Magic Study (Review)

Yelena Zaltana: Magic Study | Maria V. Snyder

Published by: Mira Books, May 16th 2008

Genre: YA, High Fantasy

Pages: 419

Format: Paperback

Source: Purchased

You know your life is bad when you miss your days as a poison taster... 

With an execution order on her head, Yelena has no choice but to escape to Sitia, the land of her birth. With only a year to master her magic - or face death - Yelena must begin her apprenticeship and travels to the Four Towers of the Magician's Keep.

But nothing in Sitia is familiar. Not the family to whom she is a stranger. Not the unsettling new facets of her magic. Nor the brother who resents her return. As she struggles to understand where she belongs and how to control her rare powers, a rogue magician emerges - and Yelena catches his eye.

Suddenly she is embroiled in battle of good against evil. And once again it will be her magical abilities that will either save her life...or be her downfall.

I went into this expecting something amazing, but I didn't exactly get it ... sort of. It wasn't as good as Poison Study, although I kind of expected that - a bunch of people had said the same. But it was still so good, compared to a bunch of other high fantasies I've read recently.

This suffered badly from SBS (second book syndrome) though, and felt like it was setting everything up for the next book. I liked it - liked everything about it - but I didn't love it. I didn't exactly warm to the setting; I kinda preferred Ixia. I enjoyed the story, though, and Yelena's training and shenanigans.The characters were as good as book one (maybe the only thing that was?) Irys became pretty cool, and I love Leif, and the way Yelena was around her parents. And the fact that Opal was involved! (Opal, as in the heroine of the Glass series...)

The awesome moments for me were when Yelena was with Valek. Their chemistry and the way they interact just brings this book to life. They saved this book for me, along with Yelena's usual badassery and complexity of emotion.

I liked Magic Study, but I expected more. Still very excited for Fire Study though, because FIRE.

Characters ★★★★★

Setting/world building ★★★★☆

Writing ★★★★☆

This book counts toward my Monthly Key Word challenge. 

See my progress on my Read in 2015 page!

Key words: Power (Magic)

Beauty Awakened (Review)

Angels of The Dark: Beauty Awakened | Gena Showalter

Published by: Mira Books, February 26th 2013

Genre: Adult, Paranormal Romance, Angels

Pages: 447

Format: Ebook

Source: Purchased

His name is Koldo. He is scarred, powerful, his control legendary-and he lives only for vengeance, determined to punish the angel who viciously removed his wings. But if he yields to the forces of hatred, he will be kicked from the heavens, eternally damned. 

She is his last hope. Nicola Lane was born with a defective heart, yet this fragile human shows surprising strength as demons stalk her every move, determined to end her. She is the key to Koldo's deliverance...and his downfall. Though he fights duty, destiny and his first addictive taste of desire, his toughest battle will be the one for Nicola's life-even if he has to sacrifice his own...

Beauty Awakened is awesome. All the gripes I had with the first book weren't present. There was a decent amount of intimacy without being overkill, no use of the word decadent, and everything just felt really balanced.

I love Zacharel more than Koldo, but I enjoyed this book a lot more. The action and romance just fit together better than book one. 

This book is just all kinds of good. Action and demons and kickass angels. A relationship that's passionate and not forced. Women with agency and guts. Men who aren't total alpha males (okay so they're like 90% alpha, but that 10% humanity makes them likeable.) And a war between angels (Sent Ones) and demons that is compelling and cool. Not to mention a hero with a screwed up life, twisted back story, and parents that both want to kill him.

Beauty Awakened is high-octane sequel with pockets of romance, meaning, and humour. Better than the first book by a long shot.

My only issues are superficial - Koldo on the cover is beardless, and the title has absolutely no relevance to this book whatsoever. Beauty Awakened? What's with that?

Characters ★★★☆☆

Setting/world building ★★★★☆

Writing ★★★★☆

Release day blitz: Golden

Golden | Melinda Michaels

Out today from REUTS publications!!

High school senior Hanna Loch just suffered a blackout in front of her entire homeroom class. She hasn’t had one in over ten years, and she’s terrified—the last time she blacked out, she woke up with no memory of her life before. To make matters worse, no one can explain why it happens. For Hanna, bad things tend to come in threes.

And that doesn’t even begin to cover it . . .

When she learns she could be a descendant of someone who lived once upon a time, Hanna must put her trust in William Vann, a descendant of one of the most hated villains ever known. Their histories are intertwined in more ways than she expected, and he has answers about her past, answers even her family won’t share.

But is it safe to put her trust in someone who appears to be danger reincarnate, while trying to escape the darkness that tried to kill her ten years ago?

A loose fairytale retelling, GOLDEN is a story that’s just right, weaving together lost secrets, vengeful enemies, and what happens when fiction becomes reality.

About Melinda Michaels:

Melinda Michaels is the author of Golden and currently lives in Milford, Pennsylvania. A self-proclaimed historian with a rare sense of humor, Melinda finds an immense amount of joy in knowing useless facts, exploring historical places and drinking copious amounts of coffee. When she’s not writing she can be found researching obscured time periods for her own amusement or refurbishing old furniture.

Melinda loves Philadelphia and visits often to enjoy the city with her husband Andrew. Together they have three rambunctious pets. Archie the Beagle, Winston the Boston Terrier and Beatrice the cat.

Golden is the first in a Young Adult magic realism series. 

Find more now on facebook, twitter, or her website.  

The Arctic Code (ARC Review)

Dark Gravity Sequence: The Arctic Code | Matthew. J. Kirby

Published by: Blazer + Bray, April 28th 2015

Genre: MG, Science Fiction

Pages: 336

Format: Ebook

Source: Balzer + Bray, via Edelweiss

It is the near future, and the earth has entered a new ice age. Eleanor Perry lives in Tucson, one of the most popular destinations for refugees of the Freeze. She is the daughter of a climatologist who is trying to find new ways to preserve human life on the planet. Dr. Perry believes that a series of oil deposits she has found in the Arctic may hold the key to our survival. That's when she disappears—but not before sending Eleanor a series of cryptic messages that point to a significant and mysterious discovery. Now it's up to Eleanor to go find her.

This search will launch Eleanor on a breathless race to unlock the mysteries of what has happened to our planet, solving the riddle of the cold that could be humanity's end—and uncovering a threat to the earth that may not be of this world.

Just a short review for this one.

The Arctic Code never really captured my attention, or my imagination. I was fairly interested in the trip to the Arctic, the threat of being caught, but after that it lulled and became monotonous and, at times, mind-numbing. I was bored for the last 50% and skimmed the last few percent just to be finished with it. The actual plot with the gravity and dark matter and planets and stuff came MUCH too late to interest me. I didn't particularly like the characters either - the brothers felt a little surplus to requirements. Not to mention this book is about aliens, without, somehow, being about aliens at all.

Not the best book I've read. Not the worst, certainly, but it was just flat.

Characters ★★☆☆☆

Setting/world building ★★★☆☆

Writing ★★★☆☆

Reading round up (70)

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.

16th March

Read ... pages of Death Sworn by Leah Cypess and finished it. This book is a damn good fantasy, and I adore the assassins. Not enough magic for me personally but that's because Ileni is losing hers so it makes sense. Hoping for more when she finds a super-magic-ball-thing!

I also started Beauty and The Beast by Jenni James because 1) I need a small break between Death Sworn and my next book, 2) this book is pretty short, and 3) it counts towards my fairy tales challenge.

17th March

I finished Beauty and The Beast, and I actually really liked it. More than I expected to. It's a cute story, and even has a bit of danger and threat - unexpected!

18th March

Started Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder because I loved book one! Read 165 pages and I don't love this setting as much as book one. I really like Bains, or Bain, or whatever the stuffy old teacher is, though, and I see potential in Lief if only he'd stop being an aggressive douche.

In an effort to actually read The Arctic Code by Matthew. J. Kirby I read 13% today, bringing me to 53%. It's slow and boring, but I'm (optimistically) expecting it to pick up.

19th March

I read 123 pages of Magic Study, which got marginally better with the appearance of Valek (the bastard!) and 8% of The Arctic Code, which is actually never going to pick up. I'm so bored.

20th March

Read 14% of The Arctic Code and even though they've found the big secret (paleolithic aliens? which somehow manage to also be dull?) I'm still not feeling it. I feel like I've read 75% of nothing. Can't wait for it to be over tbh.

I also read 71 pages of Magic Study, which I'd hoped to finish but at well. These last 100 pages have been better than the entire rest of book... :|

21st March

Finished Magic Study, which was good but not amazing, and skimmed the last 25% of The Arctic Code, which was boring as hell. I also started Beauty Awakened by Gena Showalter (33%) because I was feeling shitty and needed something PNR.

22nd March

I read 53% of Beauty Awakened, bringing me to 76% and I officially do not understand how the title fits. Neither characters' beauty has been awakened. Their self forgiveness, maybe, and their self-esteem definitely. Beauty? Nah. (Also where is Koldo's beard on the cover? That look nothing like him. Rude.)

Books finished this week: 4
Books DNF'd this week: 0

 

Hidden Huntress | Danielle. L. Jensen

Dragons Are People, Too | Sarah Nicolas

HIDDEN HUNTRESSSSSSSSSSSS!!! ALSO POC DRAGONSSSSSSS.

Death Sworn

Beauty and The Beast (Jenni James Fairy Tale Collection)

The Arctic Code (Scheduled for 24th March)

Magic Study (Scheduled for  26th March)