The Ring and the Crown: A Rambling Review

The Ring and the Crown by Melissa de la Cruz
I actually enjoyed this one more than I was expecting to! Which is not to say that it’s without its flaws -- the pacing is uneven, with a slow build through at least three-quarters and then a rush of action and reveals and explanations (many of which were confusing and not satisfactory) at the end. I’m still left puzzling about some things that were crammed in to try to wrap things up. I liked the connection to Arthurian myth, but I think it could have been executed better; the author seemed to use the magical elements when it was convenient, but not really have them as a truly cohesive part of the story. 

That said, there was just something entertaining and easy about this read. I liked escaping to this world of shallow social climbers and court drama and people falling rapidly in (what they think is) love and plotting desperately to be together. Fluff, definitely, but it was mindless fun (which was needed given that I am sick at the moment!) I did have some trouble keeping the different narratives straight in my mind -- it hops around between five -- but the characters were not all nauseatingly shallow or selfish, and I particularly ended up rooting for Marie to get her happily ever after. 

3.5 shooting stars.

Tarnished City: A Rambling Review

Tarnished City by Vic James

I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as the first, which may partly be due to the fact that the first book had the novelty of learning about this world and meeting the characters, but is also because I felt like a large chunk of this one in the middle moved quite slowly and was repetitive. There were lots of conversations talking about plans and schemes and then re-hashing what happened, and so many characters that it was really hard to keep track of who had done what where. (Seriously, a cast of characters list is MUCH NEEDED for this series! Also a map would be nice.) Interspersed between all these dialogue scenes were a few dramatic scenes, but they didn't usually build momentum for the plot; it felt like nothing had really changed from before the dramatic scene, and people just carried on having their secretive conversations where they plotted things.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed the beginning and ending sections of the story. Abi and Luke are both still pretty bland characters, but we get to see the story unfold from a number of POVs (in third-person voice) – a technique that I think serves the story well and keeps things interesting. Certain characters don't know about secrets that other characters have, so it's kind of like the reader is "in on it" because we get to see everything -- and yet, because of the oblique nature of the way certain POVs or scenes are written, we really don't know everything. "Good guys," "bad guys," and those in-between (*cough*Silyen*cough*) -- we get glimpses into a variety of perspectives (although Silyen's still remains cloaked in mystery and ambiguity).

Some plot twists I saw coming (spoiler, highlight to read: I guessed partway through that Coira was Crovan's child), others I did not (spoiler: Jenner's betrayal came totally out of left field, although since I never really "shipped" the romance with Abi, I wasn't upset about it. Still, hopefully in the third book we'll get his perspective on that, because right now the reader has no idea why he flipped sides. Is it as simple as the reason he gave to Abi?). There was also some interesting character development (or perhaps just further character revelation?) with Gavar, which was good to see.

And as I commented in one of my updates as I was reading, this dystopian series feels very realistic in how it presents the obstacles to the rebels. The governing class is Skilled and the rebels are not, and their continued failure reflects their poor odds of winning this fight. Time and time again they are beaten by the Jardines and their allies. It's dark, there's no doubt about it -- this book is full of death (so many characters died in this one!), torture (mental and physical), and at times a sense of hopelessness pervading the rebel cause. But they keep on fighting, at times acquiring curious and unexpected allies. While Abi and Luke are, as I've said, quite boring as characters, it's easy to root for them to win against Whittam Jardine and his crew. I also found myself rooting for certain characters to join the "good guys", even when it seemed like it was a fruitless hope (*cough*Silyen*cough*).

I was also struck by echoes of socio-political issues we are facing in our current political climate – for example, references to controlling the narrative through the media and the truth being, not facts, but what people are persuaded to believe... sound familiar? A couple of quotes sum it up nicely:

"Abi had dared imagine that the Equals' version of history could be fought with the truth, but how could you do that when they were making it up as they went along, and shouting it over and over and over through the media? They had everything at their disposal: power, money, connections. They hardly even needed Skill."

And then several pages later:

"'Stupid girl,' he said. 'Truth isn't what happened, it's what people will believe happened.'"

I have to wonder how heavily the author was influenced by recent political events in the US... the themes seemed too clear at times to be coincidence.

Anyway, pick this series up if you are looking for a dark, thought-provoking dystopian fantasy series, but be prepared for this book in particular to be slow-moving in the middle, heavy in dialogue scenes, and chock full of political manoeuvring.

3.5 stars.

The Tethered Mage: A Panoramic Review (Adult)

"In the Raverran Empire, magic is scarce and those born with power are strictly controlled -- taken as children and conscripted into the Falcon Army.  

Zaira has lived her life on the streets to avoid this fate, hiding her mage-mark and thieving to survive. But hers is a rare and dangerous magic, one that threatens the entire empire.

Lady Amalia Cornaro was never meant to be a Falconer. Heiress and scholar, she was born into a treacherous world of political machinations.

But fate has bound the heir and the mage. And as war looms on the horizon, a single spark could turn their city into a pyre.

The Tethered Mage is the first novel in a spellbinding new fantasy series." (from Goodreads)

The Tethered Mage by Melissa Caruso

My reaction: I struggled to get into the first half of this book, I have to say, which felt rather sluggish and dense. There was a lot going on in terms of characters being introduced, and I had trouble keeping straight who was who. I really wish a character list had been provided! The first half also consisted of a lot of complex conversation — involving political intrigue and "war room"-style talk — and I kept getting confused and having to reread. 

Nevertheless, I plowed through and was rewarded by the second half of the book! The pace really picked up in the last third and it was definitely more riveting. There weren't very many new characters being introduced at that point, so I was becoming more familiar with the characters involved. There were some suspenseful "what's going to happen?" sorts of scenes in the climactic part of the story, and a twist I didn't see coming (spoiler, highlight to read: somehow I did not guess that her uncle was the Raverran contact).

Best aspect: the world-building. It was a cool premise to have magic workers as the Empire's army, with their power being controlled by magic-less individuals. Also, the author really fleshes out the different players/groups and the interests they are representing (unfortunately, this means that the plot in the first half suffers due to all of this world-building). Plus, there is a map!

I also thought the characters were well drawn, in particular Amalia and Zaira. Zaira has a spitfire personality, and is a bit of a wild card, and Amalia is a relatable and sympathetic narrator who demonstrates some growth throughout the story. The dynamic between the two of them was really interesting, as they started out with some animosity (particularly on Zaira's side, since she does not take kindly to having her magic controlled), and then progressed into more of a frenemy-ship. Although they are very different characters, I liked them both, so I was rooting for them to become friends!

If I could change something... I'd cut out some of the description and detail, particularly in the first half. I felt like the story sometimes gave up momentum in order to provide more detail in a scene. The writing felt generally overwritten, as though the author felt the need to select more exotic words one might find in the thesaurus rather than more commonplace ones. (I'm not opposed to using less common descriptive words in order to bring a scene to life, but in moderation!)  

I'd also bring a little more spark to the romance, as I was pretty lukewarm about it. I thought it was sweet (and it wasn't a huge part of the plot, so it wasn't a big issue), but I just wasn't super invested in that relationship. It was kinda take-it-or-leave-it for me.

If you haven't read it: and you like traditional-style fantasies with loads of political intrigue and maneuvering, as well as detailed world-building, this will be right up your alley. 

If you have read it: how do you think the Prince Ruven storyline is going to develop in book 2?

Just one more thing I wanted to mention: there was a sticky spot I thought Amalia got out of way too easily (spoiler: when Prince Ruven is threatening to kill her, and she just tells him she represents the Empire, and he backs off). 

Final verdict: 4 shooting stars. If you're getting discouraged by the slow pace of the first half, but are enjoying the characters and world-building, I recommend persevering!

Disclaimer: I received this as an ARC for review from the publisher. 

My Life Next Door: A Rambling Review

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

This contemporary YA novel has gotten quite a bit of hype and I know a lot of people loved it, but unfortunately I didn't fall head-over-heels for it. I mostly liked the main character Samantha, whose voice was relatable and felt realistic as a teen's. Jase, on the other hand, while sweet and rather mature for a teenage guy, seemed a little too perfect; he never made mistakes and always appeared to know best, and it came off as a bit holier-than-thou at times (especially when all the other teens were making mistakes left, right, and center). I did enjoy the general dynamic of the Garrett family and the contrast to Samantha's, and found it interesting how entrenched she becomes in their life, which is unusual to see in a YA novel.

I felt kind of like this novel was split into 2 different parts: the lighter, bubblier, falling-in-love section that spans the first two-thirds of the story, and then the darker, heavier, angstier section of the last third. It was a little strange to suddenly have the story change direction and tone, and become much more serious. I thought Samantha's conundrum was a difficult one to face, and I liked the fact that the book was posing some moral questions and forcing her to think about what she believed in, but I also felt like it didn't exactly fit with the rest of the story that had come before.

Also, what an awful example some of the adults in this story set. I mean, just terrible. *shakes head*

 

Servant of the Crown: A Snapshot

Servant of the Crown by Melissa McShane

"Alison Quinn, Countess of Waxwold, is content with her bookish life—until she’s summoned to be a lady-in-waiting to the Queen of Tremontane’s mother for six months. Even the prospect of access to the Royal Library doesn’t seem enough to make up for her sacrifice, but Alison is prepared to do her service to the Crown. What she’s not prepared for is Prince Anthony North, Queen Zara’s playboy brother, who’s accustomed to getting what he wants—including the Countess of Waxwold.

When the fallout from an unfortunate public encounter throws the two of them together, Alison has no interest in becoming the Prince’s next conquest. But as the weeks pass, Alison discovers there’s more to Anthony than she—or he—realized, and their dislike becomes friendship, and then something more—until disaster drives Alison away, swearing never to return.

Then Alison is summoned by the Queen again, this time to serve as Royal Librarian. A threat to Tremontane’s government, with her treasured Library at stake, draws Alison into the conflict…and into contact with Anthony once more. Can they work together to save the Royal Library and Tremontane? And can she open her heart to love again?" (from Goodreads)

The subject: Alison, the Countess of Waxwold, as she navigates the political challenges of being Royal Librarian, and the emotional challenges of falling in love.
 
The setting: the kingdom of Tremontane, and in particular, the palace there. I kinda liked that we were shown the decisions Alison had to make around running a Royal Library; while it wasn't especially thrilling, it was neat that these daily realities were considered. 

Shutter speed: Unpredictable. The first third or so of the book focuses on the romance, and was paced pretty well. But then that storyline comes to a halt (given something that Alison finds out), and the next two-thirds are mostly about Alison taking on the position of Royal Librarian and the political consequences of that. Perhaps it was because I ended up reading this book in multiple sittings (and taking long breaks in between, which I think was less about the book and more about my own mood at the time) but I didn't feel that the political storyline held my interest as much as the relationship one. This focus on the politics of Alison running the Royal Library also means that the ending we eventually get to the romantic storyline didn't feel so satisfying.  

I also wish that the non-romantic storyline had been bigger in scope. While the fact that the plot was primarily political meant that it was quite realistic (for a fantasy novel), it also meant that I didn't find it really engaging.

What's in the background? A fantasy world that we end up knowing virtually nothing about, sadly. There was very little description of the setting, and oh, how I wish the magic system had been explored! Magic gets used to heal people, and also to power "Devices" (technology), and there's something called a "family bond" that seems like it could be magical... but the reader only gets these teasing tidbits. Why bother making it a fantasy novel if you're not going to play around with the magical aspects of the world?

Zoom in on: Zara! She was by far my favourite character. I mean, Alison was an alright protagonist (although kinda hung up on the whole 'guys only compliment me because of my looks' thing) and I liked the fact that Anthony undergoes character development, but Zara was just awesome from the start and stayed that way. She's a very commanding character (not too surprising, considering she's the queen), and clever — able and willing to manipulate things to suit what she wants to get done. However, she is also fair, ultimately wanting justice to win out, even if her means are sometimes questionable. She is clearly dedicated to her work. While she's not particularly physically or verbally affectionate — I'd say she's efficient with her words, to the point of being curt or abrupt at times — she obviously cares about the people in her life.
 
Anything out of focus? I think the climactic scene could have been a lot more effective if the revelations hadn't been so confusingly explained. In particular, the whole subplot involving Anthony's reputation (spoiler, highlight to read: that an ex-lover of his was claiming her child was his, and that he had known this but had refused to acknowledge it) was resolved in a way that left me scratching my head going, "Huh?" and re-reading that bit in the hopes it would clear things up (unfortunately, it didn't). I also still don't really get what the point of Zara's little scheme was (spoiler: she voted in favour of funding the endowment to the Scholia, I guess to lure the Scholia into a false sense of security...but I'm not too sure how that helped all that much?).

Also, I sometimes found the dialogue a little on the dry, boring side, since there were a lot of conversations revolving around the political machinations going on.

Ready? Say...  Royal Library!

Click! 3 shooting stars. Servant of the Crown's premise had a lot of potential, but the end result was a little disappointing for me.

Disclaimer: I received this e-book from the author for review.