Brooke Reviews

YA Book Blog

Brooke Reviews: The Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker

by Leave a Comment

Brooke Reviews: The Witch Hunter by Virginia BoeckerThe Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker
Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers on June 2nd 2015
Genres: Action & Adventure, Fantasy & Magic, Young Adult
Pages: 368
Goodreads
four-stars
The magic and suspense of Graceling meet the political intrigue and unrest of Game of Thrones in this riveting fantasy debut. Your greatest enemy isn't what you fight, but what you fear. Elizabeth Grey is one of the king's best witch hunters, devoted to rooting out witchcraft and doling out justice. But when she's accused of being a witch herself, Elizabeth is arrested and sentenced to burn at the stake. Salvation comes from a man she thought was her enemy. Nicholas Perevil, the most powerful and dangerous wizard in the kingdom, offers her a deal: he will save her from execution if she can break the deadly curse that's been laid upon him. But Nicholas and his followers know nothing of Elizabeth's witch hunting past--if they find out, the stake will be the least of her worries. And as she's thrust into the magical world of witches, ghosts, pirates, and one all-too-handsome healer, Elizabeth is forced to redefine her ideas of right and wrong, of friends and enemies, and of love and hate. Virginia Boecker weaves a riveting tale of magic, betrayal, and sacrifice in this unforgettable fantasy debut.

Be sure to enter my giveaway for a signed ARC!

I really enjoyed this extremely refreshing and original debut novel. I was intrigued by the unique premise, and hooked from page 1. I appreciated the aspects of the historical time period as well as Boecker’s blend of fantasy and magic. She’s crafted a vivid story world, and the book would not be the same without it.

I loved the irony of the main conflict – a witch hunter being accused of practicing witchcraft. For our protagonist Elizabeth Grey, who is one of the best, this is a terrible accusation. She’ll be burned at the stake, a sentence she was more accustomed to doling out herself. But when she’s rescued from this horrible fate by Nicholas, a powerful wizard (the most wanted criminal in the kingdom), her ideals and beliefs are challenged.

Elizabeth is a strong female lead. It was easy to sympathize with her and to root for her to succeed. She’s strong and capable (seriously, she could kill you), but she’s also vulnerable. This, in my opinion, is a realistic and believable character. At first, she held tightly to what she’d been raised to believe about witchcraft, so it was interesting to see her slowly let it go. When Elizabeth comes to realize she’s a major player in a prophecy, she has to embrace it and place her trust in her new friends in order to uncover the truth about the evil in her kingdom.

This book is a page-turner – high stakes, high tension, not so predictable. There’s adventure and mystery and romance (but no insta-love!). Also humor and plenty of magic. Definitely an enjoyable read!

 

HAVE YOU READ THIS BOOK? SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS! 

 

Brooke Reviews: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

by 2 Comments

Brooke Reviews: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. MaasA Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Published by Bloomsbury USA on May 5th 2015
Genres: Action & Adventure, Fairy Tales & Folklore, Love & Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 432
Format: eBook
five-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!

Sarah J. Maas has done it again – completely swept me off my feet. ACOTAR is a beautiful, compelling, and steamy retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I absolutely loved it.

If you’ve also read Throne of Glass, I’d be willing to bet that you opened this book with high expectations. I certainly did. I thought it was great that ACOTAR features Maas’ distinct storytelling style, but has a completely different tone/feel than Throne of Glass. The book delves deeper into the realm of the Fae, and Maas has carefully crafted a unique story world and plot.

First of all, I’m a sucker for fairy tale retellings. And I’m quite fond of Beauty and the Beast, simply because Belle is an avid reader. And also because it’s all about focusing on what’s on the inside rather than on outward appearance. I enjoyed following along with Feyre’s story and comparing it to Belle’s. Of course, while there are many similarities, Maas has given the beloved fairy tale a new twist and incredible depth.

And can we talk about Feyre’s absolutely steamy and swoon-y (is that a word?) romance?? There were several scenes (if you’ve read it, YOU KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT) that made my heart pound and my cheeks flush. And THAT is a testament to Maas’ skills with pacing and character development.

I care so deeply for each and every character (even Rhysand!), and so when terrible things happened to them it felt like my heart was being ripped to shreds. (Because unfortunately terrible things happen to them. And it’s painful.) What I’m saying is, this book gives you ALL the feels.

The first half of the book is definitely slower-paced than the second half, but I never found myself to be disinterested or bored. I couldn’t put it down. The ending ties things up quite nicely, but there are a few loose ends that raise interesting questions for book 2. Excellent, excellent read. I enjoyed every minute of it (when I wasn’t having an emotional breakdown, that is).

Read the book. And I’ll give a quick shout-out to Throne of Glass, too. 😉

HAVE YOU READ THE BOOK? SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS! LET’S CHAT!

 

Brooke Reviews: All Fall Down by Ally Carter

by Leave a Comment

Brooke Reviews: All Fall Down by Ally CarterEmbassy Row Book 1: All Fall Down by Ally Carter
Published by Scholastic Inc. on January 20th 2015
Genres: Action & Adventure, Young Adult
Pages: 320
Format: Hardcover
Goodreads
three-stars
Grace Blakely is absolutely certain of three things:

1. She is not crazy.
2. Her mother was murdered.
3. Someday she is going to find the killer and make him pay.

As certain as Grace is about these facts, nobody else believes her -- so there's no one she can completely trust. Not her grandfather, a powerful ambassador. Not her new friends, who all live on Embassy Row. Not Alexei, the Russian boy next door, who is keeping his eye on Grace for reasons she neither likes nor understands.

Everybody wants Grace to put on a pretty dress and a pretty smile, blocking out all her unpretty thoughts. But they can't control Grace -- no more than Grace can control what she knows or what she needs to do. Her past has come back to hunt her . . . and if she doesn't stop it, Grace isn't the only one who will get hurt. Because on Embassy Row, the countries of the world stand like dominoes, and one wrong move can make them all fall down.

Where to start with this book?? First of all, I was crazy excited that Ally Carter was writing a new series. I’m a huge fan of the Gallagher Girls, and I love Heist Society. I hoped that, even with different characters and a different premise, Embassy Row might carry on in the same vein.

But All Fall Down is NOT Gallagher Girls or Heist Society, and Grace Blakely is NOT Cammie or Kat. Grace is a more serious, emotionally unstable character. And this first book is very much about Grace’s mental health and her need to come to terms with her mother’s death. For this reason, I couldn’t entirely connect with her character. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t like her. As a reader, I’m sympathetic to Grace and rooting for her from start to finish. Nobody believes her – she’s the girl who cried ‘wolf’ – and I’m anxious for her to prove herself.

I didn’t feel particularly grounded in the story-world, either, but it’s something I’m willing to forgive because I appreciated that Grace’s character received more development and attention. I love the supporting characters, Grace’s friends Noah, Rosie, and Megan. And I liked the storybook-villain-feel the “Scarred Man” gave to the book. There’s political intrigue and mystery and hints of future romance.

I thought the ending was great, and there’s definite promise for an even better sequel.

 

Have you read this novel? Share your thoughts! *Also, I’m using a new plugin for my book reviews called the Ultimate Book Blogger Plugin, which I’m still learning to use but think is quite awesome. What do you think?