Review: The Lost Code by Kevin Emerson

Book: The Lost Code (The Atlanteans #1) - Kevin Emerson
Genre: Science Fiction / Young Adult

Buy A Copy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Available Formats: Ebook | Hardcover 

Publication Date: May 22nd, 2012 by Katherine Tegen Books

Version Reviewed: Hardcover
Where Did I Get This Book: Library
First Sentence: "The morning after I arrived at Camp Eden, I drowned for the first time."
Description: What is oldest will be new, what was lost shall be found.

The ozone is ravaged, ocean levels have risen, and the sun is a daily enemy. But global climate change is not something new in the Earth's history.

No one will know this better than less-than-ordinary Owen Parker, who is about to discover that he is the descendant of a highly advanced ancient race--a race that took their technology too far and almost destroyed the Earth in the process.

Now it is Owen's turn to make right in his world what went wrong thousands of years ago. If Owen can unlock the lost code in his very genes, he may rediscover the forgotten knowledge of his ancestry . . . and that "less-than-ordinary" can evolve into "extraordinary."

Kevin Emerson's thrilling novel is Book One of the Atlanteans series--perilous adventures in a grimly plausible dystopian future, fueled by high-stakes action, budding romance, and a provoc-ative question: What would you do if you had the power to save humanity from its own self-destruction?

The Lost Code by Kevin Emerson takes an entirely new approach to a type of book we've seen before. We've all read young adult adventures and we've all read stories that deal with mythical civilizations of the past. The current trend seems to be focused on Greek Mythology. Anyways, marrying these two ideas together has proven to be successful in the past and it proves to be just an almighty combination now.

There are a few reasons that The Lost Code is able to stand out from other young adult books that use this formula. The first of which is obvious, the ancient mythological civilization that it centers around; Atlantis. Yes, Atlantis. I for one, have never read a young adult in which teenagers realize they are descendents of the mythical and MAGICAL Atlanteans. For me, that was an instant selling point. I don't know what it is about the idea of Atlantis, but I find it completely intriguing. Maybe there is that tiny voice in the back of my mind that says, what if. What if there really was an Atlantis? Whatever the reason, I can tell you that I find it all fascinating. Even if you don't have a secret obsession with the underwater city, I guarantee you'll enjoy this book. Like I said before, with this one, Emerson is certainly bringing something new to the table. Sure, it's an age old concept, but we haven't seen it applied to this type of story before.

The second aspect of the story that makes  The Lost Code a standout is the setting. Not only does Emerson create an amazing, visually stunning version of Atlantis, but he creates an equally engaging dystopian world. You see, the story takes place in the future, the society is on the brink of destruction. Owen, our make character, has spent most of his life living underground, hiding from the harmful radiation of the sun. At the start of the book, he has traveled to Camp Eden, which is basically a model of what the world used to be - all within a protective bubble. It's all described in a wonderful fashion that keeps you interested and fascinated as the story progresses.

Let's talk about the characters for a moment. In our narrator Owen, we find a likable,interesting character that is easy to relate to. Owen doesn't quite know where he fits in the world and it is something he struggles with daily. I'm pretty sure we've all got a little bit of that within us and it makes it easy to empathize and connect with him. That being said, I'm curious to know his age. Going into the story I just assumed he was in his mid-teens (maybe 15 or 16), but as the story progressed I put him more around 13. I'm basing this guess on a few different things; his thoughts and behavior and the fact that the group of campers who oversee him are supposed to be older than he is. These campers including his love interest Lilly, act as though they are their mid-teens so that puts Owen a rung below. It's not that this necessarily bothered me, I just was expecting something else - especially with the teenage boy on the book cover.

The second main character within the book was Lilly. Like I stated before, Lilly was Owen's love interest. This is where I had my only real complaint with the book. First of all, let me just say that I loved Lilly. She was adventurous, intelligent and showed such spirit. However, Lilly and Owen together did not work for me. It all felt a bit clunky and unnecessary. There was really no need for them to develop a romantic relationship; especially one that didn't really work.

The second complaint I have with The Lost Code is really a minor one. It was rather long and the writing was drawn out at times. Every so often the author would throw in these little news blips that Owen would hear off the radio or whatever. At least, that's what I assumed was happening. Anyways, I'll be the first to admit, I skipped over almost all of them. Whenever I saw long italicized paragraphs I just trucked right on through. They didn't really contribute to the story and they just threw the reader out of 'the zone'. 

All things considered, I must admit that I enjoyed The Lost Code immensely. It's got a cool storyline that is jam packed with adventure, danger and excitement. I would recommend it to fans of the Gone series by Michael Grant, The Virals series by Kathy Reichs. I will definitely be continuing this one!

Favorite Quotes

A hand closed over my wrist. I looked over, and there was Lilly, cast in moonlight and blue, hair snaking around her, a siren calling to me: 'come on.'

History is always written to serve the powerful.

Time passed, unknowable amounts and I had no sense for it. There was just the blanket and grass, the cold  of rain and the heat of Lilly like a small sun beside me, and we lay there until the clouds left and the SimStars reappeared. 

The night felt like it had gone by so fast, yet every second of it was bright and burned into my mind, and I felt sure I would never forget any of it, almost like I'd left some part of me back there on that island, a piece carved out that wouldn't travel into whatever came next. It would just stay behind, living that night over and over.

I felt something fall away inside. Some floor, and from beneath it boiled up something dark, black and bitter, craving vengeance. 

"Shut up, butcher," snapped Aliah. 'We know what you are."

Review: Tempest by Julie Cross

Book: Tempest by Julie Cross
Series: Tempest Trilogy #1 
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy
Buy A Copy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository
Available Formats: Ebook / Hardcover
Publication Date: January 17th, 2012
First Sentence:  "How far back should I go?"
How Did I Get This Book:  From Publisher, For Review
Edition Review: ARC
Description: The year is 2009.  Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler.  Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

Tempest by Julie Cross is the story of Jackson, a 19 year old guy who just happens to have the ability to time travel. It's definitely an exciting story that keeps you on your toes.

I was a bit worried I would have a difficult time keeping everything straight with all the time traveling. You see, there are all of these different rules and loopholes about time traveling that make it kind of an intimidating setup. Sometimes when Jackson travels back to the past it’s almost like a memory – he doesn’t really change the outcome. He can alter the past while he is in it, but it doesn’t change the future. But sometimes, once he starts getting the hang of time traveling he really can change things around. This means when he has interactions with people during a time jump, they sometimes remember it and they sometimes don’t - but Jackson always does. Am I confusing you yet? Honestly, I was intimidated by the whole thing, but it’s not hard to keep track us. Cross does a great job establishing the parameters of each time jump as well as the outcomes. I can see how it could get confusing when reading the next book, simply because everything won’t be fresh in your mind. I can just picture myself thinking, “does this person know that? I remember it happening, but did it still happen?” 

Now I loved the concept of Tempest and I loved most of the plot. My main issue with the storyline is that we don’t really get a concrete vision of Holly and Jackson. Yes, their relationship takes center stage in the story, and we do see them together a lot, but it’s with all of these different versions of Holly. Let me explain – we’re back to the whole time travel thing. There are two main Holly’s in the book; 007 Holly and 009 Holly (Holly from 2007 and Holly from 2009). When the story begins, Holly and Jackson are living in 2009 and if I remember correctly met earlier that year. Well after some time travel gone haywire, Jackson gets stuck in 2007. He seeks out 007 Holly, but she obviously doesn’t remember him, because she hasn’t met him yet.  So we’re got these two different versions of Holly, which mean, really we have two different relationships. So as a reader, it’s hard to come to grips with what their relationship actually is and how they are together.  I know that I liked them well enough, but with two different Holly’s it really throws a monkey wrench in things.  Honestly, I don’t know what I would have preferred happen. I did like the both Hollys and I liked Jackson with both of the Hollys. It was just hard to separate the Hollys from one another. I guess it would be different in 2009 Holly remembered 2007 Holly and Jackson, but she doesn’t.  And there I go confusing you again. 

Now, let’s talk about my favorite aspect of Tempest. There is this whole mystery/espionage thing incorporated into the story and let me just tell you – it is awesome.  Jackson not only has to try and figure out how to control thing time traveling ability, he also has to unravel this mystery surrounding his life and the people around it. As the story progresses, he uncovers more and more secrets that make him question who he can really trust. Honestly, it’s incredibly exciting. There is another surprise around every corner and believe me; it all makes the mind reel.

I’m going to be straight with you guys, Tempest was awesome. It’s absolutely brimming with adventure, mystery and excitement. What am I looking forward to the most about the next book? Courtney. I caught that foreshadowing, Julie Cross.  So bring it. Seriously everyone, you won’t be disappointed, go find yourself a copy right now!

Favorite Quotes

Bad. Very Bad. Absolute wrong thing to say. I cringed, waiting for her to shout or grab another shoe to launch in my direction. 

"I don't mind hearing your secrets, even if they're sad."

Maybe it wasn't good and evil, but a whole bunch of gray area. 

Her scream was deafening and I went into machine mode as I jumped. Not through time, but an actual jump. Off the roof. 

I squeezed my arms around her so tight, I don't know how she kept breathing.

"I'm trying not to think about what we just saw, but I have a feeling therapy is in my near future."

Blog Tour // Review & Giveaway: The Curse of Gremdon by Ciara Knight

 I've got another blog tour for you guys! Today I've got a review and giveaway of The Curse of Gremdon by Ciara Knight. This tour stop is brought to you by Bewitching Book Tours.

Book: The Curse of Gremdon by Ciara Knight
Genre: Fantasy / Romance
Buy A Copy: Amazon |  Barnes & Noble
Available Formats: Ebook / Paperback
Publication Date: December 19th, 2011 (Crescent Moon Press)
How Did I Get This Book:  From Blog Tour
First Sentence: Arianna inhaled the damp night air and glanced over the castle tower wall to the center courts.
Description:  In a world where marriage is forbidden, sex is only granted to male warriors, and the outer realm is full of murderous creatures, Arianna fights to protect the life of her only living relative, her brother.

Tardon, an elite warrior, is granted anything he desires by the Elders, but finds little joy in the voluptuous women presented to him. Born for the bloodlust found only in battle, complicated emotions emerge when he discovers his equal in the alluring warrior, Arianna.

Charged by the Elders with saving the castle from attack, Tardon and Arianna risk the curse when they traverse the vast outer realm to retrieve serum from the Tree of Life. If successful, the Elders have promised Tardon the right to marry and Arianna the cure for her brother’s death fever. Will their love carry them through or will the discovery of a great deception be their ultimate demise?

 

The Curse of Gremdon was a well crafted fantasy rich with adventure and excitement. I loved the idea of Arianna being the only girl in a boys club. She is the only female warrior left in her rank and it has worked extremely hard to prove her worth. Arianna has been through a great deal during her life and she has faced every obstacle head on. When the book begins she is partaking in a fight with Tardon in hopes of becoming an elite warrior. 

Tardon himself is an Elite warrior and he plays a large part in the story. You see, Tardon and Arianna fall in love,  but they are forbidden from being together. It is against the law for Arianna (a female warrior) to have sex - which is something that I really didn’t understand. The reason given in the book is that it is believed it would mess with her ability to fight or something. The man warriors are encouraged to give into their desires; the Elder’s even send them “gifts” when they succeed in a battle. I understand that the double standard was necessary for the plot to move forward, but I wish it would have been explained a bit better.

Anyways, long story short, when the two are discovered a death sentence is hefted onto them. The only way they can redeem themselves (and earn the right to be together) is to set out on a dangerous quest for the Elder’s. 

For me, this is when things started to fall apart a bit.  About halfway through the book the plot began to drag. I especially had a difficult time getting through the scenes featuring Saldor. Saldor is the Dungeon Master (I don’t really know if that is the proper tile) and sort of takes Arianna under his wing. He develops a very strange attachment to her; much to Tardon’s (and my) dismay.  I could never really understand what Saldor wanted and he just really rubbed me the wrong way. He is one of those characters that tries to do what’s best, but ends up making a huge mess of everything instead. And he does this repeatedly. I believe Knight intended readers to be sympathetic towards his character, but unfortunately I disliked him more and more as the book progressed.  

Although the plot was slow at times, I did enjoy the overall story.  And Let’s talk about the plot twists of all plot twists. About three quarters of the way through something happens that throws everything in Tardon and Arianna’s world on its head. It’s insane and I absolutely loved it.

I honestly enjoyed The Curse of Gremdon. It was heavier on the romance portion than I expected, but that didn’t really bother me.  The underlying story was still well developed and the fantasy aspects well crafted, so everything balanced out rather nicely. Often with romance stories I find that the plot suffers, but that certainly wasn’t the case with The Curse of Gremdon. 

Favorite Quotes

Both stood in a ready stance. Both gasped for air. Neither was willing to admit defeat.

Warmth curled through her belly, but no, she could not care for him. One day I might have to kill him.

That was all he could say. If any other words left his lips they would be things he should not say.

"Yes, I speak the truth. Now, silly woman, will you marry me?"

Light and darkness collided with hope. Darkness won.

About The Author:

Ciara Knight always had a passion for storytelling. At an early age, she wrote several short stories and poems, and in college she started work on her first novel. It wasn’t until late 2008 that she returned to her true passion of writing. Over the past few years she has penned five novels and joined several professional writing organizations to better her craft.

When not writing, she enjoys reading all types of fiction. Some great literary influences in her life include Edgar Allen Poe, Shakespeare, Francine Rivers and J K Rowling.

Ciara is happily married and enjoys family time. She has learned to embrace chaos, which is a requirement when raising three boys, and utilizes the insanity to create stories not of this world including, Fantasy, Paranormal, Sci-Fi, and Young Adult Dystopian.

Her first love, besides her family, reading, and writing, is travel. She’s backpacked through Europe, visited orphanages in China, and landed in a helicopter on a glacier in Alaska.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Ciara has been kind enough to provide two lucky readers with ebook copies of The Curse of Gremdon! This giveaway is open internationally and will close when the Blog Tour ends, on February 13th.

Review: Agartha's Castaway by Chrissy Peebles

*this ebook is currently FREE on Amazon

 

 

 

Book: Agartha's Castaway by Chrissy Peebles
Genre: Young Adult / Adventure / Sci-Fi / Fantasy

Buy A Copy: Amazon 
Available Formats: Ebook
Publication Date: September 3rd, 2011

How Did I Get This Book: From Author, For Review
First Sentence: "Casey strolled toward her best friends, Mike and Jack, who were standing near the stern of the boat."
Description: Dinosaurs, abduction, and a hidden civilization were never part of Casey Smith’s vacation plans. That is, until a freak storm tossed her and two best friends, Mike and Jack, out to sea. When they wash up on what they presume to be a mysterious tropical island...they soon discover that being lost...is the least of their troubles. In a jungle that teems with impossible creatures, UFOs, and a hidden civilization, the three friends need to team up to fight danger...without letting their emotions tear them apart. Can they find a way to survive the harsh jungle...and its deadly inhabitants? 

Agartha's Castaway by Chrissy Peebles is the story of three friends who become shipwrecked on a rather strange deserted island. I have to say that the characters are rather one-dimensional. They are given stereotypes in the beginning and stay within those lines throughout the book.  I found this to be true with Mike and Jack in particular. Jack is the brains of the operation and Mike is the jock. Jack acts with caution, while Mike brazenly jumps into dangerous situations without a second thought. He is constantly getting the three of them into trouble. Hopefully, in the sequel, we will see them break away from this and develop into more dynamic characters. 

While the plotline was a little farfetched at times for my liking, it was both thrilling and exciting. Peebles also does an excellent job with the imagery. Everything is described in such lush, descriptive detail that you can’t help but create a vivid, beautiful image in your mind. 

I enjoyed Casey and her narrative - she’s feisty and determined. Although at times she did get under my skin. She’s was rather dense when it came to her interactions with Jack and Mike; mostly with Jack. Although, that can be attributed to what I believe is the target audience. If I had read this story as a preteen I probably wouldn’t have had any issues with Casey. 

I can also say that I truly enjoyed the unpredictable nature of the plot line. While the characters were a little stereotypical, the plot was nothing of the sort. Peebles packs so much excitement and entertainment into this book that it’s unreal. Honestly, it seems like every other page brings some sort of challenge for the three teenagers. I would definitely say that Agartha’s Castaway is plot/action driven, rather than character driven.

I feel bad pinpointing and nitpicking Agartha’s Castaway, because I feel it is superbly written for a younger audience. It’s just that, as an older reader, I struggled with bits of it. Hopefully the sequel with have a bit more character development, then we will be treated to the best of both worlds. Peebles has already got the excitement, danger and action down.

Favorite Quotes

Jack smiled and held out a hand to help her up. Triumph flicked in his blue eyes as his dark, wild hair was tousled by the wind.

"I don't believe in talking animals. This is definitely the work of aliens. Maybe they can help us phone home."

Review: Ashfall by Mike Mullin

Book: Ashfall by Mike Mullin
Series: Ashfall #1
Genre: Adventure / Young Adult
Buy A Copy: Amazon | Book Depository
Available Formats: Print / Ebook
Publication Date: September 27th, 2011
First Sentence: "I was home alone on that Friday evening. Those who survived know exactly which Friday I mean."
How Did I Get This Book: Netgalley
Description: Under the bubbling hot springs and geysers of Yellowstone National Park is a supervolcano. Most people don't know it's there. The caldera is so large that it can only be seen from a plane or satellite. It just could be overdue for an eruption, which would change the landscape and climate of our planet.
Ashfall is the story of Alex, a teenage boy left alone for the weekend while his parents visit relatives. When the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts unexpectedly, Alex is determined to reach his parents. He must travel over a hundred miles in a landscape transformed by a foot of ash and the destruction of every modern convenience that he has ever known, and through a new world in which disaster has brought out both the best and worst in people desperate for food, water, and warmth. With a combination of nonstop action, a little romance, and very real science, this is a story that is difficult to stop reading and even more difficult to forget.

Ashfall is an incredible coming-of-age adventure story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It certainly isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s a gritty story that asks some rather tough questions. The main being, How far would people go to survive? 

When the Volcano in Yellowstone Park erupts, fifteen-year-old Alex is home alone for the weekend. At the start of Alex’s story, he is very much a boy. He is understandably frightened and looks to his neighbors for guidance and protection. Well, without giving away to many details, he witnesses some rather traumatic events and decides to take off alone in search of his family. 

It is at this point in the story that I really got hooked.  I don’t know why, but there is something about survival stories. We all would like to think that we would keep our cool in desperate times, but who knows. Alex faces some incredible challenges along his journey – food and water shortages, encounters with desperate and dangerous people; you name it, he overcomes it. Ashfall may be an adventure story, but at its core it is a coming-of-age story.  

I also would like to talk a little about the romance between Alex and Darla. I was a bit nervous when Darla’s character was introduced. I wasn’t an immediate fan of hers and I could not see how a romance would fit into the puzzle. Well, long story short, I had to eat my words.  The relationship between the two was so incredibly raw, honest and just plain believable.  It wasn’t rushed and it wasn’t exaggerated. They fit together beautifully and complemented one another; it was an equal partnership. They relied on one another and trusted each other completely. 

I honestly do not want to divulge too much information about the plot because I do not want to spoil it for you guys. But trust me when I say this – you need to read Ashfall.  It’s exciting, addicting and undeniably entertaining. You won’t be disappointed with this series debut!

Favorite Quotes:

I hate to disappoint, but I just lay there, curled in a ball, shaking in pure terror.

Then, we waited. Waited for the noise to end. Waited for the house to fall on our heads. Waited for something, anything to change.

The next few hours were, well, how to describe it? Ask someone to lock you in a box with no light, nobody to talk to, and then have them beat on it with a tree limb to make a hideous sound. Do that for hours, and if you're still not bat-shit crazy, you'll know how we felt.

Maybe we were ghosts of a sort, spirits from the world that had died when the volcano erupted.

I didn't say anything - just held up my hands and shuffled backward toward the door. Antagonizing a little old lady holding a shotgun seemed like a very bad idea.

I'd never heard any noise quite so welcome as the click that a shotgun made when it wasn't killing me.

But even more than I wanted to check out and give my emotional wounds time to scab over, I wanted to live.

I didn't care much for being called stupid and softhearted. But the boyfriend bit I could live with.

I wanted, needed to see her so badly that it woke me up at night.

Review: Fated by Courney Cole

Book: Fated by Courtney Cole
Series: The Bloodstone Saga #2
Genre: Urban Fantasy / Fantasy / Paranormal Romance / Young Adult / I DON'T EVEN KNOW.

Buy A Copy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Available Formats: Ebook / Paperback
Publication Date: June 22nd, 2011
How Did I Get This Book: Purchased Ebook

Description: Seventeen-year old Macy Lockhart thought she had it all figured out.

As a Keeper in the ancient organization, the Order of the Moirae, she literally holds fate in her hands. She lives over and over in lives that end tragically; all to further the good of mankind as she does her part to control destiny.
But there’s one lesson that she hasn’t learned well enough. Nothing is ever what it seems.

Startling new revelations about her identity surface and Macy realizes that she’s more important than she ever imagined.

As she struggles to grasp her new reality, everyone she loves is threatened. Is she strong enough to save them all?

 

After I finished Fated I struggled as to how to approach writing the review. For those of you who are familiar with the series, you know that the main character, Macy, has an immortal soul and is constantly reborn as a keeper; a protector. This time however, things go down a bit differently. The reader learns a great about Macy, her identity and her purpose and I really do not want to spoil things for you. So please forgive me if this review is a bit scatter brained and unclear at times, I am trying my best to tiptoe around and not give things away. I thought about not writing a review, but I really wanted to share with you all how much I enjoyed Fated.

So, like I said, Macy and the usual gang are back for round two. This time, instead of Ancient Egypt, they are wreaking havoc in Ancient Greece – sort of (cryptic, I know).  like I said, I am going to keep plot points to a minimum, but I will say this: Fated was one shock after another. I must admit, when I was finished with it, I thought to myself, “there is no way Courtney Cole knew where she was going with that”. Then, as if she has some magical connection directly to my brain and coincidentally my nook, she explained her reasoning in the author’s notes. Now, don’t get me wrong, I loved all the twists, turns and “oh my god!” moments, that’s why I am sparing you in details. 

There were a few problems I had with the book, one in particular with Macy’s demeanor. I have always liked Macy, I have from the first page of Every Last Kiss, but her emotional meltdowns are beginning to wear on me. She is an extremely emotional character and I began to get irritated with her overreacting about every little detail. Gavin’s incessant comforting began to take its toll on me as well.  On that same note, there soul-mate love is a little much at times too. Please do not misunderstand, I love, love, LOVE Gavin and Macy. It is just that one of these days there over-sweetness is going to give me a toothache. It’s always  My love this and my love that. Oh, and sweet. They are very fond of using sweet as an endearment as well. I would just really love to see them argue once or disagree or something. Like I said, I am completely in the Macy/Gavin camp, but I would like to see something else from them. 

Truly though, those were my only issues with the book. I know this is an incredibly short review, but without mentioning the plot, my topics are kind of limited. Let me just say that if you are a fan of paranormal romances, fantasy stories, time travel books, adventure stories or just plain love stories, you are about 99.9% sure to enjoy Fated. If this is the first time you’ve heard of this series, that please go check out Every Last Kiss as it was AWESOME as well. 

Favorite Quotes 

My need for him was almost palpable because any time that wasn't spent in his arms was just... wasted. Our time was always so limited.

And as we lingered in our intimate embrace, I knew that if I could freeze time right this second, I would.

Someone should have mentioned to him that Karma was a venomous witch.

This was too much craziness for any one person to handle without ice cream.

"Terror is so delicious," she remarked. "You're disappointingly predictable, Harmonia. All these years and you would still risk everything for him. Tsk, tsk."

I am quite familiar with crazy.

I could taste the peace around me and I wondered how long that would last. The night was so dark, so velvety that I felt as if it was tangible, as if I could breathe it in, as well. I felt it clinging to my skin and caressing my body like unseen hands.

We were soul mates. Bound through time with a love stronger than steel. He was mine. And I was his. Unquestionably. Forever. Yet here we were. He was half-dressed and embracing my sworn enemy.

Luckily, Cadmus was very secure in his manhood and didn't seem fazed by the protection of women. 

Pull on your goddess panties, my dear. It's time to come out swinging.

They cannot stop what we feel.

Foolish, foolish men," she muttered. "They need you to prevail."

I had forgotten about the sword in all of the excitement of almost burning alive.

Review: Sword of Fire and Sea by Erin Hoffman

Book: Sword of Fire and Sea by Erin Hoffman
Series: The Chaos Knight #1
Genre: High Fantasy / Adventure
Buy A Copy: Amazon / Book Depository
Available Formats:Ebook / Paperback
Publication Date: June 4th by PYR
How Did I Get This Book: From Publisher, For Review
First Sentence:  "Though the coastal island of Siane's Eye was lush with whispering palms and tropical flowers too exotic for the names of men, the wind that swept ever outward from it's alabaster monuments came chill as a lifetime of penance."
Description: Three generations ago Captain Vidarian Rulorat's great-grandfather gave up an imperial commission to commit social catastrophe by marrying a fire priestess. For love, he unwittingly doomed his family to generations of a rare genetic disease that follows families who cross elemental boundaries. Now Vidarian, the last surviving member of the Rulorat family, struggles to uphold his family legacy, and finds himself chained to a task as a result of the bride price his great-grandfather paid: the Breakwater Agreement, a seventy-year-old alliance between his family and the High Temple of Kara'zul, domain of the fire priestesses.

The priestess Endera has called upon Vidarian to fulfill his family's obligation by transporting a young fire priestess named Ariadel to a water temple far to the south, through dangerous pirate-controlled territory. A journey perilous in the best of conditions is made more so by their pursuers: rogue telepathic magic-users called the Vkortha who will stop at nothing to recover Ariadel, who has witnessed their forbidden rites.

Together, Vidarian and Ariadel will navigate more than treacherous waters: Imperial intrigue, a world that has been slowly losing its magic for generations, secrets that the priestesshoods have kept for longer, the indifference of their elemental goddesses, gryphons—once thought mythical—now returning to the world, and their own labyrinthine family legacies. Vidarian finds himself at the intersection not only of the world's most volatile elements, but of colliding universes, and the ancient and alien powers that lurk between them.

 

Sword of Fire and Sea by Erin Hoffman was an incredibly exciting and compelling read. Hoffman covers a lot of ground in this debut and the direction changes quite a few times. Yet somehow she manages to keep the story flowing and the reader engaged. You don’t always know where the story is trying to go, but nonetheless, it is still enjoyable. Considering that Sword of Fire and Sea is a relatively short for a fantasy read, Hoffman manages to cram a lot of plot into the 200+ pages. I felt like the book set a challenge and solved and moved on to something new a number of times. Does that make sense to you? The plotline just kept progressing and progressing; therefore the goals of the characters changed throughout the story as well. 

That being said, I never once felt like things dragged. Although the writing is long-winded and descriptive (Hoffman is definitely a fan of complex sentences), she doesn’t go off on unnecessary tangents. A lot of times in fantasies I get overwhelmed by the writing, but that wasn’t a problem here. Yes, the author uses the eloquent, lush and lavish writing style that fantasy readers are used to, but she always stays focused on the topic. You won’t find a two page description of a tree or a rock here. 

The characters were all intriguing and unique in their own way. There is the main character, Vidarian, who fits well in the role of reluctant hero. Then we have the fire priestess Ariadel, who develops a rather defiant rebellious streak. Let’s not forget the gryphons – I instantly took a liking to them. You never really know what to expect from them and they certainly keep things interesting. 

I will say that the relationship between Ariadel and Vidarian threw me a bit. Maybe I just gotten to used to paranormal romances, but I felt the story was really lacking build up. There are a few passages in which Vidarian expresses interest in the priestesses’ appearance, but nothing major. Then, suddenly they are a couple. I enjoyed the two of them together; I just wish their relationship had shown more progression. Although, the apparent jumpiness of their relationship could be attributed to lack of timeline. Honestly, Hoffman may have instituted a timeline, but I had a hard time keeping track. Like I said before, a lot happens within the book and I just completely lost track of time. I don’t know if the events of the book take place over days, week or months. 

Another small issue I had with the book was that some of the dialogue felt out of place. I don’t want to dive too deeply into it, because I don’t want to spoil plot points, but at times the exchanges between characters felt rather odd. There are a few different cases when Hoffman uses modern expressions and slang and they just did not mesh well with tone and feeling of the book. 

I am very curious to see where Hoffman takes the next book. I was incredibly shocked that she wrapped up the ending the way she did, there was quite a bit of resolution. There was a clear opening for the story line to progress, but the characters met the goal they set out to accomplish. How many times does that happen in the first book of a fantasy series? Honestly, I felt like I was getting away with something to get as much plot resolution as we did.

Long story short, I enjoyed Sword of Fire and Sea. It was full of rich, descriptive, yet focused writing - which is hard to come by. The characters and plotline were intriguing and I had a good time reading it. The plotline was fast paced and the characters accomplished a great deal throughout the story. Although it wasn’t perfect, I still say it was a tremendous effort from Hoffman. 

Favorite Quotes 

"Delicate though she may be, the priestess had a strong, firm grip. She was complete and total trouble." 

"Her embrace was flame rushing into being where there had only been ember and tinder, but her lips were warm and real when they reached his."

"It was too much. It was too gods-be-damned much. Vidarian, who had ridden three hurricanes and safety navigated Dead Man's Hook four times without breaking a sweat, fell over in a dead faint."

"Presumably, they instructed all fire priestesses in the art of smiling to dwarf the breaking dawn."

"... her arms tightened at his back, drawing them closer again, sliding to guide him to parts of her that were soft as summer waters, firm and smooth beneath his weathered hands."

"The night forest behind them was alive with the howls and yelps of a wild place's survival dance, and as sleep took them, Vidarian tried to remind himself that nothing here could be foolish enough to attack a sleeping gryphon."

"Good to see you my friend," Vidarian said, holding out his hand for Kaltak to press his beak to in greeting. The smooth, curved killing instrument felt familiar now, and Vidarian realized how much his life had changed."

"Vidarian was quite for a long moment, consumed by the sound of her breathing - knowing as he had never known any other truth that he was not capable of hearing it cease."

Review: Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children

Book: Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
Pages: 352
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy
Buy A Copy: Amazon | Book Depository
Available Formats: Hardcover / Ebook
Publication Date: June 7th, 2011
How Did I Get This Book:  From Publisher, For Review
Description: A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. And a strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children who once lived here—one of whom was his own grandfather—were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a desolate island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children is a  captivating and intriguing story that is absolutely filled to the brim with wit and charm. Riggs does an amazing job crafting a story that somehow seems to defy genre standards. Honestly, I’ve never experienced a  book like this before. And that’s exactly what it is – a complete experience.  It’s quirky, witty, charming, creepy, mysterious and beyond entertaining.  It almost reminded me of a Tim Burton story, with a little bit of Coraline mixed in.  In any case, Miss Peregrine’s is sure to appeal to a broad range of readers.

The storyline was incredible. Everything was well-planned out and flowed together beautifully. The vintage photography added a quirky touch to things and played along perfectly with Riggs’ writing. Speaking of, let’s have a little chat about this amazing writing. Riggs creates such a fantastic atmosphere and tone with this book, it’s a little off-kilter and incredibly dynamic. Everything about Miss Peregrine’s is well executed - this is one of those books that you get lost in. all of the sudden, you will come back to reality and realize that you’ve been reading for hours. 

The characters are yet, another highpoint. In a word, these peculiar children are unforgettable. Each one is unique and delightful in their own way. They are all known as peculiars – children with special, shall we say talents.They range from the gift of flight to invisibility; there is a little girl with a green thumb and a boy who can bring things to life.  They are certainly captivating and undeniably easy to love.

The main protagonist, Jacob is just as much fun as the rest of the gang. He goes on this incredible journey (literally and emotionally) in which he investigates his grandfathers fantastic childhood stories. It is a joy to follow him as he begins to grow up and sort of come into himself. He starts off as almost a shadow, he’s just sort of going through the motions of life. When he comes to his grandfathers childhood home, he truly lights up and begins to live. Plus, his internal dialogue is incredibly hilarious. Honestly, I had a smile plastered on my face every time I picked this book up. 

Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children is sure to dazzle readers of all ages, no matter their favorite genres. It is one of those rare books that possesses so much pizzazz. It’s simultaneously fanciful, eccentric and creepy in a quirky sort of way. I mean, this book absolutely sparkles. There is something here for everyone – time travel, monsters, curious characters and beautiful writing! Miss Peregrine’s is sure to delight readers everywhere!

Favorite Quotes

"I loved hearing Welsh people talk, even if half of what they said is incomprehensible to me."

"When my eyes had adjusted, I realized that hole was a pretty accurate description of the place: tiny leaded windows admitted just enough light to find the beer tap without tripping over tables and chairs on the way."

"Kev was out running an errand, and because asking one of his drunken regulars to chaperone me seemed like a bad idea, I went into the nearest shop to ask someone who was at least gainfully employed."

"And that is how someone who is unusually susceptible to nightmares, night terror, the Creeps, the Willies, and Seeing Things That Don't Aren't Really There talks himself into making one last trip to the abandoned, almost-certainly-haunted house where a dozen or more children met their untimely end."

"I went back to the staircase, knowing this time I would have to climb it. The only question was, up or down? One strike against going upstairs was its limited options for quick escape (from squatters or ghouls or whatever else my anxious mind could invent) other than hurling myself from the upper-story window. Downstairs had the same problem, and with the added detractor of being dark, and me without a flashlight. So upstairs it was."

"I'm no expert on girls, but when one tries to pinch you four times, I'm pretty sure that's flirting."

"She took my hands and looked at me, and I looked back. It was almost more intense than kissing, the just looking."

"At times, young man, you tread a precariously thin line between being charmingly headstrong and insufferably pigheaded."

"Brief prayers were muttered for Martin's soul, and then people began trading theories. Within minutes the place was a smoke-filled den of tipsy Sherlock Holmeses."

"Before we worry about that, we'd better find my psychiatrist and take away his gun."

"Will you quit shouting and let me bleed in peace!"

"If you must fail," he said grandly, "fail spectacularly!"

"Sometimes it's better not to look back."