Will Darling Series Review

 

Series Review: Whyborne and Griffin by Jordan L. Hawk

Series: Whyborne and Griffin

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Historical

Age Group: Young Adult

Source: Purchased

Published: 2012-2019

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Overall Rating: 4/5

Trigger Warnings for the series: Internalized homophobia, societal homophobia, family rejection, PTSD, flashbacks to trauma, night terrors, sexism, murder, sexual assault on and off screen. 

At the beginning of August I innocently started Widdershins, the first book in this series, on whim. I quickly devoured the first eight books and enjoyed every second of this historical fiction paranormal series. What I found was a delightful cast of characters who grow and change over the course of the series as well as a dark and harrowing story of how they try to save the world. 

The world building is excellent over the course of the series. The first few books follow a "monster of the week" format, but the world opened up and a larger undercurrent to the story became apparent. Throughout we encounter a variety of monsters and creatures and eventually uncover a deeper plot that could cause the end of the world. 

Hawke's writing also improves over the course of the series. Even though I was delighted by the first few books, I enjoyed seeing the improvements in pacing, plotting and general skill over the course of seven years of writing. It has darker undertones than most of the urban fantasy I've read and there are serious consequences for characters. Hawke makes the characters work for any wins they achieve. 

Overall this series impressed me with the character development as well. I took a short break between books ten and eleven due to a reading slump. When I returned to the world, I ended up appreciating this even more. Whyborne and Grffin go from budding romantics who just met to one of the most realistic long term couples I've seen in a series like this. Over the course of the series they develop a found family and each minor character's growth is also evident. 

In short, this series was a delight and I recommend it highly. 

Review- Read Bottom Up

Series: Standalone

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age Group: Adult

Paperback - 239 pgs

Source: Gifted

Published: April 2015

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Rating: 5/5

Madeline and Elliot meet at a New York City restaurant opening. Flirtation—online—ensues. A romance, potentially eternal, possibly doomed, begins.

And, like most things in life today, their early exchanges are available to be scrutinized and interpreted by well-intentioned friends who are a mere click away.

Madeline and Elliot's relationship unfolds through a series of thrilling, confounding, and funny exchanges with each other, and, of course, with their best friends and dubious confidants (Emily and David). The result is a brand-new kind of modern romantic comedy, in format, in content, and even in creation—the authors exchanged e-mails in real time, blind to each other's side conversations. You will nod in appreciation and roll your eyes in recognition; you'll learn a thing or two about how the other half approaches a new relationship . . . and you will cheer for an unexpected ending that just might restore your faith in falling in love, twenty-first-century style.  

This little book came onto my radar thanks to an IRL friend and I’m so glad she told me about it. I think most of us can relate to the difficulties of dating over email and text. The interpretation is unpredictable! The waiting for a reply is intense. Using your friend to help you craft a reply is something I know I’ve done.

The story is fast paced since it is told in email format. The characters were relatable, but they didn’t have a lot of depth. I think this is partly to do with the length and the format. Overall, I found this story amusing and easy to read. It was a cute little romance that I appreciated and I thought the ending was realistic which I liked!

My Last Review ⇨ Becoming by Michelle Obama

Review: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Series: Standalone

Genre: Historical Fiction

Age Group: Young Adult

Hardcover: 552 pgs

Source: Purchased

Published - March 2006

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Rating: 5/5

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will be busier still.

By her brother's graveside, Liesel's life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger's Handbook, left behind there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordian-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever there are books to be found.


But these are dangerous times. When Liesel's foster family hides a Jew in their basement, Liesel's world is both opened up, and closed down.

This book gets five stars because it ripped my heart out and apparently I enjoy that.

Due to the enormous hype this book has received over the years, I knew this was going to be an emotional read and a difficult topic to read about. My solution? I tried to read this with distance. Throughout the book our narrator hints at terrible events that will come to pass. So I tried to keep my heart closed and keep these characters at arm’s length. I thought I was doing a good job until I realized in the middle of the book I adored each one and was in big trouble. Because in the end, this is a story about a girl who learns to read and steals books. How could I keep her at a distance?

Throughout the book we are constantly looking at both Lisel’s small corner of Germany and are reminded of the big picture by our narrator, Death. I really enjoyed this balance and how those reminders were not disruptive to the story.

Overall, this book did not disappoint me. Even though the hype is intense, the story is moving and explores a lot of difficult topics. I enjoyed the characters and the unique perspective of the narrator. I'm so glad I finally read this story.

My Last Review ---> Imprudence by Gail Carriger

Review - Imprudence by Gail Carriger

Series: Custard Protocol #2
Genre: Historical Urban Fantasy
Age Group: YA
Paperback -  357pgs
Source: Purchased
Published - Orbit (2017) 
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Rating: 4.5/5

Rue and the crew of the Spotted Custard return from India with revelations that shake the foundations of England's scientific community. Queen Victoria is not amused, the vampires are tetchy, and something is wrong with the local werewolf pack. To top it all off, Rue's best friend Primrose keeps getting engaged to the most unacceptable military types. 

Rue has family problems as well. Her vampire father is angry, her werewolf father is crazy, and her obstreperous mother is both. Worst of all, Rue's beginning to suspect what they really are... is frightened.

Prudence was a wonderful addition to the Parasolverse and she is braver and bolder in this second book. Overall, this group of characters is well balanced with a lot of fun personalities. While the book reminds me of a Victorian coming of age novel in many ways, it has so many supernatural elements woven in that it is an absolute romp to read. Prudence and her crew find new friends and enemies as they take The Spotted Custard to Egypt.

Once again Carriger created a fun quirky storyline that expands the world she’s created and I loved seeing even more of Carriger's take on the Victorian world. The beginning of this book really pulled on my heartstrings and makes me believe even more strongly that you need to read the Parasole Protectorate books first. The emotional impact will be so much greater if you have the background to what is happening. 

But overall this series is full of all my favorite things: flirts, fun and supernaturals. Gail Carriger always seems to hit all the right buttons for me. 

My Last Review - Rebel Rising by Shanna Swendson

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Series: Six of Crows #2 (Final)

Genre: Fantasy

Age Group: Young Adult

Source: Purchased

Hardcover: 546 pgs

Henry Holt & Co (2016) 

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When you can't beat the odds, change the game.

Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn't think they'd survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they're right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and badly weakened, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz's cunning and test the team's fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city's dark and twisting streets―a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of the Grisha world.

Rating: 5/5

Here we go. Welcome to 2018!

It has been a long time since I sat down to write one of these. I need to reach all the way back to the end of the summer to find the start of a very long list of books I failed to write down my thoughts for. Crooked Kingdom is something I really regret not writing up when I first finished it. I remember being in complete awe of the book and being so absorbed in the book it was hard to start my next read.

The character continued to be my favorite part of this duology. The arcs and journeys each character went on in this story were beautifully crafted and shaped. Even though we had a lot of different voices, each one stood out for me. Not only were the voices distinct, Bardugo did a great job using character POV to hide information from the reader. At times I wished there were fewer jumps between characters. So much was going on I wanted resolution to one problem before we were thrown into even more trouble. This strategy created a lot of tension and stress though which made me keep reading. I needed to know what was going to happen to this crew. They needed to make it out ok. I have so many feelings about this book it is hard to put into words. I was deeply attached to this cast. The pacing Is very fast and made it difficult to put this down for any length of time.

As so many people have mentioned, the diversity in this story is fantastic. We have multiple people of color on the page, there are characters with physical and learning disabilities and a character fighting a drug addiction. Multiple characters have survived trauma and struggle with that. Though I cannot say if the representation is accurate, the amount of diversity on the page is great.

After seeing how Bardugo snuck in a few favorite characters, I imagine we will see some of these again in the future. I cannot wait to see what happens in the Grisha world.

My Last Review :  Crimson Peak by Nancy Holder

Rreview - Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivan

Series: Burn for Burn #1

Genre: Contemporary

Age Group: Young Adult

Source - Purchased

Published - September 2012

Hardcover - 356 pgs.

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Rating: 3/5

Postcard-perfect Jar Island is home to charming tourist shops, pristine beaches, amazing oceanfront homes—and three girls secretly plotting revenge.

KAT is sick and tired of being bullied by her former best friend.

LILLIA has always looked out for her little sister, so when she discovers that one of her guy friends has been secretly hooking up with her, she’s going to put a stop to it.

MARY is perpetually haunted by a traumatic event from years past, and the boy who’s responsible has yet to get what’s coming to him.


None of the girls can act on their revenge fantasies alone without being suspected. But together…anything is possible.

After hearing a multitude of good things about this series, I decided to check out what all the fuss was about. The story starts out interesting, but the plot is very slow. Throughout the book I thought the story would have benefited from more action in the present and fewer flashbacks. There is a lot of backstory for each character and it slowed down the plot a lot. It was very hard for me to go back to this book even when the revenge plot line really started to take shape. Overall I didn't feel connected to any of the girls and because their personalities were so stereotypical they were like cardboard cut outs. 

The revenge itself felt out of control and over the top. These girls actually started to freak me out towards the end. Their individual thoughts about it were relatively calm, but when the three of them joined forces it became an extreme version of John Tucker Must Die with high schoolers. Just like in The Summer of Chasing Mermaids, there was a strange paranormal element that popped up when it was convenient. Honestly, this seemed to make everything too easy for the girls and didn't fit with the rest of the story.

I'll pick up the next book in the series because I already own it, but I wasn't very impressed.

Happy Reading!

Review - Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews

Series: Kate Daniels #2 
Genre: Urban Fantasy 
Age Group: Adults
Source: Purchased
Published - April 2008
Mass Market Paperback - 260pgs
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Rating: 4/5

As a mercenary who cleans up after magic gone wrong, Kate Daniels has seen her share of occupational hazards. Normally, waves of paranormal energy ebb and flow across Atlanta like a tide. But once every seven years, a flare comes, a time when magic runs rampant. Now Kate’s going to have to deal with problems on a much bigger scale: a divine one.

When Kate sets out to retrieve a set of stolen maps for the Pack, Atlanta’s paramilitary clan of shapeshifters, she quickly realizes much more at stake. During a flare, gods and goddesses can manifest – and battle for power. The stolen maps are only the opening gambit in an epic tug-of-war between two gods hoping for rebirth. And if Kate can’t stop the cataclysmic showdown, the city may not survive…

After book one I was ready to burn down cities to get my hands on this second book. I was deeply invested in the characters and wanted to know what Kate could get up to next. I can't imagine waiting for the publishing industry to churn out book two. Waiting a week for it to ship to my house was enough torture. 

In book two our knowledge of magic and its history grows and Andrews lays more ground work for Kate's larger journey in this series. I love the additional characters we met and how the characters from book one grew and changed. Kate has to play politics as well as battle magic in this series and, while her strong point really is in a fight, I love getting a taste of the political dance between battles. 

Book one showed what a tough character Kate is both in her physical prowess and her magical ability. However, the authors did such a good job closing her off from everyone they even closed her off to the audience. In book two the shell cracks open and we get to see more of Kate's personality outside of the tough mercenary.

Andrews also seemed to learn a lot from the first book and the writing and pacing really improved. Still waiting for this ship to really take shape and sail, but I know it is going to happen. I'll just wait and hope these two stubborn people figure it out ASAP.

My Review of Magic Bites 

Review: Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda & Jeremy McCarter

Series: Standalone

Genre: Non-Fiction

Age Group: Adults

Source: Purchased

Published - April 2016

Hardcover - 288pgs

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Rating -5/5

Lin-Manuel Miranda's groundbreaking musical Hamilton is as revolutionary as its subject, the poor kid from the Caribbean who fought the British, defended the Constitution, and helped to found the United States. Fusing hip-hop, pop, R&B, and the best traditions of theater, this once-in-a-generation show broadens the sound of Broadway, reveals the storytelling power of rap, and claims our country's origins for a diverse new generation.

HAMILTON: THE REVOLUTION gives readers an unprecedented view of both revolutions, from the only two writers able to provide it. Miranda, along with Jeremy McCarter, a cultural critic and theater artist who was involved in the project from its earliest stages--"since before this was even a show," according to Miranda--traces its development from an improbable perfor­mance at the White House to its landmark opening night on Broadway six years later. In addition, Miranda has written more than 200 funny, revealing footnotes for his award-winning libretto, the full text of which is published here.

Their account features photos by the renowned Frank Ockenfels and veteran Broadway photographer, Joan Marcus; exclusive looks at notebooks and emails; interviews with Questlove, Stephen Sond­heim, leading political commentators, and more than 50 people involved with the production; and multiple appearances by Presi­dent Obama himself. The book does more than tell the surprising story of how a Broadway musical became a national phenomenon: It demonstrates that America has always been renewed by the brash upstarts and brilliant outsiders, the men and women who don't throw away their shot.

This was a fascinating look at the way Hamilton came to the stage and the people who helped make this musical the phenomenon it is. It is beautiful physically. The book was light and well made. I loved the deckled edges and look of the book as much as I loved what was inside of it.

It is filled to the brim with amazing facts about Hamilton as well as stories that will make you laugh an ugly cry. I was surprised how emotional this book was and I cried several times. Learning about the people behind this show can be heart wrenching. Lin-Manuel Miranda is a genius, which I appreciate even more after reading this book, but he worked with other incredible people to make this possible. The stories are told so beautifully. When I thought I couldn't love this show any more, I picked this book up and it increased my love ten-fold.

There are also the lyrics. Anyone who has listened to Hamilton knows, there are some lyrics you need to read. What exactly is that phrase in the middle of Guns and Ships? What are Hamilton's lines behind Samuel during Farmer Refuted?   You can look it all up and have it on hand with this book. I loved it.

The lyrics also include footnotes from Lin that explain some of his creative process. Now that I've read this book I see what a love letter Hamilton is to hip-hop, musicals of all genres and New York City. The longer I think about it the more impressed I am.  I haven't even mentioned the photographs yet! Being unable to see the musical in person, I loved seeing more of the set and the production than I have in the past. The photos are beautiful too.

It is an amazing look into the story and the legend that will become Hamilton. Obviously, I loved it. I will stop gushing about it and conclude by urging you to listen to the soundtrack if you haven't already. Then pick up this book!

My Last Review: Lucifer Vol. 1 by Holly Black

Review - Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta

Series: Lumatere Chronicles #1

Genre: High Fantasy 

Age Group: Young Adult (with mature content)

Source - Purchased 

Published - September 2008

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At the age of nine, Finnikin is warned by the gods that he must sacrifice a pound of flesh to save his kingdom. He stands on the rock of the three wonders with his friend Prince Balthazar and Balthazar's cousin, Lucian, and together they mix their blood to safeguard Lumatere. 

But all safety is shattered during the five days of the unspeakable, when the king and queen and their children are brutally murdered in the palace. An impostor seizes the throne, a curse binds all who remain inside Lumatere's walls, and those who escape are left to roam the land as exiles, dying by the thousands in fever camps.

Ten years later, Finnikin is summoned to another rock--to meet Evanjalin, a young novice with a startling claim: Balthazar, heir to the throne of Lumatere, is alive. This arrogant young woman claims she'll lead Finnikin and his mentor, Sir Topher, to the prince. Instead, her leadership points them perilously toward home. Does Finnikin dare believe that Lumatere might one day rise united? Evanjalin is not what she seems, and the startling truth will test Finnikin's faith not only in her but in all he knows to be true about himself and his destiny.

Quick Thoughts: There are many amazing things about this book. I love the characters. I love the world. I love how the magic is just as much to blame for the problems in this society as the people are. In this age of refugee crises and border control debates, I found this novel especially relevant and it made me even more emotional. I loved this book and I cannot wait to continue on with the series.

Full Review:

To put it simply this was one of the best fantasy stories I've ever read. It was carefully constructed and written extremely well. After several failed attempts at reading this, I finally sunk my teeth into this book and read the entire thing. I'm so glad I didn't give up on it.

The heart-wrenching story of Lumatere and its people grabbed my attention and pulled me into the story after just a few chapters. This story took on an approach to fantasy I haven't seen very often before. I do think the story is a little confusing at times, but Marchetta drops you into a political mess that is ten years old. I expected to be  scrambling for answers and context. She does a brilliant job infusing information and history into the story with flashbacks and discussion. The story didn't feel info-dumpy and it is well developed. 

The characters were what really grabbed my attention. Not only were they complex and interesting, the ways they grappled with the problems they faced felt real. The culture and customs of Lumatere felt fleshed out and throughout the book I felt the peoples' desire to return to their home country in a real way. The emotional roller coaster is intense, but satisfying.

I enjoyed this book very very much and cannot wait to read book two!

My Last Review - Blameless by Gail Carriger

Review - Blameless by Gail Carriger

Series: Parasol Protectorate #3

Genre: Historical Fiction/Paranormal

Age Group: New Adult/Adult

Paperback- 320 pgs

Published - September 2010

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Rating: 4/5

*Quick Warning - Don't read this description unless you've finished book two**

Quitting her husband's house and moving back in with her horrible family, Lady Maccon becomes the scandal of the London season. Queen Victoria dismisses her from the Shadow Council and the only person who can explain anything, Lord Akeldama, unexpectedly leaves town. To top it all, Alexia is attacked by homicidal mechanical ladybugs.

At the end of book two I needed Blameless so badly! I think that is the general consensus of people who read these books. As soon as I got home I picked up this baby and started reading. Alexia forges on after the events of book two and we must as well. Armed with only her wit and her few friends Alexia takes on the world. Literally. We travel abroad in this novel and continue to broaden our knowledge of how the supernatural works within the series. 

Gail Carriger's series continues to be funny, witty and well written. I like the adventure and the new characters that keep appearing. There is a bit of everything within this series. There is historical romances, paranormal and a little urban fantasy mixed in. At this point I am very anxious to find out more about Alexia father's past. He seems like a rather interesting gentleman and overall I would like to see the series move a little faster.

This book dragged a little compared to the other two but I still enjoyed it. At the end things worked out a little too easily for my liking. I wanted a little more tension, but overall liked the outcome. Like vs love is the theme with this installment. I like everything that happened, but found it a little sluggish compared to books one and two so I didn't love it. I continue to recommend it and after a short break am ready to continue on with this series!

Review of Soulless (Parasol Protectorate #1)

Review - The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater

Series: The Raven Cycle #4 (Final)

Genre: Paranormal

Published - April 2016

Source: Purchased

Kindle Edition - 448 pgs

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Rating: 5/5

The fourth and final installment in the spellbinding series from the irrepressible, #1 New York Times bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater.

All her life, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love's death. She doesn't believe in true love and never thought this would be a problem, but as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.

From the beginning this series has been special to me and I have been obsessed with it for the past three years. Now, facing the end of it, I can't believe it is over and I will try to piece together some cohesive thoughts for a review.

When facing the end of a series you love, it is a hard thing to go into it confident things will be ok. The biggest fear I faced heading into this finale was disappointment. I was ready for death and feels but it is the execution of the wrap up that strikes fear into my reading heart. Especially after the many threads Maggie wove into the story at the end of BLLB, I was afraid the ending would be too unwieldy and big for me to feel satisfied at the end.  

This book felt different though. As I turned the pages, each choice felt weighted and leading toward the end. I could feel the ending coming and there was a darker, more sinister tone to this whole book. It turned out to be a beautiful finale and I am in awe of Stiefvater's work. Her writing style is one of my favorites and her planning obviously supreme. I feel like I knew what was coming, but I was still stepping into the dark. 

There were a few lose ends, but it is impossible to wrap up every detail. I also had a little trouble fitting the time line of this series together even after finishing this book. I think after a reread of the the entire series it may make more sense, but as of right now I am confused. Those were my only complaints. This series wrapped up beautifully. The characters make this series and their development throughout this series is phenomenal. I loved this book.


I will stop gushing about it now. Please no spoilers in the comments for others, but I would love to hear general opinions. 

Review - Secret by Brigid Kemmerer

Genre: Paranormal

Source: Purchased

Published - Kensington Teen

Paperback - 328 pgs

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Rating - 4/5

Nick Merrick is stretched to breaking point. He's trying to keep his grades sky-high or he won't get in to college. He's trying to keep his brother's business afloat or the Merricks will be out on the street. He's trying to keep the secret of where he's going in the evenings from his twin brother Gabriel - or he fears he'll lose his family. And he's trying to keep his mind off the hot, self-assured dancer who is his 'girlfriend's' partner.

And then Quinn takes to hanging around his sworn enemy, and an Elemental Guide is counting the hours until he can try again to kill the Merrick brothers. Storms are brewing. On all sides.

Quick Thoughts: Throughout this series I have swooned over the romances and waited anxiously for the action sequences. It was no different this time and Kemmerer continues to astound me. I am so pleased there was just as much sexual tension and tenderness included in this book as in others. 

Review - Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley

Genre: Fairytale Retelling

Series: Standalone

Source: Purchased

Published: Open Road Media (2014) 

Kindle - 308 pgs 

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Rating: 2/5

Once upon a time, a wealthy merchant had three daughters . . . and when the merchant’s business failed, he and his three daughters left their grand house in the city and moved to a tiny cottage buried deep in the countryside. The youngest daughter, Beauty, is fascinated by the long, thorny stems of an unknown plant that overwhelms the neglected cottage, and she tends it until, the following summer, its rich, fragrant flowers are the most glorious things the sisters have ever seen: roses.

An old woman tells Beauty: “Roses are for love. Not . . . silly sweethearts’ love but the love that makes you and keeps you whole. . . . There’s an old folk-tale . . . there aren’t many roses around any more because they need more love than people have to give ’em . . . and the only thing that’ll stand in for love is magic, though it ain’t as good.”

There’s no magic in the town of Longchance, but, the old woman adds, Beauty may not know that this is the result of a sorcerers’ battle that happened many years ago, a battle that left a monster, or perhaps a beast, in an enchanted palace somewhere in the deep forest . . . and a curse concerning a family of three sisters.

To be honest Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairytale. Nothing really compares to Belle who loves to read and The Beast who gives her that beautiful library that I saw as a child and dreamed about having since. I've read a few retellings and one of the ones I liked the best was Beauty. There were a few things I had issues with, like the abrupt ending, but overall when I read it last year I liked it. 

When this title promised to be better, I anticipated 20 years of writing experience would indeed work in McKinley's favor. After this long drawn out retelling though, I would stick with the original.

This retelling is completely independent of Beauty no matter what Goodreads would have you believe. (TBH - I think part of my struggle with this book was I anticipated it coming full circle back to Beauty at some point) The first half of the book was slow but manageable. The sisterly relationship is quite similar to the first retelling and I enjoy that bond in both stories. The book seemed to take a turn when Beauty traveled to the Beast's castle. The writing became too description heavy and drawn out for me to really focus on the story. Several times I found myself lost or confused about what was happening and had to reread long sections to try and absorb it again. There was a particular section at the end of the book where Beauty is lost and struggling to find her way out of Beast's castle. I nearly gave up at that point! That section was odious to read. These drawn out sections reduced my investment in the characters to nothing and I skimmed the rest of the way through the story. Overall, I was disappointed.

The story of Beauty and her family is interesting and I was pleased with their character arcs. Her sisters especially have more character depth. Beauty wasn't as spunky or lively as the other two. Just like Beauty I felt their absence after she left home for the castle. The lore McKinley created within the story was interesting and well constructed. The mystery was simply drawn out too long and too focused on growing roses. The hard part is I understand What the author was trying to do. After reading her author's note at the end I see how she was trying to incorporate her love of gardening and struggle with gardening roses into this story. As a plot device though it made the plot meander too many times. 

Personally, I was glad to finally get to the end of this story. It seems I will always have a love/hate with McKinley's writing. I've adored some of her books and others have fallen flat like this one. We'll see what my next read brings. 

Review - Darcy's Tale by Stanley Michael Hurd

Series: Standalone

Genre: Historical Fiction

Source: Purchased

Published: Omnibus (2014)

Paperback - 704 pgs

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Rating: 4/5

Let yourself be drawn into the world of Fitzwilliam Darcy, landed gentleman, scholar, and very eligible bachelor, whose engaging and enthusiastic friend, Mr. Bingley, has acquired a new manor. Darcy accompanies his friend into the wilds of Hertfordshire, where he meets the enchanting Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Darcy was a wealthy, well-intentioned, intelligent, and educated man; how on Earth did he become so thoroughly tangled by his acquaintance with the daughter of a country gentleman? Follow the story that will take Darcy from the heights of wealth and status, to the depths of pain and self-condemnation, and, ultimately, to the safe haven of the love and respect of his heart's mistress. This lovingly crafted companion to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice will give her fans a feeling of home-coming, and a chance to see this beloved story from a new perspective, all the while immersed in the endearing world of Regency England Austen so masterfully created.

Adaptations of Austen’s novels are written almost exclusively by women. It is rare indeed that a man takes up the task of rewriting the story of Darcy and Miss. Bennet. After reading this series though, I wish more would try.

While many others have tried to capture Darcy’s perspective of Pride and Prejudice, this version captures his spirit and personality in a way Austen, I think, would approve. Here we receive a before, during and after view of Darcy's character and we witness the transformation Elizabeth sparks in him from his own eyes. Darcy’s public vs. private face is made clear using letters between he and his sister, who is has a much larger role in this story than the original, which I enjoyed immensely.

I will admit there were times when the sheer amount of philosophy Darcy used to analyze his life made me skim some of the pages. However, I did enjoy the analytical side of Darcy overall compared to the sickly sweet version some adaptations put forward. This version of Darcy is much closer to the one I envision when I read Pride and Prejudice. Hurd captured all the characters’ essence and I enjoyed the extra characters he created just as much. 

My only complaint is a problem with the format or printing. Some of the italicized letters were boxes like you sometimes see when an emoji doesn't come through correctly. This problem did not show up until 2/3 into the story and became worse as the book went on. It was extremely frustrating that the book was printed with this problem. In some cases I could still determine what the words were through contexts or because a minority of the letters were missing.  In other cases it made it impossible to understand sentences. This is where the book lost its fifth star. This book was over thirty dollars to purchase as a complete “deluxe” volume, but there was this major problem with the book. I don’t know if the ebook version of the volume or the individual books have this problem. I would not recommend putting out the extra money for the physical version though if I were to do it again.

Overall, the story was fantastic, but I hope you can find a way to avoid the missing letters if you read this story! This is a great read for any Austen adaptation fan and a unique way to read Darcy's story. I really enjoyed the different perspective of Darcy's life.

Happy Reading! 

Review- A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

Series: A Darker Shade of Magic #1 

Genre: Fantasy

Published by Tor Book (Feb 2015)  

Hardcover - 398 pgs

Source- Purchased 

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Rating: 4/5 

Kell is one of the last Travelers—rare magicians who choose a parallel universe to visit. 

Grey London is dirty, boring, lacks magic, ruled by mad King George. Red London is where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. White London is ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. People fight to control magic, and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. Once there was Black London—but no one speaks of that now.

Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell smuggles for those willing to pay for even a glimpse of a world they’ll never see. This dangerous hobby sets him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She robs him, saves him from a dangerous enemy, then forces him to another world for her 'proper adventure'.

But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive—trickier than they hoped. 

London is one of those cities I dream of going to and it enchants me from afar. To think Kell travels between three different Londons sounded like the best kind of adventure and, of course, it was!

The Londons are so fascinating. At first it is hard to grasp that they are all “London” but not London as we would think of it. Over the course of the novel though, Schwab makes them more and more distinct. The whole process is lovely and the writing is fantastic. Overall the world building is excellent and I can’t wait to see more of the Londons in the next book, A Gathering of Shadows. Also this is another recent read that included some Victorian London so of course I loved that aspect! 

While I think the world building was the strongest element of this book, the characters were a dream team. Kell and Lila are two fascinating characters. Their lives intersect and immediately you know these two will never be the same again. Lila is a cross-dreading thief who aspires to be a pirate. I was in love with her immediately and Kell is the magician who travels between Londons. These two are amazing and I fell in love with both of them. While we slowly peel back the layers of their characters in this book, I imagine we will see more character growth in future installments.

Don’t be worried if you feel like the story is sluggish at first. There is a lot of world building that, while it isn’t info-dumping, does slow the plot at first. We are introduced to a lot of characters at first, but slowly the story kicks in and all the pieces start into motion. I could name the scene this started rocking for me it was that distinct to me. Like I said, it is a little slow at the beginning, but Schwab makes up for it later.

Quick Thoughts: At the end of the book I wanted to start reading it all over again. It was fabulous and I really enjoyed it. I feel like a true Victoria Schwab fan now and an anxiously awaiting book two.