Royal Airs - Sharon Shinn

Royal Airs by Sharon Shinn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A lot of reviewers were disappointed in this sequel to Troubled Waters, and about half way through I realized why. It was missing the magic, the elemental magic. Neither of the main characters had any, so we only saw it peripherally. This made it much less of a fantasy and more of a historical romance with some political intrigue thrown in during the second half.

As a historical romance, I enjoyed it. I liked Josetta, and I liked Rafe. I also liked how their stories ended up. I did wish there was more magic, but I think having lowered expectations rescued this book for me.

A Court of Mist & Fury - Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I wasn't really sold on the romance in the first book, but I love the direction that it took in this one. It felt authentic and realistic to me. There are real relationships and issues here, not just fairy tales. And the world grows wider along with the complexity of the plot and characters. I loved it. I'm glad I waited so I can follow up soon with book 3.

My only complaint is how often Feyre was sick for the first half or so - that is not something I enjoy reading about. Hence an alert for the squeamish. I did get past it though.

The Burning Sky - Sherry Thomas

The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the kind of Fantasy that I can just devour in a day. It's light, adventurous, romantic, and hard to put down. Soooo not epic. It's not that I don't enjoy Epic Fantasy, too. It's just such an investment, and you have to have patience, and often the characters are just a little too remote. Usually I have to take breaks from the Epics, both during and between installments.

Sometimes I just want to jump in and enjoy. I want a couple of characters that I can like, with problems that are a bit smaller so I can just enjoy hanging out in the world and getting to know them. It doesn't have to be impeccably detailed. It can have elements of what some people might call tropes, because - let's be honest - the tropes are the core of what I love about Fantasy in the first place. So although I do appreciate the grand, epic tales, I have to admit that I like this kind of Fantasy better. This is the kind I save up for days when I have plenty of time to read because the hours are going to fly by.

So, I really enjoyed reading The Burning Sky. It has fun magic (and plenty of it), romance (but not overwhelming), 19th Century London set alongside mage realms, British boarding school experience, a girl disguised as a boy, and magical training in a virtual reality type world. Oh yes, there are also wyverns! And just to keep it from being boring, there's overarching danger and a suitably detestable villain or two. But it's the development and interaction of the two main characters that really carries the story. Pure fun. I can't wait to see what comes next.

The Silver Pear - Michelle Diener

The Silver Pear by Michelle Diener
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

More like 3.5 stars. For some reason, I liked this a little less than the first one. I think I missed the time spent in the forest (sucker for magical forests here). Also, I was a bit let down by the final confrontations with the sorcerers. I expected them to be more difficult. I do like that the girls are the ones that keep rescuing the guys and have all the power (but that the guys are needed, too).

I did like it, and found it very readable, and still light and fun. I'll be reading more from this author.

The Golden Apple - Michelle Diener

The Golden Apple by Michelle Diener
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Golden Apple is a fairytale retelling, but it's not a fairytale that I'm familiar with so it read more like a light Fantasy to me. This is very light Fantasy - not much world-building, not a huge cast, and the magic system is not a full-blown system. But it's fun and fast-paced.

Sometimes all I need is magic and adventure and a bit of romance without it being in that higher class, and this was just what I needed after some heavier books. It went really quickly, and I had to grab the sequel right away, which I'm also tearing through right now. (This is a duology, and the first novel does not stand alone.)

Is it perfect? Is every character well-developed? Well, no. There's not a lot of depth. But that's ok. I would recommended this for anyone needing a lighter read, not willing to invest in the couple to three hundred pages it often takes to get into a Fantasy world.

Updated Review: The Fairy Godmother

The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This is the start to a really fun series - an imaginative take on fairy tales. The setting is an imaginary world with 500 kingdoms, each with a Fairy Godmother assigned to keep the magic of the Tradition in line so that evil doesn't gain a foothold and people get their happy endings. The Tradition is powerful magic that forces people down the paths of fairy tales when their lives begin to show signs of belonging to one of them. For example, in this tale, Elena is being forced into the role of Cinderella. Unfortunately for her, however, there's no prince in her kingdom to complete the tale properly, and Elena has an abundance of magic that could all go wrong. Instead, she gets adopted by the region's Fairy Godmother and becomes her apprentice.

Each book that I've read in this series is unique. The fairy tales are re-imagined, not just retold, and they benefit from a fresh setting within the larger context of a fully developed world and magic system. They are also perfect for when you need something light and fluffy to read with a guaranteed happy ending. There's not a lot of depth, but sometimes books like this are the perfect escape.

Note on content: this first book has a sex scene, but the following books are milder.



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Son of the Shadows - Juliet Marillier

Son of the Shadows by Juliet Marillier

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Son of the Shadows continues the story of the Sevenwaters family, focusing on the next generation - Sorcha’s children. (It is not an overt fairy tale retelling like the first book was.) I waited a long time to read this after reading Daughter of the Forest because although the writing was beautiful and it was very well done, the overwhelming feelings that stuck with me were sadness and pain. So I wasn’t exactly eager to dive into this sequel even though reviews said it was very different. Mostly convinced, I bought the book and then let it languish on my TBR list. Now I wish I’d gotten to it sooner.

This book does have its sadness and is haunting in parts, but it’s not the whole story. There’s more that happens in this book than in the first, where Sorcha spent a lot of time sitting around, busy and silent with her grueling task. I really liked that the main character, Liadan, didn’t just take what the gods told her she had to do but determined that for herself. Sorcha suffered so much because the goddess told her to. Liadan is much more in charge of herself. She’s one of those ‘strong females’ that really is strong. She follows her instincts and stands firm when she believes she has to stand alone. She isn’t just tough and stubborn, though. She’s compassionate and loves with abandon. Her love story is both wonderful and full of heartache.

I'm really interested to see how the prophecy plays out with Liaden's choices - has she derailed everything, or was this what was supposed to happen all along?

This is one of those books that I couldn’t stop reading. That actually happens rarely, and I was so surprised that this ended up being one of those books! I lost sleep over it, couldn’t wait to get back to it when I had to stop for work, and I really didn’t want it to end even while I was racing through it. Now that I've finished, I’m upset that the next book will move to another generation so I won’t get to be with these characters in the same way again. But I don’t think I’ll be waiting as long to pick up the next book.

I do have to say that the ending itself was a bit anticlimactic. I was expecting something a bit more momentous and final, and less - psychological, I suppose. But still the overall reading experience completely grabbed me. I don’t know if it will do the same for others, but I loved this book. It had a depth and range of emotion that I found gripping. It’s always hard for me to explain this gut reaction that I have to a book when I love it. It’s so completely subjective and emotional. How do you begin to explain it rationally? I feel bereft now that I've finished, and can’t quite bring myself to start something new yet.

The complete inability to stop reading until the end, that need for a pause between books, when I feel that silence needs to be kept just for a day before moving on, and the way that I still miss the characters after they've moved beyond the pages - that's what makes this a 5 star book for me.

Review: Princess of the Sword

Princess of the Sword by Lynn Kurland
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm finally getting back to review this last book in the original Nine Kingdoms trilogy. There was less blubbering in Princess of the Sword, thank goodness! I enjoyed the cozy fantasy elements of this world even though the world building was kind of vague. And this was a decent ending to the story even though the final conflict was a bit too easy to call it anything close to epic.

There was a bit too much focus on the romance for me, though. Too much romantic lingering, standing around hugging and talking quietly. And the big conflict ended so early that I thought it was a false victory for a while. But no - there were just 60 pages of happily ever after at the end. Which is why this was more romance than fantasy.

I haven’t really read much in the Romantic Fantasy genre, so now I know what to expect from it. I do like a bit of romance in my fantasy, but I think I have to be in the right mood for something like this with romance as the main focus. I probably would have done better with this trilogy if I'd taken a break between books, but the cliffhanger endings got me.

Still, I might revisit the genre again someday, and will probably pick up the next book set in the Nine Kingdoms at some point. It's enjoyable enough if you want a romance with a fantasy backdrop (especially if you want a very chaste romance). It's slightly frustrating if you’re more interested in the fantasy and world building and want a more difficult struggle for the fate of the world.

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Review: The Mage's Daughter (Nine Kingdoms, #2)

The Mage's Daughter: A Novel of the Nine Kingdoms by Lynn Kurland
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

What started out as a fluffy fantasy romance with a fierce, stubborn, sword-wielding heroine turned into a soggy romance with a blubbering, weak-kneed heroine. I lost count of the number of times that Morgan blinked away hot tears or realized her cheeks were wet, or dissolved into uncontrollable weeping, or felt like weeping but managed not to. She was a completely different person from the first book. I can understand that she had some difficult changes to become used to, but I would have expected her toughness in everything else to carry over into how she handled her more emotional crises.

It's unfortunate that the copious amount of tears got in the way of the rest of the story, because it was actually better than the first book in many ways. The world is more detailed, we learn more about the Nine Kingdoms, who populates it, and how the magic works.

I especially enjoyed learning more about the earning of Weger's mark and the way that Miach pursues Morgan. Miach becomes an even more interesting and humbly impressive hero now that we are able to get to know him more. Unfortunately the romance does stall the action for quite a while, though (coinciding with a lot of the weeping and talking and running away from issues). It took over too much for my liking, but once it came back to the actual plot I enjoyed it again.

Just like with the first book, this is merely an installment that does not stand on its own at all. It's a meandering building towards... something. Something that we've known was happening since the first page but have been blindly trying to understand. By the end of this book, we finally know what that is. And - that's where this ends, with the confrontation postponed until the next book.

I'm looking forward to reading more of Miach, but I hope Morgan gives me a reason to like her more in the last book. Hopefully, she will pull herself back together and become a worthy heroine who saves the world without drowning it in tears. She needs to toughen back up to take care of the evil she faces and not just hide her face in Miach's shoulder all the time.

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Review: Star of the Morning (Nine Kingdoms, #1)

Star of the Morning by Lynn Kurland
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is an enjoyable Romantic Fantasy series, but it's definitely more on the Romance end of the scale so you have to be in the right mood for it. I found myself wishing the world and secondary characters were a bit more defined, and that the magic and adventure were more prominent. But the huge focus is definitely the relationship.

To illustrate the lack of detail, at one point I was reminded that one of the characters is a dwarf, and only because he was referred to as a dwarf. Even now I can't remember which character it is. He was just as nondescript as the other supporting characters. There was also little explanation of the magic system or the makeup of the Nine Kingdoms. You just have to figure it out as you go along, but even the areas that they travel through lack much detail. (This does improve a little bit in the second book). So it's not the most intricate fantasy world. But still I liked it. Just be aware that this is definitely fluff, and not the highest quality stuff. Sometimes that's just fine.

If you don't like Romances, you should probably avoid this. If you do, this one is made more interesting by the magical setting and the quest that is the backdrop for a sweet romance.

You also should know that the ending is really only the beginning, and both this book and the next one have cliffhanger endings. I ended up wanting to read them all straight through as if the trilogy was a single book.

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Review (Updated): Crown Duel & Court Duel

Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

(Updated Review Jan 11, 2014)

This was a lighter tale of political intrigue and danger, with a little bit of magic, and a good dash of romance.

This edition is actually two books in one. Crown Duel, the first book, focuses on a rebellion against the king, with several people going after the crown. This book, I would maybe rate 3 stars, even though it was "just ok." I must have been in the right mood to read it at the time. It is full of adventure and calamity, as the heroine, Mel, escapes from one dangerous situation to another. I honestly found the nonstop being-on-the-run kind of tiring, but was interested enough to read on.

I also found that Mel was quick to hate and slow to forgive, especially once she found out what was happening and should have been able to adjust to her new understanding of the situation. I feel like her stubbornness was mistaken for strength.

I was glad when the second book, Court Duel, ended up being more a Comedy of Manners, with political maneuvering and intrigue at court and a frustrated romance. I enjoyed this much more because I do enjoy the twists and betrayals of political intrigue, but mainly because I loved the poor hero. I guess I'm a sucker for a guy who can stay so in love when he is constantly scorned. I really felt for him. The bonus chapters at the end are written from his point of view, and they were a wonderful treat because I liked him so much more than Mel.

So this was by no means perfect, but I was still glued to the pages, trying to find out how the totally annoying and stubbornly prejudiced girl was going to learn the truth and finally be transformed. Mel's refusal to examine her own reactions or to re-evaluate her opinions when she realized she was ignorant or wrong was frustrating. She certainly had plenty of room to grow, but since she did get there in the end, I could forgive her for her blindness.

I give the second book 4 stars, even though it's maybe not as strong a book as others I've rated highly. Sometimes I really do just like the romance and so can ignore everything else.

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The Crown of Embers - Rae Carson

The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Crown of Embers was infinitely better than the first book - everything I wished that one was even though I really liked it. Sometimes I find it difficult to review books that I really loved. How do you explain why the experience of reading left your imagination alive and kept you breathless? How do you account for the complete absorption in a world and the life of characters when you step back and try to analyze the plot? Sometimes I just want to love a book for the experience without analyzing why.

Still, I'm going to try. Maybe. Later.

Review: The Sleeping Beauty

The Sleeping Beauty by Mercedes Lackey

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I really enjoy the ways that Lackey finds to mash up fairytales and come out with a unique tale that works. I love the idea that fairytales are forced on people's lives by the Tradition and the Fairy Godmothers' job is to harness the extra magic and save people from their less desirable fates by forcing the nicer Traditional paths wherever they can. It lets you laugh at the traditional tales and enjoy the magical wonder of them without simply repeating what's been done before. This series is really humorous high fantasy set in a world where fairytales are a danger to people leading their ordinarily magical lives.

I turn to these books when I need something light and entertaining and that doesn't take itself seriously. As with the previous books in the series, Sleeping Beauty was what I needed - humorous, tongue-in-cheek, fluffy, and really quite silly. This might have been one of the sillier ones, in fact. I loved it for that.

It was more of a hodgepodge than the others so far, with an entire magical kingdom full to the brim with Traditional magic. It's not really a Sleeping Beauty tale, although there are bits and pieces of it in there. It's a mish-mash full of Heroes, challenges for the hand of a princess, seven dwarves, a huntsman, dragons, curses, unicorns, talking animals… the list goes on. How the Godmother Lily manages it all is a feat indeed.

There is a sweet romance, but it is not really the focus even though the goal is to win the hand of the princess. I saw another reviewer mention that the story focused more on developing a bromance, and I agree. It was more about the friendship between two of the suitors and the scheming of the Godmother than about the princess herself. It's also a romance without any explicit scenes, which I am thankful for since the first book in the series was a bit more detailed than what I usually like to read.

I do have to mention that in spite of all these magical events, it was still a bit slow in places. And although I found the hodgepodge of fairytales amusing, they made it feel choppy at times. Some of the solutions were a little too coincidental, because you can always throw in another part of a fairytale to fill a need that arises. Not that this prevented me from being entertained, but it's not for everyone.



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Review: A Clockwork Fairytale

A Clockwork Fairytale by Helen Scott Taylor

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This is an interesting fairytale about a girl brought up as a boy thief, with spies and monks, and a plot to take over the throne. There's a mix of steampunkish gadgets and a sort of magic involving the spark inside of things that can be brought out and manipulated.

There is plenty here to entertain, and the romance is sweet, although it jumps up rather than building slowly. I do feel that it could have used some more polishing in some places, and I have a couple unanswered questions (maybe there will be a sequel?), but all-in-all it was a quick, fascinating read. I wouldn't mind reading a follow-up story.



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Review: The Fairy Godmother

The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This is the start to a really fun series - an imaginative take on fairy tales. The setting is an imaginary world with 500 kingdoms, each with a Fairy Godmother assigned to keep the magic of the Tradition in line so that evil doesn't gain a foothold and people get their happy endings. The Tradition is powerful magic that forces people down the paths of fairy tales when their lives begin to show signs of belonging to one of them. For example, in this tale, Elena is being forced into the role of Cinderella. Unfortunately for her, however, there's no prince in her kingdom to complete the tale properly, and Elena has an abundance of magic that could all go wrong. Instead, she gets adopted by the region's Fairy Godmother and becomes her apprentice.

Each book that I've read in this series (4 so far) is unique. The fairy tales are re-imagined, not just retold, and they benefit from a fresh setting within the larger context of a fully developed world and magic system. They are also perfect for when you need something light to read with a guaranteed happy ending.



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