Review: WitchStruck by Victoria Lamb

If she sink, she be no witch and shall be drowned.

If she float, she be a witch and must be hanged.

Meg Lytton has always known she is different—that she bears a dark and powerful gift. But in 1554 England, in service at Woodstock Palace to the banished Tudor princess Elizabeth, it has never been more dangerous to practise witchcraft. Meg knows she must guard her secret carefully from the many suspicious eyes watching over the princess and her companions. One wrong move could mean her life, and the life of Elizabeth, rightful heir to the English throne.

With witchfinder Marcus Dent determined to have Meg's hand in marriage, and Meg's own family conspiring against the English queen, there isn't a single person Meg can trust. Certainly not the enigmatic young Spanish priest Alejandro de Castillo, despite her undeniable feelings. But when all the world turns against her, Meg must open her heart to a dangerous choice.

The Secret Circle meets The Other Boleyn Girl in Witchstruck, the first book of the magical Tudor Witch trilogy. 

Published September 24th 2013 by Harlequin Teen 

(info grabbed from GoodReads)

"Oh, d-d-dear."

-Piglet

This chick needs to take a lesson from Piglet from Pooh Corner.  That quote would be an appropriate reaction to being a witch in Tudor times.  Seriously.  We need to go back in time and into this fantasy land to get this girl some Winnie the Pooh.

Witchstruck is about a young witch, Meg, and her escapades in witchcraft while being bestie to the future Queen Elizabeth.  There is also a Spanish priest that makes Meg’s heart pitter-patter.  There’s the plot of Protestants trying to overthrow the Catholics that really felt more like a sub plot thrown in there too.  But really, this book is about one thing: stupidity.

Meg is somewhat interesting in the sense that she is not what I'd expect of a girl from this time period.  She isn't quiet, timid, or any other of those supposed girlish traits that were more admired in those days; she is stubborn and slow witted.  She also does not know what fear is, in a bad way.  You could say she doesn't let fear stop her from using her craft -- she doesn’t.  I would say that she has an inability to think things through and likes to show off her power.  She consistently picks bad times and places to practice witchcraft with little reason to her actions.  The reasons she continues practicing witchcraft are never established that solidly; she does it because she can for all I can tell.  It doesn’t really help predict anything or have any benefit.  It comes off as pointless and exercising “power” just because.  She is rash… and I guess that could be interesting to someone. There is little to no reason behind what she does why she does it, but everything ends up magically working in her favor.

The romance has very little purpose in the story and makes no sense, which is why I would recommend Witchstruck to people who get less hung up about facts.  A catholic priest and a witch?  And he knows she is a witch?  And no explanation to the priest's motives and blind trust on both sides?  Let's get real.  The backstory on the priest didn't explain why he is okay with Meg being a witch; it actually was fuel to hate witches.  But he doesn't.  He isn't so much as flustered by it.  He is Sexy-Spanish-Priest-in-Training-Man here to save the day and make sexy glances.  Not really a defined personality or capable of conversation as far as I can tell -- just sexy sex sex.

I liked Meg's relationship with Elizabeth, but I don't understand why the future queen is sticking her neck out (quite literally) for Meg.  People are constantly helping Meg, but there isn't a lot of reason written into the pages.  Meg has an extraordinary ability to get herself into trouble, but also is exceptionally lucky.  She makes irrational decision after irrational decision and somehow doesn’t die.  If I was the future Queen is such a predicament as Elizabeth (her sister is looking for an excuse to kill her), I would drop Meg like she was hot.  But that’s me.

WitchStruck gets a big ol' resounding "Meh."

Final Thought: 1 out of 10 toadstools

This review is also posted on GoodReads

Review: Feuds by Avery Hastings

In this breathless story of impossible love, perfection comes at a deadly cost. For Davis Morrow, perfection is a daily reality. Like all Priors, Davis has spent her whole life primed to be smarter, stronger, and more graceful than the lowly Imperfects, or “Imps.” A fiercely ambitious ballerina, Davis is only a few weeks away from qualifying for the Olympiads and finally living up to her mother’s legacy when she meets Cole, a mysterious boy who leaves her with more questions each time he disappears. Davis has no idea that Cole has his own agenda, or that he’s a rising star in the FEUDS, an underground fighting ring where Priors gamble on Imps. Cole has every reason to hate Davis—her father’s campaign hinges on the total segregation of the Imps and Priors—but despite his best efforts, Cole finds himself as drawn to Davis as she is to him. Then Narxis, a deadly virus, takes its hold--and Davis’s friends start dying. When the Priors refuse to acknowledge the epidemic, Davis has no one to turn to but Cole. Falling in love was never part of their plan, but their love may be the only thing that can save her world...in Avery Hastings's Feuds. Hardcover, 272 pagesPublished September 2nd 2014 by St. Martin's Griffin(info grabbed from GoodReads)

Feuds is a set in a future with a dystopian hierarchy based on if you're an upgraded human or not.  There are essentially two levels: super humans (Priors) and normal people (Imps), with normal people being the underbelly of society.  Davis is a Prior with aims of being a ballerina and competing in the Olympiads, who unknowingly falls in love with an Imp, Cole.  There is the complication of Priors getting sick with Narxis and a bunch of other stuff that's not that important to the story.

Honestly there is a lot going on and nothing at all at the same time.

The entire story -- world building, characters, plot, setting, everything -- took a back seat to the romance.  And while that might not necessarily be a bad thing, the romance wasn't that spectacular of a read.  It was insta-love.  There was no witty banter or chemistry between characters; just all of sudden they would be making out.  The conversation to make out session ratio was way off.  Halfway through the book, they have kissed several times and had one instance of actual dialogue.  I kid you not.  One.  Meaningful.  Conversation.  How can anyone take such a relationship seriously or rally behind the characters?  I would have liked to have read a less hormone induced romance.

Characters in the story were little more than plot devices or foils.  There was no depth to a single character other than Davis or the romantic interest, Cole.  For example, when Vera, one of Davis's friends, brings up DirecTalk, it doesn't feel like a conversation between friends; it was an excuse to explain a piece of technology in the world.  So while yes, she does have some purpose (of sorts), there are no real feelings of friendship and she doesn't move the plot in any way.  The sad thing is that Vera is the most defined "friend" character.

Speaking of DirecTalk, there is very little technology or world building to speak of.  DirecTalk is one of the only technological advancements to speak of and it's only cell phones disguised as jewelry.  The futuristic dystopian setting felt like a filter laid over the story to add interest and cause problems for the relationship of Davis and Cole.  Other than mentioning a tech here and there, it's never explored how the future is different.  There's also corrupt government officials, including Davis our main character's father, but that's not really addressed either.

I was not impressed with Feuds to say the least.  The writing was not fluid and immersive, the characters were one dimensional and inconsequential to the story, and the plot -- what plot?  The background, setting, and everything else that was interesting in the book was skimmed over.  But even the parts that were interesting formed together into another generic mediocre dystopian novel.  There is nothing worth reading in this novel.  The end.

Final Thought: 2 out of 5 toadstools.

This review is also posted on GoodReads

Review: The Kiss of Deception by Mary E Pearson

 A princess must find her place in a reborn world.

She flees on her wedding day.

She steals ancient documents from the Chancellor's secret collection.

She is pursued by bounty hunters sent by her own father.

She is Princess Lia, seventeen, First Daughter of the House of Morrighan.

The Kingdom of Morrighan is steeped in tradition and the stories of a bygone world, but some traditions Lia can't abide. Like having to marry someone she's never met to secure a political alliance.

Fed up and ready for a new life, Lia flees to a distant village on the morning of her wedding. She settles in among the common folk, intrigued when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deceptions swirl and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—secrets that may unravel her world—even as she feels herself falling in love.

Kindle Edition, 492 pages

Published July 8th 2014 by Henry Holt 

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for approving me for an ARC for review.

The Kiss of Deception was not your typical YA high fantasy.  Lia is a feisty young princess engaged to a "stuffy old prince" she has not met, and promptly runs off from her kingdom to hopefully never be seen again.  She travels across her country with her maid and friend, Pauline, to a peaceful city by sea.  Aiming to start a new life, she assimilates into village life.  Unbeknownst to her, two young men have followed her to the village: one the stifled prince she left at the altar, and the other an assassin sent to kill her.

With the story alternating between Lia and the two men as narrators, what makes the story so different is that the reader is never quite sure which man is the prince or assassin for a majority of the book.  The reader knows one is the assassin and the other the prince, but Lia is in the dark entirely believing them to be a trader and a farmer.  There were moments where I as the reader thought I knew who was who, but at the same time I tried not to get too invested in figuring it out because that is part of the fun of reading this book: being surprised at the reveal.

The aspect of not being sure who the narrator was added a special something to The Kiss of Deception.  It took the idea of the unreliable narrator to a different level, though it also added a layer of frustration to the story.  In addition, it created a barrier between the reader and the characters that prevented getting attached to the characters.  The reader knows the entire time that both male characters are deceiving Lia, but Lia doesn’t.  The difference in distrust from the reader to the main character changed the reading perspective.

Lia, however, was a character easy to root for.  She is feisty and impulsive and just wants a normal life.  She is tired of being told what to do and doesn’t want to be a pawn for her father’s diplomacy, thus running from her own wedding.  What was interesting about Lia was how she surprises everyone by knowing she simply wants a peasant’s life and then falling into it easily and proving it -- she doesn’t get discouraged by chores or not having money.

While the story had a great premise, interesting storytelling, and fun main character, I still found myself bored with the details in the book.  The pacing felt slow, overly long at times, and I would’ve preferred a bit more flow in the reading process.  The book definitely picks up after the reveal of the two male characters.  It will be interesting to see if and how the author continues this way of storytelling, but I almost hope she doesn’t.  I felt that it held the story back and was the cause of the odd pacing and occasional drag.

Regardless of the minor hang-ups I had with pacing, I still very much so enjoyed The Kiss of Deception.  I would recommend it to anyone who loves high fantasy and those who might still be getting their feet wet in the genre.  It has great world building, full fleshed characters, and a great love story with a big dash a deception all laced throughout.  

Final Thought: Almost 4 out of 5 toadstools

This review is also posted on GoodReads.

Review: The Stepsister's Tale by Tracy Barrett

What really happened after the clock struck midnight?

Jane Montjoy is tired of being a lady. She's tired of pretending to live up to the standards of her mother's noble family-especially now that the family's wealth is gone and their stately mansion has fallen to ruin. It's hard enough that she must tend to the animals and find a way to feed her mother and her little sister each day. Jane's burden only gets worse after her mother returns from a trip to town with a new stepfather and stepsister in tow. Despite the family's struggle to prepare for the long winter ahead, Jane's stepfather remains determined to give his beautiful but spoiled child her every desire.

When her stepfather suddenly dies, leaving nothing but debts and a bereaved daughter behind, it seems to Jane that her family is destined for eternal unhappiness. But a mysterious boy from the woods and an invitation to a royal ball are certain to change her fate...

From the handsome prince to the evil stepsister, nothing is quite as it seems in Tracy Barrett's stunning retelling of the classic Cinderella tale.

Hardcover, 272 pages

Published June 24th 2014 by Harlequin Teen  

The Stepsister's Tale was surprisingly delightful.  In the story, we get to follow the elder of the two "ugly stepsisters" from the classic tale of Cinderella.  Jane Montjoy is not what those of us who remember the Disney version would expect: she is hardworking, caring, and impoverished.  Jane constantly has to worry about how to feed herself, her sister, and her mother -- who is living in denial of losing their fortune.  The house they live in is in shambles.  In an attempt to relieve them of their trials, mother Montjoy remarries to a man who appears to have a wealth that could save them, and also a very spoiled daughter.  The plot is filled with little twists and perspective that completely changes the context of the classic tale.

Jane's perseverance and spunk make her a character worth rooting for.  She is the low maintenance counterpart of herself from the classic.  She doesn’t care about jewels or how she looks; she cares about not freezing at night and how the cow in the barn is starving.  She has practical dreams of farming with the manners of an aristocrat.  This combines into a very complex and likable girl who I genuinely hoped things would work out for.

There is uneasiness throughout the reading experience, however, from knowing things won’t work out for the ugly stepsisters.  They don’t get the prince or get out of poverty and we know this from the original tale.  Right?  I loved how perspective can change an ending that I thought I knew.  With this character with her practicality and spark, would she even want riches and formalities?

The other reason for this uneasiness, at least for me, was that Jane has a hard life.  I was on edge the whole time just waiting for an atrocity to befall her.  Reading a book like this always left me with a sour pit in my stomach, and I don’t like that.  It’s a personal thing, so if you like being afraid for characters, maybe that aspect will be more your thing.

While being a tad on the dry side of writing, the book is very enjoyable.  Anyone who loves fairy tale retellings could find some joy in The Stepsister’s Tale.  The small twists on the classic were smart -- they didn’t completely change the story.  It made me think that maybe we’ve had Cinderella wrong this whole time.  And that was the most enjoyable part of reading this tale; I loved doubting the childhood tale since this version just makes more sense.  Though maybe not my favorite book ever, The Stepsister’s Tale proved itself worth a read.

Final Thought: 15 out of 25 toadstools

This review is also posted on GoodReads

Review: Plus One by Elizabeth Fama

It takes guts to deliberately mutilate your hand while operating a blister-pack sealing machine, but all I had going for me was guts.

Sol Le Coeur is a Smudge—a night dweller in an America rigidly divided between people who wake, live, and work during the hours of darkness and those known as Rays who live and work during daylight. Impulsive, passionate, and brave, Sol deliberately injures herself in order to gain admission to a hospital, where she plans to kidnap her newborn niece—a Ray—in order to bring the baby to visit her dying grandfather. By violating the day-night curfew, Sol is committing a serious crime, and when the kidnap attempt goes awry it starts a chain of events that will put Sol in mortal danger, uncover a government conspiracy to manipulate the Smudge population, and throw her together with D'Arcy Benoît, the Ray medical apprentice who first treats her, then helps her outrun the authorities—and with whom she is fated to fall impossibly and irrevocably in love.

Set in a vivid alternate reality and peopled with complex, deeply human characters on both sides of the day-night divide, Plus One is a brilliantly imagined drama of individual liberty and civil rights—and a compelling, rapid-fire romantic adventure story.

Hardcover, 373 pages

Published April 8th 2014 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

(info grabbed from GoodReads)

This book started off real well, which a main character with a lot of personality and with an interesting concept for a dystopian.  It fell apart somewhere in the middle.  Plus One takes place in a dystopian Chicago where people are separated into Day and Night classes.  People are not allowed to mix between each or even be outside during hours not approved for them.  Sol is a Smudge, a night dweller, with a pension for trouble.  She lives with her kindly (and dying) grandfather and used to live with her older brother, Ciel. While Sol was in her younger teens, Ciel was transferred to Day class to never be seen from again. Since then Sol gets word that her brother had a baby.  The story begins with Sol setting off with plans to kidnap said baby so her grandfather can hold the child once before he dies.

With the cover and blurb, I was surprised that the romance was not more a part of the story.  For more than half of the book, it is non-existent.  For some readers, that may be more of what they are looking for.  With the cover and implications of the blurb, I was expecting a more emotional dystopian story like Delirium by Lauren Oliver.  That is not Plus One.  Plus One is more about half baked kidnapping plans and terrorist plottings than anything else.  What the blurb doesn't tell you is that Sol's plan goes awry and she gets swept up a conspiracy that could shake her world.  It's jarring to read a book that is completely outside of your expectations.  But really, that is all marketing's fault and the team did not do the book justice.

Even though the book was not what I was expecting, I did enjoy it at first.  I thought it read really well and that Sol was interesting, even if her plan was a little undeveloped in her mind.  But the story quickly spiraled into something else: a hot mess of family drama, escapades in Iowa, and more plans that shouldn't work but somehow do.

The back story of the system's origins came from hospitals having day/night shifts, and thus resulting in better work flow and producing power.  I thought the idea that economics and productivity could create a divided society such as this was profound.  Especially with the setting choice of Chicago, made to be one of America's biggest cities because of booming business, I thought it could be plausible.  For a minute.  While I thought the idea of this Day versus Night class system was cool, it seemed so weakly put together it was unbelievable it could have lasted so long.  Maybe in one city in one country, but it not the entire world.   

Everything felt about to collapse at any moment within the story -- and not just the system, but the whole book.  The world building was just so fragile, it might as well have been a house of cards and desperately needed to be elaborated on.  Hour Guards are mentioned, but not explained.  They do random checks on people to see if they are breaking curfew, but what power do they have?  Are they police or are they KGB?  Do they have any kind of enforcement power?  There is a Night Minister, but that role is not fully explained.  The dystopian aspect of this world was skimmed over; it's never clear what is holding this system together.  There’s very little tyranny in this supposedly oppressive society.

Even with less than stellar world building and story that came out of left field, I really liked Sol as a character.  She is smart, impulsive, and full of life.  Her snark is the sunlight of this novel.  However, that is the book's only saving grace.  D'Arcy, the day-dwelling love interest, had no spark to his personality, and the relationship between him and Sol was a fickle match that burned out before the plot even began.  His motivations are never clear or make sense, and he just wasn't enough to hold a candle with Sol. The myriad of other characters were just... I don't even know.  Blah.  They were a blah blur. It felt like random characters were being thrown at the reader in this whirlwind of story.  And not a good whirlwind of story; it's a backwards tornado with a bunch of things that don't belong together.

Without Sol's unrelenting personality, I would have given this book one star.  The story is a bit of mess, the world building was less than stellar, and I just didn't like it.  I was bored.  Plus One earns the stars it does with its good writing and interesting main character, but it wasn't enjoyable.  I read the entire book out of stubbornness, purely.  It really did nothing for this review, because as I kept reading I only got more upset at myself for continuing to read.  Just... ARGH.

Final Thought: 2 out of 5 toadstools

This review is also posted on GoodReads