Tag: fantasy

This Chicks Sunday Commentary: The Get to Know you Book Tag

I thought it would be fun to do a book tag today! This one is pretty simple and I hope you have as much fun reading it as I had putting it together. I’ll admit a couple of these were tough!

Favorite Book of All Time

I had quite a few of the Wizard of Oz books as a child. I loved how Frank L. Baum created this whole world that my imagination could get lost in. I have memories of reading these books with my mother and watching the movie and wanting to find friends like the cowardly lion, scarecrow and tin man. 

Favorite Book Five Years Ago

This series and the heroine Mercy Thompson has been one of my all time favorites. This novel in particular was when my love for the strength and resilience of Mercy was born. The series is still ongoing and I love how her character has grown and become an even greater role model for a woman’s strength and honor in every aspect of her life. Yes, this is a fantasy series, but there are truths in character that can be applied in any realm.

Favorite Duology/Trilogy Series

What can I say? This series is magical and the characters fabulous.

Last Book You Read

This was a great wrap up to Britta’s story. I’m looking forward to reading Once a King which is Aodron’s follow up. 

Last Book of Poetry I’ve Read

Oh Boy. I don’t think I’ve ever read a complete book of poetry. Sorry!

What Book Most Influenced Your Life

“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.”  Those were the first words that started my love of fantasy novels.

Book that Made You Ugly Cry

This was a really different well written YA novel about three friends.  It was a tearjerker, but uplifting too.

Book That Made You Laugh

This one ran the gamut of emotions, but Kate Daniels and her snarkiness has always made me smile.

Character You’d Like to Be for a Day

Jasmine Santos has known heartbreak, but she’s a fighter, a winner, and when she finds her man he loves her with the strength she has always needed. She is also sarcastic and kind of mean, but when you get to know her you love her.

Book So Good You Dreamed About It

The culmination of an amazing series and really action packed. I battled dark forces when I dreamed that night. And won!

Book You DNF’d

It just wasn’t for me. 

What Book Are You Excited to Read

It comes out on 11/27 and I can’t WAIT! If you haven’t read any books my Mariana Zapata…. what are you thinking? LOL.

Well, I hope you got to know me a little bit more. I have pretty eclectic tastes in books don’t I? 

I’m going to tag a few bloggers, but if you don’t have the time or aren’t interested don’t worry about it. If I didn’t tag you and you want to try out this book tag, feel free! Please tag me in your post so I can read your answers. Thanks!

Destiny @ Howling Libraries

Marie’s Book Boutique

Marie’s Book Boutique

Bionic Book Worm

Shalini’s Books and Reviews

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Friday YA: Once a King (A Clash of Kingdoms #3) by Erin Summerill

Once a King carries on the story of King Aodren and his fight to bring peace between his people and the Channelers who were persecuted under his fathers reign until most of them escaped to other kingdoms. This novel takes on the topic of drug dealing, although in a fantastical way. Someone is creating an oil called Sanguine that seems to give the non magical Channeler abilities, but in fact causes them to go mad with anger and cause death. Lirra, who we met in the previous novel, investigates the mystery of who is distributing this drug, reporting her findings back to Aodren. Whew!

While all of this is going on, there is a tournament between all of the kingdoms champions. It is a sort of Olympics but with jousting, sword fights and blood. Needless to say, this fake Sanguine (the real Sanguine is a miraculous healing drug and really rare) is being taken by the champions. Needless to say, bad things happen.

I really liked Aodren in the previous book and had looked forward to reading his story. I wasn’t disappointed! It’s easy to admire a character that wants to make a big change like racial discrimination and hatred. The tournament setting gave him the chance to be a “hero” in a physical way, which balanced well with the honorable aspects to his character. It made him come to life more than in the previous novel where he seemed to be not fully fleshed out.

I was a little confused by the Lirra in Once a King. In Ever the Brave she was more of a hard ass so I was surprised by how youthful she seemed. Yes, she was still heroic in investigating Sanguine but there was another side to her in this novel that was sweet and young. It made the budding romance between she and Aodren more believable. The young honorable King with the beautiful uncertain maiden. 

I liked the story overall and enjoyed Erin Summerill’s writing again. She’s a very consistent writer and I know what I”m going to get when I read one of her books. An enjoyable fantasy written with a lot of heart. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest.

Click this link to purchase!*Once a King (Clash of Kingdoms Novel)

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick all rights reserved

*Amazon Associate

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This Chicks Sunday Commentary: November Wrap Up!

November is gone. What? Wait! No, this year is flying by way too fast! Yes, it’s December 2nd which means it’s time to look back at November.

What books did I love last month? There were quite a few that I really enjoyed, but these were the best of the best.

The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck 

Women in the Castle

“What set this novel apart from others I’ve read was that we see the war through these German women’s eyes. Their feelings about what Hitler and the Nazi’s did and the reaction of the people around them- or lack of reaction in a lot of cases. I think this might be the first novel where I read about the German people’s apathy….If you have 13+ hours to spare, I’d recommend listening to this book! Regardless if you are reading or listening, this book was truly excellent.” 5.0 Rating

 

Diamond Fire (Hidden Legacy 3.5) by Ilona Andrews

“Yes, the Hidden Legacy series revolves around Rogan and Nevada, but the underlining theme is family, and the Baylor’s are the definition of that word. Of course, as this was a short story, you are left wanting more, more, more! I believe the next novel, also centering around Catalina, will be out sometime in 2019. As with all of the others, it will be well worth the wait!” 4.5 Rating 

Song of the Current by Sarah Tolcser

” I love YA action novels and Song of the Current hit the right note for me. It did start off a little slow but that was to be expected as the characters and world building needed explanation. As soon as she pushed off down the river and opened that crate the story took off and the adventure began.” 4.5 Rating

Blogger to Blogger Series Interviews

If you aren’t familiar with my Blogger to Blogger series the premise is that I ask each blogger the same 10 questions. Through their answers we not only gain a little more personal knowledge but we see how diverse our Book Blogging universe really is. If you didn’t get a chance to read them the following links are the two Interviews I posted in November.

Claire @ A Knight’s Reads

The Captain @ Captain’s Quarters

This Chicks Sunday Commentary is a catch-all post that airs almost every Sunday. I have the chance to post random thoughts, tags, interviews, etc. In November the following posts ran. Please click the link if you didn’t have the chance to read them!

Uppercase Box Nov’18 Reveal

I’ve Read THE Book, Now What?

October Wrap UP!

There are many reasons why I am looking forward to December, and it’s not to finish my Christmas shopping! There are a couple of books on the horizon that I want to read. Duh!

Most Anticipated Reads for December 2018

Queen of Air and Darkness (The Dark Artifices #3) by Cassandra Clare

I am a big fan of the Shadowhunters novels and this series is her best yet.

Ever the Brave and Once a King by Erin Summerill

OK, yes Once a King is coming out in December. I actually thought I’d already read Ever the Brave when I requested the ARC and then realized, OH NO. Yep, I have to read Ever the Brave first. But I did love Ever the Hunted so it’s not a hardship. I just don’t usually like to read too much of the same genre at once… I need to get on it!

Well, that’s a look back at what happened on The Reading Chick in November, and just a very small look forward. 

What are your most anticipated books for next month? Are they old ones or new?

Does anyone else hate this new formatting on WordPress? AArrgh! It looks funky! LOL

Until next Sunday,

Deb

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This Chick Read: The Mortal Word (The Invisible Library #5) by Genevieve Cogman

Called in to solve the murder of a high level dragon at the secret Dragon- Fae Peace conference, Irene, and her friend Inspector Vale are in a race against time. Not only does Irene have a personal stake, as her parents are being held hostage by one of the groups, but she and Vale must solve this murder before one or both sides decide that peace isn’t worth the effort to overcome their prejudices against each other.

I enjoy this series of historical fantastical mysteries. Irene is an intrepid heroine who may internally second guess her decisions but outwardly looks like she knows exactly what she’s doing when racing to solve a case. For me, the interesting character in this novel was Vale. Taken out of his own time and thrown into an alternate universe, we initially see a more hesitant Vale. He is insecure in his knowledge of how this place functions and is afraid that he’ll make the wrong judgement call. It’s only when he goes with his gut instincts that he overcomes those more human emotions. I liked the human side of Vale that we don’t usually get to see.

Irene’s investigations always prove spyworthy and in The Mortal Word, she overcomes all obstacles in somewhat superhero fashion. I almost expected her to have gained a super power or two, but she remains just as “normal” at the end of the book as she did at the beginning. I can’t decide if I’m a little disappointed by that fact. Kai didn’t play a huge roll in this story, although their relationship does advance forward and I’m eager to read the next installment in this series to see how their romance plays out. 

I enjoyed the Mortal Word a lot, but except for a couple of key plot points it plays out as a kind of filler novel. The Lost Plot was soooo good, that in my eyes it would be hard to have as good a follow up. However, The Mortal Word did set the stage for some interesting scenarios in future novels. So I do have hope that we haven’t seen the best out of this series yet. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received an ARC of this novel through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

Opinions from around the Blogosphere!

“As of this writing I am around 15% into this book but every single aspect has grabbed my attention. We have a romantic interest that the story has been hinting at for FOUR BOOKS! Finally, it feels like something might come of it. We have murder under mysterious circumstances and a staged crime scene and…and…oh it is just great!” Literary Weaponry

“I loved this new installment. I loved the new depth to Irene’s relationship with Kai (total OTP) but also getting to see Vale again, and meet some important players on each side of the conflict. What I love about these books is not only how much I relate to Irene – I feel like she was written just for me – but how much the characters grow from book to book, making them all so realistic and deep.” Readcommendations

Click this link to purchase!*

The Mortal Word (The Invisible Library Novel)

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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This Chick Read: Diamond Fire (Hidden Legacy 3.5) by Ilona Andrews

This short novella is a fix for all of us Ilona Andrews junkies. We get just a taste of Nevada and Baylor, as the story revolves around the planning of their wedding, but it centers around her sister Catalina. Nevada goes through a few wedding planners so her sisters Catalina and Arabella decide to step in and take over. No worries about Nevada turning into Bridezilla, she doesn’t, but some of her tastes are a little questionable and there are a few wedding guests who’d rather not see her walk down the aisle. When a Rogan family heirloom goes missing, Catalina is hired to track it down before Nevada’s big day.

I have always wanted to see a little bit more of Catalina. As a Prime Siren, she has the power to enthrall and make anyone love her to the point of obsession. As Catalina investigates she has to go outside her comfort zone and use her skills as a Siren to get people to answer her questions. It was fascinating to see another side to Catalina as she explores her powers. She is obviously afraid but her love for her family makes her step up and solve this mystery. You could tell the author(s) had a lot of fun with this short story!

I LOVED the big reveal at the end of the story. As Catalina runs down the list of who did what, Nevada is described as leaning back in her chair and giving her sister a big thumbs up and a grin. You could just feel the pride and love. Yes, the Hidden Legacy series revolves around Rogan and Nevada, but the underlining theme is family, and the Baylor’s are the definition of that word. Of course, as this was a short story, you are left wanting more, more, more! I believe the next novel, also centering around Catalina, will be out sometime in 2019. As with all of the others, it will be well worth the wait! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

Opinions from around the Blogosphere

“You can always count on Ilona Andrews for a story that will not only thrill and excite, but also wrap you up in the complex personal relationships of their characters. Diamond Fire was a terrific addition to the series and sets the stage nicely for Catalina to lead the way in upcoming books.”Harlequin Junkie

“I feel like this book accomplished what it set out to do – make me anticipate Catalina’s story. But it also suffered from its short length and didn’t have the usual brilliant plotting and storytelling that we know the author can bring to the table.” Rayas Reads

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Click this link to purchase!* Diamond Fire: A Hidden Legacy Novella

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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Friday YA: Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

I love a fairy tale re-telling when I don’t remember the exact details of that fairy tale. It helps me get lost in the story instead of making comparisons to the original. Spinning Silver was a new take on the story Rumplestiltskin and about all I could remember from that story was that there was a girl that spun straw into gold and got her some unwanted attention. Our heroine Miryem has a talent for turning things into gold but it’s not by spinning straw. She is the daughter of a family of moneylenders, and while her father is horrible at collecting those dollars owed, Miryem excels at remaining cold to their customers excuses and keeps her hand out until it is filled. While walking home through the forest one day, she makes an off hand remark about being able to turn anything into gold and the Staryk overhear. The Staryk are a race of (for lack of a better term) ice people. They live in winter 24/7 and are the boogeymen of Miryem’s world. When she catches their attention she does what she does best. She gets them results and gets some unwanted attention in return.

Miryem is not the only main character of this book. It’s actually told through multiple POV’s and I’ll admit that that got a little confusing. Especially when a new POV was introduced and you spent a few paragraphs reading to try to figure out whose eyes you were seeing through this time. Each character had their own plot that spun and twisted together to combine into a satisfying conclusion to all of their storylines. I’ll admit to liking Miryem’s story the best, but maybe that’s because her POV was easy to spot.

The pace of this story helped the overall feeling that you were reading a fairy tale and the writing was well done. However, there was a lack of warmth for these characters. I so wanted to like them but something seemed to be missing. They were all so determined in their lives, but nothing seemed to make them very happy. Overall, even though there was a happy ending, I felt kind of unhappy about it all. That’s not to say that I didn’t appreciate the writing, the story had twists and turns that I didn’t expect and I certainly appreciated the craftsmanship of the author, but for me it lacked heart.

I have read nothing but great reviews for this novel, but because of that lack of warmth I could only give it a 3.5 rating. Sorry Naomi! However, as with all books reading is subjective and all of you may LOVE this book. Even though I am always right (not really), if you are interested in reading this book, please do! I would love to hear what you think. ❤️❤️❤️❣️

Spinning Silver

Click this link to purchase!* Spinning Silver: A Novel

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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This Chicks Sunday Commentary: Uppercase Box Reveal October ’18

It’s time for another Uppercase Box YA monthly subscription reveal! As I opened the bag this time it was nice and cushy and I was really curious as to what was creating that pillowy look and feel.

My first winter snow hat! In maroon and gold, reading Ex Libris. I’ll admit, I knew Libris meant book, but wasn’t sure the exact meaning of this Latin saying. Here’s what I found:

Ex LIbris

There’s almost always a couple of bookish stickers inside the bag, which I’ll admit, are not my favorite bookish gifts. I’m a little past the sticker age, but can pass them along to some friends with small children… This box was no exception.

Uppercase Oct 4

The next gifty item is actually a clue to this month’s book. A pair of swan earrings, one white, one black.  Hmmmm. Guess yet?

Uppercase Oct 3

NO? Me neither. So, let’s reveal this months book!

Uppercase Oct 5

Blanca & Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore

The biggest lie of all is the story you think you already know.

The del Cisne girls have never just been sisters; they’re also rivals, Blanca as obedient and graceful as Roja is vicious and manipulative. They know that, because of a generations-old spell, their family is bound to a bevy of swans deep in the woods. They know that, one day, the swans will pull them into a dangerous game that will leave one of them a girl, and trap the other in the body of a swan.

But when two local boys become drawn into the game, the swans’ spell intertwines with the strange and unpredictable magic lacing the woods, and all four of their fates depend on facing truths that could either save or destroy them. Blanca & Roja is the captivating story of sisters, friendship, love, hatred, and the price we pay to protect our hearts.

I’ve read that this is a re-telling of Snow White and Rose Red, but I’m definitely getting a Swan Lake type vibe as well. This sounds kind of interesting!

Has anyone read this book? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Until next Sunday!

Deb

Uppercase Oct 6

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Friday YA: Smoke in the Sun (Flame in the Mist #2) by Renee Ahdieh – Audio Review

I eagerly anticipated reading Smoke in the Sun, the sequel to Renee Ahdieh’s well received novel Flame in the Mist. I adored Flame in the Mist! The Japanese culture and the heroine, Mariko who was discovering her independence and starting to see the world outside her family’s domain. I had a lot of travel time in front of me so I decided to listen to the audio book for Smoke in the Sun, read by Nancy Wu.

As I started listening to the novel and re-entering the world that Renee Ahdieh created I really enjoyed the slower pace of Nancy Wu’s narration. It really fit the style of the novel and the colorful descriptions of the scenery.

My feelings for the story were very mixed. What I had enjoyed in the first novel, the styling of a new culture and intrigue between figuring out who was good and evil wore thin in Smoke in the Sun. The pace was sooooo slow. I can at times be an impatient reader, and maybe in this case listening to the novel actually gave it a disservice. Regardless, I wanted more from my heroine Mariko than I got in this novel. The beautiful descriptions that I enjoyed previously seemed to drag the story down. The elegance and styling grew suffocating. Where was my kick ass heroine? Too much time was spent on crafting the evil characters and not enough time spent on the resolution. The book had an imbalance that I just couldn’t get past as well as an ending that seemed unrealistic.

I know there will be people who will disagree with me and I’m ok with that! Reading is subjective, as it should be and what I like/dislike others will dislike/like. I do think Renee Ahdieh is a talented writer, but in my opinion she missed the mark with this sequel. Even though I’m giving the book a 2.5 rating, the cover still gets a 5.0. Gorgeous!

❤️❤️❣️

Flame in the Mist

Click this link to purchase!* Smoke in the Sun (Flame in the Mist)

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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Friday YA: The Changeling (Sorcery & Society #1) by Molly Harper

Sarah Smith thought herself unmagical. After all, she was a Snipe (kind of like a muggle), growing up serving as a maid in the Winters household. Until one day she stops a vase from falling by levitating it.  Suddenly Sarah Smith becomes Cassandra Reed, cousin of the Winter family. Elevated into magical society and sent off to boarding school. Talk about culture shock! Cassandra must hide who she really is, and somehow look as if she’s lived in this world her whole life. If anyone finds out she was once a Snipe, their whole society might crumble. But would that really be a bad thing???

I thought The Changeling was a lot of fun. It didn’t take itself too seriously and I was allowed to enjoy each moment in the story without overthinking the plot. Cassandra was ok as a heroine. She spent the first half of the book in shock and when she finally accepts her role her character started to grow and become interesting. Her experience as a Snipe, living unnoticed among the magical society made her see their world through cynical eyes, although those eyes did not always see things very clearly. I enjoyed the good vs evil sub plot and I was kept guessing on the bad guy.

If you’re jonesing for a quick Harry Potter-esque novel I think you’ll enjoy The Changeling. At times I expected Hermione would walk around the corner of this girls school and join in the fun! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I was given an ARC of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

The Changeling.jpg

Click this link to purchase!*Changeling: (Sorcery and Society Book 1) (Volume 1)

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved.

*Amazon Associate

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This Chicks Sunday Commentary: August Wrap-Up!

When I look back on August, the first thing I think of is my fabulous vacation in France. I’ll admit, I stop and dream for a bit, then focus myself on writing this post!  When I look back there were a surprising number of good books! Just in case you missed these, I want to highlight the books that had a 5.0 rating.

The Tower by Nicole Campbell

This book deals with friendship, love for your best friend and the difficulties of being different while in high school. The three main characters were enchanting and grew throughout the novel. Oh, and did I mention they are witches?

The Tower

“It is a wonderful story about love and acceptance and I’d wish for each of you to pick this one up and give it a shot.”

To read my full review of The Tower click HERE.

Ghosted by Rosie Walsh

Sarah meets Eddie while on a visit home to England. They hit it off, spend a week together, fall in love and then she never hears from Eddie again. Were their feelings imagined?

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“This novel was part love story, part mystery, and every bit of it fascinating. As I learned more about Sarah’s life, I really wanted this happiness to be real.”

To read my full review of Ghosted click HERE.

Magic Triumphs by Ilona Andrews

Have you ever eagerly anticipated a novel so much that you then didn’t really want to read it? That’s how I was with Magic Triumphs, the 10th and final installment in one of my favorite fantasy series by Ilona Andrew, Kate Daniels. The buildup towards Kate’s final showdown with her father Roland has been HUGE! Ilona Andrews did not disappoint.

Magic Triumphs

“Kate-The reason why I love this heroine so much is because even though she has this incredible power and could do and be pretty much anything she wants, she remains true throughout this series. She wants to have friends, love and have a home with Curran.”

To read my full review of Magic Triumphs click HERE.

I fit in a couple Sunday Commentary posts:

Will These Genre’s Get Me Out of My Book Rut? I’ll admit, I still have not read any of the books in this post, but I did get out of my book rut. How? I read an old favorite by Kristen Ashley called Lady Luck. I knew the story, knew I liked it and was able to enjoy reading again!

Book to Movie- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society– Click this link to read my review of the book and movie. I’ll give a hint. I did like one more than the other but enjoyed them both!

I also interviewed a couple of amazing book bloggers in my Blogger to Blogger series! If you missed those posts, please click their links to read them.

Amanda @Cover2CoverMom

Trang and Lashaan @Bookidote

If you have had the chance to read any of these books did you agree with my 5.0 rating? What did you think of Amanda, Trang and Lashaan’s answers to my questions? Aren’t they great bloggers?

What was your favorite book that you read in August? I’d love to hear about it!

Deb

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