Genre: Fantasy

Caraval by Stephanie Garber | 2017 Debut Book Review

Posted September 20, 2017 by Jana in Book Review, Young Adult Fiction / 2 Comments

Caraval by Stephanie Garber
Published by Flatiron Books on January 31, 2017
Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 407
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher (Mail)
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Remember, it’s only a game…

Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval…beware of getting swept too far away.

Oh my goodness… you guys, this was SO GOOD and so magical and amazing. I read it 9 months ago and I still can’t stop thinking about it. I also have not been able to figure out how to review it because I LOVED IT SO MUCH that I have no idea what to say. I can’t tell you everything I loved because then I’d just be typing out the book for you. There was nothing I didn’t love to pieces, so writing a review is a truly overwhelming task that I’ve been scared to even begin. lol. I was truly and utterly captivated by and immersed in this story from the first page, and even though it’s over it has not yet let go of me. Part of me is still in that story, unable to let go of it and eagerly anticipating the next book.

Caraval is a magical, whimsical, quirky, convoluted, mysterious, romantic, captivating ball of beautiful words and imagination. The story is dripping with danger and unknowing, with mischievous and ominous characters. Stephanie’s writing is on point, and her imagination and storytelling ability are on FIRE. I wonder if she rents out rooms in her mind…? The world of Caraval is bigger than our world, and the game has so many layers and mysteries that it’s basically ingenious.

I was fully expecting and intending to write a detailed, organized, and coherent review. But… I don’t want to say anything more than this because it’s honestly better if you have no idea what to expect. I went in very skeptical (hello hype, and the book had not even been published yet!) and not quite sure what to expect. Best decision ever. The less you know about Caraval, the more mysterious and exciting it will feel to you. So don’t read any reviews. Just don’t do it. My review is vague enough that you’re pretty much just going to leave my blog knowing Caraval is a book you’ve got to read. If I’ve convinced you of this, I’ve done my job! If not, write to me and I’ll talk your ear off until you can see there’s no other option.

Persephone by Kaitlin Bevis | Book Review

Posted September 14, 2017 by Jana in Book Review, Young Adult Fiction / 9 Comments

Persephone by Kaitlin Bevis
Series: Daughters of Zeus #1
Published by Musa Publishing on July 6, 2012
Genres: Fantasy, Mythology, Retelling
Pages: 237
Format: eBook
Source: Author
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There are worse things than death, worse people too

The “talk” was bad enough, but how many teens get told that they’re a goddess? When her mom tells her, Persephone is sure her mother has lost her mind. It isn’t until Boreas, the god of winter, tries to abduct her that she realizes her mother was telling the truth. Hades rescues her, and in order to safely bring Persephone to the Underworld he marks her as his bride. But Boreas will stop at nothing to get Persephone. Despite her growing feelings for Hades, Persephone wants to return to the living realm. Persephone must find a way to defeat Boreas and reclaim her life.

I love the Greek myth of Persephone, and I really enjoyed this book. If you’re curious about the myth, I explain it right here. Anyway, my main points are bolded. :)

1. This story is so unique! Katilin Bevis really made it her own. Persephone ends up in the Underworld for a completely different reason, in a completely different way, and under different conditions. The story stays true to many aspects of the original myth, but I loved the spin Kaitlin put on her version.

2. I really liked Persephone. She’s a fun character who is reasonably blindsided when she finds out she’s a goddess, and her best friend is actually her priestess. And then when Boreas comes after her and she ends up hiding out in the Underworld with Hades and all the souls, she adapts pretty well! She’s pretty headstrong and spunky, and I liked that about her. I enjoyed watching her learn and change as she came into her own powers at the goddess of spring.

3. Hades is swoony! And honestly, I never thought I’d say that. He’s dark and sensitive, and he loves his library. My kind of guy. He is in charge of helping the souls transition from life to death, and his concern for them is so sweet. I also loved his concern for Persephone. She ended up there with him because he saved her, not because he kidnapped her like the original story goes. This gave the author a lot more to work with, and enabled her to write Hades as a good person. I was pleasantly surprised.

4. The Underworld is amazing. It’s light and beautiful, full of flowers and trees and rivers. The suburbs have cute little colorful houses, they have balls and parties, and people work because they love what they do and not because they have to. If you want a cute outfit, you imagine it and it’s yours. I loved reading about how Persephone decorated her room in the palace there. All she had to do was think about what she wanted, and it was so. She even chose the scenery outside her window. It’s a magical place, and I’d love to see it!

5. One of my favorite twists to the story is the fact that Gods can’t lie. They just can’t. If they say they won’t tell someone something, they are physically incapable of doing so. That created a lot of fun and crazy story lines.

6. Persephone and Hades are very cute together, despite the age difference. At times I saw him as a mentor, and at times I saw him as a love interest. I loved watching their friendship grow.

7. The story is written very well, and there’s a lot going on. I enjoyed Kaitlin’s writing style and her descriptions of the world and the powers these gods possess.

8. That ending. Holy moly! It was amazing! I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book!

Persephone might just be my new favorite version of Persephone. Haha. (I wish the title were a little more creative, though! Talking about this book is tricky because you have to differentiate between the myth, the book, and the character.) It’s fresh, it’s unique, it’s suspenseful, and a lot of unexpected and exciting things happen that will leave you craving the next book.

This review was originally posted on September 12, 2013 and is being re-featured.

Before She Ignites by Jodi Meadows | Blog Tour Book Review

Posted September 11, 2017 by Jana in Blog Tour, Book Review, Giveaway, Young Adult Fiction / 3 Comments

Before She Ignites by Jodi Meadows
Series: Fallen Isles Trilogy #1
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on September 12, 2017
Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 400
Format: eARC
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Before

Mira Minkoba is the Hopebearer. Since the day she was born, she’s been told she’s special. Important. Perfect. She’s known across the Fallen Isles not just for her beauty, but for the Mira Treaty named after her, a peace agreement which united the seven islands against their enemies on the mainland.

But Mira has never felt as perfect as everyone says. She counts compulsively. She struggles with crippling anxiety. And she’s far too interested in dragons for a girl of her station.

After

Then Mira discovers an explosive secret that challenges everything she and the Treaty stand for. Betrayed by the very people she spent her life serving, Mira is sentenced to the Pit–the deadliest prison in the Fallen Isles. There, a cruel guard would do anything to discover the secret she would die to protect.

No longer beholden to those who betrayed her, Mira must learn to survive on her own and unearth the dark truths about the Fallen Isles–and herself–before her very world begins to collapse.

I’m so excited to be a part of this blog tour for Jodi’s newest book, Before She Ignites! I’ve loved Jodi since her debut, Incarnate, which was one of the first ARCs I was sent after I started blogging! When I first read the synopsis for Before She Ignites and saw all the dragon goodness, I knew I was going to love this book as much as I love all of her others. As always, my main points are bolded. :)

1. I really like our heroine, Mira Minkoba. She’s been under the thumb of her parents and the Luminary Council since she was a young girl, but now they have imprisoned her for having her own voice and her own thoughts. The bulk of the story takes place in the Pit, which is the most miserable prison in the land. All of a sudden, she’s fending for herself… cleaning, living on very little food (that’s all rotten and spoiled anyway), aligning with people she can trust, and coping with her crippling anxiety disorder without the comfort of her normal life and her beloved friends. I liked watching her grow stronger and learn how to calm herself down in times of stress.

2. I liked Mina’s cellblock mates, even though some of them were kind of weird and/or a complete mystery. My favorite was Aaru, who comes from the isle of silence. He communicates by voice very little, and instead has a tapping language that he teaches Min so they can communicate between their cells without being heard. He’s one of the mysterious ones I was talking about before, and I hope we learn more about him in the sequel. He’s loyal, powerful, and very sweet.

3. Mina’s best friend, Ilina, is the best friend everyone wishes they had. She stands beside Mina at all times. Her protector, Hiroto, is also a wonderful ally. I love that Mina has so many strong relationships, and I hope those get more fleshed out in the sequel as well.

4. DRAGONS. Minia has a cute little dragon named LaLa that I picture as a cuddly little kitten, regardless of the sharp scales that could cut you. She’s adorable! But then there’s all the dragon lore, which was super interesting. We get to meet some bigger, fiercer dragons and that was exciting. More dragons, please! My biggest complaint was that there was not enough dragons!

5. Jodi’s writing is still flawless! There were some very beautiful passages about light and stars, especially toward the end, that I want to go back and re-read just because they were so calming and pretty.

6. Give. Me. The. Sequel. What an ending! Super climactic and actiony and intense. I can’t want to see where things go next.

All in all, Jodi Meadows is not going out of style. I loved the small pieces of diversity included. I’ve never come across a character with anxiety in a fantasy novel before, and it really meant a lot to me. I saw pieces of myself in Mina. Definitely pick up this beautiful story as soon as you can! Or maybe wait until the sequel is closer to releasing. Tough choice.

About Jodi Meadows

Jodi Meadows wants to be a ferret when she grows up and she has no self-control when it comes to yarn, ink, or outer space. Still, she manages to write books. She is the author of the INCARNATE Trilogy, the ORPHAN QUEEN Duology, and the FALLEN ISLES Trilogy (HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen), and a coauthor of MY LADY JANE (HarperTeen). Visit her at Website: www.jodimeadows.com

Twitter | Goodreads | Website

Take a loot at the amazing book trailer for Before She Ignites, created by the lovely Sarah from The YA Book Traveler! I think she did a beautiful job!

As a thank you for stopping by the blog, we have a giveaway! Jodi Meadows has generously donated 2 finished copies of Before She Ignites for 2 lucky winners!!!

For more chances to win this amazing giveaway, make sure you visit each tour stop, which will be full of interviews, creative posts, reviews and an excerpt!

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Tour Stops

Monday 9/4 –TheLifeofABookNerdAddict – Guest Post
Monday 9/4 – TalesofTheRavenousreader– Creative Post
Tuesday 9/5 – BooksAndPrejudice – Review
Wednesday 9/6 – EaterofBooks – Interview
Thursday 9/7 – ForTheSakeofReading – Review
Friday 9/8 – ABackwardsStory– Guest Post
Monday 9/11 – Knoxdiver – Guest Post
Monday 9/11 – ThatArtsyReaderGirl – Review
Tuesday 9/12 – TheYABookTraveler -Review
Wednesday 9/13 – AThousandWordsAMillionBooks – Interview
Thursday 9/14 – BookCrush– Creative Post
Friday 9/15 – TheReaderAndTheChef– Review
Monday 9/18 – YAandWine – Review
Tuesday 9/19 – TakeMeAwayToAGreatRead – Creative Post
Wednesday 9/20 – AphonicSarah – Interview
Thursday 9/21 – TheKindredReader – Review
Friday 9/22 – ReadWriteLove28 – Excerpt
Friday 9/22 – LoveIsNotATriangle – Guest Post

The Tea Dragon Society by Kay O’Neill | Graphic Novel Review

Posted September 5, 2017 by Jana in Book Review, Graphic Novel / 1 Comment

The Tea Dragon Society by Kay O'Neill
Published by Oni Press on October 31, 2017
Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 72
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher (Netgalley)
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From the award-winning author of Princess Princess Ever Aftercomes The Tea Dragon Society, a charming all-ages book that follows the story of Greta, a blacksmith apprentice, and the people she meets as she becomes entwined in the enchanting world of tea dragons.

After discovering a lost tea dragon in the marketplace, Greta learns about the dying art form of tea dragon care-taking from the kind tea shop owners, Hesekiel and Erik. As she befriends them and their shy ward, Minette, Greta sees how the craft enriches their lives—and eventually her own.

This was such a cute, magical little graphic novel! I really loved it. Tea dragons are little dragons whose horns store the memories of their time together with their owners, whom they love very much. Those horns grow tea leaves, which can be cut off and brewed into very high quality tea. When a person drinks this tea, they receive a vision of a memory of that tea dragon’s owner. Greta is a blacksmith and finds a lost tea dragon wandering through the market. When she returns this tea dragon to its owner she is offered the opportunity to learn the art of raising tea dragons and brewing their tea. She makes three new friends and they form a loving bond as their raise their tea dragons together. When Greta drinks some of the tea we get to see how the group formed and learn more about the pasts of these characters.

The story is divided up into four chapters: one for each season of the year. It’s is simple, but very sweet and great for all ages. It felt like a warm blanket. And the illustrations are to die for. The colors are beautiful, and everything is so cute! I’ve clipped a few of my favorite illustrations so you can see what I mean. The dragons are particularly adorable, and they are all named after common teas: Jasmine, Chamomile, Roobios, etc.

This image is one of the visions/memories that comes from drinking some tea.

All in all, I don’t have one complaint! This graphic novel was a joy to read. I loved the magical storytelling, unique story elements, the sweet characters, the adorable little tea dragons, and the moral of the story, which is to surround yourself with people you love and to cultivate the talents you’re passionate about. I would most definitely recommend this to readers of all ages who are looking for beautiful illustrations and a timeless, sweet, and light feel-good story.

Edited on 5/5/21: This author now goes by Kay O’Neill and not Katie O’Neill.

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson | Mini Book Review

Posted July 3, 2017 by Jana in Book Review, Graphic Novel, Young Adult Fiction / 1 Comment

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
Published by HarperCollins on May 12, 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Graphic Novel
Pages: 272
Format: Hardcover
Source: Gift
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Nemeses! Dragons! Science! Symbolism! All these and more await in this brilliantly subversive, sharply irreverent epic from Noelle Stevenson. Featuring an exclusive epilogue not seen in the web comic, along with bonus conceptual sketches and revised pages throughout, this gorgeous full-color graphic novel is perfect for the legions of fans of the web comic and is sure to win Noelle many new ones.

Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren't the heroes everyone thinks they are.

But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes that Nimona's powers are as murky and mysterious as her past. And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit.

I’d never ever been interested in graphic novels. Sadly, I fell prey to the assumptions that come with the word “graphic”. Instead of pictorial representations of stories, I was thinking “graphic” in the negative context, so I never felt inclined to pick one up. I was also convinced that there was no way I’d be reading an actual story with any depth to it. I’ve always assumed that stories took back seats to the illustrations as far as graphic novels are concerned. I’d been seeing so many friends fall in love with spunky heroine Nimona, however, that I decided I’d trust them and give it a go! Nimona may have been my first graphic novel, but it certainly will not be my last!

Nimona was a fast and entertaining read. I really liked the illustrations for the most part, and Nimona’s snarky, take-no-crap attitude was very refreshing and also hilarious. I liked her a lot. The story, which centers on villainous shenanigans, was deep enough that I felt like it was an actual story and not a series of pow!s, bam!s, and zap!s, but not so deep that it was too complicated to illustrate. You can’t expect the amount of depth from a graphic novel that you can from a 500-page fantasy, but I did feel like this story had enough meat to it that it will stick with me.

I’m so glad I gave Nimona a try! I can tell that I will never prefer graphic novels to traditional novels, but it’s so nice to add some variety to my to-be-read list. Sometimes I like something a little fluffier or something that can distract me for a day, and that’s why I’ve come to appreciate graphic novels. It also helps that I’m artsy. lol. I think Nimona was a great gateway graphic novel for me. I enjoyed the characters, the story, the storytelling, the illustrations, and the kind of book I could read very quickly and enjoy over the course of a few hours. It reminded me of watching a movie, and that was very fun for me.