Kara's Book Cravings: Kingdom of the Wicked

 

I've been on a romantasy kick lately, and so I've been buying a lot of these types of books. Naturally, when I saw KINGDOM OF THE WICKED by Kerri Maniscalco I was immediately drawn to the cover. And then the blurb sold me, so I went and bought the entire trilogy. 

I eagerly dove right into the first book, Kingdom of the Wicked, and... well, it took me a while to get through it. I really wanted to love this book more than I can say, but the pacing was rather slow, in my opinion. Felt like it took a long time for anything major to happen, and then once it did, we were at the end! 

But this book does have a little bit of everything: witches, death, lots of secrets, princes of Hell, dark magic... it really has everything I love in a romantasy. I'm not sure why I struggled so much. Maybe I wasn't in the right mindset or mood when I started this, or maybe I simply don't vibe with the author's style. 

I do own the other two books in the series, and I'm sure I'll eventually read those because I'm a completionist, and because everyone who's read this series promises it does get better. I was told the same thing when I struggled to get through the first ACOTAR book, and everyone was right, so I trust that they'll be right about this series, too. I'm taking a break from this for now, but I'll try book 2 soon. 

Kara's Book Cravings: ACOTAR Series

 

So, I have finished all five books in the A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES Series by Sarah J. Maas. If you want to catch up on my thoughts about book 1 and book 2, you can do so HERE and HERE. All set? Okay, then let's move on to books 3-5, and boy do I have some thoughts...

In book 3--A COURT OF WINGS AND RUIN--we get a lot more fantasy aspects with the Fae courts and politics and the eventual big war. While the pacing was good and I was fully engaged, something about this book fell flat for me. In the first two, we're just learning about Rhys and Feyre and becoming invested in their love-hate relationship. In this book, they are fully mated and together. From a story telling perspective, I get the need for that, but as a reader, I really missed the tension between them that had been so strong in the first two books. 

The 4th book--A COURT OF FROST AND STARLIGHT--is a really short companion book that takes place after the war and shows Rhys and Feyre settling into their lives. This also focuses a bit more on Feyre's sisters, Elain and Nesta, which leads into the fifth book. While this was a quick read, it wasn't my favorite. It lacked any real conflict and romantic tension. 

A COURT OF SILVER FLAMES, the fifth and (so far) final book in this series is a beast. It's by far the longest, and it took me a while to get through it. Not because it was bad, but because we shift from Feyre and Rhys's story into Nesta and Cassian's story. The shift took a big of adjustment, but once I got into it, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. 

Nesta gets a lot of hate from a lot of people, and with good reason, but she has the best character arc, in my opinion. The amount of change she goes through, both internally and externally, is astounding. I came to really like her by the end of this book, and I was rooting for her.  She knows she hasn't been a good sister, or person overall, but she works hard on herself and by the end, this book had me in tears. I'd venture to say this final book was probably my favorite of the entire series. And the romance between her and Cassian --- wooooo! Make sure you have a fan handy. Or access to a cold shower. 

Kara's Book Cravings: A Court of Mist and Fury

 

After being very pleasantly surprised by how much I loved A Court of Thorns and Roses, I immediately jumped right into the second book, A Court of Mist and Fury. 

This is one big book, coming in at over 600 pages, so it was a little intimidating at first. But then I started reading it... and I couldn't stop! I finished this entire book in 3 days flat. 

ACOMAF is definitely much better than ACOTAR, but the reason for that, in my opinion, is that we get a lot more Rhysand in this book, and he's my favorite!

We learn so much more about him and why he's so misunderstood. We also learn more about Tamlin, and as I mentioned in my last review, my suspicions about him are confirmed. He's not as great as he's portrayed in book 1. I don't hate him, and he's not really a villain, but he makes some really dumb decisions. 

Feyre, our heroine, becomes a lot stronger in this book as well, and while I find some of her reactions annoying, she's a solid character, and I like her more and more. 

The ending of this book had my jaw on the floor, though, and then I couldn't stop smiling. Maas is a master of the plot twist, and she's damn good at the enemies-to-lovers trope, too. I hope to one day be as good as she is. 

And now, I will dive into book 3, which is even longer than this one. I hope I'm not disappointed. 

Kara's Book Craving: A Court of Thorns and Roses

 

After reading and enjoying Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, I decided to really give romantasy (romance + fantasy) a shot, and so I asked in several groups for recommendations on other series to try, especially for someone so new to the genre. And let me tell you... I got a LOT of great recommendations! 

The one that seemed to come up more than anything else was the A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES (ACOTAR) series by Sarah J. Maas. People warned me that the first book isn't all that great, and that it's slow, but I really need to push through to get to the second book, and then the series is one of the best they'd ever read. 

And so, I dove in head first...

I'm still very new to this genre, but I know that Fae are huge within fantasy, like vampires are in paranormal. I've never liked Fae, though. I don't know why, but something about them--especially as leads and heroes--just never set right with me. Maybe it's the pointy ears... 

Anyway, this series is all about Fae and the various courts they rule. The heroine is a human, and she's unwillingly sucked into this world. 

Was this book slow like everyone said? Yes. Did I skim read a lot of sections that were heavy with descriptions? You bet I did! But I don't think this book was as bad as people say, nor do I think it's a weak start to the series. Is the second book better? Without a doubt! Still, I really enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would! 

I'm sucked into the world Maas has created and the politics with all the various Fae courts. How the human world clashes with the Fae is really intriguing, too! I liked Tamlin, though something about him felt off at times, and my suspicions were confirmed in the second book. 

Rhysand -- who is portrayed as the "bad guy" is a heck of a lot deeper and more complicated than he appears, and I absolutely adore him! He's my new Xaden from Fourth Wing. lol. I seriously love Rhys, and I can't wait to read more of him.

Overall, this first book did its job and sucked me in. I'm hooked and will continue to read the rest of the series. 

Anyone else read this? 

What did you think?

Kara's Book Cravings: Fourth Wing and Iron Flame

 

Like all the other book lovers out there, I'm not immune to the hype surrounding Fourth Wing and Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros. I am, however, immune to the epic fantasy books or anything that requires heavy worldbuilding. Or... I used to be anyway...

A very good friend of mine had read Fourth Wing and insisted I needed to read it, despite knowing I'm not a fan of fantasy. But I trust her, so I decided why not? Let me see for myself what all the hype is about. 

I read Fourth Wing in a matter of days! In fact, I hadn't even finished it when Iron Flame released, but I was at my local Target bright and early to ensure I got my copy, and I even splurged on a second copy of Fourth Wing so I could have the pretty sprayed edges and the bonus content. 

I've read both sides of the arguments surrounding these books -- those who love them and those who hate them -- and I can see value in both opinions. Personally, I really enjoyed these books. Yes, they're long, and yes there are some things that don't make a lot of sense. But I read for the enjoyment of it, to escape the dumpster fire that is the world, and these books gave me that. I was sucked into the world almost immediately. I LOVE the dragons and their lore. 

And don't even get me started on Xaden -- I have a new book boyfriend, y'all! He's the type of strong, silent, brooding hero I wish I could write. My heart raced every time he showed up on the page. 

I will admit I did struggle just a bit with Iron Flame, mostly because the middle sagged a bit, and some things happened that stole the magic I'd found reading the first book, relationships to be specific. (Don't worry -- I won't say because I don't want to spoil anything.) 

Overall, these books were fun, and I'm (im)patiently waiting for book 3, because WOW does book 2 end on a wicked cliffhanger! Fair warning. But what I think I like most about taking a chance on these books is that it's opened me up to an entirely new genre that I was adamant I wouldn't like -- fantasy romance. 

I can admit when I'm wrong, though, and now I'm doing a deep dive into this genre and reading everything I can get my hands on!

Anyone else read this series? 

What are your thoughts on it?

Tell Me Something Tuesday: 11.07.2023 (Epic and Urban Fantasy)

Hello and welcome to Tell Me Something Tuesday (TMST)!

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

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I'm honestly not a big fan of fantasy or sci-fi. I have read some urban fantasy, but not too much, and it often crosses the line into more paranormal in terms of angels and demons. The best urban fantasy book I have ever read was Pledge of Ashes by Amy Sevan. Seriously, if you're a fan of UF, check this book out. You won't be sorry!

I think the reason I'm not a fan of sci-fi and epic fantasy is because there's a lot of necessary world building, and reading that tends to bore me. I find myself skipping large chunks of text, and then that ends up confusing me. 

What about you? Are you a fantasy, sci-fi fan? 

What do you love about it?

Confessions from the Editing Cave with Lisa Dunn

Welcome back to another installment of Confessions from the Editing Cave. I'm thrilled to welcome young adult fantasy author, Lisa Dunn!

1. Tell us a bit about your background working with editor(s). Did you hire a freelance editor? Work with an editor at a publishing house? Work with an agent in the capacity of an editor? All of the above or some other combination?  

My first official editing experience was with Laura Maisano of Anaiah Press, who has seen me through the first two books of a YA Fantasy trilogy. Prior to that, my manuscript was subjected to the close scrutiny of my sister, my critique group, and a handful of literary agents who were kind enough to offer feedback.

2. What was your overall relationship with your editor? Good? Bad? Indifferent? 

From the start, Laura felt like a friend - a friend who would kick my butt if I gave less than 1000%. The same goes for my sister, whom I call my unofficial editor. Both of them challenged and encouraged me more than words can tell. 

3. What was the best edit you’ve ever received from your editor?   

So, I had this tree in my head - a coastal sort of tree with a twisting trunk that ran parallel to the ground before curving upright. I described it as “a low vertical trunk.” Laura had been pushing me to simplify my language, and her comment ran something like, “Um… wouldn’t that be a STUMP? This is what I’m talking about… SIMPLIFY!!!!” I laugh whenever I think of it, but this is a prime example of why authors need editors. Sometimes we just don’t see how far what we write is from what we meant to write.

4. What was the worst edit you’ve ever received from your editor?  

Two things come to mind. The first is a general issue of working through personal preferences where proper grammar and punctuation aren’t immediately clear.  Sometimes, I decided it didn’t matter and threw out my personal preferences. Other times, I discussed it with my editor, giving clear reasons to reject a suggested edit. (We’ll see who won in the final product!)  The other situation was a self-imposed edit based on feedback from a literary agent who loved my main character, but didn’t appreciate the direction in which I’d taken the story. It amounted to two months of revision during which I cut and pasted, added and deleted characters and scenes, and basically murdered several darlings in ice cold blood. I list this as a “worst edit,” but in fact, it was one of the best things that happened to my manuscript. It was hard. Probably the last thing you want someone to tell you is that you need to rewrite half your book. But it was so worth it. Generally speaking, the more sweat and tears an edit requires, the better your story will be.

5. What was your first, initial, gut-reaction to your edits? 

Gut indeed. You know that stomach-churn you get when an email from an agent or publisher you’ve queried pops up in your inbox? That doesn’t go away. You’re eager and giddy and terrified all at the same time, and the turmoil doesn’t abate until you’ve read through all the edits. Then, after you’ve taken a deep breath, you can return to life as a supposedly sane human being. 

6. Confession time! Share anything else you’d like to confess.  

This may make me sound like a nerdy goody-two-shoes, but I LOVE editing. I love the vulnerability of having every flaw and inconsistency exposed. I love the emotional sweat of digging deep to make the story that much better. I love the positive comments, too, those places where Laura took off her editor hat to gush over a line or call a character a “jerkwad.” On a more confessional note, I can be a bit obsessive when I’m writing or editing. Being in the zone is a fantastic rush, but sometimes I have to force myself out of the zone because, well, life. I’m very thankful for a husband and children who grant me space and grace to do this job. Finally, I’m kind of, sort of really looking forward to writing a standalone instead of a trilogy! Maybe it will be like parenting a singleton after triplets… Here’s hoping, anyway!

All about Lisa:

Lisa lives in a small Southern town with her husband and four children. Having found school incredibly dull, she teaches her children at home, where backyard forts, imaginary worlds, and a Great Dane puppy make things like Latin and long division bearable. She works with middle school youth at her church and is actively involved in her local chapter of South Carolina Writers Workshop.

GRIT OF BERTH AND STONE is Lisa's first novel. Its sequel, HEIR OF KORADIN, is set to release in August 2015.

Don't forget to visit her on Goodreads, Facebook, & Twitter @ScouterWife!

{BOOK TOUR} Winter In the Soul

I'm happy to welcome Jennifer Novotney to the blog today! She's here to talk about the inspiration for her debut YA novel, WINTER IN THE SOUL! Take it away, Jennifer :-)

When I started writing Winter in the Soul, I was initially inspired by the book The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. I loved the allegorical tale of adventure and motivation. I wanted to be able to inspire readers this way.  So, I started to write. I didn't have a clear plan of where my main character, Lilika, would end up, but I knew she would live in a fantastical world void of technology. I knew that she would discover the world around her. I knew she would rise to the challenges she faced. I knew she would be a hero.

It was during this time that I thought about pursuing my doctorate in English. I wanted to focus on creative writing and wrote the first thirty pages of Winter in the Soul as a writing sample for a novel I wanted to continue writing as part of my dissertation. Although this was my initial intent, I didn't stop at those thirty pages. I kept writing. Something was pulling me in to this story and I just couldn't shake the characters or the world out of my mind. I had to write. I couldn't stop.

By the time I got my first acceptance into a PhD program, I had already written most of the novel. I even received a top scholarship, but in the end, decided  to put the degree on hold.  I also put Winter in the Soul on hold, but only temporarily. I changed jobs and was busy adjusting to my new position, but something was still calling me to my manuscript. I wanted to see it in print. I wanted to continue to pursue my goal of getting it published.

In the process of writing the first draft of Winter in the Soul, I set it aside several times. Each time I picked it back up to write, I fell into the magical and inviting world and experienced something new about it.

              Funny enough, this novel was not my first attempt at writing a full length story. I  had written about two others that will never see the light of day. I think it is certainly a specific skill to write a longer piece, one that takes practice and perseverance. With the others, the story sort of ran out at a certain point and as much as I tried to stretch it and make it work as a longer piece, it just didn't. With Winter in the Soul, however, it was just the opposite.  When I realized the magnitude of this story as opposed to the others, I knew I had something special.

I've always known that I'm a big thinker. Someone once described me as a visionary. I see the big picture of things. I was inspired, in a sense, by everything I've experienced. I thought of a world in which I'd want to live. My main character is one I'd want to be. To me, those are the best stories. To be able to escape in a book and live through the eyes of the main character is what got me interested in reading in the first place. In one way or another, every book I've read has inspired me to write Winter in the Soul because they have formed my love of reading and writing.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX5yYhX7lwQ

Blurb:

In a world divided by power and greed, seventeen-year-old Lilika harbors an intense desire to return to Winter in the Soul, the place her family left to escape the darkness that was manifesting from a coldness of the soul.

When she meets Talon, their connection is evident right from the start, and together they travel through the Black Kingdom to recover Lilika’s stolen locket. And in search of an answer to the mystery behind Winter in the Soul.

Lilika holds the key to stopping the darkness from spreading. The fate of their world lies in her hands. Will she stop the Black Kingdom before its darkness overtakes them all, or will they succumb to the darkness that is spreading across the land?

Release Date: July 15, 2014

Author Bio:

Jennifer Novotney was born in Burbank, California and lived in Los Angeles for most of her life until settling in North Eastern Pennsylvania with her husband and daughter. She attended California State University, earning a bachelors degree in journalism, and Northern Arizona University, earning a masters degree in English. After college, she spent several years writing and teaching, including at Pennsylvania State University.

Website: www.jennifernovotney.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/jennovotney

Facebook: www.facebook.com/jen.novotney

Links:

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20869515-winter-in-the-soul

Anaiah Press: http://www.anaiahpress.com

a
Rafflecopter giveaway

{COVER REVEAL}: Winter in the Soul by Jennifer Novotney

Winter in the Soul by Jennifer Novotney

Genre: YA Fantasy

Release Date: July 15, 2014

Blurb:

In a world divided by power and greed, seventeen-year-old Lilika harbors an intense desire to return to Winter in the Soul, the place her family left to escape the darkness that was manifesting from a coldness of the soul.

When she meets Talon, their connection is evident right from the start, and together they travel through the Black Kingdom to recover Lilika’s stolen locket. And in search of an answer to the mystery behind Winter in the Soul.

Lilika holds the key to stopping the darkness from spreading. The fate of their world lies in her hands. Will she stop the Black Kingdom before its darkness overtakes them all, or will they succumb to the darkness that is spreading across the land?

Author
Bio:

Jennifer Novotney was born in Burbank, California and lived in Los Angeles for most of her life until settling in North Eastern Pennsylvania with her husband and daughter. She attended California State University, earning a bachelors degree
in journalism, and Northern Arizona University, earning a masters degree in English. After college, she spent several years writing and teaching, including at Pennsylvania State University.

Website: www.jennifernovotney.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/jennovotney

Facebook: www.facebook.com/jen.novotney

Links:

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20869515-winter-in-the-soul

Anaiah Press: http://www.anaiahpress.com

{BOOK BLITZ}: Deadly to Love

 

 

Deadly to Love (Elemental Killers #1)
by Mia Hoddell
Release Date: February 2013

Genre: YA/Romance/Paranormal/Fantasy

ASIN: B00BDQ3QGA

ISBN: 978-1-291-41025-9

Blurb:

The world is dangerous – but love will kill you.

Little did Serena Jackson know that one simple, flirty remark to an anonymous guy online would lead to her world being changed forever.

She doesn’t know him, but inexplicably, is drawn. She knows it is wrong but she agrees to meet.

His real name is Kai. He is beautiful. And immediately Serena feels herself blindly falling for him even though she senses a lie. She knows he is hiding something and it terrifies her.

What she doesn’t realise is that her entire life has been built on secrets and lies. The people she loved left her in the dark for a reason.

She trusted them. She trusts Kai. But as he pulls her straight into the heart of the danger the lies and deadly secrets are revealed. They overwhelm her, and the person she once was no longer exists as she is thrown into a ruthless world of elemental forces. The price of truth is her life—and now the world wants her dead.

Available from:

Amazon (Kindle) | Amazon (Paperback) | Lulu

and only 99c / 77p on Kindle for September!

 

Praise:

“I couldn't put it down. So I finished it last night and all I can say is WOW! This book was amazing and different.” Brianna (Book Blogger)

“I loved how the author took a different approach to writing a love story in modern times with the paranormal element present. I thought it was absolutely wonderful and refreshing. Marvelous!” Kathy H (Amazon Reviewer)

“I will admit I scoffed at the way it started but in the end I had fallen in love with this story…completely untraditional it was a very original idea, not to mention modern. This story had
such a good plot and the story structure was sound.” Kacii – The Kooky Bookworm (Book Blogger)

About the Author

Mia Hoddell lives in the UK with her family and two cats. She spends most of her time writing or reading and loves anything paranormal. Mia always had a love of writing but never reading. She was more interested in sports and hated sitting still - despite getting three poems published before the age of sixteen. Finally though, she found some novels that captured her interest and developed a love of reading which is now one of her favourite hobbies.

Mia began with poems before moving on to short stories. Although she enjoyed this, Mia found she had too much to tell with too little space, so later on she created her first series 'The Wanderer Trilogy' and from there other ideas have emerged. With a total of nine books planned at this moment, she is busy working on her second series 'Elemental Killers' before moving onto the next idea on her ever growing list.

Author

Links

   

***Excerpt***

Happy with the amount of photos I had collected I started to head back out of the forest, still flicking through my shots. As well as close ups, I had taken a few landscapes and as I was almost at the edge of the forest I noticed something in one of the photographs that made me stop.

In the left hand corner was a figure that looked mostly human, but was blurred as if they were moving on the spot.

A cold shudder shot through me.

Looking over my shoulder I became slightly panicked and felt as if someone was following me.

My eyes flicked and searched the shadows. Even though there was no sign that anything had ever been behind me, the forest looked different now - dark and threatening.

Instinctively I broke away and ran, still clutching the camera that was displaying the freaky image. Surrounded by trees I didn’t stop until I was free of the forest and back in the open light and sight of my house.

Throwing open my door, I slumped against the inside of it, regaining my breath from the short sprint. Once I had recovered I looked down at the photo once more, just to make sure that I hadn’t been seeing things. The old saying “the camera never lies,” came into my mind and for the first time I wished it not to be true. Sure enough though, as I looked down at the screen, the figure was still there and this time I noticed a red and orange glow around where its feet should have been. The image almost looked like the person was on fire but I thought I would have surely noticed if there had been a burning man in front of me.