A Wicked Thing (ARC Review)

A Wicked Thing | Rhiannon Thomas

Published by: HarperTeen, February 24th 2015

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Retelling

Pages: 352

Format: Ebook

Source: HarperTeen, via Edelweiss

Rhiannon Thomas's dazzling debut novel is a spellbinding reimagining of Sleeping Beauty and what happens after happily ever after.

One hundred years after falling asleep, Princess Aurora wakes up to the kiss of a handsome prince and a broken kingdom that has been dreaming of her return. All the books say that she should be living happily ever after. But as Aurora understands all too well, the truth is nothing like the fairy tale.

Her family is long dead. Her "true love" is a kind stranger. And her whole life has been planned out by political foes while she slept. 

As Aurora struggles to make sense of her new world, she begins to fear that the curse has left its mark on her, a fiery and dangerous thing that might be as wicked as the witch who once ensnared her. With her wedding day drawing near, Aurora must make the ultimate decision on how to save her kingdom: marry the prince or run.

Rhiannon Thomas weaves together vivid scenes of action, romance, and gorgeous gowns to reveal a richly imagined world … and Sleeping Beauty as she’s never been seen before.

The blurb promised spellbinding and dazzling but I found this book to be missing that. A Wicked Thing is pretty much on one level, and that level is an alright story set in that one fantasy/historical world, you know the one - the one in every fairy tale retelling. They all have different names, but the worlds feel the same, with no distinguishing features to be found.

 The fantasy part doesn't come into most of this book, despite Aurora being cursed, and I found it lacking the magic I was hoping for. A heartfelt or sweeping romance might have made me like the book more, as would a main character I could connect with, a more evident threat, a world that was unique or actually explored, or a story that was more there. I was just about interested enough in the plot to reach the end, but most of the book was flat. Being honest, my favourite character was Roderick, and I thought he was very under-appreciated by Aurora even if I understand why she disliked him.

It took me until around 70% to finally find a bit of what I was looking for - danger, magic, excitement - but by then I'd already zoned out. Maybe you'll like A Wicked Thing more than me, but I found it to be monotonous and too much alike so many other, better, books.

[EDIT: just found out this is the start of a series, which explains the lack of everything. Guess the actual story is in the other two books. Boo.]

Characters ★★★☆☆

Setting/world building ★★★☆☆

Writing ★★★☆☆

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Release day blitz: Dare to Dream by Carys Jones

Dare to Dream by Carys Jones
published by REUTS Publications

The world was going to end. Of that, Maggie Trafford was certain.

Fourteen-year-old Maggie Trafford leads a normal life. Well, as normal as being crammed in a three-bedroom house with four siblings and a single parent can be, anyway. But despite being somewhat ignored at home, Maggie excels, earning top grades, a best friend who would do anything for her, and stolen looks from a boy in Maths.

It’s not until the dreams start that Maggie realizes “normal” is the least of her problems. Every night, she lives the same nightmare—red lightning, shattered glass, destruction. But nightmares are just that, right? No one believes her when she says it’s an omen. At least, not until the already mysterious pillars of Stonehenge start falling.

No longer alone in her fear, Maggie and the world watch with bated breath as one after another, the historic stones tumble, like a clock counting down. But only Maggie knows what it means: when the last stone falls, destruction will reign. And when the world ends, there’s only one option left—survive.

Horrifying and raw, Dare to Dream is equal parts tragedy and hope, detailing the aftermath of apocalyptic catastrophe, the quest for survival, and the importance of belief.

Buy DARE TO DREAM by Carys Jones today!

Want to know more about Dare to Dream? Watch the book trailer!

About Carys Jones:

Carys Jones loves nothing more than to write and create stories which ignite the reader's imagination. Based in Shropshire, England, Carys lives with her husband, two guinea pigs and her adored canine companion Rollo.

When she's not writing, Carys likes to indulge her inner geek by watching science-fiction films or playing video games.

She lists John Green, Jodi Picoult and Virginia Andrews as her favorite authors and draws inspiration for her own work from anything and everything.

To Carys, there is no greater feeling then when you lose yourself in a great story and it is that feeling of ultimate escapism which she tries to bring to her books.

Find more of Carys Jones on her website, like her on facebook or follow on twitter.

Reading round up (65)

Reading round up is a weekly journal where I record my daily reading progress, my thoughts on each book as I read it, and any books I've acquired during the week.

9th February

I'm dangerously close to a book slump right now, with Skylark not being what I expected (a kinda flat fantasy instead of an awesome sci-fi - the title sounds totally sci-fi to me) and The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest being murderously slow. 

So I started Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent because I love this series and know it'll make me feel better. I read 148 pages, and the text is pretty tiny. Feels US formatted, different from the rest of the UK ones :/ Still loving this book, though.

10th February

Currently Reading: Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent

Current page/percent: page 280

Read today: 132 pages

Thoughts: my poor bb Alec. You were too pure for this world.

11th February

Finished Before I Wake (59 pages) and it was amazing and painful. 

I also read Never To Sleep (62 pages), Sophie's novella and really enjoyed it. I liked seeing the Netherworld for the first time again and learning more about Sophie.

As well as that, I DNF'd Toxic Love by Jax Garren which was really bad.

12th February

Eh, I might abandon Skylark. I don't love it. I'm not sure I even like it. Instead of reading that, I started The Replaced by Kimberly Derting (36% read), sequel to the hella cool alien abduction aftermath (triple A?) novel The Taking!

13th February

Happy Galentines day, people!! I hope you spent today expressing love to your best lady friends.

Currently Reading: The Replaced by Kimberly Derting

Current page/percent: 100%

Read today: 64%

Thoughts: Oop I read a tonne of this. It was good but also had a love triangle with a threatening, domineering guy. Hopefully this is fixed in book 3.

14th February

I started Endangered by Lamar Giles (19% read) Ordinarily I wouldn't have picked this up or requested it but the POC on the cover and the blurb got my attention. Sadly, it was boring and the MC made really bad decisions. And was kind of a horrible person. She thinks she's a vigilante but really she's just a bitch. So I DNF this one.

But I started A Magic Dark and Bright by Jenny Adams Perinovic (27%) which is HOLY HELL AWESOME!!! The characters are cute. The gothic-ness of it is creepy and lush and I am loving these glimpses into the past!!

15th February

Currently Reading: A Magic Dark and Bright by Jenny Adams Perinovic 

Current page/percent: 81%

Read today: 54%

Thoughts: READ THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW!!!

Books finished this week: 3
Books DNF'd this week: 3

Crow Moon | Anna McKerrow

SO excited for this one. Witches!!! Boys that have no interest in being witches but when disaster strikes, they're made to face up to their witchy ways!!! Sounds so good. Major thanks to Quercus for sending me a beautiful ARC of this one.

Before I Wake

Never to Sleep

The Replaced (scheduled for 18th April)

Blitz: Sword by Amy Bai

Sword by Amy Bai 

Released February 10th 2015

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Sword shall guide the hands of men . . .

For over a thousand years the kingdom of Lardan has been at peace: isolated from the world, safe from the wars of its neighbors, slowly forgetting the wild and deadly magic of its origins. Now the deepest truths of the past and the darkest predictions for the future survive only in the verses of nursery rhymes.

For over a thousand years, some of Lardan’s fractious provinces have been biding their time.

Kyali Corwynall is the daughter of the Lord General, a child of one of the royal Houses, and the court’s only sword-wielding girl. She has known for all of her sixteen years what the future holds for her–politics and duty, the management of a House, and protecting her best friend, the princess and presumed heir to the throne. But one day an old nursery rhyme begins to come true, an ancient magic wakes, and the future changes for everyone. In the space of a single night her entire life unravels into violence and chaos. Now Kyali must find a way to master the magic her people have left behind, or watch her world–and her closest friends–fall to a war older than the kingdom itself.

About the Author:

Amy Bai has been, by order of neither chronology nor preference, a barista, a numbers-cruncher, a paper-pusher, and a farmhand. She likes thunderstorms, the enthusiasm of dogs, tall boots and long jackets, cinnamon basil, margaritas, and being surprised by the weirdness of her fellow humans. She lives in New England with her guitar-playing Russian husband and two very goofy sheepdogs.

http://www.amy-bai.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Amy.Bai

https://twitter.com/Inkjade

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9841180.Amy_Bai

Blitz-wide giveaway (INT):

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Before I Wake (Review)

Soul Screamers: Before I Wake | Rachel Vincent

Published by: Mira Ink, July 6th 2012

Genre: YA, Mythology, Paranormal

Pages: 339

Format: Paperback

Source: Purchased

Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking her life is much harder than ex-teen banshee Kaylee expected. Now she's fighting to stay visible to the human world and struggling to find time alone with her new reaper boyfriend Tod.

To stay in the mortal realm, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls and, when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won't keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn't just gambling with her own life... 

Annnnd this series continues to get stronger and stronger with every book.

I adored basically every element of this book. Allow me to list and rant about them:

I loved the progression of Kaylee and Tod's relationship and the moments we got between them. I especially loved the various hurt/comfort scenes - that stuff is like CRACK to me.

I loved how Nash and Kaylee had a scrap of friendship in this book, and I hope we get more of that in the final book. I also hope Nash gets his ass into gear and admits he's in love with Sabine. Come on, man. It's obvious.

 I enjoyed how the stakes were ramped even higher than previous books, even if I didn't like the consequences (Alec, no!) and how Kaylee's new job was intrinsic to the plot. 

I loved the introduction of Luca, super cute necromancer that he is, and the reintroduction of the other hellions (Avari is getting tiresome and repetitive now, even if his methods have got fancier~~)

I loved experiencing Kaylee's struggle at saying human, corporeal, and how honest Rachel Vincent's portrayal of that was. Kaylee's afterlife feels very honest, in its flaws and hardships and even the added benefits (I wish I could blink!!). It doesn't feel like a cliche death, it feels very human, very real.

The only thing I didn't love, and the only reason it's not one of my absolute favourites, is that the ending confucked me for a good half an hour before I reread it. I still don't know what to make of it, though. I think there was just too many characters in one place and my head went 'nah, I'm out.' Still, eager and nervous to read the next, last, book. Does it all have to end? Can't this series just last for twenty books?

Characters ★★★★★

Setting/world building ★★★★☆

Writing ★★★★★