Monday, April 30, 2018

The Abbot's Tale by Conn Iggulden

The Abbot's Tale by Conn Iggulden. Pegasus Books, 2018. Hardcover. 480 pages.

The Abbot's Tale is a a fictional autobiography of Saint Dunstan of Glastonbury during the mid-900s AD. This story follows Dunstan through the beginnings of the creation of England as well as his creation of the Glastonbury Abbey and the Canterbury Cathedral.

This was a highly interesting story about a man who I really knew next to nothing about. I've seen Conn Iggulden's books around, but this is the first book by Conn Iggulden that I've read--and it certainly won't be the last. It's clear that Iggulden performed immense research on the setting and historical events of the story and did his best to fill in the gaps about Dunstan for the rest, as there isn't all that much known about Dunstan himself. The Abbot's Tale completely transported me to this historical time period and I loved learning about it because I really haven't read much during this particular setting.

Dunstan is an extremely unlikable character. There are not a lot of redeemable qualities present in his personality and character, but somehow he is a still a fascinating figure to follow. He presents some interesting ideas and undertakes a variety of different actions and projects that make it interesting enough to follow along and become invested in him and his life. He accomplishes much throughout his life in many unexpected and creative ways, but outside of that he is a bit of a horrible person that does a lot of questionable things throughout his life. He's a smart man, but he's not a good man.

Despite the interesting subject matter of this book, it's still a moderately length book that took me quite a while to get through. It's very slow-paced without many large events occurring, so it takes a lot of determination and effort to really follow along. There were times when it felt like the story dragged, but I hesitate to say that it was boring, however, because when I think about my time reading it I never found myself struggling to get through. I was very much engaged in the story, but I wasn't necessarily blown away by what I was reading.

This review is a bit shorter today simply because I feel as though I don't have much to say about this book. It is a strong, solid story about a fascinating person, but it's nothing overly special or something I want to rave about. In the same manner, it's not a bad book in any way and I would absolutely recommend it. It falls somewhere in the middle as a great book that I am glad I read, but that doesn't exactly stand out in any exceptional way.

Overall, I've given The Abbot's Tale four stars! I can't wait to dig into more of Iggulden's extensive bibliography of other historical fiction novels.

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

*I received an ARC of The Abbot's Tale courtesy of NetGalley and Pegasus Books in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating.*


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You might also like:
The Confessions of Young Nero by Margaret George
Feast of Sorrow by Crystal King

Friday, April 27, 2018

Anticipated May 2018 Releases!


Did you know that May is less than a week away!? I have no idea where time is going, but it's moving at an exceptionally swift speed lately and uh, yeah, I'm not ready for May yet! I am, however, ready for many exciting new May releases (actually, no, that's a lie because I have about five million books I want to read and adding more is just distressing). As always, I've compiled a list of just a few of the many great books coming out next month. Let me know what books you're looking forward to getting your hands on!

Furyborn (Empirium, #1)All the Ever Afters: The Untold Story of CinderellaĆ¢€™s Stepmother84KOnyx and Ivory
Season of Storms (The Witcher #0)The Surface BreaksThe Abbot's TaleWrath of Empire (Gods of Blood and Powder, #2)
The Beast's HeartKing of Ashes (Firemane, #1)Legendary (Caraval, #2)LIFEL1K3 (Lifelike, #1)
Star of the NorthThe Map of Salt and StarsMr. Flood's Last ResortThe Smoke Thieves (The Smoke Thieves #1)
A Court of Frost and Starlight (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3.1)What Should Be WildOut of the Blue

Furyborn by Claire Legrand || May 22nd -- Amazon Book Depository (review coming soon!)

All the Ever Afters: The Untold Story of Cinderella's Stepmother by Danielle Teller || May 22nd -- Amazon | Book Depository

84K by Claire North || May 24th -- Amazon | Book Depository

Onyx and Ivory by Mindee Arnett || May 15th -- Amazon | Book Depository

Season of Storms by Andrzej Sapkowski || May 22nd -- Amazon | Book Depository

The Surface Breaks by Louise O'Neill || May 3rd -- Amazon | Book Depository

The Abbot's Tale by Conn Iggulden || May 1st -- Amazon | Book Depository (review coming 4/30)

Wrath of Empire  by Brian McClellan || May 15th -- Amazon | Book Depository

The Beast's Heart by Leife Shallcross || May 3rd -- Book Depository

King of Ashes by Raymond E. Feist || May 8th -- Amazon | Book Depository

Legendary by Stephanie Garber || May 29th -- Amazon | Book Depository

LIFEL1K3 by Jay Kristoff || May 29th -- Amazon | Book Depository (review coming soon!)

Star of the North by D.B. John || May 22nd -- Amazon | Book Depository

The Map of Salt and Stars by Jennifer Zeynab Joukhadar || May 1st -- Amazon | Book Depository

Mr. Flood's Last Resort by Jess Kidd || May 1st -- Amazon | Book Depository

The Smoke Thieves by Sally Green || May 1st -- Amazon | Book Depository

A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas || May 1st -- Amazon Book Depository

What Should be Wild by Julia Fine || May 8th -- Amazon | Book Depository

Out of the Blue by Sophie Cameron || May 15th -- Amazon | Book Depository

What are your anticipated May releases?

Planning to purchase a book or two? Consider purchasing on Book Depository through my affiliate link! Book Depository has worldwide free shipping and millions of titles to choose from.

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Thursday, April 26, 2018

Hemlock by Jesse Teller

Hemlock by Jesse Teller. Self-published, 2018. Ebook. 361 pages.

Hemlock brings us back to the world of Perilisc in the second installment of Jesse Teller's Manhunters series. Much like with the first book, Song, I had a great time reading this book and found myself captivated by characters and stories portrayed throughout the story. It's definitely helpful to have read the first book in this series, but I almost think that you could read this one as a standalone without finding yourself too lost.

The world-building is just as strong as the first book. I love how well-developed this world is and how obvious it is that Teller has put so much thought and passion into it. There are so many fantastical elements littered through this world, from creatures to characters to locations, all of which come together to make a great setting.

One of the strengths of this series so far, to me, has been the characters and character development. Rayph is our main character, and I really loved the journey that he had to take in this book. It felt a bit more serious and he seemed to have to deal with more difficult dilemmas--moral and otherwise--than he did in the first book. I felt that Teller did a great job in not only maintaining Rayph's strong character, but also with adding more depth to him.

Another character that I liked in this book was a new addition known as Aaron the Marked. He is a very intense warrior figure who brought so much to the story in such a great way. Although he and Rayph are quite different, I felt that they acted as great foils for one another and added a great level of balance. I like how Aaron was more concerned with being able to serve the king than he ever was for himself. He's also a fantastic fighter and I enjoyed his battle scenes.There were also few characters from the first book that were missing that was a bit disappointing, but I still really enjoyed all of the characters in this book and enjoyed it juts as much as Song.

Hemlock is a dark, gritty book with a lot of violence. Teller describes battles and fights extremely well, but also in a very detailed manner, so if you don't really like that sort of thing then just keep that in mind when picking up this book.

The issues I had with this book were pretty small and mainly centered around the writing. I felt that the dialogue was somewhat awkward and inconsistent at various times. This wasn't an overwhelming issue, but it did bother me occasionally. This is also an incredibly fast-paced story that doesn't ever really let up, so it's easy to stay hooked on the events.

Overall, I've given Hemlock four stars! This was another great installment to the series and I look forward to reading more from Jesse Teller.

Buy the book

*I received an ARC of Hemlock in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating.*


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Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Waiting on Wednesday: King of Ashes by Raymond E. Feist & 84K by Claire North


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released!

This week's upcoming book spotlight is:
King of Ashes by Raymond E. Feist
Publication Date: May 8th, 2018
Harper Voyager
512 pages
Pre-order: Amazon Book Depository 
From Goodreads:

"The first volume in legendary master and New York Times bestselling author Raymond E. Feist’s epic heroic fantasy series, The Firemane Saga—an electrifying tale of two young men whose choices will determine a world’s destiny. 

For centuries, the five greatest kingdoms of North and South Tembria, twin continents on the world of Garn, have coexisted in peace. But the balance of power is destroyed when four of the kingdoms violate an ancient covenant and betray the fifth: Ithrace, the Kingdom of Flames, ruled by Steveren Langene, known as "the Firemane" for his brilliant red hair. As war engulfs the world, Ithrace is destroyed and the Greater Realms of Tembria are thrust into a dangerous struggle for supremacy. As a Free Lord, Baron Daylon Dumarch owes allegiance to no king. When an abandoned infant is found hidden in Daylon’s pavilion, he realizes that the child must be the missing heir of the slain Steveren. The boy is valuable—and vulnerable. A cunning and patient man, Daylon decides to keep the baby’s existence secret, and sends him to be raised on the Island of Coaltachin, home of the so-called Kingdom of Night, where the powerful and lethal Nocusara, the "Hidden Warriors," legendary assassins and spies, are trained. 

Years later, another orphan of mysterious provenance, a young man named Declan, earns his Masters rank as a weapons smith. Blessed with intelligence and skill, he unlocks the secret to forging King’s Steel, the apex of a weapon maker’s trade known by very few. Yet this precious knowledge is also deadly, and Declan is forced to leave his home to safeguard his life. Landing in Lord Daylon’s provinces, he hopes to start anew. 

Soon, the two young men—an unknowing rightful heir to a throne and a brilliantly talented young swordsmith—will discover that their fates, and that of Garn, are entwined. The legendary, long-ago War of Betrayal has never truly ended . . . and they must discover the secret of who truly threatens their world."

I'm always excited for a new fantasy series and this sounds like it has great potential. I've heard great things about Raymond E. Feist, so I look forward to its release!

and...
84K by Caire North
Publication Date: May 24th, 2018
Orbit
480 pages
Pre-order: Amazon Book Depository 
From Goodreads:

"What if your life were defined by a number? 

What if any crime could be committed without punishment, so long as you could afford to pay the fee assigned to that crime? 

Theo works in the Criminal Audit Office. He assesses each crime that crosses his desk and makes sure the correct debt to society is paid in full. 

But when Theo's ex-lover Dani is killed, it's different. This is one death he can't let become merely an entry on a balance sheet. 

Because when the richest in the world are getting away with murder, sometimes the numbers just don't add up."




This sounds like it will be fascinating! I am so ready to dive into this book, I love a good moral quandary. 




What do you think about these upcoming releases? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?


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Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Top Ten Tuesday: Some of My Favorite Long Book Titles

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly book blog meme now hosted by Jana over at The Artsy Reader Girl!

This week's topic is: Frequently Used Words In [Insert Genre/Age Group] Titles
I decided to tweak this idea (well, basically just take the word 'title' and run with it) and feature some of my favorite titles that run just a bit longer than the average title. Basically, if I want to abbreviate the title then I'm classifying it as long. I actually really like the occasional long, clever book title; I feel like they add some automatic quirkiness and intrigue to a book. Here's a few that I like!

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making (Fairyland, #1)
and, of course, subsequent titles in the series:
The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There
The Girl Who Soared Over Fairyland and Cut the Moon in Two
The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There (Fairyland, #2)The Girl Who Soared Over Fairyland and Cut the Moon in Two (Fairyland, #3)
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
The 100 Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

Colorless Tsukuru and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami
Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

American Wolf: A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West by Nate Blakeslee
American Wolf: A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman
Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard
Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

Don't Tell Mum I Work on the Rigs, She Thinks I'm a Piano Player in a Whorehouse by Paul Carter
Don't Tell Mum I Work on the Rigs, She Thinks I'm a Piano Player in a Whorehouse
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository
*Note: I've never actually read this book, but I saw this one a while ago and just love this title. 

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

Courtesans and Fishcakes: The Consuming Passions of Classical Athens by James Davidson
Courtesans and Fishcakes: The Consuming Passions of Classical Athens
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

Bonus: 
I have absoutely no idea what this book is about, but I saw this the other day and thought it would be a perfect title to add in here:
Alphabet Juice: The Energies, Gists, and Spirits of Letters, Words, and Combinations Thereof; Their Roots, Bones, Innards, Piths, Pips, and Secret Parts, Tinctures, Tonics, and Essences; With Examples of Their Usage Foul and Savory
Alphabet Juice: The Energies, Gists, and Spirits of Letters, Words, and Combinations Thereof; Their Roots, Bones, Innards, Piths, Pips, and Secret Parts, Tinctures, Tonics, and Essences; With Examples of Their Usage Foul and Savory
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

What are some of your favorite long book titles?


Planning to purchase a book or two? Consider purchasing on Book Depository through my affiliate link! Book Depository has worldwide free shipping and millions of titles to choose from.

I am also an Amazon affiliate, so if you'd prefer to shop through Amazon, just click the banner on the upper right hand side of my blog! (above the 'Follow by email' box, you may need to pause adblock to see it!)

Monday, April 23, 2018

Sky In the Deep by Adrienne Young

*Sky in the Deep will be published, Tuesday, April 24th!*

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young. Wednesday Books, 2018. Hardcover. 352 pages.

Sky in the Deep was a decent book overall, but personally it was mostly a huge disappointment as well. I was highly anticipating this Viking book with an awesome female lead and plot that made me curious, so when I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley I was beyond thrilled. But then I started reading it and I felt myself becoming more and more disappointed as each page went by.

It really pains me to have a write this review because of how disappointed I was. The biggest problems I had with this book were that, for me, it was dry, boring, and fairly predictable. The plot itself just felt very flat and really lacked anything deep enough to captivate me. There really was only one major plot line happening and a few minor others, but none of them held much weight for me and I found it slightly cliche'd. I wanted a lot more depth regarding the world and the clans and the people within them. I think part of the problem is that we spend so little time with Eelyn in her blood Aska clan in the beginning and almost immediately jump to her being with the enemy Riki clan. Because of this, we're left with very little feelings or loyalty towards the Aska, so I didn't really feel the same hatred or frustrations as she did being towards the Riki while she was in their clan. There just wasn't enough given to the reader in the way of varying perspectives to fully understand just how dramatic and difficult this entire plot and situation was for Eelyn and the Riki clan members.

The  main character, Eelyn, came across a cardboard character to me with very little personality. I had zero connection to her and I felt like I didn't know her at all, which also left me not really caring about her. She was also incredibly close-minded to pretty much everything and it drove me crazy how judgmental she was and how she refused to even think about deeper reasons for why certain events might happen; if it wasn't something she thought was right, she shut her mind and stuck to her stubborn ways. It was beyond frustrating listening to her thoughts throughout the entire story. Spoiler:
Then, when she finally decides to overcome the hatred between the two clans, she becomes upset with her father and friend for not immediately understanding it as well! It was beyond hypocritical.


Many of the other characters, such as her brother, Iri, were also not all that captivating and didn't do much for me to care about them, but there were a few that stood out. Inge and Myra, for example, were two characters that I liked so much more than Eelyn. I think a story about Myra would be fascinating, or even a story about Inge's backstory and how she is who she is today. I found them to have much more well-rounded and developed personalities than Eelyn, and I would have liked to know more about people like them.

Sky in the Deep had extremely odd pacing as well. There were bursts of action and violence in the beginning, a few briefs moments in the middle, and one more brief burst at the end. And in between the violence was... not much else. I don't mind books where there's nothing really going on, but there has to be good character development or at least something going on in the meantime, and that just didn't happen in this case. The other issue I had was with the romance between our main character and another character. It was just unnecessary. I know it was meant to show how Eelyn's character develops, but it just wasn't a great way to do that. I actually wish the romance had been between two other characters if it was necessary to have some romance, but I don't want to go into detail on my opinions there due to potential spoiler issues.

Despite the negative aspects, I did find the battle scenes really well written and I could actually follow them pretty easily, which was a nice surprise. And although Young's writing style wasn't overly gripping for me, I did appreciate her strong attention to detail throughout the book.

Overall, I've given Sky in the Deep 2.75 stars., rounded up to three. I really liked the Viking setting and that aspect, but I just wish it had been executed better. This story was lacking so much depth, and I'm really pretty disappointed by that. I realize that I'm in the minority on this one.

Buy the book:


*I received a copy of Sky in the Deep courtesy of NetGalley and Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating of the book.*



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Friday, April 20, 2018

Discussion: Genre Snobbery and Other Frustrating Book Genre Issues


I could not begin to count the number of times that I've seen someone refer to 'genre fiction' with an air of superiority and utter disdain for said genres that they include in that category (i.e. fantasy, romance, science fiction, historical fiction, mystery, etc.). There are so many people that seem to think if you're not reading nonfiction, classics, or high-brow literary fiction then you're just reading fluff and wasting your time. I think I get angrier every time I hear things like that, and although I wish I could just brush it off and , I've seen too many people become upset or bothered by it, so I think it's time for a quick little discussion.

First, why do we even do this? Why do we judge any specific genre for something that likely isn't even true? I completely understand that not every genre out there is everyone's cup of tea, but that hardly means we should look down on it or write it off as being unimportant or unnecessary. For a personal example: I don't like romance books all that much; there's nothing wrong them, I just don't like romance as the main plot point in a novel--though of course I'd be lying if I said that there aren't always occasional exceptions. However, I've learned not to simply dismiss this genre as something silly and fluffy because there's so much more to it than that. Just  because non-romance readers think it's only filled with sappy love words doesn't mean it actually is. And hell, even if it is just a lighthearted romance--what's wrong with that? What's wrong with relaxing with a lovely book after a stressful day of life? Why is it so vital that someone only reads books that are viewed as 'important' and 'challenging'? If you simply prefer to only read those types of books then that's fine, but don't look down on people who wants to read other things. The point is: try not to judge what others want to read.

On the same topic, I tend to get irrationally annoyed when it comes to 'genre fiction' (if you haven't already figured that out). When it comes to fantasy in particular, fairy tales and the like have been around and told for centuries--usually with some sort of moral lesson to be learned Ć  la the Brothers Grimm. Even in the ancient world fantastic texts existed, just look at The Odyssey or The Aeneid.  I've learned more life lessons from fantasy stories than I have from a lot of other types of books. Fantasy itself has broadened my own imagination and ability to wrap my head around complex  ideas and imagine different world systems. The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly, for example, is a fairy tale-inspired tale that helped me with dad's death when I was eleven years old because the protagonist was experiencing the same things that I was. I learned how to deal with very difficult issues because of that, but many readers would brush off books like that because they aren't a classic or something similar. I also love historical fiction because it allows me to travel back in time and learn about the culture a specific time period or location through the lens of an interesting story that also usually captures an important issue of the time. Most readers I've met that read from different genres, myself included, can pick out at least one important thing from almost every historical fiction, fantasy, science fiction, etc. book that we've read that has better shaped our worldview or taught us about different cultures and perspectives.

Something else that has become bothersome is how negatively young adult books tend to be viewed and classified, but that's an entire discussion on its own and not one that I have room to get into here. All I'll say about that for now is that I think it's horribly ridiculous how many people write off YA books just because they are classified as YA, even though YA is not actually a genre and more of a publishing term developed to target a specific audience due to the general age of characters in those books. People fawn endlessly over To Kill a Mockingbird, but if that were published today, guess what it would probably be published as? That's right, probably young adult.

The last thing that I want to talk about is simply how hard it can be to even categorize books sometimes. Sure, a traditional epic fantasy or murder mystery is easy to spot and label, but there are some books that mold multiple genres into one book and make it extremely difficult to accurately categorize them. One example might be The Changeling by Victor LaValle. That book sort of splits the line  between literary fiction and fantasy or magical realism, but it's not something that you can definitively say 'yes, it's this,' or 'no, it's definitely not that.' There's always overlap which then makes it hard determine. With books that overlap in genres like literary fiction and 'genre fiction,' I always wonder, 'So how will you manage to judge this?' I even imagine a book like Master Assassins by Robert V.S. Redick would appeal to die-hard literary fiction fans, but that they might be put off by the fantasy setting. When I was trying to organize by reviews by genre, I had a pretty good number listed as 'miscellaneous' because it was nearly impossible to pinpoint it to only one genre. Genres are limiting, and I think that's a big problem when it comes to getting people to read certain books, largely because many books will be ignored solely because of how they are labeled.

Honestly, there is so much more that I could say on these topics, but in the interest of not writing a small novel in the process, I'm going to leave it brief. Please let me know your own thoughts in the comments, I'd love to keep this discussion going! Whether you agree, disagree, don't care--let me know! (Or, if you're feeling shy, feel free to send me a message!)


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Thursday, April 19, 2018

Wayfarer: AV494 by Matthew S. Cox

*Wayfarer will be released Tuesday, May 8th!*

Wayfarer: AV494 by Matthew Cox. Curiosity Quills Press, 2018. Ebook. 300 pages.

This book was... insane. I haven't been that 'on the edge of my seat' in quite a while. If you like foreign planet/space thrillers, then this one's for you.

In Wayfarer, Kerys Loring jumps headfirst for the opportunity to explore an alien ruin on a foreign planet. Once there, however, she is shocked to discover that her ex is also stationed on the planet, an issue that takes the backseat when an extreme unknown alien threat takes over and plunges the base in chaos.

Wayfarer was a little slow at the outset and I wasn't sure if it was going to pick up enough to keep me fully interested. I'm here to tell you not to worry about that because boy, does it pick up! I loved the basic premise of simply exploring a new planet for potential alien life and that is what initially hooked me. And then, for lack of a better phrase, the shit hit the fan and things went crazy. I had no idea what was going to happen in this book and I don't want to tell you anything about it other than to say things get dark... and stay dark.

One thing that I didn't love about being caught so unawares was how blindsided I was to the immense violence and gore that occurred throughout the events of this book. I don't usually have a problem with violence and gore (I mean, I love grimdark books), but this was just so unexpected for me and done in such a real and relevant way that it really shocked me and sort of threw me for a loop. If you're okay with some violence then you'll be fine, but if you're really sensitive to violence then you might want to consider that before picking this one up.

I'm not sure how much else I can really say about the plot without giving away anything important, so I'm going to jump into talking about some of the characters and the writing. Our main character is Kerys, a young woman who is beyond thrilled to have an opportunity to be a part of history and explore this new planet and newly discovered alien activity. Kerys is, overall, a very bright and interesting character, but I found it hard to connect with her at times. This doesn't really pose as a huge issue for me because I don't always need to connect with a character, but I just felt like some of her actions were a bit odd at times. For being as bright as she was said to be, I found her lack of common sense and lack of inquisitiveness about questionable things a bit annoying. There were certain things that I was surprised she didn't question more and that she brushed off too quickly and I found myself wanting to yell at Kerys on more than one occasion for different things she did or didn't do. Despite this, I was still very much captivated by her strength and determination; she has learned not to sit back and let things happen to her, but instead sticks up for herself and tries to be a stronger person everyday.

There was a decent variety of supporting characters in this book as well, though I never really felt like I got to know any of them very well so I don't really have all that much to say about them. One of the other prominent characters in this book is Kerys' ex-boyfriend, Will, someone she was horrified to find already on the base at the planet due to a previous abusive relationship and not-so-great break-up back on earth. I'll be honest an say that I did have my misgivings that this ex-boyfriend aspect would overtake the book in a negative way, but it actually didn't and instead ended up taking a very interesting turn. I felt the other characters were oddly interested in their past relationship (no one usually cares that much), but it didn't bother me too much. I wish I had known the other characters a bit more so I could separate who was who more easily, but they still added some great personality to the story.

The writing itself was pretty well done an captured the horror and suspense of the situation on the base. The only issues I had were with the dialogue itself, which just sometimes felt a bit stilted and awkward. Some of the responses and conversations people would have just felt a little bit off and pulled me slightly out of the action of story a little as well.

Overall, occasional issues with the writing and pacing aside, I definitely enjoyed reading this crazy and unpredictable book and have settled on four stars, rounded up from 3.75. If you like thrillers and space and a gripping story, then definitely pick up Wayfarer.

*I received a copy of Wayfarer courtesy of Curiosity Quills Press in exchange for an honest review.*



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Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Waiting on Wednesday: The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang & All The Ever Afters by Danielle Teller


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released!

This week's upcoming book spotlight is:
The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
Publication Date: May 4th, 2018
Harper Voyager
544 pages
Pre-order: Amazon Book Depository 
From Goodreads:

The Poppy War
"When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising.

But surprises aren’t always good. 

Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school. 

For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . . 

Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late."

I just heard about this one the other week and I am so interested in this premise! The advanced reviews for it are incredibly promising as well, so I have hopes and hope to have a chance to pick it up!

and...

All the Ever Afters: The Untold Story of Cinderella's Stepmother by Danielle Teller
Publication Date: May 22nd, 2018
William Morrow
384 pages
Pre-order: Amazon Book Depository 
From Goodreads:

All the Ever Afters: The Untold Story of CinderellaĆ¢€™s Stepmother
In the vein of Wicked, The Woodcutter, and Boy, Snow, Bird, a luminous reimagining of a classic tale, told from the perspective of Agnes, Cinderella’s “evil” stepmother. 

We all know the story of Cinderella. Or do we? 

As rumors about the cruel upbringing of beautiful newlywed Princess Cinderella roil the kingdom, her stepmother, Agnes, who knows all too well about hardship, privately records the true story. . . . 

A peasant born into serfdom, Agnes is separated from her family and forced into servitude as a laundress’s apprentice when she is only ten years old. Using her wits and ingenuity, she escapes her tyrannical matron and makes her way toward a hopeful future. When teenaged Agnes is seduced by an older man and becomes pregnant, she is transformed by love for her child. Once again left penniless, Agnes has no choice but to return to servitude at the manor she thought she had left behind. Her new position is nursemaid to Ella, an otherworldly infant. She struggles to love the child who in time becomes her stepdaughter and, eventually, the celebrated princess who embodies everyone’s unattainable fantasies. The story of their relationship reveals that nothing is what it seems, that beauty is not always desirable, and that love can take on many guises. 

Lyrically told, emotionally evocative, and brilliantly perceptive, All the Ever Afters explores the hidden complexities that lie beneath classic tales of good and evil, all the while showing us that how we confront adversity reveals a more profound, and ultimately more important, truth than the ideal of “happily ever after.”

I've had my eye on this one for what feels like ages and I cannot wait for the chance to read it. I am a shameless retellings fan and I just love the sound of this one.

What do you think about this upcoming release? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?


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