Review: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Blurb

Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

One terrible morning, Jude and her sisters see their parents murdered in front of them. The terrifying assassin abducts all three girls to the world of Faerie, where Jude is installed in the royal court but mocked and tormented by the Faerie royalty for being mortal.

As Jude grows older, she realises that she will need to take part in the dangerous deceptions of the fey to ever truly belong.

But the stairway to power is fraught with shadows and betrayal. And looming over all is the infuriating, arrogant and charismatic Prince Cardan . . .

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I award this Novel 5/5 Stars.

Oh my, where to start. This novel has appeared everywhere. Scattered across the blogging community and plastered over Instagram. Mine included, so I delved in. In part because of the hype, but also because The Cruel Prince is my favourite genre YA fantasy/romance.

Prince Cardan and his fae friends are spiteful and vindictive at the best of times, but to the mortals residing in their realms they are merciless. Twin Jude has played the long subservient game. Until she realises they will never stop. Refusing to bow to them any longer, she promises to humiliate Cardan by never backing down.

From the first page, I was gripped. Each chapter engaged my attention and enticed me further into the well developed world of the fae. Elfhame is rich, full of depth and beautiful. A contradiction to the fae themselves.

I loved the dynamics of Jude’s fae family. All of whom, had their own secrets and agendas. . I loved Jude’s defiant attitude, her burning anger that pushes her to become great in a ruthless world.

Locke and Jude’s romance seemed too good to be true, and even though Cardan was the villain I loved to hate, I longed for the romance to be between him and Jude. Their developing relationship was pure dynamite. Perilous, dark and twisted. And not what I anticipated, the whole novel was a glorious surprise. And the story turned out all the more delicious for it.

As always, thanks for reading. Have you finished The Cruel Prince? If so, what did you think? Or do you have any sugesstions of similar novels? Share them with me!!!

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© Author Lorraine Ambers and http://www.lorraineambers.com, 2018.

Review: The Magician King by Lev Grossman

Blurb

Meet Quentin Coldwater, king of the bizarre and wonderful land of Fillory. But he is getting restless, even in heaven a man needs a little adventure. So when a steward is murdered on a morning’s hunt Quentin gets exactly that. But this quest is like no other. What starts as a glorified cruise to faraway lands soon becomes the stuff of nightmares…

I award this novel four out of five stars

Today I’m reviewing the second novel of the Magician series. A fantastic series that has been made into a TV show for the SyFy channel. It’s one of my much-loved shows, if you haven’t seen it yet, and you’re a fan of fantasy, I highly recommend it.

Feel free to check out my review of the first novel The Magicians. Lev Grossman’s writing is awe inspiring. He’s easily one of my top ten favorite authors. His descriptive way of defining the ordain and extraordinary is effortless and imaginative.

I loved the journey into Julia’s life, and her harrowing route to becoming a Magician. I was fully engrossed in every chapter from her point of view. Her crippling depression was well written and I felt accurate. I could fully identify with her darkness.

I missed the terrific characters from the first novel; Alice, Janice and Eliot were hardly mentioned. This was a shame. They were well developed, complex characters, bringing a lighter touch of comedy and love for Quinten.  I didn’t fully connect with some of the others. We experienced Poppy, Josh and Penny through the Quinten’s lens. They weren’t always favourites of his, it made for comical encounters or lacklustre ones.

I adore Quinten’s mind, his restlessness. I loved how the seemingly inconsequential threads lined up to complete Quinten’s quest. And although I routed for a happy conclusion, Que’s acceptance of his journey and the consequences made for a surprising and satisfactory ending. Leaving a beautiful hook for the next novel, whilst tying off all the loose threads.

There were parts of the novel which dragged, hence four stars instead of five. In places, Grossman’s elaborate writing slowed the plot and pace. I struggled to maintain reading, it took weeks to finish. But once the momentum of the Magician King’s quest finally took off, I was once more engrossed until the bittersweet end.

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Thank you for reading. Have you read The Magician series? If so, what did you think? Or drop me a message about what you’re currently reading. Until next time, take care my friends. 🙂

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© Author Lorraine Ambers and http://www.lorraineambers.com, 2018.

Review: Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Blurb

Welcome to Caraval, where nothing is quite what it seems . . .

Scarlett has never left the tiny isle of Trisda, pining from afar for the wonder of Caraval, a once-a-year week-long performance where the audience participates in the show.

Caraval is Magic. Mystery. Adventure. And for Scarlett and her beloved sister Tella it represents freedom and an escape from their ruthless, abusive father.

When the sisters’ long-awaited invitations to Caraval finally arrive, it seems their dreams have come true. But no sooner have they arrived than Tella vanishes, kidnapped by the show’s mastermind organiser, Legend.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But nonetheless she quickly becomes enmeshed in a dangerous game of love, magic and heartbreak. And real or not, she must find Tella before the game is over, and her sister disappears forever.

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 I rate this novel 4.5/5 stars

My review

I connected with Scarlett in most ways; her similar traits were created by a complex and all too familiar family history. She’s taken responsibility of her younger sister Tella, since the disappearance of their mother, desperate to keep them safe from their father wrath. While being bound by crippling fear that he wields over them, yet she longs for a romantic solution to her situation. Meanwhile Tella, is wild and lives life to the full, regardless of the consequences. The two sisters make great polar-opposites.

The author Stephanie uses all five senses to pull the reader into the story. I particularly loved the use of colour to reveal Scarlett’s emotions. My imagination danced with delight while reading Caraval.

It reminded me of, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern – A truly magical novel. You can check my review. Full of magic, mystery and carnival delights.

Scarlett and Julien’s story was utterly enthralling. They swept me up in their tale of anguish, hope, passion and desperation. An enchanting combination of evocative emotions.

My favourite character was Julian, the mysterious, head strong boy that oozes charm, but has the steel-edge of danger surrounding him. Swoon. Although the noel was an easy read, the imaginings behind the costumes, settings and puzzles were elaborate and fantastical. I know this book will sit as an all-time favourite on my bookshelf.

It was Tella that let the story down. Perhaps, because her recklessness reminds me of my own sister. A trait I’ve admired, but been perplexed by all my life. Saying that, I’ve already pre-booked Ledgendary, the second book in the Caraval series. I’m guessing the next book will be from Tella’s point of view. To understand her actions and choices will be enlightening.

I recommend this novel to YA fantasy romance readers. If you love carnivals, magic, mystery and love stories that make your blood sing and heart flutter – then this book is for you.

Thanks for stopping by. Have you read Caraval? If so, what did you think?

© Author Lorraine Ambers and http://www.lorraineambers.com, 2018.

 

Review – The Magicians by Lev Grossman

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

Blurb.

In a secret world of forbidden knowledge, power comes at a terrible price …

Quentin Coldwater’s life is changed forever by an apparently chance encounter: when he turns up for his entrance interview to Princeton he finds his interviewer dead – but a strange envelope bearing Quentin’s name leads him down a very different path to any he’d ever imagined.

The envelope, and the mysterious manuscript it contains, leads to a secret world of obsession and privilege, a world of freedom and power and, for a while, it’s a world that seems to answer all Quentin’s desires. But the idyll cannot last – and when it’s finally shattered, Quentin is drawn into something darker and far more dangerous than anything he could ever have expected …

I award this novel 5 stars.

Review

Quinten is a mathematical genius. Though he’s the top of his class, Quinten feels as if he doesn’t quite belong, that perhaps he was meant for something else. (A feeling I’m familiar with.) Brakebells reveals a life that he was born to be part of. Inserting him in with other students of equal or better talents.

Not only is the story set in an urban fantasy setting but the novel also makes way for the introduction to Fillory. A world thought to be only an author’s creation, that later turns out to actually exist.

The magicians have a magic system with clear consequences for misuse and a unique way of performing the spells by using finger signals. I loved the distinctive performance of casting magic.

The plot drives a suspenseful and engaging momentum. Lev Grossman writes a dark and addictive fantasy, with entertaining and inspirational descriptions. A smart and gripping view of complex relationships. Whilst delving into the experiences of new adulthood. With amusing pop culture references, that bring well-developed characters to life.

The young adults experiment with the excitements of magic and life, giving into impulses and crashing into the fallout of their consequences.

The Magicians is the first in a trilogy and has been made into a successful TV series. I highly recommend bingeing on both.

© Author Lorraine Ambers & http://www.lorraineambers.com, 2016