The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye

The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye. Balzer + Bray, 2016. Ebook. 399 pages.

Since Monday's review was a bit on the heavy side, I thought I'd make today's review a book that was a bit more fun. Although, now that I think about it, a game in which the loser - whoever it is - will die as a result is not exactly fun...

I had seen a lot of mixed review for The Crown's Game prior to picking it up, which made me wary, but I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised with how much I ended up enjoying this book. The Crown's Game is an extremely well-written, atmospheric story that is rich in detail, culture, and vivid descriptions.

While The Crown's Game has an interesting premise, the plotline of having a brutal competition in which competitors may die during or after the competition is not altogether unheard or uncommon in recent books (for example: Three Dark Crowns, An Ember in the Ashes, Throne of Glass, etc.). Evelyn Skye, however, seemed to breathe a bit of fresh air into this idea by developing a unique, refreshing story that I found really exciting.

I loved the characters Skye brought into the mix, and I paritcularly enjoyed how distinct each of their personalities were. The POV alternates between the three main characters - Vika, Nikolai, and Pasha (does anyone else picture a big teddy bear of some sort when they see the name Pasha? No? Okay.) - whom I will discuss individually.

Vika is one of the two enchanters, a fierce young woman who is not the sort to back down from any type of challenge. She's not an in-your-face sort of fierce, but she is definitely a formidable opponent with great strength, both mentally and in regards to her magic.

 Nikolai is the other enchanter, and although he is just as formidable an opponent as Vika, he is much more reserved and withdrawn than Vika, and I liked that about him. He was very humbled from his upbringing and knowledge of the world around him, which really contributed to his development as a character.

Lastly is Pasha, who is by far the most entertaining and humorous of the bunch. Pasha is Tsar's heir, and is thus supposed to take his role and title very seriously, but instead he likes to disguise himself as someone else and sneak off to do 'normal' things. As far as the narrations go, however, Pasha's seemed the weakest. Don't get me wrong, I loved him as a character, but his narration just felt the most unpolished out of the three of them.

I think that what made this 'game' premise so successful was the fact that it wasn't inherently violent at all. It was all about the magical skills of each enchanter, and while this could result in lackluster entertainment, it didn't. I loved the beautiful ways in which Vika and Nikolai crafted their magic and attempted to impress the tsar.

I loved the mixture of fantasy and historical fiction. And everything was so Russian. I know that might sound silly to say, but it's true. Skye really put a lot of effort into research, and it pays off. The culture, the language, the setting - everything was really well done, and I felt transported to another land. Oh, and have I mentioned the food? So many delicious bakery and food descriptions... I was in heaven.

Out of the many positive things I have said about this book, the main negative point I found was that the feelings between some of the characters were a bit too speedy or unrealistic for me. Emotions seemed too strong too soon, and that is the main thing that dragged me back out of the story.

Overall, I am giving The Crown's Game four stars! This wasn't necessarily a groundbreaking book by any means, but it was certainly entertaining and provided a great deal of food for thought. I loved the setting and plot and characters, and I would definitely recommend it.

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You might also like:
Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
And I Darken by Kiersten White
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Waiting on Wednesday: The Shadow Land by Elizabeth Kostova

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 Shadow Land by Elizabeth Kostova

Publication Date: April 11th, 2017
Ballantine Books

Amazon |  Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

From Goodreads:

From the #1 bestselling author of "The Historian "comes an engrossing novel" "that spans the past and the present and unearths the dark secrets of Bulgaria, a beautiful and haunted country. 

A young American woman, Alexandra Boyd, has traveled to Sofia, Bulgaria, hoping that life abroad will salve the wounds left by the loss of her beloved brother. Soon after arriving in this elegant East European city, however, she helps an elderly couple into a taxi and realizes too late that she has accidentally kept one of their bags. Inside she finds an ornately carved wooden box engraved with a name: Stoyan Lazarov. Raising the hinged lid, she discovers that she is holding an urn filled with human ashes. 

As Alexandra sets out to locate the family and return this precious item, she will first have to uncover the secrets of a talented musician who was shattered by oppression and she will find out all too quickly that this knowledge is fraught with its own danger. 

Kostova's new novel is a tale of immense scope that delves into the horrors of a century and traverses the culture and landscape of this mysterious country. Suspenseful and beautifully written, it explores the power of stories, the pull of the past, and the hope and meaning that can sometimes be found in the aftermath of loss. 

I just realized last week that a new book by Elizabeth Kostova was coming out next year and all my mind could do was scream at me that Elizabeth Kostova has a new book coming out next year and it sounds incredible. I was a big of The Historian for a number of reasons, such as the immense thought and etail that went into that behemoth of a book and the lovely, fluid writing style that Kostova possesses. To be completely honest, however, I'm not usually a huge fan of books written in the contemporary time period, and this one sounds like it might be, but I'm thinking that won't be a problem. You don't see many books with Bulgarian settings, so I'm excited!

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

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Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Authors that I Read for the First Time This Year

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly book blog meme hosted by the lovely girls over at The Broke and the Bookish.

1. Michel Faber

I read The Crimson Petal and the White in April of this year and absolutely fell in love with Faber's writing. He has such a flowing, effortless style that gripped me and dragged me into his story. I then knew I had to read more of his work, and picked up The Book of Strange New Things, which is so different from The Crimson Petal and the White, but just as magnificent. He has so much range in what he writes about, which I truly discovered when I read yet another one his novels, Under the Skin, which was insanely bizarre. Long story short: Faber is a masterful author and I cannot wait to read more of his already published work (as he is no longer writing :( ).



2. David Gemmell

David Gemmell's name is thrown around the fantasy book world all the time, so I finally decided to try his books out with Lord of the Silver Bow, the first in his Troy series. I also love Ancient Greece (you know, if that hasn't been mentioned by now), so I had high hopes for his Troy series. Gemmell's writing is exciting and detail-oriented, and I am really hoping to read more by him next year.

3. Philippa Gregory

I know, I'm a little late to the Philippa Gregory party, but I somehow picked up Wideacre at the beginning of the year and was shocked by how horrible the main character was and how much I didn't like the book... but at the same time, I could never put it down, which made me intrigued by her talented writing style. I recently picked up The Other Boleyn Girl (finally), as I am a big historical fiction fan - particularly the Tudor era - and loved it. I was not bored for one minute while reading that book, as Gregory's writing is so entertaining that it is nearly impossible to put down.

4. Jacqueline Carey

Carey's reputation as one of the best fantasy authors is well-earned. I finally read Kushiel's Dart this year, and while I didn't follow all the details (so many names and places and politics!), I was blown away by how detailed and well-developed her fantasy world is. If you like epic fantasy, fantasy with highly developed world, or political fantasy - read Kushiel's Dart! I am dying to read more of her work!

5. Candice Millard

Millard is easily one of my favorite nonfiction writers, and I would not have discovered her work if I had not been sent an ARC of Hero of the Empire, which then prompted me to read The River of Doubt and Destiny of the Republic. She writes in such an engaging style that you forget it's not fiction sometimes, and her books are also incredibly well-researched and unique in theme, focusing on a particular time in each subject's life (i.e., Theodore Roosevelt's exploration of the Amazon, Winston Churchill's capture during war).

6. Jay Kristoff

I never realized Kristoff was the author of the popular book Illuminae until I finished my ARC of Nevernight and began searching desperately for more by Kristoff. He is such a creative writer and I fell in love with his writing in Nevernight; I really can't wait to see what else he has in store for future works.

7. Han Kang

Han Kang is a South Korean writer that really seemed to take the book world by storm this year. The Vegetarian was such a heavy read, and the style was simplistic, but at the same time chock-full of meaning and intrigue with each line. Her words and themes stick with me long after reading, and I am so glad I finally picked up her book this year.

8. John Williams

I read Stoner this year, and by god, I need more John Williams. Stoner wasn't exactly a 'thrilling' novel, but Williams writing style is really engaging and honest, and something about it just made me fall in love. I really hope I get to some other books by Williams this year, as Stoner has earned a spot as one of my favorite books.

9. Victoria/V. E. Schwab

Yes, yes, I know - how have I not read V. E. Schwab yet!? Well, I finally rectified that this year with A Darker Shade of Magic and This Savage Song, both of which I loved. This woman knows how to create strong world-building, well-developed characters, and complicated yet understandable storylines that always leave me wanting more. 

10. Edna O'Brien

So I first heard about Edna O'Brien, a native Ireland author, from a large article/interview spread in Smithsonian magazine. Her words captivated me in the interview, so I immediately requested Into the Woods, from my local library, which is based on a true story about a killer. This book was difficult to read because of the alternative perspectives and writing style, but something about it really drew me in and has made me much more interested in reading more from O'Brien.

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Have you read anything by these authors? Who are some great authors you discovered this year?

The Chibok Girls by Helon Habila

The Chibok Girls: The Boko Haram Kidnappings and Islamist Militancy in Nigeria by Helon Habila. Columbia Global Reports, 2016. Paperback. 128 pages. 

**I received a physical ARC of The Chibok Girls courtesy of Columbia Global Reports in exchange for an honest review**

The Chibok Girls is a short book, but it is packed to the brim with important information and heartbreaking realities. Most of you will likely remember when the news broke in April of 2014 that 276 girls from Chibok Secondary School in northern Nigeria were kidnapped by the terrorist group Boko Haram. 

The author, Helon Habila, tells the story of this tragic event, while also explaining the political and social issues that both contribued to and occurred as a result. Habila traveled to Chibok, which has essentially been on a lockdown since the kidnappings, where he met with family members, encountered difficult roadblocks, interviewed the few girls t hat managed to escape. 

This is a really important book. 

Habila provides an incredibly in-depth overview of the Boko Haram: how it began, how it has risen in power, and how it has acted out and affected the country. He also provides information on the political atmosphere and struggles that have taken place and are currently occurring in Nigeria, which I found extremely beenficial in understanding the entire event. The most heartbreaking aspect of this small book is, of course, the discussions surrounding the kidnapping of the girls and how their families have dealt with it. He describes how many parents became physically ill, began to lose their minds, and even died as a result of the stress and fear that has been instilled in them. Habila talks about the ways in which the government has denied them assistance - even, at times, refusing to take the kidnapping seriously and help the families.

What's important to realize is that this book is not full of information that isn't possible to find elsewhere, since the girls he interviewed have already made statements and the political and historical information isn't exactly secret. However, this didn't bother me at all, as I found the way in which Habila combined all of the information into one book was very deftly done. It is is rich in detail and honesty, and is filled with the sad realities of the lives of those who lives near such dangerous terrorist groups. 

Overall, I have decided to give The Chibok Girls four stars. I am immensely thankful that Habila took both the time and immense risk to travel to Chibok and write a comprehensive book that will help people better understand this event and the terrorist organization that is responsible. This is a must-read for just about anyone.

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You might also like:
Consequence by Eric Fair
The Girl with Seven Names by Hyeonseo Lee

Month in Review: November 2016

I had a little bit of a book slump this month (which was really more like reader's fatigue), so I didn't get through quite as many books as I'd hoped nor did I get through as many reviews as I'd hoped, either. Regardless, this still turned out to be a fairly solid reading month, and I am looking forward to having some time off in December (after finals, of course)!

 

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Pit Bull: The Battle over an American Icon by Bronwen Dickey

The Secret Keepers by Trenton Lee Stewart

The Queen of the Night by Alexander Chee

Merchants and Maji by William C. Tracy

Waiting on Wendesday:

The Last Sacrifice by James A. Moore

City of Saints & Thieves by Natalie C. Anderson

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

Skullsworn by Brian Staveley

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday:

Pit Bull: The Battle over an American Icon by Bronwen Dickey

The Queen of the Night by Alexander Chee

Possession by A. S. Byatt

Top Ten Tuesday:

Recent TBR Additions

Bookish Things I'm Thankful For

The Chibok Girls by Helon Habila (review coming 12/5!) ★★★★

Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis ★★★★

The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye ★★★★

Gilded Cage by Vic James★★★★

The Other Boleyn Girl  by Philippa Gregory★★★★★

Have you read any of these? What books did you read this month?