Stealing Snow - Danielle Paige

Began reading: 19.2.2017
Completed reading: 23.2.2017
Overall rating: 4 stars

She will bring down the world.

Snow barely remembers a time before she was locked in a psychiatric hospital. But when the love of her life disappears in the night, Snow must follow a mysterious stranger into a magical frozen world to find him.

Amidst witches, thieves and spells, secrets unravel as Snow discovers she is heir to this world's corrupt and twisted king.

And she has great ice powers of her own.

Now Snow faces choices that will decide the fate of a kingdom - and if she can ever return to the life she knew before.

Stealing Snow by Danielle Paige is a young adult retelling of Hans Christian Anderson’s The Snow Queen, and contains fantasy and romance. This book was meant to be my Christmas read, but I found a more suitable novel so this one was put off until now. I was hesitant to read this series, especially since I’m not much of a fan for Paige’s Dorothy Must Die series, but I was impressed!

After attempting to walk through a broken mirror with her friend Becky, Snow was placed in the Whittaker asylum. Here, she met and fell in love with Bale – a boy who enjoys seeing things burn. When Bale is kidnapped through a mirror in his room, Snow escapes into the woods, where she meets a witch and her apprentice who teach her how to control her frosty powers in order to fulfil the prophecy – defeat the king and save the snowy kingdom by taking the throne, or assist the king by giving him unrestrained powers. As Snow meets new people in the strange world on the other side of the Tree, her love for Bale and desire to return to her old life in New York will be tested. Will Snow stay loyal to Bale, or will the discovery of her powers persuade her to stay and fight for the frozen kingdom?

The novel was well-written, especially in regards to pace and detail. Paige utilised a range of literary techniques to better describe characters and situations, including similes, imagery and sarcasm. I found it easy to imagine being with Snow and the other characters, especially when Snow crosses the Tree. Everything was described in detail, so I never struggled to picture a situation. There were also a couple of great quotes, including:

It was her job to check, not to trust. And it reminded me every day that even though she was the only person who really talked to me, she was paid to be here (p. 10).

‘Sometimes saying something is harder than not saying it. […] out there in the world people spend most of their lives afraid to say what’s really on their minds’ (p. 41).

‘Mirrors reflect what we want to see, or sometimes they reveal what you really are or what you really want. You have to be very careful with a mirror’ (p. 124).

…if you changed your identity over and over and never stood still, how did you ever know anyone? (p. 202).

…maybe, just maybe, it didn’t matter how you looked going into battle. It just mattered that you went (p. 334).

More quotes from the book can be found here.

I’m a fan of retellings, especially because they provide a new perspective on a tale that we already know. This was one of the reasons why I purchased this book, and I wasn’t disappointed. Honestly, prior to seeing Frozen, I didn’t know very much about the tale of the Snow Queen. From what I found online, I could see that Paige had incorporated some characters from the original tale, and then added concepts from other stories to make the narrative more interesting. I wouldn’t say that it was unique, but I still thought that the plot was enjoyable.

The use of plot twists assist with keeping the plot flowing and prevent the story from becoming dull. I like when a book contains a few plot twists, but not too many. Too many twists make the plot unrealistic and confusing. In this case, this novel had a decent amount of surprises. They were unexpected, related to the story really well, and has me anticipating the sequel. Unexpected turns in books should blow my mind, and the ones in this book successfully did this. My favourite twists in this book were when Snow met her paternal family members, as well as her mother’s alliance. Anyway, I look forward to having my mind blown in the upcoming books in the series!

                               

I love a good conclusion, with or without a cliff-hanger. In my experience, it is difficult to find an agreeable conclusion, especially because the endings leave some questions unanswered. However, that was not an issue for this novel. The conclusion provided adequate closure, especially for the main plot line. At the same time, the conclusion created eagerness for what will happen next. When a book doesn’t end with a cliff-hanger, I believe that this is how it should end. It appeared to be well thought out, as opposed to an abrupt stop, so I believe that Paige did a good job.

A bit of romance is always a good thing, especially if it’s mature and realistic. I thought that Paige did a great job in injecting some romantic interest into the plot. The only issue that I had with it was that there were three romantic interests – a love square – which seemed unrealistic and a bit much for a first book in a series. I understand that it is good to introduce these characters early on in a series, but still. I’m hoping that Snow will pick one guy (PLEASE LET IT BE JAGGER) and build on that relationship! That way, things will be a little more realistic. Overall, the romance made the plot more intriguing, which was great.

                                

Another issue that occurred was the confusing plot lines, in particular Kai and Gerde. I considered these two characters particularly significant, as they were part of the original story of the Snow Queen. However, they were only present in the beginning and towards the end. I had no idea what happened to either of them after the Duchess’ ball, so I was left with a few questions: what was the point of Snow and Kai’s romance? Did Kai recognise Snow when she disguised as the Countess? I know that these questions will be answered later, but I thought that it was confusing that they disappeared after the ball and weren’t heard from since.

                                           

My favourite character was Snow – she was compassionate, loyal, courageous and sarcastic. She has the potential to be a ruthless killer, but refuses to become one. Despite being admitted to a mental institution, she is admirable and special. Jagger and Gerde were notable characters.

I really despise Ora for putting Snow in the hospital when she wasn’t even insane. I felt sorry for Snow because both of her parents are horrible people. I can’t wait to see Snow avenge both of them. I think it will be glorious!

My favourite parts of the book include Snow’s time at the Claret with Jagger, and her final battle with King Lazar. I enjoyed the Claret section because the place sounded beautiful and antique. Also, the lessons she learnt and the potions were very interesting. I enjoyed the final battle because it was dramatic and oozing with suspense. There were two plot twists following this fight, which I thought was unexpected and fascinating.

Recommendation time! If you like Firstlife by Gena Showalter, Vassa in the Night by Sarah Porter, the Frostblood saga by Elly Blake, and Hunted by Meagan Spooner, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Alice Through the Looking Glass, Frozen, Snow White and the Huntsman, and The Huntsman: Winter’s War.

I will also be reviewing the rest of the series when the books become available. Keep an eye out for that!

Happy reading!

Buy the book

Like and follow!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Basic-Bookworm/659139380862740

Instagram: @thebasicbookworm

Twitter: @BasicBookworm

Yellow Brick War - Danielle Paige

Began reading: 17.5.2016
Completed reading: 8.6.2016
Overall rating: 3 stars

Once upon a time, there was a girl from Kansas named Dorothy.

You might know her as the Girl Who Rode the Cyclone. She ended up in Oz, where the temptation of magic was too much for her. She let it change her. She turned evil.

The land of Oz is now a dark and menacing place.

My name is Amy Gumm. Tornadoes must have a thing about girls from Kansas, because I got swept away on one, too. I landed in Oz, where Good is Wicked, Wicked is Good, and the Wicked Witches clued me in to my true calling: 

Assassin.

The way to stop Dorothy from destroying Oz - and Kansas - is to kill her. And I'm the only one who can do it. But I failed. Others died for my mistakes. Because of me, the portal between the worlds has been opened. And if I don't find a way to close it?

Dorothy will make sure I never get to go home again. Now I have to:

Join the witches.

Fight for Oz.

Kill Dorothy.

Stop a Yellow Brick War.

Yellow Brick War by Danielle Paige is the third instalment in the Dorothy Must Die series. This novel is a fictional young adult retelling of the classic Wizard of Oz, containing hints of fantasy, adventure and romance. It took me so long to read because I had way too many assignments and a maths exam. But now that they are done, I was able to finish the book! I’m not too impressed by this novel — I feel like this series is being dragged along, and it’s beginning to annoy me.

I thought this novel was well-written, in regards to literary techniques. Everything was described in detail, and made it easier for me to imagine. There were a couple of notable quotes that I thought I might share:

So much had happened to me, so much time had passed. I didn’t even feel like the same person anymore. The Amy Gumm who’d lived here was a total stranger. I didn’t belong here anymore. I wasn’t sure I ever had (p. 20).

Caring too much only meant you were that much easier to hurt (p. 56).

I knew the safety was an illusion. I’d learned in Oz that safety always was (p. 108).

Nobody sings you lullabies in the middle of a war (p. 114).

‘…our planet is freaking out. The oceans are rising, people are fighting more and more wars every day, plants and animals are dying out, every other week some kid takes one of his parents’ guns to school and starts shooting….’ I stopped short at the look on Nox’s face. ‘The world I grew up in is gone, too,’ I said quietly. ‘But that doesn’t mean I’m going to give up on it. Because if you give up — then what is there left to live for?’ (p. 141).   

More quotes from the book can be found here.

I really enjoyed some of the ideas behind the book. For example, Amy’s return to her high school was interesting. I thought her return would stir up some drama from the first novel, but I’m kinda glad it didn’t happen. Readers gained an insight into how life in Kansas had changed since Amy left, and I like what I saw. I’m especially glad that Amy’s mum is trying to improve her life. These little ideas behind the plot made it interesting, and this largely influenced my rating for this novel.

I liked how Paige made the secondary characters more interesting, in particular Glamora. *WARNING: SPOILER* I think that her split personality will make the next book a whole lot more interesting! I’m really excited about this!

I have a few questions that I wish could be answered: will we ever see Pete again? Did Mombi die? Will Amy choose to stay in Oz or return to Kansas? I NEED TO KNOW!

I felt that the novel didn’t really flow and that let me down. Some parts of the book were rushed, while other parts seemed unnecessary. There were constant obstacles, and it really bothered me. One moment Amy would complete a challenge, then the next she’s facing something entirely new. It’s as though she and the Quadrant never got a break, and this made the plot somewhat unrealistic.

The ending was a cliff-hanger, and it left me with mixed feelings. *WARNING: SPOILER* It was good because it did leave me wanting more. On the other hand, I thought it was anti-climactic, as it was as though someone chopped the book into two. The book just ended so abruptly that I was left wondering, is that it?

As I mentioned previously, I feel as though this series is being dragged on. The last two books should have been combined to create one, and then maybe have a third and final book. I have to admit that I’m beginning to lose interest in this series, especially because nothing seems to be happening. I feel disappointed, because I had high hopes after reading Dorothy Must Die. I just wanna know if Dorothy is ever going die! When will this series end?

                     

My favourite character is still Glamora, despite her split personality. As I mentioned earlier, I think this new twist will be interesting. It’s probably the one thing that’s keeping me from discontinuing the series. I can’t wait to see what happens, but I hope they don’t destroy her.

                     

I’m glad that Ozma is back, but I have mixed feelings about her character. I’m not feeling it with Amy anymore, mainly because she’s lost her badass-ness and replaced it with a whiney, indecisive brat. The fact that I’m losing interest in her (the protagonist) says a lot about the series. I hope one of two things happen: Paige improves Amy’s character, or finishes the series. Either way, I’m pretty sure I’ll be happy.

I like a bit of romance, and up until this point, I’ve enjoyed seeing how Amy’s relationship with Nox has developed. Unfortunately, it’s beginning to irritate me, as I’m constantly wondering if they’ll ever get together. Just get together already, or not. I don’t really care anymore.

                    

My favourite parts of the book include Amy’s return to high school and Glamora’s battle with Glinda. As I mentioned earlier, I liked Amy’s return to Kansas because we got an insight into how her mum and fellow classmates have changed, as well as her little mission to find Dorothy’s shoes. I also liked the battle between Glamora and Glinda because I’ve been anticipating it for so long and I needed to see how the two sisters interacted with each other.

Recommendation time! Recommendation time! If you like the Queen of Hearts saga by Colleen Oakes, Slumber by Christy Sloat, and The Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes The Wizard of Oz, Once Upon A Time, Once Upon A Time in Wonderland, Red Riding Hood, Beastly, and Grimm.

I will also be reviewing the rest of the Dorothy Must Die series when the books become available.

My reviews for Dorothy Must Die and The Wicked Will Rise can be found by clicking on the titles.

Happy reading!

Buy the book

Like and follow!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Basic-Bookworm/659139380862740

Instagram: @thebasicbookworm

Twitter: @BasicBookworm

The Wicked Will Rise - Danielle Paige

Began reading: 10.5.2016
Completed reading: 17.5.2016
Overall rating: 3.9 stars

My name is Amy Gumm - and I'm the other girl from Kansas.

After a tornado swept through my trailer park, I ended up in Oz.

But it wasn't like the Oz I knew from books and movies. Dorothy had returned, and she was stealing magic from the land. The Wizard was back. Glinda could no longer be called the Good Witch. And the Wicked Witches who were left? They'd joined forces as the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked, and they wanted to recruit me.

My mission? Kill Dorothy.

Except my job as assassin didn't work out as planned. Dorothy is still alive. The Order has vanished. And the home I couldn't wait to leave behind might be in danger.

But in a place where the line between good and evil shifts with a strong gust of wind... who am I supposed to trust? And who is actually Wicked?

Find Dorothy.

Destroy the road of yellow brick.

Save her home.

The Wicked Will Rise.

The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige is the second instalment in the Dorothy Must Die series. This novel is a fictional young adult retelling of the classic Wizard of Oz, containing hints of fantasy, adventure and romance. The novel picked up where the first book left off. My love for retellings hasn’t changed, which I suppose made me like this book, but I felt that it wasn’t as good as the previous novel.

I found numerous spelling errors throughout the book, which was a let-down, but overall, the novel was well-written. Paige incorporated literary techniques to add depth to the plot and characters, which was great! There were also some notable quotes that I thought I’d share, including:

She had been both good and wicked and everything in between. She had been both at once, too, until it was hard for her to even tell the difference anymore (p. 15).

You can’t just cover your eyes and pretend like terrible things aren’t happening simply because you can’t see them… (p. 55).

Some people spend their whole lives searching for the one thing that they can do to say, I changed the world. I had found that thing. I might not be able to accomplish it, but I was going to die trying (p. 114).

Faith: everyone knows it’s something you’re supposed to have, but it’s harder to put that into practice when your senses are telling you all hoe is lost (p. 160).

If those things hadn’t happened, would I have grown up into someone happier and easier, with a smile, someone who could just laugh things off? Someone prettier, more popular, someone who didn’t always feel a little uncomfortable in my own skin?

Would I still have had this angry thing always coiled up inside me like a rattlesnake itching to strike? (p. 183).

I began to melt into him. There in his arms, I felt so secure — for the first time in maybe my while life — that if I could have, I would have let myself become part of him. Just so I could feel that safe forever (p. 264).

More quotes from the book can be found here.

Just like Dorothy Must Die, I really liked the plot. I thought that it was interesting when Amy was given the mission to get the Tin Woodman’s heart, Lion’s courage and The Scarecrow’s brain. This mission made the plot more adventurous, which kept me fascinated. Unfortunately, I was disappointed with the overall structure of the plot. After reading it, I felt that the plot didn’t really flow — sections just felt as though they had been chopped up and jumbled into a disjointed order. In other words, something would be happening then the scene would change, leaving me confused. For example, Amy stumbles across the Island of Lost Things and then, in a blink of an eye, is stumbling through some kind of portal towards Rainbow Falls. I just found it confusing.

                         

Reading the dialogue between Amy and some of the other characters was entertaining, especially Queen Lulu. Paige incorporated humour to create this sassy monkey, which amused me. For example, Lulu’s teasing of Glinda made me giggle:

‘Glinda was gravely wounded in battle and is thought to have returned to her fortress.’

‘Oh, of course,’ Lulu sniffed. ‘That witch talks a big game, but she couldn’t be a bigger candy-ass if she dropped her pink little undies and sat on a pile of gumdrops’ (p. 52).

To be honest, I think that Queen Lulu’s sassiness was a highlight from the plot. I just didn’t agree with the way she went about wanting to Ozma. Anyway, the plot was entertaining, which played a significant role in keeping me interested in the book.

There were some serious plot twists throughout the novel, which were obviously unexpected. There was betrayal, deaths, sudden unexpected appearances and an interesting ending. I think that the most unexpected twist was the betrayal of a secondary character. I didn’t see it coming and it left me stunned.

                          

Speaking of secondary characters, Paige included some characters from the previous novel that I was hoping would make a bigger appearance later in the series. If you have read Dorothy Must Die, you would know that Polychrome made a minor appearance at Dorothy’s ball. The way she was described in that novel made me curious to see what she would be like up close. I was given that chance in this book, and I’m grateful for it. I really liked her character, as her personality was realistic — resembling a dramatic, romantic yet independent teenage girl. It was a shame that she didn’t last very long — I was starting to like her and she probably would have replaced Glamora as my favourite character.

Now, let’s move on to the negatives. I found the lead up to the conclusion to be confusing. I didn’t understand the whole Inception-esque thing with the palace really weird, and the Wizard controlling Amy and Dorothy was also random. I didn’t understand the point of it at all.

Similarly, I felt that the end was a little rushed. It lacked pace and detail: one minute, they’re with the Wizard, and the next, they’re back in Kansas with the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked. I thought I was missing something. Because of these let-downs, I felt that this book wasn’t as good as the first.

Although Glamora made next to no appearance in this book, she still is my favourite character. However, I have to include Polychrome, Ozma, Amy, Nox and Lulu in my list of notable characters.

*WARNING: SPOILER ALERT* I’m left with a few questions regarding some of the characters. First and foremost, WHY DID POLYCHROME HAVE TO DIE?! I was really beginning to like her! I know this made for a juicy plot twist, but why did Pete have to betray Amy? I trusted him! Why wasn’t Bright torn up about Polychrome’s death? Finally, WHY WAS GLAMORA NOT IN THIS BOOK?

                         

My favourite parts of this novel include Amy’s visit to Polychrome’s palace and the battle with Dorothy. As I have already mentioned, I really liked Polychrome’s character. After her small appearance in Dorothy Must Die, having the opportunity to get to know her a bit more was great. It was interesting to see that she wasn’t on Dorothy’s side. Also, her interactions with her ‘unicorn’, Heathcliff, were surprisingly amusing. I liked the battle between Amy and Dorothy because it was action-packed, dramatic and tense.

Recommendation time! If you like the Queen of Hearts saga by Colleen Oakes, Slumber by Christy Sloat, and The Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes The Wizard of Oz, Once Upon A Time, Once Upon A Time in Wonderland, Red Riding Hood, Beastly, and Grimm.

I will also be reviewing the rest of the Dorothy Must Die series: Yellow Brick War, as well as the other upcoming books in the series.

My review for Dorothy Must Die can be found by clicking on the title.

Happy reading!

Buy the book

Like and follow!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Basic-Bookworm/659139380862740

Instagram: @thebasicbookworm

Twitter: @BasicBookworm

Queen of Shadows - Sarah J. Maas

Began reading: 25.11.2015
Completed reading: 11.12.2015
Overall rating: 4 stars

No masters. No limits. No regrets.

Celaena Sardothien is cloaked in her assassin’s hood once more. She is back in Rifthold, but this time she is no one’s slave. She must delve into her more painful memories and fight for her survival, while resisting a smouldering passion that might very well consume her heart. And she will face her former master, the King of Assassins, again — to wreak revenge for a decade of pain…

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas is the fourth instalment of the Throne of Glass series. Queen of Shadows combines genres such as fantasy, romance, paranormal and adventure to create an enthralling novel suitable for young adults. Personally, I believe that this series gets better and better with the book, and I don’t think that Sarah J. Maas’ writing will ever disappoint. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and I can’t wait until the fifth book is released!

As always, Sarah J. Maas has included some great quotes, amazing dialogue and detailed descriptions. Some of my favourite quotes from the novel include:

‘You bring my court into this, Chaol,’ Aelin said with lethal softness, ‘and I don’t care what you were to me, or what you have done to help me. You betray them, you hurt them, and I don’t care how long it takes, or how far you go: I’ll burn you and your gods-damned kingdom to ash. Then you’ll learn just how much of a monster I can be’ (pp. 122-123).

‘You’re here — and you’re perfect. You always were, and you always will be’ (p. 187).

My absolute favourite quote was from when Aelin played the piano forte for Rowan in the theatre. The quote is:

It was not the sorrowful, lovely piece she had once played for Dorian, and it was not the light, dancing melodies she’d played for sport; it was not the complex and clever pieces she had played for Nehemia and Chaol. This piece was a celebration — a reaffirmation of life, of glory, of the pain and beauty in breathing (p. 295).

The reason why I loved it so much was because it described the type of relationship that Aelin had with the characters mentioned.

                    

*WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER* I’m not sure if this is an error, but I just have to bring it up. In the novel, Arobynn’s bodyguard, Wesley, revealed that Arobynn ordered Sam’s death and how Farran was to torture him. It was similar to how Lysandra had to endure Arobynn, knowing that he killed her lover. So, when I read this quote from Aelin’s thoughts, I was confused:

She wondered what it was like to have to endure the man who had slaughtered your lover (p. 191).

*WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER* This book also had a few interesting ideas that I thought were pretty genius. For example, using stones to decorate a grave instead of flowers: “Stones were eternal — flowers were not (p. 199), was brilliant. The entire scene where Aelin visits Sam’s grave was so sad, and brought back the feels. However, I’m glad that it brought closure to his character. Well done!

Finally, there was some humour, which I appreciated! For example, when Rowan got a haircut:

‘Your hair was so pretty. I was hoping you’d let me braid it one day. I suppose I’ll have to buy a pony instead.’ She cocked her head. ‘When you shift, will your hawk be plucked, then?’

His nostrils flared, and she clamped her lips together to keep from laughing (p. 237).

I was hoping Mort would make an appearance in the book, but sadly, he was only mentioned in passing. The way in which he was mentioned seemed to mean that he wouldn’t be returning in the upcoming novels, which I’m disappointed about.

                 

As I mentioned in my review for Heir of Fire, Manon Blackbeak was quickly overtaking Celaena in becoming my favourite character. I can now say that Manon and Celaena/Aelin are equal in being my favourite characters. Manon and Aelin are so alike, and I was so glad that they FINALLY came face-to-face in this book.

Speaking of, their argument and fight was one of my favourite parts of the novel. Both characters were badass, yet compassionate towards each other. Two leaders facing off against each other — it was both exciting and tense. I loved it! I also enjoyed reading about Asterin’s story and how it inspired her to become Manon’s Second.

I really like the idea of Dorian and Manon together. I don’t think that they really suit each other, but I think that their interactions in this book were so cute, especially when Manon visited him at his castle!

                     

*WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS* I’m glad that Lysandra and Kaltain contributed to helping the ‘good’ characters. I was especially happy that Lysandra and Aelin became such close friends. Also, I enjoyed reading about Evangeline. I hope she makes an appearance in the next book!

To be honest, I thought that Chaol acted like such a d*ckhead in this novel, so I don’t know how I feel about him anymore. I’m just glad that he was helpful and assisted Aelin with her missions.

Recommendation time! If you like The Assassin, Hanna, Reign, Kill Bill and Kill Bill 2, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis, The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare, the Blue Bloods series by Melissa de la Cruz, and the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling.

My reviews for The Assassins Blade, Throne of Glass, Crown of Midnight, and Heir ofFire can be found by clicking on the titles.

I will also be reviewing the rest of the Throne of Glass series when the books are available. Keep an eye for those!

Happy reading!

Buy the book

Like and follow!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Basic-Bookworm/659139380862740
Instagram: @thebasicbookworm
Twitter: @BasicBookworm

Carnival of Souls - Melissa Marr

Began reading: 8.9.2015
Completed reading: 13.9.2015
Overall rating: 3.8 stars

The City is a place where daimons adhere to social hierarchies, yet in the Carnival of Souls at the heart of The City, ruling caste mixes with those of lower caste to earn a chance to join the privileged. Kaleb is of the lowest caste, while Aya is in the ruling caste but faces discrimination, as she is female. For both of them, fighting in the Carnival provides freedom and the power to change The City. In the human world, Mallory is unaware of The City, but understands that witches exist and daimons are dangerous — that is, until she meets Kaleb. In order to protect her family, Mallory will have to overlook her scepticism of Kaleb and let herself be swayed to enter The City.

Carnival of Souls, also known as Untamed City, by Melissa Marr is a young adult fiction novel that encompasses themes including the paranormal, fantasy and a hint of romance. As with Michelle Rowen’s Countdown, I got it for $1 and thought it would be a book that could keep me entertained while I completed assignments. Overall, I wouldn’t say that I was disappointed with the novel, but there were flaws that I will explore in this review.

On the positive side, the novel had potential with an interesting plot. The concept of death and pleasure vendors mixing, and being determined by the colour of the mask was really interesting. I enjoyed the fact that the story was told with three points of view, as opposed to one or two. I also liked the thought of a ruling caste female character fighting for her beliefs. The only downside to this is that Marr incorporated the points of view of some of the minor characters, which made the story a bit confusing.

There were also some really good quotes that I had to make note of. These included:

Good daughters didn’t question. They obey (p. 13).

…the unheard-of act of an upper-caste woman entering [the fighting competition] was more shocking than the violence of the matches themselves (p. 24).

Being pushed to the wall made a person do things that they’d not have believed themselves capable of… (p. 25).

Rumours were useful tools in establishing a reputation (p. 96).

In The City, guns were forbidden. Death was to be an act of closeness. That was the law: ‘If you cannot touch the person you are ending, you can’t kill them.’ Guns made death impersonal (pp. 100-101).

The City was rife with corruption, but it had order that the Untamed Lands lacked (p. 210).

Kaleb wished he could take a few moments to see what she read, what she listened to, what secrets were revealed by what she chose. Hers was a life completely different from his, and he wanted to understand her (p. 216).

There were also some great plot twists that kept me interested. *WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER* For example, a particular character’s parents were unexpected and characters I thought were dead really weren’t.

Personally, I thought that Mallory’s point of view was a bit boring and anti-climactic. In the beginning of the novel, Mallory was described as a tough girl, who was taught to defend herself when she was threatened. Despite her lessons with weapons, she turned out to be useless, as she didn’t bother to defend herself when she came across danger. I don’t really know why, but I thought that Aya’s story was far more interesting than Mallory’s.

                      

Speaking of disappointments, the ending was quite a letdown. Everything started happening towards the end, and then it abruptly ended. I mean, what was happening in the last twenty or so pages of the novel should’ve happened in the middle of the book. I’ll definitely have to read the sequel when it’s released, but seriously…

                   

My favourite character was Aya, as she can be ruthless, determined, judicious and compassionate. My second favourite characters were Zevi and Belias. As you would’ve guessed by now, I didn’t like Mallory’s character. She was childish, frustrating and submissive.

My favourite parts of the novel were whenever Aya and Belias were interacting with each other. I got a bit emotional when their fight ended, but I loved it. I also really loved their back story. THEY WERE PERFECT FOR EACH OTHER!

                  

Recommendation time! If you like Countdown by Michelle Rowen or The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Elysium or Drogo and Daenery’s story in Game of Thrones.

I suggest reading Marr’s Carnival of Lies, which is a novella that explains how it all began. Note: Untamed City is a combination of both Carnival of Lies and Carnival of Souls.

Happy reading!

Buy the book: http://www.bookdepository.com/Untamed-City-Melissa-Marr/9780062354945

Like and follow!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Basic-Bookworm/659139380862740
Instagram: @thebasicbookworm
Twitter: @BasicBookworm

Sorceress - Claudia Gray

Began reading: 22.5.2015
Completed reading: 30.5.2015
Overall rating: 3.5 stars

The One Beneath finally has Nadia in His grasp, with Elizabeth as Nadia’s teacher. Elizabeth’s plans to bring the One Beneath to the mortal world have begun to take effect — with heavy downpours causing dangerous floods. In order to save the locals of Captive’s Sound, Nadia must feign loyalty to Elizabeth and the One Beneath; but she can feel the dark magic beginning to overwhelm her. Abandoning everyone she loves, Nadia is faced with temptations regarding the powers she could gain from becoming a Sorceress. Conflicting emotions torment Verlaine whenever she is with Asa; does he truly care for her, or is it just a ruse? It is up to Nadia and her friends to struggle against temptations; will Team Not Evil triumph over evil, or will the darkness overshadow the goodness in Nadia and her friends forever?

Sorceress by Claudia Gray is the third and final book in the Spellcaster series. Just like the first two novels, it is a young adult novel that contains fantasy and paranormal themes, with a hint of romance. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this novel as much as Spellcaster and Steadfast; however, there were still some aspects of this book that I liked.

Firstly, there was good use of humour and sarcasm, which made the story a lot more entertaining. For example, in a serious moment: “Verlaine jotted in her notebook, The meeting came to a standstill for a romantic interlude” (p. 271). I would have liked the series a lot more if there was further use of humour and sarcasm.

                                          

The ending of the book was bitter-sweet, which I loved. I was so glad when Verlaine got her happy ending — she really deserved it. On the downside, the ending seemed rushed, which was obvious in the various spelling mistakes. I was really disappointed with how the series ended. It was just a letdown, especially after the heightened interest from Steadfast.

 

The final battle in the book was something I was looking forward to. Throughout the series, the final battle with Elizabeth and the One Beneath was something I really anticipated. Unfortunately, it was confusing, anticlimactic and utterly boring. It was rushed, and nothing really happened. *WARNING: SPOILER* Basically, Nadia goes into hell and stabs the One Beneath. It was just so simple. If it was that simple all along, why didn’t it happen sooner? It was just really disappointing.

                   

The entire plot lacked enthusiasm and I found it difficult to stay interested. The fact that this was the final book of the series is the main reason that kept me reading. Sorceress would have to be the book that I enjoyed least out of the entire series. I wasn’t even able to take many notes because I was just so confused and lost.

                   

The relationship between Verlaine and Asa was the best part of the book. I just couldn’t stop reading about them! They are so adorable and they became my favourite couple in the series. They were so dedicated to each other! “Asa had gone to hell for her; she would do the same for him” (p. 269).

                                                       

I was also happy that Verlaine made a more prominent role in this novel. As I said before, I just really loved reading about her and Asa! Their relationship was an emotional rollercoaster: they had to try to kill each other, but couldn’t. It can’t get any more emotionally conflicting than that.

                                       

I didn’t enjoy reading about Nadia’s relationship with Mateo in this novel. It felt all over the place and confusing. *WARNING: SPOILER* However, I did enjoy reading about the oaths that Nadia and Mateo made to the One Beneath. That was interesting, and quite the plot twist!

                 

Time for recommendations! If you like “Beautiful Creatures” by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, then you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes “Witches of East End” by Melissa de la Cruz.

I suggest reading the first novella before this novel, The First Midnight. It will provide more background information about how Elizabeth turned into the villain. I also recommend reading the first and second books, Spellcaster and Steadfast, in the Spellcaster series. You can see my reviews for these novels by clicking on the titles.

Happy reading!

Buy the book: http://www.bookdepository.com/Sorceress-Claudia-Gray/9780732296216

Like and follow!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Basic-Bookworm/659139380862740
Instagram: @thebasicbookworm
Twitter: @BasicBookworm