Review: Quintana of Charyn

Title: Quintana of Charyn (Lumatere Chronicles #3)
Author: Melina Marchetta
Publication date: April 23, 2013 (U.S. edition)
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Source: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Rating: 5 stars

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Separated from the girl he loves and has sworn to protect, Froi and his companions travel through Charyn searching for Quintana and building an army that will secure her unborn child’s right to rule. While in the valley between two kingdoms, Quintana of Charyn and Isaboe of Lumatere come face-to-face in a showdown that will result in heartbreak for one and power for the other. The complex tangle of bloodlines, politics, and love introduced in Finnikin of the Rock and Froi of the Exiles coalesce into an engrossing climax in this final volume.

Me before I read a Marchetta book:

Me after reading a Marchetta book:

Melina Marchetta (authoress divine) is one of those rare authors whose writing is constantly improving, constantly pushing the limits of how much I think I can love a book. When I read Finnikin, I felt like I had found The Best Book Ever (aside from Jellicoe Road, of course). But then she wrote Froi and now Quintana and I just have no words. At least, none that I haven't said before.

Quintana of Charyn is, undoubtedly, a conclusion. All the loose ends are tied up and the reader is left in a satisfied place. Actually, it's a rather heart-wrenching place because it's The End, but nevertheless it was a good stopping place. The characters' struggles have been resolved. You know that they're going to be okay, yet there's still an open-endedness that comes with knowing their lives will go on and they will continue to learn and grow.

With most fantasy books, the authors focus on explaining the world-building. What was great about this series was that yes, Marchetta explained the ways of the Lumaterans, Charynites, and co. But she never took the focus away from the characters and their relationships. At the end of this series, you know these characters: their hopes, their fears, their love of country, and their love for each other. You know their hearts- their very essence. And being so close, so darn attached to these characters made me feel ALL of the feelings.

While reading, I had the sudden and overwhelming urge to just take all these beloved characters and, I don't know, hide them in my pocket or something. Just snatch them from the pages and tuck them somewhere safe so that they could stop hurting. Maybe that's a little silly, but these characters have just gone through so much in just Quintana alone, let alone the entire series. There is pain, devastation, loss, grief, and heartbreak. Yet more powerful than all of that is the undercurrent of hope and love that has been there even in the darkest of times. That is Marchetta's true talent—besides the ability to make me want to curl up into a fetal position and sob— she has the uncanny ability to craft these masterful stories of broken people and their broken relationships and somehow make it a story of redemption and love. 

The Lumatere Chronicles has given me more heartache than I thought possible, yet I always crawl back for more. And, to be honest, I would sooner swear off of chocolate than say goodbye to this series and its magnificent characters. I hate goodbyes. I hate the knowledge that once I finish a book, I will never get to know more about a character's life. But knowing that everyone I cared about in this book ended up okay made saying goodbye just a little bit easier

All in all:

There's really only one thing to do now:


I'm just kidding. No. I'm really not.

Good books give you a beautiful happily ever after. Great books pierce your hearts with sadness and linger on your mind long after you've finished. And then there are the rare, phenomenal books that manage to utterly shatter your heart, then somehow heal you at the end and claim an eternal place in your heart. Quintana of Charyn is one of those books.

Review: Greta and the Goblin King

Title: Greta and the Goblin King
Author: Chloe Jacobs
Publication date: December 11, 2012
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Source: library

Rating: 5 stars

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While trying to save her brother from a witch’s fire four years ago, Greta was thrown in herself, falling through a portal to Mylena, a dangerous world where humans are the enemy and every ogre, ghoul, and goblin has a dark side that comes out with the eclipse. 

To survive, Greta has hidden her humanity and taken the job of bounty hunter—and she’s good at what she does. So good, she’s caught the attention of Mylena’s young goblin king, the darkly enticing Isaac, who invades her dreams and undermines her will to escape. 

But Greta’s not the only one looking to get out of Mylena. An ancient evil knows she’s the key to opening the portal, and with the next eclipse mere days away, every bloodthirsty creature in the realm is after her—including Isaac. If Greta fails, she and the lost boys of Mylena will die. If she succeeds, no world will be safe from what follows her back..

My first thought when I was reading this book was: "This is.... a debut novel?!"

Because it was flipping fantastic.

 You know how sometimes you read a book and you just love it so much and you want everyone to read it and fall in love with it? That's how I felt about Greta and the Goblin King.

The characters:
Greta is officially my new favorite heroine. She is a badass and I loved her for it.

"She needed to remember this moment. Not the fear or the loneliness- although those feelings were strong enough to tear her apart inside- but the anger. That was something she could use, it would give her strength."

Four years in the harsh world of Mylena has turned Greta into a tough-as-nails bounty hunter who can go head to head with just about any goblin/fairy/gnome. Greta reminded me a lot of Rose Hathaway from the Vampire Academy series in that she too was a wonderful mixture of strength and sarcasm. But, like Rose, Greta also had heart. She cared even when she didn't want to, when she knew better, and it was obvious that she was the type of person who would do anything and everything for the people she cared about.

Speaking of the people Greta cares about..... Isaac. The young goblin king.
Le swoooon.
In my mind, goblin is not synonymous with hot, but Chloe Jacobs has convinced me otherwise! Isaac and Greta have a fairly rocky history of lies and deception but their chemistry is off the charts. I loved that they kept pushing each others' buttons, challenging one another, and their occasional back-and-forth snark certainly doesn't hurt. ;)
There's hint at a possible love triangle in the next book, which brings me to my next point....

The human boys. These are kids and teenagers stranded in a foreign and dangerous land and, against all odds, they have managed to survive. Led by Wyatt (the potential other love interest), these boys have become a family. I loved them. From adorable little Jacob to tough, angry Ray to responsible golden boy Wyatt, I loved each and every one of them.

I'm not worried about there being a love triangle--in fact, I'm kind of looking forward to it (shocking words, I know!) because all three characters are so well-developed and none of them are present just for the sake of creating romantic conflict. I think this story has the potential for a really well-written love triangle, albeit possibly heart-wrenching because I love both boys very much.

The plot/setting:
This is YA fantasy done right. The world-building was great, the pacing was impeccable, and the adventure was riveting. The action starts pretty much from the very first page and keeps my attention for the rest of the book. Background information about the world of Mylena and how Greta got there was given as the book progressed in a way that didn't disrupt the flow of the story which was something I really appreciated.

Oh, and did anyone else realize see the influences of the Hansel and Gretel fairy tale in this story?? I wouldn't necessarily classify this book as a direct fairy tale retelling, but Chloe Jacobs definitely took some of the basic elements of the Hansel and Gretel tale and spun it into a completely unique and captivating story. When I realized the connection, it was like:

All in all:

Sigh. Guys. I really loved this book! I gobbled it up and I can't stop going back and re-reading bits of it over and over. I really need that second book. If you like fantasy, adventure, general epicness, and a seriously awesome heroine, then you really need to go pick this book up. 

Oh, and the romance was great too... you know.... if you're into that kind of thing.  ;)

Review: Palace of Stone

Title: Palace of Stone (Princess Academy #2)
Author: Shannon Hale
Publication Date: August 21, 2012
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA

Coming down from the mountain to a new life in the city seems a thrill beyond imagining. When Miri and her friends from Mount Eskel set off to help the future princess Britta prepare for her royal wedding, she is happy about her chance to attend school in the capital city. There, Miri befriends students who seem so sophisticated and exciting . . . until she learns that they have some frightening plans. They think that Miri will help them, that she "should "help them. Soon Miri finds herself torn between loyalty to the princess and her new friends' ideas, between an old love and a new crush, and between her small mountain home and the bustling city. Picking up where "Princess Academy "left off, this incredible stand-alone story celebrates the joys of friendship, the delight of romance, and the fate of a beloved fairy tale kingdom.

Princess Academy, for me, is one of those timeless reads, a go-to when I'm in a reading rut, regardless of how old I'd gotten. I was perfectly happy with the way Princess Academy ended--I thought it was quite perfect and didn't need a sequel. To be honest, I was pretty scared about reading Palace of Stone because when you have that one amazing book, you don't want its memory to be tarnished by a sequel of a lesser caliber.

When I first saw Miri becoming enchanted with the innovation of the capitol and joining the revolution, I wanted to jump up and shout, "No, Miri! Back to Mount Eskel with you! Stay away from all this political turmoil!" and then I would have thrown her over my shoulder and taken her back to the mountain myself...

I did not want one of my favorite characters was changing into someone I didn't recognize, and I feared that the revolution fervor would change preexisting relationship dynamics...Don't tell me you didn't make a horrified gasp at the phrase "Miri finds herself torn...between an old love and a new crush."

 For a good chunk of this book, I worried that I would not like it as much as I had hoped....

...And now we come to the part of the review where I reassure you that yes, Shannon Hale has once again worked magic with her words and created a sequel just as wonderful as the first book. (Hehe, I had you worried there for a second, didn't I?)

It wasn't until about midway through that I fully realized Hale had me utterly captivated with her story. Her diction is still just as beautiful, almost lyrical in a way, and I was taken back to a world of fresh mountain air and endless blue skies. Yet despite Hale's effortlessly gorgeous writing, she captures the spirit  of revolution perfectly. There is life and energy and excitement flowing from the pages!

And I cannot gush enough about her characters! Despite my initial apprehension, I enjoyed watching each character grow while still retaining the very essence of themselves that made me love them in the first place. Miri has and always will be one of my favorite characters and despite my qualms, she is still the smart but stubborn girl, albeit even more awesome in this book!

Rating: 4.5 stars*
All in all: Very rarely do readers get a sequel that is just as good, if not better, than the debut, but Shannon Hale has broken free of that mold as only the truly excellent authors to do. She broke through all of my walls of caution and wariness and has touched me with her story in a way that I feared she wouldn't be able to.

*I received a copy of this book for review from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Review: The Sweetest Spell

 Title: The Sweetest Spell
Author: Suzanne Selfors
Publication Date: August 21, 2012
Publisher: Walker Childrens
*I received a copy of the book via Netgalley for review. All opinions are my own.

Emmeline Thistle, a dirt-scratcher's daughter, has escaped death twice-first, on the night she was born, and second, on the day her entire village was swept away by flood. Left with nothing and no one, Emmeline discovers her rare and mysterious ability-she can churn milk into chocolate, a delicacy more precious than gold.

Suddenly, the most unwanted girl in Anglund finds herself desired by all. But Emmeline only wants one-Owen Oak, a dairyman's son, whose slow smiles and lingering glances once tempted her to believe she might someday be loved for herself. But others will stop at nothing to use her gift for their own gains-no matter what the cost to Emmeline. 

Magic and romance entwine in this fantastical world where true love and chocolate conquer all.

I'm just going to be honest here, for having such a whimsical, maybe even comedic, story line, I really didn't expect this story to as good as it was! To have the ability to make chocolate is cool, and I'd definitely want it, but for that to be the central point around which the story revolved? I was skeptical. But kudos Suzanne Selfors, kudos for taking this strange idea and spinning it into an amazing story with fantastic world-building, great characters, and touched on rather serious topics.

Emmeline Thistle, who is born with a deformed foot, is looked down upon by everyone in her village, and by everyone in all other villages for being born a "dirt-scratcher." This girl was absolutely amazing. Emmeline was such a selfless and caring character and in her journey of fighting for her people, you could not help but root for her success. She goes through so much in this story, yet never loses her strength and faith.

This book is written in dual POVs switching between Emmeline and Owen Oak, a boy who saves her life, and I normally don't like switching POVs, but I think it worked so well in this book! Not only did it give me a glimpse into both Emmeline and Owen's thoughts, it also allowed me as a reader to see much more of this fictional world that Selfors has created.

Selfors creates such a vivid setting in Anglund, I had no problems picturing each place the characters visited. There's an old-timey, fairy-tale-esque feel of this land ruled by a royal family, and the magic of being able to create chocolate adds to that. Yes, the concept is kind of silly, but it's very well incorporated into the novel and Selfors made it very believable. I loved the back story of  how this magical ability came to be.

One of the biggest surprises for me was the group of characters in this novel. Emmeline and Owen were great, but I was really pleasantly surprised by how much I loved the secondary characters. Even the ones who were first portrayed as villains had some back story that gave them some possibility for redemption and made me empathize with what they did. The one thing I wasn't crazy about in the novel was that the romance was a little of the insta-love variety. I feel like Emmeline and Owen's feelings progressed way to fast, it was just too unrealistic. However, as the novel progressed, I really did like them together. I don't consider the romance to be an overwhelming part of the novel, because there's SO much more to the plot than hey-I-just-met-you-and-this-is-crazy-but-let's-live-happily-ever-after.

Rating: 4 stars

All in all: The Sweetest Spell is a delightful and magical story about self-discovery and strength. This novel definitely exceeded all of my expectations and I highly recommend it!

Review: Froi of the Exiles

Froi of the Exiles (The Lumatere Chronicles #2)
by Melina Marchetta
Published October 3rd, 2011 by Viking Australia

Three years after the curse on Lumatere was lifted, Froi has found his home . . . or so he believes. Fiercely loyal to the Queen and Finnikin, Froi has been taken roughly and lovingly in hand by the Guard sworn to protect the royal family, and has learned to control his quick temper with a warrior's discipline. But when he is sent on a secretive mission to the kingdom of Charyn, nothing could have prepared him for what he finds in its surreal royal court. Soon he must unravel both the dark bonds of kinship and the mysteries of a half-mad princess in this barren and mysterious place. It is in Charyn that he will discover there is a song sleeping in his blood . . . and though Froi would rather not, the time has come to listen


Rating: 5+++++ STARS

(I apologize in advance for the prolific use of gifs in this review…)

I can’t really tell you anything beyond what’s written in the book blurb because it would be a huge spoiler, but just know that the plot is chock FULL of hidden surprises and jaw-dropping events, wonderfully crafted subplots, and richly complex characters.

You're probably wondering, "Wait, if you can't tell me anything about the book, what's the purpose of this review??" 

Wonderful question. 

The purpose of this review, more or less is this...

You see, the thing is, I read this book and IT LEFT ME WITH SO MANY FEELS.

I thought Finnikin of the Rock took my emotions on an epic roller coaster of ups and downs, complete with huge loop-de-loops, but Froi.... this book left me like this:

Unlike Finnikin of the Rock, which, at its very core, was a story of hope and a fierce love everyone had with each other, Froi of the Exiles is much grittier and rawer. While Lumatere worked towards breaking a horrible curse in book 1, Charyn is still entrenched in a curse of their own making, and charynites are growing ever more desperate and bleak.

As always, the characters are beyond phenomenal. Melina Marchetta has truly outdone herself with the characters, old and new, in Froi because they are all so heartbreakingly complex and layered! As in every Marchetta book, I, as the reader, became SO invested in every character—I laughed with them, cried with them, wanted to beat up anyone hurting them…

This is what happens when you become invested in Melina Marchetta's characters...

The magic in the character crafting of this book lies in the fact that despite all the instances when it seemed like I should give up on a character—when it seemed that they were too jaded and broken— I just couldn’t! The characters in this book weren't as easy to like as in Finnikin--it wasn't so obvious whether they were as righteous or admirable and I worried that I might not like them very much...
BUT I WAS WRONG.
By the end of the book, I fell head over heels in love with just about all of them!
Just about every character, no matter what they’ve been through, what they’ve done, they’re never beyond redemption—except for Bestiano and Donashe. Those people I wanted to sucker punch...

This is a story about loving characters that maybe you should give up on, but just can’t find it in you to do so because you love them so much.

In an interview, Melina Marchetta said that Quintana and Froi are the fantasy equivalent of Taylor and Jonah from Jellicoe Road and I TOTALLY SEE IT! They're both somewhat broken and very cynical of the world, but together they're just so......

And don't even get me started on the other couples in the book...

In addition to the exquisite emotion-inducing writing, there is also a lot of humor in this book! It's dry and witty and hilarious! Literally, I'd be all "Oh, my poor emotions!" one minute, and the next, I'd be laughing out loud! It's a good thing I didn't read this in a public place or else people would've looked at me as though I were crazy.

IT. WAS. ALL. SO. DARN. AMAZING.
I can't even think of a single bad thing to say about this book.... well, there IS that ending. It's not that it was bad (no, definitely not) it's just that OMG. 
How could the book just END?!Like that?! I need to know what happens next!!!!
This is a MUST-BUY book (this whole series is, really). There are few books in the world that do this to me:

and leave me like this:

until finally:

Well done, Ms. Marchetta. Well done indeed.

Review: Finnikin of the Rock

Finnikin of the Rock (The Lumatere Chronicles #1)
by Melina Marchetta
Published February 9th, 2010 by Candlewick Press

At the age of nine, Finnikin is warned by the gods that he must sacrifice a pound of flesh to save his kingdom. He stands on the rock of the three wonders with his friend Prince Balthazar and Balthazar's cousin, Lucian, and together they mix their blood to safeguard Lumatere. 
But all safety is shattered during the five days of the unspeakable, when the king and queen and their children are brutally murdered in the palace. An impostor seizes the throne, a curse binds all who remain inside Lumatere's walls, and those who escape are left to roam the land as exiles, dying by the thousands in fever camps.
Ten years later, Finnikin is summoned to another rock--to meet Evanjalin, a young novice with a startling claim: Balthazar, heir to the throne of Lumatere, is alive. This arrogant young woman claims she'll lead Finnikin and his mentor, Sir Topher, to the prince. Instead, her leadership points them perilously toward home. Does Finnikin dare believe that Lumatere might one day rise united? Evanjalin is not what she seems, and the startling truth will test Finnikin's faith not only in her but in all he knows to be true about himself and his destiny. 

Rating: 6 out of 5 stars!!!

For an entire day—since the moment I finished the book, actually—I brainstormed about how I could write a review to properly express how I felt about this book—or rather how this book made me feel, which is usually the case with Melina Marchetta books.

I hoped that I’d be able to find the right sentences—or heck, even the right words.

But no. No such luck. This, honestly, does not surprise me, because that’s what happens with EVERY Marchetta book that I read. The experience leaves me a blubbering, emotional wreck. It’s pretty much all I can do to stay coherent in my reviews as I gush on and on about how much I love Melina Marchetta and every single thing she writes.

Seriously. The woman could probably write a grocery list that tugs my heartstrings.

And I would read it, too!

I have a feeling this review is probably going to be along the same lines as my others—endless blabber on how enamored I am with the book and how I practically worship the author who wrote it…

You have to understand,  I’m really not a traditional fantasy kind of girl. My normal reads are usually YA contemporaries or paranormal romances. It’s not that I don’t like fantasy novels… it’s just, the way that most are written rarely appeals to me.

And of course it would be Melina Marchetta who writes a fantasy novel that completely sucks me in and makes me want to eat every word I’ve ever said about fantasy novels.

This book was…. Dang. I can’t even think of a single figure of speech or praise that can come close to expressing just how effing FABULOUS this book was.

As is the case with most of her books, Marchetta has crafted a tale that slowly started sewing itself into my heart, stitch-by-stitch, from the very first page. At the end of the book, my heart was well and truly attached to this book, almost as though I NEEDED to keep a part of this magical story with me at all times.  My poor heart had been taken on the most epic of emotional rollercoasters. And that masochistic organ loved every heart-wrenching moment.

I can’t really tell you anything about the plot or what happens that’s not stated in the blurb because just about anything I want to say would be a spoiler. TRUST ME: this is not a book you want spoiled for yourself. You WANT to experience every page fresh, for the first time.

All I can say is that there is a lot of fabulously-paced traveling and adventure, awesome butt-kicking, and amazingly complex characters who will make you feel every emotion possible.

Oh. My. God. THESE CHARACTERS. My heart does this little fluttery thing every time I even think about them! I kid you not.

There’s just so beautiful and broken and witty and loving and admirable and full of emotion and—and now my heart is fluttering again…

ANYONE who doubted that Melina Marchetta, Master Universal Queen of Contemporary, could not do fantasy (and I will admit, I was one of them…) be prepared to be shamed by your doubts as I was because Marchetta kicked BUTT with this book. This is a book about loss and devastation, but more than anything, it talks of hope and faith and revival and all sorts of wonderful emotions that will melt your heart into a Marchetta-worshipping puddle of goo.

Review: Touch of Power

Touch of Power (Healer #1)
by Maria V. Snyder

Published December 20th 2011 by Mira

Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan absorbs their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Fifteen Realms, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.

Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life...

-goodreads

Rating: 5 stars!
Review:

Oh holy MOLEY. 

I expected this book to be good, and I certainly hoped that I would really like it.... but believe me, I did not expect to LOVE this book as much as I do! 

Just.... ahhh! I don't even know where to begin! 
It. Was. Brilliant. The concept of this novel, the healers, the magicians, and 11 types of magic were so original! I loved learning about the different types of magic and their respective abilities and I can't wait for the next book to learn more! The world-building was impeccable and I could visualize each setting perfectly. ALSO, oh my goodness, Maria V. Snyder is a master at pacing the story! The plot takes place over months, and not once was I bored! In my opinion, Snyder knew exactly when to give the reader a sequence of scenes and when to say that X passage of time had passed.

And I don't know about other people, but I adored the Death/Peace lilies. Maybe it's a girl thing.... Anyways, if you don't know, these lilies are man-sized lilies that can literally grab  and "eat" you (if it's a Death lily). I can't really explain why I loved this aspect of the book so much, but I thought it was very creative and just plain cool! I kind of wish they were real....

And now... on to the CHARACTERS.
I have to say, the characters just MADE the story. I mean, the adventure and magic elements were fantastic. But what really added that little oomph that usually pushes a book from 4 to 5 stars were the characters. 
Avry, the rare healer of the story, is one of the strongest and most brilliant protagonists I've seen in a long time! She's very selfless, risking her own safety countless times to save others, but that doesn't mean she makes stupid decisions. On the contrary, actually. She has a great analytic mind and picks up on great survival cues that I, as the reader, didn't even catch until she pointed them out! She's courageous and fearless and kind and just all sorts of amazing. Oh, plus she's very sarcastic, which I loved! Seriously, I'm sure you'll love her. 
As for the ragtag band of "rogues" mentioned in the blurb, I was initially worried that with 5 of them (Kerrick, Belen, Flea, Quain, and Loren) I wouldn't be able to keep them all straight. But never fear because Snyder is just that awesome and makes each one fairly distinct and memorable! 
(I even remembered how each one of them looked like, even though she only really described them once!)
 I loved how each of them came together to be this little "family" and have joke around despite their daunting mission. Avry's interaction with them was also fun to read--like they got another addition to the gang.
Kerrick is the undisputed leader of the group, as well as the love interest, and.... I don't know... I started off not really liking him because he was not exactly very nice... but then, I don't really know when exactly, but he totally grew on me! It was just one of those things where the culmination of the events of the book made me like him, as opposed to a single event. 
I kind of wish there could have been some more romance, though. At the end, I was all for the Avry-Kerrick pairing, but I wouldn't have minded some more Moments for me to swoon at his finery.   
As for the villain, Tohon, I think he was written wonderfully. A charming megalomaniac. 

All in all, this book was just wonderful all around! Love love LOVED it! I cannot wait for that sequel!!! 
Once you start this book, you won't be able to put it down! Trust me, this book was one addictive read; I started it one morning and pretty much spent the rest of that day reading! I finished the very next day and raced to my computer because I was just so excited to gush about this book!