Let it go | Seven Waters and bullies.

Today I share two  little reviews for books I’ve read in the beginning of this year. The first book is part of a series from one of my favourite authors. It's a magical book filled with strong female characters and healthy relationships.  I also review an anthology that personally touched me.

Review 206. Sarah Maas - The assassin's blade.

Title: –0.1: The assassin and the pirate lord.

          -0.2: The assassin and the desert.

          -0.3: The assassin and the underworld.

          -0.4: The assassin and the empire.

Author: Sarah J. Maas.

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA.

Sort: Novella’s from ‘Throne of glass.’

Review: Throne of glass.

Rating:

”She knew the world still passed by, unaffected by the death of a young man, unaware that he’d ever existed and breathed and loved her. She hated the world for continuing on.”

Review 120. Cameron Jace – Grimm Diaries Prequel 1-6.

Title: The Grimm Diaries Prequel volume 1 – 6
Author: Cameron Jace.
Published: November 19th 2012.
Sort: Prequel to the ‘Grimm dairies’ series.

The Grimm Diaries are pages written in a Book of Sand, where each fairy tale character confessed the true stories once altered by the Brothers Grimm two centuries ago. To keep the truth about fairy tales hidden, the Brothers Grimm buried the characters in their dreams to never wake up again. But the curse is broken now, and the characters are allowed to wake up every one hundred years. They intend to tell the truth about really happened, and about an untold cosmic conflict between fairy tale characters.

Rating: 

This is such a hard ‘book’ to review, I’m still not sure about the rating. I really liked the twist to the stories from the Brothers Grimm. According to this book, the Brothers Grimm altered the true fairytales. The immortal characters from those tales lived among us until there was a cursed placed upon them. They were buried in their own dreams; the Dreamworld. Some of the Immortals broke the curse and they could wake up once every hundred years. The good ones want to tell the truth about their fairytales, the bad ones want to bring wrath on our world. Everything is documented in a Book of Sand, also called the Grimm Diaries. You are now reading part of those diaries.

Review 117. Rae Carson–The shadow cats.

Title: The shadow cats.
Author: Rae Carson.
Pages: 54.
Published: July 17th 2012.
Publisher: Greenwillow Books.
Sort: Part 0.5 of ‘Fire and thorns.’
Review part 1: The girl of Fire and thorns.

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness. And it was not Alodia. Alodia is the crown princess of the realm. The sister who knows how to rule, and the one who is constantly reminded that she has not been marked for a grand destiny. But Alodia has plans, and she will be the greatest queen her people have ever known. So she travels--with her hopeless, naïve, chosen sister--to a distant part of their land, to begin to secure her supporters. This region needs its princesses, for it is plagued with a curse. The crops don't grow, the spring doesn't arrive, and a fierce jaguar stalks the shadows, leaving only empty homes splashed with blood behind. If Alodia can save them, no one will be able to deny her strength and her sovereignty. But what she discovers could change the fate of her kingdom, if not her world. And it will most certainly change her opinion of her younger sister.

Rating: 

I don’t think I have ever rated any short book with 5 flowers before, but this book totally deserves it. Rae Carson knows how to write. After reading part one, I fell in love with her writing-style and she managed to create another fantastic story in only 54 pages. It made me extra excited for her second book – which I hope to get soon!

Review 93. Carrie Ryan – Hare moon.

Title: Hare moon.
Author: Carrie Ryan.
Pages: 40.
Published: April 5th 2011 (first published March 23rd 2011)  
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 0375979999 (ISBN13: 9780375979996)
Sort: Part 0,5 of ‘The forest of hands and teeth.’
Part 1: The forest of hands and teeth.
Part 2: The dead-tossed waves.
Part 3: The dark & hollow places.

Tabitha can’t shake the feeling that something exists beyond the fences of her village. And when she sneaks out, past the gates and down the path into the Forest of Hands and Teeth, she meets a boy who teaches her heart things she never knew. But love in a world surrounded by so much death doesn’t come without its sacrifices, and Tabitha gradually realizes just how much she’ll have to give up to live among the Unconsecrated.

Rating:

I absolutely love "The forest of hands and teeth" series, so I had to read this book about Tabitha. There is no time to connect with her and the story about her life is too short to get to know her. It’s all about her desire for answers; her hunger for more. She decides to sneak out on the path outside the gates, where she meets a boy called Patrick. Every Hare Moon they will meet again, but one day he doesn’t show up.

When Tabitha becomes part of the Sisters after their suspicion that she is up to something, she stumbles on a book. It tells the story of the Return and it suddenly becomes clear to Tabitha: the Sisters are right. But can she resist Patrick’s desperate question when he asks Tabitha to hide him and his brother in her city after an Unconsecrated attack?

The characters are plain. There is no real description about Tabitha or Patrick and I couldn’t feel the growing love between them. I could expect that, since it's a very short story. The ending was very unexpected and it actually made the whole story go from 2 princesses to 3.

Review 59. Julie Kagawa – Summer’s crossing.

Title: Summer’s crossing.
Author: Julie Kagawa.
Pages: 72.
Published: June 1st 2011.
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Sort: Part 3.5 from ‘The iron fey.’

A Midsummer's Nightmare? Robin Goodfellow. Puck. Summer Court prankster, King Oberon's right hand, bane of many a faery queen's existence—and secret friend to Prince Ash of the Winter Court. Until one girl's death came between them, and another girl stole both their hearts. Now Ash has granted one favor too many and someone's come to collect, forcing the prince to a place he cannot go without Puck's help—into the heart of the Summer Court. And Puck faces the ultimate choice—betray Ash and possibly win the girl they both love, or help his former friend turned bitter enemy pull off a deception that no true faery prankster could possibly resist.

Rating:

“Once upon a time, I had two close friends. Shocking, I know, given my natural charm, but there are those who just don’t appreciate my brilliance.”

That’s line describes Puck perfectly. He is humorous, a prankster and he always tries to annoy Ash. He is also very loyal and he manages to find a way out of every impossible situation. Ash made a deal with the exiled Queen Leanansidhe in order to help Meghan in part 3 – The iron Queen. She is ready to claim her price; Ash must bring her violin back. Queen Titiana has stolen the violin from her. Luckily for Ash, Puck is ready to help him out.

Together they find a way to slip into the castle. When they discover that the violin is actually a living young girl, they must change their plan. Are they able to bring the girl to Leanansidhe? They better be, because a broken promise isn’t something you want in the faery world.

Like I said. This story is told from Puck’s point of view and I adore him! There is something about his humor and easy manners. He made me laugh a couple of times and he felt very natural and real. Julie did a great job in writing from his POV. I believed every word of it and I can imagine that this is how he thinks; I loved to be inside his brain. Just a funny, little story between book three and four.

Review 56. Julie Kagawa – The iron king.

Title: The iron king. 
Author: Julie Kagawa.
Pages: 363.
Published: February 1st 2010.
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
ISBN: 0373210086 (ISBN13: 9780373210084)
Sort: Part one of “The iron fey” 

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined. Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home. When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change. But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

Rating:

After my first meeting with Julie Kagawa’s work (The Immortal Rules) I couldn’t wait to read her other work too – and I am so glad! There is something captivating about this book. The writing style is pretty simple and easy. No difficult words or fancy lines, it’s all about the story and I loved it from the beginning.

Summary.
Meghan lives a normal life with her mother, stepfather and little brother Ethan. Her father disappeared when she was only six years old. Her best friend is Robbie and she has a crush on the popular high school boy. Like I said, a normal life, but that is about to change. A lot.

Ethan sees strange things and Meghan starts to notice weird things too. When her brother disappears, Meghan doesn’t hesitate. Together with Robbie, who is actually Puck in the faery world – Meghan is going after her brother. Before she can accomplish that, she finds out that she is the daughter of Oberon, King of the Summer court. Their enemies, the Winter court, arrived and that’s how she meets Ash, the youngest prince. Puck and Ash hate each other and they are sworn enemies. Still: Ash will help to find her brother and in return, he can take her to the Winter court.

”Oh, we’re playing nice now?” Puck remained seated, looking anything but compliant. “Shall we have tea first? Brew up a nice pot of kiss-my-ass?”

Together with Puck, Ash and Grimalkin (a wonderful cat), Meghan hunts for her brother. He is in the hands of a new kind of faeries: the Iron fey and that’s pretty odd, since faeries can’t stand iron. On their way, Puck is heavily wounded and they must leave him with the Dryads. Will Puck survive? And can they rescue her brother?

Conclusion.
Easy written, fast-paced story with nice characters. There is a slight hint of instant love, but that really didn’t matter! Who could resist Ash? In the beginning, he is cold and mysterious, but I love how we get to know him better. Puck is hilarious, I like his sense of humor. Grimalkin is fantastic, just like the cat from Alice in Wonderland. And last, Meghan. The fact that she accepts everything so fast and that she doesn’t hesitate to safe her brother, great! She is scared, but she can still make great decisions. She really began to felt like a friend.

Winter’s passage.
This is part 1.5. Published June 1st 2010 by Harlequin Teen (first published May 20th 2010). ISBN: 1426858329 (ISBN13: 9781426858321)

Meghan Chase used to be an ordinary girl...until she discovered that she is really a faery princess. After escaping from the clutches of the deadly Iron fey, Meghan must follow through on her promise to return to the equally dangerous Winter Court with her forbidden love, Prince Ash. But first, Meghan has one request: that they visit Puck--Meghan's best friend and servant of her father, King Oberon--who was gravely injured defending Meghan from the Iron Fey.
Yet Meghan and Ash's detour does not go unnoticed. They have caught the attention of an ancient, powerful hunter--a foe that even Ash may not be able to defeat....

                                      Rating: 

Just a short story that tells us more about their way to the Winter Court. After saving Ethan, Meghan must obey the pact she made with Ash. She must go with him to the Winter Court to meet his mother, Queen Mab. She has no idea what Mab really wants from her. It was a nice addition to the story.

Review 38. Victoria Schwab - The ash-born boy.

Title: The ash-born boy.

Author: Victoria Schwab.

Pages: 61.

Published: May 15th 2012.

Publisher: Hyperion.

Sort: Prequel to 'The Near Witch.'

Before he came to Near...  Before he met Lexi... Before they faced the witch...  Who was the boy named Cole? Follow us to Dale, a city on a hill, where in a matter of days fire will devour everything. Meet the Lord and Lady, and their son, the boy destined to inherit all...until everything turns to ash. It's time to learn the truth behind the stranger's story.

Rating: 

Robert’s fingers dug in. “I will bleed this temper out of you one cut at time if I have to. Do you understand?”

Before Cole met Lexi, he was William Dale. Robert isn't his real father and it's a monster. William is capable of using the wind, but according to Robert it is something dangerous and it must bleed out of his body. His arms are filled with scars from the cuts he has to make. His mother doesn't agree with this method, but she accepts it silently. It made me wonder why she cares so much about Robert, but the two of them seemed to love each other very much. That's also something William doesn't understand.

When his mother dies, Robert blames him for her death. That's when William's rage finally comes out and it destroys the complete village. It turns everything to ash and that's when he comes to Near.

It's a short story, only 61 pages, but I wished there was more! It was a wonderful story about a troubled boy, especially when he destroys the city. I really like Victoria's writing style, so for me, it was a shame that the story ended so soon. I definitely can't wait to read more books from this gifted author.