C.S. Pacat’s new YA fantasy trilogy! | Dark Rise

Not even a full week ago one of my favorite authors, C.S. Pacat, has teased us with a little image of DR on her Twitter, saying they have some huge news for us. Not gonna lie, remembering, vaguely, that Laurent signed his name as “Laurent R.“, I was thinking in terms of Damianos and Laurent’s marriage. I promise, eventually I’ll abandon hope for more of those two.

Original Tweet: here

And as of… Yesterday? What day’s today? Oh well. We learned that it’s her new Young Adult fantasy trilogy that we can expect in 2021, which seems unbelievably far away, to be honest. But hey, we’ll be playing Cyberpunk 2077, Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines 2, and eating news on upcoming games, like possibly Dragon Age 4, which has a teaser, but no news as of yet.

The books are set in an alternate London <…>, [where] the heroes and villains of a long-forgotten war who are being reborn, ushering in a dangerous new age of magic.”

More about it can be read in Publishers Weekly, and here’s the original tweet by C.S. Pacat themselves.

I’m looking forwards, yes, even if I can’t deny the little tingle of disappointment that there’s really no more of Lamen, I mean Damen! and Laurent anymore. But hey, rereads are a thing, and might just really help with the wait too!

C.S. Pacat is one of my favorite authors, together with such magic-writers as K.J. Charles, V.E. Schwab, and a few honorable mentions there and here. Keep that in mind when in search for that good stuff.

Advertisements

book review | Escaping from Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco | Stalking Jack the Ripper 3

Author: Kerri Maniscalco
Title: Escaping from Houdini
Series: Stalking Jack the Ripper 3
Genre: YA; Mystery
Pages: 416
Rate: 3/5 | Goodreads

Having some really tough time, not gonna lie. Needed something easy to read, so I picked up “Escaping from Houdini” by Kerri Maniscalco, third book in the Stalking Jack the Ripper series, for I knew her writing style to be perfect for this kind of mood. And it indeed did the job.

About the Book: A luxurious liner trip, with travelers gathered to admire a show troupe full of magicians, fortune tellers, acrobats, and so on, soon becomes a nightmare, as the ship becomes a gilded cage, a prison, with all the passengers trapped inside with a killer; A master in slight of hand, for no one is the wiser, even after someone is brutally murdered among them. Victims tend to disappear just to reappear in a tarot setting, dead. And it’s up to Audrey Rose to find the killer, and find them fast, for it is not just strangers in danger…

My Opinion: The writing style is pretty good, very light, and very easy to read. If you, like myself, aren’t native English speaker, but want to practice reading books, I can really recommend Kerri Maniscalco works. They’re unique and quite interesting. But one thing I did have an issue with in this particular book. It’s the scenes that seem to exist only to add to the volume of the book. I mean, I do understand there’s an attempt to set a scene, create the false calm before the storm, but often they just flopped as scenes designed to portray an outraged lady in society where so much is forbidden to women.

It’s a good lazy read, even if not my favorite. I can give it a very solid and firm 3 out of 5, and will definitely read the next book.

book review | Cress by Marissa Meyer | The Lunar Chronicles 3

Author: Marissa Meyer
Title: Cress
Series: The Lunar Chronicles 3
Genre: Sci-Fi, Fantasy
Pages: 552
Rate: 5/5 | Goodreads

Well, it doesn’t seem like we’ll get a translation to Marissa Meyer‘s The Lunar Chronicles series in Lithuania. They stopped after Scarlet, and Cress doesn’t seem to be happening. I’ll just finish them in English. Really, Marissa Meyer is becoming one of my top favorite authors. I’ve read her Heartless before, it was unbelievable. And so are these. Guess I’ll just have to rampage through the bibliography.

About: On a satelite in orbit lives a young woman, a girl, named Cress. She’s a lunar, a shell, sentenced to die for the crime of being born powerless. But most of those children don’t end up dead. They end up slaves to Queen Levana and her ambitions to rule the whole galaxy. Cress, for instance, is an amazing hacker. Her guardian visits her ever so often to take more blood samples and inquire on any new data about the lost princess Selene. Neither she nor Queen Levana know, that Cress is long as not on their side. With access to Earthen information feed, she learned to love those people, who didn’t just give up their kids because they were born wrong. She loves their romances and drama shows. Especially the ones where a damsel in distress is saved by a charming, morally flexible rogue. Like Captain Thorne, who is now doing his best to save princess Selene… What a hero, right?

Mine: So as you might have already guessed, this is a retelling of Rapunzel. Cress’s hair is long and prone to tangles. Her “stepmother” or guardian, rarely brings her new articles of clothes, so there she is, shoeless, in a child’s dress, hair down to her knees, erasing every trace of princess Selene’s ship from the net, covering their tracks, hoping beyond hope. I can’t put to words of how very impressed I am by the writing, how perfectly fantasy and sci-fi fit here, together, creating something so powerfully unique out of an old tale. I can’t wait to read the final book of Snow White, whom we meet near the end of this book. It’s amazing, truly.

Loved it, so, of course, the book gets 5 out of 5, and I must start remembering to put Marissa Meyer into my top tier favorite authors from now on.

book review | “On the Come Up” by Angie Thomas

Author: Angie Thomas
Title: On The Come Up
Series: –
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Pages: 464
Rate: 5/5 | Goodreads

I loved “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas, so there was no doubt I’ll pick up “On The Come Up” too, as soon as I could get my hands on it. Which isn’t very soon, but hey, not too late yet. The book was absolutely brilliant too.

About: Bri’s life was never easy. A black girl in a pretend-progressive school she witnessed her share of racial profiling, singling out and punishing the kids of color on daily basis, while white kids got away with a lot without even a comment. At home there’s other kinds of problems. Like, her shoes falling apart, gas getting turned off, late rent, constant shortage of everything. Her father was shot, her brother, with all of his education, moved back with his mother and works as a pizza maker to help them meet the ends, and their mother has barely gotten out of a drug slum which she fell into grieving. All Bri wants is to make it, become as great a rap star as her father was, greater even, so she can help everyone out, stop the struggles, get her loved ones off streets, hell, get new shoes… But we all know that path to success is rarely paved with roses. And so, one day she’s singled out, she’s the black girl who didn’t cooperate. She’s on the ground, cuffed. And every phone is pointed at her.

Mine: If you compare American white authors written YA parents, and those of an author of color… I think most of us in Europe will see our parents in the latter ones. There’s this strong love and caring, without the cliche nonsense where a parent is either too understanding, too dumbly kind, or too great of an opposition against their child. Bri’s mother did all she could, sacrificed all she had, and gave her children everything. She lived and survived for them through the worst of it. But it didn’t mean she can now read their thoughts or understand everything, and approve of everything. They spoke, like adults, like child and mother, and they figured things out. You know, the way real world works or tries to work. On top of that, the plot is so amazingly well written, with every side-story so well woven into it, that for once I was just happy to read natural, organic conversations and events. Everyone was their own person, with none of those lines where you read it, you read a response to it, and you just know author wrote all of that just so this character could say this thing. And, I know I’ve spoken in length about it now, but seriously, this is such a good book about real struggles, real poverty, real stressful guilt that you honestly need something when you’ve got nothing… I loved it.

This is a quality read. Especially if you like rap rhymes, oh boy these are nice! Just like The Hate U Give, this one too gets 5 out of 5, and I am sure going to read whatever’s next for Angie Thomas.

historical fiction | “The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy | Montague Siblings 2

Author: Mackenzi Lee
Title: The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy
Series: Montague Siblings 2
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction
Pages: 450
Rate: 4/5 | Goodreads

Another book I heard warnings about, and read poor reviews of in that little collection of book blogs that I follow (not all of them). But if I set my mind on reading something, that’ll not discourage me, so here I am.

About: Felicity just wanted to be a doctor. She wanted to learn, to know, and possibly be known for her contribution to medicine. But instead, her being born a woman at this time and age, has made all the men close the door to her face before even hearing her out. Yet Montagues aren’t so easily made to give up.

Upon hearing that her former childhood friend is about to marry a scientist Felicity has admired for a while, she sets off to visit her, with a plan at hand of how to not upset the friend she didn’t part on the best of terms with; And how to possibly get a spot at her soon-to-be husband’s side. For this man is known to be an eccentric among his kind, so at the very least she’ll be heard, she’s sure. Instead she soon finds herself on yet another pirate ship, with her childhood friend at hand, off to adventures worthy of books, escaping grave danger into strange lands of myths.

Mine: Felicity is what I’d imagine Sherlock Holmes would’ve been if he was born a woman. She’s stubborn, annoyed, angry, feeling invisible. She also believes she has to prove herself to be seen, and doesn’t always choose the best ways towards those goals, thus, doing so, she hurts others and comes off as arrogant. Here her childhood friend really fits into the picture. She’s a very different kind of a woman from Felicity, yet just as strong and just as smart. Her kind clashing with Felicity creates a dynamic character development that I very much enjoyed through the whole of the book. The only big minus I got for the story is the overbearing amount of details where there was no need for so many, and great shortage of them where it would’ve been interesting to know more.

I’d really like me more books of Montague siblings. They’re real fun kids, with ability to adapt unmatched. I give this book a strong 4 out of 5, and remain hopeful.

fantasy | “Legendary” by Stephanie Garber | Caraval 2

Author: Stephanie Garber
Title: Legendary
Series: Caraval 2
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Pages: 451
Rate: 5/5 | Goodreads

I didn’t like the first book all that much. But I loved the author interview at the end of it, where she admitted this would’ve been her last book if she hadn’t made it. I then thought how great it is, that Caraval blew up like that, and she got her true chance. I rated that book higher than I honestly wanted. But I don’t regret it. For author took her chance and didn’t let go. With Legendary I am a fan.

About: Never had two Caraval games been held so close to one another. Never before the games felt so real. But then, never before have stars aligned in such a fashion, an opportunity like that arising, spells melting, threatening the world with long lost terrors, terrors, nightmares it forgot. The victor will have a chance to seal it all back up or break the gate for all the horrors to come out. The players will feed the power with their emotions and wants, wishes and dreams. Each one will pay the price, and the world will never be the same, no matter which path will be taken.

Mine: I definitely love Donatella over her sister. She’s strong willed, clever, and has logic to her. She navigated real well written traps and puzzles, not letting herself get tricked, accepting new facts, reconsidering her steps, and all the while remaining a cold-headed adult of a young woman, a girl, who is absolutely not an adult. Beautiful writing, magical damn story telling.

I loved it. 5 out of 5, firm. And if the third book is as good as this one, they’ll enter my favorites. Well done!

Book Facts | Finally Translated | LT

I am a Lithuanian, and I have a book blog in Lithuanian, which is my native language, and I have started my “career” as a bookblogger over there too. Used to be I was a frequent guest at libraries, and was receiving, and finding news about new translations into Lithuanian, since it’s a privilege of English speaking world to not be concerned about being able to read a sequel of your favorite book and such. But as time went by, and I’ve started just skipping over the middleman by reading more and more ebooks (thanks to the fact that I started making my own money early, and bought a tablet early, since that’s also a serious blessing many don’t have, thus leaving them trapped with what choices they’re given, not the ones they can take), thus, books in English, I’ve gotten out of touch with the actual translations.

Now to find a book I loved – translated into my language is an adventure, usually experienced while in the bookstore, searching for new Witcher Saga re-print (we had them translated way before first game ever came out, but now we’re getting new shiny covers!) and so imagine my surprise, when I noticed not just one, but three familiar titles. So here’s what we’ve got, and I apologize for it’s probably irrelevant for absolutely everyone else:

 

Sarah J. Maas “A Court of Mist and Fury“, translated to us as “Trapped in the Dark“, which suits the narrative, so it’s absolutely fine, many translations have different titles from the original.

• English review: A Court of Mist and Fury
• Lithuanian review: Įkalinta tamsoje

High Fantasy; Young Adult (adult/mature)

 

 

 

 

 

Brandon Sanderson “Mistborn: The Final Empire“, translated the same as the original. I really loved this book, so I’m really happy they not only translated it, but gave it a very fitting cover too. We’re notorious with our lame covers, believe me, there’s something to celebrate here.

• English review: Mistborn: The Final Empire
• Lithuanian review: Miglos Vaikai: Paskutinė Imperija

High Fantasy;

 

 

 

 

 

And the last, but hopefully not least, Stephanie Garber “Caraval“, translated to us.. Ugh, literally, I guess. As good as it can be, taking the circumstances. While I didn’t like this book much, I see value in it, and will be happy if someone picks it up, and it becomes their new favorite. As I said before, and will say many times again: it doesn’t matter what or how you read, as long as you read, you’re doing more than a lot of people out there, be happy, be proud, and love what you love.

• English review: Caraval
• Lithuanian review: Karavalis

High Fantasy; Young Adult (don’t take me on my word, I think it was PG)

Josie Jaffrey “The Gilded King” | Sovereign 1

Author: Josie Jaffrey
Title: The Gilded King
Series: Sovereign 1
Genre: Paranormal, YA
Pages: 303
Rate: 5/5 | Goodreads

I’ve received this book as an arc in exchange for some honest reviews. And while from the very start the world has intrigued me, I didn’t like the split of the story for a fair while: I loved to read one character, and hurried through the other one. But the more I read, the more I wanted to read more, and by the end of it, I just finished the amount I kept for two more days in one sitting. That should hint you.

About: Once humans apparently lived with vampires, Silver, side by side. But as humans who were failed to be made Silver turned into Weepers, things got out of hand. Weepers, being a sort of a zombie, bit others, and made entire populations turn in mere hours, thus endangering both human race, and the Silvers too. Up until they made a cure for it, a vaccine that made humans immune to the plague, and successfully killed Weepers. The only problem was, that the vaccine didn’t leave the blood stream, and just as it turned Weepers human, thus killing them, for their bodies were far beyond life, it turned vampires human too. The cured became the contaminated.

Away from the place, and the time that it all happened, some hundreds of years later, Julia watched the Red with longing, from the safety of Blue, the last uncontaminated city safe for humans. They were ruled by Nobles, the forever young, immortal kind that drank their blood in exchange for protection from whatever horrors lurked in the Red and threatened their existence. Cameron is one of those Nobles, a Silver who traveled the Red far and wide in search of a lost, kidnapped friend. Instead of her, though, he kept finding more horrors and strange things: remains of caravans with pits full of human bones smoldering, meat seemingly eaten off of them, blood spilled around the camp; unbelievable amounts of Weepers, pits of dead ones, with live bait of a contaminated human crushed under their sheer weight, them dying on top from the taste of the vaccinated blood. Bit by bit it starts to seem someone is making more of these creatures on purpose… But not all things are bad, or at least, some things are still good. Humans are making settlements, and there’s more of them with passing time. And best of all, this time on his voyage there’ll be a helping hand of a handsome and very skilled woodsman Felix, a man with oh so very much too much knowledge of what Silver are.

Mine: It started good, but too slow for me. I didn’t like Julia’s story for a very long time, but I really, really loved everything Cameron was seeing. The horror was making me regret reading mostly at nights. But as story progressed, their paths came closer, and closer, and finally chapters told both their stories in one. Best part: they’re completely unrelated two characters, with their own adventures, goals, and love interests. All they did was see each other from afar. Another thing I must mention is that this book is one big trick. You think you know what’s going on, but you don’t. Author has tricked me many times turning the plot around, folding it over itself, and presenting solutions I did not expect. That gives me hope for the next book, for the last sentence Felix spoke in my head can only be resolved with a cliche of “you betrayed me – but let me explain” with making up somewhere at the end of the tunnel. Maybe Josie Jeffrey has something better in mind though, I really can’t wait to see.

So, all in all, I really loved this book. I loved the lack of predictability, I loved that heroes were not destined to be together from the start, I loved the insanely stubborn and determined, but so very kind Cameron. I loved how scary it was at so many points, and how beautifully it would fit a zombie apocalypse genre if author would just push it a little over the edge. 5 out of 5 from me, and I really do await the next book!

Laini Taylor “Dreams of Gods & Monsters | Daughter of Smoke & Bone 3

Title: Dreams of Gods & Monsters
Author: Laini Taylor
Series: Daughter of Smoke & Bone 3
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Pages: 613
Rate: 4/5 | Goodreads

Ah well, it’s not like I could’ve quit a trilogy with only one book left. So as much as I didn’t enjoy the trilogy, I finished the last of Laini Taylor, “Dreams of Gods & Monsters”. It was better than the second book, but definitely not for me.

About: Ancient prophecies are coming true. Of things that will be, of things that’ll be gone. A human, child of an angel, born upon Earth with visions. A corrupt emperor of those very same, with a trice fallen creature hanging behind him, come down upon our lands: too long have you, humans, been shielded from demons and the war angels wage with them. Time you carry your weight. Time you repent your evil deeds. Time you arm the angels with mass destruction weapons. In the meantime Karou and Akiva are uniting the most unlikely allies in hopes to stop what will surely be the end of the universe as they know it. But in a larger scheme, this whole shebang is still just a puny grain in a wind.

Mine: In compare to the second book this one was pretty good. The story picked up, and there was plenty of action, turns, and twists in it. Author, in general, is very good at building worlds. I think that was the biggest barrier for me here – I just couldn’t get through the mundane. For I truly loved Strange the Dreamer, and every little bit about the different worlds here too. It just feels like choosing one or another would’ve worked better for me, personally. But I am sure that YA fantasy lovers will like this trilogy, and so I cannot stress enough – the author is great, and it was merely not my cup of tea.

I’m glad I’ve read this trilogy. I can now calmly wait for the second book of Strange the Dreamer to get into my hands. This one gets 4 out of 5 from me.

V.E. Schwab – A Gathering of Shadows [2]

I forgot I didn’t yet tell you about this book until I realized I have barely any left of the third. So do let me tell you how great was the second book in V.E. Schwab trilogy Shades of Magic, “A Gathering of Shadows” (ISBN 0765376474; 512p.; Goodreads), for it was amazing. Mind you, if you haven’t read the first one, you might want to skip this review, and just know that I loved it cover to cover.

As Kell and Rhy are now sharing one life – a lot of things pass between them via that magical link. At first it was seemingly just pain, for if one dies – the other one dies too, only natural you’d feel the deadly prick just as the other party does. But then there’s all the mental stuff too, and before they strangled each other due to constant hum at the back of their heads, Rhy makes up his mind. His brother will have to attend the magical dueling tournament and release some of that built-up magical steam. For unlike your regular mages, this one will gladly slap you if you finish off his already thin patience, or scare him too much by nearly dying if he cared about you, etc. And, of course, since he’s the most powerful magician known, that people revere and fear as a god, he’ll have to enter in disguise…

Delilah Bard turns her ears up when Captain Alucard, after long months at sea and foreign ports, turns the ship around back to London. He intends to attend this magical dueling tournament, and Lila just happens to have discovered she has powers too…

In the mean time, White London, the drained and bleak one, is stirring. A legend came true. On their throne now sits a hero, a king that fairy tales claimed to be able to restore magic in their world.

I can’t stop admiring the characters, how much each one of them is their own person, acting on their own set of mind, and not just there to ask the right questions. I love how Rhy would flirt with a chair, but then is madly in love with one person, and keeping that feeling safe from the world. I love how Kell, at points indeed revered as god due to power is actually a hotheaded spirit, ready to stomp his feet in anger, and yell at you if you chocked and nearly died in his arms, because he got so scared, and you can’t do that! And I just love Delilah Bard, I do believe she is my all time favorite woman ever written. 5 out of 5, deserved every one bit.