could end with the fact that Flynn gives up his life for Rapunzel and therefore is the epitome of all Disney boyfriends but let’s be serious, it’s the fact that he has a “thing” for brunettes that really pushes Flynn to the front of the line. Pick me, Eugene!

Aladdin – Ahh my first love. I know he could use a new wardrobe but have you seen those patches in his knees? That means the dude knows his way around a needle, ladies, and we all know we love a man who can take care of himself! Ain’t nobody got time to be sewing our husband’s favorite pair of pants while he’s out playing with his monkey – and I mean that literally. Moving on..he’s flexible, knows how to carry a tune and he not only stops stuffy princes from picking on small children, he gives them his last scrap of bread! Sure he stole it and he will most likely just pilfer some more but those kids were hungry, and I gotta be honest, I’d share a few nibbles but there’s no way those kids need a whole loaf when I’ve yet to have my breakfast. Now the fun stuff – he has a magic carpet! One who saves him on more than one occasion, because Aladdin is so awesome, even fabric stays loyal to him. Fancy a trip to England? Lets take a magic carpet ride, baby. We’ll be there in no time. Finally, his best friend (besides the monkey) is a genie! Now you might be thinking that Genie left to travel the world but let me assure you that he comes back, I saw the tv show so I know these things. Overall Aladdin is scrappy, clever, and undeniably good looking. I’ll show him a whole new world any day.

Honorable mentions (because I CAN):

Kronk from The Emperors New Groove – He’s muscly, knows his way around the kitchen, speaks the language of tiny forest animals, and succeeds in creating his own theme music.

Hercules – Any guy who can win over Megara (who is totes my home girl, btw) is a winner in my book. Not to mention those muscles and his bff is a flying horse – a guy who can drive, yes please!

Robin Hood – He’s an outlaw because he steals from the rich to give to the poor! Also? He jumps out of a flaming tower into a very shallow moat to escape hundreds of arrows being shot at him and survives.

Prince Naveen – The accent, ’nuff said.

Woody from Toy Story – Because every gal likes a cowboy.

Things to note:

As mentioned in the buzzfeed article Snow White’s Prince, though the first to be seen by the general public, has few redeeming qualities. Unless you need someone to confess his love for you while harmonizing perfectly and showing you up in physical attributes then immediately forgetting your address and refusing to ask for directions, move along m’dears, you can do better!
Simba could very well have made this list for the sole reason that his dad is Darth Vader and his uncle is Jeremy Irons. Unfortunately, having BAMFs as family members doesn’t help you if you’re Matthew Broderick.
Sure Tarzan looks nice but I can’t be bothered by a man who consistently uses improper grammar. “Me Tarzan.” “Yeah and me not have the patience.”

*I’m not saying that you should Google “disney men by david kawena” but it could be a good idea. Possibly.

Top Ten Tuesday (29)

February 12, 2013 by Alyssa

Top Ten Favorite Romances

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created over at The Broke and the Bookish which I adore and therefore chose to adopt into my weekly blog posts!

I know I don’t participate in Top Ten Tuesday every week but I couldn’t give up a chance to share my favorite romances with you guys! I actually made a hand written list of these favorites and then using very scientific reasoning I narrowed it down to only ten..so in no particular order…

Bran and Liadan from Son of the Shadows by Juliet Marillier – (Or every single couple in every single Marillier novel ever…) Like many of Marillier’s heroines, Liadan brings Bran back from the brink of madness. They both broke my heart and though I also love Clodagh and Cathal, Bran and Liadan were the first couple that I fell in love with. “I just knew, overwhelmingly, that if I did not touch him I would shatter in pieces. Jump, cried the wind. Jump over. I shut my eyes and moved toward him, and my arms went around his waist, and I rested my head against his chest and let my tears flow. There, said the voice deep inside me. See how easy it was?”

Bigby and Snow from Fables by Bill Willingham – Snow tames Bigby in a few ways and I just love how much he loves her. I devour all stories starring these two.

Karou and Akiva from Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor – This couple was heart wrenching in quite a few ways, their backstory and current love affair was beautiful and heart breaking. I can’t wait to see what happens with them in book two. “Your soul sings to mine. My soul is yours, and it always will be, in any world. No matter what happens. I need you to remember that I love you.”

Marco and Celia from The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern – Oh those star crossed lovers who are doomed to duel to the death, the story, setting and characters all read like a love story to me. “As he kisses her, the bonfire glows brighter. The acrobats catch the light perfectly as they spin. The entire circus sparkles, dazzling every patron.”

Anita and Jean Claude from The Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton – Anita has many lovers and boyfriends and though Jean Claude isn’t human I still can’t see anyone else as a better fit. Jean Claude understands Anita on all levels, though they are different in many ways, Jean Claude understands her rage and how it is a part of her better than anyone. “Je reve de toi..”

Cimorene and Mendanbar from The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede – I read these books a long time ago, before a good romance was a key element in my book choices and I fell in love with the witty banter between these two characters. Their love shows in subtle ways and to this day they are still one of my favorite couples. “Yes,” Mendanbar said, looking down. “I love you, and—and—” “And you should have said that to begin with,” Cimorene interrupted.

Jamie and Claire from The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon – Okay maybe I didn’t love the first book but the parts I did love revolved around Claire and Jamie. Specifically, around Jamie’s love for Claire and their interactions with one another. “Oh, aye, Sassenach. I am your master . . . and you’re mine. Seems I canna possess your soul without losing my own.”

Robin Hood and Maid Marian – In every form, I love this couple. In the poems, novels, movies and songs their romance is beautiful.

Ismae and Duval from Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers – Ahh the slow burn romances always get to me! Through the whole novel I was on edge waiting for them to finally get together! “Whenever you are ready, or if you never are, my heart is yours….”

Wesley and Buttercup from The Princess Bride by William Goldman – How can this not be one of my favorites? Though I love the movie a tad more, their love is still beautiful! “Do I love you? My God, if your love were a grain of sand, mine would be a universe of beaches.”

Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

January 31, 2013 by Alyssa

Title: Scarlet

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publishing Information: February 4, 2013 by Feiwel & Friends

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction Romance, Retellings

Series information: Book 2 in the Lunar Chronicles

Format: Hardcover, 464 pages

Source: Unedited ARC

Recommended For: Readers looking for a strong willed heroine, a brooding male lead and a new spin on an old tale

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn’t know about her grandmother and the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she has no choice but to trust him, though he clearly has a few dark secrets of his own.
As Scarlet and Wolf work to unravel one mystery, they find another when they cross paths with Cinder. Together, they must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen who will do anything to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner.

There is so much to say about this book, yet so much of it has already been said. In a nutshell, here is my commentary while reading and my mini review immediately after finishing:

Yeah…so there’s that. Basically I loved this book. LOOVEDDDD the characters and the setting and it was one of my biggest book hangovers OF THE YEAR.

Remember how I said I wanted more world building while I was reading Cinder? Marissa Meyer delves right in and we are able to see a bigger landscape in Scarlet, complete with bonfires and farm frolicking (erm..kind of).

Scarlet Benoit has made my list of favorite female characters of all time. She is plucky and rough and fights her own battles. She is determined to find her grandmother and though she works hard to do what is right in most situations, she also has no problem getting dirty to do what needs to be done. Then there is Wolf and I don’t even know what to say about him because he is so swoonworthy I can’t even…I am all for the strong females who can take care of themselves but I also love a guy who stands up for his lady and maybe Wolf gets a little overprotective and ya know…murderous…but I’m kind of okay with that given the yumminess. Also Meyer introduces us to some other fabulous new characters, I specifically adored Captain Thorne. He is quite a character, he is intelligent, snarky and kind of crazy. Though Wolf is my favorite guy, I have joined the fangirling of Thorne as well. Scarlet and Cinder are vastly different characters and while reading book one I sometimes had a hard time connecting to Cinder. While reading Scarlet I didn’t only feel more connected Scarlet Benoit but I reconnected with Cinder and better appreciated her to the point where I can’t wait to go back and re-read Cinder.

The story was fabulous, I was surprised and thrilled. I highly recommend you read Cinder and then pick up this one immediately, it comes out soon so hurry!! It honestly left me with one of the biggest book hangovers of the year and guys, I can’t stop singing “OHHH WOLFIEEE, OHHH WOLFIEEEE AIN’T YOU THE ONEEE!”

Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

January 25, 2013 by Alyssa

Title: Cinder

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publishing Information:January 3, 2012 by Feiwel & Friends

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction Romance, Retellings

Series information: Book 1 in the Lunar Chronicles

Format: Hardcover, 390 pages

Source: Borrowed from my local library

Recommended For: Readers looking for a strong heroine, a charming prince and a new spin on an old tale

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .
Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

I am going to come right out and admit it: I totally judge books by their cover. I know I shouldn’t and after almost missing out on two gems last year due my hating their covers I am trying really hard to not do that anymore. The first book I almost passed by was Daughter of Smoke and Bone, the blue feathers and such, I smelled a masquerade, and vampires. Not for me. Thankfully those of you who read DoSaB know that it was amazing and not at all about vampires, whew! The second book I almost missed out on was Cinder by Marissa Meyer. I don’t know what is wrong with me here, those are some nice shoes and frankly, I’d like to get me a pair, but something about the cyborg thing just made me think “NOT AN ALYSSA BOOK!” and I moved on. MONTHS after the release, Heidi told me to cut the crap and read the book because it was awesome and was totally an Alyssa book for all of the right reasons. The girl was right, (she usually is, but that’s for another time) I devoured Cinder and was chomping at the bit for Scarlet’s release (lucky for me I obtained a copy early and you can expect that review to pop up shortly!)

There isn’t much to say here that hasn’t already been said. Marissa Meyer has a knack for character development, I really enjoyed watching Cinder grow as a character, I enjoyed how she didn’t exactly succumb to her stepmother and let her control her life but she also didn’t jump into action in an unbelievable way. Her rebellion was justified and genuine and my heart melted for her. Prince Kai is, well, charming, to say the least. The story between these two was refreshing, Kai was a gentleman and though outgoing in all the right ways he wasn’t demeaning or demanding as so many male leads are these days, maybe it was the prince in him but I found this to be extremely refreshing. I can’t wait to see where their relationship goes.

The secondary characters were just as loveable or just as rage inducing. Iko is Cinder’s best friend and I really felt their friendship, if that remotely makes sense. Meyer has a knack for making me FEEL FEELINGS, and that isn’t easy. Even emotions from the “evil” characters came through, when the family was mourning, I mourned and raged with them. I was a tiny bit scared of the Lunar queen but I suppose that is the point, I can’t wait to see what Meyer has in store for her!

The story isn’t without faults, it didn’t take me long to uncover one major twist in the story but I wasn’t disappointed that it didn’t pop out at me and there were plenty more that had my mouth on the floor. I would have also enjoyed some more world building and insight into the Lunar characters but lucky for me book two delves deeper into the world and characters so I’m not complaining!

In a nutshell, friends, even if the premise (okay or cover) of this book makes you feel that it isn’t worth the hype I encourage you to try it anyway. Marissa Meyer provides readers with a brand new twist on the Cinderella tale that leaves the reader begging for more.

“…and yet, the memory of his fingers against her skin refused to fade.”

Review: Splintered by A. G. Howard

January 22, 2013 by Alyssa

Title: Splintered

Author: A.G. Howard

Publishing Information: January 1, 2013 by Amulet Books

Genre: Young Adult, Retellings, Romance, Fantasy

Series information: Standalone

Format: Hardcover, 384 pages

Source: ARC from the publisher via Netgalley

Recommended For: Fans of darker fairy tale retellings, strong heroines and yummy kissy scenes!

This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.
When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

Wow. This is one of the first books that I have read and felt like I immediately needed to write a review. Now, days after finishing Splintered, I still cannot get the world out of my head. I am not a lover of Alice in Wonderland, Alice always annoyed me and the story was just too happy and simple for me, I think this is one reason that Splintered blew me away. Splintered was deliciously dark and descriptive. I had no problem imagining Wonderland as Alyssa (best name ever, am I right?) experienced it. Howard walks the reader through a vibrant world with characters that stay with you long past the last page.

Let’s get into those characters, shall we? First there is Alyssa, descendent of Alice (yes, the Alice) who is facing her own issues back in the real world. First off, her mom is in a mental hospital because she hears and talks to bugs and plants. The bigger issue here is that Alyssa can also hear these voices and her biggest fear is that she will end up just like her mother and be locked away awaiting shock therapy treatments. Then there is the normal teenage issues that we are all familiar with, she has a secret crush on her best friend, Jeb. Jeb is a sort of bad boy artist with a labret piercing and serious mechanic skills, he also feels as if it is his duty to protect Alyssa from all things, and though endearing, she doesn’t always love this about him. Finally, there is Morpheus. Oh Morpheus how do I even begin to describe you? Morpheus has a few forms but in a nutshell he is a fantastical, blue haired, brooding bad ass with a killer set of wings that can both fly you into the starlight and keep you warm if you’re feeling chilly. I bet you guys sense a love triangle happening here, and I can’t lie, it’s a biggie.” I was super CONFLICTED while reading this and there were many texts to my girls stating “I love the pierced one again,” and “OMG he has wings!” Honestly, after finishing the book I still don’t know how I am feeling or who I love more, I think I am happy with the ending but then I obsess a bit more and I just don’t know! *sigh* But guys, I can’t lie to you, it was worth it because these were some of the best KISSY SCENES I have read in a while. Seriously I WANT MOAR PLEASE!

“I hate you,” I say, the sentiment muffled against his heart, hoping to make it true.
“And I love you,” he answers without hesitation, voice resolved and raw as he holds me tighter so I can’t break away and react. “A crossroads, my beautiful princess, that was unavoidable—given our situations.”

I loved what Howard did with the secondary characters; they are turned from happy and whimsical beings to dark and frightening creatures. The White Rabbit is now Rabid White, Tweedle Dee and Dum are now grotesque female keepers of lost souls, The Mad Hatter literally becomes his work and you learn a little bit about the Queen of Hearts and why she became so bitter. “Off with her head!” has found new meaning in this debut novel.

I recommend this book to those of you looking for a new twist on a childhood tale, more reminiscent of Tim Burton than Lewis Caroll. It was adventurous, romantic and all together mad.

As I mentioned above, this novel is still running through my head and this morning I couldn’t stop thinking of this song by Kimbra as a delicious companion to the novel.

“You heard the crickets of the early eve
They lurk around the opening in two’s & three’s
Clementine told you not to move with the breeze
I’ll take you down to places where we dare not speak.”

Review: Waking Storms by Sarah Porter

January 18, 2013 by Alyssa

Title: Waking Storms

Author: Sarah Porter

Publishing Information: July 3, 2012 by Harcourt Children’s

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

Series information: Book 2 in the Lost Voices series

Format: Hardcover, 400 pages

Source: Borrowed from my local library

Recommended For: Lovers of mermaid stories

After parting ways with her troubled mermaid tribe, Luce just wants to live peacefully on her own. But her tranquility doesn’t last long: she receives news that the tribe is on the verge of collapse and desperately needs her leadership. The tribe’s cruel queen wants Luce dead. Dorian, the boy Luce broke mermaid law to save, is determined to make her pay for her part in the murder of his family. And while the mermaids cling to the idea that humans never suspect their existence, there are suddenly ominous signs to the contrary. But when Luce and Dorian meet, they start to wonder if love can overpower the hatred they know they should feel for each other. Can Luce fulfill her rightful role as queen of the mermaids without sacrificing her forbidden romance with Dorian?

It is impossible for me to write this review without getting a little spoilery so prior to dropping any bombs I am going to prepare you so that if you want to read them you can just highlight to view and if not, you can skip right over them!

Disappointed. If I had to describe my feelings for Waking Storms in one word, that is what it would be: disappointed. Remember all of those things I said about Lost Voices? How wonderful and different it was that the author had zero focus on romantic relationships but focused instead on friendships and character growth? Pretend it never happened. I can’t say that there wasn’t character growth, because there was and it was one of the few reasons I continued reading this book and didn’t mark it as unfinished and as always Porter’s work is descriptive and lyrical, it was not hard to imagine myself deep in the ocean or on a beautiful secluded beach while reading.

I believe it was the drastic changes between book one and two that initially turned me off to Waking Storms, there were many things that didn’t sit well with me. One change between book one and two is the difference in point of view. While reading book one we stayed in Luce’s head, seeing the story from her side alone. This novel follows multiple characters and their point of view and therefore opens up the story so that the reader can get a glimpse into what is happening on land. I would have really enjoyed this change but I couldn’t stand Dorian and half of the book followed his thoughts and experiences. Yes, I can see that he is a teenage boy, and sharing his name with a famous Oscar Wilde character who is obsessed with himself wasn’t lost on me. I’ll admit that I might have even been a bit biased while reading this because I was struggling so hard against the romance that I didn’t like Dorian from the beginning. However, as a reader who experienced Luce almost get raped by her uncle in book one, it was hard for me to appreciate how she was throwing herself emotionally and physically at another male character! I can’t imagine that had I nearly died after almost being raped I would “fall in love” with the next guy I saw and imagined what it would be like to be on land so we could, you know, consummate the relationship! Not to mention that it wasn’t just teenage romance…it was longing and caressing and frankly made me feel uncomfortable while I was reading since they were both fourteen! Mostly, I hated the way that Luce fell apart when she was around Dorian. In the water she is a strong mermaid queen and “hell hath no fury” and then soon after she is pining for a boy! Honestly in retrospect it felt like that is exactly how the story went: Luce is strong in the water and shows her power in her voice and mind, next scene, Luce is weak and sitting on a beach with Dorian and then? Back to the water!
Now for a bit more confusion and rage…

SPOILERS AHEAD

I am a little confused as to what the heck was going on with Luce’s father? I love a father daughter relationship but honestly what was he doing on that island? Why was he hearing voices? HOW WAS SHE ABLE TO FIND HIM AND SWIM HIM ACROSS THE WORLD TO SAFETY?! I know there is a third book coming so I am sure we will have all of these questions explained but when I am reading I prefer to be intrigued and not completely confused over a plot point.

Then the ending? I really cannot fathom why that gore was an addition to the story, it was completely out of place. I read horror novels, I am not scared of violence or gore but I was completely thrown off and disgusted while reading this lyrical novel when the ending came. It seemed like an afterthought that could have been taken out completely. The author does have a knack for description, it’s one of the things I really enjoyed while reading book one, however in using this gift to describe a murder scene made me feel really unbalanced and it didn’t sit well with the rest of the novel.

END OF SPOILERS

I will say that I loved the beauty and descriptions of this story, I loved the secondary character found in Nausicaa and I really loved the explanation of the origin of the mermaids. I won’t spoil it for you but it was a nice addition that I really liked. Sarah Porter went a completely different way with book two and I am sorry to say that it didn’t work for me, I will not be back for book number three in this series though for those of you still interested, from the end of Waking Storms it seems like Luce has finally found her voice and she may surprise us all. Here’s hoping.

Review: Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

December 11, 2012 by Alyssa

Title: Of Poseidon

Author: Anna Banks

Publishing Information: May 22, 2012 by Feiwel & Friends

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

Series information: Book 1 in the Of Poseidon series

Format: Hardcover, 336 pages

Source: Borrowed from my local library

Recommended For: Those looking for a new mermaid tale with a mix of mythology

Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he’s heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen — literally, ouch! — both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma’s gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom . . (Via Goodreads)

I’ll be honest I was wary. I was wary to begin yet another mermaid story and prepared myself to again be vastly underwhelmed and outright frustrated at the lack of depth (see what I did there) and intrigue. Thankfully, Of Poseidon was different from any other mermaid novel I have ever read. Where others fell short, Of Poseidon delivered.

I had strong feelings toward the characters of this novel. At first I really didn’t enjoy Emma, she annoyed me, and I physically cringed every time she said “ohmysweetgoodness,” but overall I really enjoyed how she grew as a character. I felt the same way about Galen as I did about Emma, annoyed. I had a hard time falling for him and really found him to be arrogant. However, once the relationship between Emma and Galen developed, I found myself falling for Galen as if we had our own mystical ties! I did not enjoy Emma and Galen’s relationship at first. Like Noah and Mara in The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer I found it really grating how Emma focused so much on her dislike for Galen and then in a moment she would be hoping to kiss him. Also? At one point he is described as having “serial killer eyes,” ummm…come again? It was descriptions like that throughout the novel that brought me to a halting stop while reading. I adored Toraf and Rayna, though I was conflicted by their relationship and can completely understand why some readers loathed how it progressed. In the end, I really enjoyed their relationship and found them to be a very sweet and honest couple. To be honest, I think I may like Toraf even more than Galen!

As many have commented on before, the changing point of view throughout the novel really bothered me. This is something that doesn’t usually affect me and I usually have no problem switching my brain back and forth between multiple points of view or picking up on who the current narrator is. This time, however, the narrators changed from first person to third person and it took me a few seconds to fall back into the story as the chapters changed.

It was the plot of Of Poseidon that I really fell in love with, the mermaid lore was exquisitely written and I was really impressed by the way Anna Banks wrote the struggle between the houses Of Poseidon and Triton. The lore surrounding these houses was so interesting that I found myself wishing for more background information about the whole culture. I was fascinated in the way Banks provided in depth details about the characters of both houses and how she made it apparent that their struggle was both on a political and personal level. Additionally, there aren’t many books that catch me by surprise nowadays and this one ended on a pretty unbelievable cliffhanger. I had that moment of wanting to throw the book against the wall because though I had an inkling, the ending was so unfathomable that it still took me by surprise. Well done, Anna Banks, thank you for providing me with a book that gave me a new hope for mermaid books everywhere. I am anxiously awaiting Of Triton, summer of 2013. EEP!

Review: Romeo Redeemed by Stacey Jay

October 12, 2012 by Alyssa

Title: Romeo Redeemed

Author: Stacey Jay

Publishing Information: October 9, 2012 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Retellings

Series information: Book 2 in the Juliet Immortal Series

Format: Hardcover, 384 pages

Source: ARC from the publisher via Netgalley

Recommended For: Fans of Shakespeare, romance, and tragic heroes

Cursed to live out eternity in his rotted corpse, Romeo, known for his ruthless, cutthroat ways, is given the chance to redeem himself by traveling back in time to save the life of Ariel Dragland. Unbeknownst to her, Ariel is important to both the evil Mercenaries and the love-promoting Ambassadors and holds the fate of the world in her hands. Romeo must win her heart and make her believe in love, turning her away from her darker potential before his work is discovered by the Mercenaries. While his seduction begins as yet another lie, it soon becomes his only truth. Romeo vows to protect Ariel from harm, and do whatever it takes to win her heart and soul. But when Ariel is led to believe his love is a deception, she becomes vulnerable to Mercenary manipulation, and her own inner darkness may ultimately rip them apart (Via Goodreads).

Warning! There will almost definitely be spoilers for Juliet Immortal in this review, be wary as you read! Also, if you haven’t read Juliet Immortal, go ahead and read it because it’s quite lovely.

Romeo is dying. Actually, dying is an understatement because in actuality he is beginning to decay from the inside and it really isn’t pretty. As his body decays, his mind still holds the guilt for every bit of turmoil he realizes he forced Juliet into. You see, back when Romeo and Juliet lived in Verona, back when he tricked her into killing herself, he really thought he was saving her. He trusted The Friar and believed he was helping Juliet escape from a life of shame and exile. The Friar lied to Romeo and told him that Juliet was going to be living free from sin in Heaven. Unfortunately we know this is not what happened and it was through Romeo’s actions that Juliet suffered.

Finally, after Juliet’s (second) demise, Romeo is given a chance at redemption. He must save Ariel, yes the same Ariel whose body Juliet inhabited in Juliet Immortal, and turn her from the darkness she is slowly falling into. The irony and complication in this task is that Romeo is inhabiting Dylan’s body and in order to save her from the darkness, he must make her fall in love with him. Those of you who remember Dylan from book one can grasp the severity of this cause as Dylan is a jerk (to say the least) and Ariel has an extremely hard time trusting him. The worst part? Romeo has three days. Three days to turn Ariel into a trusting individual, Three days to make Ariel love him, and three days to save them both.

I’m going to be honest here, I really love tortured male leads. I love the whole “I am not worthy” and the angsty, long-haired, “I have a serious edge but really I will snuggle your cat when you’re not looking” kind of guy. It’s just my thing. So Romeo? He’s my kind of dude. He is apparently Ariel’s kind of dude as well because it doesn’t take long for her to fall for him too, and let me tell you Ariel was quite the character herself. In fact, one of my favorite things about this novel was the characterization of Ariel. She had some major STUFF going on in her head yet she was still written like a teenage girl filled with “normal” teenage insecurities. There were moments in the story where there was no doubt in my mind that she and Romeo were destined to be together and it was not because of their mutual goodness. Instead, Ariel stood out at times as a perfect match to Romeo’s dark nature, she was quite kick-ass, and at times, a tiny bit scary. I really fell into their romance, they were even more passionate and “meant to be” than Juliet and Ben from book one and I adored the way that one played out.

“Set me as a seal on your heart,” I whisper against her lips. “For love is as stong as death.”

Juliet Immortal was full of some plot twists, most of which I saw coming. The glorious difference in Romeo Redeemed was that I really didn’t see the twists in plot, and character, coming. I was happily surprised at how things progressed and I really loved the way the novel concluded. The ending in this novel was in no way a rushed epilogue but things progressed a little slower and unfolded in a really wonderful way.

It is often that I enjoy sequels more than book one in a series. In the case of Romeo Redeemed I can’t say that I enjoyed the sequel more simply because for me the novel worked as a wonderful compliment to Juliet Immortal, not so much a continuation of story but more of a necessary companion. The duality between book one and two was apparent and in retrospect I really can’t see reading one without the other. Romeo Redeemed was a delicious read, it was equal parts of romance and intrigue and I highly recommend you give it a chance.

Review: Amber House by Kelly Moore

September 28, 2012 by Alyssa

Title: Amber House

Author: Kelly Moore, Tucker Reed & Larkin Reed

Publishing Information: October 1, 2012 by Arthur A. Levine Books

Genre: Young Adult, Gothic, Paranormal

Series information: Book 1 in a planned trilogy

Format: Hardcover, 368 pages

Source: ARC from the publisher via Netgalley

Recommended For: Readers interested in a vibrant, gothic horror story

“Behind me, the sound of chain sliding over wood.

I felt so cold, so squeezed, I could hardly draw in breath. A tear oozed like blood from the corner of my eye.

I made myself turn. Made myself look.

A woman stood in the shaft of moonlight. She was all darkness to me, backlit by the window. I could see thick curls of black hair, the curves of muscled arms, a shapeless drape of translucent gown. All motionless. A spider ran down a lock of her hair, and air escaped me in the smallest gasp. I wanted to shove my fist in my mouth to stop the scream rising in my throat.”

Sarah Parsons returns to her family’s estate after her grandmother’s death in order to assist her mother in selling the old mansion. After spending some time in the house, Sarah begins to find clues regarding her family history and she becomes connected to the house in a very serious way. Sarah begins experiencing echoes left by former “residents” and in time, comes to unravel the mysteries surrounding her mother and grandmother and the very intense legacy of Amber House.

I really enjoyed Sarah as a character because she was easy to relate to as she was a typical teenage girl thrown into an atypical situation. She reacts to certain incidents and characters in a way that shows her shyness, anger or understanding in a wonderful way. Sammy, Sarah’s little brother, plays a very significant role in this novel and as a reader I was very invested in his storyline as his innocence heightened nearly all aspects of the plot. I felt the same frustration and anger over Sarah’s mother as she did and I really appreciated learning more of her story as the novel progressed.

The romance in this novel is an interesting one. There are times when it screamed love triangle but don’t fear, it is so much more complicate than that! Jackson and Richard are polar opposites, both of whom were interesting characters in their own way. I really enjoyed how “real” Richard seemed to me, he was perfectly created to represent that guy in high school. You know, the one all the girls want to date and all the guys want to be even though he is rather douchey? That’s Richard. Jackson, on the other hand, was the best friend who really seemed to understand Sarah and her needs. However, he had a slightly mysterious edge to him that made him more lovable, in my opinion. The best part was that both guys seemed to have their own agenda and as the story progressed, their motives are revealed and emotions become conflicted. I won’t say that it was a slow burn romance between any of the characters, because it is a lot more intricate than that. However, I will tell you that as the story progresses, the romance unfolds slowly and sneakily, and when it finally comes full circle I was left with my emotions spilling over a tiny bit. The best part about Amber House is that though the romance plays a great part in the story, it isn’t the central storyline. Family takes precedence and things play out how they must as important decisions are made.

My main gripe with this novel was that upon finishing it I was enraged and confused because it ended on a note that left so many questions unanswered. I was seriously underprepared for the epilogue and I felt led astray. However, I resorted to Google and after serious searching, I found that Amber House is in fact, part of a trilogy. I breathed a sigh of relief. Bad feelings gone, all is well, and so on. Now my only issue is my impatience in waiting for its sequel!

I found this novel while I was spending time browsing through Netgalley and after reading the blurb (and how gorgeous is this cover?!) I decided to give it a try. Admittedly, I wish I had waited a month or so to read it because it is a perfect read for autumn weather but nonetheless it is a book that has stuck with me months after reading the last page. Amber House is a gothic tale stirring up feelings reminiscent of Bronte’s windy moors and King’s room 237. It is a novel that kept me up way past my bedtime and had me falling asleep with the lights on. For those of you looking for a good “autumn read,” I highly suggest you pick up Amber House. It contains all of the amazing horror elements to keep you looking over your shoulder while also molding in intricate relationships and a deliciously vibrant plot.

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Review: The Treachery of Beautiful Things by Ruth Frances Long

“Beware a kiss, he told her. Kisses are powerful things. You expose part of your soul.”