Review: Firebug by Lish McBride

Firebug by Lish McBride
Publisher-Henry Holt and Co.
Released- Sept 23rd 2014
Purchase- Amazon / B & N

Ava can start fires with her mind . . . but is it a blessing or a curse?Ava is a firebug—she can start fires with her mind. Which would all be well and good if she weren't caught in a deadly contract with the Coterie, a magical mafia. She's one of their main hit men . . . and she doesn't like it one bit. Not least because her mother's death was ordered by Venus—who is now her boss.When Venus asks Ava to kill a family friend, Ava rebels. She knows very well that you can't say no to the Coterie and expect to get away with it, though, so she and her friends hit the road, trying desperately to think of a way out of the mess they find themselves in. Preferably keeping the murder to a minimum.

My Thoughts:
Ava wishes she could be a normal girl who wasn't home schooled, who could be have normal friends and go on normal dates. But Ava isn't normal. She's a rare firebug who can create fire with just her mind. She hates her job, but she doesn't have a choice since she has a blood pact with Coterie and the women who killed her mother, Venus is now her boss. They own her and Ava has to hunt down any one they want. But when Ava is assigned to kill a close family friend, she refuses and take off with her team, but one simply doesn't run from the Corterier and if Ava want so have any kind of normalcy, she has to face them down.

I've read McBride's Necromancer series and simply loved her dark humor and laugh out loud characters. Firebug is in the same universe as her other series, but you can read them separate and not get lost. McBride is a seriously awesome writer, I love how fun and alive her stories feel. They have some of the best energy and flare. This is paranormal twisted with  perfectly timed comedic flavor  that is easily devoured. I was only a few chapter in and already in with love with the set-up and tone. It's just unbelievably fun entertainment. But I think my favorite part of any McBride escape is how she crafts these amazing character chemistry's. The moment I met Ava, Cade, Lock and Ezra I was already completely invested and connected.

Ava is a great protagonist, she's got spunk and has fierce skills, but also has a big fuzzy heart. You know she doesn't want to hurt anyone but doesn't have a choice since Venus threaten to kill everyone she knows. But when push comes to shove, Ava isn't afraid to stand her ground and fight back. Lock is my boy! He's a half-dryad, which means he can talk to trees, it may not sound like a cool skill, but I think it was pretty awesome the way he uses it. He's charming, alluring, not exactly mysterious but he's got something behind those smouldering eyes that makes you see something simmering. He's also a born leader and I love how assertive and protective he is with his team.

Ezra is also the best. He's a shape-shifting were-fox and a natural thief and he stole my heart from minute one. He's hilarious and his comical timing was pitch perfect. The three of them have some of the greatest chemistry I ever had the pleasure of reading. Fun filled banter, witty sarcasm, sharp zingers and amusing dialogue. I love how they work together and always have each others back. They are a force when united and completely owned every second of this escape. There isn't a huge spot for romance, but I did see a lot of tension-bubbles throughout the story and I'm hoping that McBride will add that for the next book. I need more Ava and Lock!!

All in all, I absolutely had a blast with this book. The writing is captivating, the plot is action packed, entertaining and thrilling and the characters are addicting and funny as hell. I can't wait for the next book, I need more!

Find the author:
Goodreads / Website                              4 Snowflakes 

Review: Nil by Lynne Matson

Nil by Lynne Matson
Publisher- Henry Holt & Co
Released- March 4th 2014
Pre-Order- Amazon / B & N

On the mysterious island of Nil, the rules are set. You have exactly 365 days to escape—or you die.Seventeen-year-old Charley doesn’t know the rules. She doesn’t even know where she is. The last thing she remembers is blacking out, and when she wakes up, she’s naked in an empty rock field.Lost and alone, Charley finds no sign of other people until she meets Thad, the gorgeous leader of a clan of teenage refugees. Soon Charley learns that leaving the island is harder than she thought . . . and so is falling in love. With Thad’s time running out, Charley realizes that she has to find a way to beat the clock, and quickly.

My Thoughts:
When you go into any survival-type story you’re already prepared to go into it with an open mind and some kind of suspended belief and just accept the world building and explanations given. But for this book, there are no real explanations or reasons as to what Nil is, why it exists and for what real purpose it holds for the captured teens. This is the kind of fantasy that ‘just is’ so if that’s an element that will bother you, then this may not be a book for you. However, what lacks in plausible realism makes up for with driven characters, compelling writing and a romance worth fighting for.

Nil island is deceptively beautiful. Its lush scenery is wild and breathtaking but the twisted mysteries and impending dangers the island holds is anything but.

The workings of Nil are really very simple. No one really knows what Nil is, all the survivors know is that from the ages of 13 to 19 teenagers are thrown into a gate and land into Nil naked, randomly and from all over the world. There is only one way on or off the island. Through a portal or gate that shows up sporadically throughout the entire Island. Catch the gate and your home free, but here’s the glitch, you only have 365 days to do it or its game over.

Pretty cool concept huh? It’s like that reality T.V show, Survivor but dipped in crazy sauce with a side of twisted. Such a me book! Push aside the fact that, yes, I did want a little more explaining with the why’s and the how’s of Nil, I still had a lot of fun with this book. And since it’s never really been established properly, I’m gonna go on a theory about some whacked out goddess bored, out of her mind pulling a few teens out of their world and plop them down on an exotic island and see if they can dance. But yeah, it could be aliens too. Just saying. My point is, when push comes to shove, it doesn't seem to matter to me about how realistic this novel is, it was still dame entertaining. Lynne Matson's writing is quite addictive, once I started this book I was simply compelled to keep reading till I hit the last page.

Even though this is told in Charley and Thad’s perspective, all the characters were all pretty amazing. They each had different personalities that complemented their strengths or weaknesses but I love that they come together as a mini community. Working together to chase down their food, gather supplies and hunt for gates. They have each other’s back (or well most of them do) and they all feel genuinely loyal and dedicated to making sure the Priority survivor catches their gate.

It did feel a little strange how oddly calm everyone seems to be, given this is set in an alternative universe. They’re fully aware of the threats that may come at any moment but still have enough down time to enjoy ‘paradise living’.  When you hear survival story, you think of panic, outrage and desperation, but in this book mostly everyone was calm and collected with the occasionally visit to the darker side of reality or when nerves were hit like a live wire. I wouldn't use words like action packed, heart pounding or explosive to describe this book, but I would describe this as very moving, engaging and intriguing adventure that makes your pulse pound with pure hope for pretty much every single character in this book. It’s a new kind of exciting then you typically find in this kind of genre, which I loved.

But my favorite aspect about this book is the sweet bubbling romance between Charley and Thad. It may seem a little rushed to some, but I think it was perfectly paced. Nil is a place where there are no promises, where your days are being counted and your living your life in the moment. There may not even be a tomorrow, so make it count today, and Charley and Thad do just that. They give each other a reason to hope, a reason to fight and a reason to live. The connection between them sparked the minute they met but it never felt forced or fake. Charley and Thad are also both fiercely strong characters with a lot of passion and fire. I loved Thad’s natural leadership and Charley’s resourcefulness and kindness. They are both very protective of one another and I couldn't seem to get enough of those quiet tender moments when it was just the two of them before jumping back into the unpredictability of Nil. They made the story feel less ugly and more real in a very unreal world. They’re definitely a couple worth rooting for.

All in all, I kinda just loved this one. The story-line could have been a pushed a little tighter, but other then that, it has everything I like in a good survival fantasy story. Intense writing, likable compelling characters, mystery, adventure and romance. I also really loved the ending, but I do wish an epilogue was included to see what happened to the other characters on Nil. I grew quite fond of a couple of them and would have liked to see the outcome of their survival. I was also pretty surprised this was a standalone novel. It’s a refreshing concept since I rarely (if ever) see books with a single shot, especially for this type of genre and since the ending was satisfying it feels right to have just the one book. 

An excellent read and an impressive debut, I can’t wait to see what Matson comes out with next, she’s got a new fan! 

Find the author:

Goodreads / Website                             4.5 Snowflakes

Review: The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry

The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
Release Date: June 11, 2013

“Take her out back and finish her off.”

She doesn’t know who she is. She doesn’t know where she is, or why. All she knows when she comes to in a ransacked cabin is that there are two men arguing over whether or not to kill her.

And that she must run.

In her riveting style, April Henry crafts a nail-biting thriller involving murder, identity theft, and biological warfare. Follow Cady and Ty (her accidental savior turned companion), as they race against the clock to stay alive.

My thoughts:
I really enjoyed a previous book by April Henry so I was so excited to pick this one up.  It sounded intense and just as creepy as her other novel.  Unfortunately this one did not deliver for me and I am left with a hatred for Cady's parents and an unsatisfied itch.

The story starts off with Cady waking up in a cabin not knowing who and where she is.  She wakes up to her body in terrible pain and to the voices of two men talking about getting rid of her. She has no idea how she got into this situation, but she does know she has to save herself.  Her brain kicks in a little bit and she escapes, but her memories refuse to surface.  Cady soon bumps into a stranger who gives her the safe place she needs to think about what to do next and what follows is something completely unbelievable and truly frustrating.

Like I said I loved this authors previous books, but this one is just a mess.  I know it is fiction and and all but the story is just unbelievable.  The whole premise is about biological warfare and while that part does seem to something that could happen the chain of events don't.  Everything that happened was too convenient.  For instance, Ty the guy that decides to help Cady goes looking for information on amnesia and just happens to find something about fugue. He finds this out of about a billion sites that pop up on google and finds it rather quickly.  And while yes I can see that Cady did indeed have this I don't believe that Ty could have found this so quickly and I honestly don't believe he would have even thought to look it up.  I have never read a book where the characters gave so much thought to what caused amnesia.  Small detail I know but it just bugged me.

Cady's constant questioning also irritated me. I think half the book is spent inside her head and going over the same questions over and over again.  Her questions are valid but after the first 3 times I really don't need to read them anymore.  I never really warmed up to Cady either.  She was an okay character, but if she didn't make it in the book I wouldn't have been devastated and for a main character I should want her to live. 

My biggest issue was her parents.  Now I know YA parents tend to be MIA most of the time but WTH?!!  Cady's parents leave her by herself, don't even attempt to look more into the cabin fire to see if she was actually in there, and basically tell her that she is their only hope since they can't be seen in the building.  Ummm again WTH??!  Her parents should have been there for her, they should have found a way to get to her and be the adults!  Cady shouldn't have been the one responsible for saving her family especially when it was her parents that put her in this situation!  I am still beyond ticked off that Cady had to figure everything out on her own.  We are told that her parents are genius, but you would never know it from the way they acted.  I think this part of the storyline really killed the rest for me.  I'm not saying that I would have loved it if they had been more involved, but I probably would have rated it a little higher.

So unfortunately I am not a fan of this book.  I expected something creepy and the first 2 chapter were great with Cady waking up and going all karate crazy on her captors, but the story didn't hold up to those first few chapters.  Could just be me, but I think Ms. Henry's other novels are far superior and worth reading instead of this one.

2 snowflakes

 

Review: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
Publisher-Henry Holt and Co.
Released- June 4th 2013
Purchase-Amazon / B & N / Chapters

Darkness never dies.Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. But she can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her–or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

My Thoughts:
Siege and Storm takes us across the True Sea with Mal and Alina on the run after their near death escape from The Fold, Ravka and The Darkling, but one can only run so long before you get caught. The Darkling has powerful plans for this Sun Summoner, but with the help of an unlikely ally, Alina and Mal find themselves in familiar territory once more. As much as Alina wishes she could be enough, she can't deny the fix of power growing deep in her very skin and this power has it's own hunger and it's craving for more. Coupled with the The Darklings wicked will and influences, Alina must decide if she will crumble to temptation or calm the raging storm within herself. 

I always thought that out of all the genres out there, fantasy was the most difficult to convey. You have all these kind of different elements to work with to make it standout. Magic and mystery, action and adventure, politics and power, strength and weakness, friendship and love. It has to be bold and bright, inventive, imaginative and creative enough to support the probabilities of an impossible-reality set to the backdrop of a possible-fantasy. This is what makes Leigh Bardugo a tremendously remarkable writer. She achieves this in her world and so much more. There is something to be said about walking straight into written magic. I did it when I read Shadow and Bone and again after reading Siege and Storm. This kind of magic has your eyes wide open marveling at all the wonder while holding on to these characters for dear life. I simply couldn't have loved a book more.

There is so much going on plot wise that I think readers should venture this journey for themselves, but I can say that I had such a blast trying to keep up in Bardugo's world. Vast ships, tortured creatures and soaring into the stars are only a touch of what's inside. This is beautiful, vivid and passionately written. The middle of the story was more to iron out the politics of it all, but it was still entertaining enough for me to keep up, but it was the ending that had me on the verge of my seat. It was heart-pounding and heart-crushing at the same time. Not a single dull moment in this world! 

I loved all these character in the first book, but somehow they seemed to step it up a notch, making me love them even more.

~Alina's character has grown so much since the first book. Further developing her into a capable, intelligent girl who is good and kind. But she has a dark rain-cloud that follows her, testing at ever turn. The power calls to her like a warm embrace and she doesn't know how long she can resist it's open arms.

~Mal stays the forever faithful, devoted, loyal and protective man that has stood by Alina's side since they were orphaned children. This is my favorite kind of love story, the kind that is timeless and priceless, the kind of love that makes your entire being ache for their happiness. So while I loved some of their swoon-worthy moments, I also hated all the tension and distance they had to endure. Struggle and doubt may linger in this sequel, but I refuse to believe that their love story will end here.  

~The Darkling has me conflicted in this one. There was something about him in the first book that I found alluring and haunting and even redeemable, but his power-drunk obsessed actions in this book tore out my heart. I mean, he's meant to play the sinister villain after all, so it shouldn't be a real surprise to me, and yet, I still reach for hope. Mal may own my beating heart, but there is something very undeniable about this mans twisted affections and intentions. Not a very romantic notion, but dark and daring enough to have my true feelings for him questioned.

~We also have few new characters to add to our growing list of awesome. Tolya and Tamar are a welcoming animated and loyal addition and Strumhond is a fair, odd and complicated character who compliments the story-line with charm, humor and wit that I find remarkably refreshing. 

Bottom line. I loved this book. I can go on forever praising this, but my words would never bring it justice. If your looking for sensational writing, a fierce fantasy, an exhilarating adventure with cast of outstanding heart and soul characters look no further. The Grisha trilogy is the escape for you. I can't wait to get my hands on the last installment; Ruin and Rising. I need more!!

Find the author
Goodreads / Website

                                                                      5 Snowflakes