Category: Book Review
Captivate by Vanessa Garden
(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)
In a glittering underwater world, nothing is as it seems…
For the past twelve months since her parents’ death, seventeen-year-old Miranda Sun has harboured a dark secret — a secret that has strained the close relationship she once shared with her older sister, Lauren. In an effort to repair this broken bond, Miranda’s grandparents whisk the siblings away on a secluded beach holiday. Except before Miranda gets a chance to confess her life-changing secret, she’s dragged underwater by a mysterious stranger while taking a midnight swim.
Awakening days later, Miranda discovers that she’s being held captive in a glittering underwater city by an arrogant young man named Marko…the King of this underwater civilisation.
Nineteen-year-old Marko intends to marry Miranda in order to keep his crown from falling into the sinister clutches of his half-brother, Damir. There’s only one problem. Miranda is desperate to return home to right things with her sister and she wants nothing to do with Marko. Trying to secure her freedom, Miranda quickly forms an alliance with Robbie — Marko’s personal guard. However, she soon discovers that even underwater, people are hiding dangerous secrets…
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
You know what? I didn’t expect to like Captivate as much as I did. The only reason I really took a chance on it was the fantastic cover. Sometimes, as I’ve found out, you can judge a book by its cover.
At first I thought this would be a mermaid book. In hindsight I’m not quite sure why I thought that but it turns out that this book is more science fiction than fantasy. I don’t want to give the big reveal away but it turns out mermaids and science intertwine in the history of the city, even if it’s not in the way you expect. The history of it is fascinating and I like how they maintain some customs from the surface while at the same time their culture evolves to suit their environment. It makes it a lot more realistic, believe me.
The one thing I was surprised to like was the characters. I know it sounds so much like your typical love triangle but it isn’t. The actions of Miranda make sense given her situation and her guilt over her parents’ death but the reactions of Robbie and Marko surprised me the most. They aren’t solely motivated by love, like a lot of love interests are. They are also motivated by family, duty and honour and it’s much more complicated (and believable) than your traditional oh-no-I-like-two-boys-and-they-like-me love triangle. There’s more to Robbie and Marko than meets the eye and Miranda has quite a few surprises up her sleeves as well.
There were some plot twists that I had no idea were coming. Vanessa Garden seems to have almost totally departed from traditional YA formula when it comes to plot twists. It’s shocking. I completely did not see the ending coming and I was pleasantly surprised with Miranda. She stayed true to herself throughout the novel but at the same time was able to admit when she was wrong. And most importantly of all, she learns to slowly forgive herself for her parents’ deaths.
It’s a fascinating story and I can’t wait for the rest of the Submerged Sun series to come out, even though Captivate was just published this year. We can expect big things from Vanessa Garden in the future, that’s for sure! If you’re looking for some interesting science fiction, a little bit of romance and a fast plot look no further than Captivate.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
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Short Story: Feyland: The First Adventure by Anthea Sharp
(Cover picture courtesy of Anthea Sharp’s Wattpad.)
High-tech gaming and ancient magic collide when a computer game opens a gateway to the treacherous Realm of Faerie.
Jennet Carter never thought hacking into her dad’s new epic-fantasy sim-game would be so exciting… or dangerous. Behind the interface, dark forces lie in wait, leading her toward a battle that will test her to her limits and cost her more than she ever imagined.
[Full disclosure: Unlike with her other works, I was not provided this short story by Anthea Sharp. I downloaded it for free off Amazon so (as usual) my review is completely honest.]
While we caught flashes of Jennet’s first forays into Feyland in The Dark Realm, we never really saw the level of detail that’s revealed in this short story. We learn a little more about the Queen’s plot to bring Jennet to her, Jennet’s first quests and her character flaws. After meeting the selfless person Jennet became in The Twilight Realm it’s a little hard going back to her old spoiled self, but it makes perfect sense.
A lot of prequels don’t really add anything to the established universe but this one does. It’s not necessary for understanding the story, but it gives you a much clearer picture of the events leading up to Jennet asking Tam Lin to be her champion. There’s also a little more detail about Jennet’s life and her rather rocky relationship with her single father.
The plot was fast-paced and interesting even though I knew what was going to happen. The characters were believable and I loved the dynamic between Jennet and her father that explains a lot of her actions later on in the series. So overall, The First Adventure is a pretty good short story. If you read it and like it (it’s free on all major ebook platforms) I can’t recommend the rest of the trilogy enough.
I give this short story 5/5 stars.
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
(Cover picture courtesy of Violet Crush.)
A SACRED OATH
A FALLEN ANGEL
A FORBIDDEN LOVERomance was not part of Nora Grey’s plan. She’s never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how hard her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgment.
But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora’s not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and seems to know more about her than her closest friends. She can’t decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.
For she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen – and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life.
Like The Demon King I’ve had my eye on this book for years. I just never really considered picking it up until I saw it was on for $4.99 as a promotion for the final book in the series. Why not give it a try for that price? It could be good.
I won’t say that I’m disappointed, but I wasn’t especially impressed either. There were decent enough characters, some humour, good world-building and so-so villains but that was about it. Hush, Hush never really made that transition from ‘decent enough’ to ‘good’ or ‘great.’ It’s one of those books that’s just mediocre, forgettable and generally undistinguished.
Nora is a decent enough heroine but she’s nothing special. She gets assigned to have the mysterious Patch as a lab partner and they insult each other back and forth for a bit and then denies her attraction to him for most of the book. Patch alternatively insults her and encourages her feelings before Nora finally asks him what he is and they begin to admit their feelings for each other. No huge surprises there but it’s not a bad storyline. It’s just predictable, much like the characters who are generally forgettable and occasionally act too stupid to live. Nora just loves going into danger.
The plot isn’t really fast-paced. It’s predictable with the whole Slap-Slap-Kiss sort of sexual tension that’s pretty much always present in YA these days. The problem with the plot is that there are huge bursts of energy and then it grinds to a halt for what seems like days. There are so many stop and starts that I really couldn’t buy into much suspense by the end. Sure, there was suspense, but there wasn’t all that much. Not enough for me to keep reading late into the night but it didn’t lack suspense so much that I wanted to give up on the book.
I liked the fallen angel part of this book. It has the potential for Becca Fitzpatrick to do a lot more with it in the next few books. I liked the glimpses we saw of Patch’s world and his downfall but it’s really not enough to judge whether or not the world-building is truly amazing or just good. Really, this whole book felt like sort of a set up for the rest of the series. First books should sort of be like that, but there should be a little more action going on and more information being given to the reader.
So overall? Meh. If I see the next book in the used section of a bookstore I might pick it up but I’m not going out of my way to finish the series.
I give this book 3/5 stars.
Penelope’s Daughter by Laurel Corona
(Cover picture courtesy of Excuse Me, I’m Writing.)
The award-winning author of The Four Seasons retells The Odyssey from the point of view of Odysseus and Penelope’s daughter.
With her father Odysseus gone for twenty years, Xanthe barricades herself in her royal chambers to escape the rapacious suitors who would abduct her to gain the throne. Xanthe turns to her loom to weave the adventures of her life, from her upbringing among servants and slaves, to the years spent in hiding with her mother’s cousin, Helen of Troy, to the passion of her sexual awakening in the arms of the man she loves.
And when a stranger dressed as a beggar appears at the palace, Xanthe wonders who will be the one to decide her future-a suitor she loathes, a brother she cannot respect, or a father who doesn’t know she exists…
For me, this book was a solid ‘meh’. There were some elements that were awesome and some that weren’t but the main reason for my indifferent reaction is the lack of emotional quality in Laurel Corona’s writing. I know Xanthe falls in love at one point. Do I really feel it? Not so much.
My favourite part of the whole novel is probably the level of detail that was put into it. Laurel Corona seamlessly wove Xanthe’s story into the greater story of the Trojan War, bringing life into a character Homer never considered important. I loved all the little details about weaving but also the details of daily life in Ithaca and Sparta. The author has this way of describing things that makes you feel like you’re actually there. It’s a truly magical experience.
One of the so-so aspects of the novel was the characters. Helen was fascinating and I can honestly say I would’ve preferred hearing her point of view than Xanthe’s. Xanthe is a rather bland character overall and as I said earlier I felt no emotional attachment to her. She got mad at times, was in love, felt true happiness, etc. Yet I, the reader, felt pretty much none of it. I was being told she experienced these things rather than experiencing them right along with her. The odd part was that I really felt for Helen so it could be a matter of personal preference. Who knows?
The plot does drag in some places, particularly during Xanthe’s childhood in Ithaca. I love all of the little details to be sure, but some of them really just didn’t need to be there to understand the story. Sometimes Xanthe’s chronicle dragged when she was with Helen in Sparta and that was rather disappointing considering how amazing Helen is in this interpretation. Overall the plot was fairly good but I did feel let down at the end of the novel when Odysseus returns. It just felt like Laurel Corona was rehashing the myth without adding a new variation on it.
Basically, meh. Penelope’s Daughter has some good and some bad in it. It’s worth a try if you think it sounds interesting but I wouldn’t go out of my way to convince you to read it.
I give this book 3.5/5 stars.
Kiya: Mother of a King by Katie Hamstead
(Cover picture courtesy of The Writerly Exploits of Mara Valderran.)
Nefertiti has forced Naomi to flee Amarna with Malachi and the three children. But even under the protection of Naomi’s family in Thebes, Nefertiti still hunts her and Tut. Nefertiti sends assassins to kill them, and while Naomi fights to protect the children, Malachi fights to keep her safe.
With three children in tow, one of which isn’t her own, she is labeled the harlot outcast wife of the pharaoh and is shunned. She isn’t safe among her own people, and flees from being stoned to death. Although her family protects her, she must find a way to survive.
While Naomi struggles to keep herself and Tut alive, old adversaries return as Smenkhkare takes advantage of Akhenaten’s ailing health. Naomi must rely on Horemheb’s promise to protect Tut’s birthright, but her feelings for Malachi could cause more problems with Horemheb than she expects.
[Full disclosure: I requested and received a free ebook copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.]
Somewhere around a third of the way into the book I told myself, “Just finish the chapter, then you should go to bed. You’re working tomorrow.”
Then at around 50% I told myself, “You should really go to bed now. It’s one in the morning.”
By 75% I told myself, “Ah, screw it. You’ll be tired tomorrow anyway so you might as well just finish the book!”
And so, at 2:30am I finished Kiya: Mother of a King and didn’t regret a thing. I was very tired the next day and still had no regrets. That’s how good this book is.
The thing is, Mother of a King is very different from Hope of the Pharaoh, the first book. Away from the scheming of the royal court, we get to see Kiya’s nurturing side as she finally gets to marry the man she loves. She’s back in her hometown with her family and working on starting a new life for herself, away from Akhenaten and the schemes of Nefertiti. Finally, Kiya is gone and Naomi is back in her familiar Hebrew neighbourhood. Not everything is perfect as she’s accused of being a harlot but she faces the adversity well.
There is so much character development in this story. Naomi/Kiya is allowed to flourish for once and be herself. In addition to that, I love seeing Katie Hamstead’s take on Tut, especially his transition from royal life as the only heir to the throne to humble boy in a poor section of town. Just like with Hope of the Pharaoh I was really impressed with Horemheb’s character. He certainly has his faults (his ruthlessness) but in the end you can tell he still loves Naomi, totally and utterly. Even if she’s married to Malachi. I’m a sucker for the tragic unrequited love angle, I know.
I can’t in all honesty call the plot fast-paced, but that isn’t a bad thing. The truth is that I love that the plot slows down. It gives so much more time for character development. It’s never boring (thus the staying up until two in the morning) and it really did pick up at the end. You can really tell the third book is going to be exciting but I did love this little change of pace for the series.
I give this book 5/5 stars.