Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

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Source: Won from Razorbill
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Format: Hardcover, 404 pages
Release Date: August 7, 2012

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. 

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. 

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. 

Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

5 Reasons Why You Should Read Throne of Glass

1. Celaena Sardothien is basically made of skill and awesome.

I found Celaena to be such a refreshing character. Along with the title of assassin (female assassin to boot) come a lot of stereotypes and restrictions that could have made this story a heck of a lot less interesting. Sarah J. Maas doesn't bind Celaena by these standards and instead allows her to be this arrogant, funny, strategic, wonderful woman that, yes, enjoys looking at pretty things and going to parties from time to time. Basically: Celaena is a pretty cool girl, go meet her!

2. The plot is involving, intriguing and exciting.

This story sucked me right in and was brimmed to the top with action! Between the contest to become the royal assassin and the murder mystery that has everyone on edge, there was plenty to become invested in. Maas juggles the threads of the plot well and it was super fun to slowly unravel the mystery. This is a well thought-out plot and it shows. 

3. The excellent pacing lets you fully enjoy the story.

There's a nice balance of Celaena's character progression, the relationships she has with others and the external action in the court. I sometimes find this a disadvantage in fantasy novels especially where there is just so much to get through but it wasn't a problem for me in this book. Just sit back and enjoy the ride!

4. The emotions and relationships are well-developed.

I loved watching the development of Celaena's character through the story. She has this spark throughout, this determination to survive and be able to control her own life. She's a complex mix of things, from innocent at times to lethal at most (easily explained by her age, life and experience) and so seeing her emotions and thought process was pretty fascinating to me. She formed friendships and attachments with relative ease and watching the extremely varied ways that people reacted to her was exciting.   

5. Fantastic world-building! What more do you want in your fantasy?

A castle built of glass, a forest cloaked with magic and a world bursting with fascinating stories still uncovered. Maas does an excellent job with the world-building in this novel, from the dark and decidedly dangerous king to the hints of Fae magic that are introduced. I feel like there is still a lot more to see and I'm stoked to get to it!

Cover Comments: This is an okay cover for me. The colours work and I like the dagger strapped to her arm but other than that... nothing great about it.

My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison

My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison

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Source: Library
Publisher: Walker BFYR
Format: Hardcover, 311 pages
Release Date: January 6, 2009

Finding your one true love can be a Grimm experience!

After her boyfriend dumps her for her older sister, sophomore Savannah Delano wishes she could find a prince to take her to the prom. Enter Chrissy (Chrysanthemum) Everstar: Savannah's gum-chewing, cell phone-carrying, high heel-wearing Fair Godmother. Showing why she's only Fair--because she's not a very good fairy student--Chrissy mistakenly sends Savannah back in time to the Middle Ages, first as Cinderella, then as Snow White. Finally she sends Tristan, a boy in Savannah's class, back instead to turn him into her prom-worthy prince. When Savannah returns to the Middle Ages to save Tristan, they must team up to defeat a troll, a dragon, and the mysterious and undeniably sexy Black Knight. Laughs abound in this clever fairy tale twist from a master of romantic comedy. 

My Fair Godmother will have you smiling in no time with its relatable cast of characters and fun, lighthearted plot.

Savannah is your typical popular high school girl. When we first meet her, she comes off as sweet but rather ditzy. She's more focused on clothes and boys than her grades and she seems to have a penchant for lateness. Still, it's clear almost immediately that Savannah is a caring person despite her occasional cluelessness and it makes it even more difficult to read when her boyfriend dumps her for her older, more mature sister. Reading through this novel provided me with one of my favourite reading aspects: character development! We get to see Savannah turn from this irresponsible girl into one that's infinitely more mature, rational and dependable. I loved the new Savannah and I was cheering loudly by the time the trials at the end of the book took place!

The plot in this book is just insane. Savannah's Fair Godmother reminded me a bit of Ella from Ella Enchanted in that she doesn't seem to get anything right! It's hilarious and amusing to read about Savannah's adventures into the past and I loved how Janette Rallison incorporated some fairytale stories. The plot progressed at a captivating speed with great writing and was just pure FUN.

I can see how it would be easy to hate Savannah's sister for stealing her boyfriend. I mean, what kind of big sister does that?! You really get a feel for all of the characters though and I loved that we got to understand them better than just what Savannah saw on the surface. Tristan, the poor boy that gets mixed up in the mess and is sent to the Middle Ages, was a perfect blend of irritating and irresistible. Even the characters that don't share as much page space were memorable... personally, I loved the seven dwarves (the way that they spoke to Snow White was just wonderful). Who knows, maybe you'll end up falling for the mysterious Black Knight!

All in all, a delightfully entertaining read of love, magic and humour.

Cover Comments: I love the crossed out 'Fairy' haha. Poor Chrissy to have that constant reminder looming over her head (HA. It is literally over her head here, you see? As always, I must ask you excuse my lameness). Loving the hair and the outfit!

4 stars out of 5

Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt

Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt

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Source: Won
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release Date: March 1, 2011
Format: Hardcover (288 pages)

According to her guidance counselor, fifteen-year-old Payton Gritas needs a focus object-an item to concentrate her emotions on. It's supposed to be something inanimate, but Payton decides to use the thing she stares at during class: Sean Griswold's head. They've been linked since third grade (Griswold-Gritas-it's an alphabetical order thing), but she's never really known him.

The focus object is intended to help Payton deal with her father's newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis. And it's working. With the help of her boy-crazy best friend Jac, Payton starts stalking-er, focusing on-Sean Griswold . . . all of him! He's cute, he shares her Seinfeld obsession (nobody else gets it!) and he may have a secret or two of his own.

In this sweet story of first love, Lindsey Leavitt seamlessly balances heartfelt family moments, spot-on sarcastic humor, and a budding young romance.

After pining for this book for months, I can finally say that I've read it. I can also say that it is spectacular.

Right off the bat, I felt a connection to Payton. She has a bit of an obsession with organization and office supplies and is just so relatable overall. The story definitely shines a spotlight on Payton's own growth and how she comes to terms with her father's illness.

I wasn't too sure where the line would fall between light-hearted humour and more serious problems, but Sean Griswold's Head finds a great balance. There were things that made me laugh out loud and I definitely smiled my way through most of Payton's interactions with Sean. At the same time though, the book made me tear up a few times while Payton tried to get a grip on her life. Being Payton's age, I can't imagine finding myself in her situation, and the book did an excellent job of making me feel it.

One of my favourite things about this novel is just how real it is. The teenagers seemed like teenagers, and everything from how Payton reacts to learning the news about her dad to how her family interacts at home just felt so honest.

I would be remiss to not mention Sean Griswold in this review. This is the kind of boy I would want to date! Patient, understanding, funny and sweet, Sean was such a great guy to read about. He is protective about the people he cares about and passionate about what he likes. Oh, and he apparently has a massive head... me too!* Sean and Payton were so adorable together!

So, are you looking for realistic teen romance with splashes of deeper emotion? Look no further - recommended to fans of Stephanie Perkins.

Cover Comments: Love it! I obviously didn't know this before reading it, but the drawings on the chalkboard actually relate to the story (the pie diagram is actually one that Payton makes for her "assignment").

* Seriously, I can never even find hats that fit on my head! "One size fits all!" NO. IT DOESN'T.

5/5

Captivate by Carrie Jones

Captivate by Carrie Jones

(Goodreads profile)
Source: Library
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release Date: January 5, 2010
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 273

Zara and her friends knew they hadn't solved the pixie problem for good. Far from it. The king's needs grow deeper every day he's stuck in captivity, while his control over his people gets weaker. It's made him vulnerable. And now there's a new king in town.

A turf war is imminent, since the new pixie king, Astley, is moving in quickly. Nick nearly killed him in the woods on day one, but Zara came to his rescue. Astley swears that he and Zara are destined to be together, that he's one of the good guys. Nick isn't buying it, though Zara isn't as sure -- despite herself, she wants to trust the new king. But it's a lot more than her relationship with Nick that is at stake. It's her life -- and his.

Captivate is the sequel to Need, which I liked but wasn't crazy about. I'm happy to report though, that I liked this installment quite a bit more. I'm not sure why that is, really. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood last time around... Whatever the reason, I'm glad I decided to give this book a go.

Captivate continues the storyline from the last book but also tosses a bunch of exciting new additions into the mix. I loved reading about Valhalla and the intrigue that's currently surrounding that, especially since Norse mythology isn't something I know much about.

Zara is a great character - she's loyal and quite strong but always, always tries to do the right thing. As for the romantic interests... step aside, Nick! You're alright, just a little too alpha male for me. Astley on the other hand? Swoon. I can't see wait to see where the love triangle goes next!

The only problem I had with the characters was Devyn, who really annoyed me in this book. Last time, I liked him well enough (especially with Issie - cutest pair ever!) but he just came off as way too arrogant this time around. That's a minor issue though.

With exciting developments to an already interesting concept, Captivate makes for a great sequel.

Cover Comments: I have no idea why anyone would be crying gold, glittery tears but it looks pretty so whatever. Also, I have this problem where I can't dislike sparkly things so obviously I like this. I'm not shallow. Just... appreciative... of shiny objects... that's all.

3.5 stars

Need by Carrie Jones

Need by Carrie Jones

Source: Library
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 306

Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her. She's also obsessed with phobias. And it's true, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane...but Zara's pretty sure her mom just can't deal with her right now.

She couldn't be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's overactive imagination. In fact, he's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There's something not right - not human - in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.

In this creepy, compelling breakout novel, Carrie Jones delivers romance, suspense, and a creature you never thought you'd have to fear.

Need is a novel that started off a little predictable to me but ultimately turned out to be something that I enjoyed reading. I liked the second half of the book a lot more than the first, so I have high hopes for the sequel!

So, I'll start off with the main character, Zara. I liked her, she seems like the kind of girl I'd want to hang out with. She collects phobia names like you wouldn't believe (more on that later) and spends her free time writing out urgent action letters for Amnesty International. The only real problem I had with Zara, and other characters as well, was that I felt like there was so much more to her character that could be explored and was just left untouched.

Zara's (step)father has just died and although we're told that she is inconsolably upset about this, I couldn't feel her anguish or pain at it. It is something that is supposed to have died down, but still. I know that if it was my dad, I wouldn't be getting over it that quickly. I think that's the main issue I had with this novel. I wanted to know more about everything - the characters, the pixies, the weres - all of it.

One of the coolest things for me in this book were the phobias. Essentially, the phobias make up the chapter titles and frequently make their way into Zara's thoughts. She obsessively memorizes them and being the huge nerd I am, I found it pretty awesome to read through them all and go tell other people about them (they didn't care, but thanks for asking).

Like I said earlier, the second half of the book was a lot better for me. The pacing was quicker and I felt like it started getting really interesting. I did end up liking the book in the end, I just felt like it had the potential to be better. Hopefully the second book will do the concept justice!

Cover Comments: I don't know... when I saw it online, I thought it looked really pretty. The physical copy I had looked a little weird though. It might have just been the library copy though, which was pretty old and worn. It bugs me that it's a shot of Zara's neck! When I see necks on covers, I automatically think "vampires," not pixies and weres. I do like the sparkle though (seriously, someone should just do a plain black cover with words and sparkles and I will be pleased).

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles

Publisher: Walker & Company
ISBN: 978-0-8027-2085-6
Pages: 324

Carlos Fuentes idolized his older brother, Alex, when he was a member of the Latino Blood. So when Alex chose to get jumped out of the gang for a chance at a future with his gringa girlfriend, Brittany, Carlos felt shocked and betrayed. Even worse, Alex forced Carlos to come back from Mexico to join him on the straight and narrow path. Trouble is, Carlos just wants to keep living on the edge. And ties to his Mexican gang aren't easy to break, even hundreds of miles away in Colorado.

In Boulder, Carlos has to live with one of Alex's college professors and he feels completely out of place. He's even more thrown by his strong feelings for the professor's daughter, Kiara, who is nothing like the girls he's usually drawn to. But Carlos and Kiara soon discover that in matters of the heart, the rules of attraction overpower the social differences that conspire to keep them apart.

I've been looking forward to reading this book ever since I finished Perfect Chemistry a few months back. Rules of Attraction did not disappoint!

I really liked Kiara's personality. I can't help but admire a strong female lead and Kiara definitely fits the role. She was confident, adventurous and not afraid to get her hands dirty. In other words, she was exactly what Carlos needed to bring him back down to earth. I'm not saying that she was perfect or that she had everything in her life figured out because she absolutely did still get insecure about fitting in. In the end, however, she overcame it all and came out strong.

Carlos, admittedly, made me laugh. While I still personally prefer his older brother Alex, Carlos had a sincerely sweet side that I loved to see come out under his egotistical one. He grew up a lot during the story and into someone he could be proud of. I liked seeing what Kiara had to do with that and how she could challenge and irk him like no other.

Finally, Tuck. He was hilarious! He was also a great friend and just the kind of guy you'd want to hang out with. 

Now, I really like the way that Simone Elkeles is able to weave together romance and danger while still keeping the story intense, addicting and believable. The progression of the story from start to end moves forward at a comfortable pace with no stops. Even with the similarities between the two elder Fuentes brothers, the story was fresh and new.

I am really looking forward to Luis' story but sad that the trilogy will be coming to an end. I will genuinely miss these characters. Excellent, excellent book!

Cover Comments: I really like how the rain looks on the cover, just shimmering on the page and forming a sort of sphere around Carlos and Kiara. The blurred title is cool too and I'm glad that the cover matches its companion. Overall, the cover does a good job of matching what is to come in the story. Nice cover!