Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass #4)

By Sarah J. Maas

 

Synopsis:

The queen has returned.

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she’s at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past…

She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight.

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die for her. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen’s triumphant return.

The fourth volume in the New York Times bestselling series continues Celaena’s epic journey and builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world.

Publication date: September 1st 2015

Source: Goodreads

My rating: 5 / 5 !!!

My Thoughts:

What a fantabulous read! Based on the three previous books in the Throne of Glass series, I knew Maas would not disappoint but there's always that niggling doubt. Needless to say, that doubt has been squashed, squished and blown far, far away!

Aelin is magnificent in this read. I could clearly see her transition from all her previous personas to Queen. That fear she had of running from her past, her ancestry, is no longer there. Aelin is full on, fire-breathing-bitch-queen mode.

"This city still needs protecting," Chaol snapped.
Aelin shrugged, heading for the roof door. "Or maybe this city should burn," she murmured. A chill went down Aedion's spine, even though he knew she'd said it to piss off the captain. "Maybe the world should burn," she added, and stalked off the roof.

As you can guess, there is a LOT of action, but the romance and wit is all there too. I feel rather fickle in admitting that Chaol has been replaced by Rowas as Aelin's ultimate partner! Chaol was perfect for her at the time, but he only saw what he wanted to see, which was a damn shame. Reading how Aelin had fallen out of love with Chaol gave me definite feels....

There were perhaps only three feet between them now--three feet and months and months of missing and hating him. Months of crawling out of that abyss he'd shoved her into. But now that she was here... Everything was an effort not to say she was sorry. Sorry not for what she'd done to his face, but for the fact that her heart was healed- still fractured in spots, but healed- and he... he was not in it. Not as he'd once been.

In comes Rowan and, like Aelin says, they helped each other out of the darkness and despair. They argue and swear and fight so much but it's clear that they both have that fae wildness. They're not a cutesy, sweet couple, but they're awesome and fiery together, which is just what this story needs.

"Why are you crying?" he asked, trying to push her back far enough to read her face again.
But she held on to him, so fiercely she could feel the weapons beneath his clothes. It would still be fine, even if it went to hell, so long as he was here with her. "I'm crying," she sniffled, "because you smell so rutting bad my eyes are watering."

At the end of the last book, we see that Dorian's body is now inhabited by a Valg Prince. Although Dorian is still there, slowly he is succumbing to the evilness of the Valg and forgetting who he is. It was heartbreaking see him semi-disappear and scary to think that Dorian could be gone forever. 

Aedion is awesomeness defined. He and Lysandra bring the humour to the story and I daresay that there may be a potential romance between them going forwards?

"This one," she said, pointing to a jagged scar by her elbow. Aedion came around the couch to sit beside her. He took up nearly half of the damn thing. "The Pirate Lord of Skull's Bay gave that to me after I trashed his entire city, freed his slaves, and looked damn good while doing it."
Aedion took the bottle of wine and drank from it. "Has anyone ever taught you humility?"
"You didn't learn it, so why should I?"

It's hard to discuss this book without revealing major spoilers so I shall stop for now. Unlike the previous books, this had a more fulfilling ending and I think the wait for Empire of Storms is release later this year won't be as bad as I had expected. Meanwhile, I shall begin reading Maas's other books, starting with A Court of Thorns and Roses! 

Favourite Quotes (beware of spoiler-ish ones!):

"I miss you," she said. "Every day, I miss you. And I wonder what you would have made of all this. Made of me. I think- I think you would have been a wonderful king. I think they would have liked you more than me, actually." Her throat tightened. "I never told you-how I felt. But I loved you, and I think a part of me might always love you. Maybe you were my mate, and I never knew it. Maybe I'll spend the rest of my life wandering about that. Maybe I'll see you again in the Afterworld, and then I'll know for sure. But until then... until then I'll miss you, and I'll wish you were here."

"Apparently," he said, walking toward her and offering an arm, "we both clean up well."
She gave him a sly grin as she took his elbow, the scent of almonds wrapping around her again. "Don't forget your cloak. You'd feel rather guilty when all those poor mortal women combust at the sight of you."
"I'd say likewise, but I think you'd enjoy seeing men bursting into flames as you strutted by."
She winked at him, and his chuckle echoed through her bones and blood.

"I missed you," he said quietly, his gaze darting between her mouth and eyes. "When I was in Wendlyn. I lied when I said I didn't. From the moment you left, I missed you so much I went out of my mind. I was glad for the excuse to track Lorcan here, just to see you again. And tonight, when he had that knife at your throat..." The warmth of his callused finger bloomed through her as he traced a path over the cut on her neck. "I kept thinking about how you might never know that I missed you with only an ocean between us. But if it was death separating us... I would find you. I don't care how many rules it would break. Even if I had to get all three keys myself and open a gate. I would find you again. Always."

She said softly, "You make me want to live, Rowan. Not survive; not exist. Live."

Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3)

By Sarah J. Maas

 

Synopsis:

She was the heir of ash and fire, and she would bow to no one.

Celaena Sardothien has survived deadly contests and shattering heartbreak—but at an unspeakable cost. Now she must travel to a new land to confront her darkest truth...a truth about her heritage that could change her life—and her future—forever.

Meanwhile, brutal and monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her world. To defeat them, Celaena must find the strength to not only fight her inner demons but to battle the evil that is about to be unleashed.

The king's assassin takes on an even greater destiny and burns brighter than ever before in this follow-up to the New York Times bestselling Crown of Midnight.

Publication date: August 7th 2012

Source: Goodreads

My rating: 4.5 / 5 !!!

My Thoughts:

What is with Maas and all the feels she likes torturing her readers with?!? Heir of Fire is an amazing third book in the ToG series. I devoured it in two days!

Initially, I wondered why some events were told from Manon's perspective (one of the many evil witches) but like everything else in this series there's always some sort of connection. I won't lie and say that I loved all the characters, despite Manon's slowly thawing heart, she is still a complete wretch. I appreciate that the witches bring their children up to be full of hate and brutality and it's not their fault but I despised them all regardless.

Another person I wasn't Too impressed with this time round was Chaol. Yes, he is the perfect partner for Celaena and their tragic love story will likely never result in a happy ending but he wound me up to no end with his shock and disappointment in Celaena. He's so judgey! What did he expect from the greatest assassin in the world? I get that she's made some stupid mistakes and bad choices but stop with all the judging! Even Dorian called him out on it...

"Do you still love her?" He didn't know why it was important.
Chaol closed his eyes for a moment. "A part of me will always love her. But I had to get her out of this castle. Because it was too dangerous, and she was...what she was becoming..."
"She was not becoming anything different from what she always was and always had the capacity to be. You just finally saw everything. And once you saw that other part of her..." Dorian said quietly. It had taken him until now, until Sorscha, to understand what that meant. "You cannot pick and choose what parts of her to love."

I thought Dorian was a leeetle spoiled in the last book but he's outdone himself this time round. I loved him sooo much! He finally managed to semi get over Celaena and is working on his magic, which I admired about him.

Celaena is badass as ever so there's not much to add apart from that she's the most brilliant female character I've read about (coming very close to Emma from Cassy Clare's Lady Midnight). Her heartbreak and struggles were so emotional and I loved how Maas made it all so realistic, and there were times I almost cried. Almost.

It had been ten years-ten long years since she had heard her mother's voice. But she heard it then over the force of her weeping, as clear as if she knelt beside her. Fireheart-why do you cry?
"Because I am lost," she whispered onto the earth. "And I do not know the way."
It was what she had never been able to tell Nehemia-that for ten years, she had been unsure how to find the way home, because there was no home left.

Finally, a new favourite of mine is Rowan. **Sigh** It's clear that presently there's no romance between him and Aelin but their connection is Mindblowing. I thought She could only have such chemistry with Chaol but Rowan might be a stronger contender. Especially since Rowan is fae, so doesn't have that much human emotion to pity her, which is just what she needed. I love him and think he's so awesome so Maas please don't kill him in the next book!!! 

Favourite Quotes:

"I don't know what you want from Maeve-what answers you're looking for, but you-"
"You don't know what I want from her?" It was more of a shout than a question. "How about saving the world from the King of Adarlan?"
"Why bother? Maybe the world's not worth saving." She knew he meant it, too. Those lifeless eyes spoke volumes.

He looked at his friend, perhaps for the last time, and said what he had always known, from the moment they'd met, when he'd understood that the prince was his brother in soul. "I love you."

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2)

By Sarah J. Maas

 

Synopsis:

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie... and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

Publication date: August 27th 2013

Source: Goodreads

My rating: 4.5 / 5

My Thoughts:

Omg. So many feels! The second book in the Throne of Glass serious is heartbreakingly sad... I guessed Celaena had her share of secrets but nothing would have prepared me for this (no spoilers). Why would you do this, Maas?

And then the whole business between Chaol and Celaena. She was so happy that I knew there was no way it would last. I'm known to be far too cynical for my own good so when I read about finally, how happy she was, alarm bells rang. I wondered what could possibly happen for them to break off and I hoped it wouldn't be another Sam situation where Chaol was killed. The reality was worse but not in a dying way!

"No, but you keep saying 'be careful' and telling me how you worry, and insisting you help me with things, and-"
"Because I do worry!"
"Well, you shouldn't! I'm just as capable of looking after myself you are!"
He took a step toward her, but she held her ground. "Believe me, Celaena," he snarled, his eyes flashing, "I know you can look after yourself. But I worry because I care. Gods help me, I know I shouldn't, but I do. So I will always tell you to be careful, because I will always care what happens."

Poor Dorian, he's stuck in love with her but knows they can't be together. Not only because he's the future king and she's Adarlin's assassin, but also because he can see that his best friend and Celaena are in love, well before they realise it. For such a funny and charismatic guy, he doesn't appear to have much luck in the second book.

The ending confused me a little and without giving too much away, I can't think how the next book will work, especially since the circumstances will mean that Celaena's interactions with her two admirers will be few and far between. In spite of this, I can't wait to dive in to the third book. It's clear that the magic and adventures will increase, but so will the heartbreak and perhaps that's what makes this series so addictive!  

Favourite Quotes:

"He hated each lie that came out of his mouth, but Dorian drank them up, his eyes seeming to glow with rage. This was the other sacrifice he'd have to make; because if Dorian didn't hate him, if he didn't want Chaol gone, then leaving for Anielle would be that much more difficult.
"If anything happens to her in Wendlyn," Dorian growled, refusing to back down, "I'll make you regret the day you were born."
If anything happened to her, Chaol was fairly certain he'd forever regret that day, too.

Throne of Glass (Book One)

By Sarah J. Maas

 

Synopsis:

In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass--and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.

Publication date: August 7th 2012

Source: Goodreads

My rating: 4.5 / 5

My Thoughts:

Many of my fellow bookstagrammers have recommended this series but I tried not to get sucked into the hype, always believing that sometimes books are overhyped for no reason. At the same time, I had my doubts. Surely there must be something awesome about this if practically every YA reader adores the series and the author is a New York Times bestselling author? So, I gave it a go and whoa, it was AMAZING. WHY have I not read this series before??!!! Perhaps it's a good thing because I abhor waiting for subsequent books in a series to be released so at least now I have four books to catch up on.

Firstly, let's discuss the main protagonist Celaena Sardothien. She is The most badass girl ever. Known to be the ultimate assassin, she has her ruthless outer layer, with her witty / arrogant remarks to defend the rather sensitive person she hides within. I loved her character especially because she ends up saving others rather than being the damsel in distress. Celaena's courage amazed me, even after everything she's been through, from her parent's murder to the year as a slave in the worst slave camp ever- I was shocked at how bravely she accepts each new problem.

"You deserve to be laughed at for such foolish thoughts! I spoke from my soul; you speak only from selfishness."
"You're remarkably judgmental."
"What's the point in having a mind if you don't use it to make judgments?"
"What's the point in having a heart if you don't use it to spare others from the harsh judgments of your mind?"
"Oh, well said, Your Highness!"

Onto Chaol, *sigh.* He tries so hard to be the detached and uncaring Captain but even he falls under the assassin's spell. They argue and banter so much to begin with, but it's clear that there's something there; even the Prince realises it before the do. He and Celaena make the perfect dream couple and I completely ship this pair. At first, I thought the Prince might be better suited for her, given his more easygoing temperament but Celaena and Chaol's chemistry was far more interesting. It's clear that any type of relationship will be difficult for an assassin like Celaena to maintain, especially one with the Captain of the Guard but there's always hope!

"Enjoyed that, did you?" Chaol growled.
"Immensely." Celaena patted Chaol's arm as she took it in her own. "Now you must pretend that you like me, or else everything will be ruined."
"You and the Crown Prince share the same sense of humor, it seems."
"Perhaps he and I will become dear friends, and you will be left to rot."

The Prince was a tad bit irritating in that he appeared to like her a lot but at the same time he's so used to getting what he wants all the time that he acts out when Celaena doesn't react the way he would like. He was a leeeetle bit over confident for my tastes but she soon put him in his place!

"Want to play?"
"I already old you that I don't feel well."
"You look fine to me." He skilfully shuffled the deck. "Just one game."
"Don't you pay people to entertain you?"
He glowered, breaking the deck. "You should be honored by my company."
"I'd be honored if you would leave."

I've shared some of my favourite quotes in this review. If you haven't read this series yet, I hope my review encourages you to do so! :)

Tell the Wind and Fire

By Sarah Rees Brennan

 

Synopsis:

Tell the Wind & Fire is about a young girl called Lucie who lives in a New York very different from the New York we know: the city is torn between two very different kinds of magic, and Lucie’s own family was torn apart years ago by that conflict. Lucie wears magic rings and carries a burden of guilt she can’t share with anyone.


The light in her life is her sweetheart boyfriend Ethan, but it turns out Ethan has a secret too: a soulless doppelganger created by dark magic, who has to conceal the face identical to Ethan’s with a hood fastened by a collar nobody but a Light magician with magical rings can take off… and who introduces himself to both of them by, for reasons nobody can understand, saving Ethan’s life…

Publication date: April 5th 2016

Source: Goodreads

My rating: 3.4 / 5

My Thoughts:

I haven’t read Charles Dicken’s A Tale of Two Cities but, based on the author's note, some elements of Tell the Wind and Fire are based on it. I’m a huge fan of Sarah Rees Brennan’s previous books so when I was approved on NetGalley for an ARC of TTWAF I had to request it ASAP. 

The story is set in a New York divided between Light and Dark magic, both sides battling against each other and a power shift when the Darkness begins to overpower the Light. The Light/Dark world was an interesting concept but felt a leeeetle simplistic for my liking. I'm used to Brennan's imaginative and unusual plots so a fight between Light and Dark, when Light magicians aren't always right and good and vice versa was a bit, well, boring. However, I must say that TTWAF was a much darker YA read than I expected from Brennan.

Happiness is self-sabotage, a mean trick that your mind plays on you. It makes you careless, makes you lose your grip, and once you lose your grip, you lose everything. You certainly aren’t happy anymore.

Lucie is divided between the two cities since she was born and raised in the Dark city, but has spent the last few years, since her father's rescue, in the Light city with Ethan. She reminded me of Katniss from the Hunger Games; seen as a beacon of hope and a symbol of the rebellion but isn’t willing to actively participate in the rebellion itself. She wants nothing more than to keep the people she loves safe, but unfortunately everyone she loves is in danger by association. Lucie is a likeable character in a difficult situation with a difficult upbringing but I always felt that there was so much more she could do for the peace if she tried. She’s happy to fake smile and pretend it’s all okay so that she doesn’t upset anyone and ensure her father's safety, but as the MC I wished she had shown more courage and taken more risks. She's too scared to make a move out of place just in case the safety and protection given by the Strykers, is taken away from her. Don’t get me wrong, there were times when she put herself in immense danger, but those were few and far between. Plus, she takes risks with Carwyn, always with the best intentions, which I found weird because it was all out of character for her. 

I said I just wanted to help people, to ease their suffering, but that was a lie. I didn’t do it to help anyone but myself.  I wasn’t showing real compassion for strangers, I wasn’t showing what I really felt. Real grief is ugly and uncomfortable. People look away from grief the same way they look away from severed limbs or gaping wounds. What they want is pain like death on a stage: beautiful, bloodless, presented for their entertainment. 

My favourite character was Carwyn. As the ‘evil doppelganger’ everyone is expected to hate him because doppelgangers don't have a soul (or so they say). When Carwyn pretends to be Ethan Stryker, he purposely mocks Ethan, his family and life to wind everyone up. Despite him being the ‘dark’ version of Ethan, his bitter humour made the story lighter and fun to read. His actions were rather predictable, especially the ending, but I still enjoyed his part in it. 

I spoke through my teeth. “I’m afraid I have to go home to Penelope. I have to be there for her and Marie right now.”“Oh, becase one of your adopted family has disappeared into the Dark city, possibly never to return? Of course. How insensitive of me. Please forgive me. I will think of you fondly during every course at dinner, and twice during the cheese course.”

Ethan was undoubtedly the most underrated character in this story. Although he has a huge role, we see very little of him throughout and only really get to learn about him at the very end. Initially, I was hoping Lucie and Carwyn would end up together because Ethan was portrayed as the boring ‘golden boy’ but after the ending, I’m glad she stayed true to Ethan!

“Why torture me, then?”His shadowed, moonlit face changed, amusement overcoming exhaustion, his mouth curling into a sly grin. “I said I wasn’t a criminal mastermind whose devious plans topple cities,” Carwyn told me. “I never said I was nice.”

Overall, a good read but not as exciting and fun as I had hoped. Sarah Rees Brennan’s wit flows through Carwyn’s character, which is probably the main reason why I’d recommend this book. Brennan is one of my favourite authors, which is why I expected much more, but there are many underlying messages about good and evil that I believe will be useful for younger readers.

The only choice, in the Light city or the Dark, was to be twisted or to break.

Review of Graceling

Before sharing my review I would like to let you all know that this will probably be my last review on this blog for a while. This is because I am now reviewing for Dark Faerie Tales blog, leaving little time for my own!

Graceling
(Graceling Realm #1)
By Kristin Cashore

Synopsis:

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight - she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the King, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the King's thug.

When she first meets Prince Po, GRaced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. 

She never expects to become Po's friend. 

She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace - or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away...

Source: Goodreads

My rating: 4.8 / 5

My Thoughts:

How have I not read the Graceling series before now? This is a brilliant read and if you haven't had the good fortune to read it yet, you must do so at once!

The story is based on a young girl/lady, who has an ability, or as its more commonly known, as a 'grace' for killing. Or that's what she always thought. Her uncle, King Randa realised the importance of her gift and used Katsa as his own personal assassin. The longer Katsa works for her uncle as his thug, the more uneasy she becomes with what he requires of her. Soon she creates her own group of people who secretly help rather than hurt, and along her way encounters Prince Po (what a name!), and the adventure begins.

I loved the concept of Graces, and it made me think, if I could have any Grace, what would it be? The power to excel in fights, heal others, foresee storms or mind read perhaps? A Grace is essentially a super power, but obviously there are downsides. 

Katsa's power of being a human killing machine, albeit with a conscience, means that very few people want to be around her, and because she has a very short fuse, she doesn't allow herself to have any friends either because she's afraid of hurting people close to her.

Katsa is one of my favourite literary characters ever. Being a tomboy is one thing, but Katsa takes it to another level. For example, one day she gets so fed up of having to comb her hair that she crops it just like a boy to make life easier. Katsa is so practical and sometimes machine-like that at times I would actually burst into laughter. The first time she starts crying with emotion, she's genuinely worried why her eyes are leaking!

I've gone on about Katsa, but there were lots of other awesome characters in this book too, especially Po; who is beyond adorable, Bitterblue, the stubborn little princess, and Raffin- the science crazed prince, who is also Katsa's best friend and cousin.

It goes without saying that I will definitely be reading the rest in this series and if I haven't convinced you yet, read some of my favourite quotes below!

Zed (:

Favourite Quotes:

"True. But you're better than I am, Katsa. And it doesn't humiliate me." He fed a branch to the fire. "It humbles me. But it doesn't humiliate me."

She shook her head disbelieving. "No one in this inn has any privacy."
"My sense of them is faint, Katsa. I cannot sense everyone down to the ends of their hair, as I do you.”
She sighed. “What an honor, then, to be me…”

“I’d rather strengthen my mind against you,” she said, “than knock you out every time I have a thought I don’t want you to know.”
“Yes, well, and I’d prefer that also, believe me. But I grant you permission to knock me out, if ever you need to.”
“I wish you wouldn’t. You know how impulsive I am.”
“I don’t care.”"

She cried like a person whose heart is broken and wondered how, when two people loved each other, there could be such a broken heart.

Review of Alice and the Fly

Alice and the Fly
By James Rice

 

Synopsis:

A spellbinding debut novel by an exceptional new young British talent. 

This is a book about phobias and obsessions, isolation and dark corners. It's about families, friendships, and carefully preserved secrets. But above everything else it's about love. Finding love - in any of its forms - and nurturing it. 

Miss Hayes has a new theory. She thinks my condition's caused by some traumatic incident from my past I keep deep-rooted in my mind. As soon as I come clean I'll flood out all these tears and it'll all be ok and I won't be scared of Them anymore. The truth is I can't think of any single traumatic childhood incident to tell her. I mean, there are plenty of bad memories - Herb's death, or the time I bit the hole in my tongue, or Finners Island, out on the boat with Sarah - but none of these are what caused the phobia. I've always had it. It's Them. I'm just scared of Them. It's that simple.

Source: Goodreads

My rating: 4.6 / 5

My Thoughts:

This is the kind of story that haunts you even after you’ve finished reading it. I first thought that the main character was a girl because of the attention to detail, the thoughtful and quiet personality. Only when he introduced himself as Greg did I realise that this boy was rather odd. 

The book is written from two perspectives: Greg's entries in his journal, which are interspersed with the Detective's interviews. Greg has been advised by Miss Hayes to write his thoughts in a journal, in an attempt to help him overcome some of his issues, and by reading these we glimpse a snapshot of Greg’s day, his obsession with Alice and his unusual habits.

Each interview is conducted with someone linked to Greg, such as his classmates, family members and teachers so that the Detective can learn more about Greg’s personality. The interviews take place after an 'event' unknown to the reader and the journal entries all lead up to this same 'event.' This mixture of journal entries and interviews, past and present, kept me guessing as to what actually happened, though I had my suspicions earlier on. With each interview, the reader is given another clue about the event but it’s not until the very end that the gruesome details are fully revealed.

How can I describe this book and do justice to the amazing writing? Honestly, I've never read anything like it. The detail in which James Rice captures Greg’s episodes and the panic that suffocates him is surreal. Clearly, Greg has issues and violent outbursts, but from his journal entries it’s near impossible not to sympathise with his character. He has no friends, his family treat him like an embarrassing burden and he is constantly bullied at school, referred to as ‘psycho.’ He tries so hard to be normal but it is almost like his body doesn’t listen to his brain. On numerous occasions, Greg tries to speak up and prove he is normal, but he can't bring himself to speak, and it's sad to see how his silence always makes things worse. 

As you might have guessed, Greg is the fly from the title of this book. I thought this was a most appropriate likeness, given that Greg is always hovering near Alice in a stalker-like fashion so that no one notices him and those that do just get annoyed by his existence. 

The only problem I had with this book was that I became a tad bit bored during the middle of the story because I felt that the build up was being dragged on longer than necessary. Alice and the Fly was a powerful read opening my eyes to the extremeness of some people’s phobias. Although it isn’t a book I plan to re-read given the depressing nature of the story, I will be looking out for further releases by James Rice because his writing style for his debut novel was amazing.

Zed (:

To finish off, I'd like to ask some questions to my friend (and sole book club member) Bird to see her take on this read:

1. What was your rating of Alice and the Fly?

4/5

2. Favourite scene / chapter?

I don’t think this is a book that you could say you really liked or didn’t like. It’s beautifully written, very moving and difficult to describe.

But the interactions between Greg and Alice really stood out for me, particularly the one with the two of them at the park.  Despite the serious and dark subject matters there are some really moving parts of the book.

3. What didn't you like about this book?

Although he is surrounded by people, Greg feels alone and isolated. You get a glimpse of the cruelty and unkindness young people can leash on those who they deem weird or different then them. He shrugs off the hurt and pain, almost as if he’s resigned to it as his fate. But what I found most disheartening was the desertion-like sentiment he experienced from the two people who should have been there for him- his parents.

4. Apart from Greg, who shocked / surprised you the most?

I was shocked to find that despite the apparent aloofness he experiences from his own family, I found I didn’t judge them. Through Greg’s naïve insightfulness you gain an understanding of their own struggles and demons.

5. Three words to describe Greg?

Isolated, haunted, honest

Favourite Quotes:

It's not people so much that bother me. It's Them. I heard once that a person is never more than three metres away from one of Them at any time, and since then I can't help feeling that the more people there are around, the more there's a chance that one of Them'll be around too. I know that's stupid.

It doesn't bother me silence. People talk too much.

And even if I didn't smile back at you at the time, imaginarily or realitarily, it didn't matter, because even through my sickness and my shaking and my headaches and my chattering teeth I kept smiling for the next three days.

'I can't bump into her,' Mum said. 'Not like this.'I couldn't work out why. Mum was wearing her heels and her hair and makeup were perfect. She looked beautiful. She kept repeating the word 'No,' over and over, under her breath. 'No, no no, no, no.' Then she turned to me and said, 'Just promise me, if she sees us, just promise me you'll try and be normal.'I didn't reply to that because I didn't know how to reply, I didn't know how I could promise something I had failed to do my whole life.

This is what happens when I don't see you. this is what always happens to pure perfect things, given time. Circumstances change. People change. The world moves on and I am left behind.

I've been pulling out my eyelashes. It's a new habit. Dr Howard advises against it. She says it's a problem, but not such a problem, considering my other problems. 

Review of Beyond Reach

Beyond Reach
(True Calling #2)
By Siobhan Davis

 

Synopsis:

Back on Earth, Ariana is caught in a dangerous crossfire between clandestine rebel organization Clementia and the power-hungry government. Refusing to divulge the location of the secret information entrusted to her by her late father, she desperately tries to bargain for her Mom, Lily and Cal's rescue. She's fighting a losing battle, and the clock is ticking.

Presented with evidence of her fiance Cal's apparent betrayal, she loyally defends him despite her concerns. With her emotions in turmoil, matters become even more complicated as she grows closer to her ex-boyfriend Zane.

When the stakes are raised, a succession of shocking revelations rocks her world, setting her on a path that will not only change her destiny but the fate of humanity. 

Confronted by a memory so abhorrent comes a truth she would do anything to forget.

But some things just can't be undone.

Source: Goodreads

My rating: 2.6 / 5

My Thoughts:

**I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

As it has been a while since I read the first book in the true calling series, I couldn't immediately remember what previously too place.  However, book two was easy enough to follow and piece the story together. 

This was a tolerable read, but nothing to write home about. The love triangle was annoying and frustrating most of the time. Clearly Ari has feelings for Zane and Cal,  but due to her amnesia can't remember Zane, and due to the separation,  can't be with Cal. It leaves her in a difficult situation and I should sympathise but her character irritated me. Shes so petty and illogical,  her heart rules her to such an extent that at times I wondered if she had a brain at all!

Then Cal returns but now he's lost his memory so he can't remember anything, including being engaged to Ari. I guess it's a taste of her own medicine but luckily for Ari, Cal is more receptive with her than she was with Zane. 

I pitied Zane in the last book but his determination and unyielding love for Ari was unrealistic.  There is absolutely no way a guy can continue to be so enthralled with someone and remain calm in the situations Zane has gone through,  it was too unbelievable. I felt like shouting at him because if he really was that loyal there is no way she deserved him. The love triangle reminded me of Bella in Twilight and the way she led Jacob on knowing his devotion to her. 

Overall, I did not enjoy the second book in the True Calling series as much as the first, this wasn't a book for me. The characters were annoying, the romance was cheesy and stifling and the story didn't have me convinced. The cliffhanger at the end was a good twist but it wasn't enough to warrant a continuation of this series.

Zed (:

Likeable Quote:

"Empirical evidence shows that sixty-eight percent of girls marry a guy who displays similar personality traits to her father..." His voice trails off as I shake my head. "What?" he asks, his palms open and raised."You really need to get out more. Where'd you glean that interesting nugget? The desperate men's journal perhaps?"

Henge (le Fay series) Blog tour and giveaway! Feb 9 - 14

  

Henge

(Le Fay #1)

By Realm Lovejoy  

I am so excited to participate in the Henge by Realm Lovejoy blogtour hosted by Xpresso Book Tours. 

If you think the cover is intriguing, check out the synopsis and excerpt below.

Don't forget to enter the Tour-wide Giveaway at the bottom of this post for a chance at the following:

1 signed copy of Henge + swag (US only)

1 Amazon Giftcard ($20) (INTL)

2 paperbacks of Henge (US only)

4 ebook copies of Henge (INTL)

Synopsis:
Modern-day Camelot. Where knights no longer carry swords. Magic is dangerous. And those who seek control are not to be trusted. 

Sixteen-year-old Morgan le Fay is a fire user. An ordinary girl with an extraordinary skill, she has the ability to create and command fire at will. Her dream is to become the Maven - the right hand of the future King Arthur. In the chance of a lifetime, Morgan is selected to join Arthur's Round, an elite group of young magic users from which the new Maven will be chosen.  

Along with the other fire, water, and wind users in Arthur's Round, Morgan is rigorously trained and tested. The handsome Merlin, a brilliant water user, takes a particular interest in her. Is his friendship to be trusted, or is Merlin simply trying to win the position of Maven for himself? Among the many rivals Morgan faces is the current Maven, Mordred, who seems determined to see her fail.

But Morgan has a secret - years ago, her mother was executed for using fire magic, and Morgan's desire for justice makes her more than ready to take on the challenge before her. Can she prevail in Camelot's tests of survival and magic? Only time - and Morgan's powerful fire - will tell.

"Camelot meets Hogwarts meets Panem in this intriguing, well-written beginning to a planned YA series."- Kirkus Reviews

Source: Goodreads

Publication date: November 11th 2014

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Trailer: Youtube
Purchase link: Amazon

 

My rating: 3.8 / 5

My Thoughts:

*I received a free ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

In all honesty, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect when I received this book. I had read the synopsis, which was about a magical school and that has always been my weakness post Harry Potter. The cover of Henge shows an animated manga-type character in kick ass clothes, which suggests that the book is more along the line of a graphic novel (it isn’t) but it definitely piqued my interest.

Let’s move on to the story itself, which takes place in and around Camelot(!) and the protagonist is a stubborn, female girl named Morgan. I found Morgan to be a most intriguing character, in both a good and a not-so-good way. Her life’s ambition is to work for King Arthur as his Maven; the most trusted member of his consul. As a Maven she wants to help influence politics and change the laws in favour of magic users outside of Camelot because of the strong impractical restrictions currently in place. Her aim to be Maven is strongly influenced by her mother's execution for using magic in self defence and because of the visions she had as a child of serving King Arthur.

As honourable as her goals sound, Morgan doesn't seem to know much about what being a Maven entails. She's hell bent on achieving the role but I can't see her having much love for the royal family and she’s never at ease in their presence, which doesn’t exactly fit with the job description. Morgan is impulsive, keeps a lot of secrets and although she means well, she's cheated throughout her trials in Arthur's Round. For example, when Ganeida used her fire magic to help Morgan achieve top scores, Morgan questioned her but since it helped her scores, she didn't report anything. As soon as Ganeida uses her magic to fail Morgan she immediately speaks up against her, a tad bit hypocritical don't you think? She drugs Lancelot to go through his stuff, doesn’t object when Guinevere heals her and lies about her vision in her final test because it doesn’t show her in the best light and then wonders why Maven Mordred doesn’t trust her?!

Don't get me wrong, her magical Power as a fire user and determination is remarkable, but personally I can’t see her as being fit for the Maven role. I’m not saying Merlin isn’t any better, but at least he knows what the job involves and what he’s doing. He’s level-minded and whether he's evil at heart, who knows. I didn’t trust him from the start but as the story progresses I realised his sometimes questionable actions are not entirely of his own making.

Despite my concerns about the main character, Morgan isn’t bad at heart; I just think she’s really young and thinks that being Maven is the only way she can bring about a change. There’s a lot more to her mother’s story than we know of and I’m interested to learn more about the Luminaries. My favourite character was Morgan’s father; his scene when meeting (aka grilling) Merlin was hilarious! I enjoyed this book, and it was told at a fairly quick pace with the right amount of back story I would expect from a series starter.

Zed (:

Favourite Quotes:

“My father told me never to judge someone I don’t know.”
“Judging and gossiping are part of proper conversation.”

“A friend, huh?” Father presses. “You might think so, Morgan, but men are animals. I bet you he wants something more.”
I roll my eyes. “He’s just a friend.”
“Oh, yeah? I told people that your mother was ‘just a friend.’”

Father grips Merlin’s good arm, as if he wishes the other were broken too. He inspects Merlin like he’s scrutinizing meat at a butcher shop. “You’re a bit thin, boy.”
“Oh, were you planning on cooking me?” Merlin queries, and I have to stifle a laugh.

“You should hunt with me next week,” Father says to Merlin.
Father only takes people he likes hunting, but maybe Father is planning to shoot Merlin.

“Lady Fay,” he says. “You have such an icy stare. It burns me.”
“Sir Lancelot,” I say quietly. “I suggest you be careful.”

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