All the Stars and Teeth Book Review

 

Hey guys!

Today I’m reviewing All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace. I’ve had it for awhile, but finally got around to reading it this summer. 

Here is the blurb:

Set in a kingdom where danger lurks beneath the sea, mermaids seek vengeance with song, and magic is a choice.

She will reign.

As princess of the island kingdom Visidia, Amora Montara has spent her entire life training to be High Animancer — the master of souls. The rest of the realm can choose their magic, but for Amora, it’s never been a choice. To secure her place as heir to the throne, she must prove her mastery of the monarchy’s dangerous soul magic.

When her demonstration goes awry, Amora is forced to flee. She strikes a deal with Bastian, a mysterious pirate: he’ll help her prove she’s fit to rule, if she’ll help him reclaim his stolen magic.

But sailing the kingdom holds more wonder — and more peril — than Amora anticipated. A destructive new magic is on the rise, and if Amora is to conquer it, she’ll need to face legendary monsters, cross paths with vengeful mermaids, and deal with a stow-away she never expected… or risk the fate of Visidia and lose the crown forever.

I am the right choice. The only choice. And I will protect my kingdom. 

Cool right? I’m giving this book 4 stars. 

The plot: 

The idea of soul magic is very creepy, and the author did a fantastic job of making it such an aesthetic part of the culture. Really, the whole book is very aesthetic, weaving in bones and colors and of course pirates and ships, and delicious stuff like that. 

My only qualms were that the first chapter or two really dragged for me. It felt like I was being bombarded with world building, and all I knew about Amora was that she really wanted to sail, and it kind of made her a brat. There were also a few places where the wording threw me. The story world was so deep and captivating, and then a handful of modern sounding phrases were thrown in and it pulled me of the moment. 

That being said, the wording wasn’t the end of the world, and after chapter two things took off, and got moving. Then I couldn’t stop reading. And the world building was necessary to understand what happened next, so I’ll forgive it all being thrown into the first chapter. 

There were several fun plot twists that I didn’t see coming (keep an eye out on Bastian), and the entire magic system felt very fleshed out and in depth. I loved all the different cultures on each island, and the scene where the mermaid takes them underwater gave me goosebumps. 

The characters:

Like I mentioned, Amora starts out a bit of a brat. But that actually turns out to be a neat aspect of her character arc. In the beginning, she’s very much got the attitude of she’s the only one who can rule her people, in a very haughty way. By the end, she still thinks she’s the only one who can rule her people, which is really fun since I think it’s unusual for characters to not actually change their opinion by the end. But this time her attitude about it is much more humble, and urgent. She cares deeply about her people and wants to rule well. 

Bastian is very fun. I was expecting more of a pirate figure, and instead I got an injured puppy. Poor little guy. He just needs a hug. He does a good job of hiding it with his suave pirate facade though, which adds in plenty of humor. 

Amora’s fiancé is a hoot. If nothing else it’s fun to watch (read?) him squirm at all the horrors Amora drags him through. The dude had his arm cut off for her. That’s some dedication right there. 

There is also a mermaid in the book (I’m sorry, I’m blanking on her name) and I love her. So much sass. So much vicious. She’s one of those characters that while she’s technically on the good guys’ side, you always get the feeling she could snap and kill them all at any moment. It’s thrilling. 

The sequel will be released next year, and I will absolutely be buying it. *my bookshelf wailing in the distance* 

Have you read this gritty fantasy? 

Dance of Thieves book review

Hello all!

I hope you’re doing well—staying healthy and sane. 

I’ve recovered from the flu and am soaking in the sunshine, doing some yard work before the snow comes this weekend. #nebraskaweather

Today I’m going to be reviewing the Dance of Thieves duo by Mary E Pearson. 

It’s going to get a collective four stars from me—five stars for the story itself, but there was more cussing than I’d like so.

Here are the blurbs:

 Dance of Thieves:

A formidable outlaw family that claims to be the first among nations.

A son destined to lead, thrust suddenly into power.

Three fierce young women of the Rahtan, the queen's premier guard.

A legendary street thief leading a mission, determined to prove herself.

A dark secret that is a threat to the entire continent.

When outlaw leader meets reformed thief, a cat-and-mouse game of false moves ensues, bringing them intimately together in a battle that may cost them their lives―and their hearts.

Vow of Thieves:

Kazi and Jase have survived, stronger and more in love than ever. Their new life now lies before them―the Ballengers will be outlaws no longer, Tor's Watch will be a kingdom, and the two of them will meet all challenges side by side, together at last.

But an ominous warning mars their journey back, and in their rush to return to Tor's Watch, just outside the fortress walls, they are violently attacked and torn apart―and each is thrust into their own new hell.

Unsure whether the other is alive or dead, Kazi and Jase must keep their wits among their greatest enemies and unlikeliest allies. And all the while, Death watches and waits. 

The characters:

It’s been two years since a book kept me up all night reading it. These books ended that streak. (I bet you thought my sleep deprivation lately had to do with a new baby—wrong.) 

Kazi and Jase have securely wedged themselves into my top literary couples. At knife point.

They are everything I love in a character. Sassy, sweet, strong, broken. All in a nicely balanced way. 

Their interaction with each other is hilarious, and they’re one of the few fictional characters that actually felt like teenagers to me. Yes, they are outlaws and soldiers, but in the scenes where we got into their personal lives—especially the romantic aspect—they felt like kids to me, which was really refreshing. 

Jase really fascinates me. I definitely have a type, and there are certain things about Jarod that fit that type, but generally speaking he’s nothing like my fictional crushes. Except Jase. Jase is A LOT like Jarod. It was just a little bit disconcerting. Obviously Jarod’s not the leader of an outlaw family (or is he?) but I couldn’t help but think that if we plunged Jarod into this world, he would react the exact way Jase does. It was cool. Anyway, back to the story. 

The supporting characters were just as epic. I love Jase’s siblings, and his mom. Several of his brothers are hilarious, and I absolutely adore Kazi’s friends. I thought they really lended to the idea that all the characters were just kids as well. They talk too much, they wonder about adult things, etc. 

The Plot:

This was a very fun plot with all sorts of twists and turns. You really had to stay on your toes. It reminded me of a cleaner, sweeter Six of Crows. The scheming was so fun and it was a constant guessing game of who was playing who, and trying to decide if it was on purpose or if they really were having feelings. It really kept the emotional tension as full power. 

The books are tropey, but in a good way. Enemies to lovers, being trapped with someone you hate, all that wonderful awkward stuff. 

In short, I love these books. I will read them again and again. They are absolutely gorgeous inside and out. 

To Best The Boys Book Review

Yes, yes. I know I’m way too late in reading this book. But better late than never, right? I’m here and I have thoughts. 

The Blurb: 

The task is simple: don a disguise. Survive the Labyrinth. Best the boys.

In a thrilling new fantasy from the bestselling author of the Storm Siren Trilogy, one girl makes a stand against society and enters a world made exclusively for boys.

Every year for the past fifty-four years, the residents of Pinsbury Port have received a mysterious letter inviting all eligible-aged boys to compete for an esteemed scholarship to the all-male Stemwick University. The poorer residents look to see if their names are on the list. The wealthier look to see how likely their sons are to survive. And Rhen Tellur opens it to see if she can derive which substances the ink and parchment are created from, using her father’s microscope.

In the province of Caldon, where women train in wifely duties and men pursue collegiate education, sixteen-year-old Rhen Tellur wants nothing more than to become a scientist. As the poor of her seaside town fall prey to a deadly disease, she and her father work desperately to find a cure. But when her mum succumbs to it as well? Rhen decides to take the future into her own hands—through the annual all-male scholarship competition.

With her cousin, Seleni, by her side, the girls don disguises and enter Mr. Holm’s labyrinth, to best the boys and claim the scholarship prize. Except not everyone is ready for a girl who doesn’t know her place. And not everyone survives the deadly maze.

Welcome to the Labyrinth.

Honestly, I think I’m going to give it five stars. I have no complaints. Zero. 

Right at first when I started reading, I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. I get really tired of the whole Girls Can Do Anything spiel. I’m sorry. I just do. BUT this book was good. It felt very balanced and non-preachy with the girl power, and I fell in love after the first chapter. 

The characters:

Rhen is an awesome protagonist. She’s quirky and fun, strong, caring, and awkward. She felt very real, honestly, and her desire to “best the boys” felt was very natural rather than a soap box. 

Selini may take first place for best friend character. Usually the rich proper friend is also an airhead and weakling, but not Selini. She’s with Rhen every step of the way, and I loved how she portrayed being strong and capable but still 100% feminine. I also loved that her highest aspiration was to be a wife and mom—and that she was happy with it. So often homemakers are looked down on in fiction, and as a wife and mom myself, that makes me really sad. 

And you can’t best the boys without boys, and man were the boys in this book awesome. The villains were completely vile, and I actually did not see the final reveal coming at all. That was quite the surprise, and made perfect sense. I LOVE Will and Sam and really enjoyed their friendship with Rhen. And Beryl is absolutely hilarious, I can’t even stand it. 

Obviously, Lute is a heartthrob—anatomically correct lips and all. I just wanted to hug him. His story made me so sad, but yet he’s so perfect, and he’s so manly, but then he can wax poetic too (who doesn’t like a boy who talks about the sea? I mean, come on). He was perfect. That is all. 

The world: 

The world is very cool. I loved how chill it was with the magic. Oh yeah, there’s sirens in the water. Ghouls will rip your chest open. No big deal. It doesn’t give any explanation, which was really cool, because why would a character bother to explain if all of that is normal in their world? I really liked it. It was nice to just be able to accept, yes there is magic and monsters, and you just have to deal with it and watch out at night, without getting bogged down in a full blown epic fantasy explanation. 

The whole concept of Mr. Holm and his labyrinth is stinking awesome, and the way the labyrinth is described is so cool. This is a very vivid book, and Rhen’s quirky voice is absolutely awesome in describing it. 

The plot: 

It’s awesome. I had heard a lot about how good this book was when it first came out, bought it right away, then didn’t read it. So all the details I had heard before kind of slipped away from me, and I came into reading it with absolutely zero expectations. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into, so every twist of the plot was a complete surprise and thrilling. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time (did I mention I read it in like, two days?) and couldn’t wait to see what happened next. 

It was really neat to have dyslexic and autistic characters in the story too. I feel like the author kind of took all the hot topic items of the day—diversity, representation, feminism, etc—and put it into a story that somehow magically doesn’t sound like a political rant. It’s fantastic. 

So, long story short, this book completely caught me by surprise in the best possible way, and if you haven’t read it you really should. 

The Queens Three Snippets

Hi guys!

 

I finished my second draft of The Queens Three a couple days ago.

I'm super happy with how the story is turning out. The extra POVs really seem to enhance the story, and I boosted the word count by ten thousand.

It's not done yet. I've got a few little details to weave in that I figured out as I was writing, so I need to go to the beginning and make sure everything fits together smoothly.

And I'm told I need a kiss scene.

*sigh*

I'll see what I can do.

 

Today I thought it would be fun to share some snippets with you. I know I've shared some scenes from Molly in the past, so I'm hoping these aren't duplicates. The scenes from Avian and Bunny are completely new.

 

(On a side note, Molly is the main character, a human disaster who runs a small town diner. Avian is a the conniving usurper queen of the fae realm, and the story's main villain, and Bunny is the displaced heir to the throne.)

 

Pinterest

Molly

The little bell on the door announces an incoming customer. I turn to look and nearly drop the stack of dishes. What the heck is he wearing? The man who walks in is a stranger. Blakely Nebraska only boasts a population of two hundred and I know them all. None of them dress like that.

He wears a ratty grayish jacket covered in more buttons and zippers than it merits, and perched on his shaggy brown hair is an honest to goodness top hat that could have belonged to Abe Lincoln.

**

 

“Here you go. Can I get you anything else?”

Not right now.” He pulls the first burger to him, the other hand holding his book open.

I glance at it again. It looks like it’s about to disintegrate all over the table. Doesn’t he know they print new ones? “I’m actually related to him,” I say. “The author. Carroll isn’t his real name though.”

“Dodgson,” he says around a mouthful of food. “Charles Dodgson.”

“Yeah.” I nod. “My mom figured out our family tree a couple years ago and we’re related. Well, sort of. She traced the line back to one of his brothers. So I’m like his great great niece or something.”

The guy’s eyes flit to mine over the pages and he smirks. “Something like dat.”

**

 

I round the corner and nearly collide with a tree. Well, a person dressed as a tree, walking down the sidewalk. I stagger back and stare. The makeup work is crazy. Like some of the face paint videos I’ve seen online. The woman’s skin actually looks like brown tree bark. Bits of twigs and leaves cling to her green hair and dress. “Sorry,” I stammer. “Nice costume.”

The woman just stares with unblinking eyes.

My throat constricts and I look down. “Sorry,” I mumble again, feeling totally awkward, and hurry past.

What is someone doing in full costume first thing in the morning on a Wednesday in September? People are getting weirder and weirder. Even out in the Nebraska sticks.

**

The man before me smiles. “They only hear and see what I want them to. They’re not going to think you’re crazy. There’s no need to worry your head off. Messy business that, worrying one’s head off. Don’t try it at home, that’s for sure.”

“Just stop.” I shake my head. “I’m going to call the police for public intoxication. This is insane.”

“I am insane,” he says gravely. “It comes with the territory I suppose, but I’ll admit, I’m quite fond of it. But I dare say you thinking you can sick your authorities on me is even more insane. What are they going to do? Catch me?” He vanishes before my eyes.

 

Pinterest

 

Bunny

“C’mon, Bunny. Aren’t you even a little glad to see me?” Malechi pushes his hands into his pockets, but his casual stance and ridiculous new appearance can’t hide the sorrow in his deep eyes.

I did not think I would ever see him again. A knot swells in my throat but I wrestle my voice past it. “Everything is a disaster."

**

“Did you miss the part where Avian is trying to steal all your magic and kill you?” Malechi jumps to his feet, slamming his obnoxiously tall hat to the dirty floor. “Believe me when I say dying isn’t at all pleasant, and you don’t want to do it.”

**

 

If Malechi waits a moment longer to transfigure me back, I will execute him myself, and this time I’ll get the job done.

 

Pinterest

 

Avian

“She can’t have gone far!” I rake a hand through my hair, caressing the sleek black feathers of a raven with the other. “Bunny is weak. Her power is taxed. She has to be close.”

The looking bowl is dim, the smooth water inside showing faint glimpses of trees and pixie glens. Where could she have run? All of Bunny’s friends are dead.

An image of gallows flashes in my mind’s eye, but I push it down, keeping my attention fixed solely on the looking bowl. He deserved it. They all did.

**

 

“There must be someone in this realm who understands the workings of humans.” I straighten from the table and pace the space in front of my throne.

“The magician, Malechi—”

“Yes, he knew,” I shoot a glare at the buffoon. “Considering I had him executed I didn’t think he would be of much help.”

___________

Pinterest

Malec. The real star of the story.

 

 

There you have it! This story has been full of surprises and first for me, but it is rapidly becoming one of my favorites.

If anyone is wanting to read it, its now available for beta readers.

It is approximately 65k, and I would rate it PG. No language or sexual content, but there is magic and some talk about drug abuse.

You can leave a comment or shoot me an email if you like.
For some extra fun, here is the Pinterest inspiration board and the Spotify playlist for the project.

 

What is your favorite fairytale retelling or spinoff?

 

 

A Little Miss

Hi guys!

Sorry about the impromptu hiatus last week. But I’ve got a good reason. 

I would like to introduce Loraina Fable, born right on her due date. 

We had planned to try a VBAC this time around, but things didn’t turn out that way and we ended up doing another C-section. This time was considerably better than with Henry though, as I was able to be awake during the procedure and interact with her right after she was born. Recovery has been much better also. 

We’re all home and happy now, and big brother is absolutely thrilled (though he’s a little put off that mommy can’t rough house or drive him to the store because a doctor cut a hole in her tummy).

Little miss Lorie is a doll, and we’re so blessed to have her. 

Needless to say, I haven’t done much besides change diapers, feed kids, and try to sleep. I’ve got several new books screaming at me, and I can’t wait to dive into them (feeding a baby gives a perfect opportunity to read) but I’ve been fighting migraines caused by the spinal anesthesia and focusing on a page is a no-go. I’m hoping those wear off soon though and I can soak in some good reading and maybe get some more work done on The Queens Three. 

For anyone wondering, Jarod chose Loraina based on Lori from the Lonesome Dove movie, and I picked Fable because it loosely means story. 

Obviously I would love a daughter named story. It was as close as I could get to a literary name without picking an actual book character. (Although Lonesome Dove was a book first, and I hear the protagonist in Adrienne Young’s next book is named Fable. So that’s a win.) 

The plan now is to get back to blogging weekly like I’m supposed to. I shall try. 

What have you been up to? Would you name a child after a book character? 

The State of the Realms

Hello everyone! 

Still no baby, just in case you’re one of the people who keeps asking me. I promise, I will announce when she is born. I will not be waiting weeks to mention it. 

In a random burst of inspiration (nesting hormones?) I’ve been madly revising The Mad Hatter. 

I’m actually pretty much certain it’s the nesting hormones driving this effort. Which is a double edged sword. On the one hand, its spurred me to add multiple new chapters and beef up the word count, working my way to the halfway point in about five days. 

On the flip side of that though, there have been multiple times where I was just about to dive into a new scene when suddenly I was struck by an inescapable need to wash all of the baby clothes and fold and put them all away. Now. 

It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster. 

Things are progressing nicely though. In the most exciting news, it received a new title. The Mad Hatter is now The Queens Three. 

Which brings me to the next notable change: Bunny and the Queen of Ravens now each have their own points of view in the story. 

It’s been super fun and super difficult to dive into each of their personalities and give them distinct voices and reveal more of what makes them tick. It’s not perfect, but I’ve gotten some good feedback and can’t wait to flesh them out even more. 

It’s really fun getting to spend more time in the fae realm (which needs a real name) through them. 

Molly’s boyfriend, Matt, got a new name. He’s currently Brett. There were too many M names running around the place. I’m not sure Brett is the winner though, so it might change again before I’m through. 

The word count is creeping up. Not quite where I want it, but it’s definitely improving. 

One thing that’s been a relief (and worrisome) is I haven’t found any major plot holes or useless threads. A few clarifications and tweaks yes. But gigantic glaring issues? No. It’s rather strange. 

But then again, it comes with the territory. 

One Baby To Rule Them All

Hey guys! 

Do you ever get into one of those ruts where you want to accomplish SO MUCH that you actually don’t accomplish much at all?

That’s kind of my life right now. I just have this weird feeling of urgency. Like I need to get everything done right this instant. But in the last week or so my body has also decided it’s actually pregnant. I’m kind of at baby girl’s mercy, and I just have zero energy. 

Basically, all I want to accomplish is edit Mad Hatter perfectly in one fell swoop, slap out the entire draft of Viking, read like eighteen books, clean the house, make all the decor,  listen to my music, get some sleep, and eat all the snacks. 

What I’ve actually done is not read a single book in months (except a smidge of beta reading, which was very fun), not touched the Viking document at all, ate a few snacks and then puked them back up, listened to Barney sing the same stinking song over and over, and have a Hobbit and Lord of the Rings marathon, thereby ruining any chance of sleep. 

Can we talk for a second about the awesomeness of Viggo Mortensen? The man is a phenomenal actor, that’s all there is to it. 

One thing I did manage to accomplish though is reaching the halfway point—maybe a smidge over—of my Mad Hatter edits, in three days. Which is kind of terrifying me, because it feels way too easy, and I’m liking how it’s turning out, so I’m absolutely convinced that I missed something horrifically obvious. Probably due to lack of sleep. 

Really kinda sorta ready for baby girl to arrive. Not that it will help much in the sleep department. But I should be able to move a bit better.

Sorry for the ramble. One does not simply blog while pregnant and sleep deprived.