From a High Tower (The Elemental Masters, #11)

From a High Tower
by Mercedes Lackey

Pages: 320 pages, paperback

Publication: June 22, 2015/Titan Books

Source: eARC

Premise:

When a man is caught stealing from a walled garden owned by a strange woman, he bargains away his youngest daughter in return for food for his family. The woman, rumored to be a witch, takes the golden-haired child and locks her away in a high tower. Sixteen years later, Giselle has lived an isolated life, but her adoptive mother has trained her in Air magic, and Giselle must use her new skills on a quest to avenge her broken heart...

I was expecting great things from this. Mercedes Lackey is a goddess in fantasy fiction, so I stumbled in expecting to be awed. How wrong I was. I thought that with so many books under her belt that she'd have flawless writing and pacing, and no flat characters, but there you go.
I'm writing this weeks after I'd read it, and I honestly couldn't read her name, until I looked the information on Goodreads.

Basically, Giselle, being the best shot in all the land (of course..... *eye roll*) gets taken in by a circus troop. Among the troop are a bunch of Native Americans touring with the hopes of getting enough money to buy back their land back in America. I'm not sure I want to comment on the way that these Native Americans are treated, since I'm not one myself. I'lll leave it up to the Native Americans to decide for themselves.

Three quarters of the book was detailed description of Giselle's life in the circus, from the travelling, to the cleaning of her guns, to every single conversation, and every single circus performance. It was tedious and so so boring. I was expecting a retelling of Rapunzel, yet those features only show up in the first dozen or so pages of the book, and during the very rushed ending.

All in all, I was severely disappointed. And due to this book being her, like, 20th or even 30th book, I don't think I'm interested in reading anything else by her.

 two sad clouds

Review: The Iron Duke

The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook

Pages: 378, paperback

ISBN: 9780425236673

Publisher: Berkley Trade

Date Released: October 5th, 2010

Genre: Adult / romance / historical / steampunk / action

Source: library

Premise: 

First in an all-new series where seductive danger and steampunk adventure abound in the gritty world of the Iron Seas.

After the Iron Duke freed England from Horde control, he instantly became a national hero. Now Rhys Trahaearn has built a merchant empire on the power-and fear-of his name. And when a dead body is dropped from an airship onto his doorstep, bringing Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth into his dangerous world, he intends to make her his next possession.

But when Mina uncovers the victim's identity, she stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens the lives of everyone in England. To save them, Mina and Rhys must race across zombie-infested wastelands and treacherous oceans-and Mina discovers the danger is not only to her countrymen, as she finds herself tempted to give up everything to the Iron Duke.
(Taken from Goodreads)

Buy it From: Book Depository / Amazon

This was something that I'd been looking forward to for a while I love steampunk with all my heart. In fact, I constantly wish that I had been born in an alternate reality where society depended on steam and clock powered machinery, where the limits of society could be pushed. And that's what I think is the most appealing thing about steampunk: that the real social rules and gender expectations can be changed. In a dark, bleary world filled with smog and machinery, everyone needs to be strong, even the women. Here, there's a chance to make strong women who can handle their own.

The world building here is amazing. From the beginning, we're thrown into a world where England is recovering from being taken over by a foreign power called the Horde. They're technologically advanced,  depending on nanoagents to survive in the smoggy streets of London. With each word, I got more and more hooked into this incredible world.
And it doesn't just stop at London. No, they travel across the English channel, in an airship, sailing across a ravaged Europe that's been taken over by zombies. Even their time aboard the airship is fantastic, because it's new, it's steampunk, it's described as this awesome setting.

I loved most of the characters, except for the Iron Duke (more on him later). There was no shortage of strong female characters. Mina is a half-English, half-Horde detective, and because of that, she's seen as a sort of abomination. People still resent the fact that they had been dominated by the Horde for so long, and a lot of them express distaste towards her appearance.
In that regard, I liked the way the Horde was portrayed, because she herself has it running through her veins. But it didn't stop me from feeling uneasy every time the Horde was described as a people. The way the text described them was done so in a fairly racist manner. The Horde was clearly meant to be an Asian power of some sort, due to the constant amount of times they were described as Mongols, and having slanting eyes, and that an entire race of people are made into the bad guys, well, it just doesn't sit well with me. Now, I'm sure it wasn't the author's intention to villainise  an entire race/culture, but it's still kind of awkward to read.

Another strong female character that I loved was Yasmeen. Man, she was tough. She sure doesn't take shit from anyone. She's a captain of her very own airship, and literally does what she wants, when she wants (and sometimes for a hefty fee). Like I said, the strong female characters are certainly present.

There is so much action here, that you wouldn't believe. There's always something ridiculously fast-paced going on, and sometimes, there isn't time to take a breath before you get plunged into the next action-packed scene. This book has it all: plenty of explosions, zombies, kraken, devious plots, sword-fights. You won't tire of the story here.

One major downfall, though, is the romance. This is described as a romantic--or at least sizzling--steampunk novel. For the first half of the book, the Iron Duke harasses Mina, begging her for kisses and constantly propositioning her, despite her saying no very clearly, and many times.
Then he sexually assaults her, thinking that she couldn't possibly say no to sex if he shows her what she's been missing out on. After all, she just hasn't witnessed the greatness of his dick, or something along those lines.
Then, he rapes her twice: once while she's sleeping, and another time at the very end of the book--where she very firmly tells him no. But it's okay, because he's so sexy, that it makes the whole situation romantic, right? Ugh.
This book would have been a 5 star book, and would have earned a place on the favourites shelf and I would have bought myself a copy immediately. But the rape-y bits just made me squirm uncomfortably.

So, avoid this book if you're prone to being tirggered by mentions of rape. I wish I had known about that.

I'm really looking forward to the next book in this series, Heart of Steel, which comes out in November of this year, and apparently follows Yasmeen, which I'm excited about. 

10 Second Review: Fantastic world building, strong female characters, and enough action to make you think you're stuck in an 80's action flick. WARNING: rape scenes dressed up as romance.

Cover Art: 3
Plot: 5
Characters: 3.5
Writing: 3.5
Level of Interest: 4


Total Rating: 4/5 stars

Review: Leviathan

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

Pages: 440, hardcover

ISBN: 9781416971733

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: October 6th, 2009 (First published September 22nd, 2009)

Genre: YA / steampunk / alternate history / adventure

Source: bought

Premise:

Prince Aleksander, would-be heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battletorn war machine and a loyal crew of men.

Deryn Sharp is a commoner, disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She's a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.

With World War I brewing, Alek and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way…taking them on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure that will change both their lives forever.

(Taken from Goodreads)

Buy it From: Book Depository / Amazon

The first thing I have to mention here is the cover and the drawings. The cover just draws you in, making you feel like a part of the story. I won't lie, this cover is a million times better than their revised cover: ICK.
And the drawings add this whole new aspect to the story. They're beautifully done, and I could just stare at them for hours. They definitely added a lot to the story.

I should mention that the only issue I had with this book was the language. Bum-rag? Seriously? Now, I understand that this is a YA book aimed at the younger side of the spectrum, but it kind of ruins the flow of the story. It makes me roll my eyes and groan in pain.
Other than that, the writing was lovely and descriptive.

Now onto characterisation. I love Deryn. In summation, she's a steampunk Mulan and doesn't take shit from anyone. She has her dreams, and she follows them, despite her gender. She's smart, independent, and just a little bit stubborn.
Alek was also strong. For a boy who'd just lost his parents and has a whole empire thirsting for his blood, he handles the situation snd himself quite well.

The two different views, the Darwinists and the Clankers, they added so much depth. The way they were described--from both perspectives--it was just amazing. Deryn and Alek's views on the life of the other gave us so much insight. Alek thought that the Darwinist creatures were Godless beasts, and Deryn saw the Clanker machines as soulless pieces of metal. They each think that their own views are the correct ones, and it reminds me of certain religious groups, how they think they're so correct, and that anyone who disagrees is wrong and soulless.

This is an amazing book, one that I would recommend to everyone. Though written for the younger side of YA, I think even adults can get a lot out of this. I'll be reviewing the sequel, Behemoth, sometime soon.

Art: 5
Plot: 5
Characters: 4
Writing: 3
Level of Interest: 5

Total Rating: 5/5 stars

Review: The Dust of 100 Dogs

The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King

Pages: 320, paperback

ISBN: 9780738714264

Publisher: Flux

Date Released: February 1st, 2009

Genre: YA / fantasy / adventure / historical / pirates

Source: library

Premise:

In the late seventeenth century, famed teenage pirate Emer Morrisey was on the cusp of escaping the pirate life with her one true love and unfathomable riches when she was slain and cursed with "the dust of one hundred dogs," dooming her to one hundred lives as a dog before returning to a human body-with her memories intact.

Now she's a contemporary American teenager and all she needs is a shovel and a ride to Jamaica. (Taken from Goodreads)

Buy it from: The Book Depository / Amazon


This is a book I truly loved. The writing was a masterpiece, and I was unable to put the book down. The words seemed to flow so well and since it was written in first person, it allowed a strong connection with the main character. The writing is often emotional and violent, but also beautiful and captivating.

The story itself was a gem. The basic plot consists of a poor Irish girl/pirate, who got cursed to live the lives of 100 dogs before turning back to a human. Did you read that? PIRATES. OH MY GOD. How can that not sound like a great read? Plus reincarnation? Wow, just wow.
The story switches between Emer/Saffron's first life, her present life, her memories as dogs, and the point of view of a creepy, perverted bisexual man who constantly chastises himself for being interested in males.

This story encounters a lot of interesting themes. For example, sexuality. In one of Emer's recounts as a dog, she told a story of a male dog who had sex with another male dog, and how this sort of stuff was normal for dogs. It didn't matter about the sexuality, it just mattered about relieving the tension. She points out that if a creature as simple as the dog can be able to have sex with members of the same gender and be fine with it, then it would make sense for humans--who have proclaimed to be far above all other creatures--to embrace this sort of behavior. Fred Livingstone, he is bisexual, yet he feels ashamed about this, and this ties into the story of the gay dog.

What I hated was how rotten Emer (or rather, Saffrom) was towards her parents. She didn't seem to realise that her parents--especially her mother--cared deeply for her and want the best for her. With her vast intellect, she could have done anything she wanted, an her parents were trying to help her embrace that. But there were so many instances where she thought these horribly malicious thought, like cutting her mother's eyes out, or slicing her ear off for absolutely no reason. It just made me wonder if she learned nothing in her 100 lives as a dog. And it didn't make her seem strong, just bitchy and ungrateful and unable to grow. It gave me very little reason to sympathize with her for the most part of the book.

He story as Emer was rather epic, how she survived an invasion on her hometown, while the rest were slaughtered like animals. She ended up trying to fend for her own while she reached the Caribbean, and from there, her journey to becoming this frightening pirate. It showed great character, and she built lots of relationships with the other characters. She really grew in those pages, in her first life.

This is a story that I really loved, and I recommend that everyone read it. It might not be suitable for the faint of heart: it rape scenes and animal cruelty, and some rather graphic imagery. So approach with caution.

Cover Art: 4
Plot: 4
Characters: 3
Writing: 5
Level of 5

Total Rating: 5/5

Review: Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Pages: 375, paperback

ISBN: 9780141329994

Publisher: Puffin

Date Released: January 7th, 2010 (first published in 2005)

Genre: Middle Grade / fantasy / adventure / mythology: Greek

Source: library

Premise:

Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school...again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.

Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves. (Taken from Goodreads)

Buy it now from The Book Depository

I was slightly skeptical about this book. A middle grade book about Greek mythology, said to be the next Harry Potter? I didn't think it could be pulled off properly. And I was wondering what was so good about it that Hollywood decided to make of it (which I saw many months later).

I read it to give it a try. I just knew, though, that I wouldn't like it.

Every skeptical thought I had was lost on the first page of the book. From the beginning, I was drawn into the world of Percy Jackson. The writing just draws you in and doesn't ever release its hold until the very last page. Even then, it gives you this thirst to read the rest of the series. The writing flowed in such a way that it kept my attention: fast paced with such an elaborate voice. It really did feel like Percy Jackson was narrating the story to me. It was fun, and it sounded like a genuine 12-year-old, what with all that silly humour and whatnot.

What I loved most about the writing in this book is how every chapter is filled to the brim with action. There's just so much going on all the time that there's hardly any time for a breather, but I think that it works in this case, for it makes putting the book down a near impossible feat.

I loved the characters. They weren't two-dimensional, they felt so completely real, and I found myself loving each and every one of them (especially Hades and Ares. Man, those two were so hardcore). While I found myself cringing at the niceness at some of the gods, I still found it believable (and I thought it was appropriate enough for a MG novel) especially with the adulterous nature of the gods. I loved that they didn't exclude that, unlike some novels I've seen.

The infusion of Greek mythology into a modern setting was done splendidly. I was in awe at how well it was done. Some things were a bit predictable, but I guess that's mainly because I have quite a lot of knowledge on Greek mythology. I loved it.

As soon as I finished this book, I rushed out to get my hands on the rest of the series, and let me tell you, they do not disappoint.

Cover Art: 3
Plot: 4
Characters: 4
Writing: 4
Level of Interest: 4

Total: 4/5 stars

Review: Eona

Eona by Alison Goodman

Pages: 448, paperback

ISBN: 9780732284947

Publisher: HarperCollins

Date Released: April 1st, 2011 (Australia); April 19th, 2011 (US)

Genre: Young Adult / fantasy / eastern mythology / adventure

Source: bought

Premise:

Eon has been revealed as Eona, the first female Dragoneye in hundreds of years. Along with fellow rebels Ryko and Lady Dela, she is on the run from High Lord Sethon’s army. The renegades are on a quest for the black folio, stolen by the drug-riddled Dillon; they must also find Kygo, the young Pearl Emperor, who needs Eona’s power and the black folio if he is to wrest back his throne from the self-styled “Emperor” Sethon. Through it all, Eona must come to terms with her new Dragoneye identity and power—and learn to bear the anguish of the ten dragons whose Dragoneyes were murdered. As they focus their power through her, she becomes a dangerous conduit for their plans....(Taken from Goodreads)

Buy it now from The Book Depository


Okay, so when I saw this book in stores at the beginning of April, I kind of freaked out. I thought it would release on the 19th of April, like Goodreads said. But lucky me got it early. For once, I'm glad to be an Australian book-lover.

The writing is rich and descriptive. It's beautiful and makes you want to savour the words. I found myself constantly rereading passages because of the amazing descriptions. Goodman certainly has a way with words. From the way she describes the vibrant world that Eona lives in, rich with eastern mythology, it's clear that she's done her research, but there's something more than just that that makes her world-building so magnificent. While Eon was mainly situated within the palace, Eona takes us all across the fantastic world, through mountain passes and deserts and forests, even across the water. This is a tale of adventure, and we explore the land and its people. Every minute detail is vivid and so easy to visualise, every bit of their culture is shown to us and appreciated.
Because of the first person POV, it feels personal, and you really get to know the character of Eona. I mean, not that you need to learn much about her after Eon, but this has far less angsting over her uncertainty about uniting with her dragon. This time, Eona has to deal with not knowing how to control her powers, which cause great strife to the rest of the cast.

It seems that this book has everything: action, adventure, world-building and character growth. It also has a slight dash of romance. I'm not going to say who it is with, but all I can say that Goodman really made it work. She made their feelings so clear, so easy to believe in. There was a lot of tension in the air between them. There were many times where I practically shouted "Oh, Just rip her clothes off already!"
But not only that, she made their relationship realistic. They weren't without hardships. They constantly mistrusted each other, and kept the truth. There seemed to be a hidden agenda with their interactions to each other. But that they were able to work through all those problems showed that they were a truly strong couple that really did deserve to be together. I mean, it's much better than most other YA romances where their biggest problems are keeping away from each other for 18 days and a new hair style (as seen in Torment). So, this realistic romance was done quite well, especially considering the love triangle that tried to separate them time and time again.
The second person in the love triangle, though I didn't want him to be with Eona, man, I loved their interactions the most. They were SEXY together. Rough and raw passion dripping off every word. They too had the same amount of mistrust, but in a different sort of way. They had a sort of... mutual survival thing going on (and before you complain about spoiling this for you, believe me, this person isn't who you think it is.)

A wonderful theme explored in both this book and Eon is what it means to be a woman. Examples of this are Lady Dela, who has the body of a man, but the spirit of a woman; and now Eona, who has come to terms with her femininity--to an extent. She mentions often that she had been denied her femininity for years and has forgotten what it means to be a woman. This installment delves deeper into her psyche and offers insight to the issue of the topic, especially considering the less than stellar views of women that this world has.

Trust is also an important theme, which was also present in Eon when she lies about being a eunuch. Eona constantly finds herself in situations where she needs to keep the truth hidden, despite her dragon's virtue being truth. I think this is an important thing to note while reading the two books.
This theme explore the concept of if you lie to someone once, they will constantly doubt you, even in times of truth, such as Ryko's rocky relationship with Eona. Ryko still hadn't recovered from Eona's betrayal in the first book, and it causes strains in their relationship. Not only that, but because of the lack of truth, everyone's relationships are on edge. This is also the cause for a major upheaval near the end of the book, which changes the course of things.

In this book, there is more history, answering a great deal of questions concerning Eona's ancestors, the red and black folios, and why the Mirror Dragon had disappeared for five hundred years. From this also comes a mystery which keeps the reader constantly guessing. We learn a much deeper truth concerning the dragons and their dragon eyes, and from this, Eona is forced to make the greatest sacrifice.

I loved this book so much. Even though it's only April, and I haven't read many books released this year, I think this is the best book 2011 has to offer. I beg you all to go out and read this book. Your lives depend on it.

Cover Art: 4
Plot: 5
Characters: 5
Writing: 5
Level of Interest: 5

Total: 5/5 stars

I believe that this is the highest score I've given for any book. Almost full marks! So, you KNOW it's going to be good.

http://www.alisongoodman.com.au/images/eona_australia.jpg

Review: Ice

Ice by Sarah Beth Durst

Pages: 320, paperback

ISBN: 9781847386571

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's

Date Released: October 29th, 2009

Genre: YA / romance / fantasy / adventure / fairy-tale retelling

Source: library

Premise:

When Cassie was a little girl, her grandmother told her a fairy tale about her mother, who made a deal with the Polar Bear King and was swept away to the ends of the earth. Now that Cassie is older, she knows the story was a nice way of saying her mother had died. Cassie lives with her father at an Arctic research station, is determined to become a scientist, and has no time for make-believe.
Then, on her eighteenth birthday, Cassie comes face-to-face with a polar bear who speaks to her. He tells her that her mother is alive, imprisoned at the ends of the earth. And he can bring her back — if Cassie will agree to be his bride.
That is the beginning of Cassie's own real-life fairy tale, one that sends her on an unbelievable journey across the brutal Arctic, through the Canadian boreal forest, and on the back of the North Wind to the land east of the sun and west of the moon. Before it is over, the world she knows will be swept away, and everything she holds dear will be taken from her — until she discovers the true meaning of love and family in the magical realm of Ice. (Taken from Goodreads)

Buy it now from The Book Depository


I don't think I can properly express just how much I loved this book. I've been itching to read it for like, months, and I was so excited when I finally got my hands on it.
It tells the story of Cassie, who after finding out that the fairytale that her grandmother told her when she was a child is true, and is forced to be the wife of the Polar Bear King in order to rescue her mother from trolls. It's basically the retelling of East of the Sun, West of the Moon. It's one of my favourite fairytales of all time, because it's just so magical, with a hint of Beauty and the Beast.

From the very beginning, I was hooked. The prologue gave such amazing back story and insight in just three pages, and made me fall in love with the story. The plot is incredibly addictive, I just couldn't stop reading it. There was so much adventure in it, as Cassie travels across the icy plains of the Arctic, dives into an ocean, travels through forests and bogs, and finally, to the land east of the sun and west of the moon. Her incredibly journey though the forests and bogs, enduring pain and near-death encounters, was a delightful change of pace from the typical 'guy rescues the helpless damsel in distress' stories. It was refreshing and insightful. And throughout her journey, Cassie showed a great change in character, the development all characters should go through.

I was slightly annoyed at the longitude, latitude and altitude markings at the beginning of each chapter, as I don't know how to decipher those things, and it felt as if I were missing out on something. It got quite annoying as the story progressed.

Another issue I had with the story was when Cassie was with Father Forest, so many things happened to her that should have killed the baby growing inside her, even though Father Forest, and everyone else was trying to prevent any harm from happening to the baby. Cassie was wrapped in a tight cocoon of vines that almost broke most of her bones, and forced to stay like that until she was starving and had wet herself, and she was forced into back-breaking labour, such as cleaning and using incredibly hardcore cleaning products (though, the fumes from such cleaning products can be harmful; pregnant women are advised to steer clear of using such things for most of their pregnancy, especially the last 2 trimesters). The baby should have either died or been born with serious defects from everything that it had gone through.

At odd times, it seemed as if the characters were too modern at times, especially the ones that are originally a few hundred years old, like Bear, Father Forest and the North Wind. But despite that little flaw, they were all extremely awesome and I loved each of them, they all had depth, were understandable and were a delight to follow, even the minor characters.

The ending seemed a bit abrupt and too fast-paced, as if Durst was trying to wrap things up as quickly as possible, in as few words as she possibly could, but still, it worked in some way, retaining some logic and epicness.

Overall, a pretty epic book, one of my favourite YA's/retellings.

Cover Art: 3
Plot: 5
Characters: 5
Writing: 5
Level of Interest: 5

Total: 5/5 stars