Graceling (Graceling Realm #1)
     by: Kristin Cashore

Publication Date: Oct. 1, 2008
Publisher: Harcourt
Genre: High Fantasy
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Borrowed from Library
Page Count: 471 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight - she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king's thug.

When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change.

She never expects to become Po's friend.

She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace - or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away...

  

 

 

After reading Fire a month or so ago, I couldn't wait to dive back into the world Cashore has created. I was excited to see how the two novels connected with one another and now I am looking forward to reading Bitterblue to see how it all ends.

 

I really liked Katsa and Po. Their romance could be a bit infuriating because of how open it was, but I don't doubt for a moment that these two love one another. Katsa has sworn never to marry as she is afraid of losing the one thing that matters most to her in the world: her freedom. Having been forced to act as her uncle's killing machine, she never wants to be bound to another- even someone like Po, who would never try and keep her from living her life like she wanted. My heart ached for Katsa, because it wasn't an easy decision, especially since she has such strong feelings for Po. It was hard to see her head and her heart at odds, but I am glad she decided to give herself to him in a lovers capacity and let herself enjoy her time with him.

 

Katsa is one badass heroine. I love how resilient and selfless she is. She embarks on a journey with Po to find out more about his grandfather's kidnapping and who is behind it. Along the way, Katsa ends up meeting and taking charge of Bitterblue, Po's cousin, who is in some serious trouble. I admit, I was a bit confused reading the prologue of Fire, as I had no idea who Cashore was referencing, but it was pure genius on her part. Whether you read Fire or Graceling first, it's very clear that Cashore has created a psychotic villain who is beyond disturbed. I have been told Bitterblue will detail the aftermath of this individual's destruction and I am interested in seeing how that will play out in the future.

 

I love a good romantic hero. Po is one of those good guys I love so much and his easygoing, flirtatious manner really made me fall for him. He just always made me smile and I really loved seeing him with Katsa. She's a stubborn one for sure and she does not make it easy for him, but he knows she's worth the challenge.

 

I am so glad I finally got around to reading this series because I'm really enjoying it. The worldbuilding is done really well and I enjoyed flipping back and forth to reference my map. I never felt confused as to who ruled where and was related to who, so Cashore also did a great job of keeping things clear and relatively uncomplicated.  I definitely recommend this series for other high fantasy fans.

 

A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1)
               by Sarah J. Maas

Publication Date: May 5, 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Genre: High Fantasy
Age Group: Mature Young Adult
Source: Physical ARC received via the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 416 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 5/5 stars

A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

 

 

Upon finishing A Court of Thorns and Roses, I knew it would stay with me for quite some time. I read this in December and I STILL have ALL THE FEELS. Not only has this become one of my new favorite books, but I honestly think it will become an ALL TIME favorite. It is THAT good. I loved every minute and I was beyond devastated when it was over. I wanted more. No, I CRAVED more. I am already a huge Sarah fangirl so waiting for her books is the most painful kind of torture.

 

I actually didn't realize this was a Beauty and the Beast retelling until I was done. Hah. I finished and was not only reminded of Beauty and the Beast, but I caught a hint of the Persephone myth in here too! (I don't know if that was intentional or not. I think I'll ask Sarah tonight!) I loved the way Maas crafted this story, developed the characters and their relationships, and made me feel I was right there in Prythian experiencing everything as Feyre did.

 

I loved Feyre. She isn't a kickass warrior like Celaena, but she has her own strength and resilience. And she's got a hell of a lot of heart.  I really admire her for taking care of her family the way she did, especially with the way they acted. She has become hardened by the life she lives and lives in the now. She doesn't daydream like her sisters or act as if things are going to magically get better. She's a realist through and through. She is not happy about the arrangement to go and live with Tamlin in the Faerie Lands, but she is without a choice. She must cross into enemy territory if she wants to live and there, she must adjust to her new life among these ethereal masked faeries.

 

Let's talk about my new book boyfriend, Tamlin. I am so in love with him, it's kind of scary. Even though he is angered and upset over the loss of his friend to Feyre's hands, he still shows her compassion and kindness. He made me swoon so very much and I loved watching them warm up to one another. This is the best kind of hate-love relationship. He made my toes curl and my stomach flutter and I was flailing by the time we got to some of the more steamy scenes.

 

I really liked Lucien as well, Tam's best friend. He ended up being a great friend to Feyre as well and I loved that he provided some comedic relief. Now, Rhys on the other hand... I know tons of people love him and I think I would too.... had I jumped into my time machine and read the next books. LOL. I have no idea where Sarah is going to take her story next, nor her relationships, especially after the events that transpired at the end of the book. Where Tam is light, Rhys is dark. He's definitely got that bad faerie vibe going on, but I am curious about him. We got to see some of his vulnerability, so I am interested in seeing how this storyline will play out. And terrified because my heart might not survive this series.

 

To sum up my somewhat erratic thoughts and feelings, I loved this book to pieces. I love that Sarah isn't afraid to be bold and make things happen. The steamy scenes had me in full swoon mode and I am almost embarrassed at how many times I reread them. (Almost, but not quite.) I am so invested in these characters and their lives, as well as the story she has created. If you're a lover of high fantasy, then I definitely recommend this one and I hope it captivates you with its beauty as much as it did me.

 

Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3)
    by: Sarah J. Maas

Publication Date: Sept. 2, 2014
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Genre: High Fantasy
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC received via NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 565 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 5/5 stars

Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat – and his own toughest enemy.

While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love?

 

 

*Spoiler free review*

  

 

"Wake me up inside, wake me up inside,

call my name and save me from the dark,

Bid my blood to run,

before I come undone,

save me from the nothing I've become...."

 

As soon as I finished reading Heir of Fire, I couldn't help but think about this song by Evanescence because it is SO Celaena! For those of you who have read Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight, be prepared: Celaena Sardothian is NOT the same girl she once was. After everything that was revealed by the end of Crown of Midnight, how could she be?

 

Sarah J. Maas really blew me away with Heir of Fire. This book is told in multiple point of views, but with 3 main, coinciding storylines. One of them was very unexpected, but I actually really enjoyed it. It makes me very anxious to see how this particular storyline is going to weave into the main one, concerning Celaena.... It is quite a long book, but I found myself immediately drawn back into the world Maas has created. There are so many pivotal scenes in this book that set the stage for what is to come and will undoubtedly change the course of the future for all our characters.

 

The character development we have seen in this book alone is astounding. We do have several new faces in this book. I only want to briefly discuss one, as I just can't NOT talk about him! He is Rowan Whitethorn and I did NOT like him at first. He was cold and unfeeling, and he was all about the hard truths. However, he actually ended up playing a major role in resurrecting Celaena. He became her mentor, her friend, and I would go as far as to say he was her savior. He really surprised me and I am glad his character grew in the way he did, because he is a powerful ally to have.

 

Celaena's character is the one that I saw the most development from. We have a very broken, very apathetic woman, who is just trying to get by. There is no life in her, no spark- only bitterness and anger. Her spirit has been broken almost beyond repair, and my heart just ached for her. She needs someone to pull her out of the depths and reignite the flame that once burned so brightly, as she cannot do it alone. Celaena is still young and she needs guidance and wisdom. She needs someone to believe in her, as well as show her some tough love because she can be quite resistant.

 

By the end of the book, there is a completely new dynamic. Lines have been drawn, allegiances have been broken and reformed, and it's time to stand up and fight! Honor, loyalty, good, and evil will all play key roles in the continuation of the series and I am dying to get my hands on the next book!

So this year Readers Live A Thousand Lives, Corrie The Book Crazed Girl, and Lovin' Los Libros have teamed up to host the Jumble Your Genres Reading Challenge! For this challenge, the goal is to mix up the genres/categories we read. We have all had those times when we have gotten stuck in the genre/category we are currently reading and read nothing else for a while. The goal here is to mix that up! Each month we will feature a different genre/category and the goal is to read and review one book or more in that genre/category during that month. This month we are focusing on High Fantasy. If you want to find out more and join in, go sign up here.

I always need more High Fantasy in my life! Some of my favorites are:

 

 

 

For the challenge this month I plan to read Graceling by Kristin Cashore. I've seriously downloaded this book a million times from my e-library and I never seem to get to it. This month I am!