Mini Reviews 16

The Heiress of Winterwood by Sarah M. Ladd

Summary:
Amelia Barrett is a wealthy heiress and content in life, until her friend dies and begs Amelia to care for her baby.  Amelia is ready to do everything in her power to honor that promise, including proposing to the child's father, despite all social expectations.

My Thoughts:

A sweet and fun historical romance that had a different enough plot to remain interesting, if predictable and a bit forgettable. I rather liked the religious aspect too.
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Death Cloud by Andrew Lane

Summary:
Sherlock Holmes is only fourteen and not yet grown into his powers of observation and deduction.  But when he determines to discover the cause of the deaths of two people while he's on break from school, he is about to begin a life-long career of solving mysteries.

My Thoughts:
Kind of a fun book introducing us to a young Sherlock and his first mystery adventure. I found some of it a bit dull, but managed to enjoy it despite its rather implausible plot.
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Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

Summary: *Spoilers are inevitable for the first two books*
Blue and her friends are getting closer and closer to finding Glendower and the path to him is becoming increasingly perilous.  When Blue's mother goes missing, they become even more hopelessly tangled in the search for the king.

My Thoughts:
I still love these characters and I crave more of their adventures. I'm somewhat tired of waiting for the end to come, but I enjoyed the story, if not the smattering of f-bombs.
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Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Summary:
Nyx is betrothed to the monster that enslaved her people. Her destiny is to marry him and discover a way to kill him so they can all be free.  But she doesn't count on the unyielding attraction she feels for the smooth, charming monster.

My Thoughts:
I listened to this audio and it took me forever, but every time I started listening I was sucked into the story. It felt unique despite being a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and some Greek mythological inspiration. I adored the very much flawed characters, especially Nyx. The ending was strange and surprising and also satisfying. I was deliciously entertained and can't wait for more from her! (I'm currently reading Crimson Bound and enjoying it, though somewhat less than this one.)
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Salt & Storm by Kendall Kulper

Summary:
Avery Roe is desperate to take her place as the witch on her island, protecting the people from storm and other dangers at sea.  Her mother is determined to keep her from that destiny.  But when Avery sees a disturbing vision of her own future, she must find a way to escape her mother and become the witch.

My Thoughts:
I really wanted to like this more. I tried to love the characters, but really just hated Avery. She did some really stupid things and didn't often realize how dumb they were, even later. Her obsession with her magic and how to get it felt just a bit ridiculous to me. I did enjoy the writing, the vivid setting and some elements of the plot, but ultimately felt like it fell short and was forgettable. Especially the romance. Meh.

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Book Review: Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication date: September 2013
Pages: 416
Source: e-book from Library
For: Fun
Series: Raven Cycle, Book 2

Summary from goodreads: *Spoilers are inevitable for the first book*

Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same.

Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life.

Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after...

Things I Liked:
This is kind of a strange and unique story.  I love how fascinating it is to see the different characters, all of whom are very detailed and real.  They have interesting interactions and they make decisions that seem in character and they deal with the real consequences.  But also, there's magic and it is woven very neatly into the real world.  Very well written and compelling in its ideas.  I'll read more.

Things I Didn't Like:
I have to admit, I didn't much care for anyone in the story this time.  I do like Gansey more than I did before and I felt real compassion for Adam and all he dealt with.  I still hate Ronan and didn't much care for Blue either.  I felt like there was a lot of really vague stuff going on in this one.  Nothing seemed clear or made much sense.  A lot of weird things happened and I kept waiting for Stiefvater to explain, but I was left pretty much wanting.  I don't know if it's my distracted reading, but I thought it was not clear enough for me.  I don't quite grasp how the magic works in her world.  I want to, though.  Also, there was just a touch too much f-bomb dropping for my taste.

Read-alikes:
It reminded me of Stiefvater's Lament and Ballad
It reads kind of like an Arthurian legend

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#$
plenty of f-bombs throughout

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->
quite a lot of violence, but not really on page, it just felt very violent

Overall rating: *** or ****

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Book Review: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication date: September 2012
Pages: 416
Source: Library
For: Fun
Series: Raven Cycle, Book 1

When Blue Sargent sees a boy in the churchyard, among those who will die the following year, she is shocked. Not only has she not seen anyone there before, as her mother does, but the boy tells her his name, Gansey. Things become even more complicated when Gansey, a rich student at the nearby boys' school, shows up in her real life, seeking something that Blue might just be able to help him find.

Things I Liked:
Is there really anything helpful I can add to the love this book got?  I think not.  But, I'll do a bit of gushing anyway.  I absolutely loved this book - the characters, the setting, the beautiful way Stiefvater writes - all of these things melded together and kept me invested in this book from beginning to end.  There were surprises and twists that I never saw coming.  The mix of the realistic and the paranormal was a perfect blend.  I began to think everything about it was real.  And I really love the characters, especially Blue and Adam.  But they are all very well drawn, though I had a hard time grasping Ronan.  This is just a book that will suck you in and spit you out wanting more at the end.

Things I Didn't Like:
One thing I kind of wished (and this is entirely me) is that it had been a stand alone.  I really wanted the book to wrap up right then and there at the end.  And while some things were resolved, I wanted it to be the end.  On the other hand, this means I get more Blue and Adam and Gansey and Noah and Ronan and more of the strange paranormal world she's created here, so there's that.

Read-alikes:
It reminded me of Stiefvater's Lament and Ballad
Also a little bit of a The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper feel for me too!

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#
pretty regularly, and a few handfuls of f-bombs

mrg-factor: none
at least that I recall

v-factor: ->
some fighting with some detail, but nothing graphic

Overall rating: *****

Anybody thoughts on why you loved (or didn't love) this book?

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