Category: Fantasy
The Summer Marked by Rebekah Purdy
(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)
The sequel to the chilling Winter People returns to the world of Faerie, and is a romantic and enchanting follow-up.
Salome left humankind behind to be with her boyfriend, Gareth, in the Kingdom of Summer. But now forces of darkness are rising. Her happily-ever-after is coming apart, and the Kingdom is on the brink of war.
Newly-single Kadie Byers is on her way home for Thanksgiving, imagining a visit filled with hot chocolate, a hot guy for a little rebound action, and some girl time with her bestie, Salome. Except she receives a message from Salome with two important words: PLEASE HURRY.
When Kadie rushes to help Salome, she’s ripped from the human world and pulled into the kingdoms of Faerie, where she’s shocked to learn that Salome’s monsters are real, and that she’s now at the mercy of one extremely vengeful Winter Queen…
Now both Salome and Kadie must find a way to survive the deadly chaos…or lose themselves to Winter’s deadly, icy grasp.
[Full disclosure: I requested and received a free ebook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
While I had been initially skeptical about The Winter People, the first book in this series, I thoroughly enjoyed it in the end. So when I got the chance to read The Summer Marked, I had absolutely no hesitation in getting started. I couldn’t wait to find out the next chapter in Salome’s life after the supposedly completely happy fairytale ending of the first book. Of course, not all is well in paradise.
Salome and Gareth have moved in together but Nevin (the Summer king Salome kissed in order to free him from his curse) seems to be skulking around trying to break his promise that Salome and Gareth could be together. He seems increasingly controlling and also seems to be trying to separate the two, bringing them to court only to have Gareth sent away on mission after mission. While all this sounds so stereotypical, I can assure you that as always, Rebekah Purdy has some tricks up her sleeve, including a massive plot twist that totally blindsided me. It was a pleasant surprise and explained a lot in hindsight but I can’t talk much more about it without giving away massive spoilers. Needless to say, Salome and Gareth are finally together and everyone at court including Nevin want to tear them apart. And events throughout the novel definitely conspire to do just that.
Meanwhile, Salome’s friend Kadie is left wandering on her own. She got dumped and wants to live closer to home so she dropped out of university to come home for Thanksgiving and re-assess her life choices. When she gets there, of course Salome is gone and her mother and grandmother aren’t really being clear on where she is. So when she gets a text from Salome asking her to come right away, she gets sucked into a vicious trap set up by the Winter Court and has to endure unimaginable things in the land of Faerie. All while Salome lives an ideal life on the outside while she’s secretly barely holding things together.
While I didn’t like Kadie’s point of view at first because it sounded so much like the stereotypical ditzy best friend, she really came through as a character. At the Winter Court she learns to keep her mouth shut and scheme in order to survive and sometimes does the unthinkable to do so. She gains a real strength of character that is absolutely remarkable when you compare it to how she was in the beginning of The Winter People. That’s not to say she wasn’t a strong or three dimensional character then, but she really comes into her own and controls her own story (or thinks she does) a lot more than she used to. I really did like Kadie in this second book, despite some of the things she does.
Salome, having conquered a lot of her fears in the first book, learns that she has a long way to go if she’s going to survive alongside Gareth in Faerie now that the Winter Court is on a warpath. She learns to play the vicious games that are characteristic of faerie politics while adding in some human compassion that the fey seem to lack. And when faced with two horrible choices that would have been unthinkable at the beginning of the novel, her choice shows just how much she has really grown. Essentially, Salome really comes into her own in The Summer Marked so if you loved her in the first book, you will love her even more in this one.
I found the plot was a lot faster in this book compared to the first. There was of course plenty of character development and a lot of interpersonal/intrapersonal conflict but the plot moved along quite nicely. There’s quite a bit more action since the threat of the Winter Court is ramped up and the whole of Summer is at stake. And, as with the first book, Purdy throws in so many plot twists that you can’t help but read on to find out what happens next. The Summer Marked was definitely a one-sitting book for me because of that. Even if the plot wasn’t fast-paced, it would have still been a one-sitting book because Rebekah Purdy has a magnificent writing style. It’s beautifully descriptive and she does both the darker Winter Court and the gorgeous Summer Court incrdibly well. It was her writing that initially sucked me into the first book and it’s part of why I enjoy this series so much. While The Summer Marked was far darker than The Winter People, it was still very enjoyable on many different levels.
You really can’t go wrong with The Winter People series. If you haven’t read the first book, you absolutely should right now. If you read the first book and loved it, then you definitely need to read this second book. It will blow you away.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
The Carnelian Legacy by Cheryl Koevoet
(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)
Marisa MacCallum always believed that the man of her dreams was out there somewhere. The problem is—he’s in another dimension.
After the death of her father, eighteen-year-old Marisa’s life is on the verge of imploding. She seeks comfort on her daily ride through the woods of Gold Hill, but when a mysterious lightning storm strikes, she is hurled into the ancient, alternate dimension of Carnelia where she is discovered by the arrogant but attractive nobleman, Ambassador Darian Fiore.
Stranded in a world teeming with monsters, maniacs and medieval knights, Marisa is forced to join Darian on a dangerous mission to negotiate peace with his cousin and archenemy, Savino da Rocha. Along the way, she starts to see Darian’s softer side and finds herself falling in love. But once she learns that he is locked into an arranged marriage, her heart shatters.
When Savino falls for her charms and demands her hand in exchange for peace, Marisa is faced with an impossible choice: marry the enemy of the man she loves or betray them both and become the catalyst for a bloody war.
[Full disclosure: I requested and received an ebook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
Some books you can tell right away that they’re going to be amazing. (Or amazingly bad.) Others it takes a little while to tell. And still others, like The Carnelian Legacy, you really aren’t sure of until the very end. I’ll explain.
From the first page, I loved The Carnelian Legacy. Marisa is a young woman who has gone through the unthinkable: not only did she lose her mother at a very young age, she just lost her father in her last year of high school. She’s grown up so quickly because her life has been shattered and then, when she seeks out a little peace in the woods of Gold Hill she’s thrust into a whole other dimension. Not only that, she’s stumbled into the middle of a very dangerous political situation where even the slightest misstep could mean the deaths of thousands on her conscience. When Marisa met Darian and Arrie (the prince and the diplomat, respectively) I began to have my doubts about The Carnelian Legacy. Although I loved the beginning, I felt apprehensive about where Cheryl Koevoet was taking the story. Was she going to turn a fairly interesting and unique premise into your typical love at first sight story?
Throughout the novel, there were times I would have answered yes and times I would have answered no because of the many, many plot twists. Some were predictable and some weren’t. But what really clinched it for me is in the end when I thought I had figured out everything and seen through the upcoming stereotypical plot twist, Koevoet changed the rules. In a good way! She defly dodged a predictable trope by combining many other older tropes to create something new and fresh. It was such a relief. So when you’re reading this book, you really do have to give the plot a chance right up until the end. It might turn out the way you think, but the journey will be very, very surprising.
That said, even if the plot had fallen flat on its face, I would still have enjoyed the book. Marisa is a character after my own heart. She grew up way before her time and had to play the adult from a very young age. Not only that, she had to decide whether risking everything for love was really worth it or whether she should do the responsible, practical thing that might bring about love in time. So you could say I’m a bit biased but Cheryl Koevoet really made Marisa come to life. She really portrays her frayed emotional state well without making her melodramatic. Anyone who has experienced loss in their life will understand Marisa’s frequent mood swings and crying spells, believe me. Especially since not only did she lose a parent, she lost her remaining family and was transported to another dimension where only a handful of people speak her language.
Darian is a wonderful male lead. Some people will probably be frustrated with him and all his contradictions but I think it made him far more realistic. He, like Marisa, has had to shoulder adult responsibilities from a young age and that has made him slightly paranoid and unwilling to trust anyone. Just when you think he’s on the brink of opening up about his past or his feelings, he shuts down once again as he reminds himself of his duty. His romance with Marisa is far from straightforward, just like in real life. Confessions come from both sides at inconvenient times, feelings don’t always stay constant and both sides make enormous mistakes at one time or another. But that’s what really clinched The Carnelian Legacy for me: it was very realistic in its depiction of a relationship with so many outside forces exerting pressure on it.
The world-building was also very good. While this is obviously not a political thriller, Koevoet did a good job of making the politics of the kingdom believable. Everyone had their own motivations, even the secondary characters, and nothing was as it seemed. She also presented a very interesting view of alternate dimensions that I haven’t really seen in science fiction/fantasy before. I can’t explain it without spoiling some of the plot points, but suffice it to say you’ll be pleasantly surprised. There was even a realistic depiction of religion in the kingdom that I thoroughly enjoyed because Koevoet was able to create religious characters without being preachy (unlike some authors). It was a refreshing change.
Basically, while I was very skeptical about the novel at times I am so glad that I stuck with it because it really is amazing. It’s definitely one of my better NetGalley finds and I can’t wait to read the second book, The Carnelian Tyranny.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
Dragonlove by Marc Secchia
(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)
When a woman loves a Dragon, that love will change the world.
Six years have passed since Hualiama and Grandion defied the Island-World’s most sacred law. They burned the heavens together as Rider and Dragon. For his crime, Grandion the Tourmaline Dragon suffered exile and imprisonment. The Dragons forced Hualiama to forget her past.
Now, the suns must set upon the age of the Ancient Dragons. Amaryllion Fireborn, last of his kind, bequeaths Hualiama an astonishing legacy. She is the Dragonfriend. Raised by Dragons. Burned by Dragon fire. Oath-bound to a Dragon. Crossing the Island-World in search of her Dragonlove, she will forge an indelible mark upon history.
As war between Dragons and Humans engulfs the Islands, Hualiama must unravel the secrets of her tragic past in order to confront an evil that threatens the very existence of the Dragonkind. For love that is tested in the crucible of fate must burn, or die.
[Full disclosure: I requested and received an ebook ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.]
In the beginning of Dragonlove, Hualiama is definitely not herself. Or, rather, she’s not the person she was six years ago when she and Grandion put down a coup on Fra’anior led by her own father, Ra’aba and the dragons. Normally, this would not shock readers because this second book takes place a full six years after those events. Of course people change! But what’s missing is Hualiama’s pure love and determination when it comes to Grandion, the Dragon that she defied sacred law for. At the end of Dragonfriend, Hualiama had her memories wiped by the powerful Amaryllion Fireborn in an attempt to make things easier for her by not letting her remember that she and Grandion were in love, not just friends. But before his death here in Dragonlove, Amaryllion restores those memories and sets Hualiama on a quest that will irrevocably change the Island World.
As with before, Hualiama is an amazing character. With her memories back her love for Grandion is just as strong as ever and she’s willing to not only defy sacred law but defy Dragons for it. She goes to the ends of the Island World during an all-out Dragon war in order to find him, risking death at every turn. At the same time, despite her love for Grandion, Hualiama most definitely has her doubts at times. What if Grandion will never forgive her for abandoning him to the will of the Dragon Elders council, who set him an impossible quest that he would have to complete in order to restore his honour? Can the Island World ever forgive Grandion and Hualiama for profaning the sacred laws by daring to become Dragon and Dragon Rider? The answers aren’t straightforward and Hualiama goes through so much on her quest as she learns about her past and about Dragonkind in general. She also learns that not only did Amaryllion give her his inner fire before he died, she carries a darker power within her from her erstwhile caretaker Ianthine. I don’t want to give too much away, but Hualiama’s inner powers that she discovers along her journey are part of how she changes the Island World forever. Particularly with the ruzal, the power that binds magic to words and allows practitioners of it to shape the very world that they live in.
The plot of Dragonlove was absolutely amazing. Not only is it driven by memorable characters like Hualiama and Grandion, it has many, many twists and turns. For example, the introduction of some new dragon subspecies, ones that are seemingly either extinct or hidden by Pip’s and Aranya’s times in the other series. We also learn quite a bit about magic and human magic-users like Hualiama and others who harness the magic drifting all around the Island World. And of course there’s a huge surprise at the end of the novel during the final battle that sets up the third and final book, Dragonsoul. (Well, there’s actually more than one surprise at the end if I’m honest but one was more earth-shattering than the other.) Even though Dragonlove is slightly over 500 pages, you’re also never bored because Marc Secchia keeps it fairly fast-paced throughout. The beginning is a little slow as Hualiama re-learns about Grandion and sets off on her quest to find him, but things quickly get interesting when she finally finds him and discovers he’s not the same person (Dragon?) he was six years ago either.
One of the things I’ve liked about Marc Secchia’s books is that he always has a realistic view of war. There are a lot of wars going on currently in Hualiama’s world between not only Dragonkind and humans but Dragonkind and itself. He presents a picture of war that is of sheer brutality and strife. Civilians are caught unwittingly in the crosshairs or, worse, are deliberately targeted by one or both sides as a way to gain an advantage over the other side. What’s most realistic of all is that no one really comes out unscathed from these wars. Without giving too much away, Grandion himself has physically changed in a very drastic way. Hualiama has scars all over her body not only from when her own father tried to kill her but also the myriad burns and scrapes she acquired amongst Dragonkind. Neither Dragon nor Rider escapes the psychological implications either. And that brings me to the larger point I’m trying to make here: for all that this is fantasy, Marc Secchia has a dedication to truth. He brings to life three dimensional characters with realistic motivations and places them in a world governed not only by magic, but by natural laws as well. The technology present in all of his books is well thought out and there are even laws governing the use of magic that place restrictions on even the Dragons. And best of all in my view, he’s practically invented Dragon anatomy as a hobby so he can bring these mythical creatures to life in a consistent and dare I say realistic way.
Basically, I absolutely adored Dragonlove and will eagerly await the third book in the trilogy, Dragonsoul. This second book had everything I expected and more: memorable characters, a fast-paced plot, lots of twists and turns and world-building of the highest calibre. You really can’t go wrong with the Dragonfriend Trilogy.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
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Seaside by Wylde Scott
(Cover picture courtesy of Barnes & Noble.)
Every boy in Seaside wants to be one of Blackbeard’s Boys. From the time ten year old Robert Grace O’Malley could hold his very first fishing pole, it was all he thought about. Every captain of every ship had been one, and now he was well on his way. That is, until he meets Walter, the young octopus who will change his life forever. In Seaside, Wylde Scott takes you on an exciting voyage through a fairly-tale fishing village and a pivotal moment in the life of two unexpected friends. An adventurous story perfect for young readers graduating into their first novels or parents reading their little ones to sleep, it’s a book that’s bound to be a staple in every family’s library for years to come.
[Full disclosure: I received a hardcover copy of this book from the author at Book Expo America 2015 in exchange for an honest review.]
Novels for younger readers aren’t what I typically review here on The Mad Reviewer but the blurb was so intriguing and Mr. Scott pitched it very well at his booth so I just had to pick it up. In the end I’m really, really glad I brought Seaside home.
Seaside is a great book, as the blurb says, for young readers starting to read novels on their own or for parents reading to younger children before bedtime. But really, I’m a grown woman and I thoroughly enjoyed it so it’s not just for the little ones as long as you let your inner child have free reign for a while. It’s written at a level that any age group can enjoy but it’s the story itself that is (of course) the most important part.
Our human protagonist Robert is a ten year old boy who wants nothing more than to be one of Blackbeard’s Boys. In his village of Seaside virtually everyone works as a fisherman but Blackbeard’s Boys are sort of the in-crowd, the group of future fishermen that you really want to be a part of. They’re the cool kids and Robert quite naturally wants to be one. Which is where we begin our story: with Robert swimming out to the lighthouse late at night in order to prove he’s worthy to be one of Blackbeard’s Boys. That’s also when we meet our octopus protagonist, Walter. Walter is just a carefree young child who questions almost everything his mother says, especially when it comes to humans. Unfortunately, Walter’s reluctance to leave his play area that also happens to be a popular fishing area leads to his mother being captured by Captain Bonicelli, the son of the man Walter’s grandfather dragged to the bottom of the sea when he was caught.
Without giving too much of the plot away, Walter and Robert end up meeting and striking up a friendship that is as unconventional as it is taboo in the fishing town of Seaside. And it’s this friendship that really makes both of them reconsider their preconceived notions about both humans and octopi. Walter has to really think about his stereotypes regarding humans and Robert has to really reconsider whether or not he really does want to be a fisherman for his own sake or because it’s what is expected of him. That leads me into another important point about Seaside: it has some really great lessons in here for young readers. For example, the idea that you don’t have to fit in with the cool crowd and that you should choose to do what makes you happy rather than what’s expected of you. Those are lessons that people of all ages can use, but they are especially important for children.
Obviously for someone who reads quite a bit, the ending was a little predictable but kids will absolutely love it. One of the things that’s really striking about Seaside in general is that for a children’s novel, the characters were incredibly well developed. Of course both Walter and Robert were well developed, but the surprising thing was that all of the adult characters were as well. They all had a little bit of page time of their own and that revealed their backstories as well as the motivations for their current actions. We learn, for example, why Robert’s father retired from being a fisherman and why Captain Bonicelli has a bit of a chip on his shoulder when it comes to giant octopi. There are all sorts of fascinating little details in these peoples’ lives and I think you do have to read the book a couple of times to truly appreciate the thoughtfulness and detail Wylde Scott put into his novel. Of course the illustrations by Hannah Shuping really add to the story and bring the characters to life even more. They’re a little dark for my liking but they are fabulous and at times adorable.
Basically, if you have a child that’s just starting to read chapter books or one that’s a little too young but loves to be read to at bedtime, Seaside is a great choice. It has some amazingly memorable characters, a great plot, fabulous illustrations and some very important life lessons. What more can you ask for in a chapter book aimed at young children?
I give this book 5/5 stars.
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King Callie by B. Lynch
(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)
Caliandra, the teenage princess of Barra, is in dire straits.
Not only did her fiancé break off their engagement and leave her for a richer woman, but Caliandra’s father is gravely ill – and if her brother Valric is unable to find the cure he’s set out for, their titles and wealth will disappear. Their father had been chosen as king by a magic axe, and when he passes on, so does the crown.
Soon, the worst befalls the princess – Valric turns up dead, her father succumbs to disease, and the axe goes missing, leaving the throne open for a coup by the devious Minister of War. Caliandra and her mother decide to risk everything on a desperate bid to find the axe and oust the Minister, driven by a prophecy that the proper King will take his place – Caliandra.
But when she finds out which trusted family friend betrayed her brother, will Caliandra’s thirst for revenge sabotage her only chance at the crown?
[Full disclosure: I requested and received a free ebook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
If I could describe King Callie (both the book and the title character) in one word it would be ‘underwhelming’. For a story with magic, prophecy, revenge and intrigue, this book is kind of boring.
Caliandra as a character is thoroughly underwhelming. She mopes around about being ditched for a richer woman for most of the book and then spends the rest of the book getting mad at the people who are actually just trying to help her (and actually end up putting her on the throne). I don’t mind characters with generally unlikeable personalities as long as they’re interesting but Callie wasn’t. We’re told she’s driven by revenge for her brother Valric’s death but you never really feel that anger and desire for revenge. It manifests itself in stupid actions like challenging her own guards to a duel but as a reader you really don’t feel that desire for revenge. And for someone who grew up at court, she’s strangely naive when it comes to plotting. Sure, I’ll go help you two mysterious ladies kill the Seer who sent my brother to his death! By the way, maybe I should ask you why you want this guy dead instead of just going along with it? Yes, I get that she’s young and inexperienced but at the same time I expect at least a little bit of a sense of self-preservation when she actually grew up at court. Courts aren’t exactly the most honest, open places in the world.
The plot seemed to be convoluted in the beginning because there were so many names thrown at the reader at once but it’s really not. It’s your typical evil General trying to seize the throne at an opportunistic moment sort of thing. The only interesting parts were with the Seer, who happens to work for a shadowy organization that may or may not be evil. We’re not entirely sure at this point and I’m not particularly inclined to find out. Really, the only interesting character that can actually plot is Caliandra’s mother, who Caliandra spends most of the time undermining or insulting for being too womanly or suggesting Callie should tone things down. Unfortunately, the book is not really about Callie’s mother. I really do love books with lots of political maneuvering and on the surface there’s plenty here but it’s actually all very shallow and follows the same old political tropes you’ve read a hundred times before.
One of the only things that I actually found on par with my relatively middling expectations was the world-building. I liked the fact that this magic axe chose the next king. (Why not? It’s no more ridiculous than relying on the dubious merits of a king’s offspring simply because they are his offspring.) I also liked the scenes with magic, particularly in regards to the Seer’s prophecies and how he chose to interpret them. One of the things I was fairly impressed with is that B. Lynch actually acknowledges that a kingdom does not exist in a vacuum and when the king dies, other kingdoms are fairly opportunistic. They really do like to kick their opponent when said opponent is practically on its knees. Of course that’s very realistic and in line with the history of almost every country in the world.
So despite the good world-building I have to say that King Callie was underwhelming. It’s not the worst book I’ve ever read and I’d even hesitate to call it a ‘bad’ book but it certainly wasn’t the most enjoyable book I’ve ever read. It really does feel like there was so much potential that was just squandered.
I give this book 2/5 stars.
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