In the Bag Review

In the Bag

Kate Klise

Rating (out of 5): 3.5

Genre:Chick-lit

Release Date: May 1, 2012

Series: None

Series Volume:N/A

Profanity: Mild

Violence: None

Sexual Content:Very Mild

Age Recommendation: 17 +

Author Website:http://www.kateandsarahklise.com/





Summary:

Bestselling YA author Kate Klise flies high with her first novel for grown-ups. In the Bag is You’ve Got Mail meets The Parent Trap in the 21st century—an absolutely enthralling story of globe-hopping, lost luggage, found opportunities…and the old-fashioned art of flirtation in a modern world. Told from the alternating perspectives of two single parents and their two teenage children, In the Bag is warm and witty, surprising, stylish, and smart contemporary women’s fiction for fans of Jennifer Weiner, Jane Green, and Megan McCafferty. Kate Klise’s sparkling career as a novelist for adults has taken glorious flight!

Review:

I stumbled upon this book while I was looking for information on a different series Kate Klise had worked on, her delightful 43 Old Cemetery Road books for children. I like her children’s books so much that I jumped at the chance to read a book by her that was geared for an older audience. Kate once again managed to tell me a story from a completely unique perspective. In the Bag follows the lives of four different people, two adults and two teens, as they bumble their way through an airport and into three different cities.  

Kate Klise’s unique style in telling this story was really what drew me to read the book, the story itself is a light easy read that I would normally pick up only if I knew I had a long period of waiting before me, like a plane ride for instance. But the fact that she wrote a story geared towards both adults and young adults intrigued me. Half of the time I was reading it I felt like I was making my way through a YA and the other half of the time I was enjoying those rare moments where I delve into adult geared books. I loved it. Kate Klise did an excellent job blending the two styles together to deliver a fun easy read. 

Like I said earlier the story was a light chick-lit styled tale of four people trying to find love. But it also deals with some heavier tones in the realm of parents trying to connect with their kids and vice versa. It also dabbles in the area of deciding what one really wants out of life and learning to relax a little and let things happen. Kate Klise did a great job with each of these areas and really made this light story something both believable and relatable. 

I found myself immediately attached to Coco and surprisingly to Andrew. Daisy, Coco’s mother and Andrew’s son Webb took a little longer to grow on me but by the end of the book I had fallen in love with them all. The characters each have their own quirks and distinct personalities and you can defiantly tell the difference between the parents and their children while reading through this book. But like I said earlier, the distinct style is what drew me into the book and kept me reading until the end. 

There were however a few problems I had with the book.  I didn’t like the surprising amount of swear words used at the very beginning of the book. The rest of the story is very light language wise and so having so many at the opening made it feel off balance. Having read Kate’s children’s stories and the fact that this book could easily be picked up not only by an adult audience but also by a YA once as well I expected it to be a little cleaner than it first appeared. There were a few other minor things that bothered me as well about this book, but overall it was a good read.

This was a light fun read for older teens and adults but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone under 17. There aren’t any sex scenes but there is some talk of sex and I already mentioned the language in the beginning. Other than that this was a fun easy read.

~Dawn

Half a King Book Review

Half a King 

Joe Abercrombie

Rating (out of 5): 4

Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy 

Release Date: July 15, 2014

Series: Half A King Trilogy/Shattered Sea

Series Volume: 1

Profanity: Mild

Violence: Mild-graphic but more on the mild side

Sexual Content: None 

Age Recommendation: 16+

Author Website: http://www.joeabercrombie.com/

 

Summary (author's website) :

“I swore an oath to avenge the death of my father. I may be half a man, but I swore a whole oath.” Prince Yarvi has vowed to regain a throne he never wanted. But first he must survive cruelty, chains, and the bitter waters of the Shattered Sea. And he must do it all with only one good hand.

The deceived will become the deceiver.

Born a weakling in the eyes of his father, Yarvi is alone in a world where a strong arm and a cold heart rule. He cannot grip a shield or swing an axe, so he must sharpen his mind to a deadly edge.

The betrayed will become the betrayer.

Gathering a strange fellowship of the outcast and the lost, he finds they can do more to help him become the man he needs to be than any court of nobles could.

Will the usurped become the usurper?

But even with loyal friends at his side, Yarvi finds his path may end as it began—in twists, and traps, and tragedy.

Review:

Half a King was my first book by Joe Abercrombie and I was pleasantly surprised by it. I'm not sure if this book is suppose to be YA or Adult but it reads more like a YA with traces of an adult story. I found it as more of a book for guys but I'm sure some girls will enjoy it (I did after all). It isn't normally the style of book I would pick up, gritty and revenge driven, but it got better as I got into the book.

This story follows Yarvi the youngest son of the king of Gettland. Yarvi has no hopes of ever becoming king, not simply because of his older brother, but because of his crippled arm. After all who would want only half a man as their king? Imagine his surprise when he finds out that not only his father but also his brother have been killed and he is now the king. In his young folly the new king swears and oath to avenge his fallen family, an oath that will take him on a journey far harsher than he could ever imagine. 

I had a hard time getting into this book for the first few chapters, it moved like any revenge tale dragging along a half-hearted hero. But from the moment Yarvi was betrayed until the end I could not stop reading. This revenge tale had taken one of many surprising turns. The story is fairly straightforward and the plot is fast paced keeping readers turning pages in anticipation of what will happen next. Yarvi's transformation from a cowardly beat down boy into a bold and cunning man pulled me along easily.

The characters really kept the story moving for me and I found myself attached to more than one of them by the end of the book. Because of the book's fast paced nature there didn't feel like a lot of time to really flesh out the characters but I expect them to show up in the next two books and be more fleshed out there. Aside from that their personalities and the hints of their back stories intrigued me and helped me to invest not only in Yarvi but also in the ragtag bunch of friends he collected on his adventure. 

This book was full of surprises and I loved every one of them, and I hope to see more of them in the series's future installments. The shockers were another thing I really enjoyed about this book, seeing the whole story come together at the end was a delight and I'm eager to see where it goes from here. 

Abercrombie's world building was also a great addition to the story. I felt easily pulled into the the world he built without having to know too much information about what it was really all about. I've found that the best world-building happens when the author doesn't have to explain themselves but allows the story and world to tell itself and this is one of my favorite things about Half a King.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an action packed story, or a good filler read between series or books.

Note: I received an electronic copy of this book from Netgalley for my fair and honest opinion as I have stated above.

~Dawn

Liberty Frye and the Witches of Hessen Book Review

Liberty Frye and the Witches of Hessen

J.L. McCreedy

 

Rating (out of 5): 5

Genre: Children's Fantasy

Release Date: January 16, 2014

Series: None

Series Volume:N/A

Profanity: None

Violence: None

Sexual Content: None

Age Recommendation: 8+

Author Website: http://libertyfrye.com/



Summary:


The average ten-year-old girl seldom travels far from home. She doesn't worry about being kidnapped by witches or imprisoned in medieval castles where children meet their unspeakable demise. She rarely gives thought to curses, potions and magic. She certainly isn't concerned about risking life and limb to decipher ancient rites and lost treasures....

But Liberty Frye is about to discover that she is not just an average girl.

When a cryptic note from long-lost relatives arrives, the news it brings flips Libby's small-town existence upside down. Soon, she finds herself lured to a foreign land where retired witches, talking bats and geriatric World War II pilots await. It's up to Libby to unravel the sinister plot that brought her there in the first place, but in so doing, she'll uncover a shocking secret that will change her life forever ... if she survives the challenge.

Review:

I wasn't sure what to expect when I began reading this book, but I was very happy with how it turned out. Liberty Frye and the Witches of Hessen is the surprisingly delightful story of a young girl who is much more than even she can imagine.

The story is a lighthearted tale of Liberty really coming into her own as a girl. Through her adventures she learns to be courageous and has to use her wits more than once to get her out of a tight spot. Friendship is a key in this book and it is displayed very well, not only through Liberty and her friend Ginny but also in the relationships around her.

This book is very well written. Each line of dialogue and description flows smoothly and the writing never feels choppy or forced. It is well paced and while the action really starts later in the book it didn't feel like it took all that long for things to really get rolling. The author's voice really shines in this book as well setting it apart from others. The story is very funny while also staying true to itself. It's well balanced and doesn't shy away from the darker side of things.

The characters are a delight to read. Liberty has a wonderful personality that makes her out to be a genuine kid. She never acts above her age but always reacts in a way that is believable. Her friend Ginny is much the same and both girls grow exceptionally through the story. The other characters are fun and interesting and the villain is well written.

Both kids and adults will really enjoy Libby's adventure and I'd recommend it to anyone in need of a good fairy tale or light fantasy story.  It was a great read, and one that I'll probably read again.

Note: I received an electronic copy of this book from Netgalley for my fair and honest opinion as I have stated above.

~Dawn

In the Field of Grace Book Review

In the Field of Grace

Tessa Afshar

Rating (out of 5): 4

Genre: Inspirational Historical Fiction

Release Date: July 1, 2014

Series: None

Series Volume:N/A

Profanity: None

Violence: None

Sexual Content: None

Age Recommendation: 12+

Author Website:http://www.tessaafshar.com/




Summary:

Destitute, grief-stricken, and unwanted by the people of God, Ruth arrives in Israel with nothing to recommend her but Naomi's, love. Her loftiest hope is to provide enough food to save Naomi and herself from starvation.

But God has other plans for her life. While everyone considers Ruth an outcast, she is astounded to find one of the most honored men of Judah showing her favor.  Long since a widower and determined to stay that way, Boaz is irresistibly drawn to the foreign woman with the haunted eyes. He tells himself he is only being kind to his Cousin Naomi's chosen daughter when he goes out of his way to protect her from harm, but his heart knows better.

Based on the biblical account of Ruth, In the Field of Grace is the story of a love that ultimately changes the course of Israel's destiny and the future of the whole world.

Review:

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this book. This is is first time I've read a fictionalized account of a book from the Bible so I was both curious and excited when I got this book. In the Field of Grace is a well crafted book that stays true to the book of Ruth. The author does a wonderful job of balancing fact and fiction and paints a beautiful picture of what Ruth may have gone through on her journey.

The book started out feeling a little slow, but the pace picked up as I continued reading through it.The story, as I've said, stays true to the book of Ruth. The author adds in a good amount of detail about the character's surroundings and paints a vivid picture of what life was like for Ruth and her family. I never felt lost or confused by an aspect of their culture, everything was explained or written in a way that the reader could understand what was going on.

Tessa Afshar does a great job of pulling us inside Ruth's mind even while writing in third person. I really enjoyed reading from both her and Boaz's perspectives throughout the book, though sometimes it was hard to distinguish when the perspective changed. Each of the other characters were well written and stayed true to their historical counterparts. The fictionalized characters were fully fleshed out and I really enjoyed getting to know them. 

I really enjoyed the way the author went through the entire book of Ruth instead of simply stopping at the marriage and giving us a summary of what happened next in an epilogue. I found it both surprising and interesting that she chose to do it this way. I didn't expect a full chapter on Ruth and Boaz's lives after their wedding much less the 3-4 more chapters that we got. It was a great passage of the book that wrapped up any and all loose threads of the story.

The only thing I didn't like about this book was the epilogue. It seemed random and it really pulled me out of the story. I can understand why the author put it in, but the fact that we jumped so many years into the future with little to no explanation was jarring. 

Overall the book was a good read. It was a wonderful chance to re-visit one of my favorite books of the Bible and I really enjoyed getting a glimpse into what life may have been like for Ruth and her family. I would recommend it to anyone in need of a good historical, inspirational, or romantic read. 


Note: I received an electronic copy of this book from Netgalley for my fair and honest opinion as I have stated above. 


~Dawn 

 

The Hostage Prince Book Review

The Hostage Prince

Jane Yolen & Adam Stemple

Rating (out of 5): 4.5

Genre: Children's/Young Adult Fantasy

Release Date: June 13, 2013

Series: The Seelie Wars

Series Volume:1

Profanity: None

Violence: Very Mild

Sexual Content: None

Age Recommendation: 12+

Author Website:
http://janeyolen.com/
http://www.adamstemple.com/
http://theseeliewars.com/

Summary:

Snail and Prince Aspen are unlikely companions. Snail is a midwife's apprentice; Aspen is a prince held hostage to prevent a war. Due to a series of misunderstandings, the two find themselves on the run, having adventure after mishap after scary, fast-paced escape. When they reach Aspen's kingdom, they learn to their horror that their actions have divided the country and plunged it into violence. Every minute counts: it is time for Snail and Aspen to figure out a way to stop the building war—together.

The Hostage Prince is a fast-paced, funny, exciting fantasy novel for young readers, both male and female. And who better to start tweens on their journey than Jane Yolen (“America's Hans Christian Andersen”—Time) and her son, Adam Stemple!

Review:

I found this book almost on accident after browsing through a bookstore, I was on my way out and this gem caught my eye. The Hostage Prince has a little of everything I love, underdogs, royalty, the fey, and most of all the set up for a really great story.

The Hostage Prince focuses on Snail, a midwife's apprentice in the Unseelie castle and her companion Prince Aspen a Seelie prince held hostage to prevent the two sides from going to war. The story opens up with the castle getting ready for the Unseelie Queen to have a baby. After a series of unfortunate events Snail and Aspen find themselves thrown together in an attempt to escape the castle, and accidentally starting a war in the process.

Snail is a delightful heroine with her sarcastic wit and take charge attitude. I liked her from the start, and she only grew on me through the book. Aspen is a prince unused to friends or being pushed around by those of lower status than him, but he still tries to be polite and proper. Snail is good for him, and I think by the end of this series he will make a wonderful hero in his own way. The other characters aren't as formed as the main one's but they still each have a personality of their own and I can't wait to see more of them in future books.

The story started a little slow, and I was expecting certain things to happen faster than they did, but after it got going The Hostage Prince was a fast paced adventure that kept me turning pages to see how Aspen and Snail would get out of each bit of trouble they found themselves in. I found myself wondering how the Unseelie Queen's baby was going to play into things, and what special role the Stickman would play in the rest of the series. The authors did a great job of portraying the Unseelie and Seelie worlds for children to understand and their world building was excellent.

Jane Yolen and her son Adam Stemple have crafted a very well written first book in what hopes to be a great series and I can't wait to read the rest. This will be a great read for anyone who is a fan of fairy books, fantasy, and is great for young and old.

~Dawn

The Silver Rings Book Review

The Silver Rings

Samuel Valentino

Rating (out of 5): 4.5

Genre: Children's Fantasy

Release Date: July 1, 2014

Series: None

Series Volume: N/A

Profanity: None

Violence: Very Mild

Sexual Content: None

Age Recommendation: 10+

Author Website: http://www.samuelvalentino.com/



Summary:

Alice and Celia are identical — as twins, and as the recipients of ghastly treatment from their horrid stepmother and stepsisters. To escape, they flee to their fairy godmother Mozzarella’s house. There, Mozzarella advises them to separate and make their way in the world, offering them the rather dubious assurances of troll skin disguises and silver, somewhat magical, rings.

Alice manages to find an abandoned cave of treasure, and settles in to blissful solitude. Celia, on the other hand, runs afoul of a bad-tempered witch, and is promptly turned into a frog. Informed by her magic ring of Celia’s peril, but not her whereabouts, Alice sets out to rescue her. Instead, she finds herself atop a glass mountain, avoiding the love-struck Prince Randall. With Alice’s quest at a standstill, and Celia still enchanted, will the sisters ever realize the high hopes that their godmother envisioned?

Review:

The Silver Rings caught my attention with it's fairy tale mash up plot and adorable cover, so naturally I was excited to start it. After reading the first few chapters of The Silver Rings I wanted to hate it. The whole thing seemed too over the top for me. I was expecting it to be a little ridiculous from the book's summary but what I was given was almost overwhelming. Thankfully I stuck it out to the end and was pleasantly surprised by the delightful story, hilarious characters, and silly hijinks of the plot. The writing style really grew on me, and I found myself looking forward to the next wild thing to happen.

This book tells the story of twin sisters who, despite their evil step mother's intentions, are bright and optimistic. Upon the most recent failure of one of their stepmother's many schemes to get rid of them they finally decide to leave home and seek their fortune's elsewhere. The story is every fairy tale you've heard and more with it's delightful mash up of characters and altered stories.

The Silver Rings is a hilarious story that teaches some surprising lessons along the way. Both children and adults will enjoy Alice and Celia's adventures. The author's refreshing views on love at first sight and perseverance remind us all that things don't always go the way we've been taught. This story is a wonderful introduction into fairy tales and adventure stories for girls and despite the situations that could come across as dark the stories atmosphere and the girls reactions to each situation keep it from getting too serious. 

I said earlier that I wanted to hate the book for it's almost overwhelming amount of zany situations, which at first did seem overwhelming. But the more I read the more I actually enjoyed it. It's just the sort of thing I use to read and write when I was younger and I think that kids would really enjoy it. Alice and Celia's awareness of the world around them adds just enough sanity that readers will stay grounded even when everything else is going haywire. 

The characters are well written and stay true to themselves through the plots progression. I found myself really growing to like each of the characters in the book from the over zelous Randall to the tale-telling fox, Rant. Each one had their own silly charms and added to the story. Rant was probably my favorite character because despite his outrageous stories he was a loyal friend who could make the best of any situation. 

Overall The Silver Rings was a delightfuly silly story with good lessons and fun illustrations. I'd recommend this to anyone wanting a good read and a laugh. I am very glad that I decided to finish this book. 

Note: I received an electronic copy of this book from Netgalley for my fair and honest opinion as I have stated above. 

~Dawn

 

The One Book Review

The One

Kiera Cass

Rating (out of 5): 5

Genre: Young Adult Romance

Release Date: May 6, 2014

Series: The Selection

Series Volume: 3

Profanity:Mild

Violence: Mild

Sexual Content: Mild (but clean)  

Age Recommendation: 13+

Author Website: http://www.kieracass.com/




Summary (Found on Author's Website):

The Selection changed America Singer's life in ways she never could have imagined. Since she entered the competition to become the next princess of Illéa, America has struggled with her feelings for her first love, Aspen—and her growing attraction to Prince Maxon. Now she's made her choice . . . and she's prepared to fight for the future she wants.

Find out who America will choose in The One, the enchanting, beautifully romantic third book in the Selection series!


Review:

The third and final book in the selection series is one I have really wanted to read for a while now. I must say I am pleased with how it turned out. When I first started reading this series I thought for sure that The Selection (book 1) would be the only book in the series. Imagine my surprise when there is not only one but two more books! In the beginning I wasn't sure how Kiera Cass could write three books from what I'd seen in The Selection, but coming to the end of this journey I now see a wonderful and fully formed story.

The Selection trilogy felt like one story all the way through, which speaks of a lot of planing before hand by the author. This is something that I feel like doesn't happen often enough with trilogy's these days. It seems to me that lately authors (mostly YA authors) write a trilogy because it's popular and not because it's what their story demands. I didn't feel this with Kiera Cass's Selection series, something I am immensely grateful for.

Now I'll step off my soap box and give you a review of the book.

The One picks up right where The Elite left off, with America working out a plan to enact her new found determination to win. Things between her and Maxon still have their ups and downs through the book, and Aspen always seems to pop up. But things are changing, and America is finally starting to push back.

Many of the relationships in this book grow and change, and not just America's relationship with Maxon and Aspen, but also her relationships with the remaining members of the elite, her family, Maxon's family, her maids, and even a few new characters all go through major changes and testing. I found these growing relationships even more interesting than the main love story because I got to see a new part of many of the characters. We get a deeper look into the other elite girls and I found myself growing to really love each of the girls, including Celeste. I loved getting to see America's family again as well as getting to know some of the new characters. Overall I really enjoyed the character development in this book, Kiera Cass did a wonderful job of keeping the relationships realistic over the course of the book.

The story was so much more than just America's love life, but at the same time the unrest in the country didn't overwhelm the story. It was used to propel the story but it never took over this romance completely. One of the things I really liked about the Selection series was that it was overall a romance story. Yes it had it's dystopian elements but they never overwhelmed the story like I've seen happen. Kiera Cass made sure to keep the books true to the story she was telling, and that was America's journey through the Selection. That said, I loved everything we got to learn about the rebellion and what was going on in the kingdom. It was very interesting to see what was going on behind the scenes and get to learn a little bit of each sides intentions.

There wasn't anything I really disliked about this book. The romantic scenes got to be almost a little much at times, but they never went too far or got too mushy for me. I enjoyed America's struggle with saying I love you though, it seems to be something I think a lot of people deal with in relationships. When is the right time to say it? Who should say it first? These were questions she struggled with and their eventual resolution left nothing to be desired.

Overall The One was a great read and an excellent conclusion to the Selection trilogy. I would love to see more books by Keira Cass and would recommend anything she's written. If your new to the Selection series or just trying to decide if the finale is for you I say read them, read all three and you won't be dissapointed.

~Dawn