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.

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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.

John Flanagan – The Burning Bridge

I’ve read the second book of Ranger’s Apprentice “The Burning Bridge” by John Flanagan (ISBN 0399244557; 262p.; Goodreads) a few days ago, but I couldn’t seem to find the right words to describe it, and review it. So here goes nothing.

The evil warlord from the dark wastelands is raising his armies of mindless creatures, and greedy men. It’s time for him to take back what is his, no matter the price. He waited too long to worry of such petty things as lives that serve under him. And his desire to go forth with the plan grows just so much brighter when a slim chance to get the one who was responsible for his downfall before appears at hand.

Will, in the mean time, is slowly but surely becoming a true ranger, already amazing with a bow, and still in training. His abilities, and youth make a perfect combination for him to be chosen as one of the three messengers who are to go out, warn and raise other lands, for war can no longer be avoided. Some rulers already refused to help, not seeing how this is their problem. Others gave no answers, and these are the ones Will has to visit and find out what’s with all the silence. On this journey he gets a true chance to prove his worth as a ranger, bow, tracking, quick wit, and heroism one would not expect from a young lad who wasn’t even into all this ranger stuff so recently.

I liked this book a lot more than the previous one. And this book is also one of those that prove my point that I keep trying to get across to all those who quit books mid-way. Last chapter can sometimes save the whole book, and this was exactly that case. There were plenty of interesting points, but boring ones lasted ever so long. Yet the very end of it made me question whether I can really give these books away, for now I’d rather keep them. Anyway, a solid 4 out of 5 for sure.

Jacob Grey – Ferals: The Crow Talker [1]

I love urban fantasy. It’s a good resting genre for those who love fantasy in general. And when it’s not too good in plot – it usually compensates in settings and/or backstory. “Ferals: The Crow Talker” by Jacob Grey (ISBN 978-9955-23-901-7; 295p.; Goodreads) is not a pure urban fantasy, but the fantasy part in it compensated well for everything. Truly scary bad guys, wicked “Dark Lord“, and one or two measured plot twists. I’d say this book is Nicholas Flamel meets Ranger’s Apprentice, if I had to compare it to anything.

Caw is this young orphan boy living with three crows out in the abandoned park, in a nest he made himself. He keeps having nightmares of his parents pushing him out of the window when he was but a little child, and crows carrying him away. The question of why they did so bothers him night and day. Yet soon a distraction like no other strikes. Dream changes, and becomes even more of a nightmare than before, for in the background there stands a pale tall man, surrounded by spiders, eyes black as the void. And the nightmare soon becomes reality, when the white crow, who was both mute and blind, speaks a warning: Spiders are coming, and we’re their prey.

First half of the book is not the easiest to pull through, since plot has to be explained via that time, only natural. We’re introduced to the world where among regular people walk those who speak and command other beings. Caw being one who can speak to the crows. Situation we’re hurled into soon demands others of this breed to be found, and there is where the fun begins in earnest. We learn of great war that turned their city into the ruins they live in now. We learn who did it, and how is it possible that the long dead man is a threat to the world again.

So all in all, I did like the book. Can’t say it’s my new favorite, but definitely something I would willingly look into. I am very happy we received a translation of the first book already too, since we definitely don’t get enough of this type YA urban fantasy in our shelves (I guess it could be categorized as children’s book too, since it’s child-safe, unless they’re afraid of spiders). I’ll give it 4 out of 5, but expect rate to go higher as books cease needing to explain what’s going on.

A Court of Mist and Fury: Review by P.S. I Love That Book

Can’t not share. I’m not much into YA, but I’m sold on this one. Book Blog “P.S. I Love That Book” keeps me up to date at the very least, so I really recommend them to both heavy and light readers.

Wilbert Stanton – The Artful [1]

  I just love post-apocalyptic world settings. Thus it was a natural choice, when discovering Curiosity Quills, to look through the section specified. “The Artful” by Wilbert Stanton (“Shadows of the City: Book one”; ISBN 162007527X; 218p.; Goodreads) caught my eye right away, for you have to admit, that is a good cover. The description in the back promised viruses, broken lands, and adventures. So I humbly inquired about it, and now I must say it was the best choice I have made book-wise so far.

Future New York is more or less a Quarantine Zone. A virus lashed across the land and people know not just how far and wide it went. What they do know tho, that those who pulled through – are still fighting for survival. Sun burns their skin, forcing most to cover until dark, or put on layers upon layers of clothing and suffer through the heat and apparent radiation. Food provisions got scarce. But worst of all – medication became a luxury only the rich could afford. And those all lived up in Empire towers of Manhattan, not caring for the dying outside, huddled in their gangs and tribes for safety and provisions. No, the rich, or the Tower Babies, their only care in the world is to push through another boring day, find a more exciting party, and maybe a better drug than the last time. And since of those they have no shortage, our heroes, Twist and Dodger, famous and infamous Gutter Punks, take it up themselves to sift some away.

The story is full of twists, and bumps, and turns. So, naturally it didn’t go right! The guards were agitated from the start. And then lads met up with their old friend, who held on to his bag as if his life depended on it…

The book was truly a something. I have never met such fun young adults or teenagers in any story before. Immature jokes were just right, adventures were in perfect measure, other characters they met had plenty of their own personalities to not seem mere “support characters” either. And don’t get me wrong, this is not a laugh ride! There’s running for the life situations, brutal beatings, cannibals even! Truly, as a reader I am happy, and I very much hope to get the sequels too. I give the book 5 out of 5, it earned it in every sense, from the slick and fitting cover, to the whole vibe about it.