Review: Beyond A Darkened Shore

Read if you like: stand-out, unique fantasy worlds, Celtic and Norse myths, and slow-build enemy romance between amazing characters.

Beyond A Darkened Shore | Jessica Leake

Series: N/A

Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fantasy, Mythology
Released: April 10th 2018
Pages: 435
Format: Ebook
Source: Publisher

The ancient land of Éirinn is mired in war. Ciara, Princess of Mide, has never known a time when Éirinn’s kingdoms were not battling for power, or Northmen were not plundering their shores. 

The people of Mide have thankfully always been safe because of Ciara’s unearthly ability to control her enemies’ minds and actions. But lately, a mysterious crow has been appearing to Ciara, whispering warnings of an even darker threat. Although her clansmen dismiss her visions as pagan nonsense, Ciara fears this coming evil will destroy not just Éirinn, but the entire world. 

Then the crow leads Ciara to Leif, a young Northman leader. Leif should be Ciara’s enemy, but when Ciara discovers that he, too, shares her prophetic visions, she knows he’s something more. Leif is mounting an impressive army, and with Ciara’s strength in battle the two might have a chance to save their world. 

With evil rising around them, they’ll do what it takes to defend the land they love…even if it means making the greatest sacrifice of all.

An incredibly unique blend of Irish and Norse myth, with action, battle, and a beating heart of love. I really, really liked this. I love how brutal its main characters are, and how the story revolves equally around fighting for their countries as it does their romance. Everything felt natural, and the enemies to lovers story was done SO WELL. Plus the setting feels authentic, with religion, myth, and rulers woven expertly in. Jessica Leake wrote an Ireland where magic feels real and inevitable (and I love it.)

Exciting, bloody, romantic, and ultimately hopeful - I enjoyed this book so much. (And I'm very happy there's more in this series because I want to read more from the author!)

4.5 stars

Review: The Star-Touched Queen

The Star-Touched Queen  | Roshani Chokshi

Published by: St Martin's Griffin, April 26th 2016

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Mythology, Diverse

Pages: 342

Format: Ebook

Source: Purchased

Fate and fortune. Power and passion. What does it take to be the queen of a kingdom when you’re only seventeen?

Maya is cursed. With a horoscope that promises a marriage of death and destruction, she has earned only the scorn and fear of her father’s kingdom. Content to follow more scholarly pursuits, her whole world is torn apart when her father, the Raja, arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellions. Soon Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of Amar. Neither roles are what she expected: As Akaran’s queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar’s wife, she finds something else entirely: Compassion. Protection. Desire…

But Akaran has its own secrets—thousands of locked doors, gardens of glass, and a tree that bears memories instead of fruit. Soon, Maya suspects her life is in danger. Yet who, besides her husband, can she trust? With the fate of the human and Otherworldly realms hanging in the balance, Maya must unravel an ancient mystery that spans reincarnated lives to save those she loves the most…including herself.

A beautiful story of love, self-discovery, and magic. This book is so good at showing the beauty and wonder in even the darkest hells and monsters, and I just fell in love with it for that - and for the main chararcters. The Star-Touched Queen is everything I wanted it to be - romantic, detailed, immersive - and full of so much more mythology, legends, and creatures. I was ensnared from page one.

Characters ★★★★★

Setting/world ★★★★★

Writing ★★★★★

Guest Post: Julia Ember's Favourite Literary Creatures

I am so thrilled to have Julia Ember on Syntax Reviews today. If you've read my review of Unicorn Tracks, you'll know I loved it, and you'll know the creatures were one of my favourite parts. I'm delighted to have a guest post from Julia about her favourite literary magical creatures.

Want to know more about this amazing f/f fantasy? Scroll down for the blurb & links.

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If you’ve read the synopsis for Unicorn Tracks, or have any familiarity with the book’s mythical safari topic, it probably doesn’t come as a surprise that I adore magical creatures and beings. When Saruuh asked me to write a guest blog post featuring some of my favourite creatures in books, I was very excited to dive in! I’m not going to talk about Unicorns because I think my love of them is kind of a given and I might be a *little* biased in my book selections.

 

Dragons

 

                I love dragons of all types – from the dangerous beasts of the Trinwizard to the mathematical intelligentsia of Seraphina. As a former medievalist turned fantasy writer, I get particularly excited imaging medieval people discovering dinosaur skeletons and constructing elaborate mythologies based on them. I don’t know if that’s how dragons became such a universal feature of human myth or not, but it’s what I like to think. Here are my picks:

 

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman – I loved the shape-shifting dragons in Seraphina! Most stories depict dragons as instinctual, emotional creatures that need to tame their inner rage. Not so in Hartman’s world! Her dragons are super intelligent, analytical creatures who weed out emotional reaction and attachment in their society. They make excellent scientists and mathematicians. The dragons can shift into a human form in order to live in human cities. Seraphina herself is a half-dragon, with traits from both creatures. However, in their true dragon form, Hartman’s dragons are monstrous and huge!

Tell Me A Dragon by Jackie Morris – One of the most richly imagined children’s picture books I’ve ever seen. This book depicts dragons of all types and sizes, from tiny lizards tucked behind children’s ears to great feathered ice dragons flying over the arctic. The book doesn’t tell much of a story, although it has words to encourage children to imagine their own dragons. However, each page is a work of art and well worth having in your collection!

The Ice-Dragon by George RR Martin – I picked up the beautiful new edition with illustrations by Luis Royo last year in a book shop. This bittersweet little book totally blew me away, both with the heart-breaking narrative (it’s George RR so he can’t let you be happy even in a children’s story) and the amazing blue-tone illustrations. There are many types of rideable dragon in this book, but it’s the illusive ice-dragon that steals the show. The ice-dragon is the bringer of winter and made of frozen crystal. The story fits nicely with the Song of Ice and Fire mythology because as long as the dragon remains it will stay winter.

 

Mythical Birds

 

                Confession time: I have a Phoenix tattoo on my thigh. I absolutely love phoenixes with their fiery feathers, symbols of rebirth and personal growth. Equally beautiful, but less known is the Caladrius. The Caladrius first appears in Roman Mythology, and is said to be able to take the sickness of a person and fly away with it, leaving them healthy again. They are usually depicted as all-white, but sometimes with blue and purple feathers.

 

                The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig – This magical debut novel opens in a bustling Indian market, where the protagonist and her dashing thief love-interest are bartering. Securing a Caladrius, they manage to escape the market with the bird. The Caladrius provides eery foreshadowing – it won’t look at someone if their condition isn’t cureable. When Nix shows the bird to her father, it won’t look at him.

 

 

                Harry Potter by JK Rowling – Okay, I feel like this is a predictable choice, but I couldn’t avoid it. Fawkes the Phoenix is pretty badass. His tears are able to heal Harry after he suffers a fatal wound and he’s able to regenerate in a puff of smoke.

 

About Unicorn Tracks:

Unicorn Tracks | Julia Ember

Published by: Harmony Ink Press, April 21st 2016

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Mythology

Pages: 180

After a savage attack drives her from her home, sixteen-year-old Mnemba finds a place in her cousin Tumelo’s successful safari business, where she quickly excels as a guide. Surrounding herself with nature and the mystical animals inhabiting the savannah not only allows Mnemba’s tracking skills to shine, it helps her to hide from the terrible memories that haunt her.

Mnemba is employed to guide Mr. Harving and his daughter, Kara, through the wilderness as they study unicorns. The young women are drawn to each other, despite that fact that Kara is betrothed. During their research, they discover a conspiracy by a group of poachers to capture the Unicorns and exploit their supernatural strength to build a railway. Together, they must find a way to protect the creatures Kara adores while resisting the love they know they can never indulge.

About Julia Ember:

Originally from the Windy City, Julia Ember now resides in Sunny Scotland where she learned to enjoy both haggis and black pudding. She spends her days working as a professional Book Nerd for a large book wholesaler, and her nights writing YA Romantic Fantasy novels.  She also spends an inordinate amount of time managing her growing city-based menagerie of pets with Harry Potter themed names. Presently, she is the haggard slave Sirius Black and Luna Lovegood the cats and Bellatrix Le Snake. She also owns a freakishly adorable cob pony called Africa.

A world traveller since childhood, Julia has now visited over 60 countries. Her travels inspire the fictional worlds she writes about and she populates those worlds with magic and monsters. In the coming year, she really hopes to visit Iceland and participate in a Saga Tour — viewing the stunning countryside by pony-back.

ARC Review: Unicorn Tracks

Unicorn Tracks | Julia Ember

Published by: Harmony Ink Press, April 21st 2016

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Mythology

Pages: 180

Format: Ebook

Source: Author

After a savage attack drives her from her home, sixteen-year-old Mnemba finds a place in her cousin Tumelo’s successful safari business, where she quickly excels as a guide. Surrounding herself with nature and the mystical animals inhabiting the savannah not only allows Mnemba’s tracking skills to shine, it helps her to hide from the terrible memories that haunt her.

Mnemba is employed to guide Mr. Harving and his daughter, Kara, through the wilderness as they study unicorns. The young women are drawn to each other, despite that fact that Kara is betrothed. During their research, they discover a conspiracy by a group of poachers to capture the Unicorns and exploit their supernatural strength to build a railway. Together, they must find a way to protect the creatures Kara adores while resisting the love they know they can never indulge.

Unicorns and lesbians? Possibly the best combination ever.

Come for the rep, stay for the creatures. The relationship between Mnemba and Kara is so sweet, and sad in parts. I loved that Mnemba was a recovering victim - did not expect that but I loved how it was written. (And that her rapist was rotting in a pit. Please let this be the standard punishment everywhere.) Because of the obvious obstacles to a relationship, it's a bittersweet love, and it's so realistic. 

The creatures were my favourite part of this book. It wasn't just unicorns - there's all sorts of mythical creatures mentioned and part of the story, which was an epic surprise. I wasn't overly sure of the story until the end; it was hard to see how unicorns would play into a railway being built, but there is a genuine reason for it and I enjoyed the mystery around it. Honestly, I just loved the animals and the setting. I can't say much for authenticity because I've never been to a country in Africa, but I could visualise everything and it FELT real. It was like I was actually there (but without the displeasure of melting in the heat. Bonus!)

If you're looking for less common mythical creatures, non-western settings, and honest romance, read this immediately.

Characters ★★★☆☆

Setting/world ★★★★☆

Writing ★★★★☆

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Sleep No More (Review)

Charlotte Westing Chronicles: Sleep No More | Aprilnne Pike

Published by: HarperTeen, April 19th 2014

Genre: YA, Thriller, Paranormal, Mythology

Pages: 340

Format: Paperback

Source: Purchased

The blockbuster film Inception meets Lisa McMann's Wake trilogy in this dark paranormal thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Aprilynne Pike. This novel is also perfect for fans of Kelley Armstrong, Alyson Noel, and Kimberly Derting.

Charlotte Westing has a gift. She is an Oracle and has the ability to tell the future. But it doesn't do her much good. Instead of using their miraculous power, modern-day Oracles are told to fight their visions—to refrain from interfering. And Charlotte knows the price of breaking the rules. She sees it every day in her wheelchair-bound mother and the absence of her father. But when a premonition of a classmate's death is too strong for her to ignore, Charlotte is forced to make an impossible decision: continue following the rules or risk everything—even her sanity—to stop the serial killer who is stalking her town.

Reading this book was an exercise in patience, and if you know me at all, you'll know I have none. 0% patience. I wanted to slap every single character in their annoying face with every chapter I read.

First off I wanna say I liked the thriller aspects of the book, and the Oracle stuff was cool at first, though got really repetitive and I got a little tired with it. But THE CHARACTERS. First we have Charlotte, who meets a super creepy guy a good ten years older than her who says, basically, 'sup, I've been stalking you since you were a kid, and now I'm here to help with this super ominious piece of jewellery you should 100% wear when you sleep.' And she goes, essentially 'k, seems legit.' ????????? That's where I started losing interest. After that she goes on a supernatural quest to save every waif and stray in her town from being murdered (now this may just be me, but I just could not understand why she was so desperate to save a kid she'd spoken to in music class one time.) So my patience with her was at -100.

And then we have the creepy older dude, who I summed up best on Goodreads:

click to enlarge!

And the dishwater-dull love interest. Who, in any other book, might have been sweet. I'd just lost so much faith in this book by the time he came around.

But with all that said, I did really enjoy certain parts. The serial killer mystery was as thrilling as it promised, even if the killer was a flashing neon sign instead of a plot twist, and 'Shelby' wasn't a glaring shock either. And I did enjoy some Oracle parts. I just got so disillusioned with the characters that I started picking apart the rest of the book.

To sum: A good thriller with an interesting supernatural touch but the characters drove me mad.

Characters ★★☆☆☆

Setting/world building ★★★★☆

Writing ★★★☆☆

To be fair to Sleep No More, my rating would be more like 2.75 but 3 seems too high.

Smoulder (Review)

Smoulder | Brenna Yovanoff
Also published as The Space Between

Published by: Simon & Schuster UK, January 5th 2012

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Mythology (sorta - it's Biblical lore)

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: Gift

Everything is made of steel, even the flowers. How can you love anything in a place like this?

Daphne is the half-demon, half-fallen angel daughter of Lucifer and Lilith. Life for her is an endless expanse of time, until her brother Obie is kidnapped - and Daphne realizes she may be partially responsible. Determined to find him, Daphne travels from her home in Pandemonium to the vast streets of Earth, where everything is colder and more terrifying. With the help of the human boy she believes was the last person to see her brother alive, Daphne glimpses into his dreams, discovering clues to Obie's whereabouts. As she delves deeper into her demonic powers, she must navigate the jealousies and alliances of the violent archangels who stand in her way. But she also discovers, unexpectedly, what it means to love and be human in a world where human is the hardest thing to be. 

I started this book hoping that Brenna Yovanoff wasn't one of those authors where I only love one of their books. I hoped I loved all of her books as much as The Replacement but feared I wouldn't. I shouldn't have worried.

Smoulder - or The Space Between - is a dark and gritty story of recovery and self-discovery. It explores the lengths people will go to for those they love, even if they don't really know what love is. I loved this book. It had a definite spark of the magic that I found in The Replacement, even if I didn't fall as hard for this book as I did that.

I loved the characters the most - Daphne was naive but brave, and I found her obliviousness and ignorance of earth things pretty cute. But Truman - he reminded me so much of Cole St Clair, one of my favourite characters ever. Truman is self destructive, careless with his life, and utterly broken. He's not quite as sharp around the edges as Cole, and has a definite gentleness, but that only made me love him more. The ending almost killed me. The supporting characters were great too - even Moloch (I naturally hate and suspect Molochs but he managed to gain my trust and affection) and a demon child.

This book is a great mix of contemporary issues and paranormal danger. The magic felt so natural, like it belonged in this world, and the threats were pretty horrifying (poor Obie!) but I was much more invested in Truman's recovery. My precious sunshine child. And don't even get me started on the romance, which was just perfect for these characters. Basically I loved everything about this, and it's only not an absolute favourite because I didn't entirely fall in love with it. It's purely an emotional rating.

Characters ★★★★★

Setting/world building ★★★★☆

Writing ★★★★☆

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 ★★★★★

If I Die (Review)

Soul Screamers: If I Die | Rachel Vincent

Published by: Mira Ink, February 3rd 2012

Genre: YA, Mythology, Paranormal

Pages: 342

Format: Ebook

Source: Purchased

Scheduled to die within days, Kaylee knows her magic can't change her fate. Worse, on top of worrying about her own demise, she needs to save mortal best friend Emma from the clutches of a deadly Netherworld creature

Fair warning for spoilers. Tonnes of spoilers. All of which I will be raving about.

I completely forgive Rachel for the agony of the last book - If I Die more than satisfied my heart and left my emotions screaming in a good way. Tod and Kaylee are perfect for each other, in ways I never could have predicted from the previous books. Their relationship is such a lovely shock - it creeps up on you, but then you look back and realise you should have seen it coming from the start. I love them so goddamn much. And it explains why Tod was so cruel in that one scene in the last book - the one that left my heart with a physical ache. I can literally take any crap from any of these characters but not Tod. I never realised how important he was to me until I was hurt by him.

The rest of the characters were pretty frustrating. I started to warm to Sabine a little, got even more colder with Nash (I cannot stand him in this book; I know he's affected by Frost but he's starting to seem irredeemable), and got kinda bored of Emma (sorry, Emma.) But none of that mattered when we had Tod, perfect, unforgettable Tod. Sidenote: I fricking love Levi, he ships Tod/Kaylee so hard, don't tell me he doesn't.

My anticipation for the next book has gone through the roof. I am so goddamned excited to see where Kaylee's afterlife goes. This book, plot-wise, took Soul Screamers to a whole new level. I am so impressed and happy and kind of still in shock over Tod/Kaylee being a thing (IT'S CANON, BITCHES!)

The best book of this series by a long shot.

Characters ★★★★★

Setting/world building ★★★☆☆

Writing ★★★★★

My Soul To Steal (Review)

Soul Screamers: My Soul To Steal | Rachel Vincent

Published by: Mira Ink, July 17th 2011

Genre: YA, Mythology, Paranormal

Pages: 375

Format: Paperback

Source: Purchased

Trying to work things out with Nash—her maybe boyfriend—is hard enough for Kaylee Cavanaugh. She can’t just pretend nothing happened. But “complicated” doesn’t even begin to describe their relationship when his ex-girlfriend transfers to their school, determined to take Nash back.

See, Sabine isn’t just an ordinary girl. She’s a mara, the living personification of a nightmare. She can read people’s fears—and craft them into nightmares while her victims sleep. Feeding from human fear is how she survives.

And Sabine isn’t above scaring Kaylee and the entire school to death to get whatever—and whoever—she wants.

Alternatives to reading this book:

1. Stab yourself in the heart
2. Stab yourself in the heart again
3. Just keep stabbing yourself; it can't hurt you anymore than this book can

I liked My Soul To Steal a lot more than the last book. I found it a lot easier to get into the story, and the drawn out agony of Kaylee and Nash kept me turning every page. This book really, exceptionally, cuts you to the bone with the feelings. But it had the most unsatisfying ending of all time. I thought Nash and Kaylee would talk about their problems, maybe acknowledge their faults? I thought Tod might elaborate on why he was so brutally harsh to Kaylee. I thought there might be more. But instead we go from the crux of action to a fluffy, pointless ending with everything resolved and no working through issues. I really hated that.

Another thing I hated, and spoke about in my reading round up, is the God forsaken rivalry between Kaylee and Sabine. I'm just gonna paste what I said there, because I have nothing else to add:

Enough female rivalry in YA. Enough teaching impressionable teenage girls that it's right and expected of them to fight with their fellow girls over boys. We have to fight so damn hard for everything we do and have and say in life; we have to fight so hard to prove that we're as worthy and capable as any male; we don't need to be fighting each other too. We need to be supporting each other. (plus: have you seen teenage boys? they're gross. don't be fighting over those trashcans.)

Unfortunately this fighting takes up 75% of the plot, but there is a reason for it in the end. They're not entirely in control of the situation. So I forgave the book a little for that.

To sum: another great Soul Screamers book, packed with terrible drawn out heartache and yet another unique threat. In a word: devastating.

Characters ★★★★☆

Setting/world building ★★★☆☆

Writing ★★★★☆