magic

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

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Of all of the books that I’ve read, I cannot recall one such as this. This book, this story, has everything I could have asked for from the author. It has fantasy… magical youths in a world filled with prejudice. Mystery… a caretaker who is more than what you think he is. Humor… dry, sarcastic, witty children and a clumsy main character. Romance… one that takes it time to blossom throughout the story. Politics… unfairness in the treatment of children that happen to be different from others. Finally, family… a sense of belonging and the kind of love only family can give you.

There were points in this book where I was openly sobbing. The way Klune wrote these characters makes you feel like you grew up right alongside them. The love and loyalty the have for each other, and the love and loyalty that presents itself in Linus Baker as the story progresses is nothing short of wonderful. Klune is also very good at describing scenery. The description of the island, the ocean, the forest, the garden. Just a wonderful story all around.

Don’t you wish you were here? I know I do.

Shadow and Bone Trilogy – Grishaverse – by Leigh Bardugo

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This will be brief, because there is too much to say about this series. I could probably write an entire essay on each book, so I just wanted to do the series as a whole.

I LOVED these books. They move very quickly, which, at some times, I had a problem with, but realized that if they were slower, I probably wouldn’t like them. I just think that some back-stories could have been elaborated on. The one thing I have to praise Bardugo on is the unpredictability of the series. Sometimes I like to try and guess what is going to happen. Try to guess who certain characters are going to turn out to be. Let me tell you, I got nothing right. I did not see character developments/deaths coming. I did not see battles coming. It was extremely refreshing to not be able to pick out what’s going to happen.

This series was a breath of fresh air and I cannot wait to read Bardugo’s duologies next.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

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Jude and her sisters were taken to Faerie after their new father figure murdered their real parents. Now they live among the Folk as daughters of the most militarily powerful man in the land. They learn with the gentry children, go to royal balls, and mingle with the royal family of Faerie. The problem is that Jude’s main enemy happens to be the youngest Prince Cardan whose cruelty toward her outdoes even the man that killed her mother in front of her. When plans are set into motion to replace the royal family of Faerie, Jude must learn to work with the person she despises over everyone. Can she and Prince Cardan deal with each other long enough to save Faerie?

I both love and hate teen fantasy at the same time. The stories are usually so entertaining. They are full of magic, fantastical beasts, and lots of fighting action. But it never fails that I always wind up wishing that this book was written for adults instead of teens because the writing is so juvenile. It’s not a bad thing really, I just always want characters to react how I would I suppose. I want them to curse. I want good sex scenes. I don’t know, maybe Game of Thrones has completely ruined fantasy novels for me.

What I did like was they was this story had so much strategy in it. The twists and turns had me trying to guess what was going to happen next, and honestly it did not end the way I expected it to. Black has an excellent mind for battle descriptions and how a military mind might think. The whole book was like watching a chess match of royal siblings that Jude and her family happened to be a part of. It was a very promising start to what should be a great series.

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A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab

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The conclusion to Schwab’s series about the three Londons is nothing short of breathtaking. Five hundred pages and it took me only 72 hours to finish because I was so enthralled.

Kell, Lila, Alucard Emery, Prince Rhy Maresh, and Holland embark on a journey to save Red London from a dark force from Black London called Osaron. The ghost-like demon tried to take over the Maresh empire by infecting all of its inhabitants, but the royals of the empire are hard to control and hard to kill. The group must find a way to beat a force that can control different hosts and promises mercy.

The writing of Schwab is beautiful. The story is woven through several different points of view including that of our villain. We get to know what each character is feeling at the same moment because her chapters are broken down into each character’s mind. I was  a big fan of the choice of villain in this finale. Osaron thinks himself a god, but the hero crew knows that he needs more than he is willing to admit to himself. They take advantage of the fact that to fight, he needs a physical body. I also enjoyed that Schwab makes Holland a more complicated character. All he wanted was to save his White London from a terrible fate, but he brought death and destruction to Red London and nearly to Grey London. He knows his mistake and therefore is the one to sacrifice everything to right his wrong. There is also a lot of betrayal within the castle during the fight with Osaron that made the story all the more entertaining.

Schwab did a beautiful job with the series and I’m glad to have gone on the journey. IMG_1525

A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

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How could you do that to me Schwab? Leaving me (and other readers of the series) on a cliff-hanger like that. It’s just cruel.

Kell and Lila are four months past their defeat of the Dane twins in White London. Kell struggles with his new life as the prince Rhy’s personal vessel. Lila sails the Arnesian Sea with Captain Alucard Emery aboard the Night Spire. They will all come together in the Arnesian capital for the Essen Tesch. The Element Games. Meanwhile, something foreboding is brewing in White London, preparing to wreak havoc on the unsuspecting Red and Grey Londons.

Schwab’s writing is riveting. I can feel my own pulse quickening with all of the action that goes down in this book. I can feel anger when characters get mad. I feel anxiety when characters get nervous. Luckily Schwab ‘s books aren’t ultra-vivid, otherwise I would be in an immense amount of pain throughout reading them. The story in this second of the series is great. The idea of games for those that can wield elements with magic is intriguing (and very like the Tri-Wizard Tournament, so I approve).

That cliff-hanger ending though. In a moment when people are dying, but not saying they’re actually dead yet. A moment where someone is about to discover what they really are, but not telling readers the result. It’s maddening. Now I have to wait until I purchase the third book. I feel like a caged lion. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?!?!?!

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A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

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Another series, another fandom.

There are four Londons. Grey London as we know it. Red London, a world of magic and element control. White London, where death and power reign supreme. And Black London, which has been sealed off to the rest for fear of a dangerous magic within,

Out main character Kell is from Red London. He is Antari, a race of magicians that is nearly extinct. He can travel through the different Londons ans uses the ability to smuggle items between the three. But when he ends up with a mysterious stone (a product of Black London) and a curious girl Lilah (a product of Grey London) he is thrown into a journey to Black London in which, along the way, he must battle the powers of White London.

I’m a sucker for authors that create their own countries, languages, religions, cultures, etc. This book offers it all. I was submersed into a world of magic and danger and I loved every minute of it. Schwab did a wonderful job of creating characters and histories of the worlds she thought up. I love the parallels of the different Londons. How they all sort of have the same layout, but are so so different. I also like how some of the magic in this book only works with blood. It’s definitely not what I’m used to.

I cannot wait to continue the series.

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The Alchemyst by Michael Scott

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Nicholas Flamel. When I read the description on the back of the book, it was this name that caught my attention. My Potterhead senses tingled. Unfortunately the book has nothing to do with J.K. Rowling’s masterpiece. Nonetheless I was intrigued.

Nick Flamel and his wife Perry have been alive many millennia thanks to The Book of Abraham the Mage or The Codex. They can make The Elixir of Life, they can turn any metal into gold, and they also have extraordinary powers. They’re also being hunted by Doctor John Dee who wants The Codex for evil reasons. Josh and Sophie Newman wind up helping Flamel and learning that there is a prophecy in the Codex that refers to twins such as themselves. Thus, a book series is born.

The writing is juvenile, but I can’t really be mad at that since I found the book in Teen Fantasy. It managed to keep me reading and that’s what counts. The only real issue I had (along with other critics of the book) was the inconsistencies of Josh and Sophie. One moment they are terrified of the events that they’ve been through and can think of nothing but going home. Next, they tell Flamel that they are ready to fight and are willing to do anything to help him. But again, I can’t really be too critical of the see-saw feelings because Josh and Sophie are supposed to be fifteen years old and, let’s face it, teenagers are inconsistent and unstable beings.

The aspect of the book that I really enjoyed was the prospect of mythical characters and creatures popping up and being real. At one point in the book, Dr. John Dee wields a Sword of Ice, once called Excalibur, and Flamel muses that he thought Artorius (King Arthur) destroyed the sword. Historical objects and people are my thing and we might get to meet more.

So, will I continue the series? Most likely. Will I buy up and read the books with a cult-like fervor? Probably not.  Am I secretly hoping that during the series we meet a friend of Flamel’s named Albus? You best believe.

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