Friday 29 January 2016

b00k r3vi3w Tours : The Last of the Firedrakes (+ GIVEAWAY)



★.•**•.★★.•**•.★ The Avalonia Chronicles Book Tour ★.•**•.★ ★.•**•.★


About the Book:


16-year-old Aurora Darlington is an orphan. Mistreated by her adopted family and bullied at school, she dreams of running away and being free. But when she is kidnapped and dragged through a portal into a magical world, suddenly her old life doesn’t seem so bad.

Avalonia is a dangerous land ruled by powerful mages and a cruel, selfish queen who will do anything to control all seven kingdoms—including killing anyone who stands in her way. Thrust headlong into this new, magical world, Aurora’s arrival sets plans in motion that threaten to destroy all she holds dear.

With the help of a young fae, a magical pegasus, and a handsome mage, Aurora journeys across Avalonia to learn the truth about her past and unleash the power within herself. Kingdoms collide as a complicated web of political intrigue and ancient magic lead Aurora to unravel a shocking secret that will change her life forever. 


Book Links:

Goodreads I Amazon I Flipkart



World of Avalonia





Read an Excerpt:


Chapter 3
Kidnapped

For a second that felt like a lifetime, everything stopped; I felt like I was floating in nothingness. Then I blinked, and, when I finally opened my eyes and focused again through the tears, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
I found myself standing at the mouth of a small cave situated on a hill and overlooking a quiet, moonlit valley. On my left, a dark forest stretched out as far as the eye could see, treetops glistening silver in the light of the full moon. The hills around us undulated into wildflower-filled meadows that lay sleeping in the dewy night.
Far down in the valley, I could see a little village, its lights twinkling in the distance. To my right, a waterfall splashed playfully into a small river that ran down into a lake, next to which the little village was built. The moon here was fuller and larger than I had ever seen it, and the night sky was awash with a fantastic array of glittering stars.
Had I passed through the tapestry? Where was I?
I looked around, disbelief clouding my judgment. I was still trying to get my bearings after that strange moment when I had been inside the tapestry and nowhere at the same time. It gave me a funny feeling, as though I had been lifted out of my own consciousness and then put back into my body.
A warm breeze brushed past my face and played with my hair. Gone were the cloudy grey mist and the cold, nipping wind of the English countryside. I drew in a sharp breath—the air was crisp and clear, sweet smelling, and fresh. The moonlit valley was filled with fruit trees, wildflowers, and rolling meadows.
“How did we come here? Where are we?” I asked, still confused.
“You really are ignorant,” said Oblek, glancing at me. “I take it your uncle didn’t tell you anything?”
I shook my head and looked down. Oblek had tied my hands with a rope he had with him while I was still dazed and looking around. It was humiliating, and the rough ropes cut into my wrists, rubbing them raw every time he pulled me forward.
I had to find some way out of this. And, at the moment, the only thing I could do was discover more about where I was. Then, when I got an opportunity, I could escape and find my way back up to the cave on the hill, where we had arrived out of the tapestry.
But then what?
Christopher was probably dead, and Aunt Arianna would doubtless blame me for everything since I had disappeared at the same time. I had no idea what to do. I didn’t really want to go back, and, now that my adoptive parents were dead, I had nothing to return to.
I was starting to panic. I had nowhere to go, and my mind was imagining an array of horrible outcomes of my kidnapping. My palms had become sweaty, and my racing heart was thundering in my chest as I half-walked and half-ran, desperately trying to keep up with Oblek’s giant strides.
“Why are you doing this?” I pleaded with my kidnapper.
But Lord Oblek said nothing. He didn’t even look at me. He just kept walking ahead and dragging me along behind him, with no more explanations as to what he was planning to do with me.
I was terrified, and I had no idea if I was going to survive this. But I tried to be brave. Maybe I could talk my way out of this?
“You do know that this is called kidnapping?” I said, trying to reason with Oblek.
He didn’t bother to answer.
“What will happen to me now?” I squeaked, my voice breaking, as I tried not to cry.
“Queen Morgana will decide what is to be done with you,” said Oblek, finally.
Queen Morgana! The woman from my dream? It was not possible that this, too, was a coincidence. It must be the same Morgana, the one who had tried to kill my real mother.
Who the hell was she?
Suddenly all of this seemed extremely scary. I hoped that I was still dreaming and that there was no way I had actually traveled through a magical tapestry into some strange land. It all seemed very exciting in books. But actually being kidnapped and then hauled around like an animal, traveling deep into a land I knew nothing about, was not my idea of fun.
I had to get away from this horrible man, and fast.



About the Author:
 
For Farah Oomerbhoy, writing is a passion and reading her solace. She is a firm believer in the fantastic and magical, and often dreams of living in Narnia, Neverland, or the Enchanted Forest.
When she was pregnant with her first child ten years ago, a story popped into her head she could not ignore. “I was at my grandmother’s house, and as I looked at the image of a beautiful forest with a castle in the distance on a tapestry hanging on the wall, I imagined myself being whisked away into another world,” she said. It was at that moment the world of Avalonia, with its powerful mages and fae and the evil Queen Morgana, was born. Farah Oomerbhoy’s debut novel, The Last of the Firedrakes, was released in the summer of 2015.

Farah lives with her husband and three children in their family home in Mumbai, India. She has a Master’s degree in English Literature from the University of Mumbai. Her first novel is The Last of the Firedrakes, Book 1 of the Avalonia Chronicles.

  
Contact Farah:




Giveaway:
1) One Amazon Gift Voucher worth 1000INR
2) One Amazon Gift Voucher worth 500INR
3) 3 Signed Copies of The Last of the Firedrakes

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Tuesday 26 January 2016

The Winner's Trilogy #1 The Winner's Curse

Presenting The Winner's Trilogy #1 The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski.

Here is the summary of the book:

Winning what you want may cost you everything you love.

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction.

Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin. But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.


This book. MY GOD THIS BOOK. Utterly and truly perfect. Marie Rutkoski's THE WINNER'S CURSE tells of a richly illuminated world where class matters above all, where the conquered are the slaves and society is a great cesspool of myriad desires and veiled schemes. A vivid milieu of deadly games and hard pressed gambles. Spellbinding and richly portrayed, The Winner's Curse marks an intriguing debut to a masterfully narrated trilogy.

Kestral and Arin. Starcrossed lovers. Mistress and slave. Doomed by birth and consequences to be on the opposite sides of the playing field. Kestral, the daughter of the General, excellent strategist. She is clever and has a mind for politics & the military. Afforded every opportunity her class in society offers her but only sees two options available. Get married or join the military as per her father's demands. Constrained by such demands, Kestral puts up a brave front but at heart looks o be free.  Maybe that is what she saw in Arin, a kindred spirit, when she bought him from a trader on a whim.

Arin was one mysterious guy. And very proud too. He is a slave and a part of the rebellion looking to usurp their masters. Of course he is not bad to look at either. They develop one strange friendship, Kestrel and Arin. While the tension is palpable, it has very little to do with romance at first. Kestrel demands honesty from Arin. She knows he had secrets. Her mind may even confer that she is being played but she starts to depend upon Arin's opinion very much. Doomed for destruction, their characters brought a sense of complexity to the plot never before experienced.

A lyrical and well balanced narrative. The winner's curse has it all in spades, aristocratic elements, historical fiction. Two intriguingly complex and flawed protagonist in Kestral and Arin, who add an entirely new level of dynamics to this fascinating narrative/ You can never really guess where their story leads them next. An effective slow burn. This is an exceptionally well built world and the undercurrents of power-play with its twists and turns and shocking reveals leave the readers intrigued by its admirable wordplay. I recommend it, ladies and gents, give this masterpiece a try.

"A lyrical dynamo. Intriguingly portrayed and exquisitely enacted. Well played Marie Rutkoski"

Genre :     Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books

Release Date: 3rd July, 2014

My Copy: bought (paperback)

Rate:             5/5 (It was Amazing)

Buy:         Amazon | Book Depository 

Friday 22 January 2016

Percy Jackson's Greek Gods

Presenting Percy Jackson's Greek Gods by Rick Riordan, John Rocco.

Here is the summary of the book:

A publisher in New York asked me to write down what I know about the Greek gods, and I was like, Can we do this anonymously? Because I don't need the Olympians mad at me again. But if it helps you to know your Greek gods, and survive an encounter with them if they ever show up in your face, then I guess writing all this down will be my good deed for the week.

So begins Percy Jackson's Greek Gods, in which the son of Poseidon adds his own magic--and sarcastic asides--to the classics. He explains how the world was created, then gives readers his personal take on a who's who of ancients, from Apollo to Zeus. Percy does not hold back. "If you like horror shows, blood baths, lying, stealing, backstabbing, and cannibalism, then read on, because it definitely was a Golden Age for all that."

Dramatic full-color illustrations throughout by Caldecott Honoree John Rocco make this volume--a must for home, library, and classroom shelves--as stunning as it is entertaining.


Adjectives, Adverbs or such and such superlatives are just not proficient to explain just how much I loved this gigantosaurus book. Yes you heard, i bought the bigger imprint of the book and not the tiny one ..... so happy i was able to save for this ..... If you know me, then you know just how much I love mythology ..... and the Greek one had always been a favorite one too. Of course I had already read the original grisly details in full before so I knew what to expect but reading it all again in Percy Jackson's snarky and humor really brought a new life to the old tales.

Its funny. Its hilarious. Has gallons of jokes on kfc, One Direction and Justin Bieber to name a few. Its educational too with so many gorgeous illustrations to accompany Riordan's narrative. Top it all of its our favorite narrator Demigod Percy Jackson, going about it all in his sly and sarcastic way. Going the subtle way Rick Riordan tries to minimize on the gory details of these old myths by saying that, "so and so got his way" or so and so got a bit too cuddly with the unfortunate other ...... because at the end of it this is a middle grade series and really you don't scare the kids with all the 'R' - Rated details about the Gods.

Riordan also throws in some pretty great advice in between the lines here and there about the Gods in general, the female sect and announcements like no drinking before you are 30 or something .... Took me sometime too finish it but I definitely loved what I found in this book and as usual Riordan's writing and Percy's sly and dry humor sets it of fabulously.

"Innovative and excellent way of discovering the Greek pantheon"

Genre :      Young Adult, Fantasy, Mythology, Tie-in

PublisherDisney-Hyperion Books

Release Date: 19th August, 2014

My Copy: bought (hardback)

Rate:              5/5 (It was Awesome)

Other Books from Rick Riordan:
                       (review links)
           
Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository 

Wednesday 20 January 2016

Sword and Verse

Presenting Sword and Verse #1 Sword and Verse by Kathy McMillan.

Here is the summary of the book:

Raisa was just a child when she was sold to work as a slave in the kingdom of Qilara. Despite her young age, her father was teaching her to read and write, grooming her to take his place as a Learned One. In Qilara, the Arnathim, like Raisa, are the lowest class, and literacy is a capital offense. What’s more, only the king, prince, tutor, and tutor-in-training are allowed to learn the very highest order language, the language of the gods. So when the tutor-in-training is executed for teaching slaves this sacred language, and Raisa is selected to replace her, Raisa knows any slipup on her part could mean death.

Keeping her secret is hard enough, but the romance that’s been growing between her and Prince Mati isn’t helping matters. Then Raisa is approached by the Resistance—an underground army of slave rebels—to help liberate Arnath slaves. She wants to free her people, but that would mean aiding a war against Mati. As Raisa struggles with what to do, she discovers a secret that the Qilarites have been hiding for centuries—one that, if uncovered, could bring the kingdom to its knees.


A gorgeous cover. A resoundingly interesting synopsis. A fabulously constructed world with its own quirks and quips. And two rather trusting characters in the royal Prince Mati and his forbidden love, the slave and tutor-in-training Raisa. Conspiracies and treacheries notwithstanding Kathy McMillan's Sword and Verse proves to be an enlightening experience with some serious drawback that prevented me from enjoying the tale to the fullest and it getting 2 stars less from me.

Raisa and Mati. Romance between the royalty and the servant is not really new, literature is littered with several others like our pair here. All things excluded while there's is not an insta-love by any chance it's rather a hard bit to swallow because really their romance doesn't seem believable at all. Its like they were put there because the situation warranted it to be ...... Of course the one thing that did shone through was just how much they trusted each other.

Raisa didn't seem like the bonafide heroine here. Which I kinda about her. Of course I liked her better when she wasn't mooning over Mati and making irritating decisions that could cost her her life. Complaisant at best, she also doesn't seem at all interested in the revolution at first. Definitely liked that she didn't just go down that path just because she was pressured into it instead chose to blaze her own trail.

Mati on the other hand, while possessing some very reliable and admirable qualities lacked a backbone to stand for himself. Although he comes to his senses soon and realizes the throne isn't always everything. Didn't really like how he uses and then discards her to come groveling back. He was Ok ..... no both Raisa and he are an ok pair really ..... they don't win points with me but they seem complacent enough.

McMillan presents us with a wonderful world but she tries to do too much here. While I liked the writing system depicted and almost gave the tale an exotic and vibrant feel ..... but I found my attention wandering a lot. The pacing also was very slow. Pretty much drags through the first half and then suddenly picks up at supersonic speed and barrels through to the end. While the world building was marvelously done, i just couldn't connect with the characters at all.

Also the story pretty much ends in the book but Goodreads shows that this is a series. Wonder what happens next because the author could have easily divided the first book into a series, that would definitely have been a better prospect than what we are getting here. Not really keen on this book but I would totally recommend that you all give it a try and maybe you'll find something I didn't here.

"A nicely written plot but an average adventure"

Genre :     Young Adult, High Fantasy, Mythology, Romance

Publisher: Harper Teen

Release Date: 19th January, 2016

My Copy: publisher and edelweiss

Rate:             3/5 (Liked It)

Buy:         Amazon | Book Depository 

Tuesday 19 January 2016

Dumplin'

Presenting Dumplin' by Julie Murphy.

Here is the summary of the book:

Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked…until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine—Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.


Go big or go home. Dumplin' by Julie Murphy tells the story of the ever realistic self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson as she battles the effervescent years of her teen life, Ex-beauty Queen mom, perfect figured classmates and her all-American best friend are things she knows how to handle but realizing that the guy she had the hots for likes her back, Now that makes her doubt. At the end of it its the ups and downs of everyday life and how our resident Dumplin' deals with her share.

I'll be honest her, I kinda liked as well as hated Willowdean throughout the book. She is frank, confident, bold and very much at home in her fat physique. A no-nonsence girl who goes through like everyone else around her and has her own troubles to tackle. All the good points aside, she casts a rather intimidating personality. She is also pretty judgmental all things considered. She had a lot of abandonment issues, courtesy of her over-bearing mom but how she deals with that hurts everyone around her.

I was expecting her to be bit more mature in the way she dealt with life and not be so belligerent but she had the capacity to make amends and learns from her mistakes so it wasn't all that bad but her attitude bothered me a lot. She was also so hard on herself. Her smoking hot co-worker Bo likes her back and she immediately starts doubting her worth and what people would say if they saw them together.

I liked the romance a lot but hated the triangle. Its not right for Willowdean to keep stringing two guys around and hope no one finds out. While I liked that the romance didn't lord over the whole story but played a big part for 'Will' to start doubting herself but her daily life also played a part. Her mother and her best friend Ellen also played important roles. I loved that she was as normal and flawed as they come. Really irritated me a lot too bur at the end of it she deals with all the problems of self-confidence in body and mind and the sense of belonging and probable many other things that teens face all the time ..... Just her's come in a much much bigger shade is all.

"A good coming of age story for everyone should read no matter their size"

Genre :     Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Publisher: Balzer+Bray

Release Date: 15th September, 2015

My Copy: bought (ebook)

Rate:             4/5 (Really Liked It)

Buy:         Amazon | Book Depository 

Monday 18 January 2016

The Wrath and the Dawn #1 The Wrath and the Dawn

Presenting The Wrath and the Dawn #1 The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh.

Here is the summary of the book:

One Life to One Dawn.

In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad's dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph's reign of terror once and for all.

Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she'd imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. Incredibly, Shahrzad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It's an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid's life as retribution for the many lives he's stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?

Inspired by A Thousand and One Nights, The Wrath and the Dawn is a sumptuous and enthralling read from beginning to end.


Captivating. Attractive. Enchanting. With the needed oomph. Renee Ahdieh's The Wrath and the Dawn is the first of the duology and the perfect re-telling of the Arabian Nights or 1001 Nights as it is known. Clothed in an innovative cover and filled with Ahdieh's flowing words, The Wrath and the Dawn was at the top of my favorite book last year (this is a late review of the book).

Shahrzad and Khalid of Khorosan made for an intriguing pair. Strong willed, Sassy and capable of speaking her mind Shahrzad. Volunteering to marry a rumored tyrant when she is most likely going to die the next dawn. Willing to sacrifice herself in order to kill the man responsible for the death of her best friend Shiva. She is a force to be held and knows just what buttons to push. An all round bad-ass and kick-ass heroine to behold.

Khalid, the tall, dark and mysterious ruler of Khorosan. Imperfect and marred with a tragic past. Eighteen years old and being burdened with a mysterious affliction hasn't done anything to alleviate the tortured soul he is. Death of so many wives without reason has not done anything to raise him in the eyes of his people either. He often appears stone cold and calculating but Shahrzad seems to strike a chord.

She sees something no one ever cared to see. She may have agreed to marry him to eventually exact revenge for her best friend but instead of a monster she sees a tortured soul looking for belonging and love, someone who interests in listening to stories. She sees a man chaffing under the guilt of the murders of his previous wives. Somehow their developing love melts Khalid's cold heart into beating anew. Somehow he finds the yin to his yang. A burgeoning love, fiercest of the fierce. Searing romance, emotions raging high .... and you (reader) find yourself swept in their overtures of love.... My favorite pair .......

Ahdieh paints a convincing and vibrant world with her words. The narrative is spot on and Khorosan is beautifully realized. The words easy to understand and lyrical to be experienced. There is also a glossary at the end to reference the meaning of the Arabic words used. And all the food Shahrzad and Khalid consume and the mouth watering descriptions the author provided had me constantly hungry wherever i came across them.

I'm forgetting someone aren't I? Yes! .... Tariq .... I remember him .... He just annoyed me to no ends and whenever his chapters came around I was always impatient for them to be over. Otherwise I just absolutely loved and adored every bit of this re-telling of 1001 Nights. Of course magic is touched upon but not overtly depended on as the human emotions play a bigger part in this rendition. Utter perfection ..... Eagerly anticipating The Rose and the Dagger now.

"Luxuriously detailed and richly narrated. Renee Ahdieh produces an enthralling re-telling of the Arabian Nights"

Genre :     Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Fairytale Re-telling, Romance

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Release Date: 12th May, 2015

My Copy: bought (hardbound)

Rate:             5/5 (It was Amazing)

Buy:         Amazon | Book Depository 

Need

Presenting Need by Joelle Charbonneau.

Here is the summary of the book:

What do you really need?

One by one, the teens in Nottawa, Wisconsin, join the newest, hottest networking site and answer one question: What do you need? A new iPhone? Backstage passes to a concert? In exchange for a seemingly minor task, the NEED site will fulfill your request. Everyone is doing it. So why shouldn’t you?

Kaylee Dunham knows what she needs—a kidney for her sick brother. She doesn’t believe a social networking site can help, but it couldn’t hurt to try.

Or could it?

After making her request, Kaylee starts to realize the price that will have to be paid for her need to be met. The demands the site makes on users in exchange for their desires are escalating, and so is the body count. Will Kaylee be able to unravel the mystery of who created the NEED network before it destroys them all?


What do you NEED? Putting a spin on the negative impact of social media, NEED by Joelle Charbonneau does a good job of highlighting just what social media is capable of doing, if used in the worst way possible. And just how far the human race would go to get what they want even if the means employed are unethical or even dangerous. Following through the perspectives of a plethora of students of Nottawa High School and secretive social media site Need.com.

While I appreciate the point the author is trying to make but the plot is rather predictable and the severity of the situation dampened by the inclusion of so many point of views. If a few perspectives had been done away, then maybe I could have been invested in what was happening to the characters. Also it takes attention away from the core plot of Kaylee Dunham looking for a kidney donor for her brother and the drama surrounding her life.

Social networking is all the rage of this modern electronic era and i'm pretty certain we all have come across schemes and drives, which ask for a finite number of invites referred by an entrant to be eligible for prizes ranging from expensive bags, mobile phones, laptops, gaming consoles and the like .... I certainly came across many in Facebook. Need.com serves on the same principle setting the task of invites to fulfill their Need requests. Tasks later turning shady and life threatening, to attain like new gadgets, good marks without studying for a particular subject, an extended day of holiday, date for prom or break up a couple.

NEED does try to set its pace but simply due to cause and effect of such a big cast, the narrative doesn't make such a strong impression as the synopsis suggests. Mystery and the thriller were much appreciated but as I already mentioned the book isn't able to exert as much pressure s the summary of the book would suggest. This is my first book from Charbonneau but it kinda disappointed me snce I have heard much about about her, Good effort by the author.

"The vows and vices of social networking"

Genre :     Young Adult, Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Release Date: 3rd November, 2015

My Copy: publisher & netgalley

Rate:             3/5 (Liked It)

Buy:         Amazon | Book Depository 

Mechanica

Presenting Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell.

Here is the summary of the book:

Nicolette’s awful stepsisters call her “Mechanica” to demean her, but the nickname fits: she learned to be an inventor at her mother’s knee. Her mom is gone now, though, and the Steps have turned her into a servant in her own home.

Then on her sixteenth birthday, Nicolette discovers a secret workshop in the cellar and begins to dare to imagine a new life for herself. Could the mysterious books and tools hidden there—and the mechanical menagerie, led by a tiny metal horse named Jules—be the key to escaping her dreary existence? With a technological exposition and royal ball on the horizon, the timing might just be perfect for Nicolette to earn her freedom at last.

Gorgeous prose and themes of social justice and family shine in this richly imagined “Cinderella” retelling about an indomitable inventor who finds her prince…but realizes she doesn’t want a fairy-tale happy ending after all.


 There was Cinderella. Then came Cinder. Now there is Mechanica aka Nicolette. Really the literally community has no shortage of this iconic character. Now fair warning to those saying this is a rip-off of Cinder (Lunar Chronicles) should note that this is actually not sci-fi at all but historical fantasy mixed with steampunk and the Faerie. While Mechanica doesn't follow the fairytale perfectly, the baser elements are there even if the conclusion is a bit different than you would expect .... Professing a new look towards the notion of friendship.

Nic short for Nicolette is her mother's daughter. Capable mechanic and an inquisitive one, she had learned it all at her mother's side, going against her father;s wishes for a proper society daughter. She'd rather tinker than play dress-up. Independant and very much vocal about her wants always faced the ire of her stepmother and the ridicule of her stepsisters. But Nic is as intuitive as she is inquisitive. In a world where the Fae are known and their magic performed .... well Nic has just the idea to attain her freedom and she needs no Prince for that I tell you.

Betsy Cornwell's play on words is definitely to be appreciated. Bold enough to put forth a new twist on the classic that is Cinderella. But where Cornwell succeeds in recreating the fairytale in her ideas, the book suffers on the other hand from a serious want of pacing. The plot takes so much time to polish Nic's story that when the royal event comes around, it just suddenly picks up speed and runs with it. Aside from that the introduction and inclusion of Faerie and Fae magic was a great and well though out implementation to the story. So not really my favorite re-telling of the fairytale but an enlightening experience nonetheless.

"Steampunk Cinderella with a splendid to eye to details"

Genre :     Young Adult, Fantasy, Stempunk, Fairytale re-telling

Publisher: Clarion Books

Release Date: 25th August, 2015

My Copy: publisher & netgalley

Rate:             3/5 (Liked It)

Buy:         Amazon | Book Depository 

Sunday 17 January 2016

A Drop of Night

Presenting A Drop of Night by Stefan Bachmann.

Here is the summary of the book:

Five gifted teenagers are selected out of hundreds of other candidates to fly to France and help with the excavation of a vast, underground palace buried a hundred feet below the suburbs of Paris. Built in the 1780's to hide an aristocratic family and a mad duke during the French Revolution, the palace was sealed after the aristocrats fled there. No one has set foot in it for over two centuries.

Or so they thought.

But nothing is as it seems, and the teenagers—bitter, iron-hearted Anouk, gentle Will, bubbly Lilly, and crazy Jules— soon find themselves embroiled in a game far more sinister, and dangerous, than they could possibly have imagined. An evil spanning centuries is waiting for them in the depths. . .

You cannot escape the palace.

You cannot guess its secrets.


Where the idea merits more than the final result. A Drop of Night by Stefan Bachmann entices a rich french history. An underground castle. Mysterious restoration project. Exceptional teenagers recruited to take part in said project. Deception and subterfuge abound and the mysterious bogeyman ..... I so wanted to like this book ..... I liked the author's middle grade books so I was looking forward to this very much but it felt very much flat and lacking finesse.

The characters were well enough. Each different in their own ways and each with their own quirks. The transition between the past and the present was also very well done. The mystery was perfectly maintained and the thriller elements where very well realized as the truth of the project is revealed. But what the story lacks is finesse and enough explanations to explain and deliver answers to the happenings of the tale. The ordeal felt very much like Maze Runner but no explanation is given for the traps set in the castle. The conclusion also doesn't satisfy me very much.

I like Bachmann's flow of words very much and that was aplenty here but the story misses a lot of elements in its lineup which could have taken it to newer heights.

"Replete with the mysterious but not my cup of tea"

Genre :      Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

PublisherGreenwillow Books

Release Date: 15th March, 2016

My Copy: publisher & edelweiss

Rate:              3/5 (Liked It)

Other Books from the author:
                The Peculiar #1 #2
           
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