Heather Heffner's Blog, page 13

November 2015 Book Review: City of Bones

City of BonesBy Cassandra Clare ~Book Review~
*Warning! Major Spoilers!*
THIS BOOK IS A CHORE. The writing is clunky, and the characters are flawless and can do no wrong.
In City of Bones , Clary and her friend Simon sneak into a New York night club and notice some suspicious tattooed kids drag someone into a back room. Clary goes to help, and discovers that the baddies are actually the good guys—Shadow Hunters, who have in fact taken a demon prisoner. She is particularly drawn to the tall, blond-haired, and sarcastic Jace because he is hawt.
Since Clary can see the demons, she discovers her destiny as a Shadow Hunter to face the villainous Valentine and learns about a whole magical world with werewolves, vampires, and demons in NYC.
If you are going to read any of the books in this series, then this one is probably the most entertaining. I tried to read the other books and couldn’t. There was so much telling instead of showing. The villains grow even more predictable, if that is possible, and the angst slowly killed me as the world shrank to revolve entirely around Clary and Jace’s lustfest.
In City of Bones, there is still an aura of mystery, and the introduction to the Shadow Hunter world is fun. Of course, the power-hungry villain Valentine is nothing original. Clary is a generic placeholder for any female in America who has super-special abilities. However, she is topped by Jace, who is worshipped by every organism dead or alive because he is ultra-powerful and cool.
I’ve heard the stories that the character of Jace was inspired by Draco Malfoy from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter Series. Now, I like that Clare recognized, “Hey, what would happen if I were to make a little sh**head like Malfoy into the main love interest?” It’s an interesting question. Malfoy was so riveting in Harry Potter because he was so wrapped up in his family’s pretentious snobbery. His moments of redemption were few and far between. We liked him because Rowling never tried to excuse his actions. He was a brat and there were moments throughout Harry Potter when he paid for it.
Clare always makes excuses for Jace. He’s an a**hole but he is always forgiven by everyone because of his amazing-ness. Clary falls for him instantly because he is so undeniably irresistible.
I found him very, very resistible because all of this is told to us but never shown. A huge part of the letdown of these books is the writing style. It is clunky with irrelevant details that create passages unimportant to the plot or chapters that are just plain boring. Simon is a nerdy cliché. Alex had the potential to be an interesting quiet and thoughtful type, but his romance with the 800-year-old warlock Magnus Bane felt creepy and very lust-driven. Isabelle was the most interesting character to me, yet she was often reduced to being the jealous female opposing Clary for the guys’ attention.
In summary, I did try and continue The Mortal Instruments series to see if it improved, but I couldn’t get into the other books. The feeling that this series was a pale imitation of Harry Potter and Star Wars just wouldn’t go away.
Recommended for fans of: Stephanie Meyer, Christopher Paolini, and Lauren KateUpcoming Book Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

October 2015 Book Review: Throne of Glass

Throne of Glass By Sarah J. Maas  ~Book Review~



*Warning: Spoilers*
RECOMMENDATION: GET THROUGH THIS BOOK, and then pick up the rest of the series: Crown of Midnight , Heir of Fire , and Queen of Shadows . The books get much, much better—they’re a different, darker breed all together rather than this poorly constructed assassin competition that is a backdrop for a romance novel.
WOW this book was a flashback! I remember reading one of the early drafts on Fictionpress, the premise being a Cinderellaesque assassin fighting something— I don’t remember what. I was instantly enchanted with the "heart" of the story as it figured out what it wanted to be, and the glass castle descriptions were straight from a fairytale. I remember Dorian being super alluring and the chemistry he had with Caelena was off the charts because of the "will they? won't they?" tension. There was also a really hot fairy prince.
Sadly I do feel like the "heart" was missing from this book—what made the world unique and the characters come to life. The love triangle between Caelena, Chaol, and Dorian feels forced rather than natural, the tension is missing from Caelena and Dorian's encounters, and Caelena seems more concerned with gowns than being a kick-a** formidable assassin. Too many secrets are hinted at that feel like a set-up for the next book rather than being relevant to the plot, such as the fairy world, and it's tough for me to explain how said fairy world stands on its own against a trillion others in standard high fantasy.
Really loved the character of Nehima and the great friendship she and Caelena had! And although I liked the tribute to Beauty and the Beast with Dorian showing Caelena the library, I suddenly had Disney versions of Belle and the Beast dancing through my head, kind of amusing.
The one flaw that continues throughout the series is the lack of a consistent, menacing villain. The king reminded me of a thinly-developed Galbatorix figure from Christopher Paolini's Eragon, and demons who kill for the sake of killing are pretty boring to read about it. There are some side characters like the King of Assassins and the Queen of Faeries who are intriguing antagonists, but there really is no central, riveting enemy who is Caelena's equal in cunning, power, and character development threatening the lands. As such, this leads to a lot of lost tension and the stakes don't feel high to me. You might bring up the witches here, who had the potential to be a dangerous and intriguing enemy for Caelena, but it's obvious from the first Manon chapter that they are "redeemable" because they are "pawns" for the Duke. I need my Lannisters, damnit. 
The second book takes off, so stick around for that one. Or better yet, pick up the short story prequel series, The Assassin’s Blade , and pretend that it is the first book. You won’t miss much. Also, hopefully later in the series there will be a really compelling villain to bring back the tension/threat to the characters' lives (evil king? bah. seen that too many times before). Overall, it was just too easy for me to put Throne of Glass down.
Recommended for fans of: Julie Kagawa and Kristin CashoreUpcoming Book Review: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

September 2015 Book Review: Talon

TalonBy Julie Kagawa ~Book Review~


*Warning! Minor Spoilers!*
ENGROSSING WRITING. Only Julie Kagawa could keep my attention through a scene about a date at a mall. I have a short attention span when it comes to YA paranormal books. Either they are unique and exciting, or they are Twilight love triangle romances disguised as fantasy books.
This book was in the middle. The writing and scene-setting was phenomenal, but the plot and pacing were so-so. A lot more could have been done with the dragons. However, I appreciated the detail Kagawa gave when describing southern California, one of the most overly used locations in films and books. I liked Ember’s world view of it. Overall, this book moves slowly and the romance develops sweetly like in Maggie Stiefvater’s Shiver .
Ember and Dante are dragon-shifting twins. Ember is fierce and outspoken, while Dante is more thoughtful and loyal to their secretive dragon society called Talon. Ember and Dante are sent to southern California to blend in and assimilate with human society. They are also visited by trainers to keep them sharp, because their kind is hunted by the Order of St. George, a militarized group of humans who want to drive them to extinction. Eventually, Ember and Dante will be appointed their place in Talon society which has every role from assassins to surveillance members.
Negative: Ember is rebellious to the point of irritation. Positive: Time is spent on Ember and Dante’s relationship, and you wonder if Dante will remain loyal to Talon or throw in his lot with Ember. Positive: Riley (Cobalt), a shape-shifting rogue dragon, shakes up Ember’s view of Talon. Negative: Riley is inevitably the Jacob in a budding love triangle. The other point? Garret, a soldier in the Order of St. George.
Garret’s viewpoint was more interesting to me, and he can’t even shapeshift like Ember… Yikes. However, Garrett had a more mature, world-weary point of view that made me root for him, and he just seemed smarter overall than Ember, who was incredibly impulsive.
I need to talk about the surfing.
I get that Ember is physical superior, but to read that within hours she is able to surf these 10+ foot waves was unbelievable. That is big surf. Many of the seasoned surfers I know would only venture out in those conditions with caution. Not buying it.
Anyways, on to the actual plot. I would have liked more time to be spent on Ember’s training, because the idea of a shape-shifting dragon is just so interesting. However, Ember isn’t as concerned with her training, so we get treated to countless scenes of going to parties and ice cream parlors and malls. Garret and his crew get a lead that a shape-shifting dragon is in Southern Cali, and the tough, hardened soldiers coolly try to fit in with high school teenagers. That was hilarious to picture without it meaning to be.
However, big points on the end when the dragons actually get their claws out. I’m not an Ember fan, but Garret is tolerable. I’m intrigued to read Rogue , the next book in the series. We need more scenes of this secretive Talon society, stat!
Recommended for fans of: Sophie Jordan, Maggie Stiefvater, Andrea CremerUpcoming Book Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Hawaiian Islands Travel Series: Southeastern Maui: Haleakala National Park

Day 6: Haleakalā National Park




We woke up at 6:00 AM the morning of our journey up Haleakalā, the 10,023 foot peak that engulfs the southeastern part of Maui. We were going to do the Sliding Sands Trail, which is approximately 4.7 miles round trip.
Seeing the sunrise at Haleakalā is one of the most popular attractions. We debated doing so, but eventually decided that because of where we were coming from (Waiʻānapanapa State Park), it would take us over two hours to reach the top. In addition, there is heavy traffic to get up to the summit in time to see sunrise. You’ll then spend at least 30 minutes shivering in the dark before the sunrise hits, so it is recommended to dress appropriately for the cold and bring blankets (you’re up at 10,023 feet after all).
   Our car trip took us up the Hana Highway, which was very uncrowded since we were going back toward the west. However, we used Google Maps to see when to turn up this side road that takes you to Makawao. It is recommended to fill up with gas here if you’ll need it—otherwise the last gas station will be Pukalani Town. We then began a long switch-backing journey up the peak’s face. There were flocks of birds here and there, and we looked closely to see if one of them was the rare nēnē goose, Hawaii’s endangered state bird.
Eventually the ground turned to red rock, and we saw the white dome of an observation tower on the summit. We had arrived on the face of the moon a little after 8:00 AM. We stumbled out in the parking lot and took some time to adjust to the altitude before approaching the lookout to catch our first glimpse of the gigantic crater. It was super impressive. I could have stared for hours—but then I got cold.

There are fees to get into the park. The most current information is here . You can also buy permits for cabins that are far out in the vastness of the crater. It will feel like there is no limit to how far you can hike while you are inside, and eventually you will reach a lush jungle, which is really trippy against the vivid rainbow colored cliffs and red soil.



We were doing a day trip: the Sliding Sands Trail. It was a thoroughly enjoyable hike. Going down was the easy part. Make sure you stay on the trail—a ranger was quick to appear when we looked like we were straying off. This is because there are many underground nēnē nests, and if you step on the wrong spot, you could collapse their burrows. In addition, there is a lot of endangered species growing within the vibrant vermillion soil, the most striking of which was the ʻahinahina, or silver sword. The sight of this glittering silver plant really made me feel like I was on a completely different planet.
  
We saw a trail that led around an extinct cinder cone halfway down, but the ranger (I swear, this lady was an expert at appearing out of nowhere) appeared again and told us that was a sacred place for those of Hawaiian heritage to visit. 
  

She eventually out-distanced us, and we were able to make our way to a crossroads shaded by bushes. There, different trails branched out to the three cabins that are spread across the crater. Unfortunately that was as far as we could go for the day. We rested and enjoyed our lunch (even though the ranger did show up again briefly, but her attention was fixated on another group of hikers). There were plenty of chukar partridges to keep us company, but the elusive nēnē remained a mystery.


The hike up was pretty brutal. The sun had hit its high point, so any lovely coolness had fled. Plus, we were going, well, straight up in some areas for 2,800 feet. We rationed our water bottles to last—we had two water bottles each. Also, I think the altitude was affecting us at this point. We were in a strange, hiking zone, and our minds definitely drifted, while our conversations started to sound increasingly like we were high. By the time we reached the parking lot, our delirious state was evident by the fact that Scott* partridges around the parking lot.




All in all, we made it out around early afternoon, which was crucial because we still had to drive all the way out, stop to gorge our faces, and then drive all the way back to Waiʻānapanapa State Park to avoid nightfall. Again: plan for how much gasoline you’re going to use.
One the way down, we have looked for any sign of the Brocken Spectre, which is this insanely cool phenomenon where you can see your shadow enlarged and encircled in a rainbow halo. It requires a whole bunch of conditions for it to happen, including the sun to be low in the sky, high altitude, rainclouds to split the white light into a rainbow, and then you standing in position on the mountain with the sun and clouds behind you. As you might imagine, the image is very surreal and spiritually beautiful.

We didn’t see this on Haleakalā, but actually a couple months later, I did witness this aboard an airplane flying in to Honolulu. I looked out the window, and there was the giant, shadow specter of the airplane illuminated by a rainbow halo against the clouds. It was pretty majestic.
For our trip down, we cruised our way to Paia and then chowed down on some deliciously gooey pizza from the Flatbread Company. It was growing dark by the time we hit the Hana Highway. I definitely don’t recommend driving this at night. There was a dog in the middle of the road around one blind turn, and a random man walking down the road around another. Locals speed down the road in giant trucks with no mercy. As such, if you ever do find yourself in such a situation, you better be wide awake and however much caution you think you’re using, use more. 


We made it back safe and sound to our cabin in Waiʻānapanapa and passed out. I had hiked in a number of different mountain ranges in countries like Switzerland, South Korea, and of course, amongst the mighty peaks of the Cascades in Washington, but I really had never seen anything quite like Haleakalā before. Highly recommended to visit this extinct volcano and see that it is as still as alive and powerful as the days when it was spewing ash.

Upcoming Day 7: Northern Maui: Hana and the Red Sand Beach

Read more in the Hawaiian Travel Series:
(0) Intro: Welcome to Maui
(1) Day 1: Northwest Maui: Lahaina
(2) Day 2: Kihei and Makena (3)Day 3: Central Maui: Paia and Makawao
(4) Day 4: The Hana Highway  
(5) Day 5: Wai'anapanapa State Park





Disclaimer: the above is presented as fiction, not fact. *Names have been changed for the sake of privacy.

August 2015 Book Review: Paranormalcy

Paranormalcy By Kiersten White~Book Review~  *Warning: Minor Spoilers!*

QUIRKY AND FUN, OVERALL. This is a fast, light-hearted read about Evie, a human who works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency (IPCA) to capture paranormals who are getting out of hand. Opening scene? She takes out a creepy vampire with her pink taser she calls Tasey.
Yes, it is that type of book.
Evie is cheerful, impulsive, and inquisitive. She understands that there is a lot the IPCA isn’t telling her, particularly about Lend, a shape-shifting water creature. She is trying to handle the creepy obsessive attentions of Reth, a fairy who keeps hinting about her true identity. Overall, Evie keeps the action going. The tale is quick, easy to read, and entertaining.
I liked the motherly relationship Evie had with her mentor, the secretive and prickly Raquel, and I enjoyed that Evie’s best friend was a mermaid named Lish. Lend has a bland personality but he is overall kind and interested in Evie for the right reasons. Reth is the most ambiguous character. Since Evie feels very young and immature, his obsessive tendencies were particularly unnerving. However, the author throws a lifeline to redeem him at the end.
The villain was interesting. I liked the reveal and her connection to Evie.
Paranormalcy could be a stand-alone novel. There are two other installments in the series, Supernaturally and Endlessly , but I don’t feel the need to absolutely track them down. However, I wouldn’t mind reading them, either.
Recommended for fans of: Rachel Hawkins and Cassandra ClareUpcoming Book Review: Talon by Julia Kagawa

July 2015 Book Review: Firelight

FIRELIGHT By Sophie Jordan ~Book Review~  
*Warning: Minor Spoilers*
MY THOUGHTS: please do not tantalize me with a glimpse of a fascinating magical dragon world and then expect high school to be nearly as interesting.
Jacinda is a rare fire-breathing draki, or shape-shifting dragon. Her kind dwells in desert caves and are governed by a council. Since Jacinda can breathe fire, an ability prized among the draki, she is betrothed to Cassian, the son of the draki chief. Since Jacinda is “special,” her every move is constantly watched. She feels stifled by a life where she cannot even fly. For her kind always faces a threat from the dangerous Hunters, a group of humans who seek to capture and experiment on her species.
This book had a fantastic premise. I enjoyed the harrowing scene when Jacinda takes a forbidden flight with her friend. The idea of a shape-shifting dragon people was awesome. I even overlooked warning signs of Jacinda blindly overlooking the safety of her people in exchange for some flirty glances with Will, a rogue hunter, because the world-building promised a lot.
However, then Jacinda, her mother, and her sister have to flee and blend in with human society. The best place to appear normal? A high school. The hunter Will just happens to attend said high school. Let the banality and predictability begin.
I really would have preferred the book to focus on the dynamics of draki society. The high school terrain has already been extensively covered by countless other YA fantasy novels, and Jacinda’s time there contributed nothing exciting. I found Will plain and unengaging, and Jacinda, the super-cool fire-breathing dragon, barely uses her powers. She was prickly and abrasive, and not in an intriguing Girl With the Dragon Tattoo type way, but more in an immature annoying fashion. My favorite character was Cassian, the enemy’s son, who seemed to have more depth and had to negotiate difficult boundaries within the draki society. The hunters just did not present a threat to me. It’s hard to be worried about humans when you can shift into a dragon.
I have read the other two books in the series ( Vanish and Hidden ), and there is improvement and action. As such, I would recommend skimming through Firelight and then get to the other two. However, don’t expect the characters to really grow or surprise you.
Recommended for fans of: Stephanie Meyer and Colleen HouckUpcoming Book Review: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Hawaiian Islands Travel Series: Northeast Maui: Waiʻanapanapa State Park

Day 5: Waiʻānapanapa State Park

MAUI HAS THREE COLORS OF BEACHES: white, red, and black. We spent several nights staying in a cabin on the awesome black sand beach of Waiʻānapanapa State Park, which has an entrance accessible right before you reach Hana.
After our first harrowing trip down the Hana Highway, we were overjoyed to see the sign pointing to the state park. However, drive carefully. It’s very easy to miss it coming to and from and Hana. However, it is definitely worth losing yourself here for a day. The actual black sand beach is fairly small, but overlooking it is a web of trails that take you up along a volcanic rock coastline filled with great views.

The road down to the park was fairly windy. There were plenty of fruit stands with guavas, pineapple, and bananas. No one was at the stands. The signs posted asked for visitors to leave the money and take whatever they wanted!
There was a main visitor’s parking lot, where day travelers could get out, stretch their legs, and walk around the park. Waiʻānapanapa has everything from a blowhole to a neat jungle walk with ancient caves to the famous black sand beach. It is particularly striking against the blue sapphire waves. Also, the light changes the colors of the black sand coast at different times of day, which provokes a distinctively wondrous panorama each time. 




We were staying several nights in one of the twelve cabins, which could be found up the road to our right. At the time of our trip, these cabins were $90.00/day for non-Hawaii residents, and $60.00/day for Hawaii residents. As such, this was definitely some of the cheapest lodging to find on Maui! Unfortunately, it looks like the cabins are all currently under repair. Check out the latest update the cabins here . Tent camping is still available by permit.
When we first arrived, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the cabins. The website had sounded super strict about making sure you had the proper permit, as well as checking in and out on the dot.
   The reality was much different. We arrived at our cabin and found our welcoming party: a gigantic wasp nest hanging near the front door.
No one seemed to be around. I drove back to the main parking lot to check in. A local family keeps up the State Park. I couldn’t find anyone to assist or check in with, until I ran into one of the crew doing some yard work. I told him I was here to check in, and he nodded pleasantly. Apparently that was all I needed to do.
“Also,” I said imperiously, “there is a wasp nest on our cabin.”
“Oh!” He stopped to think, and looked genuinely perplexed at the situation. After a moment, he leaned on his lawn mower. “So…is it bothering you?”
His answer was so amazing that we left it at that.
Since all the cabins are currently being renovated, you shouldn’t take my review of them too harshly. The floors felt pretty seedy; my companion and I wore slippers on the entire time or socks to protect out feet. There was a bunkbed room, a bathroom, a main room with a large bed and a kitchen, and a porch overlooking the barbeque pit outside. The cabin looked clean, per say, but it was pretty old, paint was flecking, and the lights liked to flicker. It was one of those places that you could sweep it as much as you want, and you still wouldn’t feel comfortable walking around barefoot without screams of Tetanus! echoing in your head.


Also, we had luckily brought our sleeping bags. The beds were just mattresses, and those, too, I had a bad feeling about. After checking them, thankfully there weren’t any bed bugs. We definitely didn’t use the pillows. A lot of dead bugs lay around the bathroom. We brought our own silverware and plates, too. I didn’t trust the ones that were there. However, we did use their pots after giving them a furious scrub-down.
The worst thing hands down was the heat. It would get scorching in the cabins during the day (to be fair, it would be the same in a tent). Also, we didn’t want to open any windows for fear of wasps, cockroaches, centipedes, and what-have-yous joining us.
However, who is going to spend all day in a cabin, anyways? There was way too much to explore. As an accommodation on the cheaper side with its own private path down to the ocean, it was well worth it. At night, you’ll watch all manner of bugs crawl over the windows while the white-bellies of geckoes chase after them.4


 Also, I am pleased to say we survived without a single wasp sting.
Probably part of what the wasps were attracted to were the noni fruits. I hadn’t been familiar with them before, but noni are amazing! These honeycomb-looking fruits have more of a citrus smell. Rub the noni on cuts and bruises, and they help heal them like aloe. They’re also supposed to help drive pain like headaches away. It was really cool to be staying in a grove of them.

We stocked up on food from Walmart back in Kahalui, but we also picked up more supplies from one of the two supermarkets in neighboring Hana. The outside barbeque was awesome to use! We ate a lot of teriyaki burgers and pineapple.
During the night, we were glad to be staying in the cabin instead of a tent. It dumped buckets of rain on us. Looking outside, the palm trees danced and swayed with the winds. It was absolutely cool to see—from the safety of the cabin.
After we arrived, we took our own private path down to the black sand beach. The path leads to a coastal side trail along the ocean, which is part of the King’s trail. We followed it back past the main parking lot to a view of the most spectacular volcanic rock formations jutting out of the sea.
   Yes, people do cliff jump from these rocks. However, there was zero people trying it while we were there, and for good reason. The current was incredibly fast, and there were a lot of whiteheads in the bay. As such, you’d have to have completely calm conditions and be a very experienced swimmer. There was plenty to do nearby, such as checking out lava tubes and caves. 


  

The black sand beach itself is more made up of shiny obsidian pebbles rather than fine sand. Here the water was calm enough for us to dive in. However, the majority of visitors stayed on beach or waded. It was neat reaching down and picking up a handful of black sand. We enjoyed a snack here before exploring the trail that led up to the cliffs going north toward Paia.
This trail can actually be turned into a full-day excursion itself; it winds over miles of black volcanic shards along the coast and goes for 1.5 miles to the north or 5 miles to the east. The northerly route is known as Kipapa O Kihapi’ilani Trail. We came upon a burial site out there before returning.



   The last part of the park we visited was the Waiʻānapanapa Caves. These were near the visitor’s center. Stay on the jungle trail instead of going down to the black sand beach, and they’re just a short distance away in the cliffs above it. There were several big cave mouths to explore, but one of them is the place where, as the legend goes, Hawaiian princess Popoalaea hid to escape from her wicked husband. Her maid sat across from her and fanned her with a kahili to keep her cool. Unfortunately, the husband saw the reflection of the kahili in the pool water and killed the princess. Now the shrimp is said to blossom red in the cave’s waters as a reminder of the murdered princess’s blood.
The moral of the story is…


Well, take from it what you will, but it is an interesting legend, and even more interesting to check out the caves. However, we didn’t linger long because of the mosquitoes and the heat—no wonder the princess needed a fan!
   Our time in Waiʻānapanapa passed all too swiftly; I am glad we had a full afternoon to explore there. However, we had to get up early the next day if we were going to make it to the summit of Haleakalā, home of the nēnē goose and the mysterious ʻĀhinahina, or silver sword…


Upcoming Day 6: Haleakalā National Park

Read more in the Hawaiian Travel Series:
(0) Intro: Welcome to Maui
(1) Day 1: Northwest Maui: Lahaina
(2) Day 2: Kihei and Makena (3)Day 3: Central Maui: Paia and Makawao
(4) Day 4: The Hana Highway
Disclaimer: The above is presented as fiction, not fact.

Changeling Sisters Book III: Year of the Dragon Cover Reveal!

~Coming March 2016~


“I was supposed to die, but I didn’t. I survived the war. The Vampyre Queen rallied us together: different nationalities; the living and the dead; hell, even a vampyre fought with us toward the end. But now, there’s nothing holding us together. And I begin to realize how many “friends” went into this expecting to come out alive because they have plans for this peninsula. They have plans for the city I call home…”

CITLALLI ALVAREZ rescued her sister, became Alpha of the Seoul werewolf pack, and restored balance to the spirit world of Eve—all while waiting tables on the weekends. However, she still can’t go to the Boryeong Mud Festival like a normal eighteen-year-old, not when her friend Una is a prisoner of a nine-hundred-year-old monster, and the side effects of having a broken soul have begun to splinter her personality irreversibly. Then there’s that little matter of being life-bonded to Vampyre Prince Khyber, whom her ex-lover Rafael has vowed to destroy no matter what. Priorities, priorities. 

Meanwhile, Raina Alvarez meets her father’s family, the prestigious and secretive Yong clan, who teach her the responsibilities that come along with being the new Spring Dragon. In order to take her place amongst the Celestial Dragons who oversee the turn of the seasons, Raina must compete in the Trials of Wisdom against her three cunning dragon-shifter siblings and face her fears of Eve.

However, not everyone is happy about the rise of the Celestial Dragons in the East. Gods of blood and nightmares begin to stir in the West. Old enemies join forces with ruthless new ones, eager to fill the power vacuum the Vampyre Queen left behind. 

After all, the only thing standing in their way is a pair of sisters.


CHANGELING SISTERS SERIES
Year of the Wolf (Book 1)
Year of the Tiger (Book 2)
Year of the Dragon (Book 3)
Year of the Rat (Forthcoming Book 4) 
Year of the Snake (Forthcoming Book 5) 
Year of the Rooster (Final Forthcoming Book 6)


CHANGELING SISTERS NOVELLAS 
Mini-adventures featuring secondary characters in the Changeling Sisters Series: 

Year of the Boar: Tica (Book 1.5) 
And more to come!

June 2015 Book Review: Defy

DEFYBy Sarah B. Larson~Book Review~



*Warning: Spoilers!!!*


ONE OF THE THINGS DEFY WAS MISSING was the tension. I liked the classic set-up for the book: girl disguised as boy serves as the prince’s trusted bodyguard. However, there was a list of things that didn’t work for me: flat, predictable romance, no investment in the main characters, the non-existent personalities of the villains, the lack of world-building, and a meandering plot.


The beginning is promising. It’s exciting. I loved that Alexa had a bond with her twin brother, and he was guarding her secret in order for her to stay in the King’s army. Their parents are dead. They are all the other has. I’m a sucker for that every time.


Except…Alexa’s twin brother is killed off early on. This was a big mistake to me. Alexa’s twin brother would have given her a platonic male relationship to focus on besides the love triangle that develops between her, the prince, and her best friend. It would have developed her more as a character. As it was, I had no investment in Alexa. She is a super-gifted fighter who is special for the sake of being special. Prince Damian is a typical bad boy prince with guarded secrets. Rylan the Best Friend apparently knew Alexa was a girl all along, another let down. Part of the excitement of having a girl masquerade as a boy is what happens when everyone else finds out!


In terms of the world-building, what glimmers we see border on the verge of absurdity. In this kingdom, women are sold off to breeding houses for the sake of…reasons. The kingdom needs more soldiers, and apparently this is the only logical way to find more.


??????????????????


In addition, the fact that the kingdom was set in a jungle was completely lost on me until halfway through the book. A rainforest setting with a whole biodiversity of life? Yes, I’m down. However, I never had a sense of the jungle. As far as I was concerned, the only sense of world-building I had was a quasi-European medieval one. Very specific, I know.  


Due to my lack of investment in any of the characters, the tension was lost for me while Alexa and crew bumbled around the jungle and fought vaguely-defined villains. I liked the idea of the sorcerers, but again, there was a lack of distinctive personality and their motives were predictable.


I have heard that Book 2: Ignite , is much more engaging. However, if I want to hear a riveting story about a girl disguised as a boy, I’ll stick with Tamora Pierce, Alison Goodman’s Eon/Eona, and Mulan for now.


Recommended for fans of: Amanda Hocking, Kiera Cass, and Cassandra Clare
Upcoming Book Review: Firelight by Sophie Jordan

May 2015 Book Review: An Ember in the Ashes

AN EMBER IN THE ASHESSabaa Tahir~Book Review~




*Warning: Minor Spoilers*
ONE WORD: YES, this book did it for me.
In a cruel world mirrored after ancient Rome, Laia watches her scholarly brother be forcibly ripped from their home and accused of treason against the “Martial Empire” (not the most creative of empire names, but it gets the point across). Laia may have the chance to save him if she can infiltrate the Empire’s prestigious military academy and gather information for the rebels. Laia succeeds and finds herself spying on the merciless Commandant, who rewards failure with bodily mutilation.
The son of this Commandant is a gifted soldier named Elias, who must compete against his top peers for a chance to inherit the Empire. Elias’s best friend is named Helene, an ambitious and cunning girl who navigates a perilous line between her desire to rise in the Empire and her love for Elias.
Elias and Helene have an intriguing story line that I found much more engrossing than Laia’s. In particular, I found Helene’s voice more powerful than Laia’s, and the moral choices she had to make were much more intriguing. However, it is Elias and Laia who fall for each other and must handle the fallout of rebelling against the great Empire.
Despite the fact that I wasn’t as drawn to Laia, I did find myself concerned about what would happen if she was discovered as a spy. The Commandant was portrayed rather one-dimensionally and seemed purely vindictive evil for evil’s sake. Elias was an adequate hero who questions the world around him, but he had some bad-ass battle scenes.
The pacing is where An Ember in the Ashes certainly succeeds! I read it from start to finish and was absorbed by what was at stake. Particularly, I was drawn to see how Helene would handle Elias’s betrayal of the Empire. So in summary, I am excited for Book II: A Torch Against the Night , and I hope Helene plays a major role! Gold mine of a character there!
Recommended for fans of: Marie Liu, Sarah Fine, Marie Rutkoski
Upcoming Book Review: Defy by Sara B. Larson