Early Review of Markswoman (Asiana #1) by Rati Mehrotra

Title: Markswoman (Asiana #1)
Classification: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy
Series: Asiana (Book 1)
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Harper Voyager (January 23, 2018)
ISBN-10: 0062564544
ISBN-13: 978-0062564542
Author's Website: https://ratiwrites.com/
Notes: I received an eARC loan from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Therefore, all quotes must be checked against the final copy as they are subject to change.


"May you Walk on water and pass through fire..."

Centuries ago there was a war to end all wars--The Great War. Not much is left from the time period known as the golden age. Much of the structures are gone, and the rule of Kings and Queens has long since passed. No texts survived and knowledge of the technology was lost to the sands of time. Asiana had to be rebuilt from the ground up using whatever scraps and pieces the survivors could find and salvage.

"To live we must die, and to rule we must serve, and to uphold the peace we must kill..."

Asiana was divided into five sections. Each one ruled and policed by one of the five Orders of Peace--Kali, Zorya, Valavan, Mat-su and Khur. All the Orders, save one, are run entirely by women known as the Markswomen. The exception is the Order of Khur, the youngest of all the Orders. It is the only one comprised entirely of men--the Marksmen. The Orders were formed upon the recommendations made in texts written at the end of the Great War by the last ruling King of Asiana. Known as the Kanun of Ture-asa, it bound all the clans and established the law of the land.


"The katari belongs to you. But you need to make sure that your emotions don't rule your blade."

Markswomen and Marksmen are the highly trained force who mete out justice and the only ones legally allowed to kill. With each kill they mark their skin with a cut, hence, their name. Inner Speech is the gift of kalishium which is what the Markswomen's/Marksmen's katari's are made from. A Markswoman bonds telepathically with their weapon and when properly trained, they can read and control other people's minds and actions. The deeper the bond, the greater the ability.

"We must remember who we kill and why. Our blood for theirs."

One young Markswoman will seek justice for the Mahimata (the leader) of her Order whom she believes met her end by foul play. In doing so she will come to find her path in the world, and come to understand what her beloved friend and mentor had tried to teach her and why.

"Being a Markswoman is not about taking revenge. If you kill in anger, you are no better than the ones you execute."

The Orders have worked for over eight hundred years, but the world changes with time and so must everyone along with it. It is whispered that the power of the Orders is beginning to fade. Kyra's quest for justice will make her begin to question the way of the Orders, and lead her on a different path than the one she planned. Her quest will bring about the winds of change.

"Let the past be what it is. Let the future bring what it will. Stay in the present. Be aware of yourself and who you are. It is all that matters."

I really liked this story. It took me some time to get into because there is a whole lot to this universe, so it took me awhile to get acclimated. Gradually, we learn more about Asiana and the Orders of Peace as Kyra completes her final test before being formerly accepted into the sisterhood of Markswomen. Kyra is one of the youngest in the Order of Kali and we get to see her earn her first mark. She's lived with the Order since the age of five when her family and entire clan was murdered. Kyra found her place in the Order, and can't imagine not being part of it. When the leader of her Order is found dead, a women who was very much like a mother to Kyra, she believes foul play is involved, especially since the person she suspects of doing it will become Shirin Mam's successor. Kyra quickly disengages herself from the Order on the ruse of seeking out the rightful heir to Shirin Mam's katari. The journey that ensues takes her on one of discovery. She learns things about herself, the Orders, and her teacher. It helps her to see things more clearly and ready her for what is to come.

You see, when Kyra left on her quest, she was marked a defector. In order for her to go home she'll need to challenge the new Mahimata to a duel. Prior to Tamsyn's promotion to Mahimata, she was the Order's Mistress of Mental Arts and the Hand of Kali--Shirin Mam's executioner of choice. No one dares challenge Tamsyn because of her fierce reputation with her blade. Luckily, when Kyra finds herself literally at the door of the Order of Khur, they take her in and agree to train her so she'll have a chance at beating Tamsyn. It's there that she'll learn things that have been kept from her and realize the importance of Shirin Mam's teachings, and start to question some of the practices of the Orders.

The katari blades reminded me a little of the Shardblades in Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive series. The Orders with their 'good vs evil' mentality and mind bending skills reminded me a touch of the Jedi of Star Wars fame. The references to the 'Ones' had me a little baffled. Who exactly are they, where did they come from, and what, if any, role did they play in the coming about of the Great War? Those questions have yet to be answered. Then there are the doors which appear to be remnants of the technology from the world long since destroyed. They seem to be passageways not only to other places in Asiana, but are they also a means to travel through time? I found these very cool yet also very confusing. I hope at some point how they work will be more fully explained. They kind of reminded me of the movie Arrival and how things seemed to get a little out of sequence (time wise) and you needed to figure out how they fit together.

Overall, I gave this one 4 1/2 out of 5 roses. I loved the relationships in this tale especially the one blooming between Kyra and Rustan, and look forward to seeing how this love affair will grow. There were quite a few interesting twists and turns which kept me glued to the pages once I settled into the story. The world building was phenomenal, although we've only seen a small portion of it. The series is shaping up to be something special, but I was left with a lot of unanswered questions. The author seeded the story with so many puzzle pieces that, as of yet, don't quite fit together though we're starting to see the edges of it take shape. It's the type of story that gives your imagination lease to run wild and try to puzzle it out before the next book. I'm guessing this was a ploy by the author to keep my interest piqued until the next installment comes out. Depending on how those questions are answered and how things are explained and handled, this series could become one of my favorites. I'm cautiously optimistic that that will be the case, but we'll have to wait and see where the author takes it. I look forward to seeing if any of my hypotheses are correct.

Notes to keep you in the know...
There seems to be a touch of concepts from the Hindu religion woven into the story...

Mahimata is a term which literally means Mother Earth.

Kali is a goddess in the Hindu religion known as the Goddess of destruction. Said by some to be the destroyer of evil forces and by others the destroyer of ego. She is also known and worshiped for being the Divine Mother or Mother of the Universe. She is also hailed by some to be a protector and the one who bestows moksha, or liberation.

To find out more. check out these links:
Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kali
Ancient History Encyclopedia - https://www.ancient.eu/Kali/

There also seems to be a little buddhism woven in too...

The wheel of life with eight spokes is primarily used only in Buddhism and is often times referred to as the wheel of Dharma. The eight spokes represent the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism which are said to (depending on where you look) lead either to spiritual enlightenment, Nirvana, or pain relief.
.
To find out more. check out these links:
http://www.dummies.com/religion/buddhism/the-eightfold-path-of-buddhism/
http://www.buddhism-guide.com/buddhism/wheel_of_life.htm

The Rift Frequency (The Rift Uprising Trilogy #2) by Amy S. Foster

Title: The Rift Frequency (The Rift Uprising Trilogy)
Classification: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: The Rift Uprising Trilogy
Format: Hardcover; 368 pages
Publisher: Harper Voyager (October 31, 2017)
ISBN-10: 0062443186
ISBN-13: 978-0062443182
Author's Website: http://amysfoster.com
Notes: I received and eARC loan from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.


Ryn Whittaker was a loyal Citadel who had trained for her position since the age of fourteen. She was the head of her own unit--beta team--until she realized all she believed and had been taught from an early age was a lie. After securing her base and debriefing all who work there, she and her fellow Citadel Levi are on a mission which will take them through the multiverse to find Ezra who holds the key to finding out exactly who the Roones are and what they want with Ryn's version of Earth. With the Quantum Operating Interdimensional Navigating System, QOINS for short, synchronized to find Ezra's quantum signature they set off. They know not what dangers they will encounter or how many jumps it will take to find Ezra, but God willing, they should end up in the same place. Hopefully sooner rather than later for time is of the essence.

This is the second book of The Rift Uprising Trilogy. In the first book we learned that an experiment into dark matter caused several gateways called Rifts to open around the Earth. Creatures and people crossed over into our world creating the need for the Rifts to be patrolled and guarded. Ryn is a seventeen year old Citadel, one of  several groups of children who were medically enhanced to make them into the perfect super soldiers. The enhancements were made with the help of a species known as Roones who passed through one of the Rifts shortly after they opened.

Ryn and Levi are attempting to travel through The Rift to find Ezra, whom Levi pushed through the Rift, and get some answers. He holds in his possession a computer with information on it from the Roones which they hope he can decode. They spend the majority of the novel jumping from one version of Earth to another looking for Ezra and information as to who the Roones are. As one would expect along the way they make friends, enemies, and allies. They also start finding answers and learning things that the Roones never wanted them to know. Things they find deeply disturbing.

While Ryn begins this adventure disliking Levi, things start to change as she finds herself constantly in situations which require the two to have each other's back. Keeping their distance from one another becomes, at times, impossible as going though The Rift sometimes throws them literally together. This creates dangerous situations for Ryn because of Levi's programming which causes violent reactions when he comes in contact with a person he finds himself attracted to.

Overall, I gave this one 4 out of 5 roses. I liked the book, but frankly wish the whole love triangle going on had been toned down a notch. At this point I'm not sure I like either of Ryn's love interests. Maybe one of them will redeem themselves in the next novel? We'll have to wait and see. As for the main story line, it still has me hooked and was highly entertaining. There were plenty of twists, turns, action, and drama.  I look forward to seeing what will happen in the next and final book of the trilogy. I'm betting it's going to be something good.

The order of The Rift Uprising Trilogy:

The Rift Uprising (The Rift Uprising Trilogy #1) by Amy S. Foster

Title: The Rift Uprising: Book One of The Rift Uprising Trilogy
Classification: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: The Rift Uprising Trilogy (Book 1)
Format: Paperback; 416 pages
Publisher: Harper Voyager; Reprint edition (July 4, 2017)
ISBN-10: 0062443135
ISBN-13: 978-0062443137
Author's Website: http://amysfoster.com
Notes: I read a copy from my local library.



In 2005 a laboratory in Livermore, California attempting to understand the properties of dark matter conducted an experiment that resulted in the opening of a doorway to the Multiverse. Scientists deemed this portal to other versions of our world "The Rift", and within hours 13 more Rifts opened up around the world. Fearing mass panic, the global leaders of the world united to form an alliance  called ARC--the Allied Rift Coalition. It was meant to keep the Rifts from public knowledge. Soon beings from other multiverses began coming through the portals and ARC dealt with them. Then a month after the experiment took place, a group of beings known as Roones, a highly evolved humanoid species, came through the Rift and promised to help ARC deal with the Rifts.

With technology far surpassing our own, they implanted soldiers with chips said to make them exponentially stronger, smarter, faster, and more agile, but each of the initial test subjects died. Their mature minds, it was believed, couldn't handle the change. Instead of scrapping the chips, ARC agreed to test the chips on younger subjects, and unbeknownst to their parents, a group of children were implanted. These implants met with success. These children, and others after them, grew up to become the guardians between our world and those of the Rifts. They police The Rifts perimeters and are called Citadels.

Ryn Whittaker is a Citadel who's been training since she was fourteen. Now seventeen, she's the head of her own unit--beta team. She's never really questioned what she's been told about the Rifts, the chips implanted in her and her fellow Citadels, or the rather violent way they deal with those who pass through the Rifts into her world--that is until she strikes an unlikely and forbidden friendship with a boy who crosses over from an Earth similar to ours. He makes her see things she never noticed or questioned before...

This is her story.

This is the first novel of a trilogy which deals with the multiverse. I absolutely gobbled up the story in one sitting. It kept a fairly fast pace, was action packed, and kept me highly entertained.

Ryn is a natural tactician who thinks quickly on her feet and doesn't make sentimental decisions. She, like all her fellow Citadels, is extremely smart, strong, and agile. She's also well liked and a natural born leader. When she encounters Ezra she begins to question many things and he helps her find the answers or as many as they can find.

Ezra comes from an alternate Earth, but one that is similar to ours. He's a genius and his insight opens Ryn's eyes to what is going on, and makes her questions things she otherwise wouldn't. While I feel I know Ryn, I'm not sure I know all there is to know about Ezra. So far we've only seen how he acts on Ryn's Earth and I'm curious if we'll see another side of him once he gets home to his own world.

I couldn't help but give this one 5 out of 5 roses. I absolutely loved it. I liked the inner turmoil Ryn went through as she tries to comprehend that she may have been lied to in a thousand different ways over the years. I enjoyed the story, the characters, and the world Ms. Foster created. I look forward to finding out what happens next and how Ryn will deal with it all. This one's definitely going on my keeper shelf. Now I need to buy a copy. 

 

The order of The Rift Uprising Trilogy:

Early Review of Nyxia (The Nyxia Triad, #1) by Scott Reintgen

Title: Nyxia (The Nyxia Triad)
Classification: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: The Nyxia Triad
Format: Hardcover; 384 pages
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers (September 12, 2017)
ISBN-10: 0399556796
ISBN-13: 978-0399556791
Author's Website: n/a
Notes: I received an eARC loan from Penguin Random House's First to Read program. Thank you.


Sixty-three years ago Babel Communications discovered a habitable planet they dubbed Eden. The planet, however, was already inhabited by a race they named the Adamites. The planet contains a rare substance called nyxia. Nyxia can be manipulated into just about anything the mind can imagine without much more than a mere thought. Babel Communications has found a number of ways to use the substance, and it has secretly become the most valuable resource in the world. Their mission is to harvest as much of this material as possible. The only problem is the Adamites don't take too kindly to strangers, but Babel thinks they've found a way around this.

 Adamites revere children and young people because they are no longer able to produce any offspring of their own. The reason is most likely that there are no more females left on the planet. Emmett Atwater is one of ten youths chosen to, according to Babel Communications, be at the forefront of the most serious space exploration known to mankind. He and his fellow recruits are told the results of their mission will change the outlook for our entire species.

From the start, however, Emmett has reservations regarding the mission. All the teens selected come from low income households. Then there's the little matter of the way he was picked for the program. Emmett never applied for the position, Babel Communications approached him through his school. As the mission gets closer and closer to Eden, he begins to see things that make him question things.

The stakes are high.

The rules keep changing.

Not all will survive.

And only 8 will be chosen to ultimately complete the mission.

This was a fun book that had something I'd like to see more of--a black protagonist. The young adult class of books appears to have overlooked a huge audience and we need more young adult black heroes, both female and male. There's a missed opportunity here and I'd like to see the gaping hole in this classification filled. It's long overdue, and I hope this is the first of many more such books to come.

Emmett is a smart, streetwise, observant, and adaptable young man. As he tries to fit in and earn as many points as he can to qualify as one of the lucky 8 to be chosen to be part of Babel Communications exploration team, we see him grow as an individual. He also manages to collect a few friends and enemies along the way. The selection process tests each candidate's survival and adaption skills, but quickly changes from a regular competition into something much more ugly and deadly. I can't help but feel the competition was meant to be a distraction under the guise of a teaching and selection tool, but we'll have to wait and see if this ends up to be the case.

I couldn't help but give this one 5 out of 5 roses. The story contained an intriguing mix of elements reminiscent of Ender's Game, The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, and Avatar while managing to stay uniquely its own. I'm curious what the next book has in store because just before the group reaches its final destination, Eden, the book ends. I can't wait to find out more about the Adamites and what Bable Communications is hiding. I'm positive there's going to be a lot of twists and turns thrown at us in the next book. I, for one, can't wait. An excellent debut for a talented new writer. I highly recommend this one.

Early Review of Invictus by Ryan Graudin

Title: Invictus
Classification: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction
Format: Hardcover: 464 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (September 26, 2017)
ISBN-10: 031650307X
ISBN-13: 978-0316503075
Author's Website: http://www.ryangraudin.com/
Notes: I received an eARC loan from the publisher via NetGalley. Thank you.




Once upon a time a boy was born out of time. His mother was a time traveler from 2354 AD sent to accurately record history when it happened as it happened. His father was a gladiator hailing from ancient Rome in the year 95 AD. There are rules about such liaisons, but one can't always choose whom one will fall in love with. The transgression alone did not cause reason for alarm. What did, however, was that while traveling between times Far's mother, Empra, gave birth. At first things appeared to be just fine, but then strange and unexplainable things began to happen...

This is Farway 'Far' Gaius McCarthy's story.

Out of the night that covers me, 

 Black as the pit from pole to pole, 

I thank whatever gods may be 

For my unconquerable soul. 

In the fell clutch of circumstance 

I have not winced nor cried aloud. 

Under the bludgeonings of chance 

 My head is bloody, but unbowed. 

Beyond this place of wrath and tears 

  Looms but the Horror of the shade, 

And yet the menace of the years 

      Finds and shall find me unafraid. 

It matters not how strait the gate, 

   How charged with punishments the scroll, 

I am the master of my fate, 

I am the captain of my soul. 

~ the poem INVICTUS by BY WILLIAM ERNEST HENLEY

Far is about to graduate from the Academy. He's top in his class and doesn't make mistakes only calculated risks. When he takes his final exam, however, something goes amiss. He's convinced someone sabotaged his examination simulation program, but no one will believe him. They say that's just not possible and "final exams are final." The result is him not graduating and instead of becoming a cadet who travels through time, he's grounded with no possibility of the decision ever being reversed. So instead of earning a spot of the coveted Central Time Machine as he'd hoped, he's offered the illegal, yet much more lucrative position of commander of his own ship. He'll lead a crew of essentially time bandits and they'll travel through time rescuing historical artifacts, documents, books, etc. before they're destroyed forever by the ravages of war, natural disasters, fire and time. Did his potential future employer or someone else sabotage his Sim module or is something much more nefarious underfoot? He'll eventually get to the bottom of things. It'll just take some time. Luckily, he appears to have all the time in the world.*smirk*

Overall, I gave this one 4 1/2 out of 5 roses. It was a fun story that dealt with time traveling and multiverses. It also deals with the butterfly affect and how one seemingly small and insignificant change can bring about large unforeseeable consequences. Additionally, it inspires one to question what things could go wrong if people could time travel, and if you could change one decision in your life how would your life be different? Surrounded by a crew of his best friends I enjoyed watching this merry band of traveling companions travel through time and uncover a few treasures and mysteries along the way. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Caraval (Caraval #1) by Stephanie Garber

Title: Caraval
Classification: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Caraval (Book 1)
Format: Hardcover; 416 pages
Publisher: Flatiron Books (January 31, 2017)
ISBN-10: 1250095255
ISBN-13: 978-1250095251
Author's Website: http://stephaniegarberauthor.com/
Notes: I bought this one.


Dear Mister Caraval Master,

My name is Scarlett...

For seven years Scarlett Dragna has been trying to acquire the highly sought after tickets to the show Caraval by writing letters to the owner. Year after year there's been no response. This year, however, on the verge of her marriage, she's received 3 tickets. Caraval is said to be a magical show which encourages audience participation, and changes location from year to year. In some ways it's a competition although the specifics of Caraval have been kept closely under wraps for years. Rumor has it the winner is granted one wish, and Scarelett knows exactly what she'd wish for if she won.

“Welcome, welcome to Caraval! The grandest show on land or by sea. Inside you’ll experience more wonders than most people see in a lifetime. You can sip magic from a cup and buy dreams in a bottle. But before you fully enter into our world, you must remember it’s all a game. What happens beyond this gate may frighten or excite you, but don’t let any of it trick you. We will try to convince you it’s real, but all of it is a performance. A world built of make-believe. So while we want you to get swept away, be careful of being swept too far away. Dreams that come true can be beautiful, but they can also turn into nightmares when people won’t wake up.”

"Whatever you’ve heard about Caraval, it doesn’t compare to the reality. It’s more than just a game or a performance. It’s the closest you’ll ever find to magic in this world."

This was such a fun book. The whole experience felt a bit like going to a carnival, and seeing things distorted like you would when you peer into a fun house mirror. Things are not always quite what they appear to be and it can get a bit confusing as you try to figure out what is real and what isn't, who you can trust and who you can't, and how to interpret all the clues. From Scarlett's first step into the game it appeared to be something dark and sinister making me wonder if Scarlett would get out of the whole thing alive. There were many twists and turns, and while you're reading you'll probably think to yourself once or twice, "What the tomfoolery is this?" But I adored the craziness of it all and the drama that ensued.

Overall, the book was refreshingly unique, and if I were to say anything more I'm afraid I'd begin entering into spoiler territory. I gave this one 5 out of 5 roses. It had a very fast and steady pace with a lot going on. If you blink, you might miss something, so try to keep up. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one earns a BLUSH rating-- at the beginning stages of romance where something is just starting to be stirred. If I had to compare this story to another book I'd chose Alice in Wonderland. It was both crazy and fun with a touch of  magical whimsy.

The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid

Title: The Diabolic
Classification: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction
Format: Hardcover; 416 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (November 1, 2016)
ISBN-10: 1481472674
ISBN-13: 978-1481472678
Author's Website: http://sjkincaid.com/
Notes: I received an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) at BEA (Book Expo America).

Diabolic - relating to or characteristic of the Devil.

'We looked like people, to be sure. We had the DNA of people, but we were something else: creatures fashioned to be utterly ruthless and totally loyal to a single individual. We would gladly kill for that person, and only for them. That’s why the elite imperial families eagerly snatched us up to serve as lifelong bodyguards for themselves and their children, and to be the bane of their enemies.'

(...)

'But lately, it seemed, Diabolics were doing their jobs far too well. In recent weeks, the Imperial Senate had begun debating the “Diabolic Menace.” Senators discussed Diabolics gone rogue, killing enemies of their masters over small slights, even murdering family members of the child they were assigned to protect to advance that child’s interests. They were proving more of a threat to some families than an asset.' So the Emperor banned Diabolics retroactively.


My name is Nemesis and the human I am bonded to is Sidonia 'Donia' Impyrean. 'As the sole heir of a Galactic Senator, Donia would be expected to take her father’s seat after he retired. That meant she had to cultivate political instinct now and learn to speak to others among the Grandiloquy, the Empire’s ruling class. Her social skills would fashion the future alliances of her family and ensure their continued influence.'

This is my story.

This was a very emotionally charged roller coaster of a ride book.While its premise is similar to that of other books, it was so well written and the story so compelling that I found myself being swept away in the current  of the  book. The situation Donia and Nemesis were put in was terribly unjust, but given what people knew of Diabolics equally understandable. In the case of Donia and Nemesis, Nemesis was not the only one who bonded. Donia thought of Nemesis as her best friend or perhaps even a sister. She and her family could not fathom killing Nemesis so they devised a plan to outwit the Emperor. Treasonous? Maybe, but the family already had issues with his rule and killing Nemesis would jeopardize the safety of Donia. So when the Emperor extends an invitation to Donia they see the ruse for what it is and decided to send Nemesis in her place. Nemesis, a creature whose only task is to protect it's human, will now have to interact with others and pretend to be Donia.

I loved seeing Nemesis grow as a person. Her struggle to harness her predatory nature in order to protect her human was fun to watch. Her realization that she was more than what the Emperor and scientists imagined her to be was also fun to see. As she gained confidence in herself and started trusting her own decisions, we finally got to see the real Nemesis and not the one society had molded her to be. It was like she went through her own personal metamorphosis and it was spectacular.

Originally this book was only going to be a standalone. I am so glad the author and publisher decided to expand it into a series. While Nemesis went towards the light, I could see one of her fellow Diabolics opting for the dark after the way they've been treated. Just imagine what damage a genetically altered super powerful individual could do,  It could make for some interesting stories. Plus, we've already seen some of these Diabolics be used by their owners for furthering their own power and status. What would happen if a mistreated  Diabolic realized they had a choice? This book was a game changer and I look forward to finding out where S. J. Kincaid's imagination will take us and this world next.

I couldn't help but give this one 5 out of 5 roses. I loved it. While I wish there had been a little more world building and character development, the author thought this would be a one book deal and was trying to pack everything she could into one novel and you have to take that into consideration. I highly recommend this one and look forward to the next installment.

Early Review of Gilded Cage (Dark Gifts #1) by Vic James

Title: Gilded Cage (Dark Gifts)
Classification: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Dark Gifts (Book 1)
Format: Hardcover; 368 pages
Publisher: Del Rey (February 14, 2017)
ISBN-10: 0425284158
ISBN-13: 978-0425284155
Author's Website: http://www.vicjames.co.uk/
Notes: I received and eARC loan from the publisher for review purposes.

'Do your slavedays too old, you'll never get through them. 

Do your slavedays too young, you'll never get over them.'

The country of Britain is ruled by Equals, and while their name implies fairness and impartiality, their rule is anything but. Equals hold all the power both figuratively and literally. With the power (aka Skill) to do unnatural things, they use it to their full advantage. Those born outside the Skilled families are not deemed full citizens until they've completed 10 years of service during which they are not considered people, and are sometimes treated worse than the animals. The general population, however, knows very little about Equals or what happens in the slavetowns. You see, the worst of what happens in the slavetowns stays in the slave towns. Equals make sure of it.

Abigail 'Abi' Hadley is a clever young girl who believes she has found a way to keep her family together in jobs very similar to those they'd hold in the 'free' world. She thought the deal she had struck was iron clad, but soon finds out when dealing with Equals their word, whether written or spoken, can be broken at a whim. Not only that, she may have unwittingly just landed her family in the middle of what could be the beginning of a revolution...

This was a fun story set in a universe very similar to yet very different from ours. Equals control part, but not all of the world. In Britain, which was founded by Cadmus Parva-Jardine, Equals rule with an iron fist, and all with the Skill are considered the country's Aristocrats.

The Equals reminded me a little of the Graced in Graceling, but so far that seems to be the only similarity between the two stories. Set in what appears to be a more modern time, Abi thinks she's found an easier way for the family to serve out their slavedays. She found that there is a department within the Labor Allocation Bureau called Estates Services where the Equals go for their house-slaves. She arranges to have the family work for the founding family, the Jardines. When they arrive to start their service, however, they find all but the youngest son will be spending their time at Kyneston. While the majority of the family will get an inside view of Equals and their politics, Luke will get an up close and personal view of the horrors that take place in slavetowns. He ends up at the worst of the lot, Millmoor. Something that, according to the rules, should never have happened.

I found the book engaging with characters that were easily sympathized with. The predicament of the Hadleys was awful, and I'm eager to find out what happens next. This one ends in a cliffhanger and I'm very curious to know where the author will take this family and world. I enjoyed seeing the two sides of Britain with its political posturing and poor treatment of its people. While we get a good glimpse into the workings of Britain, I'm sure there's much of it we haven't yet seen.

Overall, I gave this one 4 out of 5 roses. The book had a steady pace with nuggets of information nicely strewn throughout. I'm intrigued by the world building, and look forward to getting even deeper into the world. This series is very promising, and I definitely want to read the next book. The novel is a little dark, and I imagine as we explore this world more intimately, it will get even more so. Definitely worth your time. I can't wait for the next installment. On the Lisarenee Romance rating scale, this one scored a SMILE rating--a lady always tries to be polite so a smile should suffice (ie no heat whatsoever).

Monday Musings: Why It's Okay To Read YA Books At Any Age

Odds are that when you were a small child someone, perhaps a parent or grandparent, read to you. Likewise, we're told that when we have our own children we should read to them. Studies and statistic prove reading to young children helps them learn their letters and helps them learn to read. At some point in their schooling, however, we're told they need to venture out and read to themselves, by themselves. Eventually our children become self-sufficient and don't wish for us to read to them anymore. This could be seen as the final chapter on a shared love of literature, but I say think broader.

One of the things I hear from fellow parents of tweens and teens is they have trouble communicating with and relating to their children. Reading YA (young adult) books is a good way to bridge that communication gap. It reminds you of what it was like to be so young, and can keep you up-to-date with what is happening now in their world. While many things we experienced will be experienced by our children, in some ways it's a whole new world. With the introduction of cell phones and the maturity of the information highway embarrassing situations can now be immortalized. Cyber bullying is such a common place occurrence that schools now have rules specifically written against such practices.  As a parent, you can use YA books as a tool to open conversations about these subjects with your child as well as other, more controversial and touchy, topics.

There are a number books on any given topic, but you can use YA books as the gateway into just about any subject. Take, for instance, the book 'The Fault in Our Stars' by John Green, it's an excellent way to breach the topic of cancer. The book 'Thirteen Reasons Why' by Jay Asher can be used to bridge the topic of suicide. 'Speak' by Laurie Halse Anderson, is a good opening for a conversation about rape. While the above books are very topic specific, you can find other books that have behaviors you might want to curb or prevent in your child that are a little more subtly touched upon. 'The Coldest Girl in Coldtown' by Holly Black, for instance, has a girl who drinks too much and loves beating people at dares. Her need to be accepted leads her to some disturbing choices and behavior that can open up conversations using the character as example of what not to do. You can ask your child what they think about what the character did and whether they handled things appropriately. But don't make reading YA books with your kids just about life lessons or a means bridge tough subject matter. Instead make it a means for rekindling or maintaining that love of reading. A way to share a common hobby. A mechanism for bonding.

Now I know not every child loves reading, so here are some of the sneaky ways I get my kids interested in books.

1) On the way to school or when going on a long trip we listen to audio books. I will listen all the way through which means they usually miss parts and I purposefully try to make sure they aren't around when I listen to a good portion of the ending. They beg me to tell them what happened and are now used to my standard response of, "I guess you'll just have to read it to find out."

2) If I find out a popular book is being made into a movie I make my kids read it before they can see it. Some of the books made into movies we've read before seeing over the years include The Hunger Games series, the Harry Potter series, the Twilight series, the Divergent series, 'The Hobbit' (not a YA book, but you can see how this can continue on as they get older), 'The Maze Runner', the Percy Jackson series, 'The Giver', 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid', and many more.

3) I also like to discuss the books we read together. I ask questions about what they thought about what certain characters did and how they reacted to things that happened to them and around them. When a movie is involved, I ask which version they liked better. The book, by the way, almost always wins. My daughter is now of an age that when I ask some of these questions she'll respond, "Well if they'd done that there wouldn't be much of a story to tell now would there?" They truly do grow up too fast.

4) Another thing I do is to make sure the kids see me reading. The old adage "Lead by example" really does apply to your children. As an added bonus, it's a great way to keep your own mind nimble.

5) I also tend to gear my kid's birthday party themes towards books. For instance, one of my daughter's favorite birthday party was based off of 'The Hunger Games'. The party included a portion where points were earned by answering questions based off of the book. At the end of the party and many games and points later, prizes were given out based off of who had earned the most points. If you're wondering, everyone received a book as a prize.

Even if you don't have kids, however, you shouldn't be afraid to read YA books. They hold a vast amount of fun, impressive, and brilliant stories. Can you imagine thumbing your nose at the Harry Potter series, 'The Book Thief', or 'The Giver' just because they are labeled young adult?  Besides, according to the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), "the conventional definition of “young adult” has expanded to include those as young as ten and, since the late 1990s, as old as twenty-five." I wouldn't be surprised if the age eventually expands beyond that, so you can consider yourself a trend setter. Plus, reading helps you maintain brain heath as you age. According to the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging, reading books significantly decreased the odds of older people having mild cognitive impairment. So if you read YA books, and they make you happy, tell the naysayers that there is clinical proof that reading them is good for you. While the study didn't specifically focus on individuals who read YA books, you don't have to tell them that. Hey, I say it's all in how you interpret the data. *Grin*

YA books can also be a helpful resource and/or tool for teachers. You can use them to capture your students’ attention. If you're a history or government teacher, you can use some of these books as jump starters to talk about different types of societies and  governments. If you're an English teacher, you may want to consider substituting some of the more current YA books for Classics or pair some of the classics with more modern tales which can be found in YA books of similar themes. Some examples would be 'Speak' by Laurie Halse Andersen and 'The Scarlet Letter' by Nathaniel Hawthorne, 'Juliet Immortal' by Stacey Jay and 'Romeo & Juliet' by Shakespeare, 'Epic Fail' by Claire LaZebnik and 'Pride & Prejudice' by Jane Austen. There are several good lists floating around that contain even more pairings so the possibilities are numerous.

Notes to Keep You in the Know:
For more information about YA literature and Classic pairings, check out these two posts:

- An Epic Chart of 162 Young Adult Retellings by Epic Reads: http://www.epicreads.com/blog/an-epic-chart-of-162-young-adult-retellings/

- Pairing Young Adult Literature with Traditional Text(s) Books (a power point presentation) by
Jung Kim, Ph.D. of Lewis University: http://bhsd228.schoolwires.net/cms/lib6/IL01001099/Centricity/Domain/31/YA%20Lit%20Pairings%20-%20Kim.pdf

Sources quoted:
~ Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) article on The Value of Young Adult Literature: http://www.ala.org/yalsa/guidelines/whitepapers/yalit

~ The Mayo Clinic Study of Aging: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3204924/

Early Review of How to Hang a Witch (How to Hang a Witch #1) by Adriana Mather

Title: How to Hang a Witch
Classification: Young Adult Fiction (Age Range: 12+/Grade: 7+)
Genre: Paranormal/Contemporary
Format: Hardcover; 368 pages
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (July 26, 2016)
ISBN-10: 0553539477
ISBN-13: 978-0553539479
Author's Website: Not available at this time.
Notes:  Received this one at BEA (Book Expo America) from the publisher.




Salem, Massachusetts was once the home of some of the world's most infamous witch trials. Hundreds of years later, Samantha Mather finds herself living in the town wondering if history is repeating itself. An outsider with family ties to the horrific events which transpired years ago, she finds herself a social pariah the second she encounters the "Descendants"--the living relatives of those who were persecuted all those years ago. Over the years, the town has changed its view on what transpired. While her ancestor, Cotton Mather, wasn't accused of being a witch, some lay the blame for what happened at his feet.

Strange things have happened to Samantha over the course of her life which have kept her from making close ties with others. She always felt like she was cursed, but here, in Salem, she finds out she just might be right--and she may not be the only one. As the ancestors of those who were involved in the trials start to die off in alarming numbers shortly after Samantha's arrival in Salem, it becomes clear something is definitely amiss. She intends to get to the heart of the matter because if her theory is correct, she and her dad might be next.

I truly enjoyed this story and it would make a delightful read during the Halloween season. This one had a little history to it, but that was not the focus of the story. It's a true ghost/witch story and has a few twists and turns added into the mix. You may notice that the author shares the same last name as the main character, Samantha and Samantha's relative from the witch trials, Cotton Mather. This is by no means a coincidence. Ms. Mather is a descendant of the witch trial Mathers and states so at the end of the book. It was her research into her family history that inspired this story. So while reading this book, make sure to read the Author's Notes at the back. It is well worth your time.

Samantha comes to find herself in Salem months after her father fell into a mysterious coma. One moment he was cooking breakfast, and the next her stepmother was on the phone with 9-1-1. While they're hopeful he'll recover, financial reasons have warranted they give up their New York home. Her grandmother's old house in Salem is charming and, as Samantha soon finds, haunted. A previous occupant doesn't like her messing with his things and makes his presence and dislike of her known. He'll be instrumental, however, in bridging the gap between past and present so they can figure out what happened all those years ago.

Witches, ghosts, and curses, Oh my! I couldn't help but give this one 4 1/2 out of 5 roses. While there were a lot of twists and turns in the book, I did figure quite a few out before they were revealed. They were, however, things that if you were truly the main character, you'd understandably not see. This one definitely kept me spellbound to the pages wondering what would happen next. I recommend finding a time when you can sit down and read continuously until the end or you'll find yourself trying to sneak peeks at the book throughout the day trying to find out what happens next. This is a wonderful new series and I can't wait to see what the author will brew up for the next installment of the series.

Check out the Trailer:

Buy the book:

Passenger (Passenger #1) by Alexandra Bracken

Title: Passenger

Classification: Young Adult

Genre: Fantasy/Time Travel
Series: Passenger
Format: Hardcover; 496 pages
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion (January 5, 2016)
ISBN-10: 1484715772
ISBN-13: 978-1484715772

Author's Website: http://www.alexandrabracken.com/

Notes: I borrowed this book from the library.

Etta thought she had her life planned out. She was just about to start her career as a professional concert violinist. On the day of her debut, however, everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Someone she loved was killed, she was knocked out, and the next thing she knew she was waking up on a ship in a time period that wasn't her own. One that was long over and done with before she'd ever been born...

Nicholas knew exactly where his life was going and decided he wanted no part in it. After years of trying to please his father and trying to fit in with his family, he'd finally decided he was done, or so he thought. Upon accepting what he thought would be one last assignment from his grandfather, he found himself more entangled than ever in the family business of time traveling. All because of a girl...

Destiny is a funny thing. Sometimes we're in control of it while other times someone else pulls the strings, controlling and manipulating it. That's when we become merely a passenger trying to survive the crazy and often wild ride.

This was a fast paced story with a lot going on all at once. I found the beginning a bit confusing because I didn't realize this would be a time travel book. I didn't get sucked into the story until about three or four chapters in. That's when the book grabbed me with a fierce voracity and there was no turning back. It sank its talons into me and I was a goner.

The whole concept of Etta being kidnapped from her own time was great way to start the novel. Imagine how powerless you'd feel not knowing exactly where you are, when you are, how you got there, or why someone kidnapped you from your own time. It'd be a little hard to take, yet Etta does so remarkably well. Although, I wish the author had led with this portion of the story instead of starting with Nicholas' prologue section. Don't get me wrong, the prologue is important. It conveyed a defining moment for Nicholas, but it totally confused the heck out of me by having the story jump around the way it did at the beginning. Once I realized who was who and that Etta was jumping around in time, as was Nicholas, trying to figure out what and why everything was happening was really fun. There were quite a few twists and turns with a love story happening smack dab in the middle of all the suspense.

 Etta is a strong, smart, quick thinking, and talented teen. She is perhaps a little too composed as everything unfolds. The only thing that truly throws her is the death of her violin teacher, Alice. Somehow her mind immediately sees time travel as something not to be fazed by, but as an opportunity in the making--“This was the danger, the seduction of time travel, she realized—it was the opportunity, the freedom of a thousand possibilities of where to live and how to start over. It was the beauty open to you in your life if you only stopped for a moment to look.” She begins to wonder if she can use it as a way to save Alice. First, however, she needs to figure out why she was taken and how to get home. She quickly realizes she'll need help, and that Nicholas is the most likely person to give it to her.

Nicholas is the bastard son of Augustus Ironwood. He once thought his family (despite his being born black in a time when blacks were thought of as nothing more than slaves) would welcome him into the fold. He possesses the family talent of time travel--a skill not all inherit. But the promises of grand adventures, magic, money, prestige, and what he'd really wanted, acceptance, hadn't been forthcoming. Instead, he finds himself as nothing more than an indentured servant who would aspire to be nothing more than a valet to his own half-brother. He's trying to get out from under his grandfather's thumb with one last job so he can find his own place in the world. A place where he belongs. When Etta shows up, she turns his world upside down. He, however, has a somewhat cynical outlook on love. From what he's seen, “Love was selfish, wasn't it? It made honest men want things they had no right to. It cocooned one from the rest of the world, erased time itself, knocked away reason. It made you live in defiance of the inevitable. It made you want another's mind, body; it made you feel as if you deserved to own their heart, and carve out a place in it.”  Yet, through his mentor, Captain Hall, he's seen a different side to relationships so he's not altogether opposed to it. He's just very guarded with his feelings.

The time traveling element in the book was fun. Hopping from one place to another and trying to figure out where the two had ended up after making a jump was enjoyable. Their having to figure out how to get to the next place they need to be added some additional suspense and danger. While there seem to be some huge holes in the understanding of how the traveling is done and why only certain people can do it, I'm hoping we'll get answers in upcoming books.

Overall, I gave this one 4 out of 5 roses. I really enjoyed the tale. I do, however, wish the romance aspect had gone a little slower. It seemed too much too soon. Add in that you've got a modern girl in a not so modern time with no readily available convenience stores to sell "protection" and, yeah, you could say my mommy senses were tingling. Especially when you consider Etta being only 17 and stranded in a time period where things would not end well if she found herself to be with child. While tame by romance novel standards (a definite Blush rating on the Lisarenee Romance Scale; at the beginning stages of romance where something is just starting to be stirred) it still had markedly more than most young adult novels. It didn't detract from the story, however, it just made me feel old. It reminded me of when my mom took me to see an Officer and a Gentleman and covered my eyes when the sex scenes played. While I vowed I'd never do that to my daughter, I wouldn't recommend this one to those under 12. It's much tamer than what you would see in a R rated movie, but it's definitely geared towards a teen audience. I look forward to reading the next in this series and seeing what wonderful things Ms. Bracken will come up with. 

Burning Glass (Burning Glass, #1) by Kathryn Purdie

Title: Burning Glass
Classification: Young Adult Fiction
Genre: High Fantasy
Series: Burning Glass (Book 1)
Format: Hardcover; 512 pages
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (March 1, 2016)
ISBN-10: 0062412361
ISBN-13: 978-0062412362
Author's Website: http://kathrynpurdie.com/
Notes: I received an ARC from the publisher in return for an honest review.

Two brothers raised apart.

One declared dead to ensure his survival. 

One raised believing he would rule the kingdom.

One yearns for power.

One strives for peace.

Only one can be emperor.

One girl has the power to change everything...

Sonya Petrova is the emperor's new Auraseer. She is the first line of defense against those who seek to hurt or kill the emperor. Auraseers can see people's auras and sense their emotions to the point that if they aren't properly trained they can't distinguish other people's feelings and desires from their own. Auraseers are usually trained from birth at the Auraseer convent, but Sonya's isn't like other Auraseers. Her parents put her into hiding and she wasn't discovered until eight months ago. She isn't properly trained. She doesn't want the position and power thrust upon her. By all rights she shouldn't be the emperor's Auraseer, but fate had other plans as a terrible fire took the lives of all the Auraseers who stood between Sonya and the position of emperor's Auraseer.

One girl will be able to tip the balance of power. 

Who will gain her loyalty? 

Who will she betray?  

Dare she trust herself to make such a decision? 

“Do you never take responsibility for your own emotions?” he asked.
“They far too often belong to someone else.”

This novel grabbed my attention from the very start and never let go. The beginning reminded me a touch of Maria V. Snyder's book 'Poison Study' and Robin LaFevers'  'Grave Mercy' although the two books are very different from this one. The world building was well done and I was able to create a clear picture in my mind of the kingdom. I am hoping in one of the next books we'll learn more about the fiefdoms surrounding Riaznin. I also wonder if any other supernatural powers exist in this world. I feel we've only scratched the surface as we've only seen a tiny sliver of it.

Sonya is a character that needs to find herself. She's never really fit in or belonged anywhere, and she is finally coming into her power. While we know from the beginning she is different from other Auraseers, we don't know the full extent of what she is capable of until late into the novel. I can't help but wonder if there is something more to the story of why her parents decided to hide her from the convent. Did they know she would be different? Is there something in her background that made her so?  I also wonder where these powers come from. No history, at least not yet, is given as to how or why children inherit the Auraseer abilities. From what we're told, it sounded rather unpredictable and random.

The two brothers. Valko, the emperor, and Anton appear to be as different as night and day. Valko's attentions toward Sonya disturbed me. He is a dark character carried away by his own power. Anton seems to love his brother and appears to have a good heart, but is conflicted about his brother's rule. He tries to help Sonya adjust to court life and ease her maneuvering of it and his brother, but I have to wonder...what if???? Throughout the book we see quotes like:
“Do you never take responsibility for your own emotions?” he asked.
“They far too often belong to someone else.”
~ and ~
“I'm not a mirror.”
Could all the seemingly random events that led to Sonya's rise to Sovereign Auraseer be due to some huge plan that has yet to be revealed? Could she have been an unwilling pawn in someone's (most likely Anton's) personal game of thrones that has yet gone undetected? Let's face it, she was knocked unconscious during the fire. The fact that she emerged from it seemingly unscathed despite being at the center of the flaming inferno was never really explained and leads me to two possibilities--either she has a power that hasn't been identified or someone may have manipulated things. Add in that we know she can easily be manipulated and has no loyalty to the Emperor after doing her best to avoid his service and she has the makings of someone who could easily be taken advantage of. Plus, would she notice someone else hijacking her emotions or gifts? Yes, I am probably over thinking things as as I didn't immediately have these thoughts upon finishing the book, but wouldn't it make for an interesting twist if by chance that is the author's plan? Even if that is not the case, there were plenty of other smaller storylines that I'm looking forward to finding out how the author will handle.

Overall, I gave this one 4 out of 5 roses.  It contained plenty of twists, turns, and surprises. This is one of those series where I feel the first book was extremely interesting and hints that the series will be something special, but the second book will be the one that makes or breaks it. I'm crossing my fingers that the author can pull off something special. Meanwhile, I'll have to patiently wait and see.