Saturday 30 November 2013

09:00 - 3 comments

Stacking the Shelves (Week 4)

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"Stacking the Shelves" is a weekly event hosted by Tynga's Reviews that highlights which books are new on ones bookshelf for that week.  Here is what this week has brought to mine!


All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill (purchased from local bookstore) 

There is my list!  What's new on your shelf this week?

I'm finally going to see the new Catching Fire movie today! Has anyone seen it?  If so, what did you think?

Stay nerdy,
Julia

Thursday 28 November 2013

13:40 - No comments

Book Review: Witch Finder by Ruth Warburton

Witch Finder (Witch Finder, #1)

Synopsis from Goodreads:

London. 1880. In the slums of Spitalfields apprentice blacksmith Luke is facing initiation into the Malleus Maleficorum, the fearsome brotherhood dedicated to hunting and killing witches.

Luke’s final test is to pick a name at random from the Book of Witches, a name he must track down and kill within a month, or face death himself. Luke knows that tonight will change his life forever. But when he picks out sixteen-year-old Rosa Greenwood, Luke has no idea that his task will be harder than he could ever imagine.

My Review:

(I received an advance copy from Hachette Children’s Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

Witch Finder, by Ruth Warburton, is about witch hunter, Luke, and his destined quest to kill young witch, Rosa. However, as the the story unfolds, the two end up falling in love, making it harder for Luke to complete his task. This also makes it harder for Rosa to save her family by marrying another man and regaining his fortune.

As far as the plot line, that is it. I would have preferred a more complicated and elaborate storyline, perhaps it would have made the book more interesting throughout. Instead, it just came across as very plain and straight forward. I am a fan of novels with lots of character back stories that entwine with the ending and overall journey. This book is lacking in that, in my opinion. The first few pages focus primarily on the “brotherhood” that gathers together in attempt to kill witches. It also describes Luke’s initiation into this group. As I read this, I got excited because I enjoy reading literature about mysterious cults that worship mythological or supernatural beings. However, after Luke was welcomed into the group and he left to start his first mission, my excitement died down and the brotherhood wasn’t really touched on again as much as I would have liked. In my opinion, Warburton missed out on an opportunity for more elaboration.

I love period novels, and found that Warburton’s writing style fits the setting perfectly. It is so well projected and informed that one can really tell she did her research. For example, when Rose visits her fiance’s match factory, the building is described so well, extremely realistic and haunting. The same goes for when the characters traverse through the darker streets of London and meet its residents. I really pictured these scenes in detail. The poetic description continues throughout the entire novel giving the clothing, the people, and their dilemmas a theatrical aspect all the way to the end.

The ending is very exciting, however, the action halts rather abruptly and I thought that it stopped a bit short. I got the impression that Warburton was trying to leave a cliffhanger, although I wasn’t clear about what was to be resolved in the next novel. I would have preferred it if the ending wrapped up all the little loose ends rather than leaving them for the sequel to resolve. However, the book has a fitting plot twist that I slightly suspected would happen and I was happy that it did. In spite of this, I would have liked it better if Rosa had witnessed the twist along with, or instead of, Luke. In my opinion, Rosa is just as much as involved in the newly altered story as he is, and so, I would have liked to have read a little more action from her throughout the overall climax. It seems like Luke accomplishes all the heroic achievements while Rosa is restricted to a locked room. Nevertheless, the story has a good ending that I enjoyed and found exciting.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel. The setting and description is very captivating and the characters have wonderful personalities that are instantly easy to care about. The only things that I would say could have been improved are the storyline and the level of excitement of events throughout. With an interesting topic such as witches and witch hunters, maybe a little more mythology would have helped make it more complex and exciting. Perhaps this will be improved in the sequel, which I will most definitely read.


I give Witch Finder, by Ruth Warburton 4 out of 5 stars.

Expected Publication: January 2nd, 2014 from Hodder Children's Books.

Is Witch Finder on your to-read list?  

Come back on Saturday, I'll be posting this weeks edition of "Stacking the Shelves"!

Stay nerdy,
Julia

Wednesday 27 November 2013

10:14 - No comments

Waiting on Wednesday: Avalon by Mindee Arnett

“Waiting on Wednesday” is weekly event, hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that highlights books that people can't wait to get their hands on. Here is mine for this week!

This week, the book that I am counting down the days for is Avalon by Mindee Arnett.


Avalon

Synopsis from Goodreads:

A ragtag group of teenage mercenaries who crew the spaceship Avalon stumble upon a conspiracy that could threaten the entire galaxy in this fascinating and fast-paced sci-fi adventure from author Mindee Arnett.

Of the various star systems that make up the Confederation, most lie thousands of light-years from First Earth-and out here, no one is free. The agencies that govern the Confederation are as corrupt as the crime bosses who patrol it, and power is held by anyone with enough greed and ruthlessness to claim it. That power is derived from one thing: metatech, the devices that allow people to travel great distances faster than the speed of light.

Jeth Seagrave and his crew of teenage mercenaries have survived in this world by stealing unsecured metatech, and they're damn good at it. Jeth doesn't care about the politics or the law; all he cares about is earning enough money to buy back his parents' ship, Avalon, from his crime-boss employer and getting himself and his sister, Lizzie, the heck out of Dodge. But when Jeth finds himself in possession of information that both the crime bosses and the government are willing to kill for, he is going to have to ask himself how far he'll go to get the freedom he's wanted for so long.

Avalon is the perfect fit for teens new to sci-fi as well as seasoned sci-fi readers looking for more books in the YA space-and a great match for fans of Joss Whedon's cult hit show Firefly.

Expected Publication: January 21st, 2014 from Balzer & Bray 

Why I'm Waiting:

First, look at that cover! Isn't it gorgeous?! Okay, fangirling partially over. One of my favourite genres to read is Sci-Fi.  I cannot get enough of it. So when I read the synopsis for this book I couldn't help but jump up and down and run to mark the publication date on my calendar.

Are you excited about reading Avalon too?  What are you waiting for this week?  

I'll be posting my very overdo review for Witch Finder by Ruth Warburton tomorrow so stay tuned!  But as always, comeback on Saturday for Stacking the Shelves!

Stay nerdy,
Julia

Tuesday 26 November 2013

12:19 - 1 comment

Top Ten Tuesdays: Bookish Things I am Thankful For



I have been under the weather this week so I have been neglecting my blogging a little bit, my apologies!  I will post that review that I promised for yesterday later this week!  As for now, its Top Ten Tuesdays!

This week on "Top Ten Tuesdays" (hosted by The Broke and the Bookish) the topic is bookish things that I am thankful for.   


10.  Other Book Bloggers
I honestly don't think I would be writing this right now if it weren't for all the other book bloggers out there!  Both the ones I have talked to in person and all the blogs I follow on the web!  I tried to create this blog way back when I had no idea of what it involved (weekly memes etc.) and it wasn't very good, trust me. Then about a year later, after reading and asking questions, I was able to come back and make it much better...I think. :)

9. The Library
Thank the Gods for the library!!  I wouldn't be able to read the mounds of books that I read if it weren't for that heavenly sanctuary five minutes away from my house.  Not only does it accommodate any book lover's budget, but for me it is a peaceful place where I can go write, read, or just be alone...well as alone as I can be as long as there's Wi-Fi. ;)

8.  Tumblr
One of the first social networking sites I joined!  This was the home of my first nerdy blog, Nerdosophy.  I still update it on a regular bases, if you want to check it out. Anyways, Tumblr was introduced to me when I first Googled Cassandra Clare's name and her blog showed up.  That click was the first exposure that sparked my love of Fandoms.  That flame has only but grown since then.

7. The Writing Workshops I Attended this Summer
This summer I attended a huge writing camp at the Vancouver central library.  I learned so much from all the guest authors that came to speak and look at our work. It was such a great experience to be in huge room with so many other young fans like myself as well!

6. Fandoms
In my opinion, everyone has at least one fandom of some sort.  It is such a nice feeling to be able to walk to my computer and rant about a book, movie, TV show, etc. and see all the people that will listen and discuss with me!  It is an amazingly unique form of a community!

5. Goodreads
This blog and my various massive reading lists run on Goodreads.  This is one of my most visited sites and I love it!  Whenever I want to look up a release date, book cover, or synopsis for a book, this is the place that I go!  

4. NetGalley
I owe a lot of my views and followers to this site.  Getting all the advance copies gives me the ability to make my blog more advertised on sites like Goodreads and Tumblr when I post my reviews.  NetGalley, I love you! Thank you. :)  

3. All the Authors I got to Meet this Year
I was extremely lucky to be able to meet all the amazing authors I did this year!  I was able to stand within 4 feet of amazing people like Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, Maureen Johnson, Maggie Stiefvater, Jeyn Roberts, and more!  I also got that opportunity to write a report about Cassandra Clare's Vancouver Clockwork Princess tour stop on TMI Source!  That was extremely exciting!  You can check that post out if you want, here!

2.  My Parents (in this Case for Putting up with a Fangirl)
Not only do my parents buy me so many books, they agree to take me to book events, writing shows, movie premieres, Comic-Cons etc.  Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I know its not easy putting up with an extreme Fangirl on a daily bases! ;) Love you both very much.

1. All my Wonder Friends who Rant/Cry/Scream with Me about Various Different Fandoms 
Last, but definitely not least, my group of amazing friends who rant/cry/scream about nerdy stuff along beside me. You know who you are. ;) I have had so many wonderful conversations with you that have only enhanced my love of reading, writing, and more!  Thank you for reading excerpts of my writing and giving me feedback! Thank you for holding my hand and tapping your shoulder when my favourite book characters die!  Thank you for being on the other side of a phone call after the new Doctor Who episode airs! You are all amazing! Love you! *hugs*

And that concludes my list for this week.  What are some things you're grateful for?

Come back tomorrow when I'll be posting this weeks edition of "Waiting on Wednesday".

Stay nerdy,
Julia

Saturday 23 November 2013

18:49 - 3 comments

Stacking the Shelves (Week 3)

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"Stacking the Shelves" is a weekly event hosted by Tynga's Reviews that highlights which books are new on ones bookshelf for that week.  Here is what this week has brought to mine!

 The dark lady (Sherlock, Lupin, and Me #1)The Iron Traitor (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten, #2)
The Shadowhunter's CodexWhat to Buy the Shadowhunter Who Has Everything (And Who You're Not Officially Dating Anyway) (The Bane Chronicles, #8)

The Dark Lady (Sherlock, Lupin, and me #1) by Irene Adler (received from Capstone Young Readers through Netgalley) Review coming soon!

The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa (purchased form local bookstore) *Note: Check out my review for book one, The Lost Prince, here!

The Shadowhunter's Codex by Cassandra Clare and Joshua Lewis (purchased from local bookstore) Review coming soon!

What to Buy the Shadowhunter Who Has Everything (And Who You're Not Officially Dating Anyway) (The Bane Chronicles #8) by Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Breenan (purchased from iBooks) Review coming soon!

There is my list!  What's new on your shelf this week?

Did anyone watch the 50th anniversary Doctor Who episode? If so, did you find it as amazing as I did?! I was completely captivated the entire time!

Stay tuned, I'll be posting my new review for Witch Finder by Ruth Warburton, on Monday.

Stay nerdy,
Julia

Wednesday 20 November 2013

09:38 - 2 comments

Waiting on Wednesday: Dangerous by Shannon Hale

“Waiting on Wednesday” is weekly event, hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that highlights books that people can't wait to get their hands on. Here is mine for this week!

This week, the book that I am counting down the days for is Dangerous by Shannon Hale.

Dangerous



Synopsis from Goodreads:

Maisie Danger Brown just wanted to get away from home for a bit, see something new. She never intended to fall in love. And she never imagined stumbling into a frightening plot that kills her friends and just might kill her, too. A plot that is already changing life on Earth as we know it. There's no going back. She is the only thing standing between danger and annihilation.

From NY Times bestselling author Shannon Hale comes a novel that asks, How far would you go to save the ones you love? And how far would you go to save everyone else?


Expected Publication: March 4th, 2014 from Bloomsbury 

This book sounds so cool! I can't wait to get my hands on this novel!

Are you looking forward to reading Dangerous too? What are you waiting for this week? Let me know in the comments below!

Come back on Saturday for this weeks edition of "Stacking the Shelves"!

Stay nerdy,
Julia

Tuesday 19 November 2013

09:55 - 2 comments

Top Ten Tuesdays: What I Would Recommend to a Teen Who Claims They Don't like to Read

This week on "Top Ten Tuesdays" (hosted by The Broke and the Bookish) the topic is books that I would recommend to X person. So in other words, I got to choose who I wanted to gear this list towards, so I decided to focus on teens who claim they don’t like to read.  If you're like that, then I would recommend these picks to you.  

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1)
For me this is an obvious choice because, believe it or not, I was going through a stage where I didn't want to read. It wasn't that I didn't like it, its just that I was missing the right book. This one was recommended highly to me and I am so glad it ever was! This is one of two series that I owe my love of reading too, the second one being…

Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, #1)Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices, #2)Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices, #3)
This series is one that introduced me to the world of YA lit. I honestly do not think I would be reading if it wasn't for the time I was scoring a bookstore shelf and spotted that lovely cover with the guy in the top hat. In fact, I don't know where I would be if it wasn't for these books. Whether you read or otherwise, I tell you…READ THESE BOOKS!! ;)

Steelheart (Reckoners, #1)
For those who would rather see the movie than read the book, this one is for you! Its very similar to a really good action/adventure/sci-fi blockbuster film. I swear its ready for production. Not to mention that it was near impossible to put down and had the greatest plot twist that I have ever read!

The Perks of Being a Wallflower
I put this one on the list because of its size and realistic setting. For people who don’t like to read, I could see this book being worth a try. Plus it is very popular and there’s a movie based on it, meaning that there is plenty to do and talk about after.

Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #1)
I would recommend this one due to the fact that it was pretty straight forward and wasn’t too complicated. For those who don’t want to be left trying to decipher and follow a difficult storyline, then I would say to give this one a try.

The Fault in Our Stars
I don’t know about you, but I have never met anyone who doesn’t love John Green’s books, especially this one. It was so quirky and fun, while still being serious, tragic and utterly real at the same time. I would recommend this book to everyone, reader or not. Plus the movie is going to be released next summer, so one has that to look forward too!

Anna and the French Kiss (Anna and the French Kiss, #1)
I found this book to be a very lighthearted, so if you don't want to something to serious you should look into reading this one. Plus its set in Paris so one could go wrong with that!

Dark Inside (Dark Inside, #1)Rage Within (Dark Inside, #2)
I probably wouldn’t have picked up this series if it wasn’t for the fact that I was going to take a writing seminar that the author was going instruct. I am so happy I did! The writing is so fluid and poetically creepy at some moments that if you don’t like reading because you find the actually writing uninteresting, then I would recommend this to you!

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1)
I have actually recommended this book to someone who hated reading before and the next time I saw said person, she ended up charging towards me to give me a big hug. So if its worked in the past, why not try it again? ;)

I Hunt Killers (Jasper Dent, #1)
For those who love crime drama shows on TV like Criminal Minds or CSI, then I would recommend this to you.

And there is my list for this week!  Which books would you recommend to someone?  

Come back tomorrow for this weeks edition of "Waiting on Wednesday"!

Stay nerdy,
Julia














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Monday 18 November 2013

15:55 - No comments

Book Review: Sea of Shadows by Kelly Armstrong

(I received an advance copy from Doubleday Canada through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

 Sea of Shadows (Age of Legends, #1)

Synopsis from Goodreads:

In the Forest of the Dead, where the empire’s worst criminals are exiled, twin sisters Moria and Ashyn are charged with a dangerous task. For they are the Keeper and the Seeker, and each year they must quiet the enraged souls of the damned.
Only this year, the souls will not be quieted.
Ambushed and separated by an ancient evil, the sisters’ journey to find each other sends them far from the only home they’ve ever known. Accompanied by a stubborn imperial guard and a dashing condemned thief, the girls cross a once-empty wasteland, now filled with reawakened monsters of legend, as they travel to warn the emperor. But a terrible secret awaits them at court—one that will alter the balance of their world forever.

My Review:

Kelly Armstrong’s new book, Sea of Shadows, follows the adventures of twin sisters, Moria and Ashyn, on their quest to stop the Shadow Stalkers, the monsters that destroyed their village. On the way through the journey, the twins get separated and try to find their way back to each other. They do this with the help of buff warrior, Gavril, and charming bandit, Ronan.

I really loved the character dynamics between the four heroes. Their personalities really seemed to complement one another perfectly. For example, Moria is a skillful fighter and can be feral with her dagger at times. In contrast, her sister, Ashyn, is thoughtful and caring, and has more difficulty grasping the concept of violence. Giving the sisters opposing personalities was a great idea, except that there wasn’t as much interaction between them as I would have liked. This may be because the main storyline is that they get separated. However, when they do meet up in the end, they seem more connected to their traveling companions, Gavril and Ronan, than to each other.

Gavril and Ronan each added their own little flair to the novel. The setting of the book, a “forest of the dead” and a massacred village, was quite depressing, so Ronan helped lighten the mood with his loving and lighthearted personality. Gavril paired well with Moria, up about their fears and feelings, cracking their stubborn shells and making them easier to relate too. Ronan and Gavril also had really well plotted back stories. Armstrong knows how to make secondary characters just as important as the main ones. She gave these characters interesting histories that grabbed my attention. I look forward to seeing how they develop in future books.

As I said, the setting was rather depressing and gloomy. It gave the book a really dark persona. In fact, considering the amount of description, I thought the places would be more interesting. There was a lot of time spent scraping the surface of the setting rather than exploring them further, leaving me to picture and imagine the finer details myself. For example, while they were in the forest, there was talk about vicious monsters, the Shadow Stalkers. When the monsters showed up, the action was quite brief. It also seemed a little hard to grasp because I didn’t know the monsters’ stories and so I felt detached and uninterested. With such an awesome title such as Shadow Stalkers, I was hoping for more of a storyline about these creatures. My expectation for this was also raised after reading Armstrong’s brilliant character plots. I thought that would have carried through to the monsters. Overall, it could have used more imagination and excitement, being what I would consider a fantasy read.

The ending for this book really let me down. It seemed to finish very unresolved and was very anti-climatic. In fact, I even double-checked to make sure the entire book had been downloaded. That was how unfinished it seemed to me. The last fifty pages or so really dragged. In my opinion, it would have been better if they were filled with a climatic adventure, like a final battle or a more complex plot twist. I found it too predictable and way too inactive. Maybe I have a flair for the dramatics, although, I think the twist had potential for more. Perhaps the ending in future books will be less disappointing.

Despite the ending, I enjoyed the novel because of the characters. Right from the beginning it was apparent that this was a character driven novel. The characters made the novel worth reading. If it weren’t for them, it would have been a struggle to finish the book. The prologue was very captivating and I really enjoyed the beginning as well, but I believe the reason why I was so disappointed with the ending was that I was expecting more, since I was enjoying it until that point. I will read the sequel, however, just to find out what happens to the characters. I would recommend this book to someone who is a fan of dark plots and well thought out character dynamics.

I give Sea of Shadows, by Kelly Armstrong three out of five stars.

There is my review for Monday.  Come back tomorrow for "Top Ten Tuesdays!"

Stay nerdy,
Julia



Saturday 16 November 2013

08:49 - 5 comments

Stacking the Shelves (Week 2)

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"Stacking the Shelves" is a weekly event hosted by Tynga's Reviews that highlights which books are new on ones bookshelf for that week.  Here is what this week has brought to mine!

Cursed (Voodoo Nights #1)Impostor (Variants, #1)
Game (Jasper Dent #2)The Waking Dark


Cursed by Lizzie Ford (received from Indie Inked through NetGalley). Review coming soon!

Impostor by Susanne Winnacker (received from Hachette Children's Books through NetGalley). Review coming soon!

Game by Barry Lyga (purchased from local bookstore)

The Walking Dark by Robin Wasserman (purchased from local bookstore)

There is my list!  What's new on your shelf this week?

Stay tuned, I'll be posting my new review for Sea of Shadows by Kelly Armstrong on Monday.

Stay nerdy,
Julia

Wednesday 13 November 2013

08:47 - 1 comment

Waiting on Wednesday: These Broken Stars by Annie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

 “Waiting on Wednesday” is weekly event, hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that highlights books that people can't wait to get their hands on. Here is mine for this week! ;)

This week, the book that I am counting down the days for is These Broken Stars by Annie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner.

These Broken Stars (Starbound, #1)

Synopsis from Goodreads:

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone. 

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help. 

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

Expected publication: December 10th, 2013 from Disney Hyperion


Why I'm waiting:

I just love books that have a space setting.  I can't get enough of them.  So when I spotted These Broken Stars online, I marked the release date on my calendar.  There is also the added element of traveling to a different planet.  I'm looking forward to seeing how imaginative and inventive that planet will be.   

Are you looking forward to reading  These Broken Stars too?  What are you waiting for this week? Let me know in the comments below!

Come back on Saturday for this weeks edition of "Stacking the Shelves"!

Stay nerdy,
Julia












Tuesday 12 November 2013

09:02 - 2 comments

Top Ten Tuesdays: Covers I Wish I Could Redesign

This week on "Top Ten Tuesdays" (hosted by The Broke and the Bookish) the topic is covers that I wish I could redesign.  I have a tendency to "judge a book by its cover", so for me when I see a weird book cover at the store, I usually move on (that's bad, I know, I should work on that).  However, I had a blast putting this list together!


Perfect Chemistry (Perfect Chemistry, #1)Rules of Attraction (Perfect Chemistry, #2)
Chain Reaction (Perfect Chemistry, #3)


Bridget Jones's Diary (Bridget Jones, #1)


Ashes on the Waves


Dance of Shadows (Dance of Shadows, #1)


Adaptation (Adaptation, #1)


Twilight (Twilight, #1)


Delirium (Delirium #1)


The Beautiful and the Cursed


Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky, #1)


What Is Real


That concludes my list for this week.  What are some of your least favourite covers?  Let me know in the comments below!  Come back tomorrow for "Waiting on Wednesday."

Stay nerdy,
Julia











Monday 11 November 2013

09:22 - No comments

Book Review: The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa


Synopsis from Goodreads:

Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’d dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

My review:

Having read the previous books, I already had an idea of what to expect from The Lost Prince. I was especially excited to read this book because, this time, the story is told from Ethan’s perspective as a teenager. In the other books from the series, the main narrator is his older sister, Meghan. I found his voice very well projected throughout the novel, flowing quite nicely with the storyline. His opinions and interests seem to really match the context of the story. I do wish, however, that there was less thought and description from Ethan and more dialog between the other characters. At times, especially in the first one hundred pages or so, it seems very focused on him. After a while, I got bored of hearing his same problems over and over again. Nevertheless, this repetition could be helpful if one is new to the series as it revisits some of the events in the past four books, giving the reader a better understanding of the character’s history. This does make the plot line move more slowly, but when supporting characters do show up, they’re very enjoyable.

Because this is technically a new trilogy, but part of the same series, we get to enjoy small cameo appearances from returning characters, and to meet new ones as well, including the new secondary character, Mackenzie St. James. Not only is she smart, funny, and brave, she has a well developed back story that broke my heart. I look forward to reading what happens to her in future books. Ethan’s nephew, Keirran, makes his first appearance as well. My biggest criticism is that there is not enough of him throughout the novel. He is there, but not really enhancing the scene in any way. In the climax of the book he starts to play more of a role, although I found it short lived and unresolved. He did, however, seem to really fit well with the setting. I could just picture him blending in with the magical world of the fey.

I love how Kagawa’s imaginative worlds seem to have such inventive connections to reality. For instance, she writes that whenever a computer glitches in the real world, it is because a gremlin’s deviance is at work. Furthermore, the entire existence of feys’ homeland, the Nevernever, is built on the dreams and imaginings of “mortals”. This provides the opportunity for a modern twist by adding a technological side to the feys. Kagawa has taken something as stereotypical as faeries and found a way to give them her own little flair, making them unique. I had much fun trying to picture these wonderfully described places and characters.

Overall, I enjoyed The Lost Prince. There were some slow moments in the beginning and it seemed to move at a slow pace for a while, however, it eventually picked up speed and progressed faster towards the ending. The ending was good, slightly predictable, but still exciting. It left me ready to read the next installment. I would recommend this book to fans of magical worlds and elaborately thought out settings.

I give The Lost Prince, by Julie Kagawa, 4 out of 5 stars.

Have you read The Lost Prince or any of Kagawa's other books? If so, what did you think?

Hope you enjoyed my review!

Stay nerdy,
Julia



Saturday 9 November 2013

12:31 - 9 comments

Stacking the Shelves (Week 1)

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"Stacking the Shelves" is a weekly event hosted by Tynga's Reviews that highlights which books are new on ones bookshelf for that week.  Here is what this week has brought to mine!

Sea of Shadows (Age of Legends, #1)Witch Finder (Witch Finder, #1)
Allegiant (Divergent, #3)More Than This

Sea of Shadows by Kelly Armstrong (received from Doubleday Canada through NetGalley). Review coming soon!

Witch Finder by Ruth Warburton (received from Hachette Children's Books through NetGalley). Review coming soon!

Allegiant by Veronica Roth (purchased from local bookstore)

More Than This by Patrick Ness (purchased from local bookstore)

There is my list!  What's new on your shelf this week?

Stay tuned for Monday, when I'll be posting my new review for The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa.

Julia